Friday, July 31, 2015

Game 103 Thread: July 31 vs. Angels, 7p

Clayton Kershaw Zack Greinke (9-2, 1.37) vs. Hector Santiago (7-4, 2.43).

Welcome to the post-trade deadline new-look Dodgers! Please say hello to:

  • Mat Latos
  • Alex Wood
  • Jim Johnson
  • Luis Avilan
  • Bronson Arroyo (60-day DL)
  • Jose Tabata (OKC)

and goodbye to:

  • Brandon Beachy (DFA)
  • Chris Heisey (DFA)
  • Chin-hui Tsao (DFA)
  • Zach Lee (OKC)
  • Mike Bolsinger (OKC)

FOB (Friend of Blog) Steve Dittmore will be at tonight's game, so if anyone wants to buy him a beer, let us know in the comments!

Trade Deadline Discussion Thread


The Dodgers got Wood and Johnson! (And Latos, but he doesn't fit the dick joke pattern.) The Giants took a Leake. The Cards got Broxton for some reason that might have something to do with Jimmy Rollins and cosmic retribution! A.J. Preller appears to be taking an ill-timed nap!

With a little over 90 minutes to go, what, if anything, will happen next?

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Game 102 Thread: July 29 vs. A's, 7p


EVERYTHING IS FINE.

Mike Bolsinger (5-3, 2.79) vs. Jesse Chavez (5-10, 3.45)

It's a been a weird day and half for the Dodgers. They got utterly shut down by Sonny Gray last night (bad, but somewhat understandable). Then, this morning Dodger fans were greeted with the news that Clayton Kershaw was suffering from some sort of hip (or possibly butt, leading to good Twitter jokes) pain and may not make his start tonight. This turns out to be the case as, just prior to this writing, Kershaw was officially scratched and Bolsinger starts tonight. (Kershaw supposedly starts Friday.)

There was also the little matter of the Dodgers trading for Mat Latos and Mike Morse from the Marlins...until they didn't. The deal is currently in limbo over "medicals." Many fans are freaking out, thinking this will be the lone move Friedman and Co. will make before Friday's deadline. Of course, that was before the Tigers announced this afternoon that David Price is officially on the block. We'll keep you posted with all that.

Oh, and the Giants are about to beat the Brewers and move into a tie for first place in the NL West.

What booze pairs best with abject panic?

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Game 101 Thread: July 28 vs. A's, 7p


We're home.

Brett Anderson (5-5, 3.33) vs. Sonny Gray (10-4, 2.30)

First home game since July 12th! Dodgers have come out of the break playing .500 ball, the Giants have move to within a half a game, and we still don't know what moves the front office is planning.

Hope this home cooking will settle our uneasy stomachs!

Game of the Day

Rangers vs. Yankees. Two teams I'm predisposed to root against, slugging the F out of each other. (squint to see it)

And the hits keep coming.

Four Dodgers In "Top Jocks" List

The new “Top Jocks” list was published in Forbes magazine (I fell upon a copy of Forbes Asia, July 2015), and there are quite a few Dodgers (and former Dodgers!) populating baseball’s 27 representatives (in the top 100). Floyd Mayweather took the top role (and Manny Pacquiao was #2), but here’s where baseball lined up (total / salary / endorsements):

  • 19 Jon Lester ($34.1 / $33.4 / $0.7)
  • 30 Robinson Cano ($27.6 / $24.1 / $3.5)
  • 34 Clayton Kershaw ($26.9 / $25.7 / $1.2)
  • 38 Albert Pujols ($25.9 / $23.4 / $2.5)
  • 40 Ryan Howard ($25.6 / $25.0 / $0.6)
  • 42 Cliff Lee ($25.2 / $25.0 / $0.2)
  • 43 Miguel Cabrera ($25.1 / $22.1 / $3.0)
  • 48 Prince Fielder ($24.3 / $24.0 / $0.3)
  • 50 Joe Mauer ($24.0 / $23.0 / $1.0)
  • 51 CC Sabathia ($23.9 / $23.0 / $0.9)
  • 53 Zack Greinke ($23.7 / $23.7 / $0.1)
  • 56 Justin Verlander ($23.4 / $22.7 / $0.7)
  • 58 Mark Teixeira ($23.0 / $22.5 / $0.5)
  • 58 Masahiro Tanaka ($23.0 / $22.5 / $0.5)
  • 60 Felix Hernandez ($22.9 / $22.7 / $0.2)
  • 61 Cole Hamels ($22.7 / $22.5 / $0.2)
  • 65 Matt Kemp ($22.2 / $21.0 / $1.2)
  • 69 Adrian Gonzalez ($21.5 / $21.1 / $0.4)
  • 70 Jacoby Ellsbury ($21.4 / $21.1 / $0.3)
  • 75 Matt Cain ($20.8 / $20.4 / $0.4)
  • 75 David Wright ($20.8 / $20.0 / $0.8)
  • 77 Carl Crawford ($20.7 / $20.4 / $0.3)
  • 78 Jayson Werth ($20.6 / $20.4 / $0.2)
  • 79 Hanley Ramirez ($20.3 / $20.0 / $0.3)
  • 85 Adam Wainwright ($19.8 / $19.7 / $0.2)
  • 87 David Ortiz ($19.7 / $15.7 / $4.0)
  • 97 Max Scherzer ($18.9 / $18.7 / $0.2)

Surprising how many Dodgers there are on the list, though I suppose I shoudn’t be surprised with the Dodgers’ much-ballyhooed $270M payroll. It also calls out in the sidebar that Zack Greinke’s earning 99.8% of his money from salary and only 0.2% from endorsements is the opposite of Usain Bolt’s, who earns 99.9% of his money from endorsements and appearances, rather than prize money.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Game 100 Thread: July 26 @ Mets, 10a

Google "Dodgers century" and you get images like this. (Get it?)

