Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Game 9 Thread: April 15 vs. Giants, 7p

JACKIE ROBINSON DAY

You may be wondering why everybody is wearing number 42 tonight:

MLB ready to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day: All uniformed personnel asked to don No. 42 Wednesday (MLB.com)
News and Notes: Today's going to be a special scorecard day (BLS)

More Jackie Robinson content:

Why Jackie Robinson Is Important (True Blue LA)
Jackie Robinson: Demythified? (SoSG)

TONIGHT'S STARTERS

Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 1.80) vs. Matt Cain (1-0, 1.29).

COMMENTS

Thus endeth the post-coital afterglow (redundant, I know) of Monday's Opening Day orgy of Feeling Good About the Dodgers. And did you remember to file your tax returns? Back to earth, indeed. But there's no reason why the good, clean fun can't continue: Squeaky-clean Kershaw takes the mound with a work-in-progress changeup that's been added to his already-legendary curveball and zippiest fastball among left-handed starters.

Cain is winless in his career against the Dodgers, but don't let that fool you into thinking he'll roll over for us. Against the Dodgers in 2008, Cain had a 2.79 ERA and held them to a .257 batting average. The guy's hard-luck streak has to end sometime, right? After all, the Dodgers beat Randy Johnson for the first time at Dodger Stadium on Monday, and we all know what happened to Wes Parker's 39-year-old record too. It should be a good Battle of the Youngsters tonight.

190 comments:

Steve Sax said...

Jackie Robinson rocks. I love this tribute day!

Go Dodgers!

QuadSevens said...

I bet number 42 gets the game winning hit tonight!

Orel said...

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

QuadSevens said...

42 will also be the winning pitcher. If there's a save opportunity, number 42 will nail it down for sure! And if anyone is going to hit a HR tonight, it'll be number 42!

Steve Sax said...

Rockies won; Diamondbacks lost.

Padres scoreless against the Mets in the second inning.

Steve Sax said...

Hey Q7...we riffed on this two years ago!

QuadSevens said...

Awww...That was before I discovered this site. I'll leave the predictions to Nostry in the future.

Steve Sax said...

No worries, Q7. A good riff is indeed timeless...

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Anyone else going to the game tonight?

Alex Cora said...

Hmm, moving Either back up behind Manny - guess a 2 homerun day will do that for ya.

Steve Sax said...

So the Dodgers are calling this "Opening Night". Yay.

Steve Sax said...

Finally, the radio pregame show!

PenosCabell said...

Finally, Dodgers Live!

Steve Sax said...

Cain has never beaten the Dodgers, says Rick monday. Is that true?

PenosCabell said...

true

Damon said...

Just got home from work. Just put the Robinson Jersey on

PenosCabell said...

The origin of "O-Dog"

Steve Sax said...

O-Dog on the pregame show: he sounds happy to be a Dodger and genuinely appreciative of the fans.

Orel said...

Sax, don't you trust our own Game Threads?

Steve Sax said...

Rick Monday: "This tonight isn't just about baseball history, it's not only about Dodger history, it's about WORLD history...So what's it like to wear Jackie Robinson's #42 tonight?"

Huh?

PenosCabell said...

Rick Monday is tough to listen to

Steve Sax said...

Whoops, sorry about that Orel.

PenosCabell said...

Andre Ethier 16 for 27 versus Matt Cain!

PenosCabell said...

Don Newcombe looks like a pimp.

Steve Sax said...

Newcombe is giving a great interview, reflecting on Jackie Robinson. Wow.

Steve Sax said...

Penos, don't be dissing the Newk. Not cool.

PenosCabell said...

Not dissing. He looks great. Very "Old School"

Steve Sax said...

Monday just said Ethier is 16-for-24 vs Cain.

Steiner said that's .594.

Only one of these can be correct!!!

PenosCabell said...

a few of the guys have hit Cain pretty well.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/bvsp?playerId=6202&teamId=19

Steve K said...

Game time! I thought I'd join you guys for a little while. This is my first time in the game thread. I'm a little nervous...

PenosCabell said...

J Steve its only my second time

PenosCabell said...

beautiful K

PenosCabell said...

Love watching Clayton work.

Steve K said...

That was a great first inning for Kershaw!

karina said...

Go Andre!

Epale everyone!

karina said...

I´ll take that walk from King James

Dodgers 1-the other team 0

NicJ said...

im digging the high socks on most of the guys, nice little extra tribute.

QuadSevens said...

O-Dogg knew that was his first hit off of Cain. You could see him say that to Duncan.

NicJ said...

for a second i thought he wasn't gonna chase that one.

Steve K said...

That inning could've been huge. At least Cain threw a bunch of pitches.

karina said...

I hope Kershaw gets the first out. Pablo Sandoval scares the hell out of me, he makes contact to every pitch, he's a total nightmare...

NicJ said...

well you dont have to worry about that anymore.

karina said...

After being down in the count, Molina homers...

Sandoval up

NicJ said...

sandoval is really good, but really impatient. Just stay out of the zone.

PenosCabell said...

Clayton is throwing too many pitches.

