Let’s hope Bud Norris is feeling nostalgic because he’s facing off against his former teammates this afternoon. How will he fare against his old club?
A hanging curveball to Manny Machado, and Baltimore ace Chris Tillman halted the Dodgers home winning streak at ten in Tuesday night’s 4-1 loss. Kenta Maeda struggled most of the game and the offense was never able to get anything going against Tillman. Hey we knew they were going to lose one at home eventually right?
The loss also snapped a pair of streaks for both clubs. For the Dodgers their five game winning streak and for the Orioles their five game losing streak. Fortunately the Giants lost to the Rockies so the Dodgers did not lose any ground in the NL West standings. The boys in blue remain 5 games behind the Giants. Today Bud Norris will make his second start as a Dodger as they look to take the series over the Orioles in the rubber game.
Dodgers vs. Baltimore
Kevin Gausman-1-6 vs. Bud Norris-4-7
Game Time – 12:10 PM – TV-SNLA
Starting on the mound for the Orioles will be 25-year old right hander Kevin Gausman. Originally from Centennial, Colorado he was drafted by the Orioles in the first round of the 2012 amateur draft. This is Gausman’s fourth season with Baltimore. This season he’s made 14 starts and posted a 1-6 record with a 3.97 ERA. In 81.2 innings of work Gausman has struck out 76 and walked 18. He’s struck out 8.4 per nine and allowed 9.5 hits per nine while putting up a 4-1 strikeout to walk ratio. He’s had problems keeping the ball in the park as he’s allowed 14 home runs.
Gausman has a strong fastball and sharp off-speed offerings but has been somewhat of a disappointment with Baltimore for a first round pick. Gausman has never faced the Dodgers and has a 1-4 record with a 4.91 ERA in interleague starts. He has a 5.14 ERA away from Camden Yards.
The Dodgers acquired Bud Norris from the Atlanta Braves and last week he made his Dodger debut in style. He tossed six innings of shutout ball against Colorado earning his first win in Dodger blue. Today he’ll look to get the Dodgers back in the win column as he faces his old club. Norris pitched for the Orioles from 2013-2015.
Norris has made only one career start against the Orioles. In that start he earned the loss by allowing three earned runs on nine hits across seven frames. He struck out seven in that start and walked one. Norris has not pitched well in interleague starts. He has a 4-10 mark with a 5.32 ERA in 22 interleague appearances.
Orioles vs. Norris
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Mark Trumbo | 12 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .182 | .250 | .182 | .432 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J.J. Hardy | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .625 | 1.125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Davis | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adam Jones | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .500 | .750 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Manny Machado | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Flaherty | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Wieters | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yovani Gallardo | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 40 | 39 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | .333 | .350 | .385 | .735 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Major League baseball announced the all-star game pitching staff and reserves on Tuesday afternoon. The Dodgers had three players named to the 2016 all-star game. Those players are starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (obviously), shortstop Corey Seager, and closer Kenley Jansen. For Seager and Kenley this is their first all-star game selection. This is Kershaw’s sixth all-star game selection. Seager even commented about wanting to participate in the home run derby. So that should be fun. We want to wish them all congratulations!
In other news, the Dodgers have optioned Julio Urias back to triple-A Oklahoma City and recalled left handed reliever Luis Avilan. Urias got bombed the other night and it’s becoming quite apparent that the 19-year old youngster has a lot to work on. The Dodgers are probably going to shut him down soon anyways and I am assuming they figure they don’t need him right now with Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-jin Ryu back in the fold. Avilan should be optioned or DFA’d once Ryu is activated on Thursday night.
Not having any of your starting pitchers go past the fifth inning and using the bullpen for 4-5 innings every game is not a sustainable strategy going forward. That’s a very dumb way to burn up your pen by August. The Dodgers are going to need some innings from Norris today.
Today is a businessman’s midweek special start time of 12:10 PM. So as I’ve said before during these middle of the week day games that nobody can watch….skip work! Play hooky from school! Blow off your meetings and obligations! It’s Dodgers baseball in the afternoon!
Go Blue!
Kershaw going down could turn out to be a good thing for the Dodgers, as long as Kershaw can come back and pitch, reasonable soon, after the Allstar break.
Because Kershaw will get some needed rest, from carrying the team, both mentally, and physically.
Kershaw was putting to much pressure on himself, to finish games.
And he was always trying to pitch as many innings, that he could, to help save the bullpen arms.
And one pitcher, shouldn’t have to do this, with a rotation of four other starting pitchers.
But like Badger says, this is the team, that the Dodgers are right now.
And this is on the front office, because they signed these starting pitchers, that don’t pitch deep into games.
After signing starting pitchers, that can’t pitch deep into games, they didn’t reinforce the bullpen.