Zack Greinke (9-2, 1.30) vs. Jacob deGrom (10-6, 2.18).

Today we test the theory of whether the baseball gods care about fatherhood milestones. In Jon Niese's case, in which he watched the birth of his son on facetime from the stadium, a thousand miles away, the baseball gods clearly frowned. Tonight, the Dodgers' Zack Greinke takes the mound, having left the team earlier this season to be present for the birth of his son, Bode. Will the baseball gods smile upon Greinke? Or will they at least cut him a break given he won't have a peaceful night's sleep for years to come?

Greinke's consecutive streak of 43 2/3 scoreless ball is on the line tonight, against a Mets team that might have just awakened its bats yesterday. Hoo, boy.

OH! MY!!! GGGGGGGOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!!!

The Dodgers are on the television set.

Thank you SuperStation, for bringing us what a DirecTV / AT&T multi-billion merger could not.



Post-Game 99 Thread: Egg Zach Lee

METS 15, DODGERS 2

Zach Lee's major league debut was pretty much a nightmare, with the Mets stomping all over Lee over 4.2 IP for 11 H and 7 ER. Lee's ERA ends his first ever day at 13.50, which is horrific, particularly considering the Mets have had offensive woes of late.

Lee was relieved by Chin-Hui Tsao, who didn't do much better: 0.2 IP, 6 ER. Tsao's ERA is 10.29. Throw out yer' dead! Because really, it's only one game.

Joc Pederson and Jimmy Rollins each had solo HR. Lead shrinks to two games in the West.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Welcome to the Bigs

Rough first inning for Zach Lee in his major league debut. Thanks to reader goodchild27 for the photographic proof:

Game 99 Thread: July 25 @ Mets, 4p

Major league debut!

Zach Lee (0-0, -.--) vs. Matt Harvey (8-7, 3.19).

photo by Scott Killeen

Post-Game 98 Thread: Easy As 1-2-3

DODGERS 7, METS 2

I was worried about Dodgers starter Ian Thomas tonight, but I should have been more worried about Mets starter Jon Niese. Opting to start rather than be there for his child's birth, he watched the birth (in Ohio) on facetime from the game in New York. But to say Niese was distracted was probably an understatement: the Dodgers put up six runs in three innings on the poor guy, with 1 in the first, 2 in the second, and 3 in the third.

Justin Turner doubled in Howie Kendrick in the first.

In the second, Ian Thomas, who had five innings of one-run ball, GIDPd in the second but scored Kike Hernandez from third, and then Joc Pederson doubled in Jimmy Rollins.

In the third, Turner had a solo HR, and Yasiel Puig homered to also score Scott Van Slyke.

Rollins also added a solo shot in the eighth off of fabled Mets pitcher Hansel Robles.

Of course, the well-rested Giants beat up on the cellar-dwelling A's, so the lead is still three games.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Game 98 Thread: July 24 @ Mets, 4p

Possibly related to our starting pitcher.

Ian Thomas (0-1, 5.23) vs. Jon Niese (5-8, 3.36).

As a general rule, I don't trust people with two first names. (Three first names is even worse.) So Ian Thomas' first career big league start doesn't give me a lot of hope. Thomas joined the Dodgers in the Juan Uribe deal with the Braves earlier this season; he is 1-3 lifetime with a 4.71 ERA (including one loss with the Dodgers, taken on June 2 vs. Colorado). Meanwhile, the Giants open up yet another cushy series with the bottom-feeding A's.

One week to find ourselves another starter.

Take a Moment to Appreciate Greatness

ESPN compiles the stats, and SoSG dutifully repeats them in this space.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Kershaw became the first pitcher in the modern era (since 1900) to have three straight starts without allowing a run, while striking out at least 10 batters and walking none. The only pitcher to do this in two straight games in the modern era is Cy Young, who accomplished the feat in 1905.

Thursday marked the 11th career shutout for Kershaw. He now has pitched 29 consecutive scoreless innings and has recorded 45 strikeouts since he last issued a walk.

Kershaw has struck out 34 percent of the batters he has faced this season.

In the expansion era (since 1961), the only starters to qualify for the ERA title and strike out a higher percentage of batters in a given season are Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.
Shorter ESPN: Kershaw is a bad mofo. If he was ever gone this year, he's definitely back. I think he has a chip or two on his shoulder. That's the way I like my Kershaw.

So take a moment to savor what he's doing. When we're celebrating SoSG Fest XVIII at Cooperstown and watching Kid K's speech, we'll remember this stretch (and so many others).

photo: John SooHoo/LA Dodgers

Post-Game 97 Thread: (Dodgers Gain) Security, Benefit (With Win Over Idle Giants)

DODGERS 3, METS 0

"How 'bout that Gonzalez Rollins homer?" Jimmy Rollins gave the Dodgers the go-ahead lead with a solo HR in the third. The Dodgers scored two more in the ninth off of the Mets' bullpen, after Bartolo Colon left with a respectable eight-inning, five-hit, one-run effort.

