Monday, August 25, 2008

Game 131 Thread: August 25 @ Phillies, 4p

Chad Billingsley (12-9, 3.10) vs. Brett Myers (6-10, 4.71).

COMMENTS: Having a four-game series roll over past the weekend into a late Monday game is like a bad hangover, particularly after getting drubbed in the first two games and then losing last night to a heartbreaking, walk-off, extra-inning homerun that included a closeup shot of Dodger "pitcher" Jason Johnson leaving the mound with an absolutely dispassionate and seemingly nonplussed visage. Did I mention the last two games have been on national television, allowing the entire country to see the Dodgers' flailing at the plate? Or that last night's come-from-ahead loss marked a return to .500 for both the Dodgers (65-65) and the Manny Ramirez era (11-11)? Or that Jonathan Broxton blew his second save in 12 chances since becoming the closer? Well, the good news is, this game is again against the Phillies and is again on national television (ESPN2). So our luck will surely change tonight. Right, Chad?

91 comments:

Alex Cora said...

Have to be at work instead of watching this one...which actually might be good for me the way we are playing.

Steve Sax said...

AC, it's gotten so bad, the Dodgers could even use your bat.

Orel said...

Or my nun-impressing skills.

Orel said...

I have no idea what that means.

Orel said...

Kemp, CF
Ethier, RF
Kent, 2B
Manny, LF
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Blake, 3B
Berroa, SS
Billingsley, P

Orel said...

Jon Weisman: "Starting Tuesday, Arizona will be the only above-.500 team the Dodgers face for the remainder of the season."

Steve Sax said...

orel, I thought those were nun-depressing skills.

Steve Sax said...

And as Jon proclaimeth, it was so. The humble Dodgers changed their upcoming schedule to replace the Mets with the Nationals, and the Cubs with the Padres,...

Oh wait, he's describing, not prescribing. My bad.

Orel said...

Kemp doubles to lead off.

Orel said...

1st & 3rd, two out for Loney.

Orel said...

That was strange. Loney K's on five consecutive foul balls, the last a foul tip caught by the catcher. Dodgers finding new ways to lose!

karina said...

I've been watching baseball for 20 years and i don't remember having seen that, ever.

I don't have a good feeling about this.

Steve Sax said...

Men on first and third, two out, and Loney strikes out on a foul tip.

Here comes the sweep.

Eric Karros said...

Espn teases me by saying they're showing the game, but I guess it's blacked out.

Erin said...

ESPN2 was showing the game until three minutes ago. I watched the first half of the first, and now all of the sudden it's Mets.

Oh, now it's back.

Erin said...

And gone again. Serious technical difficulties.

karina said...

I was watching the Astros-Mets game in ESPN. Then blacked out. Guess my signal is way behind.

Steve Sax said...

EK, I get that same problem with spectravision as well

karina said...

Erin, i'm having problems with the MLB gameday. I checked flash and silverlight updates but nothing works out. Do you have any idea?

Eric Karros said...

For me it's just broadcasting espnews. Is that because I'm sort of close to Philly? I don't get it.

Eric Karros said...

Problems with gameday, espn, and spectravision? Maybe they're just trying to protect Dodger fans from witnessing another loss.

Man, this doomsday attitude is contagious.

karina said...

Eric, it's not working in Venezuela, either.

Erin said...

I don't know what's going on with Gameday, but I'm still looking at "bonus coverage" of Astros/Mets. Something strange is happening.

Erin said...

Guess I'll be forced to watch the Dodgers lose in standard definition, on Prime Ticket.

Orel said...

Oh boy, Chad is struggling out of the gate.

karina said...

I'm watching Cubs-Pirates.

Eric Karros said...

I'm watching an internet clip of Woody Woodpecker.

karina said...

Woody rocks and i know he wont disappoint you, Eric.

Orel said...

Myers and Bills each threw 22 pitches in the first inning.

Orel said...

Woody is like Rick Astley that way.

Orel said...

Blake with the backwards K. He's been especially useless recently.

Steve Sax said...

Amazing that Bills got out of that jam in the first!

Eric Karros said...

The Woodman Cometh

Orel said...

Berroa singles (!) and gets Bills out of the way. Nice.

Steve Sax said...

erin, I've noticed that in LA, games dually-televised on ESPN2 and Prime Ticket means that ESPN2 shows something else, and Prime Ticket trumps the deuce.

Orel said...

Sweet avatar, EK!

Orel said...

Chad walks. Hmmm.

karina said...

Love the avatar, too. I thought of changing avatar, i can't overcome the fact Pedro Feliz owned the Dodgers with a couple of at-bats.

karina said...

Finally, i got the game!

Erin said...

What the hell, Matt? That thing was right down the middle.

Orel said...

And Kemp K's with two on. Another LOB extravaganza in the making!

Orel said...

Pedro Feliz hates us.

Erin said...

Steiner must be the supervising manager of the "For What It's Worth Department," because he sure loves to reference it.

