Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Game 27 Thread, April 30 @ Marlins, 4p

Chad Billingsley (0-4) vs. Scott Olsen (3-0).

COMMENTS: Baseball players can be a superstitious lot. Bloggers, not so much—that is, until their team is on a four-game winning streak with a fifth win representing the difference between a losing April and a winning April. SoSG is doing its part to keep the streak alive, because who knows: Maybe, just maybe, the Dodgers' recent success has something to do with Game Threads being posted at four minutes after the hour. Or with me (Orel) writing them. Okay, we're not that deluded, but we're also not going to change our ways until the Dodgers lose.

Could it be today? Billingsley is still looking for his first win despite striking out 12 in his last start. But much more is right than wrong with the Dodgers, starting with the effectiveness of the bullpen, Jonathan Broxton's absence notwithstanding. Russell Martin has gone all EMT on his bat, resuscitating his production and resuming his team-leading ways. Even Andruw Jones has been playing a solid center field—and he's due to rise from the dead today. You heard it here first!

321 comments:

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Alex Cora said...

Keep the rally game threads going - we are on a hot streak! I thought you said that Jones would break out of his slump yesterday. AZ is losing 6-3 in the 3rd. Come on 'Stros!

Orel said...

Nope, Andruw's due today.

Orel said...

Astros 6, D'backs 5 in the sixth....

Orel said...

Furcal
Ethier
Kemp
Kent
Martin
Loney
Jones
DeWitt
Billingsley

Astros are losing! Damn Snakes!

Steve Sax said...

1) Snakes won 8-7. Houston sucks after coughing up a 6-2 lead.

2) Giants beat the Rockies 3-2 after being down 2-1. Mixed feelings on this as it's fine to have them both beat each other up, form a standings perspective--but it's always tough seeing the Giants win.

Eric Karros said...

Hopefully Andruw isn't the only one who'll show up today offense-wise.

Orel said...

We are never going to win the division if the Diamondbacks keep on playing like a well-assembled, well-managed team.

Eric Karros said...

Dbacks magic number is 130

Orel said...

Helmet radio reception is terrible today. Gameday it is.

Orel said...

That was fast. One pitch, one single. Rafael Furcal does not mess around.

Alex Cora said...

Let's go blue! Furcal with a leadoff single. Can he just hit for everyone?

Erin said...

Tomorrow's game is at 9 am west coast time. Will this be a scheduled off-day for Martin? I read somewhere today that Loney will have the day off (in favor of Sweeney), so that seems like it would be bad timing, I guess.

Orel said...

Er, make that the second pitch. Sneaky Gameday, collapsing each AB when the next batter comes up!

Alex Cora said...

Thought that one was out of here by Kemp. So close.

Erin said...

Steve Lyons brings up something I've been wondering myself:

why isn't Furcal stealing more bases, considering how often he's on base?

Orel said...

Are you kidding, Erin? (checks) No you are not. That's super-duper early.

Orel said...

Rabbits only run in pairs?

Alex Cora said...

The Florida Marlins are wearing black uniforms - I thought the home team always wore the lighter colors.

Erin said...

Does Hanley Ramirez have braces or a wear a mouthguard or something? Something seems strange about his mouth.

Alex Cora said...

Bills with his 33rd K of the season.

Erin said...

Man, Martin hit that home run hard. That was a line drive if I've ever seen one.

Alex Cora said...

Yeah, that was a laser shot. Nice. Dodgers up 1-0.

Erin said...

Okay, here's your chance to be right Orel.

karina said...

I love Russell Martin!

Epale, everybody!

Orel said...

Epale, Karina!

Orel said...

Andruw's just biding his time....

Alex Cora said...

Andruw should be biding his time on the bench (or Triple A).

Alex Cora said...

Gonzo was out on that play. Bad call.

Orel said...

How the hell did Luis Gonzalez steal a base? Doesn't his walker slow him down?

Erin said...

I've always thought the Marlins' manager looks like a fat Mark Grace.

Erin said...

Some strange plays in this inning.

Orel said...

Fredi Gonzalez

Erin said...

Well, that picture doesn't show the similarity. I think it's the facial hair that does the trick.

Orel said...

Gameday is stuck.