"Kershaw was lights out tonight!" Clayton Kershaw had a perfect game into the seventh inning, but still pitched a CG SHO, allowing only three hits and fanning 11. Kershaw's shutout streak extends to 29 innings, and the Dodgers' lead in the NL West stretches to three full games while the Giants get another cushy-schedule relaxation day off.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Game 97 Thread: July 23 @ Mets, 4p


Clayton Kershaw (7-6, 2.68) vs. Bartolo Colon (9-8, 4.68)

After a mostly disastrous visit to the ATL, the Dodgers roll into Queens for four with the Mets. It almost seems unfair to throw Kershaw (today) and Greinke (tomorrow) against what can best be described as a hapless Mets offense. I say ALMOST, because this is usually the situation where we get all overconfident and the scrubs drop 15 on us. So, no guarantees here.

Hopefully, Colon will blow enough to give Kershaw the run support he needs to work his magic. Meanwhile, we'll be clenching.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Game 96 Thread: July 22 @ Barves, 9a

How's it going in Atlanta? This is how it's going in Atlanta.

Mike Bolsinger (4-3, 3.04) vs Julio Teheran (6-4, 4.53).

Welcome to the #3 pitching slot, Mike! Can we just salvage a game here and get to New York? Ugh.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Game 95 Thread: July 21 @ Barves, 4p

Brett Anderson (5-5, 3.17) vs. Julio Teheran (6-4, 4.53) Alex Wood.

via /u/LiveBeef at reddit

Monday, July 20, 2015

Game 94 Thread: July 20 @ Braves, 4p

Brandon Beachy (0-1, 6.75) vs. Matt Wisler (3-1, 3.10)

After four seasons with Atlanta (14-11 record, 3.23 ERA), Brandon Beachy has now come back from Tommy John surgery, taken 2014 to recuperate, and made one start with the Dodgers (4.0 IP, 3 ER). And now he's back against the only other team he's ever known, against a guy who...has only pitched in the majors for one team, the Braves. (Wisler was once a Padres prospect.)

The Braves may be 43-49 and seven games back of the Nationals in the NL East, but Wisler has always been full of confidence. So will Wisler come out brash and be Harper-esque tonight? Don't make me get your mother involved, Matt!

Bryce Harper Not Impressed With This Greinke Guy

Clear out some space on the locker room bulletin board: Bryce Harper says Zack Greinke's shutdown performance Sunday was umpire-aided, and that Greinke isn't so tough:

Bryce Harper looked to let the air out of Zack Greinke's sails Sunday amid his historic run of scoreless innings, saying he wasn't as impressed as most due to the help the right-hander got from the plate umpire.

Harper, seemingly frustrated over Bill Miller's strike zone in the Washington Nationals' 5-0 loss to the streaking Greinke and Los Angeles Dodgers, asserted "when you're getting 6 inches off the plate, it's tough to face him."

"For me, I don't think he was very tough," Harper said, according to The Washington Post. "He's a great pitcher. He does what he does."

In doing what he does Sunday, Greinke held the Nationals to three hits in eight innings, struck out a season-high 11 and extended his scoreless innings streak to 43⅔. He also improved to 9-2 with an MLB-best 1.30 ERA.

His scoreless innings string is the longest in the majors since Orel Hershiser set the major league record of 59 shutout innings in 1988 with the Dodgers.

Harper later amended his comments, calling Greinke "a damn good pitcher."

Look, I know Harper isn't a big fan of the Dodgers, or more specifically, of Dodger Stadium (see below). But I want to be a fan of Harper. 0-for-2 with 2 Ks and a walk (against Greinke) isn't bad, Bryce! Can't you rise above this and just move on?

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Post-Game 93 Thread: Greinke On, Grandal Out, Dodgers Erupt Late

DODGERS 5, NATIONALS 0

Zack Greinke, what a mensch. With 119 pitches, technically on three days' rest after starting the All-Star Game, Greinke out-dueled Max Scherzer, whiffing 11 Nationals in the process. Greinke looked like he could have sat down after seven strong innings and a tenuous 1-0 lead, but with the pitcher's spot coming up first in the top of the ninth inning, Greinke held on to pitch the eighth and sat Ian Desmond and Michael Taylor down on strikes, and then got PH Tyler Moore to ground out. Greinke improves to 9-2 and his scoreless streak is 43.2 innings, fourth-longest since 1961 for the Dodgers.

And then, in the top of the ninth, the Dodgers erupted. Justin Turner led off the inning (I still don't understand why Mattingly "gives a player the day off", and then inevitably has them come in late in the game anyway) with a single on an 0-2 count, and then Joc Pederson singled on an 1-2 count. I think the radio broadcast said the Dodgers were 0-for-9 with RISP prior to the ninth (Andre Ethier scored in the fourth on a Scherzer wild pitch during an Alberto Collaspo AB), but this time, the floodgates opened: ten men came to the plate (technically nine men, since Turner came up twice); and Ethier, A.J. Ellis, and Yasiel Puig each had RBI to open up a 5-0 lead. Puig's 2-RBI single was especially fitting as it came on a 2-2 count having struck out four times in the game prior.

