Sunday, September 07, 2008

Game 143 Thread: Sept 7 vs. D'backs, 1p

Clayton Kershaw (3-5, 4.50) vs. Max Scherzer (0-2, 2.65).

COMMENTS: After Dan Haren and Brandon Webb each got drubbed by the Dodgers, 7-0 and 7-2 respectively, in the first two games of this series, the Diamondbacks look to their stopper, Randy Johnson Max Scherzer? You mean the guy who hasn't started a game since May 17? After the Dodgers edged into sole possession of first place with yesterday's stirring outburst after a four-inning pitchers' duel? After Justin Upton was caught losing fly balls in the sun, letting Manny Ramirez get a two run ground-rule double on what should have been an easy end-of-inning out? There's so much momentum behind the Dodgers now, winners of their last seven straight games, that this kind of crazy move to Scherzer might just make sense. SoSG's own Alex Cora will be there at the game today to witness the final game of the homestand, likely frying in the hot sun like an egg behind third base. Look for the dehydrated guy gasping for air!

127 comments:

Orel said...

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Loney, 1B
Blake, 3B
Kemp, CF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Kershaw, P

Sweep. I want a sweep.

Damon said...

football sucks go Dodgers

Orel said...

Nice 3-6 play by Loney.

Unknown said...

Are we starting the same line up on back to back days? Now theres a winning team.

Orel said...

Dunn doubles. 1st & 3rd w/1 out for the D'backs.

Orel said...

Oops, 2nd & 3rd.

Orel said...

Maybe, Andrew. Let's see how they do against a pitcher they're not familiar with.

Orel said...

TV gun says 94 mph.

Orel said...

Rancho Ardiendo for the D'backs.

Orel said...

Kershaw struggling. Tight strike zone not helping.

Orel said...

Kershaw is about to walk a run in.

karina said...

No, he won't.

Orel said...

Not so! Young pops out!

Orel said...

You got here just in time, Karin!

Orel said...

Two consecutive 94-mph fastballs!

Orel said...

YES! Kershaw escapes the first!

Orel said...

31 pitches for Kershaw in the first. Good thing Lowe and Bills pitched deep, it looks like we'll be seeing Park and/or Kuo today.

karina said...

Team is on a roll!. Neebs will have to find out new ways to use those mighty gloves.

Unknown said...

Meh, my comment about the starting line up was a touch of sarcasm as I feel that Torre may have been trying to do a bit much.

Lets hope Kershaw settles...nice to see some guts out of him early!

Orel said...

Martin first pitch swinging. He didn't do that yesterday.

Unknown said...

Im sure all the Arizona fans are happy the starting pitcher is hetero

Orel said...

Yeah, shouldn't that be private?

karina said...

I don't get your last comment, Andrew.

Orel said...

Great job, Andre, to shake off those bad calls.

Unknown said...

karina...vinny was talking about how scherzer was heterochromia, which means he has two different eye colors.

Orel said...

I can't believe Manny didn't swing at the first pitch.

Orel said...

TV gun says Manny swung at a 99-mph fastball!

Orel said...

And another!

Orel said...

You can even see Scherzer's heterochromia in his Gameday photo!

Orel said...

Yeah, boyee! Manny doubles! 2nd & 3rd w/1 out! Just like for the D'backs in the top of the inning!

Unknown said...

I suppose that means Im homochromia....oh well, maybe another life I can be so lucky.

Manuelito!

karina said...

The good news is King james is at the plate.

karina said...

I learn something new today. Heterochromia.

Orel said...

Loney singles! 2-0 Dodgers!

karina said...

King James delivered! Dodgers 2- Arizona 0

Orel said...

If you wear contacts, does that mean you have bichromia?

Orel said...

Colored contacts, that is.

karina said...

Interesting question, Orel.

However, if you wear clear prescription glasses, they give you some flair in the look of your eyes.

Orel said...

Kemp has been slumping lately, should we be worried?

Orel said...

Eye flair is good!

Orel said...

Way to work the pitcher, Matty!

Orel said...

28 pitches for Scherzer. It would be great to get to Arizona's bullpen early.

Unknown said...

The DBacks hitters have some of the worst discipline I have seen.

karina said...

First K for Kershaw. Keep on track, kid!

Orel said...

Solo HR Snyder. 2-1 Dodgers.

karina said...

I just jinxed Kershaw.

Orel said...

Kershaw went three balls to Scherzer but struck him out.

karina said...

Derek Jeter tied Babe Ruth on number of hits.

Orel said...

Kershaw is starting to stretch the strike zone a little.

Orel said...

Good for Jeter.

Orel said...

53 pitches through two for Kershaw.

Orel said...

DeWitt singles!

karina said...

That's a trend in Kershaw. He seems to throw lots of pitches in the first couple of innings.

Orel said...

Do you think he'll settle down?

Orel said...

Scherzer at 42 pitches.

Orel said...

Wow, that was quite the casual outstretched running catch by Manny!

Orel said...

Dunn ties it up.

Orel said...

Scherzer is settling down. Kershaw is not.

Orel said...

Manny just cost us a base there. Vin is going easy on Manny.

Orel said...

Kershaw will be lucky to go five. He's on the edge of giving the D'backs the lead here.

Orel said...

I think Vinny just said this is Kershaw's ninth three-ball count.

Snyder RBI. 3-2 D'backs, still one out.

karina said...

Sorry, Orel. Someone called...

karina said...

Kershaw shouldn't pitch the 5th. This game is too important to give any unnecessary leads.

Orel said...

Kershaw K's Drew to end the inning. 92 pitches.

Orel said...

I agree, Karina.

Unknown said...

