Friday, August 06, 2021

Series Thread (Games 110-112): August 6-8 vs. Angels

Friday: Price vs. P Sandoval
Saturday: Urias vs. Barria
Sunday: Buehler vs. Detmers

Just over 50 games left in the season, and the Dodgers are four games back with only a 62% chance to win the division. Sure, new recruit Max Scherzer delivered in his debut; Corey Seager is finally back from his IL stint and went 2-for-4 on Wednesday (with Trea Turner, still out for COVID-19 reasons, waiting in the wings); and Mookie Betts is also back and looking spectacular both offensively and defensively. Will this be enough to get the Dodgers over that four-game hump? (And do we even care about winning the division?)

There's a school of thought that, if the Dodgers can stumble to the second-best record in baseball while suffering all of these injuries this year, that this stocked lineup will perform when it comes back. No worries.

And there's another, more realist perspective, that the Dodgers are who their record says we are: four games back of a divisional rival that shouldn't even be there. Case in point: Cody Bellinger, who in only 50 games this year is batting .168 and a 54 OPS+ (over 100 points worse than his MVP performance year in 2019).

Maybe we're just not that good. I still think we need to win the division, given the capriciousness of the wild-card play-in format. The Giants still have a slightly higher strength of schedule for here on out, contributing toward the Dodgers' projected wins of 97.7 (about a game and a half ahead of the Giants' projected finish).

We'll see.

56 comments:

karen said...

GAME 1

Mookie Betts RF
Justin Turner 3B
Max Muncy 2B
Albert Pujols 1B
Corey Seager SS
Chris Taylor CF
AJ Pollock LF
Austin Barnes C
David Price LHP

karen said...

RIP JR Richard. I loved watching you pitch even though you were the opposing pitcher. Vin used to describe your pitching style saying "Jr Richard pitches like his hair is on fire".

karen said...

I think JHair just called the Angels the Anals. He wouldn't do that would he??

Trea Turner at the Ravine and may be activated for tonight's game.

karen said...

Dodger fans gave Max Scherzer a standing O after his first start and he went out to tip his cap then afterwards said that's the first time he's ever gotten that. Are you kidding? What is wrong with Nat fans?

BREAKING NEWS!! Trea Turner just activated. He's not starting but will be available for PH tonight and will start tomorrow.

Dodgers announce that now Kersh will not pitch until sometime in September. He's running out of time to pitch in the Post Season.

karen said...

No Trout and no Ohtani.

karen said...

Price sits the Angels down on 9 pitches to start the game.

karen said...

Mookie looks like he's limping after going from first to third on JT's double.

karen said...

Mookie scores on Tio Alberto's ground out. 1-0 Good Guys

karen said...

D Price is looking pretty good tonight. He has set down the first 9 batters and LA leads 1-0 mid 3.

karen said...

MOOKIE IS BACK!! He singles in Pollock from second with 2 out. 2-0 Blue with JT up.

karen said...

Iglesias hits a solo off Price. 2-1 Blue T5.

karen said...

Snakes up on the friars 8-5 in fifth.

karen said...

Jack Mayfield hits a HR to tie the game 2-2 in T6.

karen said...

Frisco loses to the Brew Crew.

karen said...

What the hell? Is this Marsh guy Charlie Blackmon's long lost twin??

karen said...

All tied up going to the ninth. I'm starting to get a little edgy here.

karen said...

KJ in to pitch top of ninth. As if I wasn't nervous enough.

karen said...

KJ gets 10th K for the night so all the meat eaters gets a Jumbo Jack!!

karen said...

KJ gets a 1-2-3 ninth. Looks like Trea Turner will be making his Dodgers debut in bottom of ninth.

karen said...

Trea Turner pops up to Anals catcher. Belli coming up next.

karen said...

Shit! We're going to extras.

karen said...

Dodgers are 1 and 11 in extras. The last time they were this bad was in 1908.

Anals score one in T10. 3-2 Anaheim.

karen said...

That crazy looking Marsh man is up. I really think he might be the love child of Blackmon and Charlie Manson. Dude is scary looking.

karen said...

Max tries to make a circus catch and the ball comes out of his glove. 4-2 Anals.

karen said...

Ohtani pinch running is thrown out at the plate. 2 out one in scoring position.

karen said...

Graterol gets the third out. Going to B10 down by 2.

karen said...

CT3 representing the winning run on first with 2 out.

karen said...

Well, we didn't really think we would win did we? Final score 4-3 and extras record now 1 and 12 for our boys.

karen said...

GAME 2

Trea Turner 2B
Max Muncy 1B
Mookie Betts RF
Corey Seager SS
Justin Turner 3B
Will Smith C
Chris Taylor LF
Cody Bellinger CF
Julio Urias LHP

karen said...

Julio walks Justin Upton to start the game.

karen said...

Muncy doubles to score Trea from first base. This team with any kind of consistency from offense and pitching and what the hell, defense too, just may put the fear of god in their opponents.

karen said...

MVP singles in Muncy for a 2-0 lead.

karen said...

The Fresh Prince K's to end the first. 2-0 Blue.

karen said...

Someone hopefully will join me tonight so we can dis this Marsh guy. It would be terrifying to run into him in a dark alley. (I'm looking at you Sax, Q7, and DB).

karen said...

Iglasius singles in Fletcher. 2-1 LA T3. And now Iglasius comes in to score. Close at the plate but no cigars. 2-2 still T3.

karen said...

Muncy drops a pop up. Anals ahead 3-2.

karen said...

I know I keep harping on this Marsh guy but he could make Charlie Blackmon look like a Mormon missionary.

karen said...

frisco down 2-1 in eighth in Milwaukee.

karen said...

CT3 hits one towards the line in right, Adell runs over to catch it and falls into the stands. It's ruled a ground rule double but Anals get out of it.

karen said...

TT gets his first hit as a Dodger then proceeds to steal second. This kid is going to be fun to watch.

karen said...

frisco scores 3 in the 10th and after a 2 run home run by a Brewer Willie Adames (remember him from Game 6?) hits a solo to tie the game. Brewers still up in 10th.

karen said...

My man Cody homers to tie this fucker up.

karen said...

In Milwaukee frisco wins 9-6 in eleven.

karen said...

CT3 BABY!!! He doubles in MVP and the Fresh Prince. Boys lead 5-3 in B8.

karen said...

Going to the ninth leading 5-3.

karen said...

Kenley in to shut this bitch down.

karen said...

KJ shuts it down with 9 pitches and TT makes a great catch to help him out.

karen said...

GAME 3

Trea Turner 2B
Max Muncy 1B
AJ Pollock LF
Justin Turner 3B
Corey Seager SS
Chris Taylor CF
Will Smith C
Cody Bellinger RF
Walker Buehler RHP


karen said...

Brewers up on frisco 3-2 in sixth. Friars game time is same as ours.

karen said...

2-0 Blue going to second.

karen said...

Looks like JT is leaving the game after the first inning. Looks like Muncy will cover third and Pujols will go to first. I didn't see JT get hurt so we'll have to wait and see.

karen said...

WOW. TT just scored from first on a soft hit to center. 3-0 LA.

karen said...

And now Tio Alberto launches a 2 run homer. 5-0 Blue in B2. The Dodger dugout abrupted on that homer. Looks like our boys are starting to feel better about things.

karen said...

Dodgers announce JT left the game because of 'left groin discomfort'.

karen said...

Pollock doubles in McKinney. 6-1 Dodgers B6.

karen said...

FINAL SCORE---8-2 Dodgers.