Collaspo was 1-for-5 with 2 Ks and 4 LOB, trailing only Puig and Ethier in LOB (but both of them ended up delivering RBI, unlike Collaspo). He is batting .217. He should not be playing.

Jimmy Rollins was 0-for-4 with 1 K and 3 LOB. Rollins is batting .206. Dee Gordon is batting .338, third-best in the majors. I'm just saying.

The only blemish was Yasmani Grandal, who was knocked out of the game (almost literally) by a foul ball to the mask in the bottom of the sixth inning. Let's hope Grandal, who left the game immediately, is okay. And the series win came in handy, as the Giants swept the D'backs; division lead is at 3.5 games as we go to Atlanta, while San Francisco gets the cushy scheduling of San Diego. (The Dodgers don't see another NL West opponent until August 31.)

Game 93 Thread: July 19 @ Nationals, 10:30a


Spongeworthy.

Zack Greinke (8-2, 1.39) vs. Max Scherzer (10-7, 2.11).

Zack vs. Max! It's an old-fashioned Ace-off! (Do they still do those?)

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Post-Game 92 Thread: Gunslinger's Revenge

Is that David Bowie in the center? Wow, this looks like a horrible movie.

DODGERS 4, NATIONALS 2

Nothin' like a little revenge from your gunslinging ace, which is what the Dodgers brought today after losing a suspended game heartbreaker just prior. Yasiel Puig did most of the offensive damage, going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, including a single off of Dog Fister in the first and another in the fifth that just beat Clint Robinson's throw from left field. Justin Turner continued his torrid hitting with a 3-for-5, RBI day; Andre Ethier also added a sacrifice fly.

Things looked shaky in the ninth when the Dodgers led off with two singles and couldn't score an insurance run; and then Kenley Jansen relieved Clayton Kershaw, and gave up a 2-run HR to Bryce Harper before settling down and striking out the last two batters (Jansen struck out the side). But it was Kershaw who was the true ace today: 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB and 14 Ks. No Washington batter advanced beyond second base in Kershaw's innings. 14 strikeouts!

Tomorrow is a huge showdown: Greinke vs. Scherzer. Here we go, boys and girls!

Post-Game 91 Thread: Washington Filibuster Prevails

NATIONALS 5, DODGERS 3

The Washington Nationals were losing 2-1 to the Dodgers thanks to a two-run HR by Adrian Gonzalez, who launched the ball into the right field stands with a rocket, scoring Justin Turner. Disappointed, the Nationals did what any two-bit desperate franchise would have done: they turned out a bank of lights along the third base line. A long delay of game later, with Dodgers starter Mike Bolsinger clearly interrupted, the Nationals jumped out to a 3-2 lead.

Then the bank of lights went out again, causing a full suspension of the game for the evening. When the two teams resumed play this morning, Adrian Gonzalez hit another HR to tie the game at 3.

Unfortunately, with Pedro Baez pitching, PH Matt den Dekker hit a two-run HR in the bottom of the eighth to win the game for Washington. Would this have happened if the game had played uninterrupted on Friday evening, as planned? Would Bolsinger have lasted beyond four innings, alleviating our need to pitch Chin-Hui Tsao (2.0 IP, 2 ER), if we hadn't had that electrical chicanery? If Woody had gone to the police, would this have happened?

I'm pissed off. Let's hope we come back in the regularly-scheduled game this evening.

Game 92 Thread: July 18 @ Nationals, ??

Clayton Kershaw (6-6, 2.85) vs. Doug Fister (3-4, 4.08)

Technically we're playing 1 and 4/9ths, as Nomo pointed out via Twitter last night, but it will seem like two. Somewhere Ernie Banks is slightly happy.

Kershaw makes his first post-All Star Game start, going up against 
Kershaw will need to shake off the funk from his poor performance in that game in front of a nationwide audience. Why does that scenario ring a bell? Can't put my finger on it.

Nationals are missing some of their key players for this series due to injury, and it's always a crapshoot for teams coming off the break, so Dodgers have an opening to make a statement in this series before moving up the coast to face the Barves.

It's a day full of Dodgers (for those of you who can watch*) so pull up a chair and crack a brew.

*Rumor has it this one may be on FS1

Friday, July 17, 2015

Game 91 Thread: July 17 @ Nationals, 4p

In half a season, Joc Pederson has made Dodger fans forget Matt Kemp and become the Dodgers' all-time Home Run Derby champ.

Mike Bolsinger (4-3, 3.08) vs. Jordan Zimmermann (8-5, 3.22).

First-place battle! Second-half kickoff! Here we go!

The Dodgers have shuffled their rotation, with Bolsinger giving Kershaw a post-All-Star break blow. Expect them to flip by month's end to separate Kershaw & Greinke in the order, thus presumably giving the bullpen more recovery time.

The Nats counter with Jordan Zimmermann, who has a lot of repeating letters in his name. That's really all the info I could find on him (sorry, cutbacks in the SoSG Analytics Dept.).

The Dodgers are ahead of the Giants by 4.5 games and the Snakes by 7.5; SF and AZ play each other tonight, so look at it this way: The Dodgers will gain ground on someone by the end of the day. Optimism!

UPDATE: Game suspended due to three lighting outages possibly caused by Taylor Swift's recent concert at Nationals Park.

