Post-Game 5 Thread: Kershaw Shows Up Yet Again; Dodger Bats Still Missing

"Wow, this home plate is so shiny and untouched! It's like new!"

DODGERS 1, PIRATES 0

Clayton Kershaw went seven scoreless innings and struck out nine. Which should have been all you needed to know...except AJ Burnett also struck out nine (over 5.1 IP), making this a tougher one that it really should have been.

Burnett's only miss was giving up a base hit to Mark Ellis that scored Carl Crawford, who singled and took second on a SB (Crawford had two SB in the game, and is the brightest offensive star in the Dodgers' lineup with his .438 BA in the leadoff spot). Dodgers scored one in the third inning...and that was all the offense we saw all game. Eight scattered hits for the Dodgers, and only one run to show for it. 2-for 14 with RISP, and 10 team LOB: not the marks of an offensive engine. (Only Pittsburgh has scored fewer runs than us in the NL.)

I suppose we should be thankful that Mark Ellis is batting .375, and A-Gon (2-for-3) is batting .313. But Matt Kemp went 0-for-4 with 3 Ks and 4 LOB; he's batting .056 on the year. Luis Cruz (0-for-4, 6 LOB) and Justin Sellers (0-for-4, 5 LOB) each had two Ks, and neither has one hit ALL YEAR. Geez.

Brandon League had a 15-pitch, four-batter ninth inning, but retired Andrew McCutchen on one pitch, with a man on first, to end the game.

photo: Victor Decolongon/Getty Images

Game 5 Thread: April 6 vs. Pirates, 6p

Because two A.J.s are never enough, here's one more.
Clayton Kershaw (1-0, 0.00) vs. A.J. Burnett (0-1, 4.76)

The ungodly Clayton Kershaw returns to the mound tonight, still leading the team in home runs. Thankfully, he has company now, as Ethier crushed one off Jonathan Sanchez (a lefty!) last night.

A.J. Burnett was an unexpected ace for the Pirates last year, but didn't fare so well in his first outing against the Cubs this season. Our A.J. and the rest of the now-Harangless Dodgers look to take him down again and take the series.

SoSG Dusty will be at the game tonight, wearing that outfit above. Find him, and he might just let you touch his ab.

Update: SoSG Orel will be there too, but he won't let you touch him. I learned that the hard way.

Photo: WWE

At-Game 4 Recap: Team Killeen

They're huge Dodger fans and they know their way around a lens and keyboard. They are: Team Killeen. Thanks again for sharing! Photos and captions by Scott, writeup by BJ:

"Dodgers win"

"Beer..."

"Cruz goes high after a long ball during batting practice…he missed it"

"What Ethier got after hitting his first home run of the season...Yeah, that pat from Donnie doesn't look right to me either."

"We're going to get these seats above Vin one game and I'm going to dangle my camera over the edge and get THE shot of Scully working his magic."

"Next time anyone sees Jon SooHoo, tell him I got his back covered…Ethier's home run hit"

"The Dodgers finally quit clowning around more that HICCUPS with their bats..."

"If Justin Sellers looked like A.J. Ellis and he does according to the scoreboard. Glitches all night with the left field score board."

"Kemp's first hit of the season…all smiles everybody!"

"Maybe Dodger fans can be bought?"

My favorite [photo of Scott's] was Russell Martin hugging Steve Yeager. It was so genuine and heartfelt, it makes me cry looking at it because you can see how much Yeager means to him.

Because we complained at the Fan Fest, we got in as guests of Dodgers Fan Services, and were allowed on the field for batting practice, where Scott got those great shots. Last night was a whole bunch of firsts, and we were happy to be there to see them:

• First pitching for Greinke as a Dodger pitcher, including first shut out and first hit as a Dodger
  
• First return for Russell Martin to Dodger Stadium since leaving as a Dodger
  
• First homer for Dre this season
  
• First hit for Matt this season
  
• First fireworks night of the season
  
• First scoreboard malfunction that caused an out
  
• First save for League

On the whole, things at the stadium ran smoothly, except they ran out of hot cocoa on fireworks night. The all-beef Dodger Dog was yummy, as were the garlic fries, but you better really like garlic, because they load it on!

To top it off, I got Lopes and Yeager's autographs on my hat. How I got the Lopes autograph: I was standing behind the cordoned off area on the field, and was holding my hat and Sharpie. A nice lady walked up to me and asked whose autograph I wanted. I said Davy's, and she took the hat and pen and walked up to him and he signed it. When she returned it, I asked her name and she said Kim Walter. Later I find out she's married to Mark Walter, the CEO of Guggenheim Financial, and the controlling partner of the Dodgers!! That's going the extra mile for the fans.