The thing that make me uneasy about Kershaw is that he has nothing to go off of his fastball, like a change up. So when he struggles with placement these hitters just sit for the pitch they want.

Orel said...

Scherzer is rolling. Doesn't look good for the Dodgers.

Orel said...

Can you get away with just two pitches in the majors?

karina said...

It is disappointing they have been struggling so far against an emergency starter.

karina said...

Only when you're a closer, but one of those pitches has to be nastily fast. Besides, said pitcher would have to have a remarkable knowledge of location and command.

karina said...

Orel, Torre listened to us.

Orel said...

Time for some Proctorology.

Orel said...

Pitcher's spot is due up second next inning, so hopefully Proctor can get through this inning.

Steve Sax said...

"Trouble in rivery city" when the flare bloops into shallow center with 2 away. Man on first...

Unknown said...

Hopefully we can work a pitch count here and knock him out... I suspect Schizer is one tough inning away from KO

Orel said...

Good job, Doctor Proctor.

Steve Sax said...

Young preparing to PH for Proctor? Wherefore art thou, Sweeney?

Orel said...

Delwyn Young sighting!

At this rate, Scherzer will go six or seven innings.

karina said...

I don't want Suckweeney near a bat today.

Orel said...

Torre likes to save Sweeney for the really high-stakes situations.

Orel said...

Six straight K's for Scherzer.

karina said...

I can't believe Scherzer struck out his 3 batters.

karina said...

Reynolds hit a lead-off double.

I still think they're gonna win this game.

Orel said...

The Dodgers?

Orel said...

Stealing third on Russell. Martin's defense has taken a blow this season.

Orel said...

YES! BOTCHED SQUEEZE! Martin gets his revenge!

karina said...

Reynolds stole 3rd.

karina said...

Of course Orel, the Dodgers. Sorry not to make my point clear.

Unknown said...

The squeeze has to be one of the lowest expected value plays in baseball.

Yes, its nice to get that run in, but like there, you waste a runner on third when how many different ways are there to get that run home...grounder to second, hit, fly ball, wild pitch...etc.

Orel said...

Park gets out of it. Let's knock Scherzer out!

Orel said...

The Dodgers have pulled off the squeeze quite a few times this season.

karina said...

The squeeze is one of my favorite plays, specially when you can watch it at the stadium. Maybe it's my caribbean blood, but i love the extra adrenaline.

Orel said...

Yes, Max Scherzer is human. Walks DeWitt.

Orel said...

Er, Ethier.

karina said...

Ethier walks.

Orel said...

Manny singles! 1st & 3rd w/no out!

Unknown said...

Is there any appropriate way of rubbing in the fact that Manny is still one of the best hitters in baseball to my coworkers here in Boston...I take suggestions and I have little shame.

karina said...

We only need some King James magic.

karina said...

#100 (for second game in a row)

Orel said...

Nice job, Loney! Tie game!

Orel said...

Andrew, how about a 1.248 OPS as a Dodger?

karina said...

Game tied! thanks King James!

Orel said...

Strangely, Kemp is more disciplined at the plate but he's still striking out a lot.

Orel said...

Hey, it's Nomar! At third!

Steve Sax said...

3-3? How did we score the third run?

Sorry, I am setting up some electronics...

karina said...

Ethier walked, manny singled, Ethier went to 3rd, King James sac-fly

Unknown said...

Orel, 1.248 OPS is nice but it isnt exactly like he wasnt putting stretches like that in Boston. He had a huge July before being traded and was the power while Ortiz was out for 2 months...truthfully I think the only stuff that will burn here is a championship t shirt with Mannys dumb ass cartoon character on the front.

karina said...

Hombres en las esquinas. Garciaparra is up.

Gameday says Berroa sac bunt and there was a fielding error by Dunn.

karina said...

Garciaparra sac fly! Dodgers 4- Arizona 3

Erin said...

Hello all.

karina said...

Hello, Erin. How's Idaho?

Ethier RBI single. Dodgers 5- Arizona 3

karina said...

Kuo is in trouble. Men at first and second. One out. Upton should GIDP.

karina said...

Upton struck out. I'll take it.

Orel said...

The patented SoSG Dog Walking Strategy worked again! Seven runs yesterday, two runs today.

Orel said...

But Broxton in for a FIVE-OUT save?

Erin said...

Idaho is great. We had our regular Sunday morning breakfast today. A minimum of about fifteen show up every week, but today there were probably about twenty. Good times.

SWEEP!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Orel, do you think at all Torre is following the relief ace theory in that you dont save your closer for the last three outs, but perhaps the most difficult to get three outs?

Orel said...

I would like that T-shirt, Andrew.

Hu singles!

Orel said...

Perhaps, Andrew. But those three outs have become five.

Today's closers seem uncomfortable with anything outside of a ninth-inning, three-out save. Kudos to Torre for ignoring that, but this is a hell of a time to test that theory.

Orel said...

Many blame the "save" stat.

karina said...

Desperate situations require desperate measures. They need to win this particular game, it's a key for the playoffs.

Orel said...

IBB Dunn here and get the next guy.

I'm finishing this game on the radio. Thanks for keeping the thread warm, guys!

karina said...

I'm glad everything is all right over there, Erin.

karina said...

SWEEP! so the NL West first place Dodgers have 1.5 games over Arizona, Sweet, huh?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Two Words:

Magic Gloves!

Don't send out the new bonus gift just yet.

Alex Cora said...

That was an incredible game. The crowd was electric when Nomar caught that screamer at first. I did fry out there and am a couple shades darker. However, it was worth it to see us extend the first place lead. Way to go Blue. Keep it up vs SD!

Steve Sax said...

Clearly, AC was caught in the post-game traffic jam.