Spring Training Game 1 Thread: Mar. 3 vs. White Sox, 12p

This is a photo of Elian Herrera as a Dodger. It was taken yesterday. I'm as surprised as you are.
Clayton Kershaw (for an inning or two, anyway) vs. John Danks

(shakes off rust)

A baseball game? Featuring real Dodgers? Like, I've even heard of this Clayton Kershaw guy. He was on last year's team, I think.

Another guy from last year's team who won't be making an appearance anytime soon is Brett Anderson. The real Bringer of Rain (Sorry, Josh Donaldson!) will miss 3-5 months due to back surgery. Some people have thrown in towel on the entire season because of this news. Yes, seriously. I mean, we're not exactly the positive bunch over here (Hi, Karina!), but I think we'll muddle through this somehow.

If you have SportsNet LA (I do now, but I'm at work and forgot to DVR the game!), I think this game is not one of the ones that were slashed from the schedule. So, enjoy!

Photo: Jon SooHoo

Hot Stove Thread

UPDATE: Welcome back, Brett Anderson!

Brett Anderson accepted the Dodgers' qualifying offer.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 13, 2015

Let's get this party started:

LHP Sean Newcomb, #Angels' top prospect, included in Simmons deal. RHP Chris Ellis and SS Erick Aybar also go to Braves. 1st: @Joelsherman1

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) November 12, 2015

NLDS Game 3 Thread: Oct. 12 @ Mets, 5:30p

Brett Anderson (10-9, 3.69; 180.1 IP (prev. career high 175.1 in 2009))
vs.
Matt Harvey (13.8, 2.71; 189.1 IP (prev. career high 178.1 in 2013)).

Dodgers. Mets. NLDS. 2006. Remember that? 2006 was a shitty playoffs year. First there was Joe Beimel. Joe Fuckin' Beimel. That's right, we're not afraid to bring him up because he's a symbol of the Dodgers' haunted playoff history against the Mets — a history that can get purged today.

Then there was the infamous home-plate double play, starring Paul "Fuck the Dodgers" Lo Duca. That's right, same year! The Dodgers' most humiliating playoff moment of the aughts still stings nine years later.

But...things are different now. The Dodgers, playing like zombies until, oh, the seventh inning of Game 2, are now the most hated team in the playoffs.

Chase Utley, true Dodger

— Sons of Steve Garvey (@sosgsosg) October 11, 2015

And in the center of the storm is one Chase Utley, until recently firmly in the Jim Thome school of "Legends for Other Teams with a Few Meaningless Innings as a Dodger."

If the Dodgers can step on the Mets' throat today, reveling in the boos and inevitable HBPs, and come away with a huge Game 3 win, we'll look back at the "Chase Utley moment" that started it all. Go make history, Boys in Blue!

2015 NLDS Starters: Kershaw, Greinke, Anderson

As reported yesterday, the Dodgers finally announced their 2015 NLDS starters through Game 3.

The first three pitching matchups for the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets are set.

The Dodgers announced their rotation Tuesday, hours after a team workout and days after the Mets announced theirs. There were no surprises. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom will pitch Game 1, Zack Greinke and Noah Syndergaard will pitch Saturday's Game 2, and Brett Anderson and Matt Harvey will pitch Monday's Game 3. The first two games are at Dodger Stadium before the series shifts to New York's Citi Field for Games 3 and, potentially, 4. [...]

The Dodgers have not committed to a Game 4 starter, but the debate is between using Kershaw on three days' rest and going with young lefty Alex Wood. Under a new front office led by president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers are probably less likely to use Kershaw on short rest than the previous regime of Ned Colletti. Kershaw has done it twice in the postseason, with the Dodgers winning one of those starts, in Game 3 of the NLDS versus the Atlanta Braves, and losing the other in Game 4 of the 2014 NLDS versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Kershaw worked 12 innings combined in those starts with a 2.25 ERA.

"I think it at least presents the option," Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said Tuesday. "At the appropriate time, I'm sure we'll have more conversations about that."

Game 159 Thread: Oct. 1 @ Giants, 12:45p

What? It's a working lunch!
Brett Anderson (9-9, 3.75) vs. Tim Hudson (8-8, 4.30)

Meaningless lunch baseball! Well, mostly meaningless. There is the little matter of chasing the Mets for home field advantage. (Mets lost today, so Dodgers sit a half-game back. They need to pass them outright though, because the Mets hold the tiebreaker.) There's also the matter of pride, as surely the Dodgers don't want to finish the season with only one win in San Francisco.

But what a win, huh?

Post-Game 149 Thread: Stuck On Seven

DIAMONDBACKS 8, DODGERS 4

All 7, and we'll watch them fall? Certainly not if the Dodgers' offense keeps up its listless ways. And, like a bad earworm, we can't get rid of 7 (as it stands in the way of love!).