We have now been twice, and have yet to pay for a game. We have two vouchers for another free game, then we have to start paying.. :-( (LOL)...

Our game plan is to get seats on the Club Level, in the Dugout Club, and at the new Box seats. We'll see what happens after that!

Roster/Trade Update: Harang and Hernandez

Per MSTI:

Update, 12:09pm PT: Jon Heyman reports that the deal is actually Harang and cash considerations for Hernandez. Aaron Harang! In Coors Field! Praise the deity of your choice.

Original post: Per Troy Renck of the Denver Post, the Dodgers have acquired catcher Ramon Hernandez from the Rockies for reasons that I absolutely cannot fathom. Renck points out that Hernandez was DFA’d last week and all the Rockies can expect is some salary relief from the $3.2m he’s owed this year, but I’m hoping that this is a prelude to something larger, because if it’s not, this raises a ton of questions.

Harangutan will certainly flourish at Coors Field, right?

Like MSTI, we are left to wonder if this is part of something larger in play. Hopefully it doesn't involve stockpiling light-hitting, young and still unproven or old and failing catching help, if we need catching help at all.

Feelin' the Love

Thanks to Team Killeen for capturing this magical moment between former Dodger catcher Russell Martin and current catching coach Steve Yeager:

Been a Long Time

Matt Kemp smiles after getting his first hit of the season, an RBI-double off Jonathan Sanchez.

Sordid History of the Short Stop

And I don't mean Justin Sellers.

Many Sons readers (and Sons) have been known to frequent the Short Stop before or after Dodger games, as it is the closest thing we have to an official Dodgers bar. Who knew it had such a sordid past?

Vin Scully Commemorates Ebbets Field's 100th Anniversary

Vin Scully, from last night's telecast:

It is exactly one hundred years ago today that Ebbets Field opened up in Brooklyn. Charles Ebbets built a ballpark in an area that was called Pigtown, and the real estate was pretty cheap, so he built the ballpark and the first game ever was played there a hundred years ago today.

Among other things, Casey Stengel, yes, the great manager, Casey Stengel played in that first game and not only hit a home run, but hit a home run inside the park.

And do you like music? To me, one of the saddest baseball songs I have ever heard — you like Frank Sinatra. Well Frank Sinatra recorded a song called "There Used to Be a Ballpark." And it was all about Ebbets Field. Wow. What a combination, Sinatra and Ebbets Field.

And with that, lets go back to this one.

Ah yes, there used to be a ballpark. But nothing is forever, that's for darn sure.

I was interviewed over the phone, and a writer was asking about Ebbets Field disappearing, and I told him a true story. I grew up in an area of New York called Washington Heights. Washington Heights, when I was growing up, a little boy, was probably ninety-five percent Jewish. Mostly Jewish refugees escaping Hitler.

Barmes a strike, oh and one.

Today, that same area is heavily Hispanic, and it has produced some terrific players, like Manny Ramirez.

That's foul down the line.

And in that neighborhood, believe it or not, as a little kid, maybe — it was all apartment houses, except about five blocks from where I lived, there was a castle. You say, What do you mean a castle? I mean a castle.

It was made of pure white Carrara marble and it was unbelievable. It looked out across the Hudson River at New Jersey, and on a summer's night, when the moon hit that castle, you just couldn't believe it.

However, the owner, Doctor Paterno, passed away. His sister sold it. Today there's maybe six or seven tall, towering apartment houses called Castle Village.

We bring that up because Ebbets Field is no longer and there are apartment houses where Ebbets Field stood.

Nothing is forever.

Two and two the count to Clint Barmes....

Post-Game 4 Thread: Dodgers Dealt Another Ace

DODGERS 3, PIRATES 0

Kershaw and Greinke and pray for...what the hell rhymes with Greinke? No matter, as the good news is that Guggenheim Baseball Management's $147 million investment in a true #2 (#1a?) pitcher is off to a promising start. Greinke allowed only two hits and struck out six over 92 pitches in 6 1/3 innings.

More good news? Kershaw is no longer alone as the Dodgers' home run leader, as Andre Ethier hit a solo homer off the lefty Jonathan Sanchez. Both Matt Kemp (finally!) and Adrian Gonzalez had RBI-doubles to account for the balance of the team's runs.

