Friday, April 08, 2022

Opening Series Thread (Games 1-3): April 8-10 @ Rockies

Fri Apr 8 1p: Buehler vs. Freeland
Sat Apr 9 5p: Gonsolin vs. Marquez
Sun Apr 10 12n: Urias vs. Senzatela

Opening Day 2022! And with all the talk of the Dodgers' vaunted offense (with many starters batting below Mendoza levels this spring, but hey, it's spring training), some have forgotten that we have a lot of holes in our starting pitching. So Tony Gonsolin gets the start in game #2 in batter-friendly Coors Field, followed by Julio Urias who ended up his 2022 Spring Training season getting shellacked by the Angels. At least we have Walker Buehler, picked by ESPN to win the 2022 NL Cy Young Award, leading off the series on Opening Day.

Let's do this!

158 comments:

karen said...

OPENING DAY BABY!!! I'm so excited!

Steve Sax said...

Let’s go! Other Sons are having trouble logging on but I made it through the firewall

QuadSevens said...

Got my Kershaw-Champion shirt on and I'm ready to go! No work is getting done today!

QuadSevens said...

Carnage at the Masters all morning, and hopefully the Dodgers creating some carnage in the afternoon.

QuadSevens said...

EK on the call today. What happened to his glorious hair? Yikes!

karen said...

@Q....I always thought EK's hair looked like a lions mane! I guess dude is just getting old.

QuadSevens said...

GAME 1

Betts RF
Freeman 1B
T. Turner SS
J. Turner DH
Muncy 3B
Smith C
Taylor LF
Bellinger CF
Lux 2B
Buehler P

spank said...

Bellinger batting second too?

Steve Sax said...

Not a good start for the Dodgers. Betts Ks but reaches on a fielding error. Freeman Ks. Trea lines to left on the first pitch. JT grounds to third.

Steve Sax said...

0-0 through 0.5

karen said...

@SoSG Nation....I am so happy to have baseball back and to get to share it with all of you! LETS MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!

Steve Sax said...

One-out walk to Kris Bryant.

Steve Sax said...

@karen: welcome back and great to see you!

Unfortunately Dusty and Nomo can't get into our mothership site :(

Steve Sax said...

Walker is hurling 96 mph.

Steve Sax said...

Buehler Ks Rogers for the second out. Bryant still on first.

karen said...

Free JJ's again this season!

Steve Sax said...

This year: Dodger pitchers K 10 opponents --> we get a free Jumbo Jack

Steve Sax said...

CJ Cron flies to Taylor in left for the third out.

0-0 through 1

Steve Sax said...

Max with a leadoff single.

Will Smith caught looking. Sigh.

spank said...

Another strikeout by Dodgers batters

spank said...

Sup fools

karen said...

Be positive Spank! Do I need to give you a talking to??

spank said...

2-0 Rox. Feels like a spring training game

spank said...

@ Karen this is as positive as I can get. Its all downhill now

QuadSevens said...

Lux draws a walk. Back to the top of the order.

QuadSevens said...

Freeman gets hit in the back of the arm. Bet he has an arm pad soon. Two on for Trea.

QuadSevens said...

Trea down swinging. JT's chance to bring in a run.

QuadSevens said...

He lines out to short. No runs for us.

QuadSevens said...

Smith single followed by a CT3 double! Ducks on the pond with one out!

QuadSevens said...

Bellinger has seen two pitches and didn't hit either past the pitchers mound.

karen said...

My dad told me a story years ago about opening day at Wrigley. This was back when the Cubbies were still haunted by The Curse. So it's opening day and there's a fan in the stands holding up sign that said "Wait till next year". Great story.

karen said...

Lux ties it up!!!

QuadSevens said...

Lux with the 2 out 2 RBI single! Tie game.

spank said...

Gavin two out two run single. Tied

karen said...

DODGERS TAKE THE LEAD on Mookie's double!!!!

spank said...

Nice mookie

QuadSevens said...

