Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Game 69 Thread: June 18 @ Yank-Mes, 4p

Hyun-Jin Ryu (6-2, 2.85) vs. Phil Hughes (3-5, 4.89).

All of the pre-game talk has been about Don Mattingly returning to Yankee Stadium, the setting (if not the actual stadium anymore) of his 14-year player career. But the reason why that narrative has dominated the story has a lot to do with the Dodgers' last-place insignificance, or maybe even that some fans might want to leave Donnie Baseball in the Bronx following this crazy series:

"Donnie is one of the greatest Yankees that has ever played and one of the greatest teammates that has ever put on that uniform," [Yankee manager Joe] Girardi told reporters in Anaheim. "I know that I've always loved him and appreciated what he's done, and the fans have seen a lot more than I have. I think it will be a great day for him."

With the Dodgers in last place [Ed: where we have sat since May 5], Mattingly hasn't had many great days this season. The low point came last month, when he was hit with the first major media firestorm of his managerial career. There was rampant speculation that he would be fired.

"Fairly rough," Mattingly acknowledged.

Well, let's see if things can get any easier for Donnie and the Dodgers today, after a day of rest preceding this two-game series. Ryu has given up two runs or fewer in nine of this 13 starts, but had a bad outing last time vs. Arizona (11 H, 3 ER, 6.0 IP). However, Ryu leads the team in wins (with six; I know, how pathetic!) and is second only to Clayton Kershaw in starter ERA.

Hughes went 4.1 IP in his last start vs. Oakland, giving up 4 H and 3 ER in the loss. His ERA has hovered around 5 all season long (which is not all that far off from his career ERA average of 4.44; Hughes hasn't had a positive ERA+ since going 18-8 in 2010). Speaking of which, do you remember Hughes Markets? There used to be one right where I grew up. Anyway, I hope we can bag Hughes today. Get it? Oh man, that might be the only laugh I get from this game.

Dodgers tickets

UPDATE:

UPDATE 4:12p (Sax): Okay, so in that case, let this GT serve as the GT for CWS Winners Bracket--UCLA vs. NC State (5p first pitch) as well as NBA Finals Game 6 (6p tip). Rest up for tomorrow!

64 comments:

MR.F said...

1 - Punto 3B
2 - @YasielPuig RF
3 - Gonzalez 1B
4 - Ramirez SS
5 - Ethier CF
6 - Hairston DH
7 - Schumaker LF
8 - A. Ellis C
9 - M. Ellis 2B
Ryu P

Hideo Nomo said...

Official Puitter account.

Steve Sax said...

Manny is back! Oh, wait a second.

Hideo Nomo said...

I would LOVE to watch Manny at shortstop.

Steve Sax said...

No one remembers Hughes markets? Man, I am old.

Hideo Nomo said...

I REMEMBER HUGHES!

Hideo Nomo said...

It would be hilarious and/or sad and/or hilariously sad if the Dodgers were waiting to fire Mattingly until after he has his return to Yankee Stadium.

Hideo Nomo said...

Hughes was where my dad shopped. He always called it "Huggies." (On purpose. He wasn't an idiot or anything.)

Neeebs (The Original) said...

I shopped at Hughes in North Hollywood, on Laurel Canyon, South of Vanowen.

The Valley Plaza shopping center. It's an armpit today.

Steve Sax said...

I can't remember anything distinctive about Hughes. It had a relative monopoly on grocery in this little suburban area. But it didn't do anything distinctive. And then Ralphs bought 'em, and it was done.

That shopping bag is ridiculous, however.

Orel said...

Hughes was making Trader Joe's shopping bags before TJ's made them.

Orel said...

"The echoes between the Dodgers’ unfulfilled dreams and my own – not that we haven’t both had fantastic moments through the years – are basically responsible for Dodger Thoughts existing."

Scott said...

About f'n time Cruz in not in the starting line up...not sure how we'll miss that .130 batting average and one error per game, let us pray...

Steve Sax said...

Orel 2:15p: oh my. Wow, that was an interesting piece; couldn't really tell who was interviewing and who was being interviewed.

Steve Sax said...

Wait a second, maybe Alex Belth and Jon Weisman are the SAME PERSON! And he's just interviewing himself!

BJ Killeen said...

Okay. gotta get some rehearsing in for an hour, then I'm online watching from the D...should be going to the Tigers game to see what a winning team looks like, but alas, I must remain faithful to the team who hath forsaken us.

