Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Game 126 Thread: August 25 @ Dingers, 5.30p

Clayton Kershaw (8-7, 2.96) vs. Jason Hammel (8-7, 4.54).

COMMENTS: 48 hours of hemming and hawing about this game comes to a merciful end today with our Minotaur on the mound. Despite the Dodgers' 10-2 record against the Rockies this year, including a sweep at Coors Field in May, everyone is forecasting the imminent downfall of the Dodgers. Accuscore gives the Rockies a 54% chance of winning (58% as of WSJ's press run last night, so at least our trajectory is improving), the LATimes' Helene Elliott takes a break from following the Kings and Galaxy to slash the tires of the Dodgers' bandwagon, and the only guy we seem to have on our side is Steve Phillips, an omen which portends doom like a circling vulture.

Tonight, we put this yippin' and yappin' to rest. Kershaw hasn't had a win since July 18 but is 1-1 with 1 ND against Colorado this year. Hammel is 0-1 against the Dodgers with 1 ND, and has gotten three wins in his last four starts (reflecting the Rockies' recent streak). Assuming Clayton can come out strong and our rested bullpen can hold up, what I'm really hoping to see tonight is a breakout performance by James Loney (he is 2-for-5 lifetime against Hammel with a 1.600 OPS, and his OPS+ of 143 against the Rockies is the highest among all NL West opponents), assuming Loney has recovered from the flu. It would also be nice to see Manny Ramirez get his OPS back up over 1.000 (Ramirez is 0-for-5 lifetime against Hammel). Heck, Coors Field is the place for all of the Dodgers to get out of their offensive funk.

And we need to play a full nine, or even 14, innings here guys. It is Coors Field, after all. Let's not pull a Merkin. {In the meantime, we're going back to two GT superstitions, rather than the overloaded three that didn't seem to work out so well on Sunday.)

461 comments:

1 – 200 of 461   Newer›   Newest»
Nostradamus said...

Nice minotaur!

Kyle Baker said...

Drink suggestions for an anti-Coors that I can partake in during the game?

Clearly, anything union-made...

Paul said...

I think you need to go with a craft brew Dusty! I say the more local the better. If you have some homemade stuff the time to drink it is now.

If you just want to go the opposite of the "banquet" beer, I would go for a breakfest beer and get a Hefeweizen.

Kyle Baker said...

@ Paul

HAH! I hadn't thought of the breakfast vs banquet, time of day dichotomy. Nicely played.

On the craft beer front, maybe I can break into Craftsman (http://www.craftsmanbrewing.com/) up the road, bring a radio (and a laptop with wifi so I can post my masterful insight) and just tap a keg of their stuff on the spot. Truly the anti-Coors.

NicJ said...

I was a little worried about clicking on that "let's not pull a merkin" link.

Wesley Vento said...

Here's a beer that will show your true colors, though someone might have to pull your man card. Everyone knows that the opposite of Banquet Beer is the champagne of beers.

Senor Dusty, can I have your watch when you are dead?

MR.F said...

Time to put these losers back in their place.

Kyle Baker said...

Furcal SS
Kemp CF
Ethier RF
Ramirez LF
Loney 1B
Blake 3B
Martin C
Hudson 2B
Kershaw P

Kyle Baker said...

HLACK-

Blueberry? Jesus, god. I feel like I need to go change my oil or throw a football for just knowing such a sissy swill exists. I mean, I'm a renaissance man for the most part, but shhhheyat, that sounds bad.

Josh S. said...

The 2-3-4 of that lineup has me giddy with anticipation.

Please live up to your potential, fellas!

Kyle Baker said...

Dexter Fowler to DL; Eric Young, Jr. to take his place.

NicJ said...

Fowler to the DL, Eric Young Jr. Called up from AAA.

Dusto_Magnifico said...

best looking lineup of the year?

NicJ said...

Dusty you beat me by a minute.

Wesley Vento said...

Free Mark Loretta!

the_sports_dude said...

"We've got to go out and play hard and if not, we come back next year and play again," Ramirez said. "We're not going to go and kill ourselves, you know." Manny said the same thing in 2007 and was CRUCIFIED by the Boston media. He broke out of his slump and found his form in leading the Sox to another World Series title.

Josh S. said...

La Fin Du Monde is about as opposite from Coors as you can get. Plus, it's French-Canadian, like Russell Martin!

(And you could take the name to mean "the end of the world" for the Rockies.)

