Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Game 19 Thread: April 23 @ Mets, 4p

Clayton Kershaw (2-2, 1.88) vs. Jon Niese (2-1, 3.80).

I don't mean to be gauche, but we do have a pair of lefties on the mound at Citi Field today. Kershaw is coming off his worst start of the year, having given up five runs against the lowly Padres--more runs than he had given up all year. The Dodgers' woeful offensive support can be blamed for Kershaw's mediocre W-L record; of four games this year, he's received 0, 1, 2, and 4 runs of support, the latter of which was only catalyzed after Kershaw himself hit his first career HR. Niese is also coming off an outing in which he gave up the most hits all year (nine hits, and 3 ER over 6.0 IP).

Between Niese, and the fact the Mets rank 13th in NL opponents' OBP, even our offense might have a chance. We'll need it, especially since the Mets have scored almost twice as many runs this year as the Dodgers (99 to 54). If we can just make sure our speedos don't bunch up and we give Kershaw a bit more (underwire) support (i.e., we don't go topless), we should be Nice, indeed.

147 comments:

Hideo Nomo said...

Going NSFW for page views! Love it!

MR.F said...

Wow, boobs.

MR.F said...

Re: Billingsley.

Somewhere, Will Carroll is smiling smugly to himself.

Franklin Stubbs said...

If you hadn't seen at least one before, you wouldn't recognize 'em.

Paul said...

I'm so glad Uribe is not in this picture.

Fred's Brim said...

No toplessness for FB tonight, not in the coldest stadium in baseball!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Guys, if you wear a thong instead of a Speedo it won't bunch. From one who knows.

BJ Killeen said...

Please, no more mental images of anyone in a thong or a speedo. It's game time. Let's get Mets! GO BLUE!

Franklin Stubbs said...

I'm wearing my lucky grape-smugglers in honor of this thread.

Hideo Nomo said...

Crawford LF
Mellis 2B
Kemp CF
Gonzalez 1B
Hairston 3B
Ethier RF
Ajellis C
Sellers SS
Kershaw P

MR.F said...

This game thread has given me the idea of loading up porn on my phone so I can just pull it up while at work.

Just sayin'

Hideo Nomo said...

Pull it up? That might hurt.

Fred's Brim said...

Teddy Atlas sighting

Fred's Brim said...

Offense... what's the opposite of sighting?

MR.F said...

Come on Sellers. Just get the bat to Kershaw.

Cliff Beefpile said...

OFFENSE!

MR.F said...

In play, runs!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Well, that's enough of that. Offense in moderation, people.

MR.F said...

Damnit Kershaw! You are better than a GIDP!

Franklin Stubbs said...

Shockingly, not totally wasted. (Neither I, nor the opportunity)

Paul said...

Looks cold.

Franklin Stubbs said...

That was unfair.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Whoa, whoa! Ellis, put your pants back on!

MR.F said...

Come on Matt!!!!!!!

BJ Killeen said...

Oh oh, my arm my arm! Good excuse to put in a better pitcher.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Ouch. That looked like that hurt.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Not to make light of any pitcher injury, given our luck this year...

MR.F said...

Ahh what happened?

Franklin Stubbs said...

Nonetheless, I'll take 5 innings of bullpen to start ANY series.

Steve Sax said...

Hey, just got here late. What happened to Niese? Who is this Carson guy?

Franklin Stubbs said...

Pretty sure the deflection on the Ellis hit got'im

Franklin Stubbs said...

Meanwhile, it's time for me to drink on company time.

MR.F said...

Ahhh. I have Niese on my fantasy team!

MR.F said...

Another Kemp 2013 Special (aka single).

Paul said...

Come on guys.

Cliff Beefpile said...

I see Mark Ellis' base-running acumen hasn't improved at all.

Steve Sax said...

Two on, one out, 4-5 in lineup coming up?

No scorage.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Can someone please explain why 3B is such a parade of futility for us?

MR.F said...

Blah.

Alex said...

(Puts on speedo)

Steve Sax said...

There's like 34 people at Citi Field tonight.

