Series Thread (Games 58-60): Sept 25-27 vs. Angels

Fri 9.25 6.30p: Kershaw vs. Heaney
Sat 9.26 6p: TBD vs. Bundy
Sun 9.27 12n: TBD vs. Canning

Well here we are, at the final series of the season. And with the Dodgers having clinched home field advantage, there is no reason to play these last three games all-out. Now is the time to take it easy and get ready for this crazy first-round series that begins Sept 30. As for this series, against an Angels team that find themselves just outside the AL's top eight, there are no stakes so we should just rest. We may lose, and we may win. But we will never be here again. So open up, I'm climbin' in, to take it easy.

Series Thread (Games 45-47): Sept 22-24 vs. A's

Tues 9.22: May vs. Montas
Wed 9.23: Urias vs. Manaea
Thu 9.24: TBD vs. Fiers
All games 6.30p

Home stretch, six games to play (all at home), with the Dodgers wielding a four-game lead over San Diego. At this stage it's just about getting our pitching roles defined, now that Caleb Ferguson is out for the year, and we are crossing our fingers to find out if Walker Buehler is blister-free.

The last series in Colorado, as predicted, did pick up our bats a bit; Cody Bellinger finally looked like he found a swing that didn't cause him to lose all balance (not to mention his helmet, distressingly), Gavin Lux went yard, and Chris Taylor showed he is getting hot at just the right time. I'm starting to give up hope on Max Muncy this year, but I have this feeling he is going to prove me wrong in the postseason (remember Game 3 of the 2018 World Series? No? Well, I've put a reminder below).

The A's have clinched the AL West with a 6.5-game lead over the Cheaters. That said, Dodgers-A's: It's always a fun time @ the Ravine. (Skip to 6:34 for the big fly (and a shot of me, on deck.)

UPDATE 9/22 10:04 PM: 8TH CONSECUTIVE DIVISION TITLE!

Series Thread (Games 41-44): Sept 17-20 @ Rockies

Thu 9.17 5.30p: Urias vs. Freeland
Fri 9.18 5p: TBD vs. Castellani
Sat 9.19 5p: Kershaw vs. TBD
Sun 9.20 12n: Gonsolin vs. Senzatela

Hot off of another series win in San Diego, the Dodgers now travel to Colorado for their last road series of the "season". It would be great to get some bats working here, especially since our bullpen is beleaguered (Kenley Jansen: shaky; Caleb Ferguson: injured; Joe Kelly: pouting; etc.). Max Muncy is right below the Mendoza line at .199, and I have a feeling he's due. Joc Pederson (.174) and Gavin Lux (.152), I'm not so sure. Nothing like four games @ Coors Field to get some Dingers going!

Series Thread (Games 48-50):Sept 14-16 @ Padres

It's a heavyweight matchup.

Mon 9.14 6p: Kershaw vs. Lamet
Tue 9.15 6p: TBD vs. TBD
Wed 9.16 1p: TBD vs. TBD

In a first for this blog, I'm going to write the words "this series between the Dodgers and Padres is a heavyweight matchup." What seemed like a ridiculous statement in any of the blog's 14 years of existence is now suddenly realistic, a by-product of a coronavirus-shortened season as well as the potent powers of Fernando Tatis Jr. and ephemeral Dodger Manny Machado. The Padres are only 2.5 games behind the Dodgers with 13 games to play, with both teams having beaten up on the NL West (LA is 22-11, SD is 19-13), but their head-to-head record is pretty balanced (LA 4 games to SD 3). Tatis is tied with Dodger Mookie Betts for the NL home run lead (15), with both in the conversation for NL MVP.

And the Padres meet the Dodgers with multiple starters sidelined (Buehler, May), not to mention continued offensive struggles from Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger (whom I hope are just starting slow, but whom are running out of time here). The one positive note is Will Smith, who has lit it up recently to provide some pop behind the plate. But of course Will Smith is rocking it now; after all, we're talking about the Wild Wild West.

Holy smokes, that video doesn't hold up well.

Series Thread (Games 46-47): Sept 12-13 vs. Asterisks

Sat 9/12 5p: Urias vs. Valdez
Sun 9/13 5p: TBD vs. Tiny Head

Spectrum SportsNet Dodgers recently re-aired 2017 WS Game 1 and it was disgusting, the pre-game interview with Asterisks manager A.J. Hinch saying how proud he was to get to the World Series in three years through all that hard work. He didn't mention the cheating, the trash can banging, the likely under-jersey buzzing. Those smug fuckers. I couldn't even watch.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are limping into the final quarter of the season. The starters, alreday depleted by the losses of Walker Buehler (IL with a persistent blister) and Dustin May (comebacker which hit him on the ankle), also have to own up that their conssitent short outings have taxed the bullpen, which is now starting to fray a bit. We won our last series over Colorado only with two comeback victories and some strokes of fate (Rockies running through stop signs or making fielding errors). The Asterisks won't have Joe Kelly throwing at them this time, so they might be more ready for revenge.