Messr. Kershaw goes next, so if we're going to take this series, tomorrow is the time to do it. 6PM start — be here!

Game 4 Thread: April 5 vs. Pirates, 7p

Zack Greinke (0-0, -.--) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (0-0, -.--)

Tonight the Dodgers begin a three-game series against the Pie Rats and look to bounce back after dropping their first series of the year to the...I can't even say it. We'll get a first look at he of the tiny head, Zack Greinke, and one can only hope we won't get a look at Johnny Urine at all.

According to MLB.com (AJ Cassavell):

Jonathan Sanchez, who gets the ball for Pittsburgh, is also a new face in a new place. He made the club out of Spring Training after inking a Minor League deal with the Pirates in early February.

Sanchez posted an 8.07 ERA for the Rockies and Royals, and he had what was arguably the worst season for any pitcher in 2012.

A perfect set-up to get our noffense cranked up once and for all, right? Or as so often we've seen, will Sanchez turn into Cy Young pitching against us? Let's hope for the former but start drinking early in anticipation of the latter.

Finally, we'll see the return of former Dodger J. Russell Martin. Guessing he will not be received well by a belligerent Chavez Ravine crowd, unsporting behavior that SoSG fully endorses.

ps - Happy Colt 45 Day!

Catching Up With Former Dodger Manny Ramirez

Via Deadspin, here's a pretty awesome home run call from Manny Ramirez' current stint in Taiwan:

Brings back some fond memories. But it's not like we need a bat like that in our lineup today, or anything.

Worlds Collide

Via @TheRealMattKemp:

Please Help Us Do a Solid

This post 100% Juan Uribe joke-free!

Not baseball-related, but definitely make Los Angeles a better place-related: The Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition needs your vote to win a $100,000 grant to help house some worthy people in safe, clean apartments.

Please take a minute to vote for the GWHFC here:

• My LA2050: volunteers housing the homeless

You'll need to use your Facebook account or register your email in order to vote. A little bit of a pain, I know, but so worth it. Thanks for helping!

Dodger Stadium Parking Problems Resurface for 2013

Ever since we've published this blog, Dodger Stadium parking has been a mess. Fran McCourt's adminstration revamped the entire lot system in 2008, only helping the rich (sort of like his renovation of only the field level. And it was stated by the Dodgers that this recent offseason's stadium renovations "repositioned" some parking spaces"

Bad news, boys. It is now clear, after three games, that a whole new myriad of parking problems now plague Dodger Stadium in 2013.

I appreciate that it's the Opening Series, against the Giants, and that two of the games were sellouts. But our personal experience plus the experiences that we've heard from our readers indicate that the new system has lost ground in efficiency, rather than gained ground. It comes down to three causes:

• 1. They've moved diagonal parking inside the interior ring. This is a disaster as drivers have to back up into oncoming traffic, holding up main traffic lanes and arteries in order to get out of their spots. Getting out of Lot G (behind the pavilions and scoreboards), for example, is particularly treacherous.
• 2. The cones allowing for egress from the outside (general parking) lots, directing out the main arteries out of the stadium, have disappeared. As a result there is complete anarchy as drivers try to get out of the general parking lots--this was definitely our experience trying to get out of Lot 1 (left of the Sunset Gate).
• 3. They have cut back on human parking attendants, particularly those directing pedestrian traffic into the crosswalks. As a result, people are walking everywhere in between oncoming traffic, snarling traffic on the main rings again.

We're interested to hear if you readers have experienced any of these issues. Opening Day was a disaster exiting the Stadium, but I can give that a pass; but this can't continue.

Dodger Stadium has suffered from parking efficiency issues for years. Recently, many of these issues had been abated when attendance fell precipitously. But if Guggenheim Management expects the Dodgers to draw again, fixing the parking issues is a critical area to address and improve, in order to keep the customer experience top-notch.

SoSG is happy to help consult (for a fee). We'll be waiting for Kasten's call!

They're Coming For You, Gnomes

Spotted on Fairfax @ the 10 Freeway, April 4, 2013

Mike Piazza To Join Ballet

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Former Major League Baseball catcher Mike Piazza will be taking center stage with the Miami City Ballet.

The Miami Beach-based dance company has tapped Piazza to play the role of a gangster in the May 3 production of "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue."

Piazza won't be dancing in tights. He'll wear a 1920s-era gangster costume, say a few lines and then watch the rest of the performance from a seat onstage.