The front office knew this was going to be a problem, and that is why they first went after Chapman.
But after letting Chapman go, they didn’t do to much to strengthen this bullpen.
Blanton was suppose to be the long man, not a set up guy, but he is having to set up games, because the pitchers, that were suopose to do this, are not consistently good.
That year of experience, didn’t do much, for the same old arms, in the bullpen, who can’t be trusted.
What an offense the Orioles have: Machado, Jones, Davis, Hardy, Wieters. Impressive!
Let’s hope Norris can keep them off balance.
Would have been nice to pick up a game in the standings. Hopefully, the Rockies woke up just in time for the game today. Not a bad loss last night. But still a loss, with our current best pitcher. I guess Maeda is not a #1. We have a bunch of #4’s right now. Just keep hitting. Nice for Seager to be an All Star. Well deserved.
Dodger fans not the only ones complaining about their bullpen.
http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2016/7/6/12104796/sf-giants-bullpen
Dodgers need more than 5 ip out of starters; need more than 1 1st inning run on 5 hits against bad Orioles pitching (although Tillman is probably their best).
Can Norris repeat last game’s performance?
Dodger rick
I heard that about the Giant’s bullpen, but they have been much better, then the Dodger’s bullpen, in high leverage situations.
And Bumgarner and the other starting pitchers for the Giants, have had a really good bullpen, backing them up, as well as a manager, that knows how to handle a bullpen well.
Avilan is the only P on the current 25 man roster with a WHIP above 1.50. Yea he is a DFA candidate at 2.50. When I hear his name I think of the phrase Game Over! But he just dropped his 2016 ERA from 27.00 to 13.50. Great job for one day. 🙂
In the last 30 games there are only 3 Ps with an ERA over 4.50!! Stewart 9.00; Bolsinger 9.25; and Tepesch 11.25. The June Swoon SP Depth?? 🙂 Norris was a very good and timely acquisition.
Thompson has been figured out. Last 30 games .175 BA; Last 30 games .192 BA. Just Sayin.
BOB
You are right Thompson should not be batting at the top of the order.
Urias sent down because ……. he has a lot to work on? That may not sit well with….. some.
We held a very good offense to 4 runs. That’s actually a job well done. They are a team that averages 5.10843373 runs per game. You score 1 you won’t win often. Not against a team that averages 5.10843373 runs per game.
We’re doing better than I thought we would with this starting rotation. .558 winning % is pretty good. That’s a 90 win pace. That could be achieved……. if Kershaw comes back.
We’re favored today, sort of. Odds are all over the board but -108 looks to be the average. 7.5,runs. I pretty much always take the Blue and the over. Dodgers 4.5 to 3.5. Yeah, I know.
Badger
You could see such a big difference with Urias and Stewart, and how they handled there starts.
Stewart being newly out of college, and a few years older, handled himself well, even after having that one big inning.
Urias is still quite young, and it is more then just chronological age.
It is like he has been to protected, in some ways, if that is possible.
Fernando at the same age, was a much more mature pitcher.
And that is probably because Fernando had been pitching longer in the Mexican leagues, before the Dodgers picked him up.
Cory isn’t that much older then Urias chronologically, but Cory is a much older soul, like Fernando was.
Urias needs to pitch more innings, and face the other team’s offense, more then just two times through the order.
That is the only way that Urias is going to learn how to pitch in trouble, and know, how to get out of those situations.
And that is something he can learn in AAA, and he is only going to learn that, by pitching more then just five innings, in a game.
By the way the Dodgers are bringing Urias along, it doesn’t look like he will be ready to pitch in the majors, until the 2018.
The year, that Badger says is the target year.
This is because Urias is going to need to pitch much deeper into games, and he won’t have the inings in, he needs, to pitch next year.
Get ready for another round of Joel Peralta, the Cubs just dumped him and FAZ can’t resist…
Peralta can hack. He’s got like 200 home runs and 900 RBIs, lots of WAR and a career OPS of…. wait…what? Joel?
Never mind.
Wondering
I was watching the Cub’s game, the other day, and Peralta was pitching, and I stopped watching for a while, and when I came back to that game, the other team, had scored two more runs.
And of course my first thoughts were, Peralta probably gave up a HR, with someone on base.
And then you posted this, so I think I was right.
I think Peralta needs to retire. He is in his forties, and it is a struggle, watching him pitch.
He is slower, between pitches, then Baez is, when Baez is in trouble.
He had just been released by the Mariners, not to long ago.
Wondering
I don’t think that is going to happen, since Friedman, let him go this year.
I was being sarcastic when I wrote that, but I wouldn’t bet that it won’t happen…
They managed to resist Lactose, so maybe they’re learning.
