Clayton Kershaw pitched the Dodgers back above .500 on Thursday night with another dominating performance. He struck out 13 Mets while tossing his second shutout of the season in the Dodger’s 5-0 win. The Dodgers were able to split the four game series with the Mets. That was his fifth consecutive game with 10 or more strikeouts. A nice crisp clean shutout was just what the Dodgers needed. Kershaw is having another season for the ages. What a stopper.
Tonight’s pitching match-up will feature two old college buddies facing each other on the mound as the Cardinals come into town for a weekend series. Michael Wacha and Ross Stripling both attended Texas A&M University. The 2013 NLCS nemesis is having a good season. Wacha is 2-3 with a 3.12 ERA in seven games with 38 whiffs over 43.1 innings pitched. Of course we all remember Wacha from his NLCS performance three years ago when he completely shut the Dodgers down. He’s had some injury issues since then and is not quite the dominating force that he was at that time.
Dodgers Lineup vs. St. Louis
Kendrick 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Puig RF
Pederson CF
Thompson LF
Ellis C
Stripling P
Michael Wacha 2-3 vs. Ross Stripling-0-2
Game Time – 7:10 PM TV- SNLA
Wacha allowed four earned runs across six innings in a 10-5 St. Louis loss to Pittsburgh in his last start. Wacha has lost three consecutive decisions and has not won since April 23rd. The 24-year old right hander is 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA in two regular season starts against the Dodgers. He is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA at Dodger Stadium. The current Dodgers have done alright against Wacha, but have just six extra-base hits against him. Yasmani Grandal has hit the only home run. The Dodgers are batting .286 (16 for 56) with a .783 OPS against Wacha.
Wacha vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .100 | .250 | .100 | .350 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Joc Pederson | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .143 | .143 | .286 | .429 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carl Crawford | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .400 | .500 | .400 | .900 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .200 | .333 | .800 | 1.133 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .600 | .667 | .800 | 1.467 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .400 | .400 | .800 | 1.200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasiel Puig | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Culberson | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .667 | .667 | 1.000 | 1.667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .667 | .500 | 1.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clayton Kershaw | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Utley | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 62 | 56 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 15 | .286 | .355 | .429 | .783 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
The Dodgers will give the ball to Ross Stripling. The Texas A&M buddy of Wacha has been serviceable this season. Stripling is 0-2 with a 3.82 ERA in six starts. Over 33 frames he’s struck out 28 and walked 12, while allowing 7.4 hits per nine. Stripling pitched very well in his last start at Toronto on the last road trip. In that game, he allowed just one earned run over six innings and struck out six. He didn’t walk anyone as well. Out of his six starts he’s allowed over 3 earned runs on just one of them. Three of those six starts have been quality starts. That’s what he normally will give you, which is just fine by me.
The Cardinals are not quite as good as they once were, but they are still not to be taken lightly. They’re fresh off a sweep of the Angels and sit tied for second place in the NL Central with a 19-16 record. They have a little bit of a different look this year. Brandon Moss is getting a lot of time at first base instead of fatso Matt Adams. Kolten Wong is the second baseman and the Cards have a young kid named Diaz getting reps at short while Johnny Peralta is nursing a thumb injury. They have rookies in the outfield with Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk. However long time Red Birds Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina, Matt Holiday, and Matt Carpenter are still there. They are basically still the same team we all love to hate.
Go Blue!
So… who you got Scott?
St Louis favored. 7 1/2. I like the Dodgers in this one. Stripling goes 6, pen doesn’t blow it, Dodgers win 4.5 to 3.5.
Are those half runs runners left in scoring position divided by pi?
mmmm….. pi
Not sure who will win but I’ll take the over.
Stripling has been serviceable. I agree with that. The kid deserves a win!
I just saw the proposal on the last thread of Braun for Crawford and Kazmir
Comical to even throw that out
Utley is not playing tonight. And Howie is batting first. And Roberts has Puig back batting fifth. Puig shouldn’t be batting fifth, and Howie shouldn’t be batting first.
I thought Howie was going to start hitting, but he only hit in Tampa Bay, and that one game against the Bluejays. He is batting under 200 for the last thirty games, and the last 14 games, and the last seven games. And I bet Puig is about the same, or worse.
