You know if the Dodgers were somehow able to win the World Series on opening day, they would have seven additional championships by now. Monday afternoon’s win now gives them seven consecutive wins on opening day, and third consecutive opening day win over the Padres. It always helps when you have Clayton Kershaw pitching, naturally he’s pretty darned good on opening day. Coming into today’s match he was 4-0 with a 0.93 ERA on opening day for the Dodgers.
There was really no comparison or competition as Kershaw matched up against San Diego junk ball thrower Jhoulys Chacin. The Dodgers beat the Padres last year 15-0, and this year there wasn’t much difference. The Dodgers creamed the Padres defeating them by a 14-3 score. Kershaw tossed seven innings allowing just two measly hits (ground ball single from Yangervis Solarte in the first inning and solo home run to Ryan Schimpf in the seventh ) and struck out 8 with zero walks. Kershaw allowed just two base runners and made 84 pitches.
Padres 3 5 0
Dodges 14 14 1
WP-Kershaw-1-0
LP-Chacin-0-1
HR-Pederson-1-GS-Grandal-1-2-Seager-1-Schimpf-1
The Dodger bats exploded off of San Diego’s terrible pitching. It was a site to see. The Dodgers hit three home runs in the game which included a grand slam from Joc Pederson in the third inning, a solo shot from Yasmani Grandal immediately after, and a three-run homer from Corey Seager in the fifth. Grandal would hit two home runs from each side of the plate. The Dodgers scored one run in the bottom of the second, five runs in the third, and three in the fourth and fifth frames. Grandal’s second homer (from the right side) gave the Dodgers 14 runs. Justin Turner had three hits, Joc had five runs batted in and every Dodger in the lineup had at least one hit. Every Dodger scored a run. Kershaw scored twice. Even Yasiel Puig got a hit.
(Here’s Kershaw’s first whiff of 2017)
The game started out on a sour note though as the Dodgers allowed an unearned run in the top of the first thanks to some sloppy glove work. After Kershaw struck out Manuel Margot for the first out of 2017, Corey Seager’s throwing error on Wil Myer’s routine grounder put him in scoring position with one out. I still think Gonzo should have been able to pick that, but Seager drew the error. Then a wild pitch that rolled a few feet away from Grandal allowed Myers to move to third. With the infield drawn in (for some reason) Solarte’s grounder past the diving Seager scored Myers to give the Padres a 1-0 lead.
The Dodgers scored their first run in the second inning. Adrian Gonzalez’s ground-rule double was the first hit of 2017. Logan Forsythe’s line drive single to center advanced Gonzo to third but he’s too slow to score. Gonzo does score lumbering home on a Joc Pederson sacrifice fly to right. Tie score.
The fun continued in the third frame. With two outs, Justin Turner doubled off the wall in center. Chacin and the Padres intentionally Walk Gonzo and Forsythe is hit by a pitch to load the bases. Then this happened…..
Joc inside outs a line drive grand slam down the right field line, landing just in the field seats in the right field corner. That gives the Dodgers a 5-1 lead. And then this happened as well…..
Grandal’s bomb puts the Dodgers up by a 6-1 score. Chacin would not be pulled until the bottom of the fourth inning. Kershaw singles, getting in on the fun. Toles singles to center. Turner’s double that lands just fair inside the chalk is upheld by a review challenge. Kershaw scores and the Dodgers lead 7-1. Chacin is finally removed and Christian Betancourt is brought in to replace him. He immediately uncorks a wild pitch as Toles scores. The score is 8-1 Dodgers. In the process of his slide he spikes Betancourt in the knee. He would stay in the game but didn’t look good. He then uncorks another wild pitch to score another run. Dodgers lead 9-1.
The Dodgers put three more on the board in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Puig doubles, Kershaw walks and after Toles pops out Seager does this…….
The three-run shot gives the Dodgers a 12-1 lead. At this point we can safely put this game in the fridge right? Even with a Chris Hatcher appearance in the top of the eighth the Padres had no chance. Grandal added a second home run in the eighth inning to put the Dodgers ahead 14-3.