Orel said...

Fredi Gonzalez, take two (bottom of page)

Steve Sax said...

Chad is being a little...Chad. Two men on in the second, including a HBP, but he Ks the pitcher (Olsen) for the final out. 1-0 Dodgers after two.

Alex Cora said...

Bills gets out of the inning with a K to the pitcher - there were about 3 strange plays in that inning. The gonzo steal was a hit a run, but the batter didn't hit.

Alex Cora said...

Hey, Erin, how was Iron Man?

Erin said...

Ironman is awesome. See it immediately.

Erin said...

Well, as soon as it comes out.

Orel said...

Chadley works the walk!

Steve Sax said...

Erin, what's your prediction for how well it does this weekend?

My guess is it opens well this weekend, but Speed Racer pummels it next weekend.

karina said...

lucky Bills!

Orel said...

"Cancel all appointments Friday."

Steve Sax said...

Men on first and second with none out

Orel, you should move your Gameday to "pitch by pitch"

Alex Cora said...

Wow, that was a sweet attempt by Ameziga - lucky for us he missed it.

Erin said...

I cannot express how much I don't care about Speed Racer. Earlier this week I was trying to decide if there had ever been a big movie I was less interested in, and I couldn't think of one.

Ironman will win this weekend, if only because I don't think that Patrick Dempsey movie is going to win. Word of mouth should be good for Ironman, though, so if it doesn't win in week two, it'll make a decent showing.

Steve Sax said...

All right Kempy, up to you with two RISP.

Alex Cora said...

1st ever sac bunt by Ethier.

Orel said...

Kemperiffic! 3-0 Dodgers!

Eric Karros said...

Hey just got back from dinner...Dodgers up by one, woo-hoo!

Steve Sax said...

Erin, no love for the Wachowski brothers? Did you take the blue pill?

Steve Sax said...

KEMP with two RBI! 3-0

Eric Karros said...

I wonder how the new Indiana Jones movie will be...

Orel said...

It would be an upset for the ages if Iron Man week #2 beats Speed Racer week #1.

Alex Cora said...

Sssswwwweeeetttt stoke by Kemp On an 0-2 pitch no less.

Eric Karros said...

Hey Karina, are you there?

karina said...

gotta love that bunt! nice old school

Alex Cora said...

Hope they bring back that little Asian kid for the Indy movie.

Orel said...

I'm still trying to accept Shia LaBeouf in an Indiana Jones movie.

Erin said...

I really don't like the brothers (or brother and sister, considering one of them is a full-on transsexual who prefers to be called by a female name--Lana). Sorry, but I wasn't a Matrix fan. I liked Bound, and I loved V for Vendetta, but they didn't direct that, only produced it.

Plus, I hate the star of Speed Racer. I know people who worked on the movie, and there are enough stories to make that kid seem like the biggest prima donna on the planet.

Alex Cora said...

Bison steals second.

Orel said...

AC, ha!

Erin said...

Shia LaBeouf is what makes me not as excited about Indiana Jones as I would have been without him.

Also, Harrison Ford is 95 years old.

karina said...

Yes, i am.

I just can't wait for Indiana Jones, just a few days away...

Alex Cora said...

Error for the pitcher - Kemp at third - he threw it into centerfield.

Eric Karros said...

Karina, the chocolate was Savoy after all

karina said...

He could be old, but he's still hot and no one can play Indiana.

Short Cut was the best!

Eric Karros said...

Yes, but he looks 5 years younger (re: Harrison Ford)

karina said...

That's the biggest candy/chocolate factory.

Eric Karros said...

Short Round?

Erin said...

Harrison Ford was possibly once attractive. Now he's just...saggy. And trying to reclaim his youth with a younger girlfriend and an earring. Sometimes it's hard to watch.

Orel said...

If actors were penalized for bad behavior, there would be no movies.

Alex Cora said...

I'm waiting in line for the Batman movie. Lots o' buzz with that one. Loved the first one.

Eric Karros said...

The earring thing isn't working for Michael Jordan either.

Orel said...

Harrison Ford does not rock the earring. Bad choice there.

Erin said...

Batman is going to be awesome. Christian Bale is great. My girlfriend is working with him right now, and he's also a good guy.

