Thursday, May 28, 2009

Post-Game 49 Thread: The Fox and the Mound

DODGERS 2, CUBS 1

Fine piece of gambling done by Joe Torre tonight, when he opts to leave Ramon Troncoso in the game to bat for himself in the top of the ninth inning, with two RISP, two out, and a one-run lead. Tron-Tron strikes out on four pitches, stranding Casey Blake at third and Matt Kemp at second.

Bottom of the ninth, and Troncoso lets Milton Bradley and Derrek Lee reach on singles, then Reed Johnson sacrifices them over. IBB to Geovany Soto means that Troncoso has to face Bobby Scales (who hit a home run in the eighth to halve the Dodgers' lead) and then Cubs wunderkind Jake Fox. Troncoso suddenly hits Beast Mode of his own, striking out both Scales and Fox on nine total pitches. DODGERS WIN!

And SoSG reader NicJ gets credit for "The Fox and the Mound" as the tension ran thick during the final out on the original Game Thread! Game 2, tomorrow at 11.20a--wake up early, kiddies!

UPDATED 9.56p with a slightly less heinous hack job on the image.

35 comments:

Josh S. said...

Missed out on the game thread fun due to commuting, cooking, eating, and a trip to the hospital for a Tron-induced heart attack.

Josh S. said...

Fox and the Mound is genius, btw.

Steve Sax said...

Ohman to the DL.

Unknown said...

Nice work on the photo shop.

Why is Ohman going to the DL? His velocity suggests it isn't structural.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Where'd you hear that?

Josh S. said...

Oh man.

NicJ said...

just heard the ohman thing on postgame dodger talk, shoulder pain

Unknown said...

Sounds like Hiroki is close, despite getting ripped in his rehab start. I really hope they keep Stults in the rotation and move Milton to the 'pen, because Milton doesn't have any length yet and because Stults is a better pitcher anyway.

Steve Sax said...

Ohman news was announced on the radio post-game show. They're bringing up a catcher from AA to take his roster spot, in anticipation of Kuroda rejoining the team on the next homestand.

NicJ said...

i think stults has earned his spot.

Josh S. said...

A catcher? Did they say who? Lucas May is on the DL (according to the Lookouts website).

NicJ said...

AJ Ellis i think it was.

PenosCabell said...

What was the injury?>

Unknown said...

Ellis is at AAA. Why are they bringing up a C? Martin is the horse and Ausmus is fine as a back up. Any specific reason?

PenosCabell said...

Alireza - agreed. Why not bring up another arm?

PenosCabell said...

Showcase ?

NicJ said...

i think he is only gonna be on the team till hero comes back, so like two weeks tops.

NicJ said...

plus, i think they eventually want to drop back down to 12 pitchers.

rbnlaw said...

Talk was to bring up Ellis until Kuroda comes off, then go back to 13 pitchers, or is it 12 pitchers and Mota?

Sax,
Did you hear the caller mention she thought Furcal had a case of the Sax/Knoblauch disease? I thought that was hurtful.

NicJ said...

i heard that, ouch. Its funny how people are calling demading trades or reassignments with a record of 34-15

Tranquillo.

PenosCabell said...

RBNLAW - 12 pitchers and Mota?

Nice.

rbnlaw said...

No doubt, Nic. I question some moves, but to call for Furcal to go to the bench and Castro get starts is a little severe.

Dodger Talk is pretty funny after a win. Sounds like some of the callers are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

NicJ said...

imagine what postgame rockies talk sounds like.

PenosCabell said...

Dodgers Talk is mostly about people complaing.

Castro is having a surprise year. Maybe Furcal is being overpayed after coming off of backsurgery, but was there a better choice to play SS?

PenosCabell said...

*complaining

PenosCabell said...

Does anyone have a link on Ohman?>

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Maybe there should be a thread just about Dodger Talk. That might be fun.

NicJ said...

apparently they want to call up ellis so they can move back to a 12 man, and calling up the catcher will allow ausmus to pinch hit more freely.

its on the dodger thoughts blog on the LA times website.

PenosCabell said...

Thank you

Steve Sax said...

rbnlaw (from 9:15p), yeah, I heard that woman say that she thought Furcal had "the Sax/Knoblauch disease." That's ridiculous. Look, he's had a bit more trouble at short this year, and who the hell knows why. But he ain't launching rockets into the loge section, and the defensive plays he made in the eighth and ninth were just what we needed.

No hating on the Raffster!

PenosCabell said...

Furcal is coming off back surgery. Did anyone expect him to be the same? He's lost the range he once had. I think it's too soon to make Sax/Knoblauch comparisons. I think it's more shocking that Furcal has managed to stay off the DL.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Furcal could just be apprehensive to go all out for fear of landing on the DL again. The same thing is happening to Andrew Bynum. I wouldn't be surprised if Furcal was just afraid to go out. The longer he's playing though, the less and less apprehensive he should become.

Steve Sax said...

Andrew Bynum is like 1/3 of Raffy's age, though

Unknown said...

On Dodger Talk - A lot of the people who call in make Suchon look like Rob Neyer. Like the guy last year who said Manny should be batting leadoff.

Defensively, other than his usual lazy on the easy play schtick, Furcal has been very good. His problems have been hesitent but free swings. If he is worried about his back, he needs to take some of the OOZ pitches he used to crank up the middle for balls.

As for another C, why the hell would it be for Ausmus to PH more? Ausmus has been hitting this year, but the guy has been a terrible bat his whole career. His value is in defense and clubhouse. If anything, you would want a guy like Ellis taking walks as a PH.

Anyway, I just don't see why they aren't bringing up a guy like Hu instead or purchasing the contract of a Pascucci or Jones now that Schmidt is going to the 60. The bench needs some thunder.

NicJ said...

maybe it has something to do with Ellis having a high OBP and AVG. Plus Ellis is already on the 40 man so they wouldnt have to bump anyone off. From what ive read it looks like they are trying to keep Schmidt off the 60 day.

they should just release claudio vargas i dont see him doing anything this year.