Don’t get cocky though. Sure it’s always nice to win on opening day, but it’s only one game. Try to not make too many declarations after watching the first game. We still don’t know anything yet. There’s going to be losing. The Dodgers are going to eventually lose a game. There will be winning too. There will be ups and downs and moments that will make your heart stop and moments that will make you frustrated. That’s the baseball season for you. I’m so glad that the Dodgers are back. I’m so glad you guys are here with us. The season goes on with game two tomorrow night. Southpaw Clayton Richard will battle Kenta Maeda at 7:10 PM. Remember Tuesday night’s game will be on KTLA 5.
Go Blue!
Total score on the last 2 opening days, 29-3……………Padre fans should be pissed.
Michael
The Padres are purposely tanking the team right now, so I think the real fans, already know that this won’t be the year.
I just hope the Padres pitchers, are good enough, to get us ready for the Rockies, and the Cubbies.
I doubt they are tanking on purpose. I think and read that they are trying to do the same thing that the Astros did. And unfortunately there is no way to fix it over night. They tried that and it backfired badly. Most of their pitchers are on one year deals. But this team is embarrassing….they are no better than a AA team.
Michael
No they are not losing games on purpose, but they are rebuilding, like the Astros, the Reds, the Phillies, and the Brewers, but they call that tanking instead of rebuilding, at times.
And Chili made a good point, about the price, of the different pay rolls.
Yeah, but Chili was wrong! Padres payroll is actually over $70M this year (not Chili’s $35M), when you include Kemp/Olivera’s $11M and other mistakes.
Remember, the F in FAZ used to put together contenders for $70M.
http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/payroll/
Really?
I had copied that insert from an article that was written by someone else.
As it was stated, Kershaw’s $33M salary topped the combined 25 man opening day payroll of the San Diego Padres.
Here’s a different article saying the same thing.
http://nesn.com/2017/04/dodgers-clayton-kershaw-to-earn-more-than-padres-opening-day-payroll-in-2017/
Does Ray Charles post often?
If so, this is for him from another thread:
The reason you keep Urias in Extended Spring Training and on a pitch count, is that short-term thinking never works. Why?
Well, year in, year out the best team doesn’t always win. Sometimes injuries does a team in (Indians?) Other times teams got hot (Giants.) So you try to win consistently, to be the best team you can year over year.
You want Urias to have maximum long term value, not use up his arm for a year or two of glory.
Sic Transit Gloria.
I’m discounting, of course, free agency, bad luck, and prospects not panning out. All could apply to Urias.
But we hope not.
If you’ve got ’em, play ’em.
If he’s going to pitch anyways, let him stretch out his inning limit from the bullpen. Share the oohing and ahhing with everyone.
That is nuts. The kid is a starter. And when you work out of the bull pen, you warm up differently than a starter. Wood is the 3rd lefty in the pen, the other 2 lefty’s are short men. Urias is not going to make any difference out there, and I think the staff and coaches have a better idea of how to get him ready than you do..when they talk about stretching out his innings, they are talking about building stamina.
First, you want to sign Gagne to a minor league contract. An old infirmary candidate.
Second, “You think the staff and coaches have a better idea of how to get Urias ready” than posters of Ladodgerreport.
I think you are becoming a FAZophant. Knowing you don’t suffer from the mental disorder called “Liberalism”, I knew it was only a matter of time!!
Whats next? Grandal is a stud? Go ahead you can say it!
Gagne is a headline stunt. So what if he gets minor league hitters out. We have minor leaguers who can do that. Every team has them There are literally hundreds of them.
Studs play every day.
Medicare for all.
We agree on Gagne.
I like my catchers well rested. Playing about 80% of the games is about right, which is what Grandal has done 2 out of the last 3 years. GRANDal is just entering his prime.
Loved the lefty/righty homers yesterday. How about you?
What do you need Medicare for? You got Fraudy at Dodgertherapy.
