Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Game 145 Thread: Sept 9 @ Padres, 7p

Hiroki Kuroda (8-10, 3.96) vs. Wade LeBlanc (0-1, 11.25).

COMMENTS: "The Dodgers found out on Monday what life was like for the Arizona Diamondbacks over the last five months," writes Dylan Hernandez in today's LA Times. "The Dodgers lost. They didn't score a run. And it didn't matter."



Hey, I could get used to this. But as Joe Torre says, ya gotta take care of yer own bidness, and tonight the Dodgers look to shake off their Cha Seung Baek-induced stupor.





National League Co-Player of the Week Andre Ethier stayed hotter than the Merciless Pepper of Quetzalzatenango by going 3-for-4 last night. Ethier is batting .297/.363/.516 this season.



And if there were ever a time for Hiroki Kuroda to prove himself a road warrior, this is it. Kuroda is 6-2 at Dodger Stadium—and 2-8 outside it. Dude likes home cooking, I guess. But get this, Hiroki: Not only is San Diego close to L.A., but Petco Park is the hardest stadium to score in this year. So really, you have no excuse.



And what excuse will the Dodger bats have against Wade LeBlanc, whom they roughed up for five runs in four innings in his first career start last week? For an encore LeBlanc gets the Dodgers again. It's like an exercise in park factors!

Diamondbacks photo by Nam Y. Huh/AP

105 comments:

Neeebs (The Original) said...

I thought that there was a choke hold sighting on a wayward Monk that curiosly looked alot like "Sleepy."

Steve Sax said...

Does "an exercise in park factors" mean that Chan Ho is pitching?

Orel said...

Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Ramirez, LF
Garciaparra, 1B
Blake, 3B
Jones, CF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Kuroda, P

I didn't even know Jones had been activated. If Torre wants to see his stuff, he's wise to do it while Kemp's slumping. Hope this doesn't become a habit, though.

Steve Sax said...

Giving Jones this late-season audition in the middle of a tight pennant race is ridiculous. Even Jones thinks his season is over. Why shouldn't Torre keep Jones sitting?

karina said...

Can't they use him as pinch-hitter?

karina said...

Rodriguez singles, Kouzmanoff doubles, Padres up 1-0.

Orel said...

Jones probably has more defensive than offensive value right now.

Orel said...

Kuroda gives up a run, but it's nice to see him end the inning with a swinging K.

karina said...

Orel, i'm glad you see the bright side of the situation, however i don't want to see Jones starting everyday.

Orel said...

OH MY GOD Jones K's.

Orel said...

Don't worry, Torre won't let that happen.

Loney Fan said...

He looks soooooooo much better than before. His minor league practice is really showing!!!

Maybe we should just put Jones in as catcher so Russell can get a night off.

Steve Sax said...

Okay, karina, you might not be able to see this, but:

--in the bottom of the first, Jones was pretty slow getting to the double that ended up scoring the run from first. I wouldn't say lollygagging, but it was slow. And I was gagging.

--in the top of the second, Jones struck out on a ball so far off the plate, he would have needed an oar to hit it.

Jones has now hurt us on both sides of the plate. This experiment stops now.

Hey, I have a post idea for tomorrow!

Steve Sax said...

Loneyfan, I'm with you. Kemp may be slumping, but he's not dumpy.

Orel said...

LeBlanc at 40 pitches. At least the Dodgers are making him work.

Loney Fan said...

I think Neebs may have to go to a church and stangle an actual priest in order to turn this around.

karina said...

At least, Jones gave you an idea for a post.

By the way, i'll take a slumping Kemp or Repko over Jones.

Orel said...

Geez, how slow is Kuroda?

Steve Sax said...

zito is already down 2-0 after a half-inning.

If we don't win tonight, it's a 0.5 game difference.

Steve Sax said...

Loneyfan, if neeebs goes to a priest, he should take Andruw Jones with him for confessional.

And maybe some of that Opus Dei stuff we saw in the Da Vinci Code, too.

karina said...

By the way, Loney Fan, i loved the irony in your comment.

Steve Sax said...

nice inning for kuroda! 0-1 after two.

Loney Fan said...

Hi Karina, thank you.

Perhaps we should stigmata'n left field and let Manny try center.

Steve Sax said...

Okay, Sax has to go eat dinner here. Back in a couple of innings (I'm a big eater).

Unknown said...

I mean I think we will get to these pitchers, but sheesh we look flat.

karina said...

Padres scored another run. 2-0, Dodgers down.

Loney Fan said...

We have such amazing patience tonight.

karina said...

True love holds...

Orel said...

AAUGH

karina said...

Andre lines out at the first pitch.

karina said...

Another Padres leadoff double, courtesy of Giles.

Loney Fan said...

Kuroda doesn't look good on the close-up shots. Almost like he is sick or something. He is pouring sweat. Maybe it's just because he can't pitch on the road.

Loney Fan said...

Vin agrees

"Hiroki looks like he might be in a sauna." - Vin

Orel said...

Kuroda escapes the 5th-inning jam. Kuroda at 84 pitches, LeBlanc at 78.

Orel said...

MANNY!

Loney Fan said...

MANNY!!!! That's how we get it started!

karina said...

Manny!

Orel said...

Nomar INCHES away from back-to-back jacks!

