Baseball is back! The first series of the second half brings the Dodgers to Chase Field in Arizona. They faced Snake southpaw Patrick Corbin, who was looking for his first win at home. Bud Norris took the bump for the Blue.
Things to watch for: How Yasiel Puig‘s game is affected (or not) by the trade rumors that swirled around him during the break.
1st inning
Dodgers
After two strikeouts, Justin Turner picked up where he left off with a bomb to center field to score the Dodgers’ first run of the season’s second half. 1-0
3rd inning Dodgers 1-0
Dodgers
Bud Norris on with help from an error by Jake Lamb.
Corey Seager blasted a double to advance Norris to third.
JT hit a grounder that Lamb bumbled for his second error of the inning, allowing Norris to bring home the second Dodgers run. 2-0
Snakes
They put together a couple of singles and a huge error ( the Snakes scorekeeper allowed a triple, but I rule error) by Scott Van Slyke in right field allowed the tying run to score. 2-2
The following batter hit an RBI single to put the Snakes ahead 3-2
Side note: During this inning Twitter started lighting up about some shiny substance on Bud Norris’ arm. Did he have an illegal substance abuse problem? If he did, it sure didn’t help him out.
4th inning Snakes 3-2
Dodgers
Back to back singles by SVS and Yasmani Grandal opened the inning.
Chris Taylor blasted a gapper to score both. Score that a (legitimate) triple. 4-3
Howie Kendrick followed with an RBI single. 5-3
After that, Corbin managed to load the bases with two out for Yasiel Puig.
Base hit to center!
Embed from Getty Images
Two runs scored, but Puig was thrown out trying to stretch it into a two-bagger. 7-3
5th inning Dodgers 7-3
Dodgers
Chris Taylor got his second extra-base hit of the night with a double down the left field line.
Norris followed up with a single into left field to score Taylor. 8-3
Snakes
With two out, Jake Lamb knocked in Paul Goldschmidt with a single. 8-4
6th inning Dodgers 8-4
Dodgers
JT hit by pitch! Looked like a borderline accident. Warnings were immediately issued.
Base hits by Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig loaded the bases with no out.
SVS and Grandal gave up two weak strike outs.
Chris Taylor stepped up and absolutely CRUSHED one for a Grand Salami!! 12-4
Snakes
Norris out. Pedro Baez in. 1,2,3, job done.
7th inning Dodgers 12-4
D-backs
Baez out. Casey Fien in.
Fien gave the home crowd something to cheer for by giving up a solo home run. 12-5
Fien then gave up another homer, this time to Goldschmit, with one on. 12-7
Fien out, J.P. Howell in. Job done.
8th inning Dodgers 12-7
Dodgers
Chris Taylor came up with the cycle on the line. He tried to bunt, but he pushed it out too far at the pitcher, and he was thrown out.
9th inning Dodgers 12-7
Dodgers
Kendrick walked. Turner singled. Then Yasiel Puig came up with an RBI single. 13-7
Dodgers Win! 13-7
It was 110 degrees in Phoenix today, but the Dodgers’ bats were even hotter. Every starter got at least one hit, and scored at least one run.
Chris Taylor was the big offensive story tonight, with a double, triple, and a grand slam in his first three at bats. Taylor was the first Los Angeles Dodger to hit a grand slam for his first major league homer. He was also trying to be the first Dodger to hit for the cycle since the O-dog, Orlando Hudson, but it wasn’t in the cards.
Puig Watch: Puig began the night with two strikeouts. Before the game was over, he had a walk, three hits and three RBIs.
More good news: The hated ones lost. Dodgers 5 1/2 games back.
Bud Norris (W 5-7) went 5 innings with 8 hits, 4 runs, 0 walks, 5 Ks ERA 4.17
Triple: Chris Taylor
Doubles: Taylor, Seager
Home runs: Chris Taylor, Justin Turner
Team with RISP: 7 for 19
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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Missed the game. Took my brother to the local Honky Tonk for some live country music.
Soon after the Lee / Taylor trade was made I said, maybe a couple of times, that I would like to see Taylor at second base in 2017. I like his defense and speed. Add Toles to left field and the Dodgers would have the speed they haven’t had in awhile.
Then in 2018, maybe Bellinger will take over at first and give that position a player with speed. I suppose there is a chance that Barnes could be the catcher in 2017 and that would give the Dodgers some speed at catcher.