BTW, I remember Hughes markets...I even remember A&P markets!

Orel said...

Los Angeles Dodgers ‏@Dodgers 3m

Heavy rain at Yankee Stadium: pic.twitter.com/E117i3i5ak

Paul said...

I'm drench and not with beer.

Hideo Nomo said...

Officially in delay. I'm calling doubleheader tomorrow.

Paul said...

Lots of Dodger blue here all with a " what the fuck" look on their faces. Doesn't rain this hard in LA ever much less June.

MR.F said...

My friend from NY who lived up here in the Bay Area and now lives in Ventura loves that we have specific dry and wet seasons here. West side!

Orel said...

Danny Knobler ‏@DannyKnoblerCBS 2m

Yankees-Dodgers rained out. Split doubleheader tomorrow. 1 and 7.

Orel said...

Meaning 10AM and 4PM PST.

Hideo Nomo said...

I win!

Orel said...

How do we handle rainouts? Do we repurpose the original GT?

Paul said...

I win more beer!

Paul said...

Still trying to locate FB. He has sent the Flaming Menudos signal. Back to midtown!

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Jesus Colorado is not going to like this at all.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

By the "signal", you mean the arm fart in 6/6 time signature????

Hideo Nomo said...

@Orel: We've done both repurposed and new threads.

New matchup tomorrow for the day game: Ryu vs. Kuroda!

MR.F said...

Can we have a PGT58/GT69 thread tomorrow?

BJ Killeen said...

Well, this bites the big weenie. What am I supposed to do the rest of the night? And I'm flying tomorrow and will miss both games...I hate NY...

MR.F said...

I mean, a thread that fills two holes, er, roles at the same time.

Steve Sax said...

This is going to be the lamest two-game, one-day series ever

Steve Sax said...

Father of the year revisited, NPUT

Steve Sax said...

UCLA / NC State 0-0 through 1

Dusty Baker said...

Come on, you Spurs!

(something I never say when Chelsea play Tottenham)

cc: RBN, Stubbs

Dusty Baker said...

69-58 SA with time winding down in the third.

Dusty Baker said...

Lebron spending all his time flopping around on the floor whining about no-calls.

Dusty Baker said...

SA leads by ten after three.

Orel said...

Spurs up by 5 with 8:00 left.

Cliff Beefpile said...

UCLA wins! Worst thing about this broadcast: hearing Bulldog compare this Bruin team to the gnats, with their shitty offense, great pitching and solid defense.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Is Miami the white pants capital of the world?

Dusty Baker said...

85-84 MIA with 5 mins to play.

Dusty Baker said...

45

Orel said...

Here comes Tony Parker!

Dusty Baker said...

Down to the wire.

91-89 Spurs w .58 seconds to go.

Orel said...

Josh Lukin ‏@coffeeon3rd 33s

In a Cleveland bar watching LeBron vs the Spurs, might as well be deep in the heart of Texas as place erupts with Parker shots

Orel said...

The legend of LeBron shrinks.

Cliff Beefpile said...

LeBum looks lost in the final minutes. Sorry, Riley, he's no Jordan or Magic.

Dusty Baker said...

James hit that three but it still doesn't make up for how shite he's been down the stretch.

Orel said...

All tied up with 5.2 left!

Orel said...

OT!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Is Duncan in foul trouble? How come he wasn't in on that defensive possession?

Orel said...

Ramona Shelburne ‏@ramonashelburne 4m

Really is worth asking Pop why he had Duncan out of the game those last two possessions. Who's gonna do it?

Orel said...

I do not approve of the EDM remix of "Take on Me" played as bumper music.

Orel said...

In that commercial shot of Kobe with the championship trophy, I thought he was kissing C-3PO.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Shit, that was off Lebron. What a great play by Green.

Dusty Baker said...

Green!

Can he pitch?

Dusty Baker said...

What the hell are you doing, Parker??

Cliff Beefpile said...

Shut up, Poppovich, he got away with 3 steps.

Cliff Beefpile said...

I guess it's easy to have fresher legs when you don't have to play anybody good until the third round.

Orel said...

LeBron's all about leaving it out on the floor. He only said it about five times.

Steve Sax said...

Seriously, the NBA is so fixed, it's not even funny.

Hey look, let's force a game 7, so we can save this crappily-rated series!

And lo, there was a Game 7. That needed overtime to save the vaunted Heat.

Pathetic.