Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Game 158 Thread: Sept 29 @ Friars, 7p

Chad Billingsley (12-10, 4.07) vs. Cesar Ramos (0-1, 1.69).

COMMENTS: The Dodgers need one win in their last five games, or one Colorado loss in its last six games, to clinch the NL West. 11 opportunities, and only one has to go the Dodgers' way. And this one won't be it.

No, not with Chad Billingsley on the mound, after his last performance which had a promising start (no ball left the infield until the fourth inning) turned into a disaster on one pitch (a game-tying Ryan Zimmerman three-run HR, leaving Bills with an ND). Not with Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake nursing sore hamstrings. Not with a closer who couldn't take advantage of a three-run lead gift-wrapped to him in the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon. Not with a team who lost three of four in PNC Park, putting them 3-4 on this roadtrip against the majors' worst. Not with a Padre pitcher making the first big-league start of his career.

Nope, it's not going to happen today. Might as well wait until tomorrow.

illustration: My Medicated Cartoon Life

311 comments:

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MR.F said...

Nothing gets me going like sunny optimism.

NicJ said...

In all seriousness the opposing first time starter is the only thing that scares me.

But, I've got a good feeling about tonight. Everyone root for the Rox tonight because I don't want to win by default.

Josh S. said...

Man, I'm bummed now. I'm gonna go hang out somewhere more optimistic...

...like Dodger Blues.

Kyle Baker said...

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

Josh S. said...

FurCastro for the win!

Kyle Baker said...

If Castro plays well, I may be smoking a Cuban!

Loney Fan said...

For anyone who has not read it yet, there is a great article at MSTI today. I was lucky enough to enjoy Paul Oberjurge as my local sports writer and as the father of a high school acquaintance. He is an ass who only writes about how bad Southern California sports teams are. I feel vindicated that someone has publicly called him out.

QuadSevens said...

Lowering expectations for tonight's game so that we can all be super excited with a Dodgers win? I love it!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I'm still waiting for my five bucks from Paul.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Not SoSG Paul, but stick-up-his-ass Paul Oberjurge

Josh S. said...

Not much to scoreboard watch at the moment, but the Jays are currently crapping on the Red Sox' clinching plans, scoring 4 in the 1st. But the Rangers will probably lose later and hand it to the Sox anyway.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Is it selfish to want this to happen on Friday? Cause then, I'm selfish.

Loney Fan said...

I'm still waiting for the 10 or so hours of my life back that were spent at his house.

Fred's Brim said...

i see what you've done there...

Loney Fan said...

Mr. Cust - Why does he owe you $5?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Ah, the reverse psychology angle.

I kinda like that set up for tonight.

Josh S. said...

Delino, I'm at that game too, so yeah, I'm with you on kinda wanting them to clinch Friday.

BUT!

I don't think I could take it if it came down to a close game. Just lock this up already.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

*just had a vision of DB's Blackberry* ewwwwwwwwwwwww.

rbnlaw said...

Oh, peeps; The Sox have been getting their asses handed to them the past couple of days, so things aren't so bad.
I'll be checking in from time to time just to keep the sunny optimism flowing!

Looks like we get to clinch at home. Well, our southern home.

Kyle Baker said...

Tweets from peeps @ Padres game say that it is packed w Dodger fans. I'm feelin' it.

Kyle Baker said...

Neeebs-

It was my work-issued BlackBerry, not my personal one. So I have a clean backup if needed.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Paulie said he bets me five bucks that Kemp has made more outs on the basepaths than any other player. I disproved his assumption, and because of that, I am entitled to my five dollars. He has my e-mail, he can reach me. There is no excuse.

Josh S. said...

I want to see the return of July 5th Chad tonight.

Kyle Baker said...

MLASF-

Do we need to call in some enforcers to go all Jeff Gillooly on him?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

DB: Good to know if we are ever at a game together and I need to make a phone call, when my battery is dead.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

@Dusty - Just call me Tanya Harding

Kyle Baker said...

