Chad Billingsley (6-1, 2.51) vs. Matt Palmer (5-0, 4.26).
COMMENTS: Strength vs. strength in today's rubber match. Billingsley was the first NL pitcher to reach six victories, while Palmer has won all five of his starts for the Angels.
Around the horn:
- Jason Schmidt was bonked on the noggin yesterday during a rehab start in Albuquerque, but got up quickly and left the field on his own. He did not require hospitalization.
- In addition to Rafael Furcal and Russell Martin, Andre Ethier will not start today's game. He split his right big toenail when John Lackey plunked his foot last night.
"I was already missing half the nail," said Ethier. "It's been a problem all year. Since Spring Training, half the nail's been dead and now the whole thing is pretty much dead. It was throbbing." Enjoy your lunch!
- Guillermo Mota: improving.
- Russell Martin: unworried.
- Joe Torre: steady.
- The kids: growing.
Today's press box "Blog Spot" occupant is Brandon from Reflections of Blue. Looking forward to your report, Brandon!
photo by Flickr user Malingering
377 comments:
1 – 200 of 377 Newer› Newest»Pierre, LF
Martin, C
Hudson, 2B
Blake, 3B
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
Hoffmann, RF
Castro, SS
Billingsley, P
Does Torre have Grady-itis? Martin not only starting, but batting second. And Blake gets bumped up to the cleanup spot. Looks like Torre is hoping for some power near the top.
Takin' the series today!
Torre just wants to keep a hot bat in the line-up and win! Eithier is hurt and Furcal should sit, so keeping our boy Russ in the line-up makes sense to me, even if it is inter-league play.
Makes sense since Torre doesn't want to keep Martin out just when he's getting hot. Besides, Torre could give Martin tomorrow or Wednesday off since they're both day-games.
MLASF ain't lyin'!
I like Blake in the clean-up spot as well. Hopefully that's where he'll stay.
Such a contrasting photo...the lady in blue, the lady in red, and then the lady in green.
I'll take the blue one, though not because of team loyalty.
There's a lady in green?
MLASF - Agreed. Martin is heating up. He belongs in the top third of the order. I like the idea of Blake as cleap-up.
from Reflections of Blue:
"Russell Martin will start today's game, though not because of Ethier's absence. Torre said Ausmus will likely start one of the three games in Colorado as a result."
That beast in green looks like she wants to eat the other two for dessert.
If they're putting up their dukes, my money's on Greenie...
Go get em Bills!
Nice! Gotta keep the pitch count down though.
K #1
Kemp's got that one. Two away.
Agreed Chappy. It's all about the pitch count today. Bills needs to go deep into the game. The bullpen could use rest.
Good first inning for Bills.
And we could all use a break from stessing out about the bullpen too.
I know this is a little off-topic, but has anyone noticed that Brad Lidge stinks this year?
Russ goes yard today. I can feel it.
Lets see what this Palmer guy's got.
Rex Hudler was orgasming over Palmer in the pre-game talk.
Lidge sure got worked over by A-Rod yesterday.
Come on Juan, don't swing away on a 3-1 count.
Yeah the Yanks lit Lidge up.
Lidge put in a lot of work last season.
Hudler is creepy, like a used car salesman...
I don't get why Hudler loves Palmer so much. He's got an ERA of 4.18 and is only 5-0 because he gets insane run support.
Hudler is like an Angels fan on crystal meth.
I'm just glad we don't have to hear him call Lyons "savage" any more for a while after today.
Hudson strikes out a lot.
Was that Jim Palmer out there?
YEAH! They got Rivera at second!
got him
That was fortunate.
Geez Kemp, get your glove on the ball.
Outfield assist
Kemp should have hustled more to get that ball, but the outcome is indisputable.
The Angels don't have much spring in their step today. Dodgers need to pounce!
Bills, much like my sex, is on fire.
Nice, Chappy.
Oh yes your typical 8-4 putout
:-) heard the song one too many times I guess.
"Rex Hudler was orgasming over Palmer in the pre-game talk."
It doesn't take much for the Wonder Dog.
Do you think Kemp missed the ball on purpose?
I wish Kemp were that good a fielder...
Napoli looks like a fat(er) Brad Penny
don't get me wrong; he's improved a ton. but sometimes that youngin' creeps out again.
