Saturday, August 15, 2009

Game 117 Thread: August 15 @ D'backs, 5p

Hiroki Kuroda (5-5, 4.21) vs. Doug Davis (7-10, 3.62).

COMMENTS: The balancing/juggling/tricycle-riding* act continues for Joe Torre.

Davis is still a Diamondback, Kuroda is still proving he can be a reliable starter, and the Dodgers still are awful in August (5-8 record). Last night's loss, while disappointing, at least came against Dan Haren. The Dodgers won't have the "ace" excuse tonight; Davis' is 5-4 with a 3.46 ERA lifetime against them.

How much rope will Torre give his latest lineup configuration? With Manny starting to produce again, the top of the order needs to get on base. Yesterday, the one-through-three hitters went 0-for-10; Russell Martin, recently promoted to batting second, and James Loney had especially disappointing nights.

The Dodgers' shortage of pinch hitters was also exposed, with Torre burning up Juan Pierre in Kershaw's spot early on and Mark Loretta lining out to end the game. But as long as the starters fail to go deep into games, don't be surprised to see 13 pitchers on the roster for the rest of the regular season.

*Okay, maybe not that last one.

190 comments:

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I'm getting sick of waiting for some kind of waiver deal. We're halfway through August and so far there's only been rumblings. I get it if they're waiting for Smoltz to be released, but this is driving me crazy.

PenosCabell said...

MLASF - I completely agree. Although they could always use more pitching, the big glaring weakness is the Dodgers lack of a bat off the bench. It's painful watching Mark Lorretta pinch hit, especially in clutch situations.

Steve Sax said...

Loretta was good earlier in the season, though, as a PH.

Mets are up 1-0 in the sixth over the Giants; both Johan Santana and Matt Cain pitching well.

Orel said...

SF 1, NYM 1, Giants threatening in the top of the sixth. Matt Cain beans David Wright in the head.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, they tied it up. Come on, Johan, go for blood!

Steve Sax said...

@Orel: is the mets game on? I am tiring of these Shane Co. adverts that I'm hearing on the Giants radio station, KNBR.

PenosCabell said...

2-1 SF.

No outs in the 6th.

What's up with Johann?

Steve Sax said...

Aha, found it.

But now SF is up 2-1.

PenosCabell said...

Make it 3-1 SF.

Steve Sax said...

Boy, those are fugly uniforms that the Mets are wearing.

PenosCabell said...

90 pitches for Santana through 5.1

Steve Sax said...

Schierholtz has power... Not good for Johann

PenosCabell said...

Fugly uniforms on a fugly team.

Damn, the Mets suck.

PenosCabell said...

Is there a line-up yet for the Dodgers?

Orel said...

What channel, Sax?

Orel said...

Not yet, PC.

Orel said...

Yet!

Furcal, SS
Ethier, RF
Manny, LF
Kemp, CF
Blake, 3B
Loretta, 1B
Hudson, 2B
Ausmus, C
Kuroda, P

PenosCabell said...

Thanks Orel.

Mets/Giants on big Fox. Game of the week.

PenosCabell said...

Thanks again Orel.

PenosCabell said...

Damn, Lorretta and Ausmus in the line-up.

Torre giving Loney more time off.

Steve Sax said...

Hoooooow in he'll did Johann not hit Sandoval? With that big a target?

PenosCabell said...

Panda goes deep. What the hell is going on?

Steve Sax said...

Johann should have plunked Sandoval! 4-1 SF

PenosCabell said...

I think Johann is done.

Steve Sax said...

Mets have no life in them.

Johann pitches inside to Bengie Molina, another Giant fat-ass, and at least hits HIM. One batter too late, fly boy!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Damn these Miserable Muts.

Steve Sax said...

Five PM can't come soon enough.

I might be in and out for today's GT, but I'll bs keeping tabs on the game!

karina said...

@Steve Sax Santana wouldn't bean Sandoval, they belong to the same team in Venezuela, technically they are teammates, however i don't think neither of them will play next winter (Santana hasn't played in years)

karina said...