Padres' Destruction Is Dodgers' Gain

Rany Jazayerli has a great article about how Padres GM A.J. Preller has quickly destroyed that franchise. As we Dodger fans know, we were part of Preller's grand reconstruction plan, dealing Matt Kemp and gaining Yasmani Grandal. Here's how Jazayerli broke down this trade: p>

The Padres are a mess. That alone should be enough to question Preller’s prowess. But the damage he has done to the organization is even worse than that, because so far we’ve discussed only the players he brought in — not the ones he traded away. If you’re a Padres fan, look away now.

To acquire Kemp, the Padres dealt three players to the Dodgers, but the main prize was catcher Yasmani Grandal. Grandal had been the Reds’ first-round pick in 2010 out of the University of Miami, and he was the prize prospect the Padres acquired when they traded Mat Latos to Cincinnati after the 2011 season. Although he hurt his reputation by getting busted for PED use after his rookie year in 2012, Grandal had quietly been a budding three-true-outcomes star during parts of his past three seasons. In 216 career games before the trade, Grandal hit .245/.350/.412 in one of the game’s best pitchers’ parks. He also became known as a catcher that pitchers didn’t want to throw to.

In Los Angeles, Grandal has blossomed into one of the game’s best catchers. He’s hitting .282/.401/.526, leading all major league catchers (minimum 200 plate appearances) in OPS. He was named to his first All-Star team. He was already considered an expert pitch-framer behind the plate — one of the main reasons the new sabermetric brain trust in L.A. wanted him — but he’s also shed his reputation as a poor pitch caller. He’s a star before he’s even arbitration eligible, and he won’t be a free agent until after the 2018 season.

Kemp's .250 batting average at the midpoint can't be helping this trade's assessment much. And though I miss the Bison, I think we came out on the top end on this one.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

SoSG Sax Is So, So Tired

SoSG Sax here. I thought I could make it the whole way through the incomplete Post-Game Threads this Thursday. I've run out of time. Dammit. Sorry about this.

It was still pretty damn fun, though.

I need a nap.

Post-Game 62 Thread: Greinke Notches Loss #2

PADRES 2, DODGERS 1

Zack Greinke took the loss, only his second all year, ceding a first-inning infield single to Matt Kemp, and then a Justin Upton HR in the eighth. Yasmani Grandal had a solo shot of his own, his seventh this year, in the third inning. But despite Greinke's complete-game greatness (8.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB and 7 Ks), the Upton HR did us in tonight, so we've split the first two games with the Padres. Let's get them in the rubber match tomorrow; I think we'll get the win!

Post-Game 60 Thread: Snakes Dispatched

DODGERS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 6

This one was the hardest of the three victories, but the Dodgers still notched a win again off of Howie Kendrick, who had a walkoff single to right to score Yasiel Puig. Puig was the big bat earlier in the game, with a three-run shot in the second, his third HR of the season. (Yasmani Grandal also added a solo HR.)

When the Diamondbacks scored a run in both the seventh and ninth innings, it looked shaky there. But leave it to Kendrick, who has been nails for us all year, to secure the sweep in dramatic fashion.

Kenley Jansen blew the save but gets the win. Funny how that works.

Post-Game 59 Thread: Comeback Kid, Howie Kendrick

DODGERS 3, D'BACKS 1

Howie Kendrick turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 victory, first by hitting a home run in the sixth to tie the game, and then singling in two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the game. Kendrick went 2-for-4 in the cleanup spot, and his energy in this comeback victory was palpable. We go for the sweep tomorrow; I'm betting we get it.

photo: Rob Tringali / Getty Images North America

Post-Game 55 Thread: Not In The Cards, Again

CARDINALS 2, DODGERS 1

Carlos Martinez couldn't even find the plate in the early innings, walking in a Dodger run in the bottom of the second. And yet, we still have trouble beating St. Louis, who took two runs back from Brett Anderson in the top of the eighth inning to win the game.

Anderson's line wasn't bad: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB and 5 Ks. Unfortunately, no Dodger bat came to save him tonight, so we drop our lead down to a mere half-game in the NL West (and are now 1-4 against St. Louis this year).

art taken from here

Post-Game 51 Thread: Postponed Game Comes Back To Bite Us

ROCKIES 6, DODGERS 3

Sure, Joc Pederson hit a 477-foot, two-run HR in the thin air of Coors Field (mlb.com video embedded in the USA Today.com link). The Dodgers still lost this game, the first in a doubleheader that was the postponed game from May 9 (rainout). The Dodgers didn't field much of a team this time, what with Juan Nicasio starting (two innings, one ER), followed by a parade of non-descript names that didn't faze Colorado much.

On our side, Adrian Gonzalez also had a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-3 in the fifth inning. The Rockies came back in the bottom of that frame and scored two to re-take the lead, which they never relinquished.

Man, I hope we can get a victory in the nightcap. I am betting that we prevail.

Post-Game 47 Thread: Losing Again To The Better Teams

CARDINALS 3, DODGERS 0

Fresh off of two series victories against San Diego and Atlanta, the Dodgers headed off to St. Louis, home of our playoff dispatcher for the pst two seasons...and got shut out. The loss drops us out of first pace for the first time since April 15, which is super-depressing. And it seems like if it's the Giants or Cardinals, we don't seem to have an answer.

Mike Bolsinger got his first loss of the season against John Lackey, who had seven shutout innings. I don't like St. Louis much these days, so I'm not giving this PGT an accompanying picture.