His fastball is working though

PenosCabell said...

I hope that first inning doesn't come back to bite the Dodgers in the butt.

Orel said...

SAVE MORE THAN 40%

Thurs 7:10 p.m. vs SF
Sun 1:10 p.m. vs COL

for tickets:
dodgers.com/esavers
promo code: KURODA18

Steve K said...

Wow. Clayton has 42 pitches through 2 innings. Definitely too high! He needs to get some quick outs.

PenosCabell said...

Thanks Orel

Orel said...

Welcome all, esp. J. Steve and P. Cabell. Game Threads are very casual, just say what's on your mind.

Furcal busted bat single!

PenosCabell said...

J Steve - Clayton could use an easy inning

PenosCabell said...

so fast!

Orel said...

Hudson bunt single. Once Cain double-clutched, you knew he was safe. Manny up!

Steve K said...

Hold on to your hats! It's Manny time!

NicJ said...

im starting to really love o-dog

PenosCabell said...

Orel - Thanks for the welcoming

Orel said...

I don't know how Manny lays off some of these pitches.

NicJ said...

damn

Orel said...

Dodgers: 5 LOB in 2 innings. Ugh.

PenosCabell said...

Back to the same routine...stranding too many

Orel said...

SIX K's for Kershaw already?

Orel said...

11 pitches for Kershaw that inning, 53 overall.

NicJ said...

man i was wondering why it was so windy today.

Steve K said...

Happy Jackie Robinson Day everyone! I'm off to go have dinner. Go Blue!!!

Orel said...

From what I can tell, Kershaw hasn't had more than 8K's in one game.

Orel said...

Bon appetit, Steve!

PenosCabell said...

later J Steve.

Loney Fan said...

Let's go Loney!

Loney Fan said...

Damn!

Orel said...

Impeccable timing, Loney Fan.

QuadSevens said...

The pizza whisperer cook has a unibrow.

NicJ said...

mariano

Orel said...

Aflac: Who is the only player still allowed to wear Jackie Robinson's #42 as his official number?

Orel said...

Damn Nic, at least allow me to post the question first!

Orel said...

Vin is telling his Jackie ice skating story.

NicJ said...

apologies, its probably the only one ill get right all year,

ps if this was jeopardy you would have gotten the points

PenosCabell said...

pleasure watching Clayton

NicJ said...

eight! wow, lets get some run support going

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Awesome view from here.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Awesome view from here.

Orlando Zepeda said...

Dodgers v Giants = i get to see the Dodgers on regular tv!

NicJ said...

who would of thought casey would have three bombs this early in the year.

Steve Sax said...

We are a LOB machine tonight...except when we're GIDPing.

NicJ said...

yeah thats a little disturbing remember that 8 game losing streak last year when we couldnt do ANYTHING with our RISP.

PenosCabell said...

I think Torre could still tinker with line-up some more.

karina said...

Nic J, i was just thinking the same thing...Blake with 3 homers in the first 10 days of the season

karina said...

Sandoval flied out...very good Kershaw!

NicJ said...

has anyone happened to notice that Andruw Jones is hitting .545 this year with 1 HR and 4 RBI.

only in 11 AB but still, what the hell.

karina said...

Having seen 9 pitches and having made contact to 5 of them, Ethier deserves a hit.

Unknown said...

As for Andruw, my mom could hit
.300 for the Rangers. They have perhaps the strongest lineup baseball has seen in decades.

Ian Kinsler hit for the cycle tonight, besting our beloved O-dog. Kinsler went 6-6, with 5 runs scored and 4 rbi's. Wow.

karina said...

I'd wish i could have seen that at-bat...pity Ethier K'ed

karina said...

Alex, i was watching that game. He was amazing!

does anyone find 2 cycles in a couple of days highly amusing since it's early April and hitters are supposed to be behind pitchers?

Orel said...

Ethier helped get Cain's pitch count up to 99.

Orel said...

KKKKKKKKK

Orel said...

KKKKKKKKKK

Orel said...

Kershaw @ 89 pitches.

Jimbo said...

"Orel said...

Aflac: Who is the only player still allowed to wear Jackie Robinson's #42 as his official number?"

Mariano Rivera

Damon said...

Kershaw more like Minotaur

NicJ said...

the streak continues!!

Damon said...

More players should wear high socks

Orel said...

Kemp doubles. Nice.

Damon said...

Lost is on in 3 minutes I'll have to go back and forth

Orel said...

good wood, Clayton

Orel said...

Bills & Kershaw: 1st Dodgers with 10+ K's each in consecutive games since 2000 (Brown & Park)

NicJ said...

12!

PenosCabell said...

Clayton is serving tonight

Orel said...

KKKKKKKKKKKKK

PenosCabell said...

GEM

Unknown said...

13!!!

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Big 13. Sax' lucky number

Damon said...

I know that if you walk a player then there is more of a chance for the batting team to score in that inning. I wonder if there are stats that show if you're more apt to walk the 8 hitter to get to the pitcher

PenosCabell said...

Run support please

NicJ said...

come on we need some runs. help the kid out. he deserves it!!

