Friday, April 25, 2008

Game 23 Thread: April 25 vs. Rockies, 7.40p

Hiroki Kuroda (1-2) vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2).

COMMENTS: Can you believe the Dodgers have been shut out only once this season? Problem is, they've also scored only one run six times—all losses. Alternating losses and wins the past five games, the Dodgers have demonstrated it's gnot about gnomes and there's no mo' momentum. Rather, it's about batting average with runners in scoring position (.254) and opponent batting average with men on (.287).

Kuroda has been steady but unspectacular in his first four starts as a Dodger, averaging just over six innings a start with a 2.92 ERA. Jimenez struggled in his last Dodger Stadium appearance, giving up five earned runs in four innings. Conditions are ripe for a Dodger win, if only to perpetuate the frustrating L-W-L-W-L pattern.

Tonight's lineup:

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

Is it a coincidence Matt Kemp misplayed a fly ball and struck out with the bases loaded yesterday and Juan Pierre's in the lineup today? Meanwhile, Andruw Jones is inexplicably batting second in the order for a third straight game.

171 comments:

Orel said...

Wow, seats aren't even warm and we're down 1-0. Kuroda's struggling.

Orel said...

Vin's in full story mode tonight!

Orel said...

4-6-3 DP!

Orel said...

8 up, 3 down. 1-0 Rockies, we get out of it cheaply enough. And the Rockies' pitcher will bat first next inning.

Orel said...

Whoops, we're in the 2nd inning. Ground-rule double for Kent!

Orel said...

Loney doubles in Kent! We're all tied up!

Damon said...

BACK TO BACK doubles

Orel said...

Wild pitch moves King James to 3rd!

Orel said...

It's nice to see some hitting when we're not down by like, nine runs.

Orel said...

3-2-5-3 DP. Shit. Hard to avoid that, though, and Russell's on second.

Orel said...

Pierre works the walk. At least this gets Kuroda's AB out of the way.

Orel said...

Hey Damon, I just watched last night's Office. That was a pretty tense episode.

Damon said...

watch this kuroda hit

Orel said...

Vin's saying Gil Hodges threw a mean knuckleball.

Orel said...

Kuroda's up to 44 pitches.

Orel said...

Kuroda's throwing BP. 2-1 Rockies.

Orel said...

4-1 Rockies. Kuroda isn't fooling anyone.

Orel said...

Welcome to the usual insurmountable 3-run lead!

Orel said...

Sweet drag bunt by Furcal.

Orel said...

Andruw Jones singles. He looks as stunned as we are!

Orel said...

Nomar RBI! 4-2 Rockies, men on 1st & 2nd w/no out.

Orel said...

Wow, Jimenez just threw two WPs to score Jones. 4-3 Rockies.

Orel said...

Jimenez plunks Loney on the foot! Ouch!

Orel said...

Russell ties it up! I didn't think we could do it.

Orel said...

Bases loaded, one out...and Juan Pierre up. Let's crack this one open, JP.

Orel said...

Take that, sez JP! 2-run single, 6-4 Dodgers. Boy, the Rockies' bullpen must be really bad for Hurdle to have waited this long to yank Jimenez.

Steve Sax said...

Pierre is now the only Dodger with two RBI. Kuroda hits a HR here, though, and he would have three RBI.

Steve Sax said...

Raffy with a walk!

Steve Sax said...

Hey, I'm up here in SF this weekend, and my brother (a Giants fan) graciously fired up mlb.com tv for me. I'm listening to Vin call the game. This is awesome.

Steve Sax said...

All right, Jones, get a hit here or the boos will be unrelenting.

Orel said...

And Andruw K's with the bases loaded. Last two swings were at balls clearly out of the strike zone.

Steve Sax said...

Jones bending over at the waist is not a pretty sight.

Steve Sax said...

BOOOOOOOOO

Giants are ahead of the reds 1-0

Orel said...

Sax, are you watching the Giants game too?