Series Thread (Games 40-42): Sept 4-6 vs. Rockies

Fri 9.4 6.30p: May vs. Senzatela
Sat 9.5 6p: Gonsolin vs. Márquez
Sun 9.6 7p: Urias vs. TBD

Two-thirds of the way through this "season" now, and the Dodgers have opened up a six-game lead on the Padres, thanks to winning 12 of their last 14 games. Clayton Kershaw passed 2,500 career strikeouts last night; Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, and Kike Hernandez have all clawed their way over a .200 batting average; and Mookie Betts and Corey Seager continue to be red-hot. Speaking of red-hot, Los Angeles is going to be beastly this weekend. No better time to stay indoors and watch these games!

Series Thread (Games 37-39): Sep 1-3 vs. D'backs

Tues 9/1: Urias vs. Young
Wed 9/2: Kershaw vs. TBD
Thu 9/3: TBD vs TBD
All games 6.40p

Home sweet home come the Dodgers, fresh off a prolific August in which they hit a NL-record 57 home runs (remember: we're playing with the designated hitter this year, so it's not exactly apples-to-apples). And here to greet them are the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks, who are probably just happy to not be playing indoors where COVID-19 can flourish. That's all I got right now, sorry. Rough week at work.

Series Thread (Games 34-36): August 28-30 @ Rangers

Fri 8.28 5p: May vs. Minor
Sat 8.29 4p: Stripling vs. Lynn
Sun 8.30 11.30a: Gonsolin vs. Gibson

This year, a new era for the Texas Rangers begins with the opening of Globe Life Field in Arlington. According to the Rangers' website, "the beautiful baseball-only facility serves as the centerpiece of a 270-acre complex which solidifies Arlington, Texas as an entertainment giant in the Southwest." Except no fan is able to attend a game this year! COVID-19 clearly threw a spanner in the works here, but to be fair, naming your new baseball park "Globe Life Field" when the "old", now multi-purpose field is called "Globe Life Park", is really frickin' confusing. All in the name of retractable roofs, and air conditioning.

The Rangers are 11-19 this season and sit two games ahead of the bottom-feeding Angels in the AL West. They're 1-9 over their last 10, whereas the Dodgers have won 10 of their last 12. And the Dodgers are gifting Texas with our presence on Jackie Robinson Day, which really should have been a home game for us. Everything just seems weird about this, right?

"Series" Thread (Games 26-27): Aug 19-20 @ Mariners

Wed 6.30p: Julio Urias vs. Taijuan Walker
Thu 4p: Clayton Kershaw vs. Yusei Kikuchi

Come, as you are, to Seattle. The Dodgers come with the major's best win streak (at seven games), against the team with the second-worst loss streak (also at seven games), an opponent with whom we should be comfortable by now. The Dodgers have won both slugfests and pitching duels, and little brother Corey (4-for-8, 4 RBI) seems to be barely outplaying his brother Kyle (also 4-for-8, with 3 RBI).

Not to mention our lineup, carrying Mookie Betts in the outfield; swear, he don't have a gun. It just seems that way after outfield assists like these (July 31, 2020):

Dodgers have a four-game lead in the NL West and seem unstoppable. No grungy nightclubs while up there, boys.

"Series" Thread (Games 24-25): Aug 17-18 vs. Mariners

Surely all this has to come crashing down, right?

Mon 8.17 6.30p: Ross Stripling (3-1, 3.97) vs. Justin Dunn (1-1, 4.85)
Tue 8.18 4p: Tony Gonsolin (0-0, 0.00) vs. Marco Gonzalez (2-2, 3.97)

The Dodgers have won five in a row, including this weekend's sweep of the Angels on the road. Sunday's win even overcame some early game baserunning blunders by breaking out the whupping sticks for another four home runs (Dodgers lead the league with 43 HR). The Dodgers' +60 run differential is almost twice as much as the #2 team (Twins and Yankees, both tied at +35). And even resident LAT grump Dylan Hernandez posted a nice valentine column on the impact of Mookie Betts.

I honestly don't know what to think here. Years of disappointment have me steeled to what's to come. But here we are, almost halfway through the shortened season, and the Dodgers actually look...pretty good. I know this can't last, and honestly, I'm a little scared to even have a shred of happiness over what's transpired so far.

I guess you can say, I've been Gonsolin, being down don't bother me.

Series Thread (Games 17-20): August 10-13 vs. Padres

 

The Dodgers are mashing like it's Home Run Derby (which is canceled this year--probably a good thing until they figure out how to manage those insanely wide fan sections down the first base line (field level is especially absurd))

Mon 8/10: Dustin May (1-0, 2.63) vs. Garrett Richards (0-1. 4.60)
Tues 8/11: Ross Stripling (3-0, 4.00) vs. Luis Perdomo (0-0, 5.40)
Wed 8/12: Julio Urias (1-0, 2.40) vs. Zach Davies (2-1. 2.87)
Thu 8/13: Clayton Kershaw (1-1, 3.60) vs. Chris Paddack (2-1, 3.18)
All games @6.30p

Two late-inning bombs on Sunday afternoon not only won us the game and series against San Francisco, but they extended the Dodgers' streak of games with a HR to 11 straight games, which the radio post-game show said led the majors. Despite their vaunted mashing, the interesting thing is that the Dodgers, with their fifth-best record in the majors, still haven't clicked on offense yet: Joc Pederson, Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, and Austin Barnes all sit with batting averages below .200, and only A.J. Pollock has an average above .300. Jack Harris of the LAT notes that the Dodgers are tied for the major league lead in HR, but are 14th in team batting average.

