Sign Up Here For More Ridiculousness!

...yup, we're at it again. We're now recruiting for the next great-but-highly experimental SoSG mystery competition. The details will be disclosed soon, but you need to sign up to play. So let us know in the comments if you want to participate, and once we have enough players we'll let you know what you've just signed up for (this one won't be too time-consuming).

But as usual, there are stringent entry requirements which will be strictly enforced, itemized here:

1. You must know how to post comments.

We need to keep out the riff-raff, so if you lack any of the above qualifications, don't bother signing up. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Note to AC, Delino, Orel, Sax, Pedro, & Lasorda: SoSG writers will have no advantage, so you guys are welcome to play too!

The Price of Recycling?

Lisa: If we don't get to the convention soon, all the good comics will be gone!

Bart: Ah, what do you care about good comics? All you every buy is Casper the Wimpy Ghost.

Lisa: I think it's sad that you equate friendliness with wimpiness, and I hope it'll keep you from ever achieving true popularity.

Bart: Well, you know what I think? I think Casper is the ghost of Richie Rich. [shows comics of Casper and Richie Rich]

Lisa: Hey, they do look alike!

Bart: Wonder how Richie died.

Lisa: Perhaps he realized how hollow the pursuit of money really is and took his own life.

Marge: Kids, could you lighten up a little?

Earlier at SoSG: The Price of Victory?

ESPN Zone Update feat. Tommy Davis

From Formula PR:

ESPN Zone at L.A. Live will host a Dodgers Watch Party this Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. as Manny and Co. travel to Cincinnati to face the Reds.

Fans in attendance will have a chance to meet Dodger great Tommy Davis, who finished third in the MVP voting in 1962 and still holds the franchise record for RBI in a season with 153. Davis will sign autographs and join fans at ESPN Zone’s all-you-can-eat Dodger Dogs buffet for $10.

Dodgers fans will be able to watch the game on any of ESPN Zone's 150-plus HD screens, including a 25-foot HD big screen or during bathroom breaks on TVs above the urinals in the men's room.

Official links:
ESPN Zone
L.A. LIVE

If I May...

I know we sometimes give the news coverage in LA a hard time.

And if I could find a clip of Steve Martin from L.A. Story ("Snow and 72 Degrees"), it'd be here. But my opinion was changed by NBC LA's website, which covered the still-blazing fires all around LA with the depth and detail a potentially life-threatening story deserves:

Hey, Let's Spend The Evening Scoreboard Watching (August 27)

Yusmeiro Petit (2-8, 6.06) vs. Joe Martinez (3-1, 5.73).

This game just started in San Francisco, who hosts the Diamondbacks. The Giants are 6.5 games behind the Dodgers, but only two and a half games out of the Wild Card. A win tonight by SF would further intensify the weekend Rockies @ Giants series!

Post-Game 128 Thread: Brox Blox Rox

DODGERS 3, ROCKIES 2

In a tense matinee game at Coors Field, the Dodgers walked a tightrope but held off the Rockies to win the game, win the series, crush the Rockies, and push our NL West divisional lead back to four whole games. Vicente Padilla gave just enough in his Dodgers debut to get the win (5.0 IP, 6H, 2 ER), and Joe Torre used his arsenal of arms (Hong-Chih Kuo, Ramon Troncoso, George Sherrill, and Big Jonathan Broxton) to ice the Rockies over the last four innings, allowing the Dodgers' three runs (a Matt Kemp two-run HR in the first, and a Rafael Furcal single to plate Orlando Hudson in the sixth) to hold up for the win.

The Dodgers left 11 on base, with 0-fers from Andre Ethier, Brad Ausmus, and Casey Blake, and had a number of opportunities squelched and leadoff batters fail to score. But the outstanding performance of our relief corps, as well as the unconventional approach to using them today (i.e., pitching changes were made when situations dictated it, not when innings provided breakpoints), led to a tense but satisfying outcome for the good guys. Broxton's 100+ mph heat in the ninth inning was absolutely terrifying to behold. I love it.

Off we go to Cincinnati for a weekend series, while Colorado goes on to fight Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain this weekend in San Francisco. Everybody exhale! (And then drink.)

The Price of Victory? UPDATED w/COOKIE PUSS

Over $15 Million... if you do Schmidt math. $47-Million contract. Three Years. Three Wins. And he's out of here.