@Sax, @PC i saw those uniforms yesterday, i think the problem is there's too much kerning between the letters and somehow the size of the letters looks gigantic and therefore, disproportionate. Maybe it's consequence of the inadequate kerning.

PenosCabell said...

Agreed, the space between the N and the Y is too large, making it look awkward.

PenosCabell said...

Mets score again. Cain is finished.

4-2 SF.

Orel said...

Cain tips his cap to a booing Mets crowd. Stay classy, Matt!

karina said...

Tatis RBI single, Giants 4-Mets 3

PenosCabell said...

4-4 now.

karina said...

Tied game in N Y

Kyle Baker said...

They need to get that kerning shit worked out already.

No comments yet about Kemp batting 4th?

PenosCabell said...

Dusty - I love seeing Kemp in the middle of the line-up. Thats where he should be. I don't think Torre will keep him there though.

PenosCabell said...

Giants/Mets go into the 10th.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

What's with the fatasses getting homers?

Josh S. said...

Molina unties it. The power of being fat.

Kyle Baker said...

Totally agree...we've been calling for it for - forever. Just glad to see it. Now that Manny is swing the bat well, moving Kemp up will provide great power there in the lineup.

Game, please start soon. I'm in mope around the room, nervously flipping channel mode.

PenosCabell said...

Yeah, the Dodger game can't come soon enough.

Kyle Baker said...

I'm the only fatass who hasn't homered today.

Kyle Baker said...

The beauty of it is that I thought game time was 6:10, not 5:10, so now it's not that far off. Pity I didn't get around to getting dinner cooking in time, though. These are going to be some quick-ass fajitas.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Douche-bag is still pitching. That's good.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

He just retired the first two batters. That's bad.

Orel said...

Giants have been winning in extra innings. I hate to say it, but they're showing some guts. (And not just Molina and Sandoval.)

Josh S. said...

As much as I loathe the Giants, it must suck for their fans to have their best season in years the same year the Dodgers are having THEIR best season in years.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I won't be on tonight's thread.

Kyle Baker said...

LAA pounding Os. Get this crap off my telly!

Kyle Baker said...

Just saw the new "Lil Matt" Kemp bobblehead video.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/fan_forum/media_network.jsp

Apologies if this has already been posted; it was new to me.

Orel said...

Saw that, DB. We'll be posting about it tomorrow.

Kyle Baker said...

Coo. Didn't mean to get ahead of ya.

Josh S. said...

Did anyone else just see Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, Mr. T, and Robocop on the big screen at Chase Field? I wanna know what that's about!

Josh S. said...

Oh, it's "80's Night".

Kyle Baker said...

What a novel concept!

Steve Sax said...

1-0 good guys!

Kyle Baker said...

Vin talking about our upcoming home stand puts it in stark perspective. Cards then Cubs coming up, guys. Tough stuff. Vin said Torre said the knuckleballer will get a start Monday night. Can you imagine him hanging one and Pujols just creaming it to Glendale? Yikes.

NicJ said...

Haeger gets a start on Monday?

NicJ said...

At least that won't be the first time Charlie pitches in dodger stadium. He did late last year when he was on the pads.

Kyle Baker said...

Haeger is shaking like a French soldier at the prospect, I'm sure. He's probably doing the "Who, me?" *looks at the guy behind him thinking Torre is point to that guy* routine.

Kyle Baker said...

From Dodgers website:

" PHOENIX -- Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger will start Monday night for the Dodgers against St. Louis and Chad Billingsley is slated to pitch on Tuesday night, manager Joe Torre announced Saturday.

Haeger will be making his first appearance with the Dodgers. Billingsley will be returning from a strained left hamstring that caused him to miss his scheduled start on Wednesday in San Francisco.

Torre said Haeger's selection comes with "an asterisk" and could change if he's needed to pitch long relief on Saturday night, because Jeff Weaver is still unavailable after starting for Billingsley on Wednesday. Torre said he expects Weaver back in the bullpen by Sunday."