NicJ said...

Is there a brewery located in death valley? That would probably be the anti-coors.

Nostradamus said...

@Dusty,

To be fair to HLACK, he did lead in with a High Life recommendation. I would think that its blue-collar chops are more than adequate to cancel out any fancy-pants-fruit-infused-faux-pas he may have committed.

If we really want to get into some beer snobbery, I'll be happy to join in.

Steve Sax said...

@ Mr C: says the man dressed in full on victorian era regalia

NicJ said...

The mountains in the back of my house are on fire. Is that a good or bad sign?

Steve Sax said...

Philly is up on the Pirates 2-1 in the third

Steve Sax said...

NicJ: where are you? That's not a good sign.

I didn't know you lived in Greece!

NicJ said...

Haha east San Gabriel Valley. To be fair they are still quite a ways away. I feel pretty good about my decision to not wash the car yesterday now.

Nostradamus said...

@Sax

Point taken.

For the record, though, my regal bearing and impeccable sense of style does not preclude me from being a man of the people.

Wesley Vento said...

the blueberry was simply and aesthetic choice based on color. tell you what, you can feed your girlfriend some blueberry so she's drinking the Blue, and you can have a High Life/Guiness black and tan. Or if you want to go nuts, have one of those shakes that are all the rage.

Kyle Baker said...

Oh no! I wasn't directing any snobbery at HLACK, jsutat the beer itself. HLACK was simply a messenger of poufty beer, not a target!

Steve Sax said...

@Mr C: You're sartorially excellent, dude. Fine by me.

"Let them drink wine!"

koufax said...

the blue will win tonight.

Kyle Baker said...

I'm liking the La Fin Du Monde angle, though it is hard to pound 5 or 6 of those 22oz, high alcohol content jugs.

HLACK may well be onto something with the Miller High Life suggestion.

Kyle Baker said...

But if I feed some of that blueberry to Mrs. Dusty, will it turn into some Willie Wonka situation?

[Strangely ironic, she was actually born on the original release date of that movie.]

NicJ said...

EK just made the point that ive been saying about that manny play on sunday. Saying to myself that is.

NicJ said...

pray for first pitch balls!

NicJ said...

at least he took a few pitches.

koufax said...

i have faith tonight nic, no prayers necessary

Steve Sax said...

Furcal grounds to second for the first out. Five pitches. Seemed quick.

NicJ said...

look at that we already have a 3rd of the hits we had on sunday!

Steve Sax said...

Kempian Single!

NicJ said...

whew, that was close!

Steve Sax said...

Kemp steals second, (27)

koufax said...

there we go, hungry for runs

Alex Cora said...

WOOOHOOO!!!! DOdgers up!

Steve Sax said...

Kemp scores on an Ethier double!

1-0 Dodgers!

NicJ said...

come on manny

koufax said...

wow, if kemp hat batted 2nd all year...

Steve Sax said...

Thanks for the double clutch Ianetta

Steve Sax said...

Who's this guy in the cleanup spot? Is he new?

NicJ said...

damn, one pitch?

koufax said...

agreed sax

MR.F said...

Bison Speed!

Steve Sax said...

Thanks a lot, Manny

first pitch out, doesn't even advance Andre

Steve Sax said...

oh great, "threatening skies"

Steve Sax said...

let's go Loney

clap clap, clap clap clap

koufax said...

iannetta trying to fool ethier at second into thinking its a breaking ball by tapping the ground

NicJ said...

20 pitches and 1 run. not too bad. Keep it going Kersh

Steve Sax said...

Loney ground out. Glad Kemp stole second!

1-0 Dodgers after a half-inning

Ken said...

if kershaw is on tonight

i dont care if they are playing at coors

its gonna be lovely for us

Josh S. said...

Umps appear to be, shall we say, blue-eyed. I likes it.

NicJ said...

kershaw getting in play outs, thats good.

Steve Sax said...

Giambi to Rockies, just posted up top

koufax said...

solid inning

NicJ said...

i love these in play outs.

Steve Sax said...

1-2-3 inning for Minotaur on 13 pitches. 1-0 Dodgers.

Ken said...

time to blow these rocks out

Neeebs (The Original) said...

I just have a good feeling tonight.

So good, I may just bring Mrs. Neeebs some flowers.

DB Hint: This always works.

NicJ said...

first pitch hit!!

koufax said...

bats are showing signs of life in the early going

Steve Sax said...

