The Dodgers rode into New York on Monday evening and stole the city and the show with an impressive 8-2 win over the Yankees in the series opener. Rookie Jose De Leon tossed 5 effective innings to get the win and the offense provided plenty of support with Yasiel Puig and Justin Turner hitting bombs. What was most impressive was the large constituent of Dodger fans in the stands thanks to well known Dodger fan group Pantone 294.
I would like to personally give those guys thanks and a congratulations for a job well done. Dodger fans infiltrated the stadium everywhere making enemy territory seem less hostile for our beloved boys in blue. Those men and women are brave and courageous Dodger fans courageously going behind enemy lines to support the Dodgers. Here’s to you Pantone 294 and every other Dodger fan that made the trip to New York to cheer on the Dodgers. Let’s keep this up.
This series makes you wonder who these baby bombers are. The Yankees dumped veterans Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Ivan Nova at the trade deadline. They also forced notorious juicer Alex Rodriguez into retirement. The infusion of young talent is a big reason why the Yankees have climbed back into the playoff race. The Dodgers can’t take these next two games lightly.
Dodgers Lineup @ New York
Kendrick 3B
Turner DH
Seager SS
Puig RF
Gonzalez 1B
Ruiz C
Hernandez CF
Segedin RF
Utley 2B
Julio Urias-5-2 vs. C.C. Sabathia-8-12
Game Time – 4:10 PM – TV-SNLA
In the meantime the Dodgers will continue the series as another rookie takes the mound. Julio Urias made his MLB debut at Citi Field in New York against the Mets earlier this season. Now it’s possible he may be making his final start in New York against the Yankees. Everything has come full circle for the phenom as he arrives back in New York.
Urias has been great over the last several weeks. In the month of August the young hurler posted a 4-0 record with a 1.99 ERA in 3 starts and 5 appearances. Overall he is 5-2 with a 3.69 ERA. Urias has posted a 10.0 strikeout per nine rate and whiffed 76 in 68.1 innings of work. He’s allowed just 5 home runs and 26 walks. Urias has won five consecutive decisions and has not lost since June 12 against the Giants. This could be Urias’ final start of the season as he is approaching his innings limit. Everyone has an innings limit nowadays.
The Yankees will counter with veteran southpaw C.C. Sabathia. The 36-year old has battled multiple injuries and alcohol addiction. He’s definitely not the same pitcher he was years ago, but he can still throw it. Sabathia is 8-12 with a 4.27 ERA in 26 starts. Over 154 frames he’s whiffed 130 and walked 56. The former Cy Young winner used to be a workhorse pitching 200 or more innings every year. Now he’s limited due to injuries and age. Sabathia has made 2 career starts against the Dodgers and is 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA. Chase Utley and Howie Kendrick have had a lot of success against him.
Sabathia vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 32 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 11 | .250 | .344 | .500 | .844 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Howie Kendrick | 30 | 28 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .393 | .433 | .429 | .862 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Josh Reddick | 20 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | .105 | .150 | .316 | .466 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Utley | 17 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | .400 | .471 | 1.067 | 1.537 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carlos Ruiz | 14 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .154 | .214 | .154 | .368 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .200 | .333 | .200 | .533 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Andre Ethier | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Blanton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 126 | 115 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 9 | 29 | .252 | .317 | .443 | .761 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
The Dodgers jumble the lineup as usual and roll out the all-righty team again. Kendrick is leading-off and playing at third base because Justin Turner is the DH. Puig is batting cleanup and playing in left field, and automatic out Kike Hernandez is in center field. At least they have the sense this time to bat him seventh and not at the top of the lineup. Honestly I still have no clue what they see in him. He’s horrendous on both sides of the ball. Rob Segedin is in right field and Carlos Ruiz is behind the plate. I still don’t understand why the Dodgers have to roll out these lineups against left handers.
The Padres did us a solid by defeating the lifeless Giants last night. So that means the Dodger’s lead is back to 4 games and the magic number is an Andre Ethier 16.
Go Blue
I don’t understand why Puig is playing LF instead of RF. They’re wasting his arm in LF. Glad to see Utley in there and not Culberson.
