Adrian Beltre, Future HOFer?

It still pains me to know that we let Adrian Beltre, one of my favorite players, leave the Dodgers. And Beltre, who hit his third cycle tonight to be the fourth player to achieve three career cycles, all-time and the first to hit three cycles in over eighty years, is still performing at an insane level, two teams after leaving the Dodgers. Beltre continues to build his Hall of Fame resume:

Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre's greatest strength also happens to be his greatest weakness, at least in terms of assessing his Hall of Fame credentials. He plays the game so smoothly, so efficiently that he's occasionally easy to overlook even after 18 seasons of playing at such a high level.

That's why what happened in Arlington on Monday night was so outside the norm. If it prompts people to pause and put his greatness in context, even better. It was one of those games that will resonate through an entire sport.

Beltre became just the fourth player to hit for the cycle three times as the Rangers beat the Astros, 12-9. And he did it in five innings: First-inning triple, second-inning double, third-inning single, fifth-inning home run.

Easy, huh?

Let's say right up front that Beltre has methodically built a Hall of Fame resume. There's actually not much debate about that.

His career Wins Above Replacement, according to BaseballReference.com, is 36th all time at 80.7. That places him fifth among all third basemen. Only Hall of Famers are ahead of him: Mike Schmidt (106.5), Eddie Mathews (96.4), Wade Boggs (91) and Brooks Robinson (88.4).

His career WAR is higher than a long list of Hall of Famers, including Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Bench, Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter. Counting the players who spent most of their time at third base, Beltre is fifth all-time in hits, home runs and RBIs.

Defense? Those metrics are sometimes trickier, but his defensive WAR is second all-time among third basemen, trailing only Robinson.

Man, I miss that guy.

photo swiped from Deadspin

Scoreboard Watching: August 2, 2015

Oh man, I remember this guy.

Wait a second, you mean to tell me that we get a day off, while the Giants and their cushy schedule actually have to play a game? Of course, it's against the lowly Braves, who are eight games out of the NL East lead (tied between the Mets and Nationals). Matt Cain (2-2, 4.50) goes up against the lengthy last name of Mike Foltynewicz (3-3, 5.04). Foltynewicz, who goes by the absolutely crazy baseball nickname of...wait for it..."Folty", should really be a reliever but Atlanta is trying him out as a starter. Which should go really well tonight, I'm sure. Thanks, Atlanta! First pitch, 4p PT.

Post-Game 105 Thread: Just Another Ethier Walk-Off

DODGERS 5, ANGELS 3 (10)

Andre Ethier has been known for his walkoff hits. But it has seemed like a while since he's had some walkoff heroics (though I have no idea; I'm sure there is some way to do this search on baseball reference, but I'm not smart enough to know how to do this).

Sunday afternoon, Ethier was the man. Sure, Mat Latos' debut wasn't too shoddy: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB and 1 K; Howie Kendrick had another HR (second this series against his former team), and Juan Nicasio had a rare hold. And Jim Johnson's debut with the Dodgers was not so good: an eighth-inning solo HR by Kole Calhoun that tied the game at two.

But it was Ethier who put the Dodgers up 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, a lead the Dodgers could not hold--but no matter, as Ethier got another HR in the tenth, with Adrian Gonzalez aboard, to win the game 5-3 and complete the sweep against the Angels. With the Giants' loss, the Dodgers now have a 2.5 game lead in the West, and a rare day off while the Giants go to toothless Atlanta (47-58) for a three game series.

Game 105 Thread: August 2 vs. Angels, 1p

Mat Latos (4-7, 4.48) vs Cory Rasmus (0-0, 0.00).

There's talk on the street; it sounds so familiar
Great expectations, everybody's watching you
You're gone from the Fish, we don't even know you
All of the Dodgers treat you like you're something new

Welcome, Mat Latos, the new kid in town
We need a third starter, so don't let us down

You'll step on the mound, the music begins to play
Another non-Cueto; here we go again
And after a while, will you come and save the day
It's those restless hearts (having spent 26 years without a World Series title), that never mend

Welcome, Mat Latos, the new kid in town
More arm ink than Wilson; but less of a clown?

There's still ten-odd starts, we'll need you to soldier
So start after start, you'd better not fold here, not fold here
(cries) (on my shoulder)?