The St. Louis Cheaters have already clinched, but the Dodgers aren't knocking the Giants out of it, maintaining their magic number at a healthy seven games with 13 to play. I'm not comfortable, certainly not with Chase Utley having to play third base to fill in for an injured Justin Turner (Utley was 0-for-3); Adrian Gonzalez experiencing stiffness in his back (2-for-4 with a HR), Howie Kendrick just getting back (1-for-5, with 5 LOB), and Joc Pederson and Yasmani Grandal both looking lost again.

Brett Anderson lasted only 4.2 IP, giving up 10 H and 5 ER with only 1 K (and 1 BB). Juan Nicasio remains useless with 0.1 IP and 2 ER yielded. And if Jim Johnson could get a 1-2-3 inning one of these days, it would be a welcome surprise.

But it comes back to the offense--come on guys, it's the Snakes. What are you waiting for?

Game 149 Thread: Sept. 21 vs. DBacks, 7p

Brett Anderson (9-8, 3.35) vs. Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 2.95)

Sadly, the Dodgers saw no significant shrinkage in their Magic Number yesterday, as they lost and the Giants won. Thankfully, that team with a pool is in town, so that should help things in the shrinkage department.

Game 144 Thread: Sept 15 vs. Rockies, 7p

Brett Anderson (9-8. 3.36) vs. Chris Rusin (5-8, 5.14).

Shoot, it's right before the time when this GameThread (TM) is supposed to post, and I don't see any of us Sons Rusin to post some comments. So I'll hastily remind us that our magic number is 12 with 19 for us to play and 18 for the Giants. 37 more outcomes, and we just have to make sure 12 of those go our way.

Our opposing starter is 9-17 lifetime with a 5+ ERA, and that includes three years with the Cubs (so it's not just a Coors Field-inflated number). But if hitting coach Mark McGwire is going to tell our boys any advice tonight, he should remind them that it's only them standing solitary in the batting box, with no one else with them for support. Or, put another way, wise men say, "lonely" fools Rusin.

That totally did not work.

Post-Game 136 Thread: 19, Again?

DODGERS 5, PADRES 1

Wait a minute, didn't I just post that the Dodgers, with a win today, were supposed to be up +20 games over .500? So what gives with the PGT picture?

We did indeed win (thanks in part to a great Padres gift, an error thrown by Padres pitcher Nick Vincent down the right field line, scoring three runs for the Dodgers), and we did indeed go up +20 games (78-58 to be exact). But our 7.5-game lead now means our magic number to win the division is 19.

So Brett Anderson's 5.2 IP (4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB and 4 Ks) did help the cause (even if Anderson did have to exit the game early with a leg cramp). "Real" RBI came from Andre Ethier (first-inning sacrifice fly) and A.J. Ellis (run-scoring single in the sixth). And the Dodgers head north (but not all the way north), to Anaheim, for three games starting tomorrow.

+20! Magic number at 19! Let's keep it going.

Game 136 Thread: Sept. 6 @ Padres, 1p

Brett Anderson (8-8, 3.43) vs. Andrew Cashner (5-13, 4.15).

7 1/2 games up with 27 games to play seems pretty good (it's the biggest division lead in the National League, and the second-biggest lead in the majors, only to KC). But +19 over .500, our season-high, still could sound a lot better if we could stretch it to +20 (and hopefully gain a game in the process). The Giants' playoff odds are down to 2.6%, but even stranger than that is that the Dodgers (whose playoff odds are 98.6%) have the best World Series winning percentage odds, across the majors (at 17.7%). Am I getting too excited here? Brett Anderson can either bring me back to reality, or show us how rosy the end of the season might be.

Post-Game 130 Thread: Dodgers Finally Grab Spotlight Off Broadway

DODGERS 5, GIANTS 4 (14)

The Dodgers won a game. Against the Giants.

Adrian Gonzalez had a walk-off single with the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the 14th, lacing the first pitch from Yusmiero Petit to left field to score A.J. Ellis. Ellis, Jimmy Rollins, and Chase Utley had all reached in succession off of Mike Broadway, who ended up with the game's worst line (0.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 Ks). With the bases loaded, even third base coach Ron Roenicke couldn't hold up the Dodgers from scoring--and really, it was about time, after this five-and-a-half hour ulcer-creating tightrope walk.

What was good--actually, what was amazing--was that the Dodgers' bullpen actually did pretty okay. Nine innings of work, post-Brett Anderson's five-inning, 3 ER start, and Pedro Baez, Luis Avilan, Kenley Jansen, Jim Johnson (two innings!), and Chris Hatcher (three innings!) all put in great scoreless efforts. Juan Nicasio blew the save in the eighth inning, allowing the Giants to score off a Marlon Byrd double.