They’re trying to make him complain or act up in some way.
Left field is the larger, more difficult, isn’t it?
I’ve always thought in the big leagues you put your worst outfielder in LF.
Most of the time yes, but in Yankee Stadium left field is the larger of the two. But I think primarily they are testing Puig to see if he’ll stay cooperative.
Moronic.
They are playing him in Left, because they’re testing in case they need to go Reddick/Puig in the playoffs.
They obviously like Reddick more than Puig in right.
Testing him? this isn’t a movie.
Don’t they still have a short porch in RF at Yankee Stadium? I’m pretty sure that’s why Segedin is in right instead of Puig. Less ground to cover.
Maybe Segedin feels better playing in rightfield, since he is really an infielder.
I hope he can get some big hits, off his old team.
But it is so hard to hit, when you are sitting on the bench, most of the time.
And Sabathia doesn’t have big velocity on his fastball, so maybe our bench guys will get some hits.
I don’t understand the Kike thing either, but I hope he plays well in center.
Let’s all hope Puig has a big night, and we win this game tonight.
That would really freak Giants fans out, with every passing day.
I’ve come to accept that what seems odd to me does not seem odd to Doc or our staff. And since they’re in first place and I”m not, I guess, they are right more than I am!
CC sucks. I expect 6-7 runs tonight from our all rightie lineup.
How many gold gloves does Puig have. Don’t see his name on the list anywhere.
lefties are indeed a problem for this team.
The front office’s supposed play for Braun makes more and more sense every night.
You do know that Reddick has commited more errors since he has joined this team, then anyone of the other outfielders have made all year.
I am not suprised by this game at all.
This platoon line up has been used the entire season, and this line up, just haven’t done much.
I wish Roberts wouldn’t have batted Puig fourth either.
Because Puig isn’t good under pressure.
He over swings at times, and just not good under pressure.
I have heard that the Dodgers offered Puig, Hernandez and Barnes for Braun and wanted the Brewers to throw in $20 million. I heard the Brewers asked for Puig, De Leon and Stewart. Just a rumor from a good source.
If anyone thinks the FO didn’t know the Dodgers needed a power RH bat like Braun they should be locked up in a straight jacket. Ray Charles could see that. They just couldn’t get one for the right price. DAMN! They wanted Hill but they had to take Reddick to get him. CAN YOU EVEN COMPREHEND THAT? Pull your FAZ-hating heads outtta’ your butts! I doubt they re-sign Reddick, but he is a possibility because he is a pretty decent player, notwithstanding amateur opinions.
Toles could collapse, although I like what I have seen of him. Ethier? Who knows? I like Reddick as a platoon RF, but FAZ won’t pay a lot for him. However, if you say you won’t be a Dodger fan if they sign Reddick, I say you aren’t a fan anyway! You’re more like a critic. Don’t get me started on critics. I may think Puig is a knucklehead, but I root for him anyway! I hate Ryan Braun but would love him if he became a Dodger.
For the record, here are the Dodger GM’s like liked (that I remember):
Buzzie Bavasi
Al Campanis
Dan Evans
Farhan Zaidi
Here are the ones I disliked:
Fresco Thompson
Fred Claire
Tommy Lasorda
Dave Wallace
Kevin Malone
Paul De Podesta
Ned Colletti
If not for Depo, Adrian Beltre would still be a Dodger! That’s a damn shame!
Peace out!
… which is better than Peace Off!
Fred Claire is on your dislike list? Fred was a decent guy, probably the most laid back GM they ever had. He made a few good deals and a couple of bad ones. I hate Bavasi because of the way he dumped Duke Snider…..I agree with most of the rest……..but am with holding opinion of Zaidi for a year or two..we will see if the plan works
FYI – Dodger pitchers have a 2.15 ERA in September, with a 0.91 WHIP, 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a 4.4 strikeout-walk ratio (equivalent to Miami’s Jose Fernandez). Opponents are hitting .183/.250/.266 this month.
