Category Archives: Game Threads

For discussion of today’s game

Apr 22

Game 21, 2014

Posted on by

Phillies v. Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

It’s not Curt Schilling’s bloody sock, but A. J. Burnett’s going to pitch for the Phillies tonight with an inguinal hernia. I had one of those for eight years before finding time to get it repaired, so I don’t think he’s risking much by pitching with it. He’s 0-1 with a 2.74 ERA so far this season.

The Dodgers counter with Hyun-Jin Ryu, who’s 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA. Here’s a startling tidbit: “Ryu has made five starts this season, and four have been scoreless. He allowed eight runs in two innings April 4 against the Giants, but otherwise has not allowed a run in 26 innings.”

Lineup when available.

Apr 21

Game 20, 2014

Posted on by

Phillies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

It’s the Fightin’ Phils’ Cliff Lee (2-2, 4.00 ERA) against the Dodgers’ Paul Maholm (0-1, 4.97 ERA).

If we’re to take MLB’s Preview as gospel, the Dodgers should just forfeit.

Of his four big-name outfielders, Carl Crawford’s .212 (7-for-33) lifetime mark against Lee is the best of the bunch. Yasiel Puig is 1-for-7 vs. the lefty; Andre Ethier is 0-for-11 with five strikeouts; Matt Kemp, who generally wears out lefties, is 1-for-18 with 11 whiffs.

How’s Scott Van Slyke? He’s 0-for-5 with three strikeouts against Lee.

Jeff Passan wrote a good editorial column exhorting MLB to take action to better control the way Cuban athletes are allowed into this country when defecting. He rightly calls the current system a form of human trafficking.

Dodger Insider has a fascinating little story about the Dodgers’ franchise official win total: Elias Sports Bureau has it at 9,997 including the twelve wins this year, while the official Dodgers’ records have it at 9,984 including those wins. The discrepancy is owed to wins achieved with the help of an ineligible player in 1899 (!).

Lineup when available.

Apr 20

Game 19, 2014

Posted on by

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA.

The Dodgers send Josh Beckett out to face the D-Backs’ Josh Collmenter. I wonder if this is a first: two guys named Josh facing one another.

Collmenter’s record is 0-1, with a 3.75 ERA. Beckett is 0-0, with a 4.00 ERA. Adrian Gonzalez has a 14-game hitting streak.

Apr 19

Game 18, 2014

Posted on by

Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 5:10PM PST, TV: SPNLA

The D-Backs send rookie Mike Bolsinger, who’s got all of three innings of MLB experience, and that was last week in relief against the Mets. The Dodgers counter with Dan Haren, whose last outing was against the same D-Backs last Saturday. He went 5 2/3 innings and got the win, but he wasn’t happy with his performance.

Lineup:

Apr 18

Game 17, 2014

Posted on by

D-Backs at Dodgers, 7:10PM, TV: SPNLA.

This is already the third series between the two teams in the young season. Greinke (3-0, 2.76 ERA) has faced the Diamondbacks once this year and won; he’ll try to do it again. Miley (2-2, 5.04 ERA) has faced the Dodgers twice already and has lost both games.

Whether Hanley Ramirez plays or not will be a game-time decision based on how his left hand feels after getting hit by Ryan Vogelsong Wednesday night. Adrian Gonzalez has a twelve-game hitting streak.

Lineup when available.

Apr 17

Game 16, 2014

Posted on by

Dodgers at Giants, 12:45PM PST, TV: SPNLA.

One of the two de facto aces on the Dodgers staff while Kershaw’s out, Hyun-Jin Ryu brings his 2 – 1 record and his 2.57 ERA to this game. He’ll face Madison Bumgarner, who has a 2 – 0 record with a 3.31 ERA as well as a hot bat. He hit a grand slam and drove in five runs in his last outing.

Mattingly is going with an all right-handed outfield against Bumgarner, saving Ethier and Crawford for pinch-hitting duty.

Apr 16

Game 15, 2014

Posted on by

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15PM PST on SPNLA and NBC Bay Area.

Maholm (0 -1 , 8.10 ERA) v. Vogelsong (0 – 0, 8.00 ERA). Vogelsong has allowed eight earned runs on 14 hits and three walks in nine innings pitched so far this season. Maholm allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings in his only start so far.

If you remember yesterday’s starters, each had an ERA above 9.00. Tonight we have starters who each have an ERA below that, all the way down to 8.00. Progress!

Update: Clayton Kershaw’s frustrated by not being able to pitch and contribute $100 for each opposing batter he strikes out, he says, so he’s transferring his donation to his fellow pitchers’ strikeouts. If my addition is correct, that’s 139 strikeouts by the entire staff for $13,900.

Lineup when available.

Apr 15

Game 14, 2014

Posted on by

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15 PST, TV: SPNLA.

Josh Beckett takes the mound for the Dodgers. His previous start, his first since May of last year, was against the Tigers on April 9th. He went four innings, threw 85 pitches, gave up five hits and five runs (four earned), and struck out five while walking only one. Facing him will be Tim Lincecum, who’s 0 – 1 with a 9.90 ERA. In his two starts so far, Lincecum has given up 11 earned runs on 15 hits and a walk in 10 innings. However, he’s 9 – 6 in his career against the Dodgers with an ERA of 2.94.

Lineup when it appears.

Apr 13

Game 13, 2014

Posted on by

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 PM PST, TV: SPNLA.

Haren v. Cahill. On paper this shouldn’t be a contest. Haren is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings over two starts. Cahill is 0-3 with a 7.90 ERA in 22 1/3 innings over three starts. “But that’s why they play the games,” says the aphorism.

Lineup:

I think this is the first time Ethier has started in left field this season.

Apr 12

Game 12, 2014

Posted on by

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 5:10 PM PST, TV: SPNLA and MLBTV (free game today). The D-Backs send out Wade Miley, who’s 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA, and the Dodgers counter with Zack Greinke, who’s 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA.

Miley faced the Dodgers in the opening game in Sydney when he gave up three runs in five innings. With him pitching, Mattingly sits Ethier and Crawford and generally loads up the lineup with right-handers.

Lineup: