Series Thread (Games 78-80): June 27-29 @ Rockies

Tue 27: Clayton Kershaw vs. Seabold
Wed 28: TBD vs. Freeland
Thu 29: Sheehan vs. Anderson
All games 5.40p

I come back from my vacation, and the Dodgers have dropped to third place, looking up at the Arizona Diamondbacks (who haven't cooled off yet) and the San Francisco Giants (who I believe are playing above their heads). Despite taking two of three from the Cheaters at home last weekend, the Dodgers have much more ground to make up, so this six-game road trip to Denver and Kansas City should--and I repeat, should--help. We're hoping to get Max Muncy back from the IL, and though he's still dealing with some hamstring discomfort, it will be an improvement over Michael Busch (batting .200 with a .561 OPS).

Meanwhile, the Giants are in Toronto, and the Snakes host the Rays. So I'm hoping we make a late run before the All-Star break!

Series Thread (Games 75-77): June 23-25 vs. Asterisks

Never forget: they're CHEATERS.

Fri 6.23 7p
Sat 6.24 4.15p
Sun 6.25 4p

I'm having to put up a bunch of placeholder GameThreads while I will be off the grid, so these won't be full of my pithy sarcastic wit. I know you'll weep at its absence as you lament the void in your soul. Sorry about that.

photo swiped from this site

Series Thread (Games 73-74): June 20-21 @ Angels

We can still dream of future days. (image: The Athletic)

Tue 6.20 7p
Wed 6.21 6.38p

I'm having to put up a bunch of placeholder GameThreads while I will be off the grid, so these won't be full of my pithy sarcastic wit. I know you'll weep at its absence as you lament the void in your soul. Sorry about that.

Series Thread (Games 70-72): June 16-18 vs. Giants

2021 NLDS Game 5: Ump says he went around. (photo: Getty Images)

Fri 6.16 7p
Sat 6.17 6p
Sun 6.18 1p

I'm having to put up a bunch of placeholder GameThreads while I will be off the grid, so these won't be full of my pithy sarcastic wit. I know you'll weep at its absence as you lament the void in your soul. Sorry about that.

But screw the Giants anyway.

Series Thread (Games 67-69): June 13-15 vs. White Sox

Tue 6.13 7p
Wed 6.14 7p
Thur 6.15 7p

I'm having to put up a bunch of placeholder GameThreads while I will be off the grid, so these won't be full of my pithy sarcastic wit. I know you'll weep at its absence as you lament the void in your soul. Sorry about that.

Series Thread (Games 64-66): June 9-11 @ Phillies

Remember this guy?

Fri 6.9 4p: Grove vs. Suárez
Sat 6.10 1p: Miller vs. Nola
Sun 6.11 10.30a: TBD vs. Walker

I'm having to put up a bunch of placeholder GameThreads while I will be off the grid, so these won't be full of my pithy sarcastic wit. I know you'll weep at its absence as you lament the void in your soul. Sorry about that.

But I can say, as disappointing as Trea Turner has been this year for the Phillies (through June 4: batting .237 with a .655 OPS (79 OPS+), Turner is a heck of a lot better than our own Miguel Rojas (batting .218, .512 OPS (39 OPS+). Is he $300M / 11 years better? 2023 WAR values would tell vote no: Turner = 0.2 WAR; Rojas = 0.3 WAR.

Series Thread (Games 61-63): June 6-8 @ Reds

Tue 6.6 4p: Gonsolin vs. Weaver
Wed 6.7 4p: Syndergaard vs. Williamson
Thu 6.8 9.30a: Kershaw vs. Ashcraft

Coming off a losing series with the YankMes, the Dodgers get a quick two-city road trip starting in Cincinnati. I'm terrified by the Wednesday game with a Noah Syndergaard start, since either outcome is bad: if he wins (against a sub-.500 Reds team), we get lulled into thinking he might still be salvagable; if he loses (as he should), we drop a game we shouldn't be losing. It's a lose-lose proposition. Yikes.

Series Thread (Games 58-60): June 2-4 vs. Yankees

Happier times in the Dodgers-Yankees history, back in 1981

Fri 2 7.10p: Clayton Kershaw vs. Luis Severino
Sat 3 4.15p: Michael Grove vs. Gerrit Cole
Sun 4 4.10p: Bobby Miller vs. Domingo Germán

First of all, let's start with the sobering fact that the Dodgers are now TIED for first in the NL West, with the upstart Diamondbacks, who are on fire. And now, here come the Yankees into the Stadium.

The Dodgers have faced the Yankees in the playoffs more than any other opponent. And in 2023, with both teams vying for the playoffs, this series promises to be a good one. The Yankees go with their ace, Gerrit Cole, as well as their #3 and #5 starters. And the Dodgers go with their legend, Clayton Kershaw, as well as...two dudes we have brought up from the minors early, due to injuries in our starting rotation.