Maybe I am…..but what the hell…..Grandal will eventually revert to what he is…..a power hitting catcher with a BA floating around 235. And I will never be a FAZ FAN….I just think they know what is best more than I do…..and NO WAY I am a LIBTARD.
Home from Rocky Point Mexico via Camelback and well, it’s what I expected from the Madres…
Tanking on purpose??? I think it would be tough to talk all 25 into tanking…Integrity gotta rear it’s head…
I look at Kershaw’s $33M contract ( I just spit up a lil in the back of my throat) and I think Urias is right where he belongs… I can wait till the end of the season…
Stud??? Who said that besides MT??? I’ll still take Grandal’s 27/72 any day and yes that will probably be better in 2017…
I’ll take the Stud catcher’s 27/72 any day of the week. Especially when you combine it with his career .348 OBP. “And yes that will probably be better in 2017”.
It would have been probably better to have Urias not report for baseball until right now, or later.
Just have him report a month or five weeks, before when they want him to start pitching in the rotation.
I think Grandal should get enough rest to keep him fresh, and healthy.
That will also give Barnes more at bats, and maybe we can see if he can hit, major league pitching.
It really isn’t smart to play a catcher every day, because catching is hard on a body.
I think at least one or two days a week, they should rest him.
I give Grandal a lot of credit for coming to spring training in top shape, and working on his hitting, in the off season, especially from the right side.
He did that to better help the team, hit lefties this year.
He is a hard worker.
Molina at age 33 played 147 games. Lucroy at age 30 played 142 games. Posey at age 29 played 146 games. McCann at age 31 played 135. Russell Martin at age 33 played 137 games. Look at their history of games played. They are the studs. And read up some on prime years. They don’t start at age 28. Grandal has been in his prime years for 4 years now. Technically he’s is now leaving his prime years as catchers peak at 23-27. In his prime years he never played more than 128, and that was at 2 positions. He only caught 103 that year. Frankly I’d be surprised if he ever catches as many games as the real studs in MLB. That said, I’m glad he is a Dodger. I hope he improves defensively, but he brings what this front office wants offensively.
I don’t need Medicare. The country needs it.
Badger
I think Molina and Posey are starting to feel that work.
Posey had his worse power numbers, last year.
And if I was the Giants, I would find a way to rest him more, because he has been the Giants best offensive player, for the last few years.
And Molina is more a role player, on offense.
The Cardinals, don’t depend on him a lot offensively, like the Giants do, with Posey.
McCann and Martin, are not that great offensively anymore, probably because of the wear, and tear.
Lucroy to me, has held up better, offensively, then the other catchers.
And like Posey, Lucroy hits for a good average, and has the power too.
Just some clarification there MJ. Molina is a little older than Posey, Lucroy, etc.
But his .307 BA was only .001 less than the guy that led the LA Dodgers in BA last year AND I can guarantee you that Molina did not have more than a handful of infield hits. Molina’s 58 RBI’s would have placed him 6th on the Dodgers, ahead of Utley and Puig. Molina’s OPS of .787 was higher than Adrian Gonzalez’s OPS of .784.
I wouldn’t rest Posey. I’d put him at first base and get him 4 at bats a night every night.
The Cardinals think a lot of Molina. You think the Dodgers will be offering Grandal 3 years at top pay when he’s 34? That’s 7 years away. With his record of owies, Grandal may not last another 7 years. Sneak him some undetectable PED’s, maybe that way he can stick around. He’s a free agent in ’19. Work him like an Army mule for the next two years. If he holds up, then maybe. He could be a very old 31.
Can’t do that unless they trade Belt. And he just got a 6 year deal
Then put him in left field! He’s 30. He’s an athlete. The man can hack, but if it’s true catching is wearing him out, then they’d be wise to address it.
Chili
I appreciate a good batting average, unfortunately, saber metric’s people don’t.
And Molina is still not the Cardinals top offensive player, like Posey is, for the Giants.
And a player that rates sixth on offense, on any team, is a role player on offense.
I was not tying to knock Molina, he to me, still makes the biggest difference for a team, then any other catcher, in baseball, even if he didn’t hit.
Lucroy hits for more power then Molina, I believe.
I don’t think it is good, not to give a catcher, enough rest, to keep them healthy, and fresh through the season.
And Grandal has had injury problems in the past.
And Molina has had injury problems too, in the last few years.
And Molina might be older, but he is still a better defensive catcher, then any of them.
Buster Posey caught in 123 of those games BTW, a career high, IIRC. And he’s already got a “jump” on Posey to have a higher wRC+ 2 years in a row – this is a little tongue in cheek, but also factual, FWIW.
I always thought the hitting was Grandal’s big ticket item… Lets be honest though, he’s no Rudolf Nureyev behind the dish… Now MT may chastise me for that with stats n stuff, but the man doesn’t have great feet. Steve Yeager worked with him almost daily in ST 2016 and I dont know about this year… I’m excited to see what we have with Smith…
Hitting and framing.
He stole Kershaw a K on a high fastballl to Myers. Ask Zach G if he misses it, he lost a few close strikes opening day.
It’s still a skill.
Rhyme alert!
Medicare has some serious issues, but universal healthcare’s a must for an advanced society. The Constitution even calls for it.
Bluto
We need to find a way as a nation, to get more for our care, like other countries get.
We pay more for less medical care, then most every other western world countries.
OK, Where in the Constitution is universal healthcare called for?
Universal Healthcare, run by “our” government would sure hurt our Pursuit of Happiness. Bureaucrats running healthcare is a recipe for disaster, although the thought of Crooked Hillary changing bedpans puts a smile on my face, as long as it’s your bedpan not mine
I can see you are obsessed with Hillary. I can also picture her changing your bedpan. Funny visual.
Buearocrats running healthcare? Do you know anything about Medicare and Medicaid? Do you know anything about the VA Healthcare System? There are tens of millions that benefit from these systems and these people thank God they have this care. They also thank liberals as it is generally accepted as true that all of these social programs were brought forth by progressive thinkers. Yes, Democrats did get some good things done in our nation’s history.
We do agree about Gagne. Not much else, but, maybe that’s a start?
Agent Orange is obsessed, with Hillary too!
It must have been those three million more votes, or the win, that was helped along, by the Russians.
Crooked Hill trying to change my bedpan would be open warfare, not a funny visual at all. I’d rather pop a kidney than let that Battle Axe near me. However, I can see a romantic comedy if she changed yours!!
Here is the facts on government healthcare from the NY Post, a “progressive” newspaper.
http://nypost.com/2014/05/16/va-hospital-scandal-no-surprise-for-government-run-healthcare/
I guess none of your acquaintances in AZ got caught up with the VA in Phoenix. Progressive Obozo was in charge and people died. My only experience with the VA was right after I got out of service, decided right then, if I wanted to stay healthy I would never go back, and haven’t.
Boxout
It is about caring for the people, in your country.
It is called compassion.
You can’t compare health care, to other businesses.
It doesn’t work that way.
But we pay more in this country, and get less, then most western countries, for health care.
And we need to do something to change that.
The pharmaceutical companies charge to much, and they pay off these politicians.
The insurance companies, do the same thing.
And like Trump and Flynn said many times, only guilty people, ask for immunity!
Lock them both up!
That is some fast karma!
It’s about caring for the people, in our country?? You’ve got to be kidding me!!
Another thing I agree with Badger about, It’s about MONEY. However, the trillion the insurance companies got, is a pittance compared to to what the “compassionate” government wants. It’s all about building bureaucracies. Expensive bureaucracies, where the politicians get rich and powerful!!!! Can’t believe you are that naive!!
YOU NEED TO READ THIS!!!
http://www.nationalcenter.org/ShatteredLives.pdf
MJ
You are just for freeloading, I have to assume you are a freeloader.