Kyle Baker said...

Vinny jinxed Manny by saying he rarely hits into DPs.

NicJ said...

If Charlie can pitch in albuqueque, which is a jitters park becuase of the altitude and the dry weather, he will welcome nice big pitcher friendly dodger stadium. When is the last time we had a knuckleballer on the team?

Kyle Baker said...

We've had some knuckleHEADS, that's for sure.

NicJ said...

Did we seriously get no runs out if that inning?

Orel said...

Dennis Springer?

Orel said...

We'll lose tonight and win tomorrow, 21-4.

Kyle Baker said...

For the record, so those in the future will believe it:

Runner is scoring position, no outs, no runs to show for it.
-- August 15, 2009

Kyle Baker said...

Gotta be the Candy Man.

koufax said...

i hate listening to matt williams

NicJ said...

James Roney!

koufax said...

tough luck, loretta ripped that ball

Orel said...

Does it seem like we're swinging on a lot of three-ball counts?

NicJ said...

I think we are better off not swinging at all.

koufax said...

on the diamondbacks broadcast now watching matt williams minor league home run highlites from the '80s. nice.

NicJ said...

Alright! Our big bat is finally up.

koufax said...

is that 83 mph pitch his fastball?

rbnlaw said...

Hey, I'm using my MLASF ticket to see a knuckleballer on Monday.
I'm so excited.


and another GIDP.

Orel said...

Doug Davis is trying to give us this game.

karina said...

I hope this bad luck doesn't bite us at the end.

NicJ said...

This is getting annoying.

Kyle Baker said...

I'll just re-post this:

For the record, so those in the future will believe it:

Runner is scoring position, no outs, no runs to show for it.
-- August 15, 2009

Orel said...

Glad those tickets will be used, Rbn.

Orel said...

What, Hiroki, you were expecting more than one run?

rbnlaw said...

Anyone else still think I'm crazy for wanting to sign Giambi? Besides the power off the bench, his name sounds like the genie from Pee Wee's Playhouse.

Meka-leka-hi-meka-hiney-ho

rbnlaw said...

@Orel:
Yep. Taking my daughter's friend's dad.
Going to the Shortstop before the game as well. . .finally.
Anyone want to meet up, I'll be there around 5:30.

Kyle Baker said...

What night is it, rbnl?

rbnlaw said...

Kemp's a busy guy this inning.

Kyle Baker said...

Giambi IS sounding better...but we need 18 pitchers on the roster these days, though.

rbnlaw said...

@Dusty
Monday, 8-17.

Kyle Baker said...

Just showed the Candy Man! Vinny said he was "sweet." I don't know if he meant that as a play on words or something else...

Kyle Baker said...

@rb

I'm contemplating going 8-17; intrigued by the knuckleball prospect. And I want to leave work early and go have beers and watch a game.

Will drop a line if I end up going.

koufax said...

nice no more dp

rbnlaw said...

1 out double.
They will walk Ethier, then Manny goes GIDP.

It's the optimist in me.

Kyle Baker said...

I've got that post from above ready to paste in again. Please prove me wrong, Manny.

koufax said...

u would think manny would kill a guy like davis, not great so far tonight however

koufax said...

way to show up tonight manny

koufax said...

well thats one way to score, thank you mr davis

Orel said...

Dodgers' MVP: Doug Davis

NicJ said...

Davis is doing everything possible to lose this game and I'm still not confident we are going to win.

koufax said...

i feel the same way nic

Kyle Baker said...

Nice defensive play by Manny. At least he brought that tonight.

NicJ said...

Did they just use the Cosby show theme as someone intro music?

NicJ said...

Wow there are a lot of dodger fans there.

koufax said...

do u think augie ojeda bobblehead night will be a sell out?

Kyle Baker said...

Vin said "deuces are wild." Drink!

Kyle Baker said...

Nice glove, Loretta.

koufax said...

stand up triple from the beard, how many times has that been said before?

Kyle Baker said...

Heh...tripling into a double play. I think I remember that story from childhood; it was in one of those "baseball's most amazing plays" books from the 70s.

