Clayton Kershaw (0-2, 5.46) vs. Daniel Cabrera (0-2, 4.44).
COMMENTS: This is one of those games that you know is going to go poorly for our beloved Dodgers, winners of 12 home games in a row, tying the major league record for consecutive home wins to start a season with the Detroit Tigers. And what about those 1911 Detroit Tigers? They didn't even make the playoffs, finishing in second place, 13.5 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics. And tonight's game, which would give the Dodgers sole possession of the record, sets our 20-8 team (best record in baseball!) up against the Washington Nationals, the worst team in the majors at 7-17, poised for the unlikeliest of upsets this evening. I stare at my magnet schedule, dreading the matchup, and tremble in fear. WAS? NOT WAS!
But enough about my insecurities, access to Dodger promotional items, and penchant for cheesy 1980's music videos. In order for us to beat those pesky Nats, we're going to have to rattle Cabrera, who threw four wild pitches in his last start against the Cardinals. Our rabbits need to be primed to take off. And it will also depend on which Minotaur shows up for us tonight; the one who shut down the Padres on Friday with seven scoreless innings, or the one who struggled in his two starts before that (giving up 15ER over 9IP). All I know is, there's nothing more heart-wrenching than a winless Minotaur (the only starter without a win). Especially one with 29Ks, third-most on the team. I mean, even Hiroki Kuroda has a win for pete's sake! Let's go, Blue!
Oh yeah, and SoSG Orel, Alex Cora, and I (Sax) will all be at tonight's game...be on the lookout for the at-game writeups, which promise to be extra-special indeed...
501 comments:
1 – 200 of 501 Newer› Newest»Have fun at the game, boys.
KKKKKKKKKKersha earns his W today.
I want to get an iphone/blackberry just so I can keeep up with the games on the go. usually I am hunkered down glued to my computer during game time... it would be nice to have that mobile!
Lets go special "K"!
Have fun!
I've got a question, should i change my avatar with Jesus Flores just to jinx or i keep the current one to not defy faith?
Dusto, i'm in a waiting list for a blackberry so i can keep with the games WHENEVER i go to.
And you just got me a Placebo song stuck in my head with the "special K".
Keep the current avatar Karina.
No me gusto Senor Flores.
Caio
Although, given the new Star Trek movie, should I change MY avatar to the new Spock?
I think everyone should keep his/her avatars exactly the same, at least for tonight. Please.
Let's make a deal:we'll change our avatars when the streak is broken or the next away series. How about that?
Why don't you like Mr.Flores? for one reason, he's soclutch, ask any Nats fan!
im hoping we win today, get the record, then los tomorrow. I dont want the hated ones to get a chance to break the streak.
im hoping the patient dodgers show up tonight. Not the strike ourselves out dodgers that make scrub pitchers look great.
good luck everyone!!
Yes, please no avatar changes Karina & Neeebs!
is that a bad sign?
Kershaw's not looking good so far.
curveball looks on.
maybe I spoke too soon?
second of three tough batters all night right here
Ok, Erin and Eric.
Because of the Yankees-Rays rain delay on the eight inning i can't watch the game on tv. I had the hope to watch the game listening to Vinny....
Kershaw's throwing too many pitches
MLASF - what else is new.
ps, go lakers
the hitting streak continues.
argh, now it's Dunn
I absolutely refuse to believe that the damn Nationals will end this streak. This is not a jinx. Just my stubborn feeling.
Dunn is actually hitting decently
dunn looks like will ferrel
Kershaw better not let the wheels fall off too early. Maybe in the fifth or sixth when the game is out of reach for the Nats.
down goes big donkey
There you go, Clayton. But maybe don't take six pitches to get every batter, okay?
close one
KK!
you scared me with Dunn, Minotaur.
game is on and i got Vinny!
Dukes is the last tough out in this lineup. After him it's easy.
kershaws pitch count was high his last outing i think he was at 60 in the 4th, but the he started cruising.
The second strike was an off-speed work of art.
going into the 4th i meant.
I've said before and i'll say it now. Flores is clutch and can't be underestimated.
Evenin' everyone, thank god for Fox Prime Ticket!
How's our young pitcher doin?
oh no, full count
Crap.
damn
Rancho Ardiendo...i hope the boys are booing...
aw jeez
that good huh? 26 pitches is disappointing, but he'll battle right here!
If Daniel Cabrera is on, he can be really tough. Until one thing happens that makes him lose his mind, and then the wheels fall off. But barring that, he can be nasty. So Kershaw needs to keep the Nats off the board and quit throwing so many damn pitches.
Kershaw is all over the place... worrying...