Lux needs to take some sliding lessons from Trea. That was hilariously bad!

karen said...

@Q....I held my breath on that slide. We're lucky he didn't get hurt.

spank said...

Dodgers baseball. 4-2

Steve Sax said...

Okay I'm back. I was on a conference call but WOW what a half-inning, led by bottom-of-the-order Gavin Lux who tied the game when Cody B fouled out to the catcher. Rockies starter Freeland is bounced, Dodgers bat around in the half-inning, and it's 5-2 LA through 3.5 innings!

Steve Sax said...

5-2 LA through four full.

QuadSevens said...

Tiger with back to back birdies as well.

Steve Sax said...

Smith earns a one-out walk, and then CT3 has a single to center. Here’s Bellinger 😬

Steve Sax said...

Bellinger takes the first pitch, for the first time today (0-for-2 so far)

Steve Sax said...

And, Belli hacks at pitch #2. 1-1 count

Steve Sax said...

Belli flies to center.

This does not look good for this guy.

QuadSevens said...

Belli needs to tap into that "Dad Power" soon.

QuadSevens said...

RANCHO ARDIENDO!!

Steve Sax said...

Lux walks. He’s been on all three times this game.

RANCHO ARDIENDO!

Steve Sax said...

dammit, quad beat me 🙂

Steve Sax said...

@Quad 2.54p: Belli needs to tap into anything. He looks awful again.

Steve Sax said...

Ashton Godeau facing 🐄🔑🦇🦇🦇🦇

Steve Sax said...

Mookie hits one to deep center but it stays in. Darn it.

5-2 LA through 4.5

karen said...

Beautiful story about Iglesius and his father.

Steve Sax said...

Bryant smokes a double over Bellinger. Still two out.

Steve Sax said...

Error on Trea Turner. Bryant to third.

Steve Sax said...

To be fair, Seager probably would have made an error there, too 😜

Steve Sax said...

@karen: I missed the story. What did they say?

Steve Sax said...

Buehler gets Cron swinging for the third out. Wow.

karen said...

@Sax....The kid got a hit and started balling when he got to first base. His coach and Freddie were both comforting him. Joe just said that the story has been passed to him from someone in the Rox org. The kid is Cuban. He was a star player in high school and his dad and his buddy's dad put together a plan that took years to get to. The two boys and the father's were in Canada when his dad woke him up in the night and said this is it. They drove for 8 hours to get to US and the kid just lost his dad about a month ago and that was where all of his emotion was coming from. Gotta say it got me a little teary.

Steve Sax said...

A five-pitch seventh inning for Treinen.

5-2 LA through 7 full.

Steve Sax said...

@karen: wow. that is a great story. I heard some of it but didn't get the full gist, so thank you so much for relaying it!

Steve Sax said...

Dodgers go 1-2-3 in top 8.

spank said...

Yeah. Cool story. I saw he was crying but I got sidetracked and didn't hear what was behind the tears.

Steve Sax said...

Hudson with a key K on McMahon. Nice. Two out, Cron sitting at second, LA 5-2 B8

Steve Sax said...

Justin Turner flies to left. He's now 0-for-5 today with 5 LOB.

QuadSevens said...

Heading to the bottom of the ninth still up 5-2.

Steve Sax said...

Muncy Ks for the third out.

Dodgers lead 5-2, going to B9, facing the Rox' 7-8-9

Steve Sax said...

So here's the Dodgers debut of Craig Kimbrel.

Let's go!

karen said...

Craig Kimbrel has always reminded me of a spider the way he gets his signs.

Steve Sax said...

One-out double to center for Diaz.

Steve Sax said...

12 pitches in, Kimbrel does not look sharp.

Steve Sax said...

Kimbrel gets Iglesias to chase a breaking ball in the dirt. Two out.

Steve Sax said...

Kimbrel just got a VERY generous call for strike 2 on Blackmon

Steve Sax said...

