Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Game 83 Thread: July 1 @ Astros, 5p

Clayton Kershaw (0-2, 4.36) vs. Wandy Rodriguez (3-3, 2.58).

COMMENTS: Go Rays! The majors' best team is 18 games over .500 and could take a series from Boston with a win today. What's that, you say? This is a Dodgers blog? Whoops. Okay, how do the Dodgers stack up with the Rays? Not great, huh. Well, what are our chances today against the Astros? Rodriguez has a 2.64 ERA in Minute Maid Park over the last two seasons? Hmmm. And the Dodgers have $73 million on the disabled list? Alrighty then. Well, there's only one thing to do: Take comfort in the immortal words of Howard Jones. Things Can Only Get Better!

121 comments:

Rob said...

So this must be the Jones you've been jonesing for!

Dusto_Magnifico said...

Martin
Ethier
Kemp
Loney
Young
Kent
Laroche
Maza
Kershaw

I doubt it though...

Orel said...

Kemp, CF
Young, LF
Martin, C
Kent, 2B
Loney, 1B
LaRoche, 3B
Ethier, RF
Maza, SS
Kershaw, P

Not your lineup, Dusto, but an intriguing one nonetheless. If Torre's going to mix-n-match every game, might as well make it interesting.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

Why does he continue to bat Kant cleanup?

Intersting note: Loney is second in all of MLB in GIDP with 18. One behind D. Lee.

Eric Karros said...

Speaking of Jeff Kant - is today's theme replacing e's with a's (see: Wandy Rodriguez)?

Erin said...

Torre just finds it categorically imperative to bat Kent (or "Kant") in the cleanup spot.

Who doesn't love humor based on 18th century German philosophers?

Eric Karros said...

Is there a German philosopher named Wandy?

Orel said...

Erin, I didn't fully get your joke and still it made me laugh.

Erin said...

I won't be around for the game, so I had to give you a little something.

I won't pretend to have completely remembered the "categorical imperative" part of Kant's philosophies, but when I saw the name spelled that way, I had to make a joke. I would never have forgiven myself if I didn't find a way.

Orel said...

You put a lot of pressure on yourself!

Steve Sax said...

Erin, Kant may be slumping, but he gets high Marx for his veteran leadership in the cleanup slot. He's got kind of an Nietzsche trigger finger at the plate, but I don't want to Hegel over whether batting him fourth makes sense. In Torre's mind, he's clearly a Locke for that slot.

Eric Karros said...

When I first read the post I envisioned this going the Howard-Jones-song-title-pun route. I couldn't have been wronger.

Steve Sax said...

EK, don't fret. No one is Tao blame.

Orel said...

Camus believe these puns? I hope our readers are Aquinas I am to hear more. But we'll have to change our focus once the Dodgers start to Plato.

Orel said...

Delwyn walks, Russell homers! 2-0 Dodgers!

Orel said...

The strikeout graphic on Gameday is presented by One-A-Day vitamins. Hope that's all the "Vitamin K" we take today.

Orel said...

Nope, LaRoche takes a K pill too. Still, we score first!

Orel said...

Off to battle traffic.

Eric Karros said...

That's right, as usual Dodgers score early and often!

We are pun whores.

I will be out of touch too for awhile.

Steve Sax said...

EK, but I'm out of my head when you're not around!

Woah, woah.

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw gives up a double and a run-scoring single before getting Berkman to fly out. 2-1 Dodgers, on out in the bottom of the first.

karina said...

That's love! is there something i can do to keep you in your head?

Epale!

Steve Sax said...

Minotaur escapes the first with no other damage.

With the Astros' lineup, though, Theseus still lurks.

Steve Sax said...

Epale karina. I'm trying hard to push HoJo into Hall and Oates. But the Oates aren't rolling at this point.

Steve Sax said...

"on field delay", says gameday.

Anyone? What's going on? Is EK streaking again?

Steve Sax said...

Wandy is up to 45 pitches through two frames, despite the fact that we (unsurprisingly) could not score Ethier from his leadoff single).

karina said...

Here!

karina said...

Martin with the double. Kent walked. Loney up 3-2

karina said...