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw starting to shake here. Two straight two-out walks in the bottom of the third.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Balls

Steve Sax said...

Are you kidding me. Mets tie it up with two out in the third.

Come on, Kersh.

Steve Sax said...

This is not Nice.

Franklin Stubbs said...

I suppose that's punishment for walking the damn pitcher.

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw looks like he's overthrowing here

Steve Sax said...

Game time temperature: 52 degrees

Steve Sax said...

Wright has two strikes but gets a hit to center. Kemp proceeds to fumble the ball, allowing the runner to reach third from first.

2-1 Mets.

Steve Sax said...

It's one thing when we can't support Kershaw with any offense. But now we can't support him with any defense, either?

Get it together, Dodgers.

Orel said...

Shut it down. Game over.

Steve Sax said...

I blame the beard

MR.F said...

iuhu.tnashkeu;bcnaskdhcr;eusihkbutansuh.acrskbjhw;

Franklin Stubbs said...

Kersh on pace to last about 4 2/3 at this rate

Steve Sax said...

Get up and help him out, AJ

Franklin Stubbs said...

Rancho ardiendo bad guys

Franklin Stubbs said...

Sweet Jeebus that was a rough ride.

Steve Sax said...

2-1 Mets, end 3

Franklin Stubbs said...

I'm sorry, was that just a 39 pitch inning? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Clayton?

Franklin Stubbs said...

No worries, our bullpen has been nails.

Franklin Stubbs said...

No, wait, I was thinking of some other fellas.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Kings are losing 2-0. I hate sports.

Franklin Stubbs said...

He's untouchable, except for that 1 inning...

Cliff Beefpile said...

Mellis!

Steve Sax said...

Thank God for Mellis!

Solo HR with two out. Tied at 2.

Good call by Collins, btw.

Cliff Beefpile said...

I guess that's the only way he can't fuck up on the base paths.

BJ Killeen said...

Congrats Mellis on 100.

Steve Sax said...

Clayton seems to hit a wall after out #2

Steve Sax said...

Oh great, Belli is warming up. Well, so much for this game.

Clayton with a two-out walk, again

MR.F said...

5 IP, 111 pitches. Very un-Claytonesque.

Franklin Stubbs said...

My 4 2/3 call was off.

Barely.

Cliff Beefpile said...

@Sax: Well, I think we've all had a gotten tuckered out after a tough number two. Especially when there's nothing to read.

Cliff Beefpile said...

It's like Kershaw is channeling his inner Billingsley.

MR.F said...

Solidarity between teammates?

Franklin Stubbs said...

So, let's make up for past sins and get that man a skin-of-our-teeth win

Steve Sax said...

A-Gon looked horrible there

Steve Sax said...

Better shuffle that lineup again, Donnie. We still can't hit for shit.

Franklin Stubbs said...

I'll give the guy hitting over .350 a pass. This time.

Steve Sax said...

Ethier hasn't had a hit since 4/20

Steve Sax said...

That's at least 11 straight unfruitful ABs

Steve Sax said...

Check that: Andre Ethier has now had 14 straight unproductive ABs. He hasn't had a hit since his first-inning HR in Baltimore on Saturday.

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw only lasted five innings. And here's Belisario to lose the game for us.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Don't be silly, it will take a combination of Belisario AND Uribe to lose the game for us.

Hideo Nomo said...

Well, if a guy is struggling, you should always have him work out his issues in the fifth inning of a tie game.

MR.F said...

Belisario time. At least my expectations have disappeared.

Hideo Nomo said...

Sixth. Again I can't count.

Franklin Stubbs said...

To be fair, Beli usually doesn't start the season for another month and a half, so it's understandable

Franklin Stubbs said...

3 up, 3 down.

I can get behind that.

MR.F said...

Yay.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Might I point out that there are 4 guys in this lineup that ARE hitting. That should highlight the spectacular failure of the other 4 regulars.

Steve Sax said...

admittedly, that was a pretty clean sixth inning from Belli

Steve Sax said...

AJ Ellis with a 3-2 called strike 3. booooooo

Steve Sax said...

gotta swing at those, AJ

Steve Sax said...