And, the ump gives Blackmon one back for ball 1.

Steve Sax said...

Blackmon with a two-out double to right. Diaz scores. 5-3 LA.

Man, this reminds me of the Kenley days all over again.

QuadSevens said...

Kimbrel looking a little shaky. He's going to fit right in.

Steve Sax said...

Rookie Rogers on deck, and Kimbrel is coming right at Kris Bryant, the tying run.

karen said...

OPENING DAY WIN BABY!!!!

Steve Sax said...

Kimbrel Ks Bryant!

DODGERS WIN!!!

QuadSevens said...

Kimbrel gets Bryant swinging! WIN!

Steve Sax said...

WIN!!!

Steve Sax said...

Three-pitch K there for Kimbrel when we needed it.

Steve Sax said...

5p game tomorrow, kids. See you here!

spank said...

Noice

karen said...

GAME 2
Betts RF
Freeman 1B
T Turner SS
Muncy 2B
J Turner 3B
Rios DH
Bellinger CF
Lux LF
Barnes C
Gonsolin P

karen said...

HAPPY CATURDAY!!!

karen said...

7 pitch first. Boys down 1-2-3.

karen said...

Rox score on single to right. Mookie made a good throw but the ball got away from Barnesy. 1-0 Rox.

karen said...

After 1 Rox get a run on 3 hits.

I am not entirely sold on Catman. I hope I'm wrong.

Steve Sax said...

Gonsolin at 4,794 pitches with two outs here in the second.

karen said...

After 2 Rox up 1-0

Steve Sax said...

Tony gets Bryant to K for the third out of the second.

1-0 Rox through 2

Steve Sax said...

I’ve got a dinner so keep this thread up, karen! With you in spirit.

karen said...

So glad you're here Sax! I was getting lonely.

So it's not just me and concerns over Catman?

Steve Sax said...

Btw, Mookie’s throw was dead on for Barnes there in the first. Can’t believe Barnes dropped that one. Oh well

Steve Sax said...

Oh I’m totally with you on Catman, karen! Catman-don’t

karen said...

Barnes makes up for dropping Mookie's throw. 1-1.

Steve Sax said...

Barnes atones with a solo HR!

Steve Sax said...

@karen we are on the same wavelength tonight!!!

karen said...

@Sax...You are on fire tonight with Catman's pitch count and Catman-don't. lol

karen said...

Catman at 62 pitches after three. Still tied 1-1.

karen said...

Catman done. Tyler Anderson in for the fourth.

karen said...

Anderson has a weird pitching motion. He does something a little hinky with his right leg just before his release.

karen said...

Anderson sits the Rox down in 12 pitches. 1-1 after 4.

karen said...

Joe and EK talking about this being the anniversary of EK's first AB. He said Tommy called him back before he got up and told him "I've been throwing you inside fastballs all spring and I have a better fastball than this guy". Sure enough the inside fastball comes and Karros hit it for a homer. Tommy totally made that call.

karen said...

2-1 Rox after 6.

karen said...

Boys at first and third with 1 out in 8th and Mookie coming up. 2-1 Rox.......

karen said...

The crowd at Coors is chanting 'Let's go Dodgers'.

Bases loaded on a Mookie Betts dunker into left. Still 1 out.....

karen said...

Wait a minute...Boys tie it on Mookie's dunker. 2-2. Crowd now chanting 'Freddie, Freddie'.

karen said...

Freddie hits it to the wall in center. He just missed that one. 2-2, 2 out top of 8.

karen said...

Bases loaded on Trea's slow roller to SS. Bud Black going to the bullpen. Mighty Max Muncy will be coming up with 2 out and score tied.

karen said...

Carlos Estevez in to pitch to Muncy. Max pops out. Going to B8 tied at 2-2.

karen said...

Treinen in to pitch B8.

karen said...

Connor Joe takes Treinen out of the freaking park. 3-2 Rox, 2 out in B8.

karen said...