I like a speedy lineup that plays good defense.
MJ
I liked what you found the other day. But I’m done again. I was supporting Badger’s comments regarding the big buffoon HOA. I defined HOA weeks ago. Another posting of the definition will get me banded by the strawman who pretends to own this website. But then again who really cares? I ain’t codependent and while I politically incorrectly point out who the narcissists, sociopaths, psychopaths, arrogant bastards, and millennials., etc are all day it is always to no avail. Why should any one of those types of people change their behavior in here? Especially not a self proclaimed spiritual person who is merely a clanging symbol. Out again.
I get it BOB.
Apparently you’ve been around this sink hole for some time. I love talking baseball, but not with this guy anymore. I am having an increasingly difficult time squaring the circle of known dysfunctional history. There is just too much personal drama standing in the way of civil discourse. Maybe none of us are who we say we are, it’s a blog, so we can hide behind our own fictional narratives, if we choose. But what I believe to be true just does not allow me to engage with this individual any longer. I must make a choice to ignore the misrepresentations or just get the hell out.
I’ve thought about changing my handle and starting over, but that does not change history. I’ve been Badger for 20 years. And he’s been who he really is for very, long, time. Mountainmover. I so look forward to that book.
Later……
There’s certainly a whole lot of manufactured melodrama over what really amounts to very little….aside from ego and posturing. You never fail to take the opportunity to poke a stick at Timmons and insult him at every turn, but then your own narrative you peddle is this one of self-righteous martyr standing in the way of barbarsim and speaking truth to power…or whatever portentous created self that allows you to take a moral high ground in what has been a decades long pissing match.
I leave and come back and see all of this, and I have to scroll back in previous threads to see what egregious thing Mark did this time, and I don’t really see much. I don’t really understand what opinions about a baseball team someone could have that would create so much animosity aside from the conclusion that BOB and TrueBlue have a couple of screws loose. With you it’s ego. You have opinions and enjoy the sound of your own prose, as does Mark and, coupled with the toxic brew of conflicting politic views, those two personalities are incompatible. This blog ain’t big enough for the two of you.
Mark’s not getting banned. Stop beating that drum. If you have a problem with him, don’t continuously make it about him. It’s not about him. It’s really you if you’re going to be honest about it. I’d suggest you ignore him, or at least not continuously egg him on and then cry foul. Perhaps…and this is a pretty crazy notion, you can try to engage him civilly.
FO patch, you have absolutely no idea what the hell you are talking about. Don’t throw out stupid shyte, I think you are projecting your own “loose screws”.
Badger has good reason for his issues with Timmons. Timmons is an instigator with a long history of proclaiming his brilliance. People are sick and tired of the attacks and cheap shots, you appear to be in the same crowd with Timmons. Misery loves company.
TrueBlue, do you agree that if someone says the earth is flat and all who don’t realize this are morons that there is no reason to be offended if you think the earth is a sphere?
Or, if someone says the earth is a sphere and all who don’t realize this are morons that there is no reason to be offended if you think the earth is flat?
Original Dodgerman is who you used to be and for anyone to say I “proclaim my brilliance” is a complete 180 to the truth.
It doesn’t take brilliance to figure most of this stuff out – just common sense. I have been saying since FAZ was hired that they would not trade top prospects and would not hand out huge long-term deals to aging vets. I understood the plan, not because I am brilliant, but because I use common sense.
Now, when it becomes apparent that I was right, small (minded) people resort to attacks. I give what I get. It’s amazing I have such control over you when I have never said what you attributed to me. NEVER!
Oh, I just think it’s just a big misallocation of energy over a guy you happen not to agree with with respect to a baseball team. He has opinions. You don’t like them. You don’t like him. You want him to go away. You want the blog owner to do it for you. It really doesn’t work that way.
You ought to take Bum’s advice.
My preference Badger is that you stay here and ignore slights that you believe Mark makes toward you and see where that takes you.
My preference Mark is that you stay here and ignore slights that you believe Badger makes toward you and see where that takes you.
This is my chronosynclastic infundibulum where I like Mark, Badger, and Puig and all fit together in perfect logic.
I like it.
Bob, liked your stats and research, but not your negativity.
