Saturday, August 18, 2007

Game 123 Thread: August 18 vs. Rockies, 7.10p

Dodgers start Chad Billingsley, RHP (7-4, 3.54) vs. Franklin Morales, LHP (0-0, -.--).

Dodgers: 63-59 (3rd place NL West, 6.5 GB, W3)
Rockies: 62-59 (4th place NL West, 7.0 GB, L2)

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

Dodgers: Billingsley struggled on Monday night against the Astros, allowing four runs over five innings. He threw 116 pitches in the outing and had to work out of jams in the second, third and fourth innings before giving up a two-run homer to Luke Scott. Billingsley had trouble with his command, walking four batters and throwing a wild pitch. He is 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in two games (one start) against the Rockies this season.

Rockies: The Rockies' injury-driven pitching shuffle created a mystery that lasted until Friday, when they announced that 21-year-old left-hander Franklin Morales would make his Major League debut against the Dodgers in Game 2 of the weekend series. Morales was 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts at Triple-A Colorado Springs after moving up from Double-A Tulsa, where he made 17 starts and was 3-4 with an ERA of 3.48.

From Inside the Dodgers, a reminder and the lineup:

Three days ago, there was no hope (at least according to most fans) that we would turn this around. Three days ago, people were writing off the team completely and starting to focus on football (and fantasy football). But today, with three consecutive victories, the team is within 2.5 games of the Wild Card and the playoffs are very much within reach. Remember that age-old cliche, it's a marathon, not a sprint, and just because you trip and fall at Mile 20 doesn't mean you can't finish the race in front. It's just going to take a lot better effort in the final 6.2 miles.

Here are the Dodgers' marathoners for today:

Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Kemp, RF
Kent, 2B
Saenz, 1B
Martin, C
Gonzo, LF
Hillenbrand, 3B
Billingsley, P

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm, it looks like one of our SOSG guys have divided loyalties. This is not cool.

Orel said...

Dodgers? Indians? Dodgers? Indians? I can't decide.

Steve Sax said...

Yeah, Inside the Dodgers, Saenz is really built like a marathoner. Nice lineup move, Grady. If he goes anything less than 2-for-4, I'll call for your head (again).

Steve Sax said...

Hmmmm, it looks like one of our commenters is too insecure to post without the veil of anonymity. This is not cool.

Steve Sax said...

Men at first and second, two out, and Olmedo swings at the first pitch to bounce out weakly to short.

Olmedo simply cannot start again. FREE JAMES LONEY!

Steve Sax said...

In the 7th, Martin draws the leadoff walk but Gonzo whiffs weakly. Martin steals second, his 19th. Can Shea bring him home?

Steve Sax said...

Down 4-2 in the eighth, Kemp takes a four-pitch walk to leadoff the inning. Here comes Kent, who is due (0-for-3 tonight).

Steve Sax said...

Nice baserunning by Kemp to get to third. Runners at the corners with no out for saenz...

Steve Sax said...

Saenz GIDPs. He must be stopped!

Damon said...

DFA Saenz already

Steve Sax said...

Damon, you're not the same as damon, right?

Steve Sax said...

I know Pierre has been better lately, but putting him back oin the two-hole is ridiculous. His three-K night today should evidence that, probably to everyone but Grady Little.

Steve Sax said...

Broxton is called for again for the tenth, after pitching the ninth. Helton is fouling 'em back like he's getting a bead on one of these...

Steve Sax said...

Kemp would be a lot more effective if he would square up under fly balls, rather than catching him to his left all the time. He caught Helton's bomb in the seventh, but Holliday's no-catch-turned-catch earlier on gave more evidence to his dubious fielding skills.

Steve Sax said...

Furcal's gun of an arm nails Atkins at third for the third out in the top of the 10th. Beautiful arm!

Steve Sax said...

Since Sweeney already flopped as a PH, Martinez is in to bat for Brox in the 10th. Swell.

Steve Sax said...

I walk out of the room, and when I come back the bases are loaded with none out. Seanez Ks Matsui, and then they get Sullivan to ground into a 6-2-5 DP. Wow!!!

Steve Sax said...

Could Shea Hillenbrand be this year's Marlon Anderson??? Leadoff single in the bottom of the 11th. Loney up.

Steve Sax said...

Come on, Jamesey Boy...

Steve Sax said...

Strike my earlier post. Hillebrand leaves for second on a ball in the dirt, for no apparent reason, and is thrown out at second by a country mile. Well done, Shea.

Furcal advances Loney to second, but Slappy weakly grounds to first.