However, they're probably hacking my computer right now just to enact revenge.

Post-Game 46 Thread: Wood Holds Up Pretty Well

BRAVES 3, DODGERS 2

Zack Greinke on the mound should mean an automatic win for the Dodgers. But if the opponent can just hold out beyond Greinke (who had 97 pitches after six innings), then it's up to the bullpen...which didn't work for us this evening. Adam Liberatore allowed both runs, but the runners were put on by Chris Hatcher, who took the loss and dropped to 1-4. For the Braves, Alex Wood came back fro illness to go seven innings of one-run ball.

Alex Guerrero added a HR in the bottom of the ninth, and A.J. Ellis was on first with two out and only a run down--but Alberto "Collapso" Collaspo hit a pop fly to center to end the game.

Alberto Collaspo does not have a label yet on SoSG. I am going to keep it that way.

Post-Game 45 Thread: Kershaw Fans 10

DODGERS 8, BRAVES 0

Clayton Kershaw may be a pedestrian 3-3, but he is still far from mortal, as he showed many a Brave today. Freddie Freeman alone had 4 Ks (one to J.P. Howell in the eighth), but Jace Freeman and Jonny Gomes each contributed two Ks. The Braves totaled 11 Ks in the game.

The Dodgers opened up a six-spot in the fourth inning, putting this game away:

  • Joc Pederson single
  • Jimmy Rollins forceout
  • Howie Kendrick double, scoring Rollins
  • Adrian Gonzalez IBB
  • Justin Turner single, scoring Kendrick
  • Andre Ethier double, scoring Gonzalez and Turner
  • Alex Guerrero walk
  • A.J. Ellis double, scoring Ethier but nailing Guerrero at the plate
  • Clayton Kershaw single, scoring Ellis
  • Pederson ground out

Not a bad outing! And good to see Kershaw, who went seven strong innings, get the win.

Post-Game 42 Thread: Bolsinger Bolts Down A Victory

DODGERS 2, PADRES 0

Mike Bolsinger had his best outing of the year today: eight innings of one-hit ball, scattering 8 Ks across the Padres. Joc Pederson had a HR in the bottom of the first to take the lead, and Justin Turner added a RBI double when he scored bobblehead star Adrian Gonzalez in the sixth.

Matt Kemp went 0-for-3 and is batting .250. I don't see this getting any better between now and the All-Star break. It's sad, because I like Kemp; but man, I'm glad we've got Pederson.

Post-Game 41 Thread: Thank Pad, It's Friday

DODGERS 2, PADRES 1

After a depressing shutout series in SF, the Dodgers returned home and brought...well, only Joc Pederson brought a bat, but it was enough. His HR in the bottom of the right (Pederson's 11th!) gave the Dodgers the margin of victory.

Andre Ethier doubled in Justin Turner in the bottom of the fifth, and Zack Greinke had yet another great outing: 7.2 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks. Greinke's ERA is 1.48.

Post-Game 40 Thread: Bad To Worse

GIANTS 4, DODGERS 0

Again, a shutout; again, Ashley Madison getting the best of Clayton Kershaw; again, another inexplicable loss to the Giants. The lead shrinks to one game. There's no highlights to mention. This is miserable.

Post-Game 39 Thread: This Is Not Good

GIANTS 4, DODGERS 0

We're having an awful lot of trouble beating the Giants this year, and a second-consecutive shutout at Big Phone Park doesn't help any. Brett Anderson may have had 7 Ks, but we lost to frickin' Timmeh Lincecum for pete's sake. Surely we can score ONE run off these losers, right?

Post-Game 37 Thread: Split Rox

DODGERS 1, ROCKIES 0

We split the series with Colorado today with the bare minumum offense mathematically allowed in a 1-0 victory. Yasmani Grandal got the lone RBI, and it wasn't even a clean one: deflection off of 2B Rafael Ynoa to score Adrian Gonzalez in the fourth innning. But Ynoa something? I'll take it.

Mike Bolsinger gets his second win with a 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB and 6 K performance, lowering his ERA to 1.04.

Post-Game 36 Thread: Rockies Avalanche

ROCKIES 7, DODGERS 1

The Rockies opened up a can of whup-ass on the Dodgers' bullpen today, after Zack Greinke left the game after the sixth inning, having given up only one run. Sergio Santos had two innings of 5 ER ball; Paco Rodriguez gave Colorado another run in the ninth for bad measure, and that was all she wrote.

Whoop de frickin' doo for Justin Turner's ninth-inning HBP, scoring Kike Hernandez and giving the Dodgers a single run. At least this four-game series gives us one more crack at the Rockies tomorrow. (I'm betting that we win and split the series.)

photo: wenatchee.org

Post-Game 35 Thread: Kershaw, With Just Enough

DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 4

Clayton Kershaw has had a rough go at it this year, but his 6.2 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB and 10 K performance was just enough to get the Dodgers the victory. Jimmy Rollins (solo HR and RBI single), Justin Turner (2-RBI double), Andre Ethier (RBI single), and Adrian Gonzalez (run-scoring GIDP) all contributed to give LA a 6-0 lead.