I don’t come here to cast dispersions on the team, players, or management nor to read comments that trash my team.
I don’t like one-on-one tit-for-tat crap either.
I like for people to say what they would do instead with specifics and not just vent.
When Mark says crazy stuff, I find it entertaining. Even when he wants to replace Turner with Longoria.
The Dodgers need two more pitchers in the rotation that can consistently pitch 6 plus innings and one of them should consistently pitch like a #2.
They don’t have that. We all know that. That might be all they need to be a championship team.
That is not being negative. Just saying what it is. Saying the team needs something and therefore management is incompetent is negative.
All that is not aimed at you Bob. It includes all of us, including myself.
BOB
I thought you would like that, since we both saw what the Dodger former trainer, was suppose to be doing all that time.
I still can’t believe the Dodgers didn’t get a real doctor involved, about what they saw on Ryu’s scan.
That is over, and hopefully Ryu will be able to pitch well again
I am hoping for the best.
I’m sorry your out again, you crack me up with some of your remarks.
Mark’s a millennial? Damn millennials!
WOW! Extremely judgemental. Which one are you: narcissist, sociopath, psychopath, arrogant bastard, or all of the above? Just asking… because you are certainly out of touch with reality. I wonder what Badger would think if he found out who you really are – you know – your former names?
Tell us, we want to know.
TruBlueThru&Thru used to be OD, Original Dodgerman and several other names until I blocked him. He used to fight with Badger and Roger and others all the time. Then he started on me, like he still does.
BOB used to be Ken and a couple of other names. He sent me this e-mail in April 2015:
Screw it – I’m not going to be the fall guy. I am not smarter than anyone else, better than anyone else, but I work harder than almost anyone else and have been successful. I ran a Dodger blog for 15 years until guys like these took away my joy. 15 YEARS! Some people just try and bring you down. I won’t fall for it!
Ask Scott about how hard that is.
Chris Taylor was once a TOP 10 PROSPECT for Seattle. He was drafted in the 5th round of the 2012 draft. He is certainly a utilityman due to his ability to play SS, 3B and 2B. He doesn’t have a great arm, so if he were to start, 2B would likely be the spot. At 25, maybe he is just coming into his own. There are no shortage of 2B Candidates next year:
Kendrick
Barnes
Taylor
Hernandez
Calhoun (yes… maybe)
He is a baller – that is for certain. I like his game.
Utley?
Next year? I can’t see it… though you never say never.
I saw Taylor play in Seattie. He needed a change of scenery just like Lee. Although Lee is not doing well at Tacoma. He was high on Seatle’s list of prospects. He played good defense, but did not hit. I am sure Taylor thought the front office did not believe in him anymore. You never know. Sometimes a change is good. He looked good last night
It was good to see our right hand line up, come out hitting, as well as Turner, who has had trouble hitting lefties, the last couple of years.
But maybe Turner is reverting back to hitting lefties better again, like he did when he first came to the Dodgers.
It was good to see Taylor have a great offensive game, and to hit a grand slam, on his first major league HR.
Bum I like quick players too.
Also Toles got another hit last night, when he pinched hit, and that was good to see.
Not many players, that come up from even AAA, hit like Toles has, in his few at bats.
And Toles was playing in Rancho at the begining of the year.
I thought Norris was going to pitch well last night, even though the Dbacks, had good numbers against him.
Because I figured those numbers, was before he gained that new pitch.
But Norris had quite a bit of trouble last night, and that is why he only pitched five innings.
I hope Norris can pitch better, the next time he starts.
I also hope that Honeycutt, the bullpen coach, and Fien, are looking to see why Fien is continuing to give up so many HRs.
Hopefully they can find the problem, before it comes back, and haute the Dodgers.
The main thing about last night, that I thought was good, is the team came out there, with a lot of energy, and that was good to see.
And it was great that the Giants lost, with Bumgarner pitching last night too!
Well said MJ.
Norris = too much rest? Did leaving the roof open until just before the game leave it with a bunch of warm dry air that kept pitches from breaking as much as they would with heavier air? The ball was flying all over the place.
It will be interesting to see who is on the 25 when Ethier, Joc, and Wood, return.
Bum
I was reading some comments from someone who went and saw that game last night.
They said it was 118 at game time, and was 110 when they were leaving the game last night.