You don’t pay in but you assume that the Gravy Train is your right.
Lock you up !!!!
Barf
Article I, section 8 of the Constitution.
Agreed that a Government cannot run every aspect of healthcare. I mean it’s between a fifth and a sixth of the economy.
But it could do more than nothing, which is a ludicrous argument on every level.
Dang it, Bluto, you’re making me post for the first time in a week or more..
Agreed. Are you familiar with Kaiser Permanente? I used Kaiser for almost 40 years when I lived in Orange County and I cannot imagine a better, more efficient or more economical medical service. They are the doctors, the hospital, the lab techs, Xray, MRI, all rolled up into one. The government should contract with them for country wide service. Right, as soon as the legislators quit taking money from the doctors and insurance companies…
Quit taking money? You mean campaign finance reform?
Not gonna happen.
My wife was Kaiser. She paid about $350 a month for a very long time. Rather significant deductible. Was never sick, so other than basic maintenance she never really needed them. We are thankful for that. They don’t build all those large buildings while losing money. Our insurance industry, well over a trillion dollars, is going to fight like hell against single payer. And, they own too many lawmakers to ever have the people’s interest in their model.
No one said they lose money, they just don’t overcharge you for medical attention and then give that money to the legislators so they can keep on overcharging. Kaiser Medicare Advantage, which I don’t have because there is no Kaiser in this state, charges the same monthly premiums as the Humana I do have (It is the Medicare premium, that is all), and quite reasonable copays. I know that you don’t have anything better than that in Arizona.
I have something better than that Jonah. And I think ALL private medical practices overcharge. A lot of that is to pay malpractice insurance. A lot of it has to do with billing issues. A lot of it has to do with greed, which will never go away.
Catbox, I don’t read any sites you post. I know from reading your take on things I don’t need to read it. I don’t wish to be that misinformed.
“The Constitution even calls for it.”
No it doesn’t
Jonah
I got good news!
I only have to have a local now, to have that surgery.
I had a local with the first visit, and the doctor, burned a big mark, that looks like someone took one of those old cigarette lighters, that were in cars, and burned me deeply into my forearm.
But it will be performed by a special, dermatologist surgeon this time.
I was just thinking how Kaiser started, the other day, and it is amazing how big it is now.
I believe to was the owner of steel mill, or a steel manufacturer, in Fontana, that started kaiser, for medical insurance, for his employees.
Maybe yes, maybe no. Not directly, but there is this:
“In addition to understanding what the Constitution does not say about health care, we should also understand what it does say about our own individual authority. The power to direct our own health care is “reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” The Constitution allows for a wide variety of systems to crop up in the states, with groups of people assembling together for insurance purposes, and for public-private partnerships in the interests of the common good, guaranteeing equality of rights under law, not equality of outcome.
Taken as a whole, this standard of law serves to create the kind of thriving, competitive environment where states can seek their own solutions, people can direct their own care, and both can avoid a one-size-fits-all answer from the throne of the federal government. The document that founded our republic was explicitly designed to have the central government deal only with issues the states could not handle on their own.
The general welfare phrase does not change the fact that our nation’s government is based on delegated powers, and the Constitution specifically spells out which powers are delegated. The Constitution is clear about the matter: the people of the United States have the right to set their own health care priorities, to pay for what they choose to pay for, to direct the paths of their own lives, and to live with the consequences of the path they take—with or without interference from the nation’s central government.”
It’s up to us. If we want single payer, we can get it. It’s working in many countries. It’s my opinion that a majority of Americans want it.
I don’t think I could articulate that any better. I don’t think the genetically engineered clonal love child of Milton Friedman and Antonin Scalia could articulate that any better.
What you just quoted, however, is really the antithesis of a centrally controlled, federally administered single payer health system. As he or she stated very aptly, state governments, individuals and groups of people are feel to develop independently the health care solutions that best serve their needs.