King James delivers! Dodgers 3-Astros 1

Steve Sax said...

Loney involved in another double play...and this time, HE didn't hit it! LaRoche takes the honors this time.

karina said...

Be nice! he just had a RBI single! (i really thought he was going to GIDP).

karina said...

I read in one of the local papers, Dodgers were interested in Mark Teixeira...

karina said...

I just saw on the Strike Zone Channel, Kemp had a double RBI, but gameday is stuck on the bottom of the 4th.

Steve Sax said...

Five runs? Who are these Dodgers??!!

karina said...

I don't know, but i looooove them.

karina said...

I'm very confused tonight. Gameday was ok. I need to sleep which i will when the game ends.

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw probably thinks he's dreaming, with a four-run lead.

Kershaw strikes out Pence with the killer curve!!! Public enemy number 1!

Orel said...

The delay of game was because the Astros' original catcher got hit on the head by Maza's backswing. He came out of the game.

Could Kershaw get gasp his first win?!

Orel said...

Steiner says Furcal with yet another setback to his back. Great.

karina said...

Humberto Quintero is replacing Brad Ausmus, which means Torre should be careful if he orders a steal.

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw probably thinks he's dreaming, with a four-run lead.

Kershaw strikes out Pence with the killer curve!!! Public enemy number 1!

karina said...

Thanks, Orel. I didn't realize the change.

karina said...

Martin with the RBI single!

Steve Sax said...

Martin is a triple shy of the cycle! 3 RBI for Russ.

Steve Sax said...

Snakes gave up 3 runs in the first to Milwaukee

karina said...

They made a double steal. I never thought i'd say this, but that double steal disappoints me big time.

Steve Sax said...

Reuss thinks CK is laboring, here vs. Tejada

karina said...

Wigginton 3 run HR. Astros getting close.

karina said...

Another on field delay. What happened?

Orel said...

Aargh, just tuned back in to see Broxton allow the tying runs. 6-6 tie.

Steve Sax said...

Tie game here? Clayton Kershaw is going to be waiting for Delwyn Young in the locker room with a baseball bat. Thanks for dropping that ball, Delwyn, and denying Kershaw his first win!

Steve Sax said...

Leslie Nielsen is umping behind the plate. What a prick, on the DeWitt called K.

Kemp then follows with a quick fly out to right. Heeeeeere's Delwyn!

karina said...

the man of the hour...

Steve Sax said...

Brewers winning 7-1 in AZ, but of course the Dodgers won't take advantage. Young gets rung up on a called strikeout. Dodgers go meekly. Are the Dodgers going to roll over and play dead after losing the five-run lead?

karina said...

Let's cross fingers they can play their potential and win this game (i can't believe i'm losing sleep for these guys)

Orel said...

Way to hang in, Karina!

Orel said...

WHAT IF the Giants won the NL West?! Just a thought.

karina said...

It's even possible. Of course, it would be the surprise of the season, along with the Rays. For the Dodgers and die-hard fans like us, it'd very shameful and some heads could roll...

Orel said...

Great AB by Loney. Works the single.

Orel said...

If it happens, Karina, the whole division should be embarrassed.

Orel said...

Sweeney up. No comment.

karina said...

King James singles, but Sweeney is up, hom many pitches will he take before he strucks out?

Orel said...

Sweeney with the weak swing on a 3-1 count. What was he thinking?

Orel said...

Beimel in to try to send this sucker into extras.

karina said...

We gotta admit the Giants have a very good young pitching rotation, they only need some batting and they all set, specially in the NL West.
If the Dodgers are on binary mode, there's no way they could beat Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum.

Orel said...

You could say the same thing about the Dodgers, Karina. Bills and Kershaw may soon be unbeatable. We're just a few bats away.

Orel said...

The plot thickens: Brewers 7, D'backs 5....

karina said...

I'm aware of it, but their team isn't helping them. Same with Lowe. Some days the defense shines, the other day is the offense, but they haven't been consistent.

karina said...

Dodgers have a great bullpen, too. I don't have the exact numbers but i bet they are in the top 5 of the entire MLB.

Orel said...

Great block, Russell!

Orel said...

Here we go, 10th inning coming up!

Orel said...