And I really want Puig to hit, because he plays good defense in right. But these two players, shouldn’t be batting near the heart of the order. Hopefully this works out, like when Roberts played Grandal last night.
The Howie Kendrick who hit .500 against Wacha last year is not the guy who’ll be leading off tonight. Dumb sabermetrics. Play the hot hitters–it ain’t rocket science.
And in only two at bats! And the only way I sit Utley, especially aganist a righthander, is if Utley himself, said he needed a day off. Roberts is playing Howie, because he still isn’t hitting, and that two year contract.
I just heard from Roberts that Wacka has reverse stats aganist right handers.
Thank you.
1. Bobby that trade will not go down.
2. Remember, the Cardinals like to get in your face — and that is now, Puig, throwing high and tight — and upset Puig. Probably will happen this weekend, early.
It wont happen in the regular season, at least the in your face stuff. Now they might set Puig up by throwing inside but will attempt to get him out going away or with change ups.
Well at least our regular outfield is out there today.
Puig needs to learn from the Mets pitcher, at bat, that hit that second HR. He didn’t do anything different, with his swing, from his normal at bats. Puig has impulse control, like a three year old. Maybe a hypnotist can help.
Peralta, who pitched for the Dodgers, and did poorly, is pitching for Seattle. The Mariner bullpen is tied or first in 7 categories. They had a bullpen like the Dodgers. Very poor. However, they made some changes. Another pitcher who left the Dodgers and doing well with another team. I still am not a Honeycutt fan.
Stripling is doing what he always does, that gets him in trouble. He try’s to be to careful, and walks people, and gets behind on the count. After his last game, against the Bluejays, I thought he finally realized that he is his worse enemy.
I don’t know why the Dodgers almost always don’t play good in the first game of a series.
5 baserunners and 36 pitches in the 1st 2 innings – hope that Stripling settles down or this will be a long night for the bullpen
Crawford and Kazmir for Braun? I am sure Milwaukee would do that if you threw in De Leon, Bellinger and Verdugo. Put down the crack pipe!
Clayton Kershaw has struck 10+ batters in 5 straight games and is the only Dodgers to ever do that. Not Koufax – Kershaw!
Cole Hamel was traded for six (count ’em 6) players. But, you believe SVS and De Leon would have got the deal done? Seek psychological help immediately! Molly Knight is on crack! Texas gave up their #2, #3, #5, #13 prospects and two more players. The same year, the Dodgers #2 was Pederson, #3 was Urias, #5 was Verdugo and #13 was Zack Lee. But they would have taken DeLeon and SVS?
I have listened to that “Badger-drivel” for a while now. He loves to say it – it makes no difference if it makes sense or not!
Many posters to this site (including you, Mr. Timmons) regularly propose trades that will never be made and are patently absurd. I chalk them up to wishful thinking and being a fan and don’t take the proposals seriously (most of the time).
I am more concerned with the trades and roster moves that the Braintrust actually make. (Or don’t make, but should.)
If Milwaukee is going to trade Ryan Braun, it will be for real prospects – not spare parts that the Dodgers don’t want. No one wants Crawford – no one. Kendrick – maybe, but only if the Dodgers pay most of his salary and we don’t want much back in return.
Trading requires value for value and must result in something that each team wants or needs. Baseball GMs are not stupid.
The trades I purpose involve OVERPAYING because that is the only way stuff like this is going to happen. I would suggest that you can’t trade CC for anything! Kaz has a little valve, but if the Dodgers wanted Ryan Braun they could get him, Here’s the deal:
Bellinger
Verdugo
De Leon
Calhoun
That’s what it would take… maybe more. CC and KAZ? Simply silly!
But aren’t our prospects better than theirs? Do we have the number one farm system or not?
Most GMs are not stupid. But as Amarillo Slim likes to say, if you can’t find the sucker five minutes after you sit down at the table, you’re it.
Yes snider, they are now and they were back in July. It was explained in detail how a package beginning with DeLeon could have been a better offer, but that explanation was ignored by some. Now we read Molly Knight heard the same thing and those toes are stepped on again. The Dodgers could have had Hamels if they really wanted him. For reasons yet to be fully understood, FAZ went to Latos instead. Big mistake. Some of us said so at the time. In rear view glasses, still looks the same to me.