Loney Fan said...

OOOHHHH SO CLOSE!

Loney Fan said...

If Jeff Kent were in the dugout he would slap that Manny wig right off of Ethier and put him in time-out.

Loney Fan said...

Thanks Fatty

karina said...

Jones: 2 grounders and one K. That's why anyone missed him.

Orel said...

Jones is doing everything possible to get out. He finally succeeds on his third try (#1 DP but first baseman pulled off bag, #2 almost picked off first, #3 thrown out at second trying to advance on a ball that got away from the catcher).

Orel said...

Get Kuroda out of there. AZ is winning, leaving him in is virtually guaranteeing a .5-game lead.

karina said...

I saw that defensive play by Jones at Strike Zone Channel. He might have hurt his knee...

Orel said...

Nice play, Andruw!

Orel said...

Giants & D'backs tied at 2!

Steve Sax said...

I will admit Jones made a good catch in center there. But his getting thrown out at second on a dropped ball was pathetic.

And before that, he almost GIDP, if not for the 1B falling off the bag.

karina said...

Jones and Suckweeney in the same game. Sweet.

However Jones earned some points with that catch.

Steve Sax said...

I saw SoSG AC today. We had so much to talk about, we didn't even mention the Dodgers' precarious lead.

I wish I could drive down to SD tomorrow...too bad it's not a day game.

Hey, Sweeney struck out! Another guy we are playing this game for no reason! Well done, Torre!

Steve Sax said...

Here comes Orel's Park factor...

Steve Sax said...

Chan Ho gets two oits, but Torre wants Beimel to face Gonzalez? Hmm.

Steve Sax said...

Hey, great move Torre! Gonzalez Ks.

Orel said...

Good job, Beimel. Two more chances to score at least one run.

karina said...

They will.

Orel said...

Martin doubles to lead off the 8th. HERE WE GO!

karina said...

Game is tied at San Francisco!

Orel said...

Hopefully Heath Bell is gassed from shutting us down last night.

karina said...

I gotta say Heath Bell is on my fantasy team. He might be dropped tonight.

Orel said...

ANDRE! ANDRE! ANDRE!

Orel said...

I think that's going to be a double plus an error.

karina said...

Martin doubles, Ethier triples, game tied, no outs and Manny is coming up! let's go blue!

Orel said...

Just one in the air, Manny. Padres can play the infield up all they want.

Orel said...

That was a verrry high strike.

karina said...

manny sac-fly, Dodgers 3- Padres 2!

Orel said...

That'll do, pig! 3-2 Dodgers!

Orel said...

Blake playing it cool with the chin music. Charging the mound would have been understandable.

Orel said...

You're up, bullpen!

karina said...

Bell playing dirty to my Dodgers? he's being dropped tonight...

karina said...

What happened in the field?

Loney Fan said...

Giants just scored in the 8th to take the lead!!!

Orel said...

The plate umpire got clipped by Headley's backswing.

Orel said...

Exxxxxcellent! Everything is going according to plan!

karina said...

SF leading 4-2

Orel said...

Dodgers & Giants! Ebony & Ivory!

Orel said...

C'mon Wade, tighten up here.

Orel said...

Goodbye, Hundley.

Loney Fan said...

He must have been giving him lip all night. From the side angle, that looked like a very questionable call and Hundley barely opened his mouth before being thrown out. Still... I'm okay with it.

Orel said...

AAUGH! Arizona ties it up!

Orel said...

Insurance, please.

Orel said...

SF to go for the walk-off win.

Orel said...

Nice, Matty!

Orel said...

Giants threatening in the bottom of the ninth. 1st & 2nd w/0 out.

karina said...

It's so weird to root for the Giants..

Orel said...

Rancho Ardiendo for the Dodgers!

Steve Sax said...

Jones is so far on his backfoot swinging, it's ridiculous.

He ends 0-for-4.

And the Giants, in expected form, just gave up a two-run bomb to have AZ tie the game.

Orel said...

Giants win!

Damon said...

GIANTS TAKE THE LEAD!

Orel said...

I think I love Ethier almost as much as Mrs. Orel does!

Damon said...

WALK OFF GIANTS WIN!

Steve Sax said...

Go giants!!!

karina said...

I think i love Andre Ethier as Mrs. Orel, Mrs. sax and my mom altogether do!

Orel said...

Nice, Karina!

Orel said...

Hmmm, do we want Broxton in with a four-run lead?

Orel said...

Russell is doing a great job of framing pitches tonight.

Orel said...

Whew! First out at the track...to who else but Andre Ethier?

karina said...

Right now, no one can't have enough of Mr. Andre Ethier.

Orel said...

Hmmm, isn't Ethier's baby due any day now? Is he really going to leave us?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Its the magic gloves. I'm telling you. They were unable to find the monk last night, but they found one (or a reasonable look-a-like) today.

You want proof?

Uh, where's the proof?

Trust me.

karina said...

#100.

I'll miss Ethier more than i miss my brother who lives in Australia.

Orel said...

YES! 2.5!

karina said...

I trust you, Neeebs. Whatever you do with the magic gloves, i'll have your back.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Toma mi espalda.

Yee Haw.

karina said...

Night, everyone!. I hope everyone goes to bed with this little feeling of happiness!

Orel said...

Night!