Neeebs, in that situation, ask for the silver crackberry, not the black one.

Josh S. said...

Bayside up 3-0 on DeVito and Schwarzenegger in the 2nd game of the doubleheader.

JuanLove said...

so lets pretend we finally clinch

KCAL sucks. Will they televise the celebration?

ugh, i hate KCAL if they dont

Kyle Baker said...

I'll be able to watch them not cover it in HD!

Greg Zakwin said...

Sax- This is either the best mocking of flaky, wishy-washy, idiotic Dodger fans I've ever seen, or a complete distortion of the last week of Dodger baseball.

I pray it's the former.

Nostradamus said...

@KempKershaw

Funny, I'm getting the irony loud and clear, must be your cable;)

Greg Zakwin said...

Mr.Customer- Considering it's the INTERNET, one can never be sure of anything.

Plus, I clearly state I give him the benefit of the doubt and assume it's an ironic post.

And considering how many people would have written that and been serious (most at LA Dodger Talk), it was worth asking.

I'd add an emoticon, but that's not how I roll.

Felix Pardalis said...

here's hoping Steiner talks about the Dodgers' coming collapse and missing the playoffs

Nostradamus said...

@KempKershaw

It's funny that you busted me a bit for using the emoticon, because I only added it because of the aforementioned internet irony problem. I typed it out and it made me sound like I was dressing you down, not being an idiot.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

@JL - They'll show it. It would be a ratings boon. The only way they could get more viewers is if Jackie Johnson was covering the champagne shower.

Kyle Baker said...

Good to hear this is probably the case, MLASF. I have the Cubans and Scotch at the ready.

Kyle Baker said...

Rox down 2-1 early on w Old Milwaukee threatening to score some more (rancho ardiendo).

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

It's all conjecture of course. I'm making an assumption that could be wrong.

Kyle Baker said...

I'm hanging on your every prediction, MLASF.

Kyle Baker said...

Cards lost.

Steve Sax said...

@KempKershaw, yeah, it's deliberately overly negative. But thank you anyway both for asking, as well as refraining from emoticon usage (which is a personal decision, but not how I roll, either).

NicJ said...

By that HD comment im guessing you have charter cable service?

Steve Sax said...

Poor St Louis.

Kyle Baker said...

Yeah, Charter cable.

karina said...

Are you playing reverse psychology?

Kyle Baker said...

@ Karina-

He is. Or IS he?

Steve Sax said...

@karina: yes, that was ironic too

NicJ said...

This doesn't do any good for this season but prime ticket will be coming back with an HD channel around
January.

I too have suffered since the prime ticket / FSW compilation HD channel turned into a full FSW HD channel.

Steve Sax said...

Detroit ekes out a win in the night game to keep their lead at two games over the Twins...

Steve Sax said...

Rox still down 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth but have a man on first

Phillies are up three on the 'Stros in the top of the ninth; Astros have a man at first as well

Fish are ahead of the Braves, 5-4 top 8

And there you have it, the out of town scoreboard

Nostradamus said...

Has the time come to bury Cesar yet?

Steve Sax said...

@NicJ: I get Prime Ticket HD. Don't you have DirecTV?

Steve Sax said...

@Mr Customer, in keeping with the irony theme, I come not to bury Cesar but to praise him.

NicJ said...

Rub it in, Sax.

Charter.

Steve Sax said...

Charter. Ouch. Sorry!

Steve Sax said...

@NicJ, if you can afford a segway, why not DirecTV?

Steve Sax said...

and we're off!

NicJ said...

A basehit! Now don't get picked off.

Steve Sax said...

Raffy should have this AB in the bag. My GameDay says Ramos' out pitch is a premium, and that's exactly the type of pitch Raffy loves to face

Single to left!

Kyle Baker said...

"if you can afford a segway, why not DirecTV?"

Heh.

Steve Sax said...

