Post-Game 143 Thread: Big Bopper Uribe Gets Dodgers To Magic Eight

DODGERS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 1

Juan Uribe, in triplicate! Uribe hit three HR in his first three ABs to help power the Dodgers out of our four-game losing streak slump, and on to victory. You read that right: three HR from Uribe (the first time ever that a Dodgers 3B had three HR); don't just take my word for it, trust the Gadsden (Alabama) Times! Uribe finished 4-for-4 with 3 runs and 4 RBI. Incredible.

Uribe takes a curtain call after HR #3

The Dodgers actually had four HR in the first three frames, off the bat of Andre Ethier, Uribe, Adrian Gonzalez (two-run HR), and Uribe again. Add another HR from Uribe, and a HR from Hanley Ramirez, and the Dodgers were romping: six HR and eight runs scored.

Ricky Nolasco went 6.2 IP with 3 H and 1 ER, 1 BB and 6 Ks. J.P. Howell, Carlos Marmol, and Kenley Jansen closed out the Snakes. Dodgers' magic number shrinks to eight. As I see it, YES!

UPDATE: As SoSG Nomo called in the GT, Hello Kitty is indeed good luck.

photos: Uribe from SoSG HQ; Hello Kitty from here

Post-Game 139 Thread: Edinson Does Not Shine

ROCKIES 7, DODGERS 5

Despite fielding a lineup without Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Mark Ellis, or Andre Ethier, the Dodgers actually made this kinda close. But five runs plus a whole bunch of other squandered opportunities were not enough to offset a couple of pitchers' lousy showings tonight.

Edinson Volquez made his debut as a Dodger starter and lasted only 4.0 IP, yielding 6 H and 4 ER (0 BB, 4 Ks) over 75 pitches. He did not look comfortable; dare I say, blown out? Nor did Carlos Marmol, who reverted to Cubbian form by giving up 3 H and 3 R (2 ER) in an inning of "work" (Marmol also added a balk for good measure). Brandon League had a shaky fifth but escaped. All three appearances should be good data points as we consider postseason rosters.

All the position player starters listed above (save Mark Ellis) ended up getting in the game, and none got a hit (Puig, Crawford, and A-Gon all Kd). Michael Young with 3-for-5 with 2 RBI. Charlie Culberson did not play left field tonight, so we didn't have a chance to make up three runs on an error. And so, the Dodgers' magic number remains at 12. Lights out, kids: off-day tomorrow!

image swiped from here

Buster Olney Likes Colletti's Dumpster Diving

Image likely not of Ned Colletti

Whatever Ned Colletti has been selling lately, it appears ESPN.com's Buster Olney has been buying (link insider only):

The postseason often comes down to bullpen and bench, as some managers will argue, so in that context, think about what Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has done in recent weeks:

1. Added Carlos Marmol, a plus arm with a wipeout slider, in a salary dump by the Cubs. Look, Cubs fans may never forgive him for all of his blown saves, but while with the Dodgers, he’s thrived pitching in low-leverage spots. He hasn’t allowed a run in his past 11 outings for L.A., allowing just five hits in 11 innings. He costs the Dodgers $500,000 for this year. (In that deal, the Dodgers also acquired $200,000 in international-signing cap space.)

2. Signed Brian Wilson, who threw in the 93 mph range in his first three appearances. The Dodgers are paying him $1 million.

3. Signed Edinson Volquez. For $82,000, the Dodgers have somebody to compete with Chris Capuano for the No. 5 spot in the rotation who also gives them some fall-back in case they're hit by a series of injuries.

4. Traded for Michael Young. The Dodgers really didn’t have anybody to step in at first base in the event that Adrian Gonzalez went down. Now they add a proven veteran hitter who can not only play first base, if needed, but could also play third or the two middle-infield positions, or pinch-hit. He’ll cost the Dodgers $810,000.

Juan Uribe figures to hold on to the everyday job at third base, but Young’s presence will continue to push him -- and throughout the roster, there will be a lot of internal competition. Once Matt Kemp comes back, the four outfielders -- Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier and Kemp -- will be battling for three spots. Nick Punto, Skip Schumaker, Jerry Hairston and Young are all available if Uribe struggles or if Mark Ellis gets hurt.

Are you looking for experienced depth? Well, Young has played in the World Series twice, Schumaker has won two championship rings, Hairston was part of the Yankees’ championship team in 2009, Punto has played in the postseason three times and Wilson got the final out of the 2010 World Series.

The Dodgers can do a lot of stuff because they have a big payroll, but a lot of these moves were done on the cheap -- Marmol, Young, Wilson and Volquez cost L.A. about $2.4 million altogether.