Post-Game 104 Thread: Hipster Kershaw Downs Angels

DODGERS 3, ANGELS 1

Clayton Kershaw overcame the hip issue that had scratched him from two starts, and sat many an Angel down (7 Ks; retired his last 15 batters) en route to victory today. Kid K's scoreless streak is now at 38 innings; the Angels got a run in the ninth off of Kenley Jansen, whose shakiness is starting to get a little concerning. Albert Pujols snuck in a pop fly right in front of Scott Van Slyke to score David Murphy for the Angels' only run; Jansen did have two Ks, including Mike Trout, in the final frame.

The Dodgers' offensive outburst came in the sixth inning, with a Van Slyke sacrifice fly to left (scoring Howie Kendrick, and a Yasmani Grandal HR scoring Adrian Gonzalez. The Dodgers had other chances, ending the game 0-for-6 with RISP. But three runs was enough to make Kershaw's effort stand up.

Scoreboard watching: The Giants are facing Cole Hamels in his debut with Texas, and are down 2-0 in the second (Giants have Chris "Charlton" Heston on the mound: 11-5 / 3.14). As of this posting, the Dodgers have a two-game lead in the West, with only 58 left to play.

Game 104 Thread: August 1 vs. Angels, 1p

Clayton Kershaw (8-6, 2.51) vs. Andrew Heaney (5-0, 1.79)

Clayton in great form (despite the glute issue the past 48 hours nagging at him) on a nice Saturday at home against our rivals from that other county way over there? I'll take it! We'll chew bubble gum and kick Heaney.

Longtime SoSG friend Jason at this game, making his once-every-five-years appearance given that he lives in [redacted], so yours truly looks forward to having a "Diet Coke" with him and possibly spooning afterward. I'm planning to get there early to watch Kid warm up/long toss, because that's a show in and of itself. No truth to the rumor I'll be having pre-pre-game drinks at El Compadre on Sunset in 3...2...1...Also a shoutout to another longtime SoSG friend Steve "P. Ditty" Dittmore, who attended last night's game after working the Special Olympics in Los Angeles the past week. Here's to both of you for putting up with us for so long!

Game 103 Thread: July 31 vs. Angels, 7p

Zack Greinke will start tonight's game. Clayton Kershaw, who was scheduled to pitch tonight, will start tomorrow's game.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 31, 2015

Clayton Kershaw Zack Greinke (9-2, 1.37) vs. Hector Santiago (7-4, 2.43).

Welcome to the post-trade deadline new-look Dodgers! Please say hello to:

• Mat Latos
  
• Alex Wood
  
• Jim Johnson
  
• Luis Avilan
  
• Bronson Arroyo (60-day DL)
  
• Jose Tabata (OKC)
  

and goodbye to:

• Brandon Beachy (DFA)
  
• Chris Heisey (DFA)
  
• Chin-hui Tsao (DFA)
  
• Zach Lee (OKC)
  
• Mike Bolsinger (OKC)
  

FOB (Friend of Blog) Steve Dittmore will be at tonight's game, so if anyone wants to buy him a beer, let us know in the comments!

Trade Deadline Discussion Thread

The Dodgers got Wood and Johnson! (And Latos, but he doesn't fit the dick joke pattern.) The Giants took a Leake. The Cards got Broxton for some reason that might have something to do with Jimmy Rollins and cosmic retribution! A.J. Preller appears to be taking an ill-timed nap!

With a little over 90 minutes to go, what, if anything, will happen next?

Game 102 Thread: July 29 vs. A's, 7p

EVERYTHING IS FINE.
Mike Bolsinger (5-3, 2.79) vs. Jesse Chavez (5-10, 3.45)

It's a been a weird day and half for the Dodgers. They got utterly shut down by Sonny Gray last night (bad, but somewhat understandable). Then, this morning Dodger fans were greeted with the news that Clayton Kershaw was suffering from some sort of hip (or possibly butt, leading to good Twitter jokes) pain and may not make his start tonight. This turns out to be the case as, just prior to this writing, Kershaw was officially scratched and Bolsinger starts tonight. (Kershaw supposedly starts Friday.)

