Jul 03

Game 88, 2014

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Dodgers at Rockies, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN

The Dodgers send Ace 1B out today as Zack Greinke takes the hill with a 10-4 record and 2.78 ERA. The Rockies pitch former bullpen denizen Franklin Morales, who’s 4-4 on the season with a 5.75 ERA. He’s starting because the Rockies’ rotation has been hit with injuries.

The Dodgers have improved their record at home: they went 13-19 in their first 32 home games through June 4, and they’ve gone 9-4 in their last 13.

Via Twitter, the Dodgers have recalled Erisbel Arruebarrena and optioned Carlos Triunfel back to Albuquerque. They’re still mulling what to do with Hanley Ramirez and his sore shoulder and leg.

Today’s the last day of All-Star Game voting. Have you pushed the button for Puig yet?

Jul 02

Game 87, 2014

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Indians at Dodgers, 12:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Hyun-Jin Ryu will pitch the final game of the four-game series for the Dodgers. The lefty is 9-4 with a 3.12 ERA, including seven quality starts in his last eight outings. The Tribe sends out Trevor Bauer, who’s 2-4 with a 4.39 ERA. That’s a little misleading; he’s got five quality starts in eight tries this season. Bauer is a Southern California product; he went to Hart High School in Santa Clarita and was the first round pick (and third overall) by the D-Backs in 2011 after attending UCLA. The Indians acquired him as part of the three-team deal in which they sent Shin Soo-Choo to the Reds in 2012.

As bad a game as Kemp had last night, I’m a little surprised he’s not sitting today rather than Puig.

Jul 01

Game 86, 2014

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

Josh Beckett, who’s 5-4 with a 2.11 ERA, pitches for the Dodgers and Justin Masterson, who’s 4-5 with a 5.03 ERA, pitches for the Tribe.

“The Indians have been shut out for 21 consecutive innings, during which the offense has gone a combined 3-for-63.” You could look at that one of two ways: either the futility will last forever or the team is overdue to break out.

Ramirez is still sore but the team is hoping he can avoid going on the DL.

Jun 30

Game 85, 2014

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

The Dodgers put their trust in Dan Haren, 7-4 with a 3.83 ERA. He’s given up 14 home runs in his last nine starts, which isn’t good. The Indians counter with Corey Kluber, a right-hander who is 7-5 with a 3.09 ERA.

“Monday’s series opener marks just the seventh time the Tribe has played the Dodgers. Cleveland is 2-4 in the overall series but went 2-1 in Dodger Stadium in 2008.” Well, I don’t want to remember that 1920 World Series either.

The Dodgers put Justin Turner on the 15-day DL with a hamstring injury and called up Carlos Triunfel from Albuquerque. This is Triunfel’s second trip to the big club this season; he was 2-for-7 in seven games with the Dodgers earlier in June. He was hitting .210 for the Isotopes.

Lineup when available.

Jun 29

Game 84, 2014

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Cardinals at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN

Clayton Kershaw brings his 21 1/3 straight scoreless innings streak to the game along with his 8-2 W-L record and his 2.24 ERA. The Cardinals counter with Shelby Miller, who is 7-6 with a 3.75 ERA on the year. Miller left his last start after 2 2/3 innings with back stiffness, however, so the Cardinals are hoping he can go deeper but keeping their bullpen ready.

Of interest: The Dodgers have played nine straight games without committing an error, their best defensive stretch of the season.

Jun 28

Game 83, 2014

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Cardinals at Dodgers, 4:15PM PT, TV: Fox

Zack Greinke (9-4, 2.89 ERA) and Lance Lynn (8-4, 2.90 ERA) are two of the league’s leading righthanders. They face off against one another this afternoon on national television. Lynn last pitched against the Rockies and gave up three hits and no runs in 8 innings. Greinke is coming off what might be his worst outing of the year, giving up five runs and eleven hits to the Royals in 5 2/3 innings.

Lineup when available.

Jun 27

Game 82, 2014

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Jon Weisman has put together a “40 Greatest Hits of the First Half” video collection. See it here.

I’m not sure I believe this, but the Dodgers have won the regular-season series over the Cardinals each year since 2011. It surely doesn’t feel like it.

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

It’ll be Carlos Martinez (1-3, 4.33 ERA) for the Cards and Hyun-Jin Ryu (9-3, 3.06 ERA) for the Dodgers tonight. This will be Martinez’s third start of the year; as noted yesterday, the injuries to the Cardinals’ regular starters have forced them to pull guys out of the pen. Ryu is on somewhat of a roll: he’s 6-1 with a 3.12 ERA since May 21.

Jun 26

Game 81, 2014

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

Adam Wainwright (he of the 10-3, 2.08 ERA record) goes for the Redbirds. The Dodgers send Josh Beckett (5-4, 2.28 ERA) out to meet him. Wainwright’s ERA is second in all of baseball, Beckett’s is fifth. (Kershaw’s is 2.24, but he hasn’t got the number of innings to match the one-inning-per-team’s-games requirement yet — he’s got 72.1 innings, and the Dodgers have played 80 games.)

Who’s gonna pitch for the Cards the rest of the series? Good question.

Joe Kelly, Michael Wacha and Jaime Garcia are already missing because of injury, and St. Louis had to use five relief pitchers after Miller exited. There is no official word on whether Miller will be available for his next start.

That means that Carlos Martinez (three career starts) and Marco Gonzales (moved from Double-A to the Majors on Wednesday for his first start) might need to hold down spots in the rotation.

Lineup when available.

Jun 25

Game 80, 2014

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Dodgers at Royals, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

James Shields (8-3, 3.70 ERA) will pitch for the Royals, and Dan Haren (7-4, 3.62 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. Each guy has been hit with the home run bug recently. In Shields’ last game he gave up two dingers for four runs, while Haren had given up ten HRS in seven starts prior to his last one, and he didn’t improve. He gave up two to Seth Smith of the Padres that night.

History: In 267 career starts, Shields has never faced the Dodgers, while Haren owns a 5-2 record and a 2.77 ERA against the Royals in 11 career starts.

There’s no word yet on whether Hanley Ramirez’s shoulder will allow him to play.

Lineup when available.

Jun 24

Game 79, 2014

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Dodgers at Royals, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN (free game, possibly subject to blackout)

This will be Kershaw’s first outing since his no-hitter. He’s 7-2 with a 2.52 ERA. He’ll face Danny Duffy, who’s had four straight starts in which he’s given up fewer than three runs and two of them none. He’s 4-6 with a 2.80 ERA. Kershaw has never faced the Royals and Duffy has never faced the Dodgers.

In news of the Dodgers’ minor leaguers, Corey Seager and Julio Urias have been selected for the MLB Futures Game to be played on July 13 at Target Field in Minneapolis as part of the All-Star Game festivities.

Lineup when available.

In personnel news via Twitter: “Don Mattingly confirmed Hanley Ramirez is out of lineup because of the right AC Joint irritation that forced a cortisone shot in Cincy.”