What a coincidence! Orlando Hudson likes to face Premium pitches as well

Steve Sax said...

To be fair, it's only NicJ's avatar which can afford a segway.

I, on the other hand, have to work shifts at the banana stand.

NicJ said...

Already with the shit baserunning.

karina said...

@Steve Sax re @Dusty Baker i know it was ironic but for a second, it took out all my optimism.

Steve Sax said...

what the hell happened there? All I can tell is that Andre was not so clutch there (probably because it wasn't a walk-off opportunity)

karina said...

King James is not the only prone to GIDP.

NicJ said...

I'm a little sad that Ethier is going to be rendered useless if we go against Philly and all their lefthanded starting pitching.

Steve Sax said...

Charlie Manuel's team meeting apparently works: Phils win 7-4

Kyle Baker said...

@ Karina

How can all the optimism be taken out of the Patron Saint of Pessimistic Dodgers Fans?

NicJ said...

Well I'm already pissed at the team.

Steve Sax said...

Phils only two games behind us as of this second

Steve Sax said...

Yay, let's put two men on with none out and then proceed to botch it against a kid making his first start!

There is no way we win tonight in Petco.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

It's gonna be that kind of game, isn't it?

Steve Sax said...

Forget it. I'll check back in later if we can grow some nads.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Chad starts with a strike!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Gwynn ran away like Martin had H1N1

karina said...

Bills stroke out Gwynn Jr.

karina said...

Nads? what does it mean?

LLCoolL said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonads

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Martin didn't implode! There is hope!

LLCoolL said...

If Bills makes it through 5 do you pull him?

Steve Sax said...

Hmm, Chad hasn't crumbled under the pressure yet? It's just a matter of time.

Steve Dittmore said...

After Manny's K, I was curious as to how many times he's done that this year.

What I learned is an interesting comparison...

2008 (w/BOS only) .299/20/68 with .927 OPS in 100 games (365 AB)
2009 .299/19/62 with .977 OPS in 10 games (338 AB)

Essentially, this year's Manny is identical to the Manny that wore out his welcome in Boston last year. Oh, yeah, he's actually K'd 73 times this year as opposed to 86 w/BOS last year.

Steve Sax said...

Kemp grounds out, saving him from the humiliation of making any embarrassing baserunning mistakes.

Steve Sax said...

Colorado has tied it at 2 and has the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth

LLCoolL said...

Nice stats work, Steve.

Steve Sax said...

And, there it is at Coors Field. Yorvit gets a bases-loaded sac fly for the 3-2 lead and only the first out.

We're doomed.

karina said...

Thanks Professor.

Steve Sax said...

Eight-pitch inning for Ramos, who bids the Dodgers vamos.

karina said...

@Dusty Baker i have my moments...

NicJ said...

Remember that week when Martin was good. I miss that.

Steve Sax said...

@NicJ, yeah, 2008 was a great year

karina said...

In other news, Beltre just hit a double

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Well, Chad isn't floundering. That's worth something.



Right?

karina said...

@Nic j @Steve Sax 2007 was awesome, but we could settle with the 2008 first half season of my then son Martin.

Steve Sax said...

Chad decides to delay his inevitable meltdown until after the second inning. 0-0 after two.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Wait, Kemp just caught that ball? I thought he was a moron incapable of making a routine play! Paul Oberjuerge knows nothing!

Steve Sax said...

(I am interrupting this string of depression to say a pleasant hello to karina, patron saint of pessimistic Dodger fans.)

Now, back to my sulking. We suck.

Steve Sax said...

Rox up 4-2 now

Kyle Baker said...

Rox up 4-2 now.

Steve Sax said...

Kemp only caught that ball because he was trying to make a baserunning error and failed at that

LLCoolL said...

What kind of performance does Bills need here to get a playoff start?

Kyle Baker said...

JAYSUS, Sax! Weird.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Yes Castro, bunt! Bunt!

Steve Sax said...