QUIT FUCKING BUNTING SELLERS

Franklin Stubbs said...

Yep. Credit where credit is due. Now don't fuck it up.

Steve Sax said...

I don't get why Sellers thinks he's Brett Butler here.

(sees sellers' pathetic swing on a 1-1 pitch outside)

Hmm, maybe bunting makes sense.

Steve Sax said...

And Sellers reaches! Way to get back to Mendoza, Justin!

Franklin Stubbs said...

Well, ok then! urine GIDP?

Steve Sax said...

Bladder call! Here's Urine.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Holy crap, hit and run with THESE two? Donnie's got balls like churchbells.

Steve Sax said...

Urine flows to first base!

Steve Sax said...

(on a walk, of course)

Steve Sax said...

First and second, one out.

How will the Dodgers waste THIS opportunity?!

Franklin Stubbs said...

Two on, 1 out, and a pair of respectable hitters coming up.

Can't WAIT to see how we get out of this one!

Franklin Stubbs said...

DAMMIT!

Steve Sax said...

Crawford hits it to the right side, which is basically a sacrifice. Which should be good, except he's one of the only guys hitting in this lineup. And we usually can't score without trading an out.

Steve Sax said...

2 RISP, two out, Mellis up.

MR.F said...

Come on MELLIS!

Franklin Stubbs said...

MELLISSSSSS!

Steve Sax said...

Holy Toledo, I did NOT see that one coming.

MR.F said...

I am stunned.

Steve Sax said...

Sellers enters the dugout and McGwire is pointing at him and telling him something. Probably something like, "You're at .204, little guy! Keep up the good work!"

Franklin Stubbs said...

Lyon's ERA just jumped three and a half points in one swing.

MR.F said...

Ah, Kemp makes an out. That's more familiar.

Franklin Stubbs said...

He'll be alright, but you gotta think the shoulder surgery = power outage until he get it back into condition.

Steve Sax said...

Congrats Juan Lagares, on your first major league base hit!

MR.F said...

Dear Andre Ethier: my fantasy team could really use a hit to break your 0-for-forever slump.

BJ Killeen said...

When did FedEx come back? Yeah!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Ask and ye shall receive from Andre Ethier.

Steve Sax said...

Why didn't AGon score from first on that double? He is soooooo sloooooooow

Steve Sax said...

Maybe AGon thinks he needs to pace himself at James Loney speeds

Steve Sax said...

Nice to see Ethier break out of the slump (after I bagged on him at 6:18p).

Cliff Beefpile said...

Holy shit! Who are these guys?

Steve Sax said...

"Ethier may catch Gonzalez at home"--Eric Collins

Steve Sax said...

Ellis with a two-run double!

Steve Sax said...

Mental note: more saggy boobs in future GTs

Steve Sax said...

7-2 Dodgers.

Fred's Brim had better be at this game, dammit

MR.F said...

In play, runs!

Franklin Stubbs said...

Pile that shit on.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Not even Guh-rear can dig them out of this hole.

MR.F said...

Have a good AB, Matt.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Nice hit, Matty!

Steve Sax said...

THAT is the Kemp we love! He roped that double to right center (fifth of the year)

Cliff Beefpile said...

Nice swing there by Matty. Finally.

Steve Sax said...

Citi Field has one sad blue-hooded kid sitting alone behind home plate.

MR.F said...

Power stroke! Confidence builder!

Steve Sax said...

Josh Wall, in for the ninth. Bringing his 10.13 ERA with him.

Hideo Nomo said...

That was one shaggy matchup.

Franklin Stubbs said...

That's a win right there!

Franklin Stubbs said...

Two in a row.

Baby steps.

BJ Killeen said...

Win win win!

MR.F said...

SAGGY BOOBS PARTY!!!!!!!!!

Franklin Stubbs said...

^Is there any better kind?

Cliff Beefpile said...

We make speedo party!

Paul said...

In other words Mr. F. We make Uribe Party!!

Steve Sax said...

PGT up!

Fred's Brim said...

That turned out to be very fun