The nice little reprieve we had for Tuesday night’s 3-2 Dodger win evaporated quickly as the Dodger’s sunk back to mediocrity with a 4-3 loss to the Mets on Wednesday evening. Noah Syndergaard also known as Thor shocked us all with two home runs off of Kenta Maeda. He also destroyed the Dodgers with his arm as well. The Dodgers will have to win tonight to earn a series split. In the series finale the Dodgers will give the ball to Clayton Kershaw and the Mets will counter with fat man Bartolo Colon.
Colon is fatter than ever before, but is having a great season. The 42-year old right hander is 3-1 with a 2.82 ERA in six starts. Colon has struck out 33 and walked only 4 over 38.1 innings pitched. Colon has posted a 3.04 FIP and has struck out 7.7 per nine innings. It only took 20 seasons, but Colon hit his first MLB home run last week against the Padres. In that game he also got the win by allowing three earned runs over 6.2 frames while striking out 5.
Dodgers vs. Mets
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Grandal C
Pederson CF
Puig RF
Hernandez LF
Kershaw P
Bartolo Colon-3-1 vs. Clayton Kershaw-4-1
Game Time – 7:10 PM – TV- SNLA
Colon is 2-5 with a 5.16 ERA in seven starts against the Dodgers. He’s never pitched well at Dodger Stadium either, posting a 2-1 record and a 5.31 ERA in three starts. Colon has won 221 career games and has thrown 13 shutouts. The Dodgers are hitting just .226 (33 for 146) against Colon with a .575 OPS against. Adrian Gonzalez is the one to watch for. He is batting .480 (12 for 25) with 3 home runs and 5 extra-base hits versus Colon.
Colon vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Carl Crawford | 37 | 36 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | .167 | .189 | .222 | .411 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 25 | 25 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | .480 | .480 | .920 | 1.400 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 25 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .120 | .120 | .120 | .240 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chase Utley | 17 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .412 | .412 | .529 | .941 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasiel Puig | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .000 | .125 | .000 | .125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Wood | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clayton Kershaw | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joc Pederson | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .000 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Charlie Culberson | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Scott Kazmir | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 151 | 146 | 33 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 35 | .226 | .247 | .329 | .575 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
The Dodgers will counter with Clayton Kershaw. The ace is having another season for the ages. He is 4-1 with a 2.04 ERA in seven starts. He’s struck out 64 and walked only 3 across 53 dominating innings. His WHIP is 0.774 and he has allowed 6.5 hits per nine innings pitched. He has a 10.9 K/9 rate and a godly 0.5 BB/9 rate as well. Once again Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball and on pace for another Cy Young award.
He defeated Toronto in his last start by allowing just two earned runs over seven innings and striking out 10. He’s struck out at least 10 or more batters in four consecutive starts. He’s walked just one batter since April 9. One! He’s unbelievable. Kershaw has been spectacular in his career against the Mets. He’s never lost to them. Kershaw has a 6-0 record and a 1.34 ERA over 9 starts. Kershaw has limited the Mets to a .142 (16 for 113) average with just a .374 OPS against.
Stat of the day- Kershaw needs seven strikeouts for 1,000 career strikeouts at Dodger Stadium.
Kershaw vs. Mets
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| David Wright | 24 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | .167 | .375 | .222 | .597 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Curtis Granderson | 18 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .188 | .278 | .188 | .465 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lucas Duda | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .133 | .235 | .133 | .369 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Neil Walker | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .111 | .111 | .111 | .222 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yoenis Cespedes | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .111 | .111 | .111 | .222 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wilmer Flores | 9 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Juan Lagares | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .111 | .111 | .111 | .222 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rene Rivera | 9 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | .250 | .333 | .250 | .583 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asdrubal Cabrera | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .250 | .000 | .250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alejandro De Aza | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eric Campbell | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob deGrom | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Plawecki | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bartolo Colon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Noah Syndergaard | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Matz | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 127 | 113 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 39 | .142 | .224 | .150 | .374 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Alex Guerrero has begun his rehab assignment as he continues his recovery from a left knee injury. Guerrero can only be on assignment for 20 days before the Dodgers have to figure out how to fit him on the roster or DFA him.
The Dodgers are back to .500 with an 18-18 record and are tied for first place with the Giants in the NL West. Arizona and Colorado are both one game behind.
Let’s beat the fat man and get a series split!
Go Blue!
Roberts might want to move Kershaw up in the lineup for this one.
Of course Guerrero homered in his first rehab start.
Snider where did you see that? And is he playing at Rancho again tonight?
Guerrero can hit. He only makes $7.5 mm, which amounts to about 1 WAR. Give him a position and 400 PA’s somewhere and he could possibly double that. The problem, as I see it, is FAZ didn’t sign him.
