Thursday, October 09, 2008

NLCS Game 1 Thread: Oct 9 @ Phillies, 5.22p

Derek Lowe (0-0, -.--) vs. Cole Hamels (0-0, -.--).

Apparently they reset stats for each round of the playoffs. Who knew? I sure didn't because the Dodgers haven't been in a NLCS since 1988! (Have we mentioned that yet?)

Anyhoo, we're nervous as hell about this game. There are all sorts of forecasts and predictions out there, but we've learned our lesson about those. All we know is Derek Lowe gives us a chance to win. According to Dodgers.com:

The Dodgers can start Lowe in Game 1, bring him back on three days rest for Game 4, then have him on regular rest for a Game 7, if the series lasts that long and they so choose. It's a nice situation to be in, having someone on the staff who's already pitched winning clinchers in a Championship Series and World Series, as Lowe did with the Red Sox in 2004.

And as the league-best Cubs (XCVII wins) and Angels (C wins) have shown us, the regular season counts for naught once you make the playoffs. It's who's hot now that matters. The Dodgers are hot. The Be Sharps? They are not.

Unfortunately for us, Hamels is pretty hot stuff himself. During the regular season he had an impressive 196 strikeouts and a 1.082 WHIP. In the NLDS Hamels shut down the Brewers over eight innings, giving up only two hits and getting nine strikeouts.

And this morning brought the news that Takashi Saito is off the NLCS roster, to be replaced by Hong-Chih Kuo. This move strengthens the Dodgers' middle relief and will certainly make for some nail-biting moments with Jonathan Broxton on the mound. Let's hope we see more scenes like last Saturday.

Tonight's Dodger lineup:

Furcal, SS
Ethier, RF
Manny, LF
Martin, C
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
Blake, 3B
DeWitt, 2B
Lowe, P

GO BLUE!

AP photo

143 comments:

Lakers are Winners said...

I think I'm starting to get an ulcer.

Unknown said...

You're not alone.

But you really wouldn't want it any other way, right?

Like the first time you had sex! But let's leave my Uncle Tom out of this.

Orel said...

T-minus 3 hours!

Orel said...

Cindy, you are a real card. You should be dealt with.

Unknown said...

Deuces wild!

karina said...

why am i so nervous?. I've been this nervous few times through my life and i'm the nervous type.

Unknown said...

I am surprisingly confident. I do not know why.

Steve Sax said...

I can't take this pressure. I'm with dodgerheaven. ARRRRRRGGGGHHH

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Dudes, its a seven game series. No sweeps here. We ride the storm and hope that we end up on top of the wave. I don't want any depressing thoughts.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

BTW, is anyone else here starving like me?

Eric Karros said...

I'm gonna go make some popcorn.

Eric Karros said...

Learn from Manny, Sax. Stay loose.

Erin said...

I'm trying my best to ward off the nausea. What's everyone having for dinner tonight? I need ideas. Neeebs? Did you find something to eat?

Eric Karros said...

For dinner I made an oldie but a goodie - spaghetti bolognese.

Orel said...

Braised woodpecker?

Eric Karros said...

Hey that's not funny.

Erin said...

I see the Phillies also passed out towels to their fans.

I may be alone on this, but I had some real issues with the towel. Not the idea of them, mind you, but the actual twirling. I was not very good at it. I kept whacking myself in the head and/or nearly twirling the thing right out of my hand.

edited because I am incapable of writing coherently so close to first pitch, I guess

Orel said...

See what happens when you don't warm up, Erin?

Erin said...

I'm hoping Hamels is just as frustrated.

Orel said...

BALL ONE!

Erin said...

Oh, and I know I'm in the minority, but I can't stand Buck/McCarver. Is Scully calling these games on the radio?

Eric Karros said...

I'll choose not to make a really immature joke about the phrasing of the fourth sentence of your second paragraph there, Erin.

Anyways, here we go...

Erin said...

EK, thank you. I have a gift for unintentional innuendo, apparently.

Orel said...

You're not in the minority, Erin. Everyone hates Buck/McCarver.

Erin said...

ETHIER!

Eric Karros said...

Sweet double

Orel said...

Andre!

Erin said...

That was sarcasm about Buck/McCarver. I could never be friends with anyone who liked either of them.

The key to the game: "beating Phillies would be 'hot.'"

Don't know what that means.

karina said...

Mannywood!

Erin said...

Christ. Manny missed hitting out by inches. Still, it's a double.

1-0, Dodgers!

Eric Karros said...

Missed it by that much. But 1-0 Dodgers!

karina said...

Erin, i'm sticking to no butter-no salt popcorn. I know it's plenty of carbs, a diet disaster!, but chewing will calm me down.

Eric Karros said...