@Dusty, yeah, but you used punctuation where I did not. Well done.

Steve Sax said...

Juan Castro can't get a hit either

LLCoolL said...

That period cost him vital seconds...

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Chad's working the count better than Eckstein.

Kyle Baker said...

It's like the Dr. Geek Assassins' Circle gag.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

The only one who can get a hit is Furcal.


God help us all.

NicJ said...

I was happy with chads performance last week. I like how he actually got out of the inning quickly after the homerun. He was able to stop the bleeding that time.

karina said...

@Steve Sax i say a pleasant "Epa" to you. I also want to say they don't suck, they're just baseball fundamentals challenged, as in hitting a ball properly against mediocre pitchers.

I also want to thank you and LLCoolL to have expanded my knowledge of the English language. One more question: is Nads a proper word for a lady that doesn't try to say bad words?

LLCoolL said...

I hope Furcal is sharing whatever he's been smoking lately.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Now steal third, Raffy! And home!

Kyle Baker said...

Karina-

I think you should say "nads" at every chance you get.

LLCoolL said...

@karina - I'll let Sax field that one.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

You get some pretty weird stuff when you google "redemption".

karina said...

I have to reformulate the question, it was an exuberant display of bad grammar:

is Nads a proper word for a lady that doesn't say bad words?

However, i suspect my question was answered.

Alex Cora said...

Ethier is making him work.

LLCoolL said...

I think it would only be proper when used in the medical sense.

Alex Cora said...

Damn, more LOB.

NicJ said...

That was quite a battle.

Too bad we lost it.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I did not like how that ended, even if it raises his pitch count.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Rox have men at the corners. No way we get any help from the Brewers.

Steve Sax said...

13-pitch AB with two on? It doesn't matter, Andre still chokes a grounder to MSB. 0-0.

We're doomed.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I hate Everth Cabrera.

Steve Sax said...

@LLCoolL: "@karina - I'll let Sax field that one."

Sorry, I'm not fielding any 'nads.

Kyle Baker said...

Rox up 5-2 now

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Owch that was close

Steve Sax said...

Cabrera almost gets as many pitches in on Chad as Ethier did on Cesar. Chad wins this battle, but it's just a matter of time.

LLCoolL said...

The last two ABs on Gameday looked like machine gun fire.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

SERIOUSLY!? TONY FUCKING GWYNN JR.?!

Steve Sax said...

There we go, just a matter of time. HR Gwynn. We're behind.

NicJ said...

Chad only gives up HR's now.

Just get out of the inning.

LLCoolL said...

That's it. I'm going to bed.

karina said...

what? a Gwynn Jr HR? seriously? i guess is a bug on Gameday, it just can't be.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

It's the third inning and they've already started chanting Beat LA.

NicJ said...

At least it wasn't MSB.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

That does it. Chad's out. You don't give up a homer to a guy who's only hit one all season and expect to get a spot in the postseason roster.

Steve Sax said...

End of the third and we're already losing. How many more innings can we be shut out? We'll find out.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Rotation, not roster. Though the latter is very tempting.

Steve Sax said...

Manny swings on a ball not even close to the strike-zone. First pitch out.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Remember Kemp, it's just a single. Don't go thinking you can race home now. You'd have to be a complete dolt to do that.

NicJ said...

It's not like it was a monster shot, it wrapped around the pole. Let's see what else he does.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

This is just jim-freaking-dandy.

NicJ said...

The only thing I worry about Chad is the offense refuses to score runs for him.

Steve Sax said...

Loney GIDPs. Five-pitch inning for Ramos. We suck.

Kyle Baker said...

Hey, this Cy Young guy is just plain unhittable. Anyone would be having trouble scoring against him.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

#Dodgers also could clinch NL West if #Rockies blow their present 4-2 lead in 7th and lose to #Brewers

- MLB Twitter

Steve Sax said...