But things got dicey in the top of the seventh, when Kershaw left the game with a 6-1 lead and two on. Paco Rodriguez gave up a single and bases-clearing double (to Daniel Descalso), before Yimi Garcia came in and got Wilin Rosario to K for the third out. Much harder than it has to be, fellas!

Post-Game 34 Thread: Yimi, Yimi, Yimi; Oh Man, A Rox Highlight

ROCKIES 5, DODGERS 4

The Dodgers had a 4-2 lead heading into the ninth inning, and Chris Hatcher no longer had the ball. Ballgame, right?

Except Yimi Garcia let the game go: leadoff walk to Nick Hundley, strikeout of DJ LeMahieu, single to Drew Stubbs, strikeout to Charlie Blackmon...and then a back-breaking three-run HR to Carlos Gonzalez to lose the game.

This erased the good work of Adrian Gonzalez (RBI double in the first, scoring two), Yasmani Grandal (RBI single in the fifth), and even starter Brett Anderson, who had a RBI double of his own. Anderson went 5.1 IP and gvae up 2 ER (1 BB, 8 Ks). But the end result was another 5-4 loss. When is Kenley Jansen back, again?

Post-Game 33 Thread: Score One For The Fish

Technically I think this one is scored for the human, if my recollection of this movie is correct

MARLINS 5, DODGERS 4

Former Dodger Dee Gordon, hitless in his first two games of this first series against his old team, opened up with a 4-for-5 day to lead the Marlins to the win. Good to see Dee doing so well, given he has been banished to Miami.

The Dodgers were coasting to a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth, off of home runs by Kike Hernandez and Joc Pederson. However the Marlins scored three in the top of the seventh off of Chris Hatcher to gain the lead. Okay, we can give them one game.

Post-Game 32 Thread: Haren Red, Fish Fried

DODGERS 11, MARLINS 1

Former Dodger Dan Haren was red all right, after giving up 11 hits and 6 ER to the Dodgers across 4.1 innings. But the Marlins' Brad Hand followed Haren and added five more earned runs, stoking an 11-run, 21-hit parade by Los Angeles, who cruised to victory over the middle innings.

Andre Ethier went 5-for-5 with 3 RBI. Howie Kendrick went 4-for-5 with an RBI. Scott Van Slyke and Alex Guerrero each had three hits. This allowed Mike Bolsinger to cruise to his first win (1-0) despite lasting only 5.2 innings. We have secured this series, no matter what happens tomorrow.

Former Dodger Dee Gordon went 0-for-4.

Headshots

Just some random "headshots" from dedicated Top Deck Dodger fans.

LA Logo Tattoo
Pins!

Post-Game 29 Thread: Anderson, In Short

DODGERS 2, ROCKIES 1

Brett Anderson got the win, and Mother Nature gets the save with its rain, shortening the game to 5.5 innings. The Dodgers' two runs in the first inning, on an Adrian Gonzalez double to right and a Yasmani Grandal sacrifice fly, held up, but it wasn't easy: the Rockies stranded runners in each of their five innings, saving the Dodgers from major damage thanks to two double plays.

Oh sure, we can point to the Dodgers leaving the bases loaded with one out in the top of the sixth, an inning that was never finished due to rain. But I'll take the victory (and the four-game lead in the NL West) instead.

photo: Kambouris / WireImage

Post-Game 27 Thread: Pederson, At The Wall And Over The Wall (2x)

BREWERS 6, DODGERS 3

Look, the Dodgers were knocked out early in this one, what with a five-spot hung on spot starter Joe Wieland in the bottom of the first inning. Our highlight, however, came in the sixth inning when Joc Pederson made a catch in the deepest part of Miller Park, a catch so good that Charley Steiner totally mis-called it (as heard on the video above).

Of course, I kid; Steiner mis-calls every deep fly ball, right?! But I have a feeling this is a sign of great center-field catches to come from this rookie Pederson (who also homered in the fifth and eighth innings). So instead of focusing on the rubber-match loss, I'll focus instead on the positive.

Post-Game 26 Thread: Greinke Guts Garza

DODGERS 8, BREWERS 2

And tonight makes ten straight wins for Zack Greinke (dating back to August last year), who beat Matt Garza this evening with another great performance. Greinke is now 5-0 on the season after his 7.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, and 7 Ks performance. Everyone in the Dodgers' starting lineup had a hit except for the usual suspects (Joc Pederson, 0-for-3; Andre Ethier, 0-for-5; and Alex Guerrero, 0-for-3).

Justin Turner was the big producer for the Dodgers, with a three-run HR in the sixth and a RBI single in the ninth inning.

Post-Game 25 Thread: Kershaw Loses Late

BREWERS 4, DODGERS 3

Craig Counsell wasn't a Dodger for very long (50 games in 1999, across a 1624-game career), and I seem to recall him being more of a pain to us than anything else (Counsell actually hit better against NL West rival Colorado, among other teams, than versus the Dodgers). But his managerial debut tonight for Milwaukee worked the magic again, finally cracking Clayton Kershaw in the eighth inning (Kershaw: 7.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB and 8 Ks), with Chris Hatcher blowing the save and taking the loss in a three-run eighth. To be fair, two of those three late runs happened with Kershaw pitching. But I'm still mad enough not to post a picture for this PGT.

