It’s been a long time since I’ve written a recap. Nearly six months to be exact. Let’s see if I still remember how to do this. Ah yes, it’s all coming back to me now. If you live long enough you’ll possibly see something so rare that it reminds you of Haley’s comet that passed over us in the 1980’s. Even rarer is a Dodger win in Anaheim during the Freeway series. Rest assured normally if the Dodgers play at the big A during the exhibition Freeway Series they will find a way to lose.
This time though they finally did it. They won a meaningless spring game. The Dodgers wrapped up their second game of the three game freeway series against the Angels in Anaheim, defeating the Halos by an 8-7 score. They nearly blew a five-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, but held onto win it. The Dodgers will finally come home on Tuesday evening to play their final exhibition game before the 2019 season opens on Thursday afternoon against the Dbacks.
The Dodgers drew ten walks and scored eight runs on ten hits without hitting a home run. You might not believe me unless you saw it, but the boys in blue drew walks, got on base, and practiced good situational hitting. Even though the Dodgers had a five run lead entering the bottom of the ninth, the Angels still brought the tying and winning runs to the plate. Yes it’s exhibition baseball.
The Dodgers gave the ball to Kenta Maeda, who did not look completely in sync. Overall Maeda looked mediocre as the Japanese right hander allowed three earned runs on five hits across three innings pitched. He did not issue a walk and notched two strikeouts.
The Angels started the contest by scoring one run in each of the first three frames. Of course the first run was scored on the very first pitch of the game from Maeda, as Kole Calhoun took him deep for a solo home run. If you remember first inning runs were a constant irritant in 2017 for the Dodgers. RBI singles from David Fletcher and Mike Trout punctuated the Halos early scoring off of Maeda. The Dodgers struck back with an RBI double from Chris Taylor that scored Cody Bellinger in the top of the second and was followed by a groundball run scoring single into right field from David Freese that at the time put the Dodgers ahead by a 2-1 score.
The Dodgers would plate five unanswered runs in the top of the seventh inning to break out to an 8-3 lead. The Dodgers would record three consecutive bases loaded walks from Jeter Downs, Bellinger, and Matt Beatty. Later a two-run single from prospect Connor Wong broke the score open. Altogether the Dodgers had ten walks and scored eight runs without hitting a home run.
On the pitching side, the only reliever to allow a run was Jordan Sheffield in the bottom of the ninth when he served up a three-run double to Jared Walsh. Otherwise we saw scoreless appearances from Pedro Baez, Scott Alexander, Kenley Jansen, Caleb Ferguson, Yimi Garcia, and newest Dodger Justin Grimm, who actually looked pretty good.
If you love baseball, listen to Dino Ebel mic’d up. And if you don’t like baseball, you will after this. pic.twitter.com/Q5iqNXwtkN
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 26, 2019
The highlight of the game was when the SNLA broadcast team microphoned Dodger’s third base coach Dino Ebel. The veteran coach and former minor league manager was a delight to listen too. He’s smart, energetic and quick. Ebel is heads and tails better than Chris Woodward. One little thing though Dino, it’s runs not points in baseball. One more and then they count for real. Julio Urias will get the ball on Tuesday night in the series finale as right hander Jaime Barria gets the nod for the Angels. Welcome home boys!
Glad for a dodgers series win. They haven’t been winNing much in the last week or two and needed a pick me up to carry them into the regular season.
Pedro Moura had a Q&A on The Athletic.
Obviously, I can’t repost everything.
Here are some highlights that touch on subjects common to this blog:
On some fans disliking Dave Roberts:
That’s a good question. It’s unfortunate that some fans seem to be looking for issues to be upset about. Sports are supposed to be a source of entertainment, of relaxation. Instead for a lot of folks they become a vehicle to let out frustration, to be angry without real-life consequence. It’s not what you want. And to lay it on Roberts, by all accounts a thoughtful man, makes particularly little sense.
If players were happy to see Puig traded:
Some yes, some no. It’s a big group of people in there, not all with the same opinions on every player or thing.
Grandal didn’t sign for more than the QO. Was there no attempt at keeping him on a one-year deal? Seems like that would’ve made more sense than Russell Martin.
Well, the Dodgers are paying Martin about a quarter of what Grandal is making. And, of course, Grandal had serious postseason issues here. If you’re going to have to turn to the backup in October, why not just use him all season long? The Dodgers are good enough that they shouldn’t need power from their catcher to win the division.
Do the Dodgers overthink their pitchers’ Spring Training prep with all the “slow playing”?. No starter has thrown more than five innings yet. And it didn’t exactly pay off for Kenley last year.
Starters don’t throw more than six innings in spring, and a couple Dodgers have done that. Sometimes starters will throw five on the field and then another in a bullpen session. There’s a big difference between that and the slow-playing that Kenley Jansen did a year ago.
Bluto, the Dodgers don’t need power as much from their catchers as ya said. However, in fact Dodgers do not need to hit as many HR’s as they did last year (235) in order to win. And the KEY for that to work is that our pitching needs to serve up less than they did last year, both SP’s and BP pitchers. Remember the Dodgers allegedly play in a pitcher friendly park but alas…they gave up more HR’s at home last year (95) than they did on the road last year! (84)
You are mistaking my opinion with that of Pedro Moura.
Is he part of the Pedro Philes?
There not only isn’t any buzz on the field or in the FO, there is no buzz in here and it’s freaking opening day. However, I may catch a half inning or so today on ESPN, unless I am out enjoying the beautiful sunshine, why spoil a perfectly nice day.
I get all 4 games on Dbacks tv. Oh goodie.
I wonder if anyone here, or there, knows what you’re referring to when you reference Pedro Philes?
The giants and snakes are at the top of the NL We Stink list, right below the Pirates. Even though I don’t think we are particularly ready for the season to start I figure we can handle these two inept clubs. 5-2 to start the year.
You and I know all about Pedro and his philes (the most important files are in public records for all to see). You and I are on the same page in regard to sick f–ks that do such sick things to the innocent. To hell with Pedro and His Philes.
He covers the Dodgers for The Athletic!
everyone that knows much or has investigated, knows exactly what I am referring to. It’s not that hard to know what you are dealing with. I go no further with any explanation for you, you like to do research, Brutus, do your own digging. Google can be your friend (that might bring you to a grand total of one friend)
You don’t need to explain it to me.
One friend? Bluto has many friends There are minions, I mean millions, who believe Friedman is a certified genital, I mean genius, and they are all his friends.
The O/U is 7 1/2 today. That seems low, but the Dodgers will probably strike out a lot against Greinke. We are favored to win because of course we are, but 4-3 or 5-3? Slow start. I’ll take 4-3.
I’m quite uninterested in discussing non-Dodgers matters, except if I can make it into a joke.
Your posts definitely are a joke. So you got that nailed down.
True enough, and thanks for reading.
(EDITORS MESSAGE)
True,
You are in Violation of posting guidelines. Please refrain from personal attacks on other posters and enjoy the Dodger game today. Thanks!
Is it weird if I’m curious what was written? I basically agreed with him/her.
Hi Scott!
No it’s not weird Bluto. He cursed at you.
Opening day is going well.
Very well!