Saturday, April 19, 2008

Game 17 Thread: April 19 @ Braves, 1p

Chad Billingsley (0-2) vs. Chuck James (0-1).

COMMENTS: Andruw Jones returning to Turner Field is like a high school reunion disaster. He's a heck of a lot fatter, his wheels aren't as fast, and he hasn't really done much of anything since he left. Last night, Jones' ninth-inning double to get him 1-for-3 was meaningless, and his .167 average on the season is pathetic. But at least he's got company down there, with No-Punch Nomar also at .167 (0-for-4 last night) and Mendoza Martin at .196 (0-for-3, including a fly out with the bases juiced in the second inning that would have shifted momentum on a dime). Chan Ho Park's entrance in the seventh, and prompt HR served up to Larry Jones, was the capper on top of Derek Lowe's shaky 5R 3ER evening.

Shake it off, boys, and open up a can of whupass today!

UPDATE:

The lineup:

Furcal, SS
Ethier, LF
Kemp, RF
Kent, 2B
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Jones, CF
Garciaparra, 3B
Billingsley, P

68 comments:

Orel said...

Chuck James is 0-1 with an 18.00 ERA.

Damon said...

Free Blake Dewitt

Steve Sax said...

He also hit #1 in the 1970s with "Superfreak."

Steve Sax said...

And he did reat work on Bugs Bunny.

Damon said...

Bennett started instead of Martin

karina said...

jones HR! (isn't it sweet the cheering of the crowd in atlanta?)

Steve Sax said...

Nice K for Billingsley there to end the inning. Go at 'em, Chad!

Steve Sax said...

And Chad follows up with a leadoff hit! Go Blue!

Steve Sax said...

Ah crap, Furcal gets screwed by bad lumber. Here's Andre, in a little bit of a slump lately.

Steve Sax said...

Billingsley is sneaking back toward his non-efficient pitching style. Walks Kelly Johnson on five pitches; second walk of the game (here in the third with 1 out).

Steve Sax said...

Chad's walking a tightrope, but leads 1-0 after 3.

karina said...

i hope mattingly stays with the team for a while...

Steve Sax said...

Second time in two games that Loney strands someone at third with one out...Dodgers can't score the runner at third.

Steve Sax said...

Karina, I'm with you, but he's gotta teach the hitters to stop with the LOB.

Erin said...

Word is Mattingly will stick with the team through the series in Cincinnati. Guess we can expect him to be the east coast hitting coach.

karina said...

that's what i'm saying, this team needs to work on the clutch, pitching is already tough on the division to afford so many LOB.

karina said...

nice billingsley bunt!

Steve Sax said...

Billingsley has K'd nine today, tying his career high--and we're in the bottom of the fifth with one out.

Give the man some run support!

Erin said...

Chipper up with two on and one out, and Billingsley can't throw a strike. That might be good here. Don't give Chipper something to hit.

Steve Sax said...

Erin--dont you find it interesting that Mattingly and Scully will never be in the same place at the same time? Coincidence? Hmm...

Steve Sax said...

Why does the Fox TV inset box "RIGHT NOW!" have an exclamation point? Another case of overhyping the situation.

Steve Sax said...

Bills has that one pitch that travels 50 feet. What the heck is up with that?

Bases juiced with one out in a one-run game...

karina said...

let's cross fingers for a DP, Billingsley deserves to win this game.

Erin said...

That's bothered me for years, Steve. When I'm watching the game with other people (which is not the case today; I am all alone), I always yell, "Right now!" very dramatically whenever they put the box on the screen.

karina said...

Steve, nice conspiracy theory...

Erin said...

Damn it. How does Billingsley fall apart so quickly? He hasn't thrown that many pitches.

Steve Sax said...

Bills is falling apart. Two in, one out, bases loaded again, and Chad can't find the plate.

karina said...

i think he lost his concentration, it's not a physical problem.

Erin said...

My poor fantasy team. Nine Ks will help, but giving up four runs in five innings is painful.

Also, it sucks for the Dodgers. They haven't exactly been the "come from behind" type so far this year.

karina said...