There was also the little matter of the Dodgers trading for Mat Latos and Mike Morse from the Marlins...until they didn't. The deal is currently in limbo over "medicals." Many fans are freaking out, thinking this will be the lone move Friedman and Co. will make before Friday's deadline. Of course, that was before the Tigers announced this afternoon that David Price is officially on the block. We'll keep you posted with all that.

Oh, and the Giants are about to beat the Brewers and move into a tie for first place in the NL West.

What booze pairs best with abject panic?

Game 101 Thread: July 28 vs. A's, 7p

We're home.
Brett Anderson (5-5, 3.33) vs. Sonny Gray (10-4, 2.30)

First home game since July 12th! Dodgers have come out of the break playing .500 ball, the Giants have move to within a half a game, and we still don't know what moves the front office is planning.

Hope this home cooking will settle our uneasy stomachs!

Game of the Day

Rangers vs. Yankees. Two teams I'm predisposed to root against, slugging the F out of each other. (squint to see it)

And the hits keep coming.

Four Dodgers In "Top Jocks" List

The new “Top Jocks” list was published in Forbes magazine (I fell upon a copy of Forbes Asia, July 2015), and there are quite a few Dodgers (and former Dodgers!) populating baseball’s 27 representatives (in the top 100). Floyd Mayweather took the top role (and Manny Pacquiao was #2), but here’s where baseball lined up (total / salary / endorsements):

• 19 Jon Lester ($34.1 / $33.4 / $0.7)
• 30 Robinson Cano ($27.6 / $24.1 / $3.5)
• 34 Clayton Kershaw ($26.9 / $25.7 / $1.2)
• 38 Albert Pujols ($25.9 / $23.4 / $2.5)
• 40 Ryan Howard ($25.6 / $25.0 / $0.6)
• 42 Cliff Lee ($25.2 / $25.0 / $0.2)
• 43 Miguel Cabrera ($25.1 / $22.1 / $3.0)
• 48 Prince Fielder ($24.3 / $24.0 / $0.3)
• 50 Joe Mauer ($24.0 / $23.0 / $1.0)
• 51 CC Sabathia ($23.9 / $23.0 / $0.9)
• 53 Zack Greinke ($23.7 / $23.7 / $0.1)
• 56 Justin Verlander ($23.4 / $22.7 / $0.7)
• 58 Mark Teixeira ($23.0 / $22.5 / $0.5)
• 58 Masahiro Tanaka ($23.0 / $22.5 / $0.5)
• 60 Felix Hernandez ($22.9 / $22.7 / $0.2)
• 61 Cole Hamels ($22.7 / $22.5 / $0.2)
• 65 Matt Kemp ($22.2 / $21.0 / $1.2)
• 69 Adrian Gonzalez ($21.5 / $21.1 / $0.4)
• 70 Jacoby Ellsbury ($21.4 / $21.1 / $0.3)
• 75 Matt Cain ($20.8 / $20.4 / $0.4)
• 75 David Wright ($20.8 / $20.0 / $0.8)
• 77 Carl Crawford ($20.7 / $20.4 / $0.3)
• 78 Jayson Werth ($20.6 / $20.4 / $0.2)
• 79 Hanley Ramirez ($20.3 / $20.0 / $0.3)
• 85 Adam Wainwright ($19.8 / $19.7 / $0.2)
• 87 David Ortiz ($19.7 / $15.7 / $4.0)
• 97 Max Scherzer ($18.9 / $18.7 / $0.2)

Surprising how many Dodgers there are on the list, though I suppose I shoudn’t be surprised with the Dodgers’ much-ballyhooed $270M payroll. It also calls out in the sidebar that Zack Greinke’s earning 99.8% of his money from salary and only 0.2% from endorsements is the opposite of Usain Bolt’s, who earns 99.9% of his money from endorsements and appearances, rather than prize money.

Game 100 Thread: July 26 @ Mets, 10a

Google "Dodgers century" and you get images like this. (Get it?)

Zack Greinke (9-2, 1.30) vs. Jacob deGrom (10-6, 2.18).

Today we test the theory of whether the baseball gods care about fatherhood milestones. In Jon Niese's case, in which he watched the birth of his son on facetime from the stadium, a thousand miles away, the baseball gods clearly frowned. Tonight, the Dodgers' Zack Greinke takes the mound, having left the team earlier this season to be present for the birth of his son, Bode. Will the baseball gods smile upon Greinke? Or will they at least cut him a break given he won't have a peaceful night's sleep for years to come?

