Saturday, April 07, 2007

Game 5 Thread: April 7 @ Giants, 12.45p

Dodgers start Derek Lowe (0-1, 13.50 ERA) vs. Russ Ortiz (0-0).

Dodgers: 2-2 (T-3rd place NL West, 1.0 GB, W2) Giants: 1-3 (Last place NL West, 2.0 GB, L1)

From dodgers.com, the scouting report on the starters:

Dodgers: Lowe's debut Monday in Milwaukee couldn't have gone worse. He created repeated trouble with five walks in four innings and received little help from his outfield defense. His early exit forced the Dodgers to get into their bullpen quickly. Lowe pitched just as poorly in last year's opener and still won 16 games.

Giants: It's entirely possible that Giants fans won't notice any change in Russ Ortiz since he left the club after the 2002 season. He has recaptured the delivery he used then -- simply put, bringing his arm back in a semicircle as he prepares to throw. This imparts force and movement on his pitches, which he lacked for the last two seasons as he merely hoisted his arm upward before releasing the ball. Ortiz and the Giants are fully confident that he's no longer the pitcher who struggled to a 5-19 record in 2005-06.

COMMENTS

  • Let's see if Derek Lowe learned anything from watching Brad Penny pitch like a champ last night (seven innings of shutout ball, 10 hits but only 1 ER, with 1 BB and 1 SO, earning the win). The Dodgers' lineup does not appear (at this stage) to be one that is going to score a lot of runs, so it will be critical that Lowe doesn't do his typical meltdown at the first sign of adversity.
  • Aside from the drama around the return of Russ Ortiz (Delino's favorite fascination), there is the continuing watch on that other guy who has apparently hit a lot of home runs in his time. Considering how much Barry tends to tee off Dodger pitching, I can only take solace in the fact that he should not get enough at bats in the remaining two games of this series to break the all-time record.
  • Finally, Luis Gonzalez and Barry Bonds will continue their competition for "worst defensive left-fielder in the series." Bonds never looks incredibly spry these days, but Gonzo (who did go 2-for-4 yesterday from the plate, despite choking in key rally) has a slight edge in the race by picking up his first error of the year yesterday. With Barry out of the lineup this afternoon (thanks TD), there's nothing but downside for Gonzo.

UPDATE

The lineup, courtesy of Inside the Dodgers:

Pierre, CF
Valdez, SS
Garciaparra, 1B
Kent, 2B
Gonzalez, LF
Lieberthal, C
Ethier, RF
Betemit, 3B
Lowe, P

71 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm guessing Barroid won't be starting, as it's a day game after a night game, and he's liable to explode if he doesn't let the HGH do its magic.

Steve Sax said...

You are indeed correct, TD. Hal, er, Todd Linden takes the start in left field.

Steve Sax said...

Okay, watching Luis Gonzalez read the Dodgers' lineup for Fox was passable, but just...weird.

Perhaps he's prepping for a career in the booth? (by August?)

Steve Sax said...

Pierre is killing me. Called strike three.

Orel said...

Luis Gonzalez announces the lineup. Don't quit your day job. Wait—do quit your day job!

Steve Sax said...

WTF was Exxon Valdez thinking trying to stretch that to a double? Now it's two out with no one on for Nomar.

Anonymous said...

Sufferin' succotash... how in the world did Josh Lewin end up being a National market broadcaster with that lateral lisp of his??? It's really annoying...

Signed,
Sylvester the Cat

Steve Sax said...

By the way, our very own Eric Karros is doing the color commentary. Go get 'em, Eric!

Steve Sax said...

Josh Lewin does indeed have the voice of a Simpsons character.

Orel said...

Russ Ortiz is back. Look out.

Steve Sax said...

Omar Vizquel was a lot more fun to which to listen than Gonzo. I'd give the job to Omar.

Orel said...

You think Omar Vizquel watches pro wrestling?

Orel said...

Kent spry!

Steve Sax said...

Way to go, Lowe. 10-pitch inning. Nice Pierre and Kent efforts on D.

Steve Sax said...

What the hell the Rally Monkey is doing in that Chevy ad, I don't know.

It is nice not to see the Yogi Berra Aflac ad for once, though.

Anonymous said...

A Dodger pitcher threw less than 10 pitches to get out of an inning?? Oh my... stop the presses!

Orel said...

Jeff Kent...no-nonsense...comes to win. As opposed to the rest of the team...nonsense...come to lose?

Steve Sax said...

I don't have athlete's foot, but if I did, after seeing the sock puppet ad, I'd buy Lamisil.