Post-Game 23 Thread: Pederson Again (And Turner Too)

Keep smiling, Joc

DODGERS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4

The Dodgers maintain their three-game lead in the west with another win over Arizona. Pederson homered for the fourth straight game, making him the first Dodgers rookie since Bill Sudakis (1969) to do so. And despite being down 2-0, 3-2, and 4-3, the Dodgers kept on coming, tying the game in the seventh with the aforementioned Pederson HR, and then going ahead on a Howie Kendrick single later that inning. Jimmy Rollins added an insurance run in the eighth for the final tally.

Justin Turner had a home run earlier in the game, and scored three runs to lead the Dodgers.

Post-Game 22 Thread: Joc Goes MmmBop Slam

DODGERS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 0

Joc Pederson, pranked by his teammmates in the second inning by having had his walk-up music changed to Hansen's "MmmBop", cracked a smile at the beginning of his at bat. And then Pederson launched his fifth HR of the year and his first career grand slam. (If the mlb.com videos aren't embedding correctly, click the above link please.)

Justin Turner had already homered in that frame, so the Dodgers were ahead 5-0 after two (beating up Rubby De La Rosa). Andre Ethier added a HR in the sixth, and Scott Van Slyke had a two-RBI single in the eighth. The Dodgers open up a three-game lead in the NL West, their largest all year. And Pederson is off to a flying, pop-music-filled start.

Post-Game 21 Thread: Vogelsong Pounded

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

DODGERS 7, GIANTS 3

And there we go! Dodgers win the rubber match with the Giants, as Ryan Vogelsong got pounded today by the big Dodger bats. Joc Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez, and Andre Ethier all had home runs for the Dodgers in the first (the latter, a two-run shot scoring Scott Van Slyke). Jimmy Rollins added a HR in the third to make it 5-1, and the Dodgers had a 7-3 lead by the fourth inning, so no more scoring (by either team) was even necessary).

Zack Greinke (of course) takes the win to grow to 4-0. This guy is unstoppable--unlike Vogelsong.

photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images

Post-Game 20 Thread: Depleted Dodgers Can't Support Kershaw

GIANTS 2, DODGERS 1

After a standoff in their first duel this season, Ashley Madison Bumgarner got just enough run support from two Oyster Pubes RBI to beat Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers, 2-1. With Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig both out of the lineup due to injuries, the Dodgers were only able to muster one run on a Howie Kendrick fielders choice in the fourth. I sure hope Kershaw gets better run support this season; we will see.

Even with the loss, the Dodgers remain in first by a game.

Post-Game 18 Thread: The Sun Will Come Out, To Morrow

PADRES 3, DODGERS 1

The Dodgers couldn't quite get a sweep in San Diego, as Brandon Morrow overcame the Padres' camouflage uniforms to grab the victory for San Diego. Alexi Amarista and Derek Norris both had solo home runs off of Scott Baker, who might not be long for the Dodgers' starting rotation, despite a quality start (7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB and 6 Ks). Alex Guerrero had another home run, the only run for the Dodgers, in the fifth.

Post-Game 16 Thread: Greinke Gets Us Back In W Column

Just another Greinke victory, ho hum

DODGERS 3, PADRES 0

Coming off a sweep in San Francisco, Zack Greinke took the hill in San Diego and shut the Padres down over seven strong innings. A second-inning single from Juan Uribe (his first of the year; we can't lose this guy from our team!) was enough to have the Dodgers coast to victory. But Carl Crawford added a solo HR in the seventh (hope Crawford can deliver for us this year!), and Joc Pederson added a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning (hope Pederson can realize his potential this year!).

The only concern for us Dodger fans is Yasiel Puig, HBP on the knee in the second inning, and then reaggravating his hamstring injury in the sixth (when he exited). Hold your breath! Division lead is at 0.5 games, as Colorado also won (and leapt into second place, a half-game ahead of San Diego).

photo: AP

Post-Game 15 Thread: Maxwell's Silver Hammer

GIANTS 3, DODGERS 2 (10)

Dammit, it did happen again. One night after a walkoff 3-2 defeat to the Giants, the Dodgers suffered yet another walkoff 3-2 defeat to the Giants, this time at the hand of Justin Maxwell (whose .300 BA is bound to normalize back to his career ~.225 average...just give it time).

Alex Guerrero and Adrian Gonzalez both had RBIs off of Ryan Vogelsong, and Mike Bolsinger had a decent 5.2 IP start (1 ER). But Pedro Baez blew his first save of the year, and Juan Nicasio gift-wrapped the victory for the Giants in extras. The loss leaves us tied with the Padres for the NL West lead.

Post-Game 14 Thread: Panik Anxiety

GIANTS 3, DODGERS 2

Joe Panik didn't do much in tonight's game, having taken a walk for Joaquin Arias in the seventh inning after the Dodgers had tied the game in the beginning of that frame (a two-run Alex Guerrero HR, scoring A.J. Ellis, chasing Madison Bumgarner). But with Chris Hatcher loading two runners on the basepaths in the bottom of the ninth (one on a HBP), and J.P. Howell allowing a one-out single to load the bases, all Panik had to do was hit a sacrifice fly to win the game.

There was controversy, in that the single Brandon Belt hit off of Howell would have scored Gregor Blanco from second, had Giants third base coach Roberto Kelly not physically stopped Blanco (thereby interfering with the runner, causing an automatic out). The homer umpiring crew gave it to the Giants, however, and we lost 3-2 in a walkoff. Surely this can't happen again, right?