Saturday, September 08, 2007

Game 142 Thread: Sept 8 @ Giants, 12.55p

Dodgers start David Wells, LHP (6-8, 5.46) vs. Barry Zito, LHP (9-11, 4.46).

Dodgers: 74-67 (3rd place NL West, 4.5 GB; 2nd place WC, 2.5 GB; L1)
Giants: 64-77 (5th/last place NL West, 14.5 GB, W2)

Current postseason odds for the Dodgers, from Baseball Prospectus: 28.0%

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

Dodgers: Wells returns from a seven-day suspension and the extra days off should help the strained right quad that has bothered him in both of his Dodgers starts. He's made only one start against the Giants this year but it was a good one, allowing one run over six innings in a no-decision.

Giants: Zito has finally turned into the pitcher the Giants are paying him to be. Against the Nationals on Sunday, he pitched seven strong innings with five strikeouts, allowing one run. He's walked two batters in his last three games, and has displayed impressive command with his pitches.

From Inside the Dodgers:

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

No Ethier (who hits LHP well)? No LaRoche? This starting lineup doesn't give us our best chance to win. At least Kemp is batting third; facing Zito's curves will be a great test for him.

21 comments:

Alex Cora said...

Looks like this game is blacked out where I am AND I can't watch it on mlb.com. Sucks.

Steve Sax said...

AC, I told you not to move to Vanuatu. You have only yourself to blame.

Furcal Ks on three pitches and looks awful. Pierre reaches on a weak-ass "swinging bunt". He'd better steal.

Steve Sax said...

GONZOOOOOOO

Alex Cora said...

Yeah, but the weather is GREAT!

Steve Sax said...

This time Gonzo strands two on, popping to first. 3-0 Dodgers.

Steve Sax said...

For what it's worth, AC, the Fox broadcast is led by a guy who sounds like he's 13 yrs old. I succumbed to listening to Charley Steiner and watching the game on mute.

Steve Sax said...

That Peyton Manning DirecTV commercial was interesting the first 10 times, and tolerable the next 524 times. Now, on its second NFL season, it's torture.

Steve Sax said...

If Rodriguez had gotten either of those balls fair, Gonzo wouldn't have gotten to it until Tuesday. He pops out for out #1 in the third.

Steve Sax said...

What is up with both BK and Jack in the Box having tv commercials with guys dressed up as giant food items? Do they have the same ad agency? And sheesh, if I wanted to eat a life-sized hamburger, I'd probably go to In 'N' Out anyway.

Steve Sax said...

Loney, who hit 2 HRs last night, looks like he shaved his head for today's game. He's now 0-for-2 today. Samson Loney, anyone?

Steve Sax said...

Pierre got rung up on a cheapie pitch. But dare I say he has been getting better wood on the ball than Furcal...

Steve Sax said...

There are a heck of a lot of Dodger fans in the crowd. It's pretty cool to see.

Steve Sax said...

I'm not going to say what Wells is doing through five... He is on fire.

Steve Sax said...

The Heineken draught keg commercial with the creepy robotic chick is totally unappetizing. I haven't been more turned off by a food ad since the Carls Jr ad with the contortionist (over 20 yrs ago).

Steve Sax said...

WTF are you thinking, Hillenbrand? Your idiocy cost us a run.

Steve Sax said...

Make that two runs--and we were lucky it wasn't three. Wells has gone from a no-hitter through five to the winning run at the plate...and Loney's grab saves the inning off another bad Furcal throw.

Alex Cora said...

Why is Wells still pitching? Why didn't Grady pull him for a pinch hitter?

Steve Sax said...

Ah, Grady? TAKE WELLS OUT. He is getting shellacked.

Steve Sax said...

First Abreu is Mr. RBI, 4-2 Dodgers. Then Ramon Martinez hits one off Aurilia's glove to make it 5-2. Then, the suicide squeeze, and it's 6-2!!!!

Steve Sax said...

well, the phils will win too.../

Steve Sax said...

...And the padres...

AZ is in the lead over STL, 7-5