Are they Lactose intolerant?
I know Mattingly is sure lactose intolerant.
That is why he always took him out early.
The bullpen is being asked to pitch a complete game every 2 days. Is that sustainable? I wouldn’t think so. But I see no 7-8 inning pitcher on our horizon. Kazmir maybe on occasion. Sure hope this one doesn’t go extra innings.
Did anyone else find it amusing that last night the Dodgers played a terrible game and lost? Normally that would never be the case with me but for some reason it seemed so appropriate last night, just saying.
1 for 11 WRISP.
I don’t find losing amusing. I don’t find it surprising either.
Approaching a Dodger Stadium strikeout record.
Long game. Getting some chores done around the house. 95 outside.
You missed my point, gotsta read between the lines sometimes, gotsta connect the dots sometimes.
Who out there besides me is sick of seeing 5 inning pitchers? This bullpen will be burned out by the end of July. That is one reason they need a solid starter right now. Mark’s love for the Fazter is well known, but they have really fell flat on their face where the starting pitching is concerned. Norris went back to his old self today. They have not had a pitcher go past 6 innings in a LONG time. I for one would rather have stability in the rotation than this motley collection of mediocrity.
18 k’s so far????
Torture!
Except for the bullpen!
Dots? What dots? Lines? What lines?
What’s this?
…. —— ….
That’s reading the line between the dots.
I’m gonna eat some pasta.
Yeah. I’m tired of 5 inning pitchers. But, that’s who we are.
Did I mention pasta?
I give up, you ain’t gonna see
You need to eat a cheeseburger tonight
Long day. I’ll listen to a splanation. I’m old. Use short words.
Cheesy veggie burgers are good. So was my pasta. It too was cheesy.
1 for 14 with RISP. We are an offensive jugger not.
Figures it would be Hatcher, though that go ahead hit was a dying duck.
I feel …. used.
Badger
So do I! What a wasted time, and so many things that caused the Dodgers to lose this game.
Roberts not bunting when he should have, to avoid the double play twice.
Roberts not bringing in Taylor to run, instead of Maeda.
Cory dropping a pop fly, that Turner could have also caught.
And hitters over swinging, and not putting the ball in play.
And Fien giving up a HR, after the Dodgers just scored the go ahead run!
I think he’s saying someone is MIA, Badge.
Oh. I get it.
You know what, I just laughed. It wasn’t amusing last night, but, thanks for pointing out that silver lining.
I look forward to hearing all about it.
I’m sorry Fien needs to go.
He has given up 13 HRs this year.
Baez and Hatcher, have only given up 15 HRs together.
Also the Dodgers have had to many pop fly balls, fall between two players this year.
It should have been taken care of by now.
A popfly let a run score today.
He has been pretty good as a Dodger. Only 2 of those in a Dodger uni. Hatcher on the other hand and Baez have given up close to that together. Fien has been very good. Most of his bad work came in Minnesota there MJ…..Check his record as a Dodger
Again, have you ever tried to catch a major league pop up in what they call a high sky? Corey gets a pass on that one. It was a fluke, had it had been hit a night he makes the play.
Notwithstanding today’s 14 inning game, the ‘pen has pitched 42 2/3 innings in last 10 days and 19 2/3 innings in last 3 days.
The Dodgers need starting pitchers who can pitch more than 5 innings.
Can’t entirely blame Hatcher. He has thrown 80 pitches in last week out of the ‘pen (in 4 innings), most pitches on the team in that period.
No hitting with RISP (again).
Once again – a formula for failure – a starter who can’t pitch deep into games, poor hitting RISP.
You want Greinke back? I’ll bet the Dbacks will consider your offer.
The pen has risen to the occasion for a while now. Can Roberts keep going to that well?
Badger
You really think so?
No. Not really. I think we keep on nibblin’.
I think that would work with the front office’s ego too.
We take Greinke for a better price, and send over one of our many starting pitchers.
Something like that. La Russa won’t do the Dodgers any favors. If they decide to shop him, they will be accepting bids. He’s got a strained oblique, but he looked damn good for his last 8 starts.
Hey, now that he’s on the DL he might be right up our alley.
Badger
I have never thought different about Greinke.
Even when people bring up that lube for his arm, that doesn’t bother me.
I just see that as smart maintenance.
Most athletes know there body well.
Norris back to reality?
Now maybe Neddy Jr. might think about at least one long reliever? Nah. The longest thing they have ever had is a dollar bill so that is the limit in their little minds. Send Avilan back to AAA and call up Frias please! I do not care if Frias gives up 10 runs I just want the rest of the guys in the pen to rest.
Bad bench management today. So Sad. Reminds me again of Dummie.