There are PGTs that cause us Sons of Steve Garvey to skirmish and squabble in the staff room, descending into cage matches to determine which Son gets to pen the day's journal entry.
This was not one of those PGTs.
In fact, this loss was so painful, none of us Sons wanted to touch it with a ten-foot pole. 14 innings of back and forth ball looked like they were heading the Dodgers' way: a game-extending run by Justin Turner in the bottom of the ninth off of a Jayson Werth fielding error in right field; and a Carl Crawford HR in the bottom of the 12th to tie the game at 5-5. But three Nationals runs in the top of the 14th were just too much to overcome. In a boxing match with two division-leading pugilists, Washington got the knockout punch in the final round, and the Dodgers were down and out.
Crawford and Turner each had three hits; Dee Gordon and Yasiel Puig had two hits each. But the Dodgers went 2-for-9 with RISP and left 12 on base, wasting a nice effort from Carlos Frias (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB and 4 Ks). Kenley Jansen's bid for a four-out save went haywire when he came back out for the ninth, with Bryce Harper singling, Adam LaRoche with a two-run HR, and Denard Span singling in a third run to make it 3-2 Washington. Yes, the Dodgers answered in the bottom of the ninth when Werth fumbled a fly ball in right field, but letting the Nationals back into the game in the ninth was a dangerous play.
We may end up seeing the Nationals again, should we hold on for the post-season. After dropping the rubber match in this fashion, I'm pretty concerned.
Took some family members to the game on Sunday, watching the Dodgers pick up a victory against the Washington Nationals, 3-1. I had forgotten how incredibly hot that Stadium can get for day games, and though my seats for this game would have been glorious any other evening, for a day game it was pretty unbearable. Beer, along with multiple cups of ice procured from the concession stands, was not enough to keep me from melting in those unshaded seats.
The good news about this season, however, is that even with a Dodger cap giveaway at the gates, there's no one at the Stadium! With announced attendance of just over 36,000 (I would guess it was more like 25K), there were plenty of shady seats on the field level to which my family and I could relocate, and enjoy a couple of rows with legs outstretched and bags on empty seats beside us. I'm not kidding; it was so empty (how empty was it?), I even got a AT&T cell phone signal from the stands. Consistently. So we hung out, sitting between third base and home underneath the ribbon scoreboard, enjoying the rest of the game (from the second inning onward) from the shade.
I had my son with me at this game, and he was a total trouper, asking lots of questions throughout the first four innings and admirably trying to make a dent in his four-foot tall carton of popcorn, before petering out for an inning (he hadn't napped) and then occupying himself quietly by watching Madagascar on the iPhone (which is why my from-game comments on the GT abruptly stopped in the later innings, btw). There was no squirming, no running up and down the aisles (he was a bit more antsy last year, at another non-Dodgers MLB park which will go nameless for now). He was great.
I was even more excited to have my son ask me even more questions later on that evening (after dinner at a friend's house). He recalled the score of the game, the color of the Nationals' uniforms, and other small details that I thought he had missed. We didn't stick around after Sunday's game to run the bases, due to other social engagements that evening; but I think next time he has definitely earned that privilege.
Sunday was a fun game to watch (from the shade especially), since the Dodgers' pitching staff was mechanically efficient past the first inning (13 Ks, no-hitting the Nationals after the first inning), including two big strikeouts and an 0-for-3 day from hirsute former Dodger Jayson Werth.
Matt Kemp's belly flop at home in the bottom of the first inning, scoring from first on a single, was awesome; the Bison seemed to pick up speed rounding third (coaxed on by third base coach Tim Wallach, smartly sending Kemp home), catching the Nationals by surprise (the throw beat Kemp but Jesus Flores dropped the ball, and Kemp avoided a tag anyway by sliding around Flores). And James Loney's almost-GIDP-turned-RBI seemed to satisfy both camps who either expected failure or wanted to see him succeed. The game was quick (2:46), the crowd was into Chad Billingsley's strong performance, and all in all, it was a pleasant day in the park. Just ask this guy, who caught up on some good reading:
I also had the opportunity to spend an inning with SoSG Dusty Baker and the Baker clan, up in the Loge level ($17 a seat was a steal for those seats!). We commiserated together over the lost 2011 season, drowning our sorrows in full-priced beer. Misery loves company, right?
Ned Colletti gave Juan Uribe $21 million for three years, and people complained. Then he gave Rod Barajas $3.25 million, and people complained.
Fret not, Flanders. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo just overshadowed you big time, giving 31-year-old former Dodger Jayson Werth $126 million for seven years. Whoa. That's Zito money!
It feels like Werth just got paid to disappear off the face of the earth. Enjoy D.C., Paul Bunyan!
Hirsute former Dodger Jayson Werth may be gunning for a lot more coin than earlier reports would have one believe:
"I've had the best time the last four years playing baseball with these guys, with these fans," he said. "The team has taken the necessary steps to create a winning atmosphere, and hopefully they'll continue to do that. Obviously, we know business is good in Philadelphia. They could probably sign whoever they want. Whether or not that's me, we'll have to wait and see."
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the team would like to keep their middle-of-the-order hitter. And he has room in the budget, depending on the cost.
"I haven't had any discussions with Scott [Boras] yet," Amaro said. "Over the next 48 hours or so, we'll make contact. I guess the follow-up question is, 'Do we have enough money to do it, and would we like to bring him back?' The answer to both questions is yes. However, that'll all kind of depend on what the ask is, and ultimately how that will affect us with other possible moves we would have to make to do that."
