Game 102 Thread: July 25 vs. Nationals, 7.40p
Chad Billingsley (9-9, 3.32) vs. John Lannan (6-9, 3.29).
COMMENTS: Tired of hearing about how the Dodgers could be in first place, if only the the Diamondbacks (who took a series from the first-place Cubs) would win less and the Dodgers (who lost a series to the third-place Rockies) could just, well, win more? Yeah, so are we. So consider this: The Diamondbacks have traded for both Tony Clark and Jon Rauch lately. The Dodgers are purportedly showcasing Andy LaRoche for a trade. Oh, and Juan Pierre is returning, perhaps as early as tonight and probably displacing Matt Kemp and his .925 leadoff OPS at the top of the order.
As admirably as Blake DeWitt has played, his production (.257/.324/.364) doesn't overwhelm so much that LaRoche shouldn't be given a longer look at third. But Joe Torre likes DeWitt, and we can only hope trading LaRoche doesn't become a debacle of Konerko-ian proportions. Meanwhile, Pierre's return should bump Andruw Jones to the bench. After all, Kemp and Andre Ethier are tied for the team lead in home runs. If we're that desperate for speed, power shouldn't be sacrificed.
The trading deadline is six days away, and many things can happen. And a lot of knee-jerk keeping-up-with-the-D'backs things can happen as well. But the Dodgers shouldn't trade valuable players for what at best would be another first-round playoff exit.
P.S.: Tonight marks the first career start against the Dodgers for the Nats' Lannan. Enjoy the game!
Labels: Game Thread
posted by Orel @ 4:00 PM permalink
194 comments
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194 Comments:
Hey guys. I'll be at the game tonight, in Loge 101. Anyone else going? Come on! It's Brad Penny bobblehead night!
Have fun, Erin! Enjoy your disable-listed bobblehead.
Speaking of which, how is it we haven't had a Juan Pierre bobblehead yet?
From Diamond: "To make room for Pierre on the 25-man roster, outfielder Delwyn Young, a former State Championship MVP at Riverside Community College, was placed on the DL with an oblique strain.
"Young injured the oblique on Wednesday in a pinch-hitting performance at Colorado."
Sure he did.
Pierre, LF
Kemp, RF
Martin, C
Kent, 2B
Nomar, SS
Loney, 1B
Jones, CF
LaRoche, 3B
Billingsley, P
Why Jones instead of Ethier? Andre must be steamed. Good to see LaRoche starting again, though.
Maybe management felt the need to show that Pierre is healthy enough for a possible trade... yeah... right!
So it seems as though Pierre and I will both be triumphant returns to Dodger Stadium tonight. Ugh. Couldn't he have held off for one more day?
Damn him stealing your thunder like that!
Oh my dear god. I just threw up in my mouth a little. Juan Pierre got a louder cheer in the introductions than did Russell Martin.
Of course, Nomar got the biggest cheer of all. Nice to see some things never change.
Erin, maybe people wants to be nice, since he's returning from the DL.
In the other hand, the fact you are over Dodger Stadium gives me hope they won't suck tonight.
Hmmm, Jesus Flores is the starting catcher tonight. I've gotta say he's clutch with RISP, saw somewhere he's in the top 5 in the league.
If he doesn't hit anything, it'll be all right. If he does very well, i'll be almost happy.
I guess I can't hate Pierre in the lineup too much. I just wish he and Jones weren't in instead of Ethier.
The Dodgers are 8-2 at games I've seen at Dodger Stadium (8-5 overall, thanks to those Chicago games), so maybe there's hope tonight.
In other news, I'm very near Jason Bateman (who has season seats), and I swear he's sitting with Keith Olberman.
At least Chad is on tonight.
Karina, is Flores on your fantasy team?
Michael Bluth!
Karina, your avatar puppy looks so calm.
Nope. Russell Martin is the catcher on my fantasy and i wouldn't have someone else on that position.
I once met Jesus Flores and he was so nice to me, i even forgot who i was, where i was and what i was doing there.
Wow! Kemp turned a near-collision with Jones into a backhanded work of art.
I heart heart Matt Kemp.
Coper is a very spoiled puppy. You have no idea.