Blake leadoff single in the second

Ken said...

sorry colorado

our 8 and 7 guys is better than ur 8 and 7 guy

NicJ said...

we got some dodger blue front row. way to represent!

koufax said...

at least it was productive

NicJ said...

im sure russ was trying to sacrifice right there.

NicJ said...

damn, a base hit stolen.

Steve Sax said...

Hudson ground out means it's up to Minotaur (.103 avg) to knock home the Beard...

Steve Sax said...

To be fair, Kershaw's got a .269 OPS

Josh S. said...

Clay's looking to go yard.

Steve Sax said...

wtf, let's just put on the squeeze just for the hell of it. what say you, torre?

Ken said...

i never see the squeeze anymore

makes me sad

NicJ said...

at least we are hitting.

koufax said...

rockies announcers say houston street not available tonight

Steve Sax said...

Oh well. 1-0 Dodgers through one and a half

Josh S. said...

"what say you, torre?"

Torre says: "It's a long season. Bigelow!"

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw's average drops to a buck even. That's 4-for-40 for those of you scoring at home.

Clayton doesn't have a hit in August.

Steve Sax said...

Wow, breaking out the Bigelow comeback. I'm flummoxed.

Ken said...

clayton needs hitting lessons from randy

Josh S. said...

Eat that Tulo!

Ha! Vin made a pun.

Steve Sax said...

Tulo K! one out

NicJ said...

haha thought it was TU LO. vin is hilarious

koufax said...

large zone tonight

koufax said...

straight dealing early on

NicJ said...

clay has got it tonight.

Josh S. said...

Those two K's were SICK.

koufax said...

SQUEEZED, are u kiding me

NicJ said...

settle down clay

Fred's Brim said...

looks like the Nurples were instructed specifically to make Clayton throw strikes

he got squeezed on that last one

Steve Sax said...

Two Ks, then a walk to Garrett Atkins the UCLA guy, and now Barmes.

Fred's Brim said...

Barmes looks an awful lot like MSB in his Yahoo picture

NicJ said...

alright lets get some more runs.

Josh S. said...

Raffy's killing me. Where are the zany slap doubles?

NicJ said...

eff, that 2 outs in 4 pitches

koufax said...

ethier, dialed in.

Fred's Brim said...

Nice Dre. Time for Manny to take 4-5 pitches and hit a double

NicJ said...

i guess i cant complain about first pitch swinging when it works.

Josh S. said...

Cut that hair, hippy!

NicJ said...

thats right baby.

koufax said...

turn em into runs.

Josh S. said...

Manny lives...kinda!

NicJ said...

alright loney, coors field.

Josh S. said...

Loney didn't ground out!

Fred's Brim said...

sorry James. I didnt mean that

NicJ said...

first pitch swinging only looks good when it results in a hit.

Fred's Brim said...

but you still should have taken a pitch

NicJ said...

five batters, ten pitches.

NicJ said...

we really cant be doing the LOB thing tonight.

Erin said...

Vin says the Dodgers are almost refusing to add on to their lead.

NicJ said...

young eric young is pretty fast.

koufax said...

curveball is working

koufax said...

goodbye!

Erin said...

BLAKE!!!!

Steve Sax said...

CASEY AT THE BAT! 2-0 Dodgers

Steve Sax said...

Even more amazing was that Charley Steiner got the call right on a home run ball

MR.F said...

BEARD MODE!

NicJ said...

Vin has been saying blake is from Indiana for like the past two weeks now.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Completely agree Saxy.

koufax said...

haha, nic

Steve Sax said...

Steiner's voice started elevating and I was sure it was a popout to Hammel

NicJ said...

we need to take advantage of runs now. The rockies score runs in the later innings. Technically so do we but the way our offense has been who knows what we are going to do.

NicJ said...

the rockies ball boys wear khaki's?

koufax said...

the rox bullpen is taxed after last night and hammel has thrown a lot of pitches, we should take advantage

NicJ said...

hopefully we do, add that to the fact that they have a long reliever starting tomorrow we could really work their pen this series.

koufax said...

it would be nice

NicJ said...

damn

Erin said...

That hit was my fault, as I had just asked myself the question, "Has Kershaw given up a hit yet?"

NicJ said...

alright clay, dont let that rattle you.

NicJ said...

just one more.

koufax said...

well

NicJ said...

that seems like the first HR clay has given up in a long time.

NicJ said...

gotta get those loney.