I feel your pain, Erin, Billingsley was in my team today.

Orel said...

Hi everybody! Have we scored 11 runs yet?

Erin said...

I hope that we get runners on base later in the game and Jeff Kent can pop up to the outfield for a fourth time.

I'm embarrassed for the Dodgers today. Really. More stories about the depleted Braves' pitching staff only serve to make our hitters look even worse.

Orel said...

I see the answer is "no."

Orel said...

Loney saves Nomar from the E-5 there.

karina said...

Gregor Blanco is part of the leading cast of my baseball nightmares...

Orel said...

I wonder if those rumors about Bills' arm being hurt are true.

Orel said...

Yankee Stadium's Greatest Baseball Moments? No Shea Stadium's Greatest Baseball Moments?

Orel said...

This should be the Carmax text message question: Will the Dodgers end up with only one run today?

Orel said...

Nomar is 0-for-3 today, but Torre will continue to start him.

Orel said...

Jones walks. I'll take it.

Hey, what's Pierre doing up?

karina said...

Garciaparra should be the replacement 3B, until we see how La Roche comes back , who's with me?

Orel said...

Now Pierre is on first with 2 out. I predict he will steal 2nd, 3rd and home. All in one pitch.

Orel said...

Karina, I don't have a problem with that but if Blake DeWitt is still with the team he should get some playing time.

Orel said...

"Three runs against this inexperienced bullpen is not something that's insurmountable for the Dodgers." Speak for yourself, buddy.

Ethier with the nice circus catch!

karina said...

exactly, i think the starting 3B should be between Blake Dewitt and Andy LaRoche, giving LaRoche another chance just because of the hype caused by scouting reports and Dewitt's lack of experience in the upper levels of the minors.So:

start playing Dewitt on a daily basis, as Damon said FREE HIM.

should be playing tomorrow *crossing fingers*

Orel said...

Nice job, Loaiza. Now let's score some freakin' runs!

karina said...

speaking of circus catching, Loney could be a pretty good defensive first base.

Orel said...

I hear you, Karina. But I'm not holding my breath for that.

karina said...

at bat: Furcal, Kemp, Ethier...it sounds promising...

Orel said...

Furcal bunts his way on! Strap in, folks, here we go!

karina said...

well, one never can't lose hope, right?

Orel said...

Damn, Ethier missed that by a mile.

Orel said...

So very true, Karina. Without hope we would have given up a long time ago...like after getting swept by the Diamondbacks.

And I think James Loney will win a Gold Glove one day.

Orel said...

Shoot. Kemp hits into the DP.

Orel said...

And then Loney misses the throw. Great timing. But Francoeur just got on, good for you, Karina!

Orel said...

They gave the error to Nomar.

karina said...

bad Nomar throw...if we say please, could Joe Torre start Dewitt tomorrow, PLEASE?

Steve Sax said...

This is ridiculous. We are 10% of the way through the season and we can't score any runs. GET US A DAMN BAT.

karina said...

you know, i'd rather sink on the fantasy league and have my beloved Dodgers first on the division or on the wildcard....

Orel said...

Steve Nash ties the game with a 3-pointer in double OT!

Ginobli FTW!

Erin said...

I realize it's probably an unpopular opinion around here, but...

HELL YEAH. GO SPURS GO!!!

Orel said...

That's very noble of you, Karina. I would gladly sacrifice your fantasy team as well.

Orel said...

That's okay, I would probably pick the Spurs over the Suns.

Orel said...

Loney DP. Fitting.

Orel said...

2 runs in 2 games against the dregs of the Braves' pitching staff. PATHETIC.

Steve Sax said...

Loney has really lost it the last two, arguably three, games.

karina said...

well, for better or for worse, this team is my baseball true love: when you love, ypu have to make sacrifices.

Right Steve, it seems Loney started feeling the pressure of the streak so he appears to be lost in the plate.

Mattingly is with the team, hopefully they all will have to take extra batting practice.

karina said...

exactly, the dregs of the braves pitching staff and the NL West Division is the pitching toughest division.

I'm kinda starting feeling like 2005 Dodgers (although as before stated, i won't lose hope).