Orel said...

Aflac trivia question:

Who's the only Dodger ever to lead the NL in average and RBIs?

Orel said...

Here we go again...Kuroda gives up a double to Torrealba.

Orel said...

Hey Sax—Dodger Thoughts is using that Schmap widget.

Orel said...

If Joe Torre married Jessica Alba, would he be Joe Torre-Alba?

Steve Sax said...

Giants game is on in the other room. It's pissing my sister, an A's fan, off (but at least the A's are up 4-1).

Steve Sax said...

Orel, I don't know about you but I don't think the Schmap widget is all that good yet. I'm all for widgets, but let's find one that's a little more informational.

Steve Sax said...

Orel, Yor rapier Vit is on fire tonight.

Steve Sax said...

Orel, that said, if you want to schmap, we can schmap.

Orel said...

Could a lighter Jones have gotten to that ball? We'll never know. 6-5 Dodgers. Don't think that'll be the final score, either.

Steve Sax said...

Crap, 6-5 Dodgers.

Orel said...

WOWWWWWWWW an amazing ranging play by Furcal to throw out Tulo and save an RBI!

Orel said...

Oh goody, the Yogi Aflac commercial!

Steve Sax said...

FURRRRRR CAL saves the Dodgers' inning!

Orel said...

Okay, I'm open to talking about an extension for Furcal.

Steve Sax said...

At least I don't get the Yogi aflac commercial on mlb tv. Though the shot of the goose with the afro really cracks me up.

Hey, I think my feed is about a minute behind real-time (or at least the DirecTV feed).

Orel said...

Spurs are killing the Suns.

Orel said...

trivia answer: Tommy Davis in 1962 (.346 avg., 153 RBIs)

Steve Sax said...

The Suns look like a convalescent home out there with Shaq and Grant Hill playing.

Orel said...

No, I'm still unimpressed by the Schmap widget. Let's keep looking.

Orel said...

Ethier with the RBI double! Better yet, we're getting hits with two out!

Steve Sax said...

Sweet hit by Andre! Even more so that it was on an 0-2 count and he kept his poise.

Donnelly would have sent Martin in to be slaughtered at home, btw.

Orel said...

IBB to JP to load the bases for Kuroda. Hard to believe it's only the 4th inning.

Steve Sax said...

Pierre with the IBB. You've gotta be kidding me.

Here's Kuroda, batting an Andruw Jones-like .100.

Orel said...

Kuroda should do a bat flip here.

Orel said...

At least he made contact. 7-5 Dodgers.

Steve Sax said...

Giants just scored a second run when the Reds overthrew home plate with no one backing up the catcher. 2-0, bottom eight.

Orel said...

Matt Kemp replacing Jones in CF. I think Andruw wants to hit the post-game buffet early.

Orel said...

No, I'll be at the still-sleeping-orium.

Orel said...

What the hell was Helton thinking? Who cares, he's out!

Orel said...

Furcal does everything well.

Orel said...

I am a zero-tool player.

Orel said...

Replay on Furcal's amazing play. He makes Jeter look like dogmeat!

Orel said...

Jones has a contusion on his left calf. And is fat.

Steve Sax said...

Missed the pickoff, how sweet was it?

Steve Sax said...

That contusion is giving Jones a 1-for-3 game, which certainly helps his March Toward Mendoza (TM)...

Meanwhile, top 9 @ PacBell/AT&T and PH Phillips strokes a home run, and the next batter reaches on a base hit. Sanchez, with a two hitter, is finally chased, with the Giants up 3-1 and the tying run at the plate with none out.

Steve Sax said...

I can't wait for Talladega SuperSpeedway!!! Thanks for that inset graphic, Fox!

Steve Sax said...

Orel: fast typing is one of the five tools, I think. So you've got that going for you.

Orel said...

Oh god...Kemp picked off. Not helping his cause any.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit Kemp, how many baserunning gaffes can you possibly make?

Orel said...