DENVER -- Jason Schmidt's time as a Dodger, and probably as a player, effectively ran out Thursday when he was shifted from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day list to make room on the 40-man roster for Thursday's starting pitcher, Vicente Padilla. Schmidt -- plagued by shoulder problems from the start of the $47 million contract he signed during the 2006 Winter Meetings -- won three games and underwent two shoulder operations in three seasons with the Dodgers.

While considering being shut down while rehabbing in Arizona in July, he instead was activated almost out of desperation as the Dodgers ran out of fifth-starter candidates. He went 2-2 in four starts with a 5.60 ERA but waved the white flag when faced with pitching in pain. "When he left [Aug. 7], I told him he may win a game for us in September, and he sort of nodded," manager Joe Torre said. "He was probably surprised when he came back. He had a couple wins, but it's been a frustrating time for him. Even though he was a shell of what he once was, you could still see the competitiveness, even if he was searching for how to get it done."

Speaking of other dogs named Dollar, I just came across this similarity. Creepy.

And in honor of all you talkbackers...

As a Pre-Meltdown Britney Would Say...

After a tour of the Nation's smallest states (Rhode Island and Delaware), old-school Brooklyn, and the nicest AAA stadium I've ever seen (Citi Field), the Delino is BACK IN LOS ANGELES. And back to work. Some of you loyal SoSG-maniacs may remember the last time I spent $40 to get a boatload of Dodger tickets. Well, the fine people of www.thesmartcircle.com (no link w/o cash) got me to shell out $50 for an even greater deal.

TWO pairs of free (weekday) tickets!!!

SIX two-for-one vouchers!!!

And as you can see from today's pic, I've still got one or two vouchers left:

Look for the Delino at Dodger Stadium... apparently EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON. Note: Could someone tell me why the September 15 Tuesday-night batting practice (a.k.a. The Pittsburgh Pirates) is blacked out?

Game 128 Thread: August 27 @ Roxette, 12n

Vicente Padilla (8-6, 4.92--but not with us) vs. Jorge De La Rosa (12-8, 4.76).

COMMENTS: Well don't bore us, get to the chorus!...er, make that the rubber match, of what everyone has told us is "the most important series of the season (so far)". And we're sending out Hiroki Kuroda's replacement, a late-season pickup dumped by the Texas Rangers. Did I mention Padilla recently tested positive for swine flu? Hold on tight! You know he's a little bit dangerous!

Taking this game and sticking the Rockies with the big L would leave them fading like a flower, four games back. Listen to your heart, Dodger fans. We've got the look. And I say, nah nah nah nah nah. (And as for you, Rafael Furcal: start walking like a man, hitting like a hammer.)

As an aside, who was that celebrity that Orel mentioned in a post yesterday? Oh, well. It's over now.

Post-Game 127 Thread: James Loney, Freed At Last

DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 1

The Dodgers took a game back from the Rockies tonight in Colorado, on the backs of Randy Wolf (7.1 IP, 5H, 1 ER, 2BB, 5 Ks), Andre Ethier (3-for-4 with a pair of home runs in the first and fourth innings), and James Loney (2-for-4 with a dagger three-run HR that scored Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake).

George Sherill and Jonathan Broxton, both well-rested after sitting idly by in last night's debacle, came in for the final 1.2 innings of no-run ball. The Dodgers stretch their divisional lead back to three games and ensure that we'll leave Colorado after tomorrow's matinee with sole possession of the NL West lead. Everybody drink (but not too much; day game tomorrow has a 12n start)!

George Sherrill's Absence from Yesterday's Game, Explained

MRI negative on Sherrill's oblique (Dodgers.com)

Game 127 Thread: August 26 @ Rox, 5.30p

Randy Wolf (8-6, 3.34) vs. Josh Fogg (0-1, 2.25).

COMMENTS: Can you say "must-win"? Okay, it's not even September, but suffice it to say if the Dodgers don't win today's game, a great many Dodger fans (including some of our SoSG stalwarts) will be ready to write off our post-season chances. It's time for a statement game, and it's time to set us up for a chance to take this series. To that end, rotation mainstay Wolf puts his hot streak — arm and bat — on the line against reliever-turned-starter Fogg. The Dodgers dodge a bullet in missing the injured Aaron Cook, but it won't mean a thing if they can't knock Fogg around the world in eighty pitches. Let's leave Colorado with the Dodgers still in sole possession of first place!

artwork by derSheltie

How To Use Comic Books As Detergent

From CNN.com:

DENVER, Colorado (CNN) -- Investigators in Colorado say they have broken up a massive methamphetamine ring in the Denver area that distributed pounds of the dangerous drug every week and laundered the profits using collectible comic books.

