Thursday, April 22, 2021

Series Thread (Games 19-22): April 22-25 vs. Padres

Mookie Magic last week, in San Diego

Thu 4.22 7p: Walker Buehler vs. Weathers
Fri 4.23 7p: Clayton Kershaw vs. Darvish
Sat 4.24 6p: Trevor Bauer vs. Snell
Sun 4.25 4p: Dustin May vs. Musgrove

The Dodgers just took two of three in San Diego, got rewarded with a split and vacation in Seattle, and now come back to play host to the pesky Padres. Get ready for Hype Fest Round 2 of 6 (with the last two series against San Diego both played at Dodger Stadium). And just as Dodger fans turned out in numbers for each of the three Petco Park games; will San Diego fans travel north for this four-game set (if so, might I suggest the Pacific Surfliner, which is a convenient alternative to getting stuck on the 5 in traffic)?

Before jumping on the "rivalry" hype train, though, please take a quick look at the standings. San Diego (10-10) isn't even second in the NL West; the Giants (11-7) are ahead of them. So everybody, take a breath.

One of the neat things about this series is how this shapes up from a pitching matchup perspective: all three of the same starter pitcher matchups we saw last week in San Diego, plus an extra game (against a guy who had the Padres franchise's first no-hitter, earlier this year). And this time, the Dodgers are at home, where we haven't lost a game all year.

One of the scary things about this series, though, is how poorly we are batting going into this. With both Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts (potentially) out, that leaves the burden to guys like Edwin Rios (.129 BA), Will Smith (.195), A.J. Pollock (.220), Chris Taylor (.222), and Austin Barnes (.222). Not a lot of confidence there, with everyone slumping besides Justin Turner, Max Muncy, Corey Seager, and this year's bolt from the blue, Zach McKinstry. Time to get serious, guys! Hope you used your Wednesday day off to hit the batting cage!

photo: K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune

79 comments:

Steve Sax said...

GAME 1

Betts CF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Smith C
Muncy 1B
Pollock LF
Neuse 2B
Raley RF
Buehler P

Steve Sax said...

Dodgers have not won a game with Neuse in the lineup.

Steve Sax said...

Can someone besides Walker get a goddamn hit

Steve Sax said...

1-0 Padres through four

Steve Sax said...

Buehler halfway to jumbo Jack time

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, turned on the game just in time to see Grisham go yard. 2-0 SD

Steve Sax said...

AJ and Neuse go back to back. Tie game!

Steve Sax said...

Edwin Rios has been positively mortal this year

Steve Sax said...

That was amazing hitting from JT. Threaded it right between the shortstop and Manny.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit. Second and third and none out, and we can’t score.

Steve Sax said...

Neuse is awful. I don’t care if this was his first career HR. You can’t GIDP there, Sheldon.

QuadSevens said...

Time to walk it off! Need that magic going into the bottom of the ninth.

QuadSevens said...

What’s going on with every ump’s strike zone this year? Super wide strikes.

QuadSevens said...

Damn. 3 strikeouts to end the game.

Steve Sax said...

Yeah that was a bad effort.

Steve Sax said...

Dodgers have still not won a game with Neuse in the lineup.

14-2 without Neuse
0-3 with Neuse

QuadSevens said...

Need Lux, CT3, or McKinstry to get well and replace Neuse before the weekend is over.

karen said...

@Steve Sax...Remember I told you about Tatis Sr. hitting two grand slams in the same inning against the Dodgers? They were talking about it on Lead Off LA. The pitcher was Chan Ho Park and he gave up both slams.

karen said...

Zach McKinstry is on the DL. I think it was an oblique muscle. Seems like everyday there is someone new going the DL.

Steve Sax said...

Lead off double for 🐄🔑

Steve Sax said...

@karen: I saw it! April 23, 1999

Steve Sax said...

Muncy RBI

karen said...

Mighty Max singles in Mookie to start the game.

Steve Sax said...

@karen: I feel like I should be on the IL

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw gives it right back. 1-1

Steve Sax said...

Btw Edwin Rios is frickin horrible these days. Come on, man

karen said...

@Sax... Too many Jumbo Jacks?

Steve Sax said...

Why can’t either of our catchers hit

Steve Sax said...