If Kershaw walks in a run, so help me...
russ had an interesting radio interview about clayton trying to hard to strike everyone out, rather than pitch to poor contact. He gave that as a reason for his high pitch counts in games.
way to battle back Kershaw!
nice clay.
This was "barato"
Young pitchers have a tendency to try to nibble, for sure. You just hope he outgrows that quickly. Like tonight, for instance.
All outs on this inning were strikeouts.
i wonder if a veteran calling games would help that. Has Aumus ever caught clay?
nice bunt Raffy!
nice raffy way to start it off.
I know Ausmus caught J-Mac in his first game, and that didn't help much
It appears that Ausmus has never caught Clayton, Nic.
This is a good start for us.
Runners in scoring position, no outs and MANNY is up!
The O-Dog is loose!
Manny has faced Cabrera a lot, since he used to pitch for the Orioles.
j mac is a different story. i think his issues are mental.
thanks for the stats erin.
most likely. I'd like to see someone cue up the stats on games Ausmus has caught.
aw, 3-2 count to Manny
Manny walks. Bases juiced for Ethier.
Dodgers are 3-1 in games Ausmus starts.
This is apparently not going to be a pitcher's duel...
btw way im not hating on Russ,
Rancho Ardiendo! no outs!
how 'bout ERA?
The games haven't exactly been pitchers' duels, either. Dodgers gave up five runs in two of the wins, three runs in the other, and nine in each of the two losses.
DP scored Furcal.
Oh, Ethier. Come on.
eh, at least its a run.
one is better than none I guess...
Hmmm, King James: any single will do, no ground outs or strikeouts.
Thanks in advance.
Sorry, what I just said is wrong about Ausmus. It was just one loss when he started and we gave up nine runs. The other he was just pinch hitting.
Other than Billingsley you're right Erin, we haven't been winning behind the mound as much as the bat.
1 is better than none... then again "groundout" is up to bat so....
Ethier's got too many GIDP's
one of those wild pitches they keep talking about would be nice about now.
Ugh, this is similar to last year's team.
That is what we call a major wasted opportunity. I hope we don't regret that crap.
everybody panic!!!!
There is a method to Torre's madness. Russ is batting .303 at Chavez Ravine.
I'm not panicking. I just watched the Red Sox load the bases twice in the first four innings, and only score two runs. That was fine until the fifth, when the Indians broke open the game and ended up winning 9-2. I just hate watching the Dodgers not take advantage of weaker teams.
i would say loney has been slumping a bit. doesnt he hit better on the road. erin?
If no one is posting this, just for tradition (and the streak):
Furcal, SS
Hudson, 2B
Ramirez, LF
Ethier, RF
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Kemp, CF
Blake, 3B
Kershaw, P
Belliard and Belisario share the same nick
Kershaw's ugly tonight, but he seems to be gettin it done!
An ugly win is still a win. I picked that up from the Lakers.
Karina you read my mind. But as a "newcomer" I didn't wish to overstep my bounds.
look a non strike out!
Loney is awful at home. .156 coming into tonight. .364 on the road.
Thanks, Karina. That was an important step the rest of us missed.
I'm not hating what Kershaw is doing so far.
An economical inning for Kershaw
He threw half as many pitches in that inning, so if he continues that trend, the next inning he should throw about 7.5 pitches.
Cabrera loaded the bases with no outs in the first, and still only needed 17 pitches to get out of the inning.
Russ singles
100.
nice russ, he didnt pull it that time.
Is Russ finally breaking out of his slump?
Whooh, good thing this defense stinks
lucked out on that one.
Sounds like he just went with the pitch, which is something he rarely does, so good.
Kemp got lucky there.
Great shot by Russ.
I'm pissed at myself that I forgot to start Clayton on my fantasy team. 5 K's already.
Chappy, i think there's no "newcomer" thing.
Someone had to do it, Erin.
I'll take that error. No DP and they really should score on this Guzman's gift.
Starting to understand why the Nats are in the cellar.
Beimel must feel like he's in the fifth ring of hell.
I'm crossing my fingers that there will be no triple play.
yeah, i really think russ' slump has a lot to do with him always pulling the ball.
thanks K :-)
just trying to feel my way through the group...
Why isn't gameday registering an RBI for Ethier?
Blake moves the runners over
Anyone for a Squeeze?
Hey Nic do you think Russ' weight loss has made his bat a little quicker?
MattyA, "Unnecessary Quotes" may be my new favorite blog. That is one of my biggest pet peeves in the world, and I take pictures of that crap all the time.
Argh, Kershaw pops out
Raffy, your call.
ONLY 30 PITCHES FOR CABRERA?! WHAT?!
Cabrera's still wild
I vote for a squeeze!
its possible chap
ARGH! Raffy grounds out
Awesome job, hitters.
no runs out of that? wow, dodgers are really chancing it tonight,
This kind of beginning either means runners will be stranded all game or the Dodgers will burst out later.
