Friday, May 08, 2009

Game 31 Thread: May 8 vs. Giants, 7p

MANNYWATCH: 49 GAMES

Chad Billingsley (5-0, 2.21) vs. Barry Zito (0-2, 3.99).

COMMENTS: Did you get a chance to take a break from Mannymania (the sad kind, not the happy kind)? Good, because it's time to start refocusing on the team. Last night was a bummer, but the bullpen was overdue for a hiccup (okay, a pukefest) after such a smooth stretch.

If there were ever a time for Billingsley to cement his status as the Dodgers' ace and stopper, tonight would be it. Chad the Brave represents stability and consistency—everything these past two days haven't been. Seven strong innings would indeed be a soul-soother.

Zito continues to improve with each start, so he may match Billingsley pitch for pitch. But our bats are primed, fresh off a nine-run night. Russell Martin (2-for-3 with an RBI) and maybe Casey Blake (a home run short of the cycle) are heating up. Now we just need Rafael Furcal (0-for-5 with 3 K's) to get off the ice.

Times are tough for Dodger fans, and you know Giants fans would just love to crap in the punch bowl this weekend. It's already a pity the team's 50th-anniversary celebration of the 1959 World Champion Dodgers was overshadowed last night. Here's hoping the 2009 Dodgers' new winning streak gets the attention it deserves.

284 comments:

1 – 200 of 284   Newer›   Newest»
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Lakers and Dodgers both better damn well win. I'm running low on puke bags.

rbnlaw said...

MLASF, you little ray of sunshine you.

All I want for my birfday is a W against the hated ones.

Steve Sax said...

I thought the term was "piss in the punchbowl."

I guess Giants fans are more comfortable with #2.

Unknown said...

Does anyone see the irony of the possibility of Giant fans throwing syringes on the field?

Unknown said...

Also, our favorite ex Dodger, current tub of lard Brad Penny is now proud property of Carl Crawford. Pretty sure Carl would have more SBs tonight if he would stop hitting extra base hits.

koufax said...

i have faith in chad, wait did i just say that?

Orel said...

Furcal, SS
Hudson, 2B
Ethier, RF
Kemp, CF
Martin, C
Loretta, 1B
Blake, 3B
Billingsley, P
Pierre, LF

Chappy said...

What up homies?

The youngin's take control of Dodger baseball today.

Unknown said...

OK, so this may be a half baked idea, but umm here we go:

From wikipedia:

The town of Pierreville has gained notoriety in recent years owing to the increasingly widespread industry of illicit cannabis culture.

The ubiquity of marijuana culture has earned Pierreville the nicknames of "Cocotteville" (Budtown) and "la Petite Colombie" (Little Colombia).

So the Dodgers should switch the all you can eat pavillion to left field and allow pot smoking. And every fan gets a hemp Pierreville t shirt. Marketing problem solved, right?

Chappy said...

Problem solved!

koufax said...

there goes the no no

Erin said...

Two pitches, two outs. That's efficient.

koufax said...

quick

karina said...

Good defense.

Now it's time to make Barry Zito pay for his big mouth.

koufax said...

karina i couldnt agree more

karina said...

O-dogg with the leadoff double!

Orel said...

Damn you, Randy Winn.

karina said...

My mistake, it was Furcal's leadoff double.

Who said tonight's games was going to be a pitchers' duel?

Orel said...

I am a fan of the Aaron Roward Slump.

koufax said...

im a fan of that inning

Orel said...

Thank goodness for Chad. Another easy inning.

Natalie said...

Hey All. I don't if anyone is really in the mood, but I did write this. I hope it makes everyone smile a little.

"No one man stops baseball," Vin reminded us last night.
And the Dodgers are more than one player, no matter his might.

How did you feel when you heard the news yesterday?
Shocked? Mad? Disappointed? Sad?

I know for sure one thing is true.
We all love the Dodgers, through and through.
Here are some things I love about the boys in blue.

I love the hustle of Russell.
I love that Brox is tough as rocks.
I love how Furcal catches and throws a baseball.
I love how the defense of James saves us games.
I love that Orlando runs as quick as a tornado.
I love to observe Kershaw's curve.
I love that Mientkiewicz sits in the dugout after his shoulder popped out.
I don't even mind that A.E. won't take a picture with me.

I love the Dodgers now as much as I did on Wednesday.
Nothing could ever take those feelings away.
And Hey Billingsley is pitching tonight.
See, everything will be alright.

koufax said...

inspiring natalie

Orel said...