Orel, let me remind you there's a nun standing right next to you.

Eric Karros said...

Karina, I'm having lightly-buttered popcorn.

Erin said...

The Dodgers sure are swinging at a lot of pitches up and out of the zone.

Orel said...

Dammit Kemp! Still, Hamels threw 23 pitches.

Erin said...

Hamels gets out of a jam, though he had to throw 23 pitches to do it. We struck first, so that's very good.

Erin said...

Good news! Scully is on! Thank you, Dodger helmet radio!

karina said...

Eric, that's my boy.

Here comes Lowe. The stress...

Erin said...

Scully is so far ahead, though. My TV is at least ten seconds behind. Maybe 20.

Steve Sax said...

I feel like we should have gotten more out of that first inning...23 pitches to Hamels is a start, though.

Erin said...

I've counted--it's roughly a 13-second lag between Scully's broadcast and the picture on my television.

Orel said...

Forgive me, Sister, for I have sinned.

karina said...

DeWitt with a good defensive play!

Eric Karros said...

Nice play, DeWitt. How many pitches was that?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Sorry, but Kent doesn't make that play.

Steve Sax said...

I'm late to the game and I'm reading about ek's preference for hot butter, and erin needing practice with a towel. Clearly, the anticipation for this game is getting to all of us.

And our stomachs.

Steve Sax said...

1-0 after 1. Nice job, Lowe.

Orel said...

Nice job, Derek Lowe! Gives up a single but uses only 14 pitches in the 1st.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Karina, my friend from Maricaibo is coming to town tomorrow.

Viva la raza.

Steve Sax said...

14 pitches for Lowe

Eric Karros said...

Erin, if your TV picture is in real-time, then that's a pretty sweet radio.

Erin said...

Scully has powers none of us can comprehend. Time travel is obviously one of them. Why he chooses to only be thirteen seconds ahead is just one of life's little mysteries.

Or perhaps my Dodger helmet radio is possessed. I did get it on Blogger Night, you know.

Erin said...

Strike three to Blake was nasty.

Nostradamus said...

Did you call, Erin?

Nostradamus said...

Oh, I thought you said Nostry.

Eric Karros said...

Ok, that was just bad.

Erin said...

That was pretty bad. Maybe Nostradamus has something to do with the Dodger helmet radio telling me the future.

Erin said...

Hamels only needed twelve pitches in that inning.

Eric Karros said...

Neeebs, is this your friend from Maracaibo?

Orel said...

If so, you da man!

Eric Karros said...

Crap, leadoff single

Eric Karros said...

"...if not for the great play by Manny Ramirez."

If I had a dime every time I heard that.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

EK, no, but I can make new friends, y, yo hablo espanol.

Orel said...

Is Lowe wild or pitching around Werth?

Erin said...

Want to know something weird?

The Philly cheesesteak place in L.A., South Street Cheesesteak, is located on Broxton Avenue.

Orel said...

Wow, DP!

Eric Karros said...

She really is from Maracaibo. Karina hangs out with her all the time.

Eric Karros said...

That's a sign, Erin. Of what I don't know.

Nostry?

Erin said...

Lowe doesn't really have much control this inning. Two walks so far.

Unknown said...

From the ESPN Blog about the game

Matt Kemp is in the lineup, and he's getting amped listening to rapper TI before tonight's game. Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers asked him if he was listening to Barbara Streisand.

Kemp shook his head, though he did know who the actress and singer was. Simers asked Kemp if he ever saw her in L.A.

"No," Kemp said, then a smile pursed his lips. "I don't think we hang out in the same spots."

LOL...Go Dodgers! One at a time, lets do it!

Eric Karros said...

Lowe's face has already accumulated a lot of perspiration for only 1.2 innings of work.

21 pitches that inning I think.

Steve Sax said...

Yep, Tommy still sounds pissed off at Aamco.

Unknown said...

Wow, dunno bout you guys, but they just had a Caliendo commercial for Dish Network....barf.

Steve Sax said...

Ethier off the glove of Howard!

Eric Karros said...

That new Caliendo show is gonna be frickin' hilarious. I don't understand why they don't hype it more.

Ethier gets on again.

Unknown said...

E-3

Erin said...

I've never heard of Frank Caliendo.

But I do see a lot of commercials with Jack Nicholson, William Shatner and Al Pacino these days.

Matty D said...

Live in game blogging PEDROFORDELINO.BLOGSPOT.COM --- everyone welcome to join and interact

Steve Sax said...

Vin is going well out of his way to extol Manny's offensive and defensive performance tonight. Take that, McCarver!

Steve Sax said...

Come on, FJL!

Unknown said...

Hamels is falling in love with his change up when behind in the count...It should cost him eventually.

Eric Karros said...