Werth, who earned $7.5 million in 2010, hired Boras during the season, and the super-agent has a reputation for taking a hard-line stance in negotiations. Part of Werth's decision may be the seven-year, $120-million contract Boras struck with the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Matt Holliday -- a similar player to Werth -- last winter.Speaking at Citizens Bank Park two days after the San Francisco Giants eliminated his team from the playoffs, Werth said he would consider returning to the Phillies in 2011 and beyond, but is also willing to go through the free agency process.
The good news is, it looks like he might be available for consideration by the Dodgers. The bad news is, only at prices that would make even Andruw Jones weep.
Jayson Werth 31, RF, Phillies. Estimated contract: five years / $80M. Favorite: Tigers. Dark horse: Angels.
Adrian Beltre 31, 3B, Red Sox. Estimated contract: four years / $64M. Favorite: Angels. Dark horse: Red Sox.Carl Crawford 29, LF, Rays. Estimated contract: seven years / $126M. Favorites: Red Sox, Angels. Dark horses: Tigers, Cubs.
Relatively speaking, Beltre is an absolute BARGAIN. Bring back Beltre!
ESPN.com's Trade Deadline rumors is heating up as we enter the last four days. And while the Dodgers haven't really been mentioned (except peripherally in the Roy Oswalt and Ted Lilly discussions), there are a couple of ex-Dodgers rumored to be moving:
There had been speculation on a three-team deal involving the White Sox and Nationals, but Gilbert said there had been no such discussions as of Monday afternoon. Gilbert adds that the D-backs would still like to move catcher Chris Snyder and reliever Chad Qualls and would not be opposes to trading first baseman Adam LaRoche.
So much for sneaking in at the last second. From "Werth added to NL All-Star roster" at MLB.com:
Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth has been added to the National League All-Star team as a replacement for the Mets' Carlos Beltran.
And from ESPN.com:
[Nelson] Cruz was selected to replace injured Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter. [...]Major League Baseball said Friday that Cruz was chosen because he received the next-highest number of votes for outfielders on the AL player ballot.
But from the Bucks County (PA) Courier Times (via Diamond Notes):
[Phillies manager Charlie] Manuel, who will manage the NL All-Stars, will pick Victorino if it’s his call, but he thought Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp may get in because he finished higher in the players’ vote."One of the things that the league office was kind of concerned about is Kemp had more player votes and that plays some kind of part in it,” Manuel said. “I have to wait and see."
Unless Werth had more player votes than Kemp, I smell a rat.
Earlier at SoSG:
Post-Game 34 Thread: Werth Steals for the Cycle
What Jayson Werth Did After the Game
Earlier: Post-Game 34 Thread: Werth Steals for the Cycle (SoSG)
Kind of sums up the state of the Dodgers right now.
photos by Tom Mihalek/AP
Jayson Werth hits the Phillies DL with a bad wrist. This guy needs some bionic joints, fast.
The move was one of four by the Phillies, who begin a pivotal four-game series with the NL East-leading New York Mets on Friday.
Werth said he injured the wrist playing catch during the Phillies series in Cleveland from June 18-20. He said the injury had nothing to do with his previous wrist ailment that sidelined for most of the past two seasons.
Werth was hitting .235 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 85 at-bats.PHILADELPHIA -- Outfielder Jayson Werth was placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Philadelphia Phillies because of a sprained left wrist after Thursday night's win against the Cincinnati Reds.
Sorry for the headline. I'm trying to combine two short nuggets into one story, saving time, effort, and energy--and therefore not contributing to global warming. SoSG is nothing if not environmentally responsible.
First, Jayson Werth looks like he has found a new home with the Philadelphia Phillies. Terms were not announced, but it's in the Philly Inquirer. Werth played hurt in 2005 with a wrist injury, batting .234 with seven HR and 43 RBI. Werth struggled through rehab throughout 2006 with the same injury and the Phils are taking a chance that he can come back. Here's hoping if the fans throw batteries at Werth in 2007, that he'll at least be wearing a wrist guard.
Second, AOL's cityguide has posted a poll for the place with the best hot dogs in Los Angeles, and Dodger Stadium is on the list. Since Jon Weisman described his choice on DT, I thought I might add that I voted for Carney's, which I suppose is sacrilege for a Dodger fan--and I do eat a lot of Dodger Dogs (roughly two a game). However, I felt I had to give the edge to a place open year-round. (And there's chili at Carney's. And the beer is cheaper there than at Dodger Stadium.)
I used to live in walking distance to Pink's, the other LA hot dog staple, and I agree with Weisman that I always thought it was overrated food despite being a fun experience. The long queue up the block always befuddles me, though. The last time I went to Pink's, though, I looked up at a fan that was placed over the food, and there was so much oil and condensed steam caked onto the rusted fan grill, that a brownish liquid was dripping back down into the food areas. That sort of did it for me.
UPDATE (1p PST): According to FoxSports.com, the Jayson Werth deal is supposedly for one year and $850K, with an additional $150K in performance incentives.
With disgruntled former Dodger Toby Hall signing a two-year, $3.65 million contract with the White Sox and oft-injured former Dodger Jayson Werth garnering interest from multiple clubs, Dodger fans might be wondering why these players weren't traded for prospects instead of being non-tendered with nothing to show for them.
Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com has some answers:
One of former general manager Paul DePodesta's first acquisitions, Werth hit 16 home runs playing part-time in 2004, but there are few people in current management or staff that have much familiarity with him....
The Dodgers tried to trade [Hall], but interested clubs apparently were convinced the Dodgers would non-tender Hall and they could get him without giving up a player.