"This has not been a well-played game." —Vin

Damon said...

It was more Heltons fault. It looked like Helton was taking a secondary lead and then Kuroda picked him off.

Orel said...

Kemp didn't want Helton to feel bad.

Steve Sax said...

Vin's color scheme tonight is not all that flattering. Or maybe it's my computer monitor.

Crap, I think the Giants just won.

Orel said...

Even when Furcal makes a mistake he still makes the play!

Orel said...

Vin was dressed for fall.

karina said...

Hi guys! i'm watching the game, Vin Scully narrating and loving every minute of it!

Orel said...

Epale, Karina!

Orel said...

Martin doubles. Some insurance wouldn't be so bad here....

Orel said...

I think Andre's been hit three consecutive games now.

Orel said...

Balk moves runners to 2nd & 3rd. They're trying to give us runs! Take advantage!

Orel said...

Alas, the Dodgers fail to take advantage.

Orel said...

Loney vacuum!

Orel said...

Cory Wade's up to his hips in trouble. 1st & 3rd for the Rockies, 1 out.

karina said...

how about that Loney glove? go King James!

it seems Martin finally is getting out of that awful slump.

karina said...

btw, somebody would explain to me your latest Martin graphs? i don't get them!

karina said...

don't mess with the kids, Holliday!

Orel said...

Dammit, WP. 7-6 Dodgers.

Orel said...

...but Wade's got some stuff. Gets a K to end the inning. Still 7-6.

Orel said...

Karina, we know the Martin graphs don't make much sense. We were just having some fun with Photoshop.

karina said...

*blushing*randomness!

karina said...

there is a venezuelan baseball journalist who calls Broxton "La Bestia" (The Beast)

looove that nick!

Orel said...

And Broxton mows 'em down in the 8th!

Orel said...

Randomness indeed!

"The Beast." I like it!

Orel said...

Okay Russell, just pop an insurance homer here and we can all go home happy. Except the Rockies, that is.

Orel said...

Single'll do!

Orel said...

A 4-pitch walk from Saito. Not a great start here.

Steve Sax said...

What the F just happened, and why is Martin playing third? Where is Nomar?

Orel said...

You've got to be shitting me. Nomar's hurt, so TORRE IS PUTTING RUSSELL MARTIN AT THIRD BASE.

Orel said...

It feels like we're in the Twilight Zone.

Steve Sax said...

Damn Nomar and his bad hamstring and .226 batting average.

Somewhere, Blake DeWitt fumes.

Orel said...

I believe DeWitt has to be in the minors for ten days before he can be recalled.

karina said...

I love Russell Martin, he's such a team player.

Directv Extra Innings stopped working, but one of the announcers of Fox Sports said:

"Russell Martin has never played at the third base"

and then pay him to talk about baseball?

Orel said...

Passed ball by Bennett! Tie game! This sucks!

Steve Sax said...

GARY BENNETT SUUUUUUCKS

Steve Sax said...

Oh man, this is painful. Nomar, Pierre, Jones, Kent, it seems like all the vets are falling apart only 20 games into the season.

We have no other choice than to have a youth movement...despite all the money we have locked up with these guys.

Orel said...

Holliday grounds into the DP! Will Saito pitch two innings? Stay tuned!

Steve Sax said...

We'll take the DP, but this still sucks. Come on, Dodgers.

Steve Sax said...

Why wouldn't we be able to call up DeWitt, at any time?

Steve Sax said...

Pierre, Hu, Furcal coming up in the bottom of the ninth.

Steve Sax said...

All right, Slappy, hit a home run and I won't write a bad word about you until June.

Orel said...

DT guys say we might be able to call DeWitt up if he replaces someone on the DL.

Steve Sax said...

Former Dodger Matt Herges on the mound for the Rocks. Great.

Orel said...

Pierre walks! Rabbit loose!

Steve Sax said...

Can Nomar go on the 250-day DL?

And take Jones with him?