Jesus Flores, he's got charisma.
He does and he also has a great voice and smells good
*blushing a lot*
I love how Martin was walking to the dugout before the ump even called strike three. Finally, some pitching!
You guys, if I can confirm this is Olberman, I am going to freak out. I worship the man.
What does "Coper" mean?
It's Bills, the Dodgers ace.
By the way, if there is some truth the Dodgers want to trade Lowe, i'll be pissed.
Okay, so we got Jesus Flores, who smells good and is a favorite of Karina. Then we may have Keith Olbermann, object of worship for Erin. Dodger Stadium is where it's at!
His name is Copernico Enrique, "Coper" is for short.
My brother chose that name and no one remembered that name is Back to the Future related until a few weeks later.
But we aren't going to re-sign Lowe. Why not get something of value for him and replace him with Kershaw or Penny?
NO...mar.
Yeah, love the guy, but somehow always seem to forget the second "n" in his name.
I will talk to him, but I can't believe this is the first time all season I've neglected to bring a camera to the game. I don't have a blog anymore, so I figured there was up point. Now I'm kicking myself.
I know that, Orel. But Lowe is a good pitcher with a World Series championship on his resume. Starting pitching market is thin, why not take a risk and keep him in case of playoffs?
Back to the Future-related? I don't get it.
See?, Flores is adorable!
Erin, doesn't the iPhone have a camera?
Karina, I know Lowe is considered a big-game pitcher, but I don't have that kind of faith in him.
Well, i do think he could be a guidance for Bills, Kershaw, Broxton, Wade and Troncoso if the team heads for the playoffs.
Copernico is one of the names of Dr. Emmet Brown's dog.
The iPhone does have a camera. It will be funny when I ask Bateman to take a picture of me and Olberman on my dang iPhone.
D'backs 6, Giants 0, 3rd inning. Thanks, SF.
I just learned some movie trivia.
Erin, you need a fourth, picture-taking party.
Yeah. Guess I'll have to ask a stranger, as I am at the game alone this evening.
Dodgers marketing department could learn something of the Nashua Pride marketing department.
Scroll a little bit and you know what i mean:
http://tinyurl.com/5kaojs
Nomar can't make a play that Furcal would have. The run scores, Nats 1-0.
Erin, you are hardcore! Although I've been to a few games solo myself.
Chad gets out of it with another K.
Jones is embarrasing any way you look at him. When i remember Ethier is on the bench, i feel like i'm dying a little bit.
I always go by myself to baseball games. Sure, my fellow season tickets holders go, but there's not always that case.
Karina, are you suggesting an anatomically proportionate Andruw Jones bobblehead?
Not bobblehead, a bobblebelly.
However, "for somewhat reason", i feel people could use it as a missil.
Okay. It's definitely Olbermann. Someone else just came up to shake his hand and I actually saw his face instead of his profile. Now I'll just be planning my move and hoping that, when I make it, I'm not too overcome to say anything coherent.
Erin, i know you can do it.
Erin, gotta think of something clever to say!
Hello erin, orel, karina
I've been to at least one baseball game alone that I can remember, but probably more
Howzabouta nice 5-4-3 DP? Let's go, Dodger bats!
Hello, Eric!
Hello Eric.
I'll tell Keith he can dub me the "worst person in the world" for bothering him during the game. That makes sense if you've ever watched his show.
are other people bothering him?
Nice avatar Karina!
This is my 17th MLB game this season. I have been to eleven of them alone.
Shoot, Martin hits into a DP of our own.
Erin, that's how a true hardcore baseball fan talks.
Scratch that. Eighteen games, including preseason. Eleven alone.
From my seat in loge, I could tell Martin was safe on that DP ball.
Odd trivia about me: I saw the movie "Single White Female" by myself
Thank you very much, Zimmermann.
I haven't even brought up GameDay yet...let me do that...
I think no one can top your experience as being the lone guest at a hotel.
I read a New Yorker article about him, so I get the reference.
Ah, you remember that story, Karina?
I saw Iron Man and Hulk by myself.
Eric, glad you like my avatar (by the way you made me go to imdb)
Did you ever have a crush on Bridget Fonda?
