Derek Lowe (10-10, 3.89) vs. Collin Balester (2-6, 4.99).
COMMENTS: The Dodgers: one game under .500, three games out of first place. The Nationals: 39 games under .500, worst record in the Major Leagues.
A sweep of the Nationals: necessary.
Lowe: Glad to see Maddux? Balester: how SoSG Sax probably refers to Christian Bale.
171 comments:
Kemp, CF
Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Manny, LF
Loney, 1B
Nomar, SS
Blake, 3B
Berroa, 2B
Lowe, P
nope, make that:
Kemp, LF
Ethier, RF
Kent, 2B
Ramirez, LF
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Garciaparra, SS
Blake, 3B
Lowe, P
Wait, Garciaparra is playing short instead of Nomar?
I can't believe the Nationals are going to Collin Balester for this start. I'd call on a more experienced starter.
Dodgers go 1-2-3 in the first. All three batters made contact, though.
Yeah, and we gave Balester 7 big pitches, all fastballs, and he's done with his first inning. Yay.
Man, there are some weird camera angles in this stadium. If you're watching, the camera seems to be up on top of the press box in order to get a shot of the batter running to first. So strange.
Hello guys.
whoops, the box score says Balester had 8 pitches, though the pitch-by-pitch only has 7
erin! what's up? Any robots around?
1-2-3 for Lowe. 13 pitches.
and now it's ack to 7 pitches.
Lowe needs 13 pitches to get through the first inning (unharmed)--almost TWICE as many pitches as the Balesterama
No robot sightings today.
Erin, why is the url for your site different than the name? Was www.robotstookmymedicine.com taken?
Balester: 11 pitches, four outs.
King James got a walk. No outs. Son's up.
Orel, I don't know. I guess I just liked the idea of including both somewhere on the page. Also, even though "robots took my medicine" is only one letter longer than "robots are everywhere" it just felt so long.
russ breaks up the no-no, and Loney takes second on the single. One out, Nomar up.
robotsarepeopletoo.com looks like it's available
Nomar pulls a Loney, GIDP to end the inning.
Sax, you'll have to set up a rival site.
To be fair, NL Leaders in GIDP has a new #2:
Derrek Lee 24
Miguel Tejada 23
James Loney 21
Adrian Gonzalez 20
erin, do I have to open up cityofangelseast.com first?
It would be a logical progression, I think, Sax.
look at that, i blink my eyes and lastings milledge gets a homer.
WE ARE LOSING TO THE NATIONALS, PEOPLE
Well, at least it's only 1-0 after two innings.
What this team needs is some good robot batters.
hey blake, how about you hit one out here.
wow, acc to gameday, that almost went out after all!
as of this writing, Derek Lowe is batting 14 points better than Mark Sweeney
...lowe reaches on throwing error, so now it's only 11 points better than sweeney's batting average (but at least he made it to first base, unlike Mark)
Inning Ending Double Play = Dodgers Baseball
Kemp AGAIN swings at the first pitch, this time GIDP.
Three innings, two GIDPs
Two at bats, two pitches, three outs for Kemp
Come on, people, play like you give a damn
I think you actually have to give a damn before you can play like it.
I need advice from Mac users, MLB gameday doesn'y work and the ESPN gamecast is sort of confusing.
Hello, I see the Dodgers are turning Collin Balester into the next Cy Young.
another run for WAS
This is shaping up to be another great day
karina, who's the new beau?
espn gamecast at least has those fun pulsing yellow bubbles
Its nice to see that they responded to Larry Bowa's comments with such great play.
You can't stop the Nats. 2-0.
Two-run lead. Insurmountable.
Guys, let's have some faith, it's the 4th inning...aren't we hardcore fans? this team can win this game.
Loney will make it happen
Steve, he's not a "beau". He's Jesus Flores, for somewhat reason he put himself to my side, i felt uncomfortable, but i couldn't speak, move or breathe...for that matter. In the full size picture, you can see i'm blushing...
or not
this team hasnt given any indication that they care too much right now. They are very uninspiring.
C'mon, drive in at least a run...
Two on, one out...Loney flies out, and Martin...
If caring was all it took, we'd all be big leaguers.
Martin is seeing lots of pitches, let's see if he hits something well.
...this is one hell of an at bat, russell...
WTF!!!!!!!!!!
we can't buy a run
Fire Mattingly
At least we are not Detroit right now. Six runs in the third for Cleveland including back to back homers.
This team has the talent to be great. so there is obviously something missing.
I hate to point it out, but all the vets got on base and all the kids got outs that inning.