Steve Sax said...

WTF, SoSGers? I leave to the loo for a second, and the game is tied? Crap.

koufax said...

come on guys

NicJ said...

lets not let the inning get away now.

karina said...

@Sax if the game is tied, it's my fault. I just got online :(

NicJ said...

Clay's pitch count is higher than hamel's now.

koufax said...

new ballgame, 0-0

karina said...

@Neeebs "So good, I may just bring Mrs. Neeebs some flowers.

DB Hint: This always works."

You know WAY too much.

koufax said...

at least our bullpen is "rested"

karina said...

@Sax ""Let them drink wine!""

Wise words.

NicJ said...

i would put Juan Pierre at shortstop and have him lead off if i thought that he could make the throw to first.

Fred's Brim said...

we're hitting the ball hard this inning

Fred's Brim said...

keep taking pitches

koufax said...

ethier, wow!

NicJ said...

just missed that one.

Come on manny.

Fred's Brim said...

hitting over the Ethier shift!

koufax said...

three hard hit balls so far this inning.

Fred's Brim said...

take some pitches, Manny

NicJ said...

alright then, come on loney.

Fred's Brim said...

like 4 pitches :)

NicJ said...

that's twice loney.

Erin said...

Loney has probably had too many people telling him he'll break out of this slump in Colorado, so now that's all he can think about, and he's failing.

Fred's Brim said...

must still be that swine flu....

Erin said...

Time to eat dinner. I'll be watching, but the computer is going away. When I come back, I expect a Dodger lead.

NicJ said...

why is the rockies crowd so dead?

Fred's Brim said...

you got it, Erin! enjoy your din-din

koufax said...

nic, i went to college in colorado, everytime the dodgers were in town, there were equal amount dodger fans to colorado fans, they are not the loudest fans in the world

Fred's Brim said...

haha it's so quiet there you could hear Hammel say a naughty word

NicJ said...

oh come on clayton, that guy had a zero batting average.

Fred's Brim said...

i like EY Sr

koufax said...

FB i heard the F-bomb as well

Steve Sax said...

Congrats EY jr on your first major league hit.

Now don't score.

Fred's Brim said...

hard fastball inside now

Fred's Brim said...

heh heh sorry Junior

koufax said...

1st hit, 1st caught stealing

NicJ said...

kersh already at 89 pitches, let see if he goes one more or gets pulled for a hitter.

Fred's Brim said...

keep taking, guys. this guy's gonna wear down

Fred's Brim said...

I hope we get to Kershaw's spot this inning

NicJ said...

you have got to be kidding me.

Fred's Brim said...

we're hitting him hard - gotta stay after him and not get frustrated and we'll get some runs

NicJ said...

we are getting robbed of so many hits its insane.

NicJ said...

hudson gets a hit, and kershaw bats for himself.

Steve Sax said...

Why are we letting Hammel go deep when we know their pen is gassed?

Fred's Brim said...

heh the liners get caught and the dribbler gets through

Fred's Brim said...

Clayton's getting a hit this time up

koufax said...

cant help but feel like we have left too many out there

NicJ said...

the most pitches hamel has made is 111 so he should be done for the most part.

Fred's Brim said...

i guess no hit for Clayton

this better not be one of those times where Joe lets the pitcher hit and then yanks him when he gives up a leadoff hit or walk the next inning

Steve Sax said...

We had better have a damn good reason why we let Kershaw bat there with Hudson on.

NicJ said...

Koufax, i cant help but feel that loney has done that all by himself, 5 LOB.

Paul said...

I was hoping kersh got on so at least we can have our real lead off hitter up next inning.

Fred's Brim said...

it feels like Loney has left them all

Fred's Brim said...

haha "clearing the leadoff hitter"

koufax said...

ya nic, i wasnt too happy to see him in the 5 hole, feel like that should be blake's spot especially with loney stttttrrrrrruuuuggggggllllliinnggg so much

Fred's Brim said...

stay after them, CK

koufax said...

haha, helton can still move for an old man

NicJ said...

wow,how did that now hit him.

NicJ said...

*not

Fred's Brim said...

follow through on those curves, Clayton

NicJ said...

dont make him angry clay.

Steve Sax said...

Why are we letting Hammel go deep when we know their pen is gassed?

koufax said...

made him look poor there, nice pitch

NicJ said...

dont we always seem to do that sax?

«Oldest ‹Older   1 – 200 of 461   Newer› Newest»