Treinen ends up K-ing the side but the damage is done. 3-2 Rox going to the ninth.

karen said...

Belli up representing the last chance for our Boys.

karen said...

Bard Ks the side. We lose this bitch 3-2.

karen said...

GAME 3
Betts RF
Freeman 1B
T Turner SS
Muncy DH
J Turner 3B
Smith C
Bellinger CF
Taylor LF
Lux 2B
Urias P

karen said...

Only about 50 degrees today in Denver

Ned Colletti officially retires

Possible rain in Minnesota

karen said...

I love Eric Karros, always have but jeez I am missing Orel. I just really like the way he and Joe bounce off of each other.

karen said...

Mookie gets a hit off first pitch to start the game.

karen said...

.....and Freddie hits the next pitch into a DP.

karen said...

McMahon hits a wind blown fly to CT3 in left and it got away from him, 2 runs score. 2-0 Rox B1.

karen said...

Another base hit and another run. 3-0 Rox. Maybe we're going to get a typical Coors game today.

karen said...

Julio makes 29 pitches in the first. 3-0 Rox going to two.

karen said...

JT drops in a wind blown hit to shallow right. Nobody out, Fresh Prince up.

karen said...

Smith hits a hard one to short and JT is doubled off first. Sigh....

karen said...

WooHoo!! My boy Belli hits a slow roller to third for his first hit of the year! It'll look like a line drive in the scorebox.

karen said...

Crom hits a bomb to left. 5-0 Rox B3.

karen said...

Doc comes out to get Julio after he gives up another run with 2 still on. 6-0 Rox.

karen said...

Mitch White comes in and cleans up for Julio. 6-0 Rox after 3.

Steve Sax said...

Dude what the hell is going on here

Urias continuing where he left off in spring training: looking like crap

Steve Sax said...

This is embarrassing

karen said...

WooHoo Again!! Cody Love hits a solid single to right to load the bases with no out. T4.

karen said...

Yay Steve you're here!!

Steve Sax said...

Bellinger with his second hit!

RANCHO ARDIENDO with none out

Steve Sax said...

CT sac at least gets us on the board. 6-1 COL

karen said...

Gavin Lux has been a bright spot so far.

Steve Sax said...

Lux with a rocket comebacker deflection single. Senzatela is chased. Bases juiced again for the Dodgers, Chacin entering.

Steve Sax said...

How do we have nine hits and only one run?!

Betts up with one out and the bases loaded. 3-2 count from Jhoulys Chacin.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit. Betts Ks. Two out.

Steve Sax said...

OK Freddie, this is your moment.

karen said...

I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED KRIS BRYANT!!!

Steve Sax said...

Freeman delivers!

Steve Sax said...

Freddie Freeman reaches on fielding error by Kris Bryant in left. Bases clear.

Steve Sax said...

Freeman on second.

Charley Steiner: "The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind." HA!

Steve Sax said...

Credit Lux for some great baserunning, scoring from first.

Steve Sax said...

@karen: hey thanks for holding down the fort last night. I went for steak but I was watching the game out of the corner of my eye. Couldn't believe we didn't score more in that one inning, based on Austin Barnes' crappy baserunning.

6-4 LA through 3.5

karen said...

@Sax...You got here at the perfect time, it's been all Rox til now and as we know at Coors it's never over until it's over.

Steve Sax said...

One-out sac from Brendan Rogers scores Connor Joe, who lead off the inning with a HBP.

7-4 COL, B4

Steve Sax said...

Mitch White gets Cron to K swinging.

7-4 COL through four.

Somehow, with both starters chased already, this game seems winnable. But we need to string hits together (and run the bases correctly this time).

karen said...

Great play!! 2 on nobody out.

karen said...

Where are the 52mph gusts when we need them??

karen said...

Well crap. 9-4 Rox 5 of them unearned.

karen said...

Well, another loss for our Boys. :(

Steve Sax said...

That's horrible.

Steve Sax said...

PGT up.