Bobby Miller has been impressive, 2-0 in two games with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. However, Michael Grove has not been good, 0-1 in four games with an 8.44 ERA ad a 1.75 WHIP. I'm not hopeful for this series, for the record. Hopefully the Dodgers prove me wrong.

Dad Considering Senate Run

LATimes: Former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey weighs U.S. Senate bid

Former Los Angeles Dodgers icon Steve Garvey is considering running for the open U.S. Senate seat in California as a Republican, a move that would immediately upend the 2024 race, according to several GOP state party insiders and operatives who requested anonymity to discuss the former All-Star’s plans.

The 74-year-old has never held elected office but has been meeting with GOP donors and leaders around the state as he weighs a bid and is expected to make a decision within the next month or so.

Being a relative, I am recusing myself from initial comment.

Post-Game 57 Thread: Syndergaard Sucks, Bullpen Follows Suit

Noah Syndergaard, pitching in today's game

NATIONALS 10, DODGERS 6

The Dodgers took the field today against Washington hoping for a sweep. But by throwing Noah Syndergaard out there on the mound, there was no way that was going to happen, crystallized by Syndergaard's horrible outing (5.0 IP, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 HR) and emphasized by bullpen failures from Brusdar Graterol (hit batsman and error preceding a three-run HR from Luis Garcia) and Phil Bickford (a two-run Keibert Ruiz HR, lofting Bickford's ERA to 6.92). With pitching this bad, there's no hope.

Syndergaard's ERA is 6.54 now and he's 1-4 on the year. I don't even know why that guy gets a start every five days. If he can't even beat the Nationals--seriously.

The Dodgers had some constructive moments offensively--Mookie Betts had two solo HR, and Will Smith had a home run as well. And we stole six bases (Chris Taylor 2; Freddie Freeman 2; Miguel Rojas 2). But we also went 2-for-14 with RISP, leaving 11 on base all game. With Max Muncy batting fifth and going 0-for-4 (and the bottom of our lineup just a black hole), it just shows that when we can't hit the home run, we are awful at moving players station to station.

We drop the final game of the series to the team with the worst record in the National League. And Friday, we get a real opponent in the visiting New York Yankees.

Go shake this shitshow off, Dodgers.

Series Thread (Games 55-57): May 29-31 vs. Nationals

Mon 29 6p: Bobby Miller vs. Trevor Williams
Tue 30 7p: Tony Gonsolin vs. Jake Irvin
Wed 31 1p: Noah Syndergaard vs. Patrick Corbin

Hot off a disappointing 4-6 road trip (their longest of the season), not to mention a depressing 11-10 loss which dropped the series in Tampa Bay, the Dodgers return to the Stadium to face a swarm of pesky Nats. The Dodgers still own the second-best record in the National League (only behind the Braves by a half-game), and pundits have those two teams as the only NL playoff locks at this point.

But the team definitely looks weaker than their record shows, pillaged most recently by injuries to the starting rotation, not to mention a horrible May for Max Muncy that saw his batting average drop back below .200 (he's at .208 going into Monday's game, which he is sitting out). We get three games against the sub-.500 Nationals before the red-hot Yankees come to town. Better get the kinks out now.

Series Thread (Games 52-54): May 26-28 @ Rays

I remember the Rays quite well.

Fri 26 3.40p: Syndergaard vs. TBD
Sat 27 1.10p: Kershaw vs. Glasnow
Sun 28 8.35a: Stone vs. TBD

The Dodgers meet Tampa for the first time since dispatching them in the 2020 World Series. And though the Rays' cast of characters has changed, they are still getting it done in a highly-competitive division, with the Rays at a major-league-leading 36-15 record, which would be five games better than the Dodgers if we were division rivals.

The Dodgers are coming off a winning series in Atlanta, punctuated by an unfortunate Phil Bickford outing on Wednesday, which dropped the Dodgers below .500 (3-4) on this road trip. The Dodgers still have problems getting runs across the plate; 1-for-10 with RISP on Wednesday, 10 LOB, led by Max Muncy's 0-for-5, 3K day in the cleanup spot (Chris Taylor also had 2 Ks in a 1-for-4 day, putting his average at .191).

This trip was always going to show if we have what it takes for the playoffs, especially leaning on our offense given our starting rotation is in shambles. After dropping three of four in St. Louis, the series win in Atlanta gave me some hope. Now the Rays are poised to crush that hope in their domed field.