Is this a sign of fluky swinging for the fences giving us some positive breaks, while we wait for the engine to start firing on all cylinders? Will we be even more potent once the bats come back, and we're not so reliant upon the longball for victories? With over a quarter of this "season" already complete, there's not a lot of margin for much more error.

In positive news, we've seen Mookie Betts get his swing back, inching up from that .200 average in late July closer to .300 now (Mookie had a three-run HR yesterday, to match Pollock's three-run shot). I can't imagine Muncy and Bellinger bottom feeding for much longer (Barnes, on the other hand, gives me less hope). This four-game series with San Diego is due for one of those guys to break out.

Series Thread (Games 11-13): Aug 3-5 @ Padres

Mookie sends love to you! And the Dodgers! But not to John Henry!

Mon, 6p: Walker Buehler vs Chris Paddack
Tues, 6p: Dustin May vs Dinelson Lamet
Wed, 6p: Ross Stripling vs Garrett Richards

Let's get the bad news out of the way: Commissioner Rob Manfred, who previously derided the World Series championship trophy that bears the title of his office, recently implied that players choosing to opt out this season for safety reasons were "quitters".

Also — brace yourselves — we're still stuck in the hellscape that is 2020.

The good news: The 2020 Dodgers (7-3) appear to be coalescing into a powerhouse. They lead the NL in home runs (17); the bullpen, while not perfect, has shown encouraging consistency; and Clayton Kershaw impressed in his season debut yesterday, which gives us hope that he and Walker Buehler can lead the rotation.

But let's not sleep on the Padres (6-4), who feature rising superstar Fernando Tatís Jr. and old friend Manny Machado. Not to mention starters that generally own us, although I can't understand for the life of me why they traded Dodger-killer Eric Lauer (to the Brewers).

In any case, Game On! Enjoy baseball (while it lasts)!

Series Thread (Games 7-10): July 30 - Aug 2 @ D'backs

Thu July 30 6.30p: Ross Striping (1-0, 1.29) vs. Robbie Ray (0-1, 7.36)
Fri July 31 6.30p: TBD vs. Zac Gallen (0-0, 2.25)
Sat Aug 1 5p: Julio Urias (0-0, 1.80) vs. Luke Weaver (0-1, 16.20)
Sun Aug 2 1p: TBD vs. Merrill Kelly (1-0, 1.17)

Fresh off a sweep of the Cheaters in Houston, the Dodgers take their 4-2, third-place record into the Arizona desert to see if we can wake some of these bats up. Besides Justin Turner's team-leading .333 average (Corey Seager is close behind at .320), we've got only Kiké Hernandez at .280...and then there's a big drop to find Chris Taylor (.211), Mookie Betts and Max Muncy (.200), and Cody Bellinger (.192). Neither Betts nor Bellinger have a HR through six games. It's early, so I don't want to sound the alarm bells...but honestly the only person who seems to be stroking is Seager.

Let's get the rest of the team started in this series. There isn't a lot of time to waste in this abbreviated season, guys.

Series Thread (Games 5-6): July 28-29 @ Cheaters

I get it, but it still tastes bitter.

Tues Jul 28 6p: Walker Buehler vs. F Valdez the Cheater
Wed Jul 29 4p: Dustin May vs. TBD the Cheater

With the high likelihood that this may be the last series we might play (that is, if the Marlins' coronavirus outbreak expands to the rest of MLB, curtailing the attempt to have a 2020 season), I suppose we'd better watch. But after suffering through two straight meager showings against a pathetic Giants team, Dodger fans can't be hopeful going into trashcan-ville again. You know that the Asterisks will be employing some underhanded and illegal cheating scheme again in this game, from rearranging cardboard cutouts to tip pitches, or still-unfound electrical impulse devices hidden under the players' jerseys. I'm not hopeful for revenge here.

Sadly, it's only Game 5 and I'm already forlorn.

(cries)

UPDATE 9:46p: GAME 1: DODGERS 5, CHEATERS 2

Series Thread (Games 2-4): July 24-26 vs. Giants

Pretty stark difference in player caliber here. I'll take it.

Fri Jul 24 6.30p: Ross Stripling vs. TBD
Sat Jul 25 1p: Julio Urias Alex Wood vs. TBD
Sun Jul 26 7p: Alex Wood Julio Urias? vs. TBD

The Mookie Betts-infused Dodgers passed their Opening Day game with flying colors, defeating both the San Francisco Giants as well as the Johnny Cueto Fan Club of ESPN broadcasters (little mention was made of Dustin May's Opening Day spot start (4.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 Ks). Screw them. Now we're back to Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser to call the game appropriately.

Got off to a slow start yesterday but the offense came alive off the Giants' bullpen, and were helped further by some poor Giants baserunning and missed fielding opportunities (all of this, on national television). Let's keep this up this weekend.