Monday, September 03, 2007

Game 137 Thread: Sept. 3 @ Cubs, 1.05p

Dodgers start Esteban Loaiza, RHP (1-0, 1.84) vs. Carlos Zambrano, RHP (14-11, 4.06).

Dodgers: 71-65 (3rd place NL West, 4.0 GB; 4th place WC, 4.0 GB; W1)
Cubs: 70-65 (1st place NL Central, 1.5 GA, W2)

Current postseason odds for the Dodgers, from Baseball Prospectus: 23.9%

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

Dodgers: Loaiza will be making his Dodgers debut after being claimed off waivers last week in an effort by the club to bolster the back end of the rotation for the current stretch run as well as for next year. Loaiza has a bulging disk in his neck, which sidelined him until mid-August, but after watching his only two starts of the year, the Dodgers were convinced he's healthy and an upgrade over Eric Stults, who was sent to the bullpen.

Cubs: Zambrano is eager to turn the calendar. After winning Pitcher of the Month honors in July, he went 0-for-August, going 0-4 with a 7.06 ERA in five starts. In his last start against Milwaukee, he gave up five earned runs over 6 1/3 innings and took the loss. Cubs manager Lou Piniella challenged Zambrano, saying he wanted to see the same pitcher who won nine games in June and July. "He will," Zambrano said.

From Inside the Dodgers, the lineup:

Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Ethier, RF
Kent, 2B
Gonzo, LF (40th birthday)
Martin, C
Loney, 1B
LaRoche, 3B
Loaiza, P

Okay, who does Matt Kemp have to sleep with in order to play every day?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so F'n sick of Grady Little. He puts in F'n Pierre over Kemp. I think we should eat Pierre's contract or find a way to have Pierre fall in a drain hole. And Grady should be shoved out the door onto his ass after the season!!

Steve Sax said...

Know any drain hole management companies? Believe me, we've thought of this one; I just can't find a reputable contractor.

Orel said...

Sax, I know a guy—doesn't have much in the way of power tools, but he's the first guy to show up every day and works really hard. Should be available in October.

Orel said...

Welcome to the Dodgers, Esteban Loaiza! Soriano homers on the second pitch, Cubs 1-0.

Steve Sax said...

Second pitch by Esteban, Soriano home run. Dodgers off to another great start.

Great pickup, Ned!

Steve Sax said...

By the way, Ned, Pierre flied out weakly AGAIN. Ethier reaches but Kent can't score him.

Have you ever thought about how we might need a BAT rather than another washed-up arm?

Loaiza is getting hit really hard for deep fly balls. Balls of fury, no less.

Steve Sax said...

Orel, maybe Pierre should think about showing up late next year at spring training. A change in ritual could only stand to improve his pathetic non-#2 hitting average.

Why doesn't Grady drop Pierre's ass back to seventh?

Steve Sax said...

Great time for an error Furcal.

Steve Sax said...

Hey Orel, you gonna explain your cryptic Dream Team reference?

Steve Sax said...

Happy Birthday, Gonzo! Base hit, leading off the second. Too bad the Dodgers won't score you.

Steve Sax said...

i stand corrected (actually, I sit corrected at my computer terminal). Gonzo scores on a LaRoche sac fly infield hit. Martin still stuck at second with Esteban at the plate and two down.

Orel said...

Dream Team = Loney, Kemp, Ethier, LaRoche all in the starting lineup

Pedro Guerrero said...

Seriously...what the f*ck is Grady Fastso frickin doing? Infield drawn in in the bottom of the 3rd down in a tie game? (got away with that one) Hit and run with Kent on first on a 3-2 count with no outs?!?!??! (didn't get away with that one...thanks for swinging there Gonzo)...we suck so much.

Pedro Guerrero said...

LaRoche just saved Grady Fasto's ass...nice double there big guy...

Pedro Guerrero said...

Wow...Loiza comes through as well...think how HUGE this inning would be were it not for Grady Fatso's managing strategery...

Orel said...

anonymous = Pedro Guerrero?

Orel said...

Andy LaRoche with a, dare I say it, veteran AB.

Pedro Guerrero said...

hey! who's cheating (lou pinella) and hey i signed in as me.

Pedro Guerrero said...

WGN played Journey's Lights on the way to commercial break...that's pretty good...

Orel said...

This is weird! We're winning!

Pedro Guerrero said...

no...THIS IS WEIRD...we've scored 6 runs in the first 4 1/3 innings...

Orel said...

I heart James Loney. 8-2 Dodgers.

Orel said...

11-2 Dodgers. Bizarro.

Steve Sax said...

Pedro, I never heard you calling Lasorda "fat".

Anonymous said...

Long time away...

Thought I'd share this one with the SoSG. It's right up your alley. Jeff Spicoli's long lost cousin, Khalil Greene, was spotted recently at a national surfing competition.

http://www.sky-decks.com/misc/greene.html