I thought the players really looked hot last night too.
It doesn’t look like Ethier is going to be able to come back that soon, with his bone not fully healed yet.
Roberts said that Ethier can do as much as he can, without further injuring himself.
Roberts also said, that Ether’s recovery, was up to Ethier’s pain threshold.
As I recall, Ethier does not play well when hurting.
The giants lost. The giants lost. That has a nice sound. Good win last night. Chase Field is a hitter’s ballpark. Roof was closed. Still, the starting pitching is spotty, at best. At worst, it is bad. Kendrick is the man to get the team rolling offensively. It looks like he likes leading off. Me too. He doesn’t get enough credit for moving to the outfield, where he is respectable. 66 strikes out twice the first 2 times up, then goes on a tear. Microcosm of his career. Which one will show up today? D’backs have folded after trading Ziegler to the Red Sox. Grienke still has no timetable to return. He might be out a long time. I hope they keep sucking through the weekend. Go Padres. I hope the bad Samardjia shows up tonight. I think the personal stuff is funny; those who can dish it out should be able to take it. Still, for the most part, it is amusing.
Good comments Bobbie. Puig might have been pinched or just well pitched to in his first two at bats. Sometimes the pitcher has to get the credit.
Bobbie 17
I thought Puig’s first two at bats, were good at bats, but the umpire sure didn’t reward Puig for his patient at bats.
I didn’t realize that Puig has three hits last night.
I remember that big hit, that he hit out to center, when he hit two runs.
Puig looked very serious to me last night.
Maybe the trade rumors have got to him, but I really don’t know.
8 hits and 4 runs in 5 innings….yikes!
I’m beginning to question who anyone here is. In case anyone doesn’t know it, you can post under any name you type in, your email address is the only one that matters. So it is dead easy to set up an alter ego to agree with everything you say. Or disagree if you want to start an argument. So both Badger and Mark Timmons could be the same person, entertaining the hicks with their bickering. Sorry for the loss of innocence…
I will now reply to this post using the name “Fraud”.
Reply as stated
I am who I say I am. I know who Badger is. So do others. Rest assured we are not the same person. For years I was Mountainmover, but now I just use my name. I for one, would just as soon not bicker…
You may have to pay close attention to see how it starts.
When I ran the site, I saw people get mad and leave and come back with a new name, like BOB, who quit the board several times because of Badger (I have the e-mails to prove it, if ever necessary) – now they are evidently buds.
Most people here are who they are.
Everyone is who they say they are over here. I am able to see everyone’s ip address and email address when they post. Believe me I would know if anyone was posting under assumed identities.
Agree with u, B17, on the personal stuff. Most of us come here wanting to talk Dodgers, and instead it’s personal nonsense on a board. A board of people who mostly don’t know each other, but feel the need to brag and boast about things that have nothing to do with baseball.
If you don’t like somebody, ignore their posts. It’s really not that hard. If you have such pathetic ego that u need to respond to a POST, then you have mental problems. Go work out. Get your aggressions out doing Insanity as opposed to typing. Anyone who gets personal on a sports talk blog sounds like a whiny little bitch. Talk baseball, or Shut the F up. Somebody hurt your feelings? Go hug your teddy bear. Pathetic. Stick to the Dodgers.
Now, more importantly, we have McCarthy and Maeda the next 2 days. We should win this series, hopefully even sweep it. Trade deadline in 2 weeks. This is a fun time to be on this board, so let’s enjoy it! Thank god for people like MJ who keep things fun and light
Word!
I was on a board several years ago that had a nice feature: You could put other posters on your “Ignore List”. When you put their handles on the Ignore List, their posts did not appear on your computer monitor screen, so you did not even read what they wrote, much less react to it. Good feature to have.
Thank You Bobbie, I enjoy your thoughts too.
Great post Bobby, agree with you 100% about the personal nonsense. We all have our opinions and some(most)times we don’t agree. Basic human nature.
Here’s the problem with some of you:
Did you order the Latos trade?????????!!!!!!
Like I can order trades? 😉
Did I order it? No.
I thought it might work. It didn’t.
It was horrible, but true to their plan, FAZ was not going to give up top prospects and so I am OK with it.
Like it or not, that has been the plan. It is possible they may part with a couple prospects this year, but no top ones… and I still think this is 92-95 win team!