These nats sure are pesky.
Karina, you're conspiring with (today's) enemy...
Is Nomar okay?
Is Casey okay?
Dear Dodgers,
We are trying to GIVE you runs. PLEASE beat us.
Sincerely,
Nationals
I hope back to back HBPs, don't bring any retaliation. Dodgers don't need any ejections or suspensions.
We get the 7 and 8 men on? How can it be?
Oh, two HBPs.
We'll take it...
Steve, i chose this avatar in order to jinx him. It has worked, so far
We'll take whatever they give...as long they win.
If avatar doesn't work out, gnome will be back. What do you think?
LET HIM WALK YOU LOWE
WAY TO GO, LOWE! Six-pitch at bat, not counting numerous pick off attempts...and he ekes out a walk. Bases loaded, none out...
...TAKE A PITCH, MATTY
Kemp sees a second pitch in an at bat, hallelujah
"Matt Kemp hits into triple play. Three out."
this is what it takes to get a run? an ERROR!!!!!!!!!!!!
I gotta say, the kids ain't getting it done tonight.
bases loaded, none out, rookie pitcher on the rocks...and all we can manage is a run on a force out to third? come on.
orel, Kent didn't do jack there, either
Man, it seems like you actually have to try to play this bad.
Bases loaded, no out. We score one run. Our level of suckitude is off the charts.
"How To Make The Least Out Of A Potentially Huge Opportunity"
erin must be drunk somewhere, trying to dullen the pain of this game
or maybe she's watching the Red Sox-Yankees game. It's far more interesting than this game right now.
Hello folks. I take it from the most recent few comments the game isn't going well.
this offense is absolutely horrible.
Offense? What's that?
hey, Manny doubled, King James singled.
There is offense, but no clutch. There's a difference.
There's no way they can't score at least 2 runs here
Should Manny have scored on that play?
Bases loaded with no one out. Again. Can we at least tie here?
And yes, I was watching the Sox/Yankees game. And also looking for video for my newest blog post.
Wow. Just...wow. This is just the worst offense ever right now.
wow unbelievable
We excel at forcing errors.
Wow. Are you even kidding me.
They just arent trying now. They make me sick!
what happened? I guess I'll read about it in a few seconds...
Lowe: "If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself."
For once I agree with Steiner:
"These are the times that try men's souls."
Maybe Loney should try to steal home.
I just don't know what to do about this team. There are no more adjectives to use to describe them, and there are only so many times we can talk about how awful they are. Too many games left in the season to keep seeing this over and over again.
100!
Maybe the Dodgers just really hate Derek Lowe.
Bases loaded, none out, again
Nomar GIDP, again
We don't score that frame, again
The good news is, since everyone is kelvin-thermometer-low kold right now, they're bound to all heat up at the same time.
The bad news is, the biorhythms all come back up in December
And when you've got the bases loaded, and none out, and you're playing the Nationals--and you are HOPING to score a run,
...something is very, very wrong with this offense, and this coaching staff, and this lineup.
Arizona is watching this game from their locker room, and laughing its lungs dry.
Again, Dodgers have more hits than their opponent and are losing.
Apparently Steven Shell = Nolan Ryan. Who knew?
At least Karina is doing her part. Flores is 0-for-3.
Dude this sucks. This is the fricken' nationals. Come on. Our payroll is too much to play like this. 2 more innings to score.
I'm gonna start photoshopping Karina's photo into pictures with other Washington Nationals.
Orel, Flores is clutch. It seems the Nats fans are very appreciative of him, due to his ability to hit when it matters the most.
He should be at Double-A, but the Nats had to start him and release LoDuca, for example...
You should photoshop Lastins Milledge.
112!
Flores may be clutch, but even he is unable to overcome the Karina Kurse™.
Okay, I'm off. I do not harbor hopes of a come-from-behind win.
Manny on first. Double play or load them up to hit into a double play to end it.
It's Loney, so the GIDP is quite likely.
But he strikes out, because he is generous and wants Martin to have the chance to GIDP.
How's this?
Again: it ain't over 'till it's over.
What did I tell ya...
See?
Alleviate the pain of a frustrating game with avatar fun!
This is really making me throw up. I guess the only positive is that, by playing on the east coast, the Dodgers make me miserable early, allowing me time to recover before bed.
Ok, that was for a limited time only. Back to Woody.
I'm going to bed also. G'night all -
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Night, Eric.
I don't want to sound like Derek Lowe's Marching and Chowder Society, but he doesn't deserve this kind of performance by this team. They did the exact same thing last season, too.