Greinke's consecutive streak of 43 2/3 scoreless ball is on the line tonight, against a Mets team that might have just awakened its bats yesterday. Hoo, boy.

OH! MY!!! GGGGGGGOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!!!

The Dodgers are on the television set.

Thank you SuperStation, for bringing us what a DirecTV / AT&T multi-billion merger could not.

Post-Game 99 Thread: Egg Zach Lee

METS 15, DODGERS 2

Zach Lee's major league debut was pretty much a nightmare, with the Mets stomping all over Lee over 4.2 IP for 11 H and 7 ER. Lee's ERA ends his first ever day at 13.50, which is horrific, particularly considering the Mets have had offensive woes of late.

Lee was relieved by Chin-Hui Tsao, who didn't do much better: 0.2 IP, 6 ER. Tsao's ERA is 10.29. Throw out yer' dead! Because really, it's only one game.

Joc Pederson and Jimmy Rollins each had solo HR. Lead shrinks to two games in the West.

Welcome to the Bigs

Rough first inning for Zach Lee in his major league debut. Thanks to reader goodchild27 for the photographic proof:

Game 99 Thread: July 25 @ Mets, 4p

Major league debut!

Zach Lee (0-0, -.--) vs. Matt Harvey (8-7, 3.19).

photo by Scott Killeen

Post-Game 98 Thread: Easy As 1-2-3

DODGERS 7, METS 2

I was worried about Dodgers starter Ian Thomas tonight, but I should have been more worried about Mets starter Jon Niese. Opting to start rather than be there for his child's birth, he watched the birth (in Ohio) on facetime from the game in New York. But to say Niese was distracted was probably an understatement: the Dodgers put up six runs in three innings on the poor guy, with 1 in the first, 2 in the second, and 3 in the third.

Justin Turner doubled in Howie Kendrick in the first.

In the second, Ian Thomas, who had five innings of one-run ball, GIDPd in the second but scored Kike Hernandez from third, and then Joc Pederson doubled in Jimmy Rollins.

In the third, Turner had a solo HR, and Yasiel Puig homered to also score Scott Van Slyke.

Rollins also added a solo shot in the eighth off of fabled Mets pitcher Hansel Robles.

Of course, the well-rested Giants beat up on the cellar-dwelling A's, so the lead is still three games.

Game 98 Thread: July 24 @ Mets, 4p

Possibly related to our starting pitcher.

Ian Thomas (0-1, 5.23) vs. Jon Niese (5-8, 3.36).

As a general rule, I don't trust people with two first names. (Three first names is even worse.) So Ian Thomas' first career big league start doesn't give me a lot of hope. Thomas joined the Dodgers in the Juan Uribe deal with the Braves earlier this season; he is 1-3 lifetime with a 4.71 ERA (including one loss with the Dodgers, taken on June 2 vs. Colorado). Meanwhile, the Giants open up yet another cushy series with the bottom-feeding A's.

One week to find ourselves another starter.

Take a Moment to Appreciate Greatness

ESPN compiles the stats, and SoSG dutifully repeats them in this space.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Kershaw became the first pitcher in the modern era (since 1900) to have three straight starts without allowing a run, while striking out at least 10 batters and walking none. The only pitcher to do this in two straight games in the modern era is Cy Young, who accomplished the feat in 1905.

Thursday marked the 11th career shutout for Kershaw. He now has pitched 29 consecutive scoreless innings and has recorded 45 strikeouts since he last issued a walk.

Kershaw has struck out 34 percent of the batters he has faced this season.

In the expansion era (since 1961), the only starters to qualify for the ERA title and strike out a higher percentage of batters in a given season are Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez.

Shorter ESPN: Kershaw is a bad mofo. If he was ever gone this year, he's definitely back. I think he has a chip or two on his shoulder. That's the way I like my Kershaw.

So take a moment to savor what he's doing. When we're celebrating SoSG Fest XVIII at Cooperstown and watching Kid K's speech, we'll remember this stretch (and so many others).

photo: John SooHoo/LA Dodgers