Damn.

Erin said...

So, Derek Lowe, it appears you have your run. Don't waste it.

Eric Karros said...

Man, I ate too much popcorn. My stomach hurts. I better switch to ice cream.

Steve Sax said...

Is Lowe okay after that inning-ending collision covering first?

Eric Karros said...

Victorino gave him a pat on the butt, so he should be fine.

Unknown said...

Bison!!

Eric Karros said...

Leadoff groundrule 2B

Unknown said...

Good to know that by several, McCarver means, um, two.

Erin said...

Anyone else having TBS black out every now and then during this inning?

Erin said...

I'd like to see a steal.

Erin said...

Um, I mean if Kemp had hit a single, not a double. Guess I'm not warmed up yet.

Come on, DeWitt! Get him home!

Erin said...

Woot!

Erin said...

DeWitt has hit the ball to almost exactly the same place in the outfield in each of his at-bats.

Orel said...

DeWitt sac!

Eric Karros said...

Erin, I once bought a Roomba from www.woot.com

Unknown said...

Nickel and dime them baby!

karina said...

Eric, i can tell you are very anxious.

I don't get to hang out with that girl!. Don't know her, however one of my friends went to school with her.

Neeebs, when you greet your lovely maracucha friend, greet her with a "que fue?, como estais?".

karina said...

A fabricated run. I'll take it.

karina said...

Nice, DeWitt. In spite Loney and DeWitt confusion, it was a very nice play.

Eric Karros said...

Ryan Howard on The Office has been better than Ryan Howard in this postseason.

Steve Sax said...

Lowe Ks Utley for his first strikeout

karina said...

2 strike outs for Lowe this inning. Well done!

Eric Karros said...

Neeebs, when you greet your friend, be sure to show her your 'magic gloves', if you know what I mean.

karina said...

Does anyone else feel nervous when Pedro Feliz is at the plate?

karina said...

Hammels hits a single to a barely strike. Men at first and second.

karina said...

Lowe got out of the jam!. I stopped breathing.

Orel said...

PHEW

Erin said...

Lowe escaped.

The comments have certainly slowed down as the game has progressed.

karina said...

King James leadoff single!

Eric Karros said...

ugh

Eric Karros said...

How many pitches for Hamels that inning? 2, maybe 3?

karina said...

8 pitches for Hamels.

Erin said...

E-6. Shit.

karina said...

Tied game. I want to curse.

Erin said...

Damn it Furcal.

Orel said...

dammit

karina said...

I'm getting depressed.Ugh.

Erin said...

GOD DAMN IT, LOWE!

Where are the ground balls?

Erin said...

If McCarver noticed that Lowe was keeping the ball up in the fifth inning, I don't know what took Torre so long.

And now Park is coming in to give up more long balls.

Eric Karros said...

Me not happy

Orel said...

Lowe at 90 pitches, Hamels at 92.

Erin said...

Even if Hamels leaves, it's not like getting to the Phillies' bullpen will make things any easier.

karina said...

HOPE!. They can do it.

Erin said...

I'm wearing my Obama Hope shirt for the ninth day in a row. My teams have gone 6-1 while I've been wearing it. So there's still a chance.

Booger said...

Damn, are they gonna pull this one off or what?

Orel said...

Well, it's our first real test of the post-season.

Booger said...

Maddux for the bottom of the lineup only?

karina said...

That was a great play by King James!. Let's go blue!

Erin said...

DeWitt is AMAZING. What an incredible double play.

karina said...

DeWitt has showed great defense tonight. Phillies relief pitcher, here it comes the heavy part of the Dodgers lineup!

Steve Sax said...

Eighth inning, Ethier K. I am not hopeful.

Erin said...

I'm thinking Martin represents our last best hope here. Bottom of the order will be up in the ninth. And now we have two outs here in the eighth. Not looking good.

Erin said...

Crap.

If we lose, I guess our consolation is that we lost to their best pitcher. And we have our best one yet to come.

karina said...

Well said, Erin. However, this game isn't lost yet. It ain't over 'till it's over.

Erin said...

This sucks.

Orel said...

If this ballpark is such a bandbox, why do we only have warning-track power?

karina said...

What if DeWitt homers to complete his great defense tonight?

karina said...

He didn't. Phillies won, but it was really close...the Dodgers can pull this off.

Steve Sax said...

As bad as I probably should feel, I don't feel that bad. We looked sharp defensively. We need to string together some more hits, but it was Hamels. In a road game. And Lowe had two bad pitches, but the bullpen was great.

Good job, Dodgers. We'll get them tomorrow.

Steve Sax said...

Orel, love the use of "bandbox.". I hadn't heard that before!

Orel said...

Not sure where it originated, but it sure fits.