Winning in extras on the road is difficult.

Orel said...

Dear Clayton Kershaw,

Welcome to the majors.

Derek Lowe

Orel said...

Maza doubles!

karina said...

Maza doubled! where's Sax?

Orel said...

IBB to Kemp puts men on 1st & 2nd for Young. C'mon, Pee-Wee!

Orel said...

Never around when you need him!

karina said...

I'm watching the Strike Zone Channel, so Carlos Hernandez said he talked with Manny Mota about Maza: it seems the organization is very satisfied with his work and as long he does the little things, he could stay with the team long. It also seems he's a real team player and he's happy to contribute in anyway.

karina said...

I'm asking because i know he doesn't like Maza.

Orel said...

Waa waa waa waaah....

karina said...

Between the Young and Repko performances, we could almost start yearning for Pierre.

karina said...

Middle of the order is up!

Orel said...

Damn! Russell tagged it but right at Lee.

Orel said...

How is it we scored six runs this game but a seventh seems so improbable?

Orel said...

KEFF JENT!

Steve Sax said...

Immanuel Kent!!!!!!!!!!!!

karina said...

Let's go blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MR.F said...

CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE!!!!!

Orel said...

That's former Astro Jeff Kent with the HR. Color me shocked.

Kent also did some trash-talking on the basepaths.

karina said...

Carlos Hernandez kinda predicted Kent could pull of something very deep. Love when ballplayers become announcers.

Orel said...

Nice, fanerman!

Orel said...

C'mon TAKASHI!

Orel said...

Categorial imperative, for those seeking some light reading.

karina said...

The other guy at Strike Zone Channel: Repko is so happy to get up of the bench, he grounds out when he sees his first fastball, "interesting because Kent saw 5 fastballs at his bat". Ouch.

Orel said...

Why is Saito nibbling with Ausmus?

Orel said...

That's a good observation, Karina.

karina said...

Those puns today have been very deep and intellectual, after sleeping very little in a couple of days, makes my head spinning.

Orel said...

That's it, Saito! K's Oss-muss!

Orel said...

You give us far too much credit, Karina.

Two out!

Steve Sax said...

fanerman, I am cracking up at your comment. Well played, bringing the comment stream full circle.

karina said...

It's the truth actually. Get him, Saito!

Orel said...

"The Saito Supremacy!" —Charley Steiner

Steve Sax said...

"The Saito Supremacy", says Steiner.

Way to go Dodgers! Kershaw didn't really deserve that win, anyway.

Steve Sax said...

Dodgers UNDEFEATED IN JULY

karina said...

This lady is going very happy to the other side. Night, guys! (i expect aristotlean-platonic puns tomorrow)

Steve Sax said...

The Chick-Fil-A foul poles at Minute Maid Park are really lame. I don't remember them being there when I visited this park.

Orel said...

Jeff Kent has such a twangy voice! Why am I surprised?

Orel said...

Are you going to have a good night? (Socratic method)

Steve Sax said...

Kent, on the post-game interview with Pants-Dropping Lyons, doesn't sound all that crusty of a guy! He should hit game-winning home runs every evening.

Steve Sax said...

BTW Orel, congrats on getting #100.

BTW Karina, pleasant dreams.

Orel said...

Woo hoo! #100 and a win!

Steve Sax said...

AZ down 8-6 going to the ninth inning

Orel said...

Brewers 8, D'backs 6, top 9!

Steve Sax said...

Giants are beating the reeling Cubs

Steve Sax said...

Orel, next time we comment on a GT, we should make sure not to be sitting at the same table with our laptops. We're commenting all over each other here.

Steve Sax said...

Speaking of which, you in town Saturday?

Steve Sax said...

Corey Hart must be wearing his sunglasses tonight, as he makes the third out in the ninth for the Brewers.

Arizona gets three more outs, down two runs.

Orel said...

Sorry, I won't be able to pander about much this weekend.

Orel said...

Salomon Torres hits the first D'backs batter in the ninth. Nice.

Steve Sax said...

Brewers win. Dodgers move to 2.5 games back of the Snakes!

Good night, everybody!

Orel said...

2.5! 2.5! 2.5!