Without a doubt, we have incredible versatility in the discarded players we have to use. Will any of them step up to be a factor for us in the playoffs (amidst reduced roster sizes)? We'll see.

photo swiped from here

Post-Game 132 Thread: Is The Magic Starting To Fade?

CUBS 3, DODGERS 2

Is it just me, or does it seem like the Dodgers' run has lost a bit of its magic? After dropping the weekend series to the Red Sox, the Dodgers took care of business Monday but limped through tonight's game with some notable offensive absences: Adrian Gonzalez, 0-for-4 tonight and 0-for-9 in the series; Carl Crawford: 0-for-4 tonight and 1-for-8 in the series; Mark Ellis, 0-for-3 tonight and 0-for-6 in the series. The Dodgers went 2-for-7 with RISP tonight and left nine on base.

Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw lasted only (*for him, that is) six innings and gave up two runs, one of them earned, raising his ERA to 1.72. Ronald Belisario started to look like his early-season shaky self again, yielding another run to the Cubs in the seventh after two leadoff singles and a HBP put him in a hole early. Then Carlos Marmol came in for the ninth and was weak, made worse by Nick Punto's fielding error, but saved from damage by Paco Rodriguez.

Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe each had RBI singles. Excuse me, but that's not enough to get me celebrating, especially not when there could have been more--Skip Schumaker GIDPd with two on in the eighth to end the inning--and this is against the Cubs for pete's sake. We can do better. Let's get the series win tomorrow.

Post-Game 120 Thread: Prolonging The Inevitable

Sweep NY!
DODGERS 5, METS 4 (12)

Words. They fail me. Here, have a few capslock freakouts instead.

PUIG CANNON ARM!
DRE TWO-RUN GAME-TYING OPPOSITE FIELD HOME RUN!!
MARMOL SCORELESS RELIEF!!!
PUIG GROUNDER DOUBLE!!!!
AGON WALK-OFF!!!!!
SSKBHIURHOIUCSEHOUNCRHBVSHCBNOVIRV!!!!!!

THIS.

FUCKING.

TEAM.

Post-Game 108 Thread: Early Win

DODGERS 6, CUBS 2

The Dodgers tied their franchise record with their 12th-straight road victory, and because the game was so early, I wasn't there to see it. Neither was Mark Ellis or Don Mattingly, both of whom were ejected in the fourth inning arguing a called strike three (to Mellis, not Mattingly).

But that two-run fourth inning, in which the Dodgers stretched their lead to 5-1 (thanks to a Hyun-Jin Ryu single, a Nick Punto infield single, an Adrian Gonzalez RBI single, a Yasiel Puig HBP, and a Scott Van Slyke sacrifice fly), was the dagger.

Ryu only ended up going 5.1 IP and giving up 11 H but only 2 ER, along with 0 BB and 6 Ks. J.P. Howell completed the sixth inning and Brandon League, Ronald Belisario, and even (gasp!) Carlos Marmol followed with scoreless innings each.

Tomorrow's game is @ 1p again. I'll be ready this time.

Post-Game 101 Thread: Aced Out

REDS 5, DODGERS 2

Ace-off? More like aced out.

The Dodgers became the last team to lose its first game since the All-Star Break tonight, falling to the Reds' Mat Latos, who went 7.2 IP and held the Dodgers to 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB and 4 Ks. Meanwhile, Zack Greinke didn't have his best stuff tonight, yielding a solo HR to Xavier Paul in the first and a two-run shot to Jay Bruce in the sixth. (So maybe there is something to that pre-game headline: Latos seemed like an ace; Greinke was a little off.)

Throw in a shaky top of the ninth from Carlos Marmol, and you've got the Dodgers' first loss in seven games.

Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez both had two hits tonight; Andre Ethier and AJ Ellis each went 0-for-4 in the 5- and 6-holes, which didn't help. No worries, we've got these guys for three more games on this series. Let's rest up and get 'em.

Dominguez Ills; Marmol Allayed?

As reported by the Dodgers yesterday (and witnessed by fans watching the train wreck three-run sixth inning last night, the Dodgers have placed Jose Dominguez on the 15-day DL to bring up disgraced Cub closer Carlos Marmol from his post in the Dodgers' minor-league circuit:

TORONTO -- The Dodgers called up veteran right-handed reliever Carlos Marmol from Double-A Chattanooga on Tuesday and placed Jose Dominguez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quad muscle after initially announcing they would option the rookie reliever to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Marmol was acquired on July 2 from the Cubs, along with financial considerations that included $209,700 in international signing space. In return, the Cubs received reliever Matt Guerrier, who, like Marmol, had been designated for assignment.