No, Lowe cannot be blamed for seeking a contract elsewhere in the offseason. This team isn't scoring for anyone lately, but Lowe always seems to bear the brunt of it all season.
somewhere, trina lowe laughs
btw, gameday is slow...did Martin GIDP?
Martin did, indeed, GIDP. Two outs in the bottom of the eighth now, with a runner on first.
The super great news is, we have our 7-8-9 hitters coming up in the ninth.
Two on now. First and second, two outs. Lowe has thrown over 100 pitches, and Broxton is warming. Here comes Torre.
But Lowe stays in. That ought to help Broxton's confidence.
Eight strong innings from Derek Lowe. He allows two damn runs, and he will get the loss.
Unless Nomar, Blake and probably Sweeney can do something.
So, yeah, Dodgers lose.
Okay, I'm sticking around to "see" the end of this debacle. 2-1 Nats, in the top of the ninth, with Nomar leading off (so he thankfully can't GIDP)
Nomar works a full count, getting my hopes just a bit, and then weakly grounds out to third. Awesome.
And on a 3-2 count, Nomar...grounds to third. One out.
Who, pray tell, will Torre put up to bat ninth?
My guess is Sweeney!
Blake singles, with one out.
Or maybe it's JP!
Oh, YEAH! Sweeney!
GIDP, here we come!!!
Indeed, Steve.
At least one of my teams is getting it down. Sox are up 7-3 against the Yankees. With the bases loaded in the seventh, one out, and A-Rod up, Justin Masterson got A-Rod to GIDP. Sweet.
Meanwhile, Blake's on base with, yes, Mark Sweeney batting.
So, GIDP to end the game?
Just a few inches and that could have been a double...
Replacing Derek Lowe with Mark Sweeney actually LOSES us points fom a statistical perspective (Lowe is batting better than Sweeney)
Sweeney just hit a little flare that I thought might land fair. But it falls a foot away from the line, in foul territory.
3-1 to Sweeney.
Sweeney walks...go Bison!
Dear lord, he walks. Two on, one out. Pierre is pinch running for Sweeney, and Ozuna had already replaced Blake. Matt Kemp coming up.
Hope I'm not ruining things for the Gameday folks.
Hey I step away and we have 2 on in the 9th with one out...rally?
Home run?
or DP?
I can't take this teasing.
Ozuna PRs at second. Pierre PRs at first (Sweeney inexplicably walked, which won't raise his pathetic BA). And here's Kemp, ready to GIDP
Kemp has a 2-0 count
Green light to kemp or have him take?
Guess it was a green light - but swung at a ball.
3-1 count, take the walk Matt
Kemp has swung at two balls in this at-bat. He's got a full count, but he should be on base.
And he flies out. Man alive.
Wow that sucked. It is all up to Either - pseudo walk off Andre!!!
Let's go Ethier!!!
Fly out, Kemp. On a bad pitch. Thank you, Matt, for your 0-for-5 day, and for treating us to the inevitable swap for Pierre in leadoff tomorrow.
That strike pitch has been killing Andre all game.
AHHHHHH I can't take it anymore!
The end. Unreal. A 2-1 loss to the worst team in baseball must mean that we are the worst team in baseball.
I just noticed that on mlb gameday, you can change the view to be looking a pitches from underground. Cool.
And there you have it, Ethier sees Kemp's 0-for-5 day and matches it.
Stick a fork, we are done.
CRAP. Torre needs to sit down with this team and kick them in the ass. This team is too good to have only 7 hits and one run to show for it. The pitchers keep them in the game and 1 for 12 with RISP is horrible. We are probably going to be 4 out after tonight. The fricken' ROCKIES are going to over take this team.
I know we all believe this team doesn't really deserve to make the playoffs, but the thing is, Arizona refuses to take over.
Right now, they're losing 5-2 to the Padres in the fifth inning. It'll still be a three-game deficit if the Padres hang on, and if we can keep it there (or make it a little less) by winning against the Nationals (easier said than done, apparently) and hoping the Diamondbacks lose, then we'll control our own destiny this weekend.
I guess that's the best any team can hope for. Now we just have to see if the Dodgers will ever step up to the plate and take advantage of their situation.
6-2 Padres.
Problem is, the Dodgers basically have to sweep the D'backs to make up significant ground. Even two 2-1 series wins (which I would be happy with, by the way) "only" makes up two games in the standings.
8-2 Padres!
You know this just means the Padres are going to kill us when we play them nine times next month.
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