Alex Cora said...

They should have cast Short Round instead of LaBouf.

Orel said...

Come to think of it, earrings just don't work for men.

karina said...

I actually got news about Wilson Alvarez and Dodgers.

He was working with the Pirates organization but he resigned due to differences with the minor league pitching coach, so it seems the Dodgers are very interested in having him as a coach.

I wonder why the Dodgers like him so much.

Alex Cora said...

Yeah, and Bale is easier on the eyes than Ford.

Orel said...

So Christian Bale is no Emile Hirsch?

karina said...

i meant Short Round *unconscious slip, i guess*

Erin said...

Definitely no Emile Hirsch.

And infinitely more attractive.

Eric Karros said...

Hey, I'm a Wilson Alvarez fan too! "Hold On" was a great song.

Orel said...

Karina, do you mean minor league coach?

Orel said...

EK, I wish I didn't get that joke. But I do.

Alex Cora said...

As the minor league weight coach.

Orel said...

Did you see "Into the Wild"? I thought Hirsch's character was kind of annoying in that.

Eric Karros said...

...and you think it's funny

Eric Karros said...

I think the only movie I saw with Emile Hirsh was "The Girl Next Door". And it wasn't Emile I was looking at...

Erin said...

I didn't see "Into the Wild" because I read the book and the trailer made it seem like Sean Penn got kind of a different idea from the book than I did. And I didn't want to be annoyed with that fact.

Also, my hatred of Emile Hirsch had already begun when that movie came out.

Eric Karros said...

Dodgers up 3-0! Don't know how it happened, but woo-hoo!

karina said...

Yep.

He was the pitching coach for Aguilas on the winter of 2006. He made a great job with a couple of very young and unexperienced pitchers. Winter baseball is merciless with unexperienced pitching.

Last year, another guy made the job and he was hated for the entire pitching staff and they publicly asked Alvarez to come back. He is :)!

Orel said...

Bills is dealing. 5 K's so far.

Alex Cora said...

Hey Stevie B and Lisa Lisa are going to be performing at the Marlins stadium on May 24th. Get your tickets now! Hard to believe that no one is going to their games with those awesome attractions.

Erin said...

Nothing better than people reveling in their gluttony in those am/pm All-You-Can-Eat Pavilion commercials.

karina said...

Hey, i adore him! so what?

Orel said...

So Alvarez is going back to Aguilas?

Eric Karros said...

Hey Karina, did the blackout affect you?

Erin said...

Andruw Jones, in his "breakout" night, his 0-2 so far.

karina said...

who's in for the Andruw Jones pop-up?

Eric Karros said...

Is the Cult Jam gonna be there too?

Orel said...

If we could get footage of Emile Hirsch eating in the AYCE Pavilion, Erin might have to kill someone.

Eric Karros said...

Don't worry Erin, Andruw will come up big at the end. He likes to make things exciting...

karina said...

Yes, he is and i'm in love with the idea. They have a kid, who throws 100 mph heat and i guess he could be a great influence. His name is Henry Rodriguez and he's on the Oakland roster of 40 (Thanks Lord) .

Eric Karros said...

Erin, why do you hate Emile so much? He says only nice things about you.

karina said...

Blackout was awful. I got stuck at college for 4 hours.

Erin said...

"Hate" is a strong word. I shouldn't use it so loosely. I strongly dislike him, both as an actor and as a person.

Eric Karros said...

Sorry to hear that Karina.

Eric Karros said...

At least you didn't get stuck at college as long as this guy

Eric Karros said...

Hey who here is up for a game?

Eric Karros said...

I didn't realize Bills was 0-4 on the season

Orel said...

Bills has retired 7 straight. He really could use this win.

karina said...

Thanks, that's very sweet. Though the city was in chaos, at least no one was injured.

I couldn't get out because a) i wasn't driving yesterday, b)if i had, i could spend fours hours in traffic (as my brother did), c) no cabs, no buses around.

Eric Karros said...

The game is: whoever posts comment #200 wins

Orel said...

53 pitches for Bills.

Erin said...

Thanks, Orel. I was too lazy to look it up. 53 through four. Not bad.

Orel said...

What's the prize?