Maybe this is the inning that Chad crumbles. Leadoff walk to A-Gon.

karina said...

Future looks brighter: they can't hit to under the radar pitchers, but they do better with good pitchers,not too bad for the playoffs right?

Steve Sax said...

Chad can't get either Chase Headley or Will Venable to hit into a double play, so Gonzalez is still on first. Nice job, Chad.

Kyle Baker said...

The future looks grim! We're all DOOMED!

NicJ said...

Got him!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Sax is crushed that Billingsley was not crushed.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Brewers in their last licks.

Kyle Baker said...

Our clubhouse looks tighter than a Baptist summer camp.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

4-pitch walk to Russ.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Brew Crew has the tying run at the plate

Kyle Baker said...

Rox 5 - 5 Brewers

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I LOVE YOU, JASON KENDALL!

Steve Dittmore said...

rox 5, brewers 5

NicJ said...

Damn rox! I don't wanna clinch by default.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Vargas is with us in spirit.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

This can't be happening.

NicJ said...

Raffy 2-2, until someone is on base.

Steve Sax said...

Russell Martin of all people coaxes a four-pitch, leadoff walk, and we can't score him. No Dodgers runs through five. We suck.

Kyle Baker said...

I'm really needing some payoff here. We have suck-diddly-ucked for days now. It's time to shit or get off the pot.

Nads!

Steve Sax said...

The brewers may have tied, but they're just preparing for a bottom of the ninth inning fail

NicJ said...

Ramos is staying in the game? Jeeze.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

That's five effective innings from Chad. Let's see how things unfold in the sixth.

Matt said...

We will win this game! I am sitting in the (closed) sports book at Whiskey Pete's in Primm NV. I am watching the game on the MLB game mix on a giant projector hearing the San Diego feed. If they don't win, what the hell am I doing? We will win!

karina said...

Is everybody waiting to the sixth to say something nice about Bills?

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

@Karina - Exactly

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I like our chances here.

Alex Cora said...

Yeah - Is Hudson getting back to CYCLE form?

Steve Sax said...

One-out, leadoff triple by O-Dog will just make his failure to score even more bitter.

Kyle Baker said...

We go to the 10th. Milwaukee and Rox tied at 5.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I'll take it! 1-1 tie!

NicJ said...

Sweet sweet free runs!!!

Alex Cora said...

Holy crap, we scored!!!

Kyle Baker said...

Holy crap, Alex Cora makes an appearance!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Sax was wrong on two parts: It was a no-out triple, and Hudson did score!

Alex Cora said...

Dude, Sax, Take some fricken' Zoloft.

Paul said...

Hola all!

I am ready for a freakin celebration. Can we have one tonight so I won't be in crappy mood and hung over tomorrow? I want to be in a good mood and hung over.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Dammit to hell

Kyle Baker said...

Yo, Paul!

NicJ said...

Well that takes away any insurance for Chad's danger inning.

Kyle Baker said...

Chad's gonna blow it now!

Steve Sax said...

We can only score one, through an error no less, and Manny goes ahead and GIDPs right after for good meaasure. 1-1, because we suck.

Steve Sax said...

Oh yeah, and the Rockies are in the bottom of the 10th with it still 5-5, just to make it more dramatic when they win.

NicJ said...

I believe in Chad because he has an angel with him on the mound.

(stands up and flaps arms)

oh wait that was Tony Danza in Angels in the outfield.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Chad's a couple more outs away from getting his ERA into the 3's.

Steve Sax said...

@Mr LA SF: you're right. I have no idea why I wrote "one-out, leadoff triple", since that can't possibly happen.

Clearly, I have started sucking as bad as the Dodgers. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I suppose.

Steve Sax said...

I gotta get to a new page, as fanerman's avatar is making me smile.

Steve Sax said...

I need something more depressing.

Steve Sax said...

There we go.

NicJ said...

Uh Oh.

Orel said...

Just turned on the TV. Does Bills' delivery look a little different?

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