Russell singles. He doesn't do anything half-assed.

Too bad Loretta just hit into a DP.

karina said...

It should have been you, Uribe.

karina said...

Love it, Natalie.

Orel said...

Wonderful, Natalie! Just what we need to get us back in the groove.

Orel said...

What rhymes with "Kemp"?

koufax said...

i was hoping something bad happened to zito on that bunt

Natalie said...

Glad you guys enjoyed it. :) I love that Kemp ain't no wimp.

Orel said...

Bills with 31 pitches through three.

Orel said...

Natalie, are you glad you went to the game last night?

Orel said...

Lakers 50, Rockets 48 at the half.

koufax said...

is xavier paul left handed or right handed?

Natalie said...

Yeah, I'm glad. I think if I didn't have tickets, I wouldn't have wanted to go to a game anytime soon. It was good to go and sort of deal with all my feelings without avoiding it. And like I mentioned in my little recap last night, after the first inning, it mostly felt like a normal game. Not that Manny wasn't on my mind or the other fans' minds.

Orel said...

JP takes one for the team. Vin calls his trying to steal a base "the battle within the war."

Orel said...

XP bats L, throws R.

koufax said...

i would like to see him get a whole game in

Orel said...

One silver lining of the whole Manny debacle is that people have been moved to express themselves at sites like this. It's been pretty gratifying.

Natalie said...

Close play.

Orel said...

I would think Torre would make that happen at some point. Kid can't learn by pinch-hitting twice a week.

koufax said...

lets go dre

koufax said...

great tag

karina said...

So Hudson takes the walk.

And Slappy is out at third.

"never the first or the last out can't be on the third base". Old baseball axiom.

Natalie said...

Oh, another good thing about going to the game. You knew exactly how everyone else was feeling without having to ask. It was kinda another thing everyone had in common, makes you feel a little closer to the people sitting next to you.

Blast out at third. :(

Orel said...

Great tag by Uribe.

NicJ said...

hey everybody. How we doing?

Orel said...

Nic! A little better every game, I think.

PenosCabell said...

hello

Orel said...

hey PC

NicJ said...

That's good. I guess it's true that time heals all wounds.

Orel said...

Nice pick by Loretta.

karina said...

It's been a wonderful game, so far.

Orel said...

Aflac: Barry Zito won 23 games in 200. Who are the only 3 lefties to win more games in a season since 1980?

Orel said...

Not necessarily heals, Nic...softens?

karina said...

Thanks, Loretta! Wow!

Orel said...

I'm taking it Loney has crap numbers against Zito.

Orel said...

"2002"

NicJ said...

Any wound is gonna leave a scar. You usually forget about those after time.

That hbp didn't help.

Orel said...

What happened, Chad? Rancho Ardiendo for the Giants.

karina said...

and he's a lefty too. I hate when i can't see the young Dodger players on TV.

watching the game tonight, but not Vinny :(

Orel said...

Nic, loved your piece in the other thread. Moving.

Natalie said...

Come on Chad!

Natalie said...

Awesome!

Orel said...

NICE CHADLEY

NicJ said...

Bills just wanted to wake the crowd up.

karina said...

Bills got rid of the mess with class.

NicJ said...

Thanks Orel. I'm not much of a writer at all. It kinda just poured out of me.

PenosCabell said...

Good to see Russell's bat heating up.

PenosCabell said...

Lakers up 62-54

NicJ said...

I was writing it and then I saw sax's post and almost wasn't gonna post it because it paled in comparison.

Erin said...

Don't worry about that, Nic. I write a whole blog even though virtually everything I write pales in comparison to what you see on this site.

NicJ said...

Thanks Erin.

Natalie said...

Nic, I think we all appreciate what you wrote b/c sometimes it's hard for us to express how we are feeling and it's great when we see someone else express it so well for us.

Erin said...

I actually haven't read what you wrote. Which thread is it in?

NicJ said...

Im surprised anybody read it. It was super long.

NicJ said...

Last nights post game I think.

PenosCabell said...

Russell had him by a mile.

Erin said...

Just read it, Nic. Nice job.

NicJ said...

Thanks again Erin.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Contest: How many Sons have seen Star Trek already? (For the record, I have not)

Erin said...

Chad got a hit!

Natalie said...

I guess 3.

Erin said...

I'd guess three Sons have seen it.

It's killing me that it doesn't open until next week down here. I have to settle for seeing Wolverine tomorrow, even though I don't really want to.

NicJ said...

Jp with the five hole single.

Erin said...