Erin said...

And Lyons does not seem to know the more, shall we say, pornographic definition of "sit and spin" since I have now heard him use it twice to describe Burrell's swing.

Orel said...

Phillies lead 2-0.

Orel said...

I would guess Steve Lyons is well acquainted with pornographic terms.

Orel said...

Another foul tip K, this time for Ethier. When this team slumps, it really slumps.

karina said...

Victorino couldn't habdle the ball. That's my aguilucho!

karina said...

edit: handle.

Orel said...

Manny GIDP.

karina said...

Pedro Feliz makes me triste.

Erin said...

Karina, to quote one of my favorite Sesame Street songs: "alegre, no triste."

karina said...

Right, Erin. Alegre should be the word. Thanks for the reality call.

Orel said...

Even Karina needs to be cheered up now and then!

karina said...

Everyone needs some support now and then, Orel. Specially when the world try to break your heart.

karina said...

There's a rerun of Homer at Bat in the venezuelan tv. I'm watching it. Feel a little bit guilty about it.

Orel said...

Four innings, six LOB for the Dodgers.

Orel said...

I hope the Dodgers are the only ones trying to break your heart.

Homer at the Bat rules! "I've decided to bring in a few ringers, professional baseballers. We'll give them token jobs at the plant and have them play on our softball team. Honus Wagner, Cap Anson, Mordecai 'Three-Finger' Brown...."

Orel said...

3-0 Phillies. Sweep me, sweep you.

Orel said...

Rollins triples.

karina said...

Sucksweeney sight.

Steve Sax said...

Sweeney singles.

Yeah, that will turn our fortunes around.

Orel said...

Off to listen to Steiner & Lyons in traffic.

Erin said...

Kent struck out three times in that at-bat, but the ump blew the first two calls.

Erin said...

Gamecast says Ramirez lined out to right, but I was busy listening to Caroline Kennedy. Anyone see if it was a big catch or just an easy out?

Steve Sax said...

we cannot buy a run

Steve Sax said...

4-0 in the seventh. We're done.

karina said...

Phillies haven't swept the Dodgers in Philadelphia since 1929.

karina said...

It ain't over 'till it's over.

karina said...

Bad bad defense. Without decent defense it's impossible to win ballgames, even with decent pitching and hitting.

Steve Sax said...

Nobody gives up games better than Chan Ho!

Steve Sax said...

Nice job, CHP. 16 pitches, two runs.

karina said...

Orel, the Dodgers are the only ones trying to break my heart. They will if they don't do well against the Nats.

Another broke my heart, but i'll be fine. That's why i'm always single.

karina said...

Sax, i confused you with Scioscia. I wonder how you were released from jail, after all those charges.

karina said...

Men at first and second. No outs. Let's go blue!

Booger said...

Another day, Another disappointment.

Why even show up today????

This team is pathetic!!!

And the worst part is that I will still be watching tomorrow.

karina said...

We all are hardcore fans. We'll keep watching, even if it's depressing and/or frustrating and/or painful.

Steve Sax said...

Juan Pierre is the pinchhitter we trot out there, down 5-0 in the eighth with two out and two RISP.

JUAN FRICKIN PIERRE

Erin said...

I can't tell you the way my mood shifts when I switch from Ted Kennedy's speech at the convention to the Dodgers' game. It's the most hope possible, crashing down to complete despair. Thanks, Dodgers!

Steve Sax said...

3-2 count, juan, whatcha gonna do?

Steve Sax said...

WHAT A SURPRISE!

In play, out(s)

Steve Sax said...

ground out to the pitcher, no less.

Juan Pierre, with pitcher's mound power

karina said...

Weak grounder to the pitcher. In venezuelan slang, we say it's "the embarrassment road", 1-3.

karina said...

It's driving me crazy MLB gameday is not working at my computer.

Erin said...

Hard to even call it pitcher's mound power. The ball rolled pretty slowly to Romero. I'd call it "just in front of home plate power."

But don't worry. Tanyon Sturtze is in.

Booger said...

Truly Pathetic. No wonder there are so many Angel fans nowadays

karina said...

Dodgers: 14 LOB.

Steve Sax said...

Dodgers stranded 27 in the last three games. Yay.

Steve Sax said...

I don't understand why the commercial has an LA Dodgers Mastercard holder spending $11 on a blind date with a Padres fan. When would that happen?

Unless it's describing Ned Colletti's lunch with Kevin Towers. And that bill was $2M, by the way.

Steve Sax said...

I also think the Gossip Girl billboards are lame. "Very bad for you" should read "Very bad."

Or, "No one cares."

karina said...

Sax, i can't leave you to rant alone:

1) It'd be so much better if it was "Very Bad"

2) "No one cares". Indeed, if it wasn't for the great fashion...if you're interested in trends, that's why there are fashion magazines and designer runaways, however, if interest is about style, that's a whole different game and gossip girl is not needed.