Tatis leaves the yard. 2-1 SD

Steve Sax said...

@karen: believe it ornot, I’ve only had one free jumbo Jack. I deserve more though! I’m working out.

Steve Sax said...

Rios, swing the goddamn bat! Three straight called strikes. What the fuck

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, 3-1!

Steve Sax said...

Kershaw a lead off single? He’s the only one who can hit

karen said...

Damn Pham

Steve Sax said...

What the hell is happening here. Betts flies out and Kershaw is doubled off first.

Steve Sax said...

Now Rios can’t catch the damn ball, either. Should have had that foul ball, Edwin

Luckily Kershaw gets the K

karen said...

I thought he should have had it too. Someone yelled something about giving up on the play when he didn't catch it.

karen said...

How did Corey blow that play??

Steve Sax said...

We are lucky to only be down 3-1. But the way we are batting, that may be all the Padres need

Steve Sax said...

The horrible thing is, we aren’t even swinging the bat half the time.

Turner called strike 3 for the second time this game.

Steve Sax said...

Rios called strikeout. One of three Ks in the inning

If Darvish gets 10 Ks, jumbo jacks cost 2x tomorrow

Steve Sax said...

Damn, Machado just killed us with that play.

Neuse sucks btw.

Steve Sax said...

3-1 SD through 7

Steve Sax said...

We

Look

Awful

Steve Sax said...

And now Knebel leaves with an injury. Looks bad.

Everything falling apart here

Steve Sax said...

Now down 5-1, the Padres adding two in the ninth, and tatis is up with two RISP

Steve Sax said...

3Ks for Rios. Take a seat dude

QuadSevens said...

GAME 3

What a surprise, we’re losing again. 2-0 in the third.

QuadSevens said...

Three 2 out hits in a row gets us on the board! 2-1.

QuadSevens said...

Single and a walk to start the fourth. We got something cooking here!

Steve Sax said...

Ok let’s fricking go

Steve Sax said...

Dodgers: 0-4 when Neuse plays. 14-2 when he doesn’t

QuadSevens said...

Full swing bunt from Neuse that Snell shouldn’t have picked up ties the game.

Steve Sax said...

Neuse scores an RBI with a weak infield single! Not sure why Snell picked that ball up there but we will take it

Steve Sax said...

Neuse picked off. Way to go, Sheldon

Steve Sax said...

Sheldon Neuse is awful

Steve Sax said...

2-2 through 4. Come on, Dodgers. Snell can’t find the zone and we still can’t manage to score big runs

Steve Sax said...

My god, Tatis is killing us

QuadSevens said...

Tatis with another bomb. And he did Bauer’s little swagger after crossing the plate. Time to drill him in the thigh.

Steve Sax said...

CT3 with a first pitch single that Machado can’t handle!

First and second, one out.

That was our first successful PH all year

Steve Sax said...

Way to go Beaty

Steve Sax said...

Come on Mookie.

Steve Sax said...

🐄🔑 with the bases-loaded walk! 3-3

QuadSevens said...

Snell doesn’t get through six and is no longer in line for the win. Looks familiar.

Steve Sax said...

SEAGER! 5-3 LA

QuadSevens said...

Seager comes through!

QuadSevens said...

Love that Dieter is playing DMX tonight.

Steve Sax said...

KJ with the K, coming back from a 3-1 count.

Steve Sax said...

Wow that was a huge save from KJ

Steve Sax said...

WIN

Steve Sax said...

GAME 4

Bases loaded none out in the second. I don’t think we are gonna score.

Steve Sax said...

I’m wrong! Bloop single for Barnes to RF!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Ugh, ARod. Just...ugh. How has ESPN actually DOWNGRADED from Joe Morgan!?!?!?

Cliff Beefpile said...

Raley really is awkward; he runs like a mastiff puppy.

Cliff Beefpile said...

CT3-run homerun!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Graterol vs. Machado matchup in the top of the 8th. Get your popcorn ready!

Cliff Beefpile said...

DJ Peters really looked overwhelmed yesterday, hopefully he can catch up to one tonight.

Steve Sax said...

Nope. And neither can Rios.

This was a horrible series.

QuadSevens said...

From up 7-1 to losing 8-7 in extras. We really shit the bed this time.