Piazza says his turn with the troupe is his gift to his 6-year-old daughter, a student at Miami City Ballet School.

Comment away.

The New HD Video Screens in Action

...from really far away and in a format that doesn't remotely give you the full experience!

But, you get the gist of it.



NOTE: I had to fix the embed code to remove suggested videos, because they were ALL videos of the Kevin Ware injury. What the hell, YouTube? Were you bought by 4Chan?

Post-Game 3 Thread: #^&!%*$+=*(^@= Edition

Mike Rice questions Matt Kemp's sexuality to make a point

GIANTS 5, DODGERS 3

As SoSG Orel suggested, Dodgers should consider hiring fired Rutgers coach Mike Rice to yell at, ridicule, and otherwise abuse the Dodger players after two straight nights of downright 2012-esque play. Rice could take Dodger noffense brigade to the hitting cages and actually hit them in order to underscore his disdain for their lack of offensive production thus far this season.

It's early days, to be sure, but SoSG readers are already getting anxious if not downright bitter. That is reason alone to turn this things around, Dodgers.

Stat of the night: Kershaw leads the team in HRs after three games.

UPDATE
Bonus stats of the night:  Kemp, Cruz, Schumaker, Uribe a collective .000 in three games. Gonzalez at .111.

Game 3 Thread: April 3 vs. Jints, 7p

Josh Beckett (0-0, -.--) vs. Tim Lincecum (0-0, -.--).

Rubber match, anybody?

If it was 2013 Aces Day on Monday, tonight is 2009 throwback night. Timmah was distinctly un-Timmah like last year, and Beckett was dreadful before being relocated to the best coast. Was Beckett's shaky spring training indicative of a steeper decline? Are Timmah's mechanics finally catching up to him? Will the Dodgers' lineup finally have a pulse?

Given their histories, we Canterbury either of these guys just yet, but I'm counting on Beckett to be the Chaucer of the two tonight.

Image: South Park Studios

At-Game Recap: April 2 vs. Giants (Ryu Debut)

Well, my first game of the new season pretty much sucked, so I spent most of my evening checking out Guggenheim Baseball Management's improvements to Dodger Stadium. All my thoughts are based on what I saw on the Reserve level.

Video/Sound
The new HD screens are gorgeous, of course, if a little busy at times. (Some fonts on the scoreboard are near-impossible to read.) Everything about the outfield view has a nice symmetry to it now. (I took some video that I'll post tomorrow morning.) The new sound system is much clearer, though you don't get the full effect in the Reserve seats.

Amenities
The restrooms are bright and comfortable. The kids play areas are a welcome addition, even if there's not quite enough there yet to keep most kids entertained. (My kid will likely be bored in about two minutes.) It's really nice to have full team stores on the Reserve level, but their placement makes them a bit hard to find.

Food/Drink
New food options were plentiful and lines moved briskly. I really, REALLY like the eating areas behind the seats. I see myself using those a lot. I only noticed one new beer option (see below).

I didn't like EVERYTHING, of course. The new "host" segments between innings are awkward and feel out of place at Dodger Stadium. I get what they're going for, but maybe it needs to be implemented some other way. One of the segments even pushed the limits of political correctness, and I wonder how long before it's axed. Plus, all this stuff meant WAY less Nancy Bea. And that's just criminal. Oh, and traffic leaving the stadium was awful, even out of the normally easy to escape Academy Gate.

I ran into Stan Kasten walking the Reserve level early in the game. I told him I loved what they did with the place. I don't think I was blowing smoke, either. On the whole, I think the improvements are wonderful and appropriate. I'm sure most of the tiny gripes I have will be addressed over time.

On to the crappy iPhone pics!


The view from my seat, with Kid K's home run on the new screens.


Another GREAT addition: Vin's pre-game intro is played for the live crowd.


Tiny Clayton gets his Roberto Clemente Award.


My Frito Pie Dog on the one of the new eating areas behind the seats. I fear for the people sitting below. They're destined to get food and/or beer dumped on them at some point.


The only new beer I spotted. Nice to see a local craft, but they're charging $10 for a small and not offering a large. What's up with THAT?


Tiny Ryu's first Major League at-bat.


One of the new play areas, going unused at the moment.


I like the new signage, but miss the player photos. Are they on other levels?


Big balls.


Big bobbles, no trobbles.


The Blues Brothers' "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" is the new bottom of the ninth rally song. OK, then.


My souvenir from Ryu's debut. Now a sad reminder of getting shut down by Bumgarner.