— From Jon Weisman
Mark
Today I read that it was Puig, McCarthy, and a prospect, that the Brewers wanted.
In this article they said that they were twenty minutes away from making this deal, but the trade deadline ended, before they could get the deal done.
This game tonight, is why I am so frustraded with this platoon line up.
I think if they can help Turner figure out, why he isn’t hitting lefties well, that might help.
Turner hit lefties well, in his first year here.
A former player said that he thought it was Turners batting stance, that is making it hard for Turner to see lefties well.
Puig could help, but Puig isn’t that good under pressure.
Puig is more a complementary type of player, not a star player, like he was in the beginning.
You can be frustrated all you want, but this is the way this FO wants things done, And they are playing the percentages. The percentages say that RH hitters do better against lefty’s than LH hitters do. Alston was after the Dodgers had left Brooklyn mostly a platoon type manager in LA since the Dodgers no longer had the star power they had for those last 10 years in Brooklyn. Puig is still basically a kid. And a lot of his problems are due to what he used to do, a lack of preparation. He has changed a lot since his demotion and although he looked lost tonight, I think a lot of that has to do with the pitcher confusing all the hitters. Sabathia looked like the old Sabathia tonight, and good pitching shuts down good hitting.
Michael
I am not knocking Puig.
He has never did well in pressure situations, and hitting him fourth, wasn’t a good idea to me, because if this.
This platoon line up is last in all of baseball, in ofense.
So obviously the percentages are not working, and they haven’t worked all year, or we would see better numbers against lefties.
Kiki did get a hit yesterday, but his hits are far in between.
They are playing him mostly, from what he did last year.
And they all have not had enough consistent at bats, to hit decent pitching.
For all who believe that the Dodgers will be able to sign Blister Boy for $25MM next year, here’s this from MLB Trade Rumors:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/09/rich-hill-free-agent.html
Similar post on CBS Sports has the Braves targeting Turner as a free agent this offseason
I like Hill… to about $36 million.
I’m confused.
Are most of the commenters here on board with offering Hill a 3 year contract?
If so, ask yourself why you were a Monday Morning Quarterback in regards to Anderson and McCarthy.
Can you really have it both ways?
1. It is stupid to sign a pitcher like Anderson and McCarthy because of their history of injury.
2. The Dodgers need to sign Hill to a two or three year contract even though he has a history of injury.
Bum
The difference with Hill is, that he is a good enough pitcher to take a chance on.
He obviously has a very high upside, as compared to those two subpar pitchers.
Hill has had the best era in baseball, since he came back and started pitching in the majors again.
McCarthy, and Anderson, have never came close to pitching that well in there career, consistently.
That is why I have said, why take a chance on two pitchers, that are not that good, and not worth taking an enormous chance on.
I would sign Hill as second depth, and not depend on him to make all of his starts.
I still think you should sign pitchers that have made most of there starts, for your starting pitching rotation.
And I would be stupid to expect Hill to be able to make his starts, when his history says different.
As we all know the Dodgers don’t hit leftys well. Seager, Pederson, Grandal, Gonzales, Reddick, Toles, Ethier hit from the left side and Turner, although he hits from the right side, hits like he is a lefty swinger.
And, coming up from the minors are Verdugo and Bellinger–two more lefty swingers.
The Dodgers are going to have to go after Machado or Arenado when they become free agents in 2019 and that means the Dodgers should not offer Turner more than a 3 year contract, right?
The Dodgers need Trout for the 2017 season and I think they can get him if they take on Pujols contract, offer fan favorites, include icons of their own, a good prospect, and salary going back to the Angels.
Trout and Pujols for Kershaw, Gonzales, Puig, Ethier, Verdugo, Wood, Toles.
Why did I throw this out there? So someone can say the Angels will never trade Trout and other fun, unimaginative, cold water stick-up-the-but comments.
I am thinking that someone needs to find out why Turner is now having trouble hitting leftie pitching.
He had no trouble in his first year here.
Like I said above a former major league player, thinks it is Turners stance.
If Turner can use more a typical stance when he faces lefties, maybe he would see them better.