We win tonight, and then we win again on another night after losing a couple on yet more other nights. I’m done.
Badger the way that Turner isn’t hitting right now, maybe they should let Guerrero play a little at third, and let him get some at bats. I much rather have Guerrero playing third, then Howie. But Guerrero needs to get some more at bats, and make sure he is ready, before he comes up. That is what Howie should have done. Before last night’s game, when I found out, that Howie was playing, I kept on seeing his last at bat, against the Mets, last year, in the ninth inning, and that wasn’t pretty, sight, to look at. Do you remember that at bat?
Guerrero’s stat line last year was basically a free swinger who struggled to make contact but could occasionally run into one. With below average defense anywhere he plays. I’m not expecting him to help anything.
Andre Ethier would help, he’d prob be a top 3 hitter for us, which says something. about the state of this offense . He’s at least another month away.
Alex was a SS in Cuba and if you look closely at last year’s stats you will see where he had trouble was in left field. His play at third base was actually above league average. If he was given third base job somewhere I think he could learn to play it well. But his prime years are slipping by, he’s now 29, and I don’t believe his future is here. I say again, he is not a FAZ pick, he was signed by those guys that were fired.
This will sort out eventually but I still believe this roster has an odd structure to it. Too many ML outfielders for a few years now, too many second baseman, plenty of pitchers not enough ML starters, bullpen question marks, you know, all those depth issues. When everybody gets back, what are they going to do? Maybe more injuries will answer the questions.
From the previous thread Dodger Rick brought up the mediocre west vs the other two divisions. Yes it’s a long season but the current records point to no wild card out of the west. So it’s win the division or go home. Can this pitching staff carry us over SF, AZ, CO, and SD? Part of that depends on the other team’s pitching staffs and injuries. On paper I say no. Luckily it isn’t decided on paper.
This 2016 team could be better than the 1988 team. The 1988 team was not all that good though. Just saying.
Based on what has been said here, I think I am more confident in this team than most. The Dodgers have four guys that share a house in LA that are going to have some fun this year. Trace, Joc, Cory, and Alex. They could push each other and help each other excel.
I said a couple of weeks ago that I thought Urias and DeLeon would start 5 games each in late May, early June. DeLeon might not now if his sore arm sets him back. Kazmir could use a break to heal whatever it is that needs mending.
Bum there are five guys sharing that house, but I don’t know who the fifth guy is. I heard that on the pregame show. And like you, I think this team is better, then people think. I see improvement in every game they play.
Last year against the Mets at home, the Mets won the series. And we have Kershaw pitching tonight, so I like are chances. The Dodgers biggest problem, on offense, is that Turner the number three hitter, is not hitting, or driving in runs.
And they were facing a good pitcher last night, and he pitched well, but we were still in the game, in the ninth. We have a lot of young players, that are improving in every game. And Bum you are right, the best teams on paper, don’t always win.
I really think they are playing as a team more this year. And they are playing better, then last year. Even when we had Kemp, and Hanley, the team almost never came back, and won a game, after the seventh inning. And I didn’t want Kemp traded.
Some people here, have said the Mets have a better team, but Mets didn’t hit Wood, and they would have not scored a single run last night, without there pitcher. And if we win tonight, we will be doing better, then last year. Why not hope for the best, instead of trying to will the Dodgers to lose.
I am not happy with the starting pitchers they signed, and don’t like that they didn’t do anything with the bullpen. But you can’t compare the A’s to the Dodgers, because the Dodgers have much more money, to spend, then the A’s. And this team, just took a series away from the Bluejay’s, and they had the power hitters, that everyone wants. And that is more then the Giants did.
Will the Dodgers to lose? I know you are not in that camp MJ.
Badger I don’t like most of the moves that the front office has made, but I don’t want to will the Dodgers to lose. And I don’t think you want that either. And I actually think they are playing better, then they did last year. And the only difference this year, is that Greinke is gone.
And I didn’t want that to happen. We have a few young players, that are learning and getting better. And like you have said there hitting is getting better, and will get better then this. That Mets pitcher really isn’t easy to hit. We difinitly need a better starting pitcher, then Kazmir has been, and I don’t see him getting better. And I am uneasy with Wood too.
But if we can get Ryu back, there is hope, along with some of the young pitchers, in AAA. Because the Giants number four and five, or not much better. Like I have said before, I want this team to do well, in spite what this front office, has done. And if the team does win, this front office, won’t be able to take credit for winning. That is because most of the players, on the team, are from when Colletti was the GM.
Very good MJ. I think it is more fun for a season to be one of intrigue and mystery.
Bum I am actually excited to see how our young players develop, and how the team develops.