The trade proposed yesterday was one involving salary swaps and in my opinion was interesting because it could be the basis of something larger. In looking at the FAZ history, they like multiple player deals.
Something like this could work, but only if the numbers add up. Those numbers have to accomplish what each team needs. What Milwaukee needs are young players and to free themselves of several million down the road dollars. The trade suggested is only the beginning. To dismiss it as silly completely misses the point. This is a chat room. We are here to chat it up.
Howie had a HR that was robbed from him in the first inning and then an RBI in his second AB,so how can you criticize the decision?
Admit it! You don’t know squat!
???
Mark I said that Roberts said that Wachka has reverse stats against righties. I corrected myself.
Good at bats by Joc and Trayce!
Hey, can someone sell me some drugs? I know they are rampant in here…
Whatever you are on now appears to be working.
Did you hear this stat:
Clayton Kershaw is 81-0 when the Dodgers score 4 or more runs.
Yeah? What’s his record against St. Louis when they score 4 or more runs?
Vinny said that last night and I had a hard time believing him. Kershaw is just a stud. We need to enjoy him because there are not many like him.
And because he may not be a Dodger after 2108!
More playing time for Thompson, please.
Everytime Stripling walks somebody they score.
Shark just lined out to third and left the field holding is right side. I’m gonna say it’s an oblique and he’s out for weeks. You heard it here first.
Nope. He goes 8, gets the win. He’s 5-2. Cueto is 5-1. I can see the gnats going for a third starter at the deadline. Maybe sooner. Hope Latos is available.
Stripling pitches some great games and gets nothing to show for it.
Today he pitches pretty eh and gets W.
Love it
Baseball happens sometimes
OK, so I guess Kendrick IS still the guy who hit .500 against Wacha. What do I know? Roberts likes to give guys a night off after they hit a home run to keep them fresh. Maybe he’s on to something. Interesting the Cards were able to find a Cuban shortstop who can hit…fielding needs some work, but he can hit.
Give Puig time and space. He wants to be good and he’s not sitting on the millions. He may not be as good as he was, but I think he’s loyal and a good old country boy that understands his own limitations. Knucklehead, maybe, but not a prima donna.
YF Puig is just like a big kid, and he is trying to do good. His biggest problem is keeping himself, under control at times.
The Dodgers bullpen is
5th in MLB in WHIP
4th in fewest hits allowed
3rd in batting average allowed
4th in saves
So, I guess the bitching and moaning have stopped … at least until the next meltdown. Then you will be back with a vengeance, I assume.
One or two of the starters… maybe more… will be back. I have no clue who, but right now, the hitting is the problem. However, it looks to me that Puig, Gonzo, Turner and Kendrick are all starting to heat up. The Dodgers are hitting .242 as a team and I guarantee they will be over .265 – so you can expect a lot of offense in the future.
Two games over .500 after 36 games – I’ll take it.
Bolsinger is probably a week or two away… I’m sure they will keep him in OKC the maximum to build arm strength, He pitched 4 innings Thursday night and allowed 0 runs. Frias pitched 3 inning on Thursday too.
Yasmani is the defensive equal of AJ, in my opinion. He is healthy and I look for big things from him. He handled Clayton just fine in his last start. The Dodgers are much better with Grandal behind the plate than AJ – bless his heart! The Kemp-Grandal will go down as one of the best Dodger trades.
It’s no coincidence that when Adrian Gonzales slumps, so do the Dodgers. Hopefully he will heat up and the Dodgers will streak… Again, I am saying that the Dodgers are the class of the west!
Mat Latos is 5-0 but he has been very lucky. I doubt that it continues. However, I still question Honeycutt! After a good start Nicasio has come back to earth (4.34 ERA).
Mark Turner is not making Agon’s at bats easy. I keep on thinking that Turner is going to break out, and start hitting, like the Turner of old, and he is not hitting consistently, and not driving in to many runs. What do you think it is? Do you think his knee, has caused him, to start so slow? Or is he trying to hard, to hit to the right side, to get runners over?
I think we are seeing all of Roberts and his coaches hard work, coming through the team, right now. They are playing like a team, and working together with there at bats, to get runs in. And like I said before, they are improving in every game they play.