Steve Sax said...

Okay, for all the talk of LA fans showing up late? Nine outs into the game, AT&T is just starting to fill up.

F' the media bias.

Steve Sax said...

Kent, not spry enough!

Orel said...

Karros is a homer.

Steve Sax said...

Why can't Juan Pierre get to that ball???

Anonymous said...

Pierre... would it have hurt any worse to have tried to dive at that ball???

Steve Sax said...

Nice play by betemit!

Orel said...

A-Rod walk-off GS against the Orioles.

Orel said...

Are these announcers national? It's almost as bad as Jon Miller doing ESPN games.

Anonymous said...

Karros is a very good color man. The issue is that somebody in Fox Sports owed Josh Lewin's dad a huge favor...

Josh Lewin is one of the most boring announcers in all of sports... and that freakin' lisp of his really makes me wonder how he could secure a job like this without having "known" somebody from within. He tries too hard...

Steve Sax said...

nice double andre!

Alex Cora said...

Hey all, I am pissed because I have to listen to this game on the Giants network and watch gameday. I paid 120 bucks for mlb.com and can't watch this game! It aint blacked out where I live dammit!!! Oh yes, go Andre.

Anonymous said...

Small ball??? That was a great piece of hitting...

Steve Sax said...

pierre can't score ethier from second...

Steve Sax said...

pierre gets his first SB of the year!

Steve Sax said...

AC--this game isn't televised on Fox as the national game for you?

Steve Sax said...

Wilson Valdez sucks.

Alex Cora said...

They are showing another game out here. But since Fox is showing all types of games around the country, they are considered blackout everywhere. Sucks. BTW, sounds like Vladez messed up.

Damon said...

we need gonzo to sit for kemp

Steve Sax said...

AC, sorry. You're probably hearing about Valdez' inability score the runners right about...now.

Valdez does end up making a good defensive play on Roberts in the bottom of the inning, though.

Steve Sax said...

Dare I say, Ortiz is actually pitching fairly well so far. Wonder what Delino is thinking.

Steve Sax said...

Another two-out rally...I am not hopeful.

Orel said...

Ethier-Pierre-Kemp. That should be our outfield.

Steve Sax said...

BTW that double earlier in the game was Ethier's first hit of the year.

Steve Sax said...

Orel: except for the Pierre part...

Orel said...

Thank you, Russ Ortiz!

Orel said...

Sax: Who would you put in center? I'm still curious to see Furcal-Pierre bat 1-2.

Steve Sax said...

Betemit gets his second RBI of the year in style...a four-pitch walk.

Steve Sax said...

That is a cool B of A ad. If they weren't the official bank of the Giants, I might switch.

Steve Sax said...

Orel: you're right, I shouldn't start bagging on Pierre just yet.

Orel said...

You can only rent "Bobby" at Blockbuster? Guess I won't be seeing it.

Steve Sax said...

Is that the Bruce Froemming story? He breaks up a perfect game with a cheapie call on the last batter? Sounds like a egocentric prick to me.

Steve Sax said...

Again, why isn't Pierre catching that ball? Isn't it his (the CF's) call?

Damon said...

jason repko should play center oh wait...

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Ha Ha

Steve Sax said...

Thank you, Rich Aurilia and Jeff Kent!

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

I just realized I had this game on High Def, after watching an inning on Lame Def like a sucker. Nice down the line double, Kent. (Alas, one of those runs was not earned)

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Willie Mays ?

Steve Sax said...

what the f was Jeff Kent thinking there, though? Doubled off of second on a pop fly?

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Check out the yankees box score. Seven runs in the last two innings. Unreal. (Avodart... for your growing problem... tee hee)

Damon said...

betmit is playing some good D but he needs to start hitting

Orel said...

Bench Betemit. Nomar to third. Loney at first.

Alex Cora said...

hey sounds like we are doing well going into the 7th. Go blue!

Orel said...

WEAK STREAM

Orel said...

Betemit surprises with the glove (or bare hand) again.

Alex Cora said...

DP baby!!!!

Orel said...

Nice 6-4-3 started by Valdez.

Alex Cora said...

Random thought, anyone know what happened to Bigbie?

Orel said...

Bigbie couldn't find any takers and is with the Las Vegas 51's. His next chance to opt out is is June 1, I think.

Orel said...

Sweet short-hop by Valdez! And he's 3 for 4 today.

Orel said...

Kent spry!...ish.

Orel said...

Saito getting fly ball outs...makes me uncomfortable.

Alex Cora said...

Go Blue!!

Orel said...

Still gets the job done. Nice!