NicJ said...

Come on Davis is just soft tossing it trying to get strikes now!

Kyle Baker said...

Sorry, context:

That was the story Vin just told.

I guess Beard just tripled into a triple.

karina said...

Kuroda needs a little praise, don't you think?

koufax said...

agreed karina, a solid outing thus far

Kyle Baker said...

You are correct as usual, Karina!

NicJ said...

Vasquez is going to be gassed by the time he gets to the mound.

Kyle Baker said...

DB: We need some insurance runs.

DB sis-in-law: We need some runs just for fun, too.

karina said...

@koufax, @Dusty awwwww!. He's the one responsible about the Dodgers being ahead, because the hitting has not been the most opportune yet.

karina said...

@Dusty Baker: your sister in law rocks! she just reminds us we watch this game for fun.

NicJ said...

We have not gotten one 3 ball hit tonight. 0-6. That is horrible.

Kyle Baker said...

OH NO!

NicJ said...

Mattingly looks really broken up.

koufax said...

oh man

NicJ said...

I'm not religious in the least but I am definately sending positive thoughts. That did not look good.

Erin said...

Christ. I had flipped the channel so I missed it live, but I've pretty much cursed every time I've seen the replay. It sure doesn't look like it glanced off his arm or anything; just a direct shot at his head. Damn it.

I suppose it's a good sign he's conscious.

MR.F said...

Oh no!

Ken said...

God hope he is ok

Erin said...

Kuroda got nailed in the head by a line drive off the bat of Arizona's Ryal.

koufax said...

is his translator out there, he doesnt speak much english, which is tough in this situation

Erin said...

Torre motioned almost immediately for the translator. He ran out there.

Erin said...

They're taking their time getting him on the stretcher. He's conscious and it didn't seem to be a, "Holy shit, we need an ambulance in here immediately" situation. I hope that's a good sign.

NicJ said...

Im a little teary right now.

Ken said...

i think he has a concussion for sure

karina said...

Hope he's OK, this situation is awful.

Erin said...

Yeah, he's got to have a concussion. And even if he's fine physically, there's always the emotional toll something like this takes. Some guys have a hard time getting back in the box after being hit, and I've heard of some pitchers struggling with it, too.

koufax said...

that was horrible, that ball could not have hit him any harder or more square

Erin said...

I got a little teary, too, especially when I saw Ryal just wandering out like he just didn't know what the hell to do. Poor guy.

NicJ said...

Props to o dog. He sprinted over to hiro.

I Alivandi said...

O-Dog's reputation as a teammate was confirmed there. He was out before anyone. Russ looked torn apart, as did Rusty Ryal.

This is the second game I have watched where a pitcher has been hit like that. The first was the game where Billy Wagner was hit. That was even scarier, because he was immediately knocked out and didn't move.

It looks like Hiro was responsive, so here's hoping he will be ok and back soon.

Kyle Baker said...

I've watched baseball for many years but that's one of the worst hit pitcher situations I've seen.

Gahhhh. Don't show it any more. You can hear the pop.

Not religious - beer is my religion, so here's to you Hiroki - hang in there.

Erin said...

I was watching a Red Sox game (on TV) a few years ago when Matt Clement got hit just like this. I think it was in Tampa, against the Rays. Clement ended up being okay.

Kyle Baker said...

Erin that's a great point. I mean, in the short term, we just want him to be ok. But long term this kind of thing is something pitchers struggle with mentally afterward.

karina said...

I think we should all send positive thoughts to Hiro and if someone feels like it, pray.

koufax said...

that should be an error on kemp, gotta hit the cutoff man

Erin said...

I'm going back into hiding now. Sending positive thoughts to Kuroda.

I Alivandi said...

I hope Hiro deals with it the way Wagner did. Billy was just as good after.

NicJ said...

well we still arent hitting with RISP

Kyle Baker said...

Young Mc looked zonked in the dugout right before they left for commercial just then. Yikes.

Kyle Baker said...