Series Thread (Games 49-51): May 22-24 @ Braves

Mon 5.22: Stone vs. Morton
Tue 5.23: Miller vs. Strider
Wed 5.24: Gonsolin vs. Elder
All games 4.20p first pitch

Well, that house of cards toppled pretty fast.

Not only were the Dodgers soundly beaten in St. Louis (the Dodgers dropped three of four to the Cardinals), felled by poor bullpen showings, capricious strike zones, and sitting Mookie Betts on Sunday (basically conceding the series)--we also lost Dustin May (flexor issue) and Julio Urias (hamstring issue), plus Clayton Kershaw has had two straight ineffective starts. As such, we don't know who is going to start for two of the three games this series...against the best team in the National League and a likely matchup for playoffs in October.

So yeah, it's 52-card pickup at this stage. Which is funny, since .052 isn't that far off from the batting averages of either Austin Barnes (.092) or Trayce Thompson (.109).

Hoo boy.

Series Thread (Games 45-48): May 18-21 @ Cardinals

Thu 18 4.45p: Julio Urias vs. Wainwright
Fri 19 5.15p: Tony Gonsolin vs. Metz
Sat 20 4.15p: Noah Syndergaard vs. Mikolas
Sun 21 11.15a: Clayton Kershaw vs. Flaherty

Prior to Opening Day, everyone picked the Cardinals to win the NL Central (to be fair, that "everyone" also chose the Padres over the Dodgers in the NL West). And the Cardinals still might.

But their 17-26 record is curently worst in the National League, and they've got issues. Local product Jack Flaherty is not the 2019 ace they need him to be in 2023 (though he did come to life last start with 10 Ks). Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol doesn't like Tyler O'Neill's lack of hustle on the basepaths.

And by going 8-2 over the last 10, while the Pirates have falle back to earth and the Brewers scuffle around, the Cardinals are only 6.5 games out (the smallest distance to first place for all six MLB divisions).

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have won their last six series including going 5-1 at home this past week, the lone blemish being a rare loss for the bereaved Clayton Kershaw, for his first home loss since June 2021. But wait, there's more: in Wednesday's 7-3 victory over the Twins, we may have lost Dustin May for what's being called "at least a month," but will probably be a lot more. It's a flexor pronator strain, which in layman's terms is really fucking bad.

May's slot in the rotation isn't due for this four-game series in St. Louis, but everyone else's is. So here we go: a hot start to May, precariously set up for a let down. Sounds like a house of cards, no? Or at least a visit to one? Sigh.

Series Thread (Games 42-44): May 15-17 vs. Twins

Mon 5.15 7p: Noah Syndergaard vs. López
Tue 5.16 7p: Clayton Kershaw vs. Ober
Wed 5.17 12n: Dustin May vs. Gray

Technically, the Loudon Wainwright III song "Gray in LA" refers to Wednesday's afternoon matchup, starring the Twins' Sonny Gray (4-0, 1.39 this year, but 1-3 vs. the Dodgers and 1-2 in Dodger Stadium).

But there's gloom across the rest of this series as well. Clayton Kershaw will be pitching with a heavy heart Tuesday, following the passing of his mother on Saturday. Our condolences to Clayton and Ellen and their family.

Less serious, but still gloomy, is Monday's starter Noah Syndergaard, who will be trying to rebound after his exploded blister derailed his last start. Syndergaard is 1-3 with a 6.12 ERA this season, and this setback to his digits will likely mean...a setback to his (ERA) digits. My expectations are low. And that's just the first game of the series (at least attendees will get a great consolation prize).

Despite this gloom, though, the Dodgers have been rolling of late, inlcuding a sweep of the Padres over the weekend. But now the Dodgers will play a winning team, as the Twins sit atop the largely weak AL Central with the division's only >.500 record. We'll see if the Twins bring rainclouds with them to the Stadium this week.

Mad Props to Dieter Ruehle For Playing "Tarzan Boy" for James Outman

At first, I thought I was hallucinating, but on Saturday, I realized that Dodgers organist Dieter Ruehle was definitely playing Baltimora's "Tarzan Boy" whenever James Outman, newly-nicknamed Tarzan, makes a fine defensive play. It's such an obscure song from a one-hit wonder that I had to laugh at Ruehle's depth of knowledge with this pull. You can hear it a bit in the background here:

Well played as always, Dieter!

Post-Game 41 Thread: And That Sweep Makes It Five Out of Six

Unlike San Diego, I'm staying classy.

DODGERS 4, PADRES 0

There's a joke in here somwhere about a whale's vagina--but let's just agree to disagree. What is not in dispute, though, is that the Los Angeles Dodgers just swept the San Diego Padres, sending the mothers of the world home happy, on the heels of the Dodgers' third shutout of the year.