More drama, less Dodgers. Please make it stop.
From yesterday’s game:
1 – Taylor – great game but it’s just one game. He hasn’t done much in his major league career to date. Does he have more in him?
2 – Great to see the offense break out.
3 – Thompson now with back trouble? I hear that Joc might be back on Monday – Trayce to DL then?
4 – Another 5 inning start today? THIS HAS TO STOP!
5 – Ethier not healing quickly. Questionable for him to return this year.
6 – All of you awaiting a big deadline deal – don’t. The Braintrust may make a trade or 2 but won’t make a splash. What Mark says is true – they think that all prospects will be great and won’t trade any top prospect.
7 – The Dodgers have been hot lately. I still don’t see them as a 92 – 95 win team. I say they won’t win more than 88 – that was my projection at the season’s beginning and I’m sticking with it.
Hamstring’s are so last year. Backs are all the rage this year.
I think FAZ will make an offer for an elite pitcher but won’t let their trade partner get too much for their guy.
I think you are right Rick about not switching catchers mid-season so maybe not best to go after Lucroy, but I otherwise would love to have him instead of Grandal.
How about De Leon, Kazmir, and Montas for Gray or Julio Teheran?
Braves looking for a catcher so to get Teheran the Braves might ask for Barnes or Grandal to be included in whatever package they would accept.
Taylor is still 25, so there’s the fact that he could be a late bloomer… or maybe he is just a utilityman. Not too shabby either way.
I was thinking the same thing about Ethier.
I don’t think FAZ is so naive as to believe EVERY prospect will be great. I just think they play the odds: The more you have the better the odds.
When I said this was a 92-95 win team, I did not know how many days they would lose to the DL. That said, maybe it is character building.
I was told that Brett Anderson looks to be in the best shape of his career and that his bullpen stuff was “the best he’s ever thrown.” So, there’s that.
6 – they won’t make a splash really because there isn’t an elite caliber player who isn’t prohibitively expensive. I read an article this morning – not sure where – that told a look at the Pomeranz trade, as well as the Shelby Miller trade, and made the argument that they skewed the market.
Archer is probably staying out. Teheran will cost too much and the Braves want to keep him. Beane’s inclined to keep Gray, and he’s got the aforementioned shoulder question mark. Odorizzi is good but not really an elite level impact. Jay Bruce? You already mentioned his defensive liabilities.
It’s now a seller’s market, which has raised the price for guys like Andrew Miller. I don’t think the Dodgers will trade for an elite level impact either, but it’s not because they’re necessarily cheap or irrationally hold on to prospects, but there’s really no good options.
I truly think the Giants winning on such a high clip, has made the Dodgers play harder, and play better.
I think DeLeon is a great trade candidate. He’s already 24, so provided we acquire a young, impact starter, that guy will be near the same age as DeLeon anyway and will have already gone thru the mlb learning curve.
Yes, DeLeon could be a #2 or 3 for us very soon, but I want that 2 or 3 right now. Julio Tehran? Sure, why not. He’s already a 2 and he’s the same age as DeLeon! Gray?
Now, having said that, I hope that DeLeon does come up soon, either to show us what he has or showcase him for a trade. He threw 102 pitches yesterday, so he is stretched out now. He had 10k in 5.2ip yesterday, so he has swing and miss stuff. Let’s see if he can help us now; either on our team or in a trade
Bobby,
Atlanta will want a package of De Leon, Holmes and Verdugo for Tehran.
Gray may be damaged goods. Speaking of Damaged Goods, Madison Baumgarner was seldom over 91 last night… mostly in the high 80’s. I think he has some arm issue.
He topped out at 92.
I think I’d insist they take one of Kendrick, SVS, or Ellis in place of one of the kids. Someone has to go to create roster space, they might as well be part of the trade… Spare me the tears for Ellis.
Mark
He was just fine on the last Sunday before the Allstar break.
Not a fan of Tehran – I’ve seen him pitch.
Gray was good but has a shoulder issue – i want to be sure that he’s OK before anyone trades for him, although trading for the infirm seems to be part of the “plan”.
Shoulder issue? Run, don’t walk.
They can’t be hot forever. That means everything is coming together….luck. they’re due for a patch of bad luck. The Dodgers are due for some good luck. I know probability doesn’t work that way, but still.