I hate to do it, but:

For the record, so those in the future will believe it:

Runner is scoring position, no outs, no runs to show for it.
-- August 15, 2009

Steve Sax said...

Holy smokes, I'm worried for Hiroki.

Kyle Baker said...

Vin just said that Hiro never lost consciousness and the towel was for support, not bleeding. So that's prelim good news. I mean, as good as it can be.

I Alivandi said...

Sax - Vinny just gave the first update. Kuroda never lost consciousness, was alert and responsive and there was no immediate sign of bleeding.

NicJ said...

looks like we are going to have to make due on three runs tonight, hope its enough

I Alivandi said...

Nice runner by Andre. That was one of the first balls I have seen go in the air against Sherrill since he came to the Dodgers.

Ken said...

sherrill looks awesome once again

lets see if broxton can hold it

karina said...

Thanks for the updates.

I Alivandi said...

Nastizzy from Flat Breezy.

What is it with the half naked woman and the six dollar burger. You know she doesn't eat those.

Josh S. said...

Pringles can in to pitch for the D-backs.

(I'm still broken up about Hiro.)

I Alivandi said...

Beast Mode

Josh S. said...

Well, there went that. An insurance homer by Dre would be nice.

Ken said...

@ josh

i like his mustache
feels like a barber shop quartet

hope hiroki is ok
wright got beemed with the helmet on and got a concussion.
hiro got hit with a comeback liner with no helmet, and with the ball prolly a lot faster than a fastball.

I Alivandi said...

Josh - We all are. Vin gave us reason to be hopefull.

Funny about calling Zavada Mr. Pringles.

NicJ said...

parra helped out broxton there.

Ken said...

please dont blow it brox

NicJ said...

is anyone worried about broxton NOW!

NicJ said...

i knew that was going to happen.

PenosCabell said...

Damn Broxton.

Ken said...

ask ali, he said that broxton was ok a couple of games ago

I Alivandi said...

Wow. That will probably be the only time that ever happens to Brox.

karina said...

If there was any MLB pitcher that deserved a win tonight, it had to be Hiroki Kuroda. Game tied with one out, bottom of the 9th

Ken said...

should have left sherrill in

NicJ said...

if there was ever a game for us to need a game closed out in the ninth it was this one. Now we can play extras with have of our bullpen gone.

NicJ said...

half

PenosCabell said...

Bison steal.

Damn I am still pissed off about the blown save.

Ken said...

bison swipes twice

NicJ said...

steal, but the strike out takes away the sac run option.

NicJ said...

i think kemp is going to have to steal home to get in.

NicJ said...

i knew it.

PenosCabell said...

Torre sticking with Lorretta

NicJ said...

just put mota in and end this game. At least the guys will be able to make it down to the hospital in time to visit Hiro.

PenosCabell said...

If Torre was gonna replace Lorretta, why didn't he let Loney pinch hit?

NicJ said...

because loney is probably hitting worse than Loretta right now.

NicJ said...

thanks alot broxton.

Ken said...

u suck broxton

JuanLove said...

Sherrill for closer.
i cant take this anymore

rbnlaw said...

Goawddamnfuckinshit.

I'm not happy.

rbnlaw said...

Time machine almost complete. Just need the flux capacitor and we get Victor Martinez.

Then I go back and slap Colletti about the face and neck several times until he cries.

rbnlaw said...

BTW, I don't think a MFPG thread is necessary. We've lost 3 straight and the Gnats just gained another game on us.

Let's face it. . .it's time to be concerned. Especially about Broxton's toe.

Kyle Baker said...

Agree a MFPGT not necessary. What else can be said.

Dinner and a cocktail did not change my mood after the end of this game, but then I never really believed it would.

Now it's mope around another hour then slink of to bed concerned about both Hiroki, the bullpen the starting pitching, the Cards, lack of firepower in some bats, RISP frustration...

Night all.

Steve Sax said...

Post-Game Thread is finally up. Sorry it's so late, but I have been drinking myself to oblivion here in a corner of my closet.