Honestly, I don't think Kemp is that great of an outfielder. It's his speed and canon-like arm that make him appear to be great.
A fly could land right on Hudler's nose, and he would say "Look at the way that fly landed! Great control, perfect timing, that was one helluva landing! I have to give that fly credit for not knowing whether he would make it but still going for it."
Nice Casey!
LMFAO!
MLASF perfect comment on Hudler...
1-0 Dodgers
That's thinking with your dip-stick Jimmy!
Gapper for the RBI!
Loney coming through
Nice hit by Loney.
Kepp it going Kemp.
*keep
Loney is too slow to score on that.
Good hit for Kemp.
Good hold at 3rd. Loney is not the fleetest of foot.
Nice poke by Kemp!
I'll never understand Loney.
6'2 220 lbs.
No power.
No speed.
That was a great hit for Kemp, especially down 0-2. Plus, he can create havoc with second-base open.
Hoffman, lookin scairt.
WOW! HOFFMAN WITH A 3-RUN JACK!
First major league HR.
Welcome to the big leagues, Jamie.
So much for that!
Way to go Toe-head! Get that series win for the boys in blue!
Something we haven't seen from Ethier in a while, a homerun.
Not Hoff bad!
Don Mattingly, I love you.
It's nice to see a Dodger go deep.
Donnie baseball working!
4-0 and Bills on the mound, brilliant!
Casey may have beard power.
But Hoffman's got JAW POWER!
Hi Karina!
A 4 run lead for Chad Billingsley?
Nice.
Hoffman's wearing #30, previously blessed by The Beard.
Where were they lined up on that one? Wow.
The curtain call for the fans was nice.
Six degrees of beard power. I love it!
2nd base stolen Pierre.
Anaheim looking weak today.
Man I thought Russ had that.
Today's the day though.
Vin: "Andre Eithier wanted to play today."
Chappy: "glad he didn't."
In a recent entry of "Where Are They Now?" Brett Tomko is pitching in extra-innings for the Yankees.
Pierre shoulda had that.
But Bills needs to keep em off the middle of the plate.
Hi Chappy!
Is Gameday or Bills looks good today?
Crap.
I have a t-shirt with Brett Tomko artwork on it of the young dodgers.
Looks like a bunch of deranged cabbage patch kids.
Brett Tomko.
When you have absolutely given up.
Good job by Bills to deny Palmer the bunt.
Prime Ticket on the tube for me. And yes Bills still looks good despite that long hit for the RBI.
I jinxed Bills.
Kinda like LA with Weaver.
You never know when that washed up pitcher is gonna give you a good year.
As long as the Dodgers can provide the run support, Bills will get the win. And in the MLB, the win-loss record is the only thing that matters (sigh).
Karina, I doubt you made him throw heat right up the middle.
Crap again.
That throw home was pathetic.
Billingsley pitching with a comfortable 4 run lead is looks like a different pitcher.
DP for Bills. like now.
Getting a DP will be difficult. He's got to get past Abreu, then it's Hunter.
I hope he doesn't throw Bob Abreu heat in the middle, he might get his first HR of the season.
nice job by Loney!
You called it Chappy!
Whew, double play.
dumb luck wins out MLASF.
Hope it keeps going this way.
Abreu hasn't been the same guy with the Angels.
The force is strong with the Dodgers today.
I'm telling you Martin goes out this game. Torre assured it by keeping him in.
One of the reasons i got to call him "King James" is i like his defense, a lot.
Blake needs one hit to get above the .300 mark.
One of my favorites too Karina, he plays well in all aspects really.
Only weak on speed.
Beard denied.
They're starting to get a little impatient at the plate.
Need to slow down and let this Palmer screw up.
As Hudler loves to say, Palmer's all about location. The Dodgers just need him to get tired and start missing.
missed 100, we're at 112
Yanks go down to the Phillies, and who else but Tomko gets the loss.
If they want him to get tired they're gonna have to stop swinging at the first pitch.
Like I said, when you have given up, you call on Tomko.
The Yankees are picking up all of the Dodger rejects: Angel Berroa, Jason Johnson, and now Tomko.
Good! Seems like the NL is getting the best of the interleague for this go round.
Anyone know which league has won the most series?