I pay close attention to you, what can i say?
I also saw the movie "Fallen" by myself...and "Seed of Chucky". I'm not sure which of the 3 is most embarrasing to admit to. Actually, yes I do.
Okay. I just spoke to Olbermann. Told him I loved and worshipped him, all while shaking his hand. He laughed at me, but I don't care. I am now shaking. No joke.
Well I definitely think Bridget Fonda is cute, but actually I don't think I'm her #1 SoSG fan
wow Erin, well done.
Next time you see Johan Santana you can tell him you hang with Olbermann!
Congratulations, Erin. You did much better than me when i met Jesus Flores.
SOSG: Dodgers and Bridget Fonda fans?
Bad break off Chad's glove there. He deserves some run support.
Erin, did you get a picture?
I guess now would be a good time to mention the "Point of No Return" bus stop poster hanging in my garage.
I was setting you up, Orel
You get an assist, EK.
No picture. I just see him stand up from his seat, so I went and stopped him at the top of his section (one section over from mine). iPhone wouldn't have picked us up anyway. Too dark.
Hmmm, Chad just Ranchoed the bases Ardiendo.
I meant "saw," not "see" obviously.
I adore your expression "ranchoed the bases ardiendo".
Will this game a nueve arepas one?
It's not like Chad is having control issues. He's making good pitches.
Interestingly enough, O'Reilly was at Fenway today. But I do not worship him. At all.
My older brother watched "Point of No Return" too many times.
Translation, por favor.
shutout - right?
O'Reilly does not seem like your kind of guy, Erin.
Sax and I saw Point of No Return in the theater. It was not very good, Bridget notwithstanding.
A shutout game is known as "Nueve Arepas"
Arepas is a typical meal in Venezuela and Colombia.
http://tinyurl.com/ysrd36
Hey guys (and gals)! This is the inning that we break through!
Correct, Eric.
Bridget Fonda movies I remember seeing: It Could Happen To You, Jackie Brown
Dodgers are turning John Lannan into Cy Young, unsurprisingly.
Whassup AC?
Or is it spelled 'wassup'?
And then Jones hits ones inches away from a homer!
I can't believe my eyes...Jones almost homered.
Somehow, I missed 'Monkeybone'
Hey AC!
Where did that homerun power go, Andruw?
And with that double, look forward to never seeing Ethier in a game again.
Man. Everyone here thought that ball was gone.
Pass me a bottle, Mr. Jones
Believe in me
Help me believe in anything
I want to be someone who believes
I'll have one arepa, please.
I guess BF was in A Simple Plan also, but didn't remember. Loved the movie though.
Karina busts out the Counting Crows reference!
Oppps, well maybe NEXT inning...
No, Erin. With that double, Ethier knows he'll be benched the whole weekend. If it had been a homer, Ethier'd know he''ll be a pinch runner for the entire season.
Yes, she was in Simple Plan. Doc Hollywood, too.
Orel, we do love our 90's tunes, right?
I think I may have seen Doc Hollywood, but not sure. Maybe I just dreamed I saw it.
I can't believe you guys haven't brought up Godfather III.
I like Adam Duritz
It had a memorable topless scene, EK.
Well, I already mentioned 'Seed of Chucky,' so I figured mentioning 'Godfather III' would be redundant
Yes we do, Karina. Although my gym is currently cranking 80's tunes. Which makes me exercise just a little faster.
What did, Orel? Doc Hollywood, Godfather III, or Seed of Chucky?
Or are you talking about the game?
I saw GFIII before I saw GFI or GFII. Not a good introduction to the series.
I loved "It could happen to you".
I saw 'Seed of Chucky' before 'Bride of Chucky' but after 'Child's Play'. It still worked.
'It Could Happen To You' was a nice movie
Doc Hollywood (NSFW!!!)
Ok, now I know. I didn't see Doc Hollywood.
It Could Happen to You had a much better original title: Cop Gives Waitress $2 Million Tip!
Ok guys, midnight has struck, I'm going to bed before I turn into a pumpkin.
Flores kept that in the park just for you, Karina.
I can't believe we can't get to this Nationals pitcher, let alone the whole team. They are HORRIBLE!