Credit to Mookie Betts for his two-run homer in the third, and Miguel Vargas for his two-run double in the sixth. But the real credit for this game, and this series, was the pitching: Tony Gonsolin (5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB and 6 Ks) was great, but Yency Almonte, Victor González, Brusdar Gratrol, and Justin Bruihl held down the fort with only 1 H and 4 Ks across the remaining four innings. This built upon a solid bullpen showing on Saturday (Caleb Ferguson striking out Jake Cronenworth to ice the 4-2 victory), which was preceded by another 4-2 victory on Friday where Dodger relievers Ferguson and Evan Phillips shut the door on the Friars.

This Dodgers bullpen, which was pretty horrible in April, has seemed to have turned a corner here in May. The Dodgers have now won five in a row and 13 of their last 15, and at 26-15 have the best record in the National League.

I don't know if the Dodgers are actually this good, or if this is just because we've beaten the Padres five of the last six times this season. Either way, though, I'll take it.

Series Thread (Games 39-41): May 12-14 vs. Padres

There's no crying in baseball. But wouldn't the eyes at least be watering, if one didn't have eyelids?

Fri 5.12 7p: Dustin May vs. Snell
Sat 5.13 4.15p: Julio Urias vs. Musgrove
Sun 5.14 1p: Tony Gonsolin vs. Wacha

Last weekend, the Padres decided to post a "crying Kershaw" meme on their Petco Park scoreboard, a move that the San Diego Union-Tribute--the local paper, for pete's sake--called out as classless. "Padres should act like they've been there before — even though they haven't," the Union-Tribune wrote.

And even though Buster Olney, on his ESPN Baseball Tonight podcast, took great pains Monday to point out that "it wasn't the Padres, it was the scoreboard operator" (who is salaried by the Padres, I might add--so Olney's contention is ridiculously absurd), even his co-host Sarah Langs reminded him that she knew exactly what was going to happen afterward: the Dodgers would win the last two games of the series and take the series.

Which they did.

The Padres then flew to Minnesota, where they dropped the last two games in the series, including reviving the offensive prospects of a formerly-moribund player also known for cheating (you know, like this guy).

Watching his team drop back to .500, Padres manager Bob Melvin ripped into his team, using a tactic which worked to motivate the team at the end of 2022. But this is what happens when you anger the baseball gods.

So this weekend, I don't expect the Dodgers, including their scoreboard operator, to stoop to immature levels of behavior while we host the Padres. The Padres are now four games back in the standings entering Friday's game, so San Diego can't leave Los Angeles in first place in the NL West. But it still would be nice to put some more distance between us from this series. Heck, that might even cause me to cry some tears...of joy!

I'll be at the game Saturday if you want to say hi.

photo swiped from this site

Post-Game 38 Thread: Jet Lag Is Real (For the 2023 Dodgers)

DODGERS 8, BREWERS 1

On Monday's radio broadcast, all Rick Monday could talk about was how the Dodgers' plane out of San Diego was delayed, causing an after-midnight landing in Milwaukee, and how the Dodgers were so tired, they couldn't even take batting practice on the field. As if a three-and-a-half hour direct flight time was really going to affect the Dodgers. It sure as heck was affecting Monday, who couldn't move past the point.

Well, I hate to say it, but Rick may have actually gotten this one right. After laying an egg on Monday (a 9-3 loss which looked awful), the Dodgers bounced back for a 6-2 victory yesterday, followed by today's early-morning whupping, 8-1.

Yesterday's one-inning cameo appearance by Noah Syndergaard was curtailed early after a blister on his hand basically exploded, causing the Dodgers' bullpen to go to work and salvage the mess. Today, Clayton Kershaw was dealing: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER (a solo shot by William Contreras), 0 BB and 8 Ks. This gave Freddie Freeman time to work (2-for-5 with 3 RBI, including a HR), along with timely RBI from Mookie Betts and Will Smith, the latter of whom also hit a home run. Miguel Vargas also added to the hit parade, with a two-run HR in the sixth.

Wander Suero came in for the eighth and ninth, striking out three and allowing no baserunners. And the Dodgers leave American Family Field with a 2.5-game lead over second-place Arizona (and a 3.5-game lead on San Diego; both Arizona and San Diego lost on Wednesday). Day off tomorrow (to shake off any jet lag from today's getaway game, I'm sure!), and then the Dodgers host the Padres this weekend at the Stadium.

This Mookie Bobblehead Ad Rocks

"Nice catch, little Mookie. Thanks, big Markus."

Come to Dodger Stadium on 5/15 to get your Mookie Betts Bobblehead presented by @budweiserusa! Get your tickets now at https://t.co/36IUWLzvoH. pic.twitter.com/AOXGDxcnj8

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 8, 2023