Karina, glad you're safe.

Eric Karros said...

Sounds horrible. Do you go to Universidad Central de Venezuela?

Orel said...

Andre sends it to the warning track! Damn!

Erin said...

Steiner: "Ethier gave it a good poke and had nothing to show for it."

Um, that's what she said.

karina said...

I feel sorry for Halladay too. He's lost four games while pitching all the way in 3 of those games.

How about Greg Maddux? if he had Dodgers offense in the early season, he'd won the 351th. That's depressing.

why Colletti didn't sign him? he's pricey but he doesn't go on the DL.

Eric Karros said...

Hmmm, good question Orel

Eric Karros said...

If we had Greg Maddux, he could probably bat clean-up

Erin said...

Two feet in either direction and that ball from Kemp is out of the park.

Eric Karros said...

Hey Orel I can't get the online Guitar Hero game to work

Eric Karros said...

Kent is money lately

karina said...

I go to Universidad del Zulia but i was with my classmates and even one of my teachers, she was afraid of driving back home.

Eric Karros said...

I was stuck in an elevator once, but only for about an hour.

Eric Karros said...

I think Orel went to try and beat my score at typeracer

Steve Sax said...

Loney needs to free some baseruners. 0-for-3 with 4 LOB.

Erin said...

My best wpm on Type Racer is 107. I have no screen shot proof of that, though.

Eric Karros said...

Anyways I'm glad you are ok

Steve Sax said...

Someone please remind me how to do a screen shot, I forget?

Also, Erin, I agree with you that V for Vendetta was awesome, just like the comic. I loved the Matrix but the other two sequels were less good. I'm psyched for Speed Racer, and for Iron Man.

Eric Karros said...

Erin: hit ctrl-Print Screen.

If you do it again send us a screen-shot and we'll post it. That is, unless one of us beats it first. My high is actually 100 but I didn't think to print it.

karina said...

5th inning and only 61 pitches? 5 K's?AWESOME!

Steve Sax said...

Leadoff single after a 3-2 count...let's see if Chad can keep his poise this time.

Erin said...

I know how to create a screen shot, but it's different on Macs. If you have a Mac Steve, hit Apple-Shift-3. You'll hear a little shutter noise and the thing will show up as "picture 1" on your desktop.

The next time I play, I'll take one for proof.

Erin said...

Billingsley really needs to rid himself of this fifth inning curse he's got going.

Orel said...

Sorry, I got pulled away. Gonna hit the highway now. See you on the....

EK, I have Firefox and it works. Maybe use the link to Kotaku and try it there? There are no adjustments I can make.

karina said...

for fun:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/The-many-Wow-I-just-got-rocked-faces-of-Barr?urn=mlb,79461

Eric Karros said...

OK see you later Orel

Steve Sax said...

Bills walks the pitcher. Here it comes.

I'm surprised they sent Olsen up to bat here in the fifth, down 4-0 with Bills heretofore dealing. Maybe they too know Chad could be on the verge of crumbling?

Eric Karros said...

the end of that link got cut off Karina

Steve Sax said...

Not to over-analyze this, but this is the Curse of Chad. Great stuff, and a lot of Ks, but seems to lose his head.

Now he is one DP away from keeping it together...come on, Chad!

Eric Karros said...

What does 'heretofore' mean?

Erin said...

Jesus. Come on Chad. This seems totally psychological, like he knows he was doing too well for the first four innings.

Erin said...

EK, "until this point"

karina said...

how do i post links here?

Eric Karros said...

Man, watching on Gameday blows. I wish I could watch the game. Or $20 to buy mlb.tv.

Steve Sax said...

He had Ramirez 2-2 and lost him. Would Chad fall apart with the bases loaded?

Then he gets Boot-Fad Man Dan Uggla to pop out to Loney. One more out to go, Chad!

Eric Karros said...

Karina, it's kind of tricky. You have to surround the word that you want to link with some html code...or at least that's how I do it. Maybe Sax knows an easier way.

Steve Sax said...

Gameday says that last pitch was 88.2 mph. It's clearly off by 0.2 mph at the very least.

Erin said...

That was almost an amazing play from Furcal. It's just one run, Chad. You can still get out of this.