Marmol waived his no-trade clause to accept the deal.

"I like the team, it wins every day," Marmol said. "With all the players here, it's a good team. How can I say no? Better than Chicago."

He was tested immediately on Tuesday, relieving starter Chris Capuano in the fifth and allowing three runs on four hits, including a Jose Reyes homer, in 1 2/3 innings in the Dodgers' 10-9 come-from-behind win over the Blue Jays.

"You can tell he gets going fast and he gets going everywhere," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "He gave up a home run but got three outs. A little good, a little bad."

Actually, that was more of the bad part than the good part, Donnie. But after seeing Dominguez come up a little gimpy in Monday's game, it seems like as good a time as any to see if Marmol has any stuff worth keeping. (So far, it doesn't look like much.)

Post-Game 99 Thread: Ain't Nothin' Gonna Break My Stride

DODGERS 10, BLUE JAYS 9

On a day when the SoSG Game Thread was earmarked with this, it's only fitting to use a worse song for the PGT. But here we were, with the Dodgers down 8-3 entering the seventh inning, having notched a record of 1-35 when trailing after six frames (prior to this game).

But buoyed by a three-run seventh inning (bases loaded walk by Andre Ethier, and a two-RBI single from Mark Ellis), and an eighth inning capped by a three-run homer by Adrian Gonzalez (not to mention a solo shot by Ethier), the Dodgers rolled to a 10-8 lead.

Kenley Jansen had a slightly shaky ninth, yielding one run, but keeping the Dodgers from losing the game in regulation. We should talk about the ineffectiveness of recent call-up Carlos Marmol, who went 1.2 IP with 3 ER and was by all accounts a disaster in his Dodger debut. But hey, we're 5-0 on this road trip, with a chance to make the roadtrip undefeated tomorrow. So we're not going to break our stride here.

Oh, no. We've got to keep on moving.

Buster Olney Predicts Dodgers Will Be Busy At The Trade Deadline

With the July 31 deadline less than a month away, here's how Buster Olney predicts the trade market will light up, for key NL West teams (link insider only):

The perception in some corners around baseball is that the Chicago Cubs fared well in their trade of Scott Feldman to the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday. "They turned a one-year rental into pieces that can help [going forward]," said an AL evaluator. "They signed him knowing that they could get something for him if he bounced back, and it paid off."

No one doubts that Jake Arrieta is talented, and as the Orioles know from their experience with Chris Davis, sometimes it just takes longer for some players to blossom than others. Maybe that will happen with Arrieta now that he is with the Cubs, a team that continues to collect as much volume as possible, in the same way the Astros have.

There are more deals to come from the Cubs in the days ahead, with Kevin Gregg and Matt Garza replacing Feldman on their front burner. When David DeJesus returns from the disabled list later this month, the Cubs probably will assess the interest for him and Nate Schierholtz and trade one, but not both.

Beyond the Cubs, here is how the trade market is shaping up for the rest of the teams in the National League.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Aaron Hill just came back, and they remain hopeful that Adam Eaton will return sometime soon to the everyday lineup. Their trade-market focus is pitching: They have been among the teams talking about Gregg for bullpen help, and about Yovani Gallardo and others for their rotation.

The perception among rival officials is that they are open to moving left-hander Tyler Skaggs in a significant deal, but not Archie Bradley.

J.J. Putz has not looked good since returning from the disabled list.

Colorado Rockies

They have hung in the Ricky Nolasco conversations, which may be resolved as soon as today, and rival executives say Colorado has been seeking relief help as well. No matter what they do, the Rockies’ moves figure to be measured: They won’t take on much money, and they won’t give up top prospects.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Even though a strong argument could be made that the first 14 months of the Guggenheim ownership might represent the most inefficient period of player personnel decisions in baseball history -- from the already outdated contract of Andre Ethier to the extraordinary overpayment in the trade with the Red Sox -- the Dodgers remain aggressive, prepared to make the biggest, boldest moves.

They’ll get another starting pitcher, whether it’s Nolasco later today or Cliff Lee if he becomes available, and if Carlos Marmol doesn’t work out, they’ll jump at somebody else. They’ll look for an infielder, perhaps someone like Michael Young. Yasiel Puig has helped to give them hope.

And Now That Carlos Marmol Is Officially Ours...

Again, from Cubby Blue.