But after that, the scoring completely shut down for both teams, though it seemed like it was the Dodgers who were regularly narrowly escaping jams AND blowing chances to win. Losing would have been dispiriting, particularly to Justin Turner (who doubled in a run in the first inning off of Jake Peavy), Adrian Gonzalez (whose two-run HR tied the game at 3), and Andre Ethier (who put the Dodgers ahead 4-3 until Nicasio's effort).

But six innings of scoreless bullpen work from our boys? Pretty damn impressive, and certainly needed. Dodgers' lead grows to 4.5 games; Giants' losing streak extends to three games; and though we won't have any arms for the rest of this series, Zack Greinke (Tuesday) and Clayton Kershaw (who PH unsuccessfully tonight; Wednesday) might be able to go beyond five innings?! Either way, we'll take it.

Post-Game 125 Thread: Dodgers Again Limp To Victory Over Reds, Roenicke

Unconfirmed picture of Chase Utley's glove, after Ron Roenicke got to it before the game

DODGERS 7, REDS 4

Thanks to an outpouring of three home runs, scoring five runs in the fourth inning (Scott Van Slyke solo shot; A.J. Ellis and Yasiel Puig with two-run HRs each) off of Reds starter David Holmberg, the Dodgers jumped out to a 6-0 lead and looked ready to have Dodger starter Brett Anderson coast to victory.

Not so fast, said Dodgers third base coach Ron Roenicke. Unsubstantiated claims of his tampering with Chase Utley's glove (see above) led to Utley's two-out fielding error in the seventh, ushering in a three-run frame by the Reds; and in the ninth inning, Utley's porous glove again allowed former Dodger Skip Schumaker to reach base with two out--extending an inning which allowed the tying run to the plate, creating nervousness for most Dodger fans about the potential culmination of Roenicke's machinations.

Good prevailed over evil, however. Kenley Jansen eventually got the save, but it was another white-knuckle experience watching the bullpen (who really need to be more bare-knuckle, than white-knuckle, if we're to advance in the postseason).

Adrian Gonzalez added an RBI double in the ninth to score Puig. Anderson went 6.2 IP and gave up five hits and three earned runs, to earn the victory.

Cubs are up 2-0 2-1 in the first inning in SF. Let's go, Cubbies!

Game 125 Thread: August 26 @ Reds, 4p

The allegedly evil Ron Roenicke, about to shoot Emperor-style lightning bolts at umpire Mark Ripperger

Brett Anderson (7-8, 3.52) vs. [David Holmberg (1-3, 6.57), as well as vs. Ron Roenicke (1-5)].

When last these two pitchers squared off, 11 days ago, the Dodgers romped to victory and Holmberg lasted only two measley innings, giving up seven earned runs in the process. We've won rematch #1 this series, but don't think this one will go down so easy. This time, we've got Ron Roenicke on our coaching staff. Who knows what will happen.

Game 117 Thread: Aug. 15 vs. Reds, 6p

Brett Anderson (6-7, 3.43) vs. David Holmberg (1-1, 3.05).

While some Sons will likely be occupied elsewise, the rest of us schlubs may as well go ahead and watch today's game at the Stadium. I mean, it may not be the sweet sweet nectar of beer, but today's pitching matchup should hearken nostalgic memories of converted paper products and services, including new technologies and innovative products that work effortlessly with the evolving graphics industry.

On second thought, hold up there Dusty, I'm on my way to Beers Fest!

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!

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 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 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 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 90 Thread: A-Gon, The All-Star

Picture from Friday's night's game, but Counsell's expression is timeless

DODGERS 4, BREWERS 3

With Kyle Lohse and his 6.17 ERA having made it through five innings and wielding a 3-2 lead, Craig "The Rat" Counsell opted to go to his bullpen (I was listening to the radio broadcast at the time, and I think Monday said that Milwaukee's bullpen ERA rated pretty well, though their team ERA ranks 12th in the NL, which obviously isn't very good). However, the third reliever in the Brewers' parade, Will Smith, wasn't gettin' jiggy with it, and replaced Jeremy Jeffress (who had left Howie Kendrick on second with none out) only to give up the go-ahead HR to Adrian Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is now taking his offensive firepower to the All-Star Game, along with Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Yasmani Grandal, and Joc Pederson. This is the first time that the Dodgers have had five All-Stars since 1995 (a year which was so crazy, even Jose Offerman was an All-Star). Smith, on the other hand, is not advancing to the All-Star Game.

A.J. Ellis also had a home run, his second. I have to record this for the record books. He is batting .217, which is still ahead of Jimmy Rollins (1-for-4 today, batting .213). Justin Turner also had a two-out base-hit RBI in the first.

Brett Anderson went a respectable 7.0 IP (8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB and 3 Ks), but Pedro Baez got the win and Kenley Jansen took his 18th save.

Let's all take a little break now, so Counsell can stop grimacing.