San Diego lost and Colorado is losing late.

Natalie said...

You can do it, Andre!

Erin said...

Rancho Ardiendo for Ethier.

karina said...

Rancho Ardiendo, Ethier up, hope is in the air.

Erin said...

Damn it.

PenosCabell said...

Chad in trouble

Erin said...

Seems to have lost the strike zone against Sandoval.

NicJ said...

Nice catch. But you gave up the sac.

NicJ said...

Vin has to keep repeating that the giants are 12-0 when they score first this year.

Natalie said...

Okay, now let's get on the board.

NicJ said...

Nice leg single by the bison.

Natalie said...

Oh brother. Well, let's get Kemp in.

Erin said...

Torre really doesn't trust the bullpen. Or his pinch hitters, I guess.

Erin said...

I think you're all watching the Laker game, so...

Erin said...

100.

Natalie said...

I'm still here, Erin.

Erin said...

Cool, Natalie. Well, let's hope they can get out of this inning unscathed.

Natalie said...

Here comes the double play.

Natalie said...

Darn. Well, let's get the last out.

Erin said...

Ugh.

Erin said...

Both of their runs have scored on sac flies.

Steve Sax said...

Hey, you two fine women come here often? Mind if I pull up a chair?

Erin said...

Seems like maybe Billingsley was left in for one batter too many. 113 pitches now.

Hey Sax, as long as you're buying, you can sit wherever you'd like.

Natalie said...

Join the party. Maybe you can get us out of this inning.

Steve Sax said...

Come on, Chad. Rancho ardiendo...Pierre barely makes that catch for the final out.

How'd they score a third run?

Natalie said...

Hey, you did it, Sax.

Natalie said...

infield single.

Steve Sax said...

Okay, it's time to rate the GBA performance!

Erin said...

Pablo Sandoval single scored the third run.

Erin said...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I hate GBA being sung at baseball games. It's going to really annoy me when I finally get to use my season ticket plan this year.

Steve Sax said...

home is not pronounced "hoy-yome".

Totally inaudible in the beginning, as well.

I give it, a 4.

Natalie said...

She did a pretty good job. Cute girl.

Natalie said...

A 4! Maybe I'm too generous or you're too harsh.

Natalie said...

Alright, let's go JP.

Steve Sax said...

Erin, I'm late in posting my recap from blogger night, but during the night, it was asked "why GBA?" and the general answer was that people liked it during the playoffs.

The only other thing they could say was that the talent agents like it since their talent (who also sings the national anthem before the game) gets tv coverage. But are we doing this tradition for the Dodger fans? Or the talent agents?

They also added that we were undefeated (at the time) when singing it.

You could taste the displeasure in the room. I think most Dodger bloggers / true fans hate it.

Natalie said...

Walks are good.

Natalie said...

Double plays are bad.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit raffy, GIDP now?

Erin said...

Not a good inning.

Erin said...

Sax, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I think GBA made sense for New York after 9/11, at least for a while. But with other stadiums adopting it, it's felt like forced patriotism, and I was glad the Dodgers had avoided it.

Natalie said...

Let's not give up hope, yet. Two more innings to go.

Erin said...

I can stay awake long enough to see if Ethier/Kemp/Martin do anything in the 8th, but that's it.

And if Belisario allows anything now, I won't bother staying even that long.

Steve Sax said...

Just read Nic's post. Wow. Nice job, Nic. I hadn't even read your comment when I started at the keyboard last night, beer in hand and trying to get my emotions to hit the keyboard at almost erin-typeracer-like speed. What I thought would be a quick post went on for a long time...

thanks for your post, Nic. It is a crazy time, but it helps a lot to commiserate with friends.

Steve Sax said...

erin, let me put another dime in the jukebox, baby. You're good for another inning. Don't leave yet.

Fred's Brim said...

this feels like the beginnings of a difficult week or so. i hope it doesnt take us too long to get our confidence back

Orel said...

belated Aflac answer: Carlton, Viola, R. Johnson

Steve Sax said...

Dammit raffy, what is happening to you? You're just crumbling before my eyes here

Erin said...

What happened there? Gameday just says a single to shortstop.

Steve Sax said...

If we drop this series to the giants--and with the way this is going, + linecum on sunday, it's not looking good--the team will be assailed with "the Dodgers are reeling" headlines nationwide on Monday.

Most of these headlines will be written in Boston. But they will all be picked up by espn.com anyway.

Orel said...

Eugene with an I-O!

Steve Sax said...