(cries)

Dodgers, Cubs Swap Broken Toys

The deal is done, and officially announced by the Dodgers:

#Dodgers today acquired right-handed reliever Carlos Marmol and cash considerations from the @Cubs in exchange for Matt Guerrier.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 2, 2013

Plus this nifty tidbit:

The #Dodgers also acquired international signing bonus slot No. 92 valued at $209,700 from the @Cubs as part of the deal.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 2, 2013

Bill Shaikin spins the deal thusly:

#Dodgers just turned Guerrier into $200,000 extra to spend on international players. That's a win even if Marmol never pitches in LA.

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) July 2, 2013

If fixable, Carlos Marmol at his best is better than Matt Guerrier at his best, so...win?

More Marmol Cartoons

From Cubby Blue.com, some more cartoons about the guy Ned Colletti is trying to sign:

And Just When You Thought Things Were Going Well: Carlos Marmol To Dodgers?

ESPN.com is reporting that Ned Colletti, he who covets washed up pitchers*, is close to a deal sending SOMEONE to the Cubs for Carlos Marmol:

The Chicago Cubs are closing in on a trade that would send Carlos Marmol to the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to two sources.

Marmol was designated for assignment on June 25, giving the Cubs a 10-day period to trade him or give him his unconditional release. He has a limited no-trade clause with six teams he could block, including the Dodgers.

It's unknown which player or players the Dodgers would send to Chicago.

Marmol is owed more than $5 million on his $9.8 million for this season, and another source said the Dodgers will absorb some of the money owed. He's ending a three-year, $21 million contract with the Cubs, who are the only team he's played for in the majors.

Marmol can become a free agent after this season.

This trade had better be for Matt Guerrier, dammit. I've watched Marmol blow waaaaaay too many Chicago Cubs games to think he would be a good rental for us for the remainder of the year.

How bad is Marmol? Let's look back at an article Phil Rogers of the Chiacgo Tribune wrote this May, asking for a mercy killing:

Marmol has made himself a candidate for similar treatment, although his $9.8-million salary could buy him more time in the hopes that another team will want him. That hardly seems likely, however, as the Tigers didn't give Marmol a sniff when they were exploring closer options in March.

But unless President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer intervene, this thankless project will continue for manager Dale Sveum and pitching coach Chris Bosio.

"I don't know if he threw a strike today,'' Sveum said after Marmol had walked Zack Cozart and Joey Votto and plunked Brandon Phillips with a pitch. "There were a couple of swings but I don't know if there were any strikes. One way or another, he has to get fixed. He has to pitch. … He has to throw strikes. If he's out there, he has to pitch. You only have seven (relievers) and they have to pitch.''

When Marmol inherited a 4-2 lead from James Russell in the eighth inning — the lead courtesy of two two-run homers from Alfonso Soriano — Marmol passed Lee Smith to become the most used pitcher in Cubs' history. This should have been a nice moment, but you could feel the anxiety level soar with many in the Wrigley Field crowd of 36,455.

Rookie Hector Rondon came in with the bases loaded but gave up a one-run single to Jay Bruce and a sacrifice fly to Todd Frazier to tie the score. Rondon's bases-loaded walk of Jack Hannahan gave the Reds the lead, shining a brighter spotlight on Marmol, who was charged with his third blown save.

"That's frustrating, difficult,'' Marmol said. "I wasn't throwing strikes. I'm giving people chances to score.''

Marmol has walked or hit the first batter he has faced in his last four outings. He has retired the first hitter only five times in 14 appearances in 2013.

"I have to throw strikes, get people out,'' he said. "That's all you can do.''

How much longer until the Epstein regime deems Marmol a lost cause?

UPDATE 6:44p: Dylan Hernandez of the LAT managed to liken Marmol to disastrous Dodgers reliever Brandon League:

If the Dodgers manage to acquire him, he would probably not go straight onto the major league roster. Marmol hasn't pitched since June 20, so he would probably first pitch in the minor leagues or at the Dodgers' spring-training complex.

Last season, the Dodgers acquired and turned around another struggling former closer, Brandon League, who had been demoted to a lesser role by the Seattle Mariners.

For the Dodgers, League saved six games and had a 2.30 ERA in 28 appearances, which he parlayed into a three-year, $22.5-million deal with the Dodgers over the winter.

However, League has reverted to his Mariners form from last season, which again cost him the closer's role. League is 3-3 with a 5.83 ERA this season.

Brandon League, the sequel. Great.

* Not to mention there isn't a three-year, $21M deal Ned hasn't liked. Oh, and that cartoon is from the Cubby Blue blog.