Angel Berroa, HR to right in new Yankee stadium?
It proves that there's a great chance new Yankee Stadium is actually Coors Field East.
I think AL dominates NL in interleague play.
I was just speculating, but you're right if Berroa can get one out there, holy crow.
Usually Karina, but the games seem closer this year.
I hear there's some kind of jet-stream in New Yankee created by the speed of the Steinbrenner's when they open their wallets.
DAMN YOU HUNTER!!!
DAMN YOU!!!
Torii Hunter is from the devil.
I am so sick of Hunter
Is it wrong to wish pain on someone?
It's tough for me to want Hunter to be alright when he keeps killing me with his catches.
hope he's ok though.
My neck. My back.
I'm suing ya'll for $150,00!
Injury delay? was Torii Hunter robbing off the Bison?
and a forty
Chappy - You understood my Friday reference.
yes sir, never forget E-zel.
LMAO
Need to keep scoring, not fall asleep after scoring four. Lots o' game left.
Hudler loves a man who can get dirty.
So Hunter is so good he can make a catch, die, and then rise from the dead? Now we have to deal with Zombii Hunter? No fair.
Friday?
Classic Dodgers. They score 4 runs, then get complacent.
I'm beginning to dislike Aybar as well.
What a pest he is.
Zombii Hunter. Nice.
Karina, if you have not seen the movie Friday, please do.
One of the funniest movies ever if you get west coast culture.
Friday. The classic Ice Cube, Chris Tucker movie.
Chappy. I totally agree.
Las Vegas is just LA Jr. my man.
All we need is the ocean.
Youre in Vegas?
DP
born and raised. but I've rooted for LA teams my whole life.
nice!
Seven Dodgers retired in a row? Is this Matt Palmer or Jim Palmer?
Nice DP O-Dog.
Bils is starting to get the 5th inning glisten. hope he can maintain.
Oh boy. Wave time. Not like there's an exciting game or anything.
nice K Bills!
at least stick the bat out there Bills.
Juan's gotta get on for Russell.
Correction: Hoffman has forehead AND jaw power!
And he chews a mean piece o' gum!
JP gets on. Time for Martin to get something going.
I'm curious about Bleacher Beach, but $45 seems like a lot for seats that bad, no matter how much food is included. June 7th might be a good time to try it out since it's a 5pm start due to the game being on Sunday Night Baseball. It won't be as hot.
Here's Martin's chance.
2-0 count with a runner on...
JP steals second. 0-3 count to Martin.
Give him the green light Joe!
Go Russell!
I mean 3-0, but I think everyone got the jist of what I was going at.
Diaz has got to quit granting time out so late.
D'oh!
At least Palmer apologized. Beckett just looked at Abreu.
I don't think we'll ever see the power we saw from Martin in 2007 when he had 19 homeruns.
Beckett is a prick.
That screwed up Gameday.
I'd say you're right PC.
We need the fat Martin who doesn't bang models or get in touch with his feelings back.
Being a pro athlete in LA has its perks.
Chappy - Can you really blame Martin for that though?
Hoffman is starting to falter.
Get him Casey!
J Martin?
Lose the J. Get the power back.
I guess not MLASF, but I'd say it has definitely affected his play not being so focused on baseball.
But if I were him I'm sure I'd allow the distraction too.
Gameday is really screwed up.
Soscia is too smart to leave him in against Blake.
hopefully he nails the first pitch FB.
come to the beard
Tap the bobblehead for good luck
man. that was close.
Hunter almost misplayed that one.
DAMN YOU TORII HUNTER!
DAMN YOU HUNTER.
Zombii Hunter is making our lives far too miserable for someone who isn't an ex-Dodger.
Vin was lookin pretty pimp in the steel blue duds.
uh oh.
Steady Bills, steady.
You got a lot more to give than that.
Crap
D'oh. Time to get someone up in the bullpen.
Now the Zombie is up.
No outs. not good.
He must be a Zombii like JS says. He's probably dead from the wall hit and running on Zombii-pilot.
No Bills, no!
Almost an exact mirror of last night's game. 3 run homer followed by the other team creeping back into it.
Not giving him much to hit at least.
bad to worse. crap.
This is getting Mota-ugly.
200
Dammit. Martin should have had that. And Hundler commends the runners for moving up.
200!
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