I think the federal government could certainly help. What if your wife, instead paying Kaiser $350 a month when she’s relatively healthy, was instead allowed to put that money into a totally tax deductible health savings account? She could invest that money if she wanted, just as she would a 401k. She could make that health money work for her rather than build Kaiser their sparkly new buildings. In ten years, she would have $42,000, which doesn’t include the return had she invested it. She’d still have the high deductible catastrophic insurance.
If more people did this. If more patients were actual consumers, they would have an incentive to save this money. She would shop on price and the quality of care. Places like Kaiser and other health organizations would have to compete with each other on price and quality of care. As a result, prices would go down, quality of care would go up.
Single payer is not the only way to provide health care. Canadians might like it, but they also like to travel down to the States to get their elective surgeries because they don’t have to wait a year. There are downsides to single payer…..big ones. I think America can do better.
I thought this was a Dodger site.
I saw nearly every game last year. You’re right Peter, Grandal behind the dish often looked awkward. He was terrible at blocking balls, resulting in wild pitches, and many of his throws were way off target. He’s never near the the top in CS% but he is in passed balls. In yesterday’s game, did anyone else see the strike he LOST Kershaw? I wonder if that shows up in that fading framing stat. He is what he is. Hopefully his blind squirrel act continues.
Bluto, I still contend strikes not called, and balls that are called strikes, are a result of umpire error. They are still running at about 84% as a group.
Badger
Although we thought that Grandal had a lot of pass balls last year, I think he wasn’t as bad, as we thought.
Because I remember thinking that, but I remember either someone posting his stats, or looking at his stats, and I think he wasn’t as bad, as some thought.
I don’t see it MJ. Molina, Posey, Martin, McCann, Lucroy, Perez. I think framing is still overrated. I think Grandal might be more important to a team for his squirrel offense and therefor a move in positions is warranted while there is still time. Maybe he could learn to play first base, and be out there for 145 games. He first has to learn how dig balls out of the dirt.
Badger
I don’t think Grandal is in those class of catchers, when it comes to pure defense.
I think he falls in the middle, when it comes to defense.
I do think at times, that framing, is over blown.
But I will say that Grandal does a good job, of presenting a pitcher’s pitch, to an umpire, and not all catchers, do that.
And apparently he is one of the best, when it comes to that.
It isn’t about stealing a strike or fooling an umpire, it is more about making sure an umpire, can see all the strikes, the pitcher is throwing.
As you know, some catchers will obstruct a umpire’s view, at times.
And I think Grandal came to spring training, to try to be a better hitter.
He wasn’t swinging for HRs, he was just trying to spray line drives, around the field, so I hope he can raise his average this year.
And make better contact, when people are on base.
Simple solution.
1. Adopt the DH. It only makes sense.
2. Make Grandal DH and backup catcher.
3. Sign or trade for starter-grade catcher.
Badger
I have Kaiser, and I am happy with it.
The worse knock on Kaiser use to be, that you could never get through on the phone, to make a same day appointment, but that isn’t a problem anymore.
Jonah
We still have Hatcher!
And he came in to mop up yesterday, and still allowed a run.
Badger
Posey had back problems last year, and I think that zapped his power.
Belt can play leftfield, and has, in the past.
The rule I was taught was “if you don’t see an out, you cannot call an out”. The same was true for strikes. It did happen behind the plate but umpires can anticipate when a catcher is about to stand up on a steal and work to see the pitch. I don’t think the “see an out” rule is the case at the ML level. I see guys getting screened and guessing every game. Frankly I see a lot of lazy umps over the course of a season. Not all of them of course, but a few. Triple Chin West, Tim Welke, Bucknor, Bob Davidson, and Angel Fernandez need to go. There are others I can’t think of right now
Did everyone see that report that Pedro Guerrero is near death?
I gotta give my props to Kaiser Permanente… No problems…Haven’t had to use main hospital in the OC and don’t really want to, but my local unit in Mission Viejo is very efficient..
I’m telling you guys, watch out for young C Will Smith… Great D behind the plate…
Just say ‘NO’ to DH…