Erin, it was a cheap hit over the box, admittedly a tough play, but Raffy couldn't get his glove on it cleanly. Not an error, but still a play that you'd expect Raffy to make two years ago.

Orel said...

Furcal charged but couldn't field a dribbler cleanly.

Natalie said...

I have definitely been avoiding any national media over the past two days. I don't need them telling me anything about MY Dodgers.

Orel said...

If I had to pick one player who would be killing us early in the season, it wouldn't haven't been Furcal.

Erin said...

Good inning for Belisario.

Fred's Brim said...

Raffy will get hot at some point. there'll be a couple of weeks where he hits .400

Steve Sax said...

at least the lakers won!

Orel said...

Vin's quoting Journey. Ugh.

Fred's Brim said...

i don't want us to need Don't Stop Believing

Orel said...

At least one run this inning would help.

Orel said...

We're stuck with that song, sadly.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Argh, I leave for the night and this is what I find? If it weren't for the Lakers heads would be rolling.

Fred's Brim said...

Merkin!

Orel said...

Here comes Merkin to cheer us up!

Steve Sax said...

pitching change after ethier's ground out.

Erin, how are you holding up?

Erin said...

I'm still awake, but Ethier's groundout made me just a little bit more tired. I've got a busy day of lying on the beach and seeing Wolverine tomorrow. A girl needs her beauty sleep.

Fred's Brim said...

they used to do the Curly Shuffle at Shea, until the Stooges Estate made them pay for it. I wish we played that

Orel said...

Be sure to pace yourself, Erin.

NicJ said...

Espn just did a piece about LA Going into a tailspin. At least the career stat comparisons between manny and JP made me laugh a little.

Orel said...

Statement pitch sets up the K of Kemp.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

GAHH!!

Steve Sax said...

Wow, they're already selling commemorative items from Wednesday's game: here's a commemorative frame.

Orel said...

Don't panic. It's the NL West.

Steve Sax said...

Wait, Wolverine is a girl?

Wow, they really did take some liberties in this movie. I've gotta see this.

Orel said...

I'm not looking forward to playing the Phillies.

Fred's Brim said...

damn this guy really gets it up there

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Russ walks. Time to get something going, anything.

Steve Sax said...

Hey, it's the Beach Boy!

NicJ said...

I'm sure we could go 10-40 and still get the lead back by the end of the season.

That doesnt mean I want to.

Erin said...

Don't worry, Sax. I'll fill you in. From what I've read, no one should have to sit through this movie anyway. But Star Trek is still a week away down here.

Natalie said...

Let's go Marky Mark.

Orel said...

Russell should have gone.

Steve Sax said...

Yikes, we've gotta tell Robert Daeley: Trolleys collide in Boston; 49 people hurt

Orel said...

BTW, I haven't seen Star Trek. But it's on the list.

Erin said...

The at-fault driver was texting at the time of the collision.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Loretta walks. Two aboard for the Bearded One.

Steve Sax said...

Two quick walks. Come on, they're handing this to us.

Orel said...

Bochy is pissed.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Oh crap, it's Brad Wilson.

Erin said...

The reviews for Star Trek are incredible.

Two walks in a row. Will Blake decide now is the perfect time to swing at a first pitch?

Orel said...

No hair off your back to take out the Merkin, Bochy.

NicJ said...

Bruce is removing his merkin.


Ewwwwww

Steve Sax said...

Texting while driving. I can't admit I haven't done this myself. But I know it's bad.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

oh c'mon Casey, try something

Orel said...

Make him throw more than three pitches, Casey.

Natalie said...

Yesh... two strikes already.

Erin said...

All three were probably balls, according to Gameday.

Steve Sax said...

Come on Casey...

Erin said...

Of the first three he swung at, I mean.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

well it seems Blake is making him work a little more.

Fred's Brim said...

goddam mlb.tv took me to commercial!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Casey just keeps fouling

NicJ said...

Casey wants to know the count

Steve Sax said...

There's a story to be written depending on the outcome of this epic Blake at bat.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

whew, foul tip.

Orel said...

Casey hanging in.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I had no clue beards improve contact.

Orel said...

10 pitches

Steve Sax said...

This at bat is insane. I feel like Alex Cora is up there again...

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Full count, runners are on the move

Orel said...

they do against Merkins

Orel said...

the real Alex Cora!

Steve Sax said...

Please Casey, let me write the story I want to write.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

200

Orel said...

12 pitches?

«Oldest ‹Older   1 – 200 of 284   Newer› Newest»