Pre-injury, Raffy plants that pitch in the stands.
Erin, I'm glad you like the blog. My friend Bethany started it a few years ago when we were undergrads and it just took off.
meh, if you get alot of hits your bound to strand runners, runs will come.
ARGH! Double for Guzman!
This is unbelievable. Yanks-Rays game started again and the signal was cut off from the Dodgers game.
Erin, tonight i hate NY and the Yankees with passion.
Game is tied to 3, game goes to extrainnings.
Kershaw's curve ball is ridiculous...
ground out puts S.W.A.S. at third
karina, its the east coast sports bias at work again.
wow, kobe is on fire. 18 points already!!!
sorry for the laker talk erin.
Karina, I hope it ends quickly. When the Yanks and Rays play each other these days, I actually don't know who I'm supposed to root for. Tradition says I always root against the Yankees, but the Rays are tough so I don't really want them getting wins either.
Maybe the whole place will be struck by lightning and all the players will survive, but will be rendered inept at the game of baseball. And then your broadcast will go back to the Dodgers' game.
Aw, fly out let's S.W.A.S. score
I don't mind the basketball talk.
What I mind is the Dodgers being tied with the Nationals in this game.
Holy cow! Just looked at the Laker game score and its 29-16!
the lakers are shooting over 80%
Why does last place meeting 1st place have to be so tough? Cripes!
Another dirty curve ball! man!
Kershaw's gonna leave in the fifth
if he even makes it to the 5th.
not too bad.
that pitch count just kills Kershaw. He needs to work on his changeup more. He can't survive as a fastball-curveball pitcher.
ERin, the Rays just scored with a Pena HR. Percival is pitching the bottom of the 10th, fingers crossed he pitches well.
This score is awful.
Cabrera's making quick work of the Dodgers.
Erin, i just read this comment from Deadspin (credit to The S.P.O.R.T.S Cam:
Only Chuck Norris could save Yankee Stadium. Too bad Chuck is a Red Sox fan.
How nice of us to make this so easy on Cabrera. 42 pitches through three.
Ha! That's a funny quote, Karina, even though I don't really like the idea of accepting lame Chuck Norris as a Sox fan.
It's not only his low pitch count, it's the wasted opportunities.
After first quarter, Lakers lead Rockets 39-25
hi five MLSF!
still three more quarters to go
the dodgers are being over aggressive at the plate again.
argh, Kershaw can't throw a strike to save his life.
its looking good, the lakers are dictating the pace of the game,
Argh, just missed the DP. Nice play from Furcal.
2nd unit is blowing the lead again.
Awww, Erin. He might be lame but i have a thing for the guy because of my dad. He loves James Bond and Chuck Norris.
two out
Meanwhile, game over in NY.
did you know that under Chuck Norris' beard that there's another fist?
argh, Kershaw walked the pitcher
he's that much of a badass!
never walk the pitcher.
Kershaw just walked the pitcher. Buck up, buddy.
just throw it over the fing plate K!
damn!
Now he has to face S.W.A.S.
whew, Kershaw avoids damage. Next inning is his last.
you never know, he could have a three pitch inning.
Is Troncoso available tonight?
Loney with a single!
didnt he pitch last night? haha McDonald is.
If McDonald can pitch from the pen like he did last year
Hahaha, Chappy.
King James singles, son is up and then Kemp. Love these 3 players.
ARGH! Martin with a GIDP!
Don't GIDP, son!
I'm actually getting physically sick listening to this game.
which he did.
Wait, don't boo Martin!
Why don't they just sit down at the plate and wave their bats every time Cabrera pitches.
and Kemp goes down. This game is getting very ugly very fast.
wow, that hit sounded way better than it was.
This one is putting me to sleep.
I'm flippping to the Lakers.
sorry i'm late! time to win!
Kershaw's still working.
i saw the 4th inning - has the whole game been as frustrating as that?
Lakers are falling fast
The Laker game is starting to get ugly
Looks like the usual for the Lakers. They are blowing this in a hurry.
Kershaw got a nice inning. Hopefully the Dodgers can score and put him in line for the win.
Good inning for Kershaw.
good inning CK - 1-2-3s are where it's at!
lakers can't buy a bucket at this point.
Rockets take the lead 49-48.
Wonderful
All right, guys. I'm leaving you all to this madness. I'll be listening, but I don't possess the energy to pay attention to the comments anymore. I'm hoping for some runs in the next inning so maybe Kershaw can get a win. See you tomorrow.
Oh good lord. The rockets just took the lead
damn
S.W.A.S. blows another play. Blake is on first.
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