The Los Angeles Dodgers bats failed to hit with runners in scoring position all game long against Johnny Cueto and the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers fell 2-0 last night but