Steve Sax said...

Gameday is about 20 seconds ahead of Vin, from where I am streaming.

Which means you are two batters ahead, Orel.

Steve Sax said...

Pierre loose! Rabbit walks!

Steve Sax said...

We've got to send Pierre with Furcal batting. Come on, now.

Orel said...

This inning is going to take forever.

Steve Sax said...

With Bennett next and Saito after that, we've got to send Pierre. And he'd better make it.

Steve Sax said...

Herges, pitch the damn ball.

Steve Sax said...

Another balk would be nice now.

Orel said...

Okay Kemp, send us home!

Steve Sax said...

Sorry, I forgot we've got Kemp before Bennett. You're our only hope, Matt.

Steve Sax said...

wow, Kemp chased that high fastball

Orel said...

Torre outsmarted by Hurdle! Pitchout-CS!

Steve Sax said...

Crap, we go to extras.

I may have to go to sleep.

Orel said...

I hope Saito can bear down here.

Steve Sax said...

I'm sorry, sleep calls. Hold down the fort, Orel!

Orel said...

Hu doing his best Furcal imitation!

Steve Sax said...

Jones has a contusion on his stomach, too

Orel said...

Night, Sax!

Steve Sax said...

Sorry Orel, g'night.

Orel said...

Saito with the K for out #2. Nice to see some of the old magic back.

Orel said...

1-2-3 for Saito. Nice job!

Orel said...

Rockies trot out Herges again for the bottom of the 10th. Bummer of a birthmark, Hal.

Orel said...

Kemp works the count full but whiffs on a breaking pitch. Now it's Gary Bennett's chance to play hero.

Orel said...

Bennett, first pitch swinging, pops out. Mark "Goat" Sweeney up.

Orel said...

Ugh. Chan Ho Park coming in for the 11th. I hope this doesn't go 22 innings!

Orel said...

Perfect comebacker to Park! One out.

Orel said...

Damn, Chan Ho slips on a bunt. One on.

Orel said...

Why are they pitching out with Bennett? It's not like he's going to throw anyone out.

Orel said...

See? Stolen base.

Orel said...

"Deer Meat" Barmes flies out to RF. 2 out.

Orel said...

Park fields this one cleanly. On to the bottom of the 11th!

Orel said...

I'm sleepy.

Steve Sax said...

Actually two (or possibly three) truly non-sarcastic questions:

1) Has Sweeney had a PH all year? Does he have any RBI?

2) Has Park been in a game this year and NOT given up a HR?

Orel said...

Russell walks with one out.

Orel said...

Mark Sweeney: 1 hit

Orel said...

Chan Ho Park: 4 homerless games (7 appearances)

Orel said...

This inning is also going to take forever.

Orel said...

Ethier skies one. 2 out.

Orel said...

Martin CS. To the 12th.

Orel said...

Park vs. the heart of the Rockies' order here.

Orel said...

Helton walks, Holliday single. The beginning of the end.

Orel said...

DP but Helton to 3rd. IBB to Hawpe, Torre-Alba up.

Orel said...

Comebacker to Chan Ho ends the inning. I did not believe, but here we are.

Orel said...

Pierre flies out to left at the stroke of midnight.

Orel said...

Hu F-8

Orel said...

Surprisingly Furcal is not swinging for the fences here.

Orel said...

E-Deer Meat! Kemp on!

Damon said...

e6

Orel said...

Hit & run! Bennett gets his first hit of the season (I think)! Men on 1st & 3rd, 0 out!

Orel said...

Park grounds out. 2nd & 3rd, 1 out. IBB to Loney to load 'em for Martin.

Orel said...

Damon, you're still with us!

Orel said...

RUSSELL MARTIN. Good night, all!

Orel said...

time of game = 4 hours, 38 minutes

Steve Sax said...

Believe it or not, I brought my blackberry to bed to "watch" the game--huge win for the good guys.

Now let's please recall DeWitt.