Steve Sax said...

DeWitt DeFlects? DeF*ck?

Eric Karros said...

Sax, FYI since you weren't here earlier: whoever posts comment #200 wins

karina said...

Great throw by Furcal but Loney couldn't catch it right! saw it on Strike Zone channel

Steve Sax said...

Deuces wild here in the fifth.

Erin said...

53 pitches through four, but, what, 86 or something through five? That's crazy.

karina said...

Did you see that K's slider? it's the most beautiful thing i've seen this week.

Steve Sax said...

CAN'T-u! Chad escapes with only a run. Well done, Bills!

Steve Sax said...

EK, what's the prize? A night out with marc?

Eric Karros said...

Jorge's "Can-tu" attitude couldn't help him there.

Steve Sax said...

Wait, NOW they replace Olsen, ater letting him bat during their rally in the fifth? What the hell is Fredi Gonzalez thinking?

Steve Sax said...

EK, I'm just glad Jorge didn't open a cantu of whup-ass on Chad.

Eric Karros said...

Prize is undecided. Pride, bragging rights, the satisfaction of knowing you're the best at timing comments

karina said...

the html code to post a link is too difficult?

Steve Sax said...

Andruw is now 0-for-3. Better get a new page-a-day calendar, EK.

Eric Karros said...

Marc rocks. Hey, did you know he has a blog?

Eric Karros said...

Well, it's not too complicated Karina, but the tricky thing is if I type the code you need to put, it will think I'm trying to create a link...

Steve Sax said...

karina, the html tag is the "a" one (for "anchor"). Try this for an explanation...

Erin said...

Hell of a pitcher's duel going on in Boston, and Ortiz breaks the scoreless tie with a solo shot to right field, which gives Dice-K the chance to go 5-0 on the season. Loving it.

Eric Karros said...

Jones will come through BIG when it counts.

Eric Karros said...

either that or I'll go delete my page-a-day calendar post later, pretend it never happened

Erin said...

I mistakenly though Orel made that prediction about Jones. Sorry, EK. Now I'll give you sh*t for it.

Eric Karros said...

Actually it was Orel, I lent him my screenname yesterday

Eric Karros said...

So Erin, my scramble puzzle was too easy, huh...

Erin said...

It wasn't too easy. I'm just that good.

Steve Sax said...

Bills is back on the rails with a 1-2-3 sixth inning. Eight Ks on the day, not too shabby Chad.

Now let's open up some runs in the 7th here and get Chad his first win!

Erin said...

95 pitches for Chad through six. No one was warming yet when they showed the pen, so is he coming back for the seventh?

Eric Karros said...

Ah yes, of course.

Eric Karros said...

After I made it I thought it looked kind of obvious, but wasn't sure if that was because I already knew what it was

Eric Karros said...

Comment #200 approaching...

Alex Cora said...

Hey guys I'm back - we are still winning! Furcal with a nice double.

karina said...

hmm, it seems the original link is too long or something, anyway, it was a gallery of barry zito expressions getting rocked.

Eric Karros said...

I am eagerly awaiting Karina's hyper-linked comment

Eric Karros said...

oh, she beat me to it.

Steve Sax said...

Clean 'em up, Kent!

Steve Sax said...

Clean 'em up, Martin!

Eric Karros said...

Old and Olderer: Kent flies out to Luis Gonzalez.

Erin said...

Even the Marlins realize Loney hasn't been hitting with RISP (excluding the game winner on Sunday, obviously).

Alex Cora said...

Double Steal - Torre's gone to that a couple of times this year already.

karina said...

double stealing!

Erin said...

Stupid Red Sox bullpen has been almost as bad lately as the Dodgers' bullpen has been good (if that sentence has any structure at all).

Alex Cora said...

Wow, marlins had the ghostbusters song for the theme of the next pitcher "who you gonna call, MAROONNE!" Man, that is bad.

Erin said...

AC, that's actually a commercial for a car dealer or something in Florida.

Eric Karros said...

Trivia question: before that game last week, when was the last time the Dodgers scored 10 runs in an inning?

Steve Sax said...

Clean 'em up, Free James Loney!

Alex Cora said...

Come on James - Free some people on base!

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