"To launder the money you have to use something that is quick and convenient," Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said at a news conference Monday. "And in this case, they used classic comic books."

While arresting the alleged ringleaders, brothers Aaron and Alfonzo Castro, law enforcement officers seized about 100 boxes of first-edition collectible comic books. Investigators say one title alone is worth $3,500 and the total collection of comics is worth half a million dollars.

No mention in the article about whether the comic books were Marvel or DC. I am excited, however, that the comic book collectible market is still relevant.

More Thoughts On The Dodgers' State

When it gets cold outside and you got nobody to love
You'll understand what I mean when I say
There's no way we're gonna give up
And like a little girl cries in the face of a monster that lives in her dreams
Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe
Is there anyone out there cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe

Look, there are other great Dodger blogs out there that discourage Dodger fans from fretting, from whining, from venting their frustrations. We are not that site. I understand why one should sleep on it sometimes rather than fly off the handle. But if you're waking up the next day and you still have a bitter taste in your mouth about a loss, then venting is totally appropriate. I know, our postseason odds only declined less than one percentage point such that we're still a 97.7% chance to make the playoffs, and an 80% chance of winning the NL West. I can still be bitter, and voice my concerns over unrequited losses.

It is therapeutic and some might argue cathartic to be able to voice anger, displeasure, confusion, bewilderment, angst about the team we love so much--just as we all heralded joy and hearts and flowers when the team was pulling off come-from-behind, one-run, walk-off victories with ease and frequency earlier this year.

It's a rollercoaster of a season. That's what happens over the course of a 162-game season. That's what happens in the game of inches that is baseball. So come, and vent, and howl at the moon. We'll keep serving drinks here at the SoSG bar to help fuel the fire.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled sarcasm.

Two-game lead, Dodgers. Now would be a nice time to show some moxie, or for starters at least show up in the first place (that means you, Rafael Furcal, Russell Martin, and James Loney).

Updated PCS Rankings: She Owns You

"I'm coming after you next, Josh S and Keven C!"

The succubus mistress is in complete control, and she knows it.

BWrightson is the latest contender to fall under her spell. Despite a +50 for solving the Dead Sailors Puzzle, his point total went nowhere as the succubus drained him of the 50 points he gained from the Countdown Puzzle. Fortunately for him, she abused UBragg even more - despite also solving the latest puzzle, UBragg's point total actually dropped by 50 points. And #3 Josh S gained on both of them. So the gaps at the top are closing.

Resistance is futile. One way or another, she'll suck you dry.

Here are the full rankings:

(750 possible points)

Current Rank	Previous Rank	Puzzler	PCS Tour Points
1	1	ubragg	624
2	2	bwrightson	528
3	3	josh s	463
4	5	mr customer	419
5	4	fanerman	406
6	T-8	drewdez	375
7	10	keven c	356
8	6	quadsevens	309
9	T-8	j steve	304
10	7	jose	268

Others receiving votes: berkowit28 206, erin 185, wicks 150, neeebs 135, rbnlaw 135, m.l.a.s.f. 134, loney fan 120, ll cool l 100, karina 65, m.s.t.i. 60, matt 60, danielle 50, midnightdrive 50, dunkhawk 50, dangarion 20, dusto magnifico 10.

Love, You Confuse Us

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy, Citizens Bank Park, May 12, 2009 (that's a Phillies cap she's wearing).

Jamie Kennedy and Jennifer Love Hewitt, Dodger Stadium, August 22, 2009.

1: The 700 Level; 2 & 3: Dodgers

Post-Game 126 Thread: Rockies Have A Flair For The Dramatic

ROCKIES 5, DODGERS 4 (10)

One night after a five-run bottom of the 14th inning that caused pundits everywhere to extol the virtues of the red-hot Rockies (under the leadership of the cucumber-cool Jim Tracy, former Dodger manager), the Rockies go out and pull off another walk-off victory against the Dodgers. After dispatching of the Dodgers quickly in the tenth without a ball leaving the infield (thank you, Orlando Hudson, for that well-placed leadoff bunt attempt that went nowhere), James Loney caps an 0-for-5 evening with a throwing error, which was one extra out more than poor James MacDonald could handle tonight. Troy Tulowitzki, with his fear-inspiring .276 average, singles home the winning run with one out and the bases juiced.