PenosCabell said...

I don't care what Broxton has done so far this season, the thought of him coming in with only a one run lead scares me.

Orel said...

13 K's: most by Dodgers lefty since 1987 (Fernando)

karina said...

Wow. A star in the making with the same numbers of a legend. Amazing

NicJ said...

manny has not looked great tonight

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

13 strikeouts.
1 hit.
Meh.

PenosCabell said...

When is Manny's bat gonna catch fire?

NicJ said...

is the bullpen gonna lose another one for kershaw?

NicJ said...

lovely

Orel said...

ugh

Orel said...

Okay, let's see what Belisario is really made of.

Erin said...

Shit.

Orel said...

Nope. 4-2 Giants.

Orel said...

Hey Erin.

Orel said...

Good save by Loney.

Damon said...

ugg this is crap

Dusto_Magnifico said...

Was wondering when the other shoe would drop.... considering Belly-sario.

Orel said...

Barehand Blake!

Erin said...

Hi Orel. I just signed on and was reading the game thread when that happened. It seemed like the appropriate way to make my appearance official.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

and Kershaw doesn't get the win AGAIN!

karina said...

I didn't say anything because i was afraid to jinx Belisario. Next time i'll be way more talkative. Ugg.

Orel said...

Ethier single! Martin double!

Orel said...

Or maybe you were the good luck charm, Erin.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

So I live in alaska... and everyone here is a bunch of Mariners fans... I might be defecting... the games are always on TV, they have a somewhat decent team this year...

OK now that I got that off my chest, they will suck and the Dodgers will blow everyone away!

NicJ said...

keep it going mattie!!!

Orel said...

Loney RBI sac fly. 4-3.

Orel said...

The battle to see whose bullpen is worse.

Orel said...

C'mon Kemp, just a fly ball.

NicJ said...

YAYAYYAYAY!!!!!!

Orel said...

Molina is blocking more balls than...

Orel said...

Yeah, Matty!

karina said...

Even better, he singled.

New game, folks.

Unknown said...

still only 1 out..

NicJ said...

looked like a swing to me

Jimbo said...

Does Blake's low BA bother anyone else? I need some reassurance.

Orel said...

Casey got away with one there.

Orel said...

Too early to worry, Dr. Geek.

Erin said...

I hope you all know where to send the thank-you notes, since I'm clearly responsible for this rally.

NicJ said...

come on raffy!!

Orel said...

Mint-K comes through! 1st & 3rd!

Orel said...

All hail Erin!

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Doug Mientkiewicz - the man who held Red Sox nation for ransom! Or at least, a very important streak-ending ball.

NicJ said...

hmmm, walk off home run for manny maybe?

Erin said...

I was up until 2:30 watching the Red Sox lose in extra innings last night. Please let the Dodgers end this in the ninth so I can go to sleep.

Orel said...

Hmmm, Broxton in a non-save situation.

Orel said...

And Erin with the avatar change. We'll see if it affects the Dodgers.

Erin said...

I was busy putting pictures on Facebook, and I'm sick of that old profile pic, so I changed it up. Speaking as the good luck charm, I can safely tell you that it will have no ill effect on the Dodgers.

Orel said...

Golden Sombrero for Fred Lewis!

NicJ said...

vin stole my unoriginal joke!!

Orel said...

Broxton's last pitch to Lewis was nasty. Gameday says slider.

Orel said...

heart of the order...

Orel said...

O-Dog single! Manny up!

Damon said...

lets get big jon the win

NicJ said...

come on manny!!!

Erin said...

Okay, Orlando has done his job. Let's go Manny. End this.

Orel said...

Manny seems a little out of sync.

Orel said...

IN BIDNESS

NicJ said...

thats clutch

Erin said...

WOOT!!! Great read on that ball from Hudson. Love that he went first to third.

NicJ said...

they gonna walk for the force?

Erin said...

I'm sure the numbers don't support it, but I feel like J. Martin always comes up empty in big situations, usually with a groundout. Please don't do that here.

Orel said...

Don't let them disrespect you like that, Russ!

NicJ said...

O-dog should steal home. Come on its Jackie Robinson day!!!

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

If the Dodgers can't win this one, I'm gonna start rooting for the Padres.

Orel said...

Wow, this Wilson throws hard. TV says 99 mph.

Orel said...

damn

Erin said...

Hmm. Maybe the numbers do support it.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

My Russell Martin Bobblehead is going to spend the night in the closet.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

ESPN Gamecast - Dodgers have a 67 percent chance of winning this game.

NicJ said...

man he is keeping those pitches LOW

Orel said...

foo count

Erin said...

Man, bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the ninth of a tied game only gives you a 67% chance? That seems low.

NicJ said...

WALK OFF WALK!!

Orel said...

MVP: Wilson

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

100 percent chance of victory. Walking in the winning run. Nice

Erin said...

Whatever it takes. Thanks, Wilson! Woot! Time for bed. Goodnight, folks!

Unknown said...

nice!!

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

An ugly win is worth just as much as a pretty one. Mazol tov. Great note to end Passover on.