In the ninth, Manny Ramirez's clutch single to plate Rafael Furcal, on an 0-2 count, was simply a stay of execution, a feint to have the Dodgers think we were in this game and could take the lead. We weren't, and we didn't. The two-run frame for the Dodgers, led by PH extraordinaire Juan Pierre with a single, followed by a surprise double from formerly 0-for-4 Rafael Furcal, and then a Matt Kemp sacrifice to bring the game within one, was huge. Ramirez's single, followed by James Loney's two-base error popup, made it interesting. But Tracy gave Casey Blake (who had homered earlier) a free pass to load the bases, and Russell Martin flied weakly to center to end the threat and strand three.

The fact that Tracy, aided by former Dodger reliever and hand-slashing late-night drinker Joe Beimel, as well as former Dodger reliever Matt Herges, all combined efforts like the Super Friends to defeat the Dodgers tonight, made the loss sting even more. It was really like getting beaten by Zan, Jayna, and Aquaman.

Sure, we're still a scant two games ahead of the Rockies and on the verge of ending up Thursday tied for the division lead. But if the Rockies are the Super Friends, then I'm feeling like Gleek the goddamn blue powerless monkey right now. And I just want to vomit.

Rockies Pick Up Giambi; Denver Hair Salons Rejoice

We knew Jason Giambi was going somewhere. Why not Colorado?

DENVER (AP) - The Colorado Rockies signed former AL MVP Jason Giambi to a minor league contract Monday.

The 38-year-old Giambi will report to Triple-A Colorado Springs, hoping for a September call-up to help the Rockies with their pennant push. Colorado went into Monday's game against San Francisco with a three-game lead in the NL wild-card race.

"He's a veteran guy that understands this point and time of the season, that's been there and done that," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "To add him to your clubhouse with the character and makeup he brings, that's a tremendous plus for us."

A .193 average in Oakland probably translates to a .358 average in Colorado, especially since he hasn't played in the allegedly easier National League. Knowing the Dodgers' luck, he'll be yet another sparkplug to an already streaking Rockies squad.

Game 126 Thread: August 25 @ Dingers, 5.30p

Clayton Kershaw (8-7, 2.96) vs. Jason Hammel (8-7, 4.54).

COMMENTS: 48 hours of hemming and hawing about this game comes to a merciful end today with our Minotaur on the mound. Despite the Dodgers' 10-2 record against the Rockies this year, including a sweep at Coors Field in May, everyone is forecasting the imminent downfall of the Dodgers. Accuscore gives the Rockies a 54% chance of winning (58% as of WSJ's press run last night, so at least our trajectory is improving), the LATimes' Helene Elliott takes a break from following the Kings and Galaxy to slash the tires of the Dodgers' bandwagon, and the only guy we seem to have on our side is Steve Phillips, an omen which portends doom like a circling vulture.

Tonight, we put this yippin' and yappin' to rest. Kershaw hasn't had a win since July 18 but is 1-1 with 1 ND against Colorado this year. Hammel is 0-1 against the Dodgers with 1 ND, and has gotten three wins in his last four starts (reflecting the Rockies' recent streak). Assuming Clayton can come out strong and our rested bullpen can hold up, what I'm really hoping to see tonight is a breakout performance by James Loney (he is 2-for-5 lifetime against Hammel with a 1.600 OPS, and his OPS+ of 143 against the Rockies is the highest among all NL West opponents), assuming Loney has recovered from the flu. It would also be nice to see Manny Ramirez get his OPS back up over 1.000 (Ramirez is 0-for-5 lifetime against Hammel). Heck, Coors Field is the place for all of the Dodgers to get out of their offensive funk.

And we need to play a full nine, or even 14, innings here guys. It is Coors Field, after all. Let's not pull a Merkin. {In the meantime, we're going back to two GT superstitions, rather than the overloaded three that didn't seem to work out so well on Sunday.)

Three Random Thoughts While Driving To Work Today

I don't think I've been this distracted by a billboard since the bus poster for Elisha Cuthbert's "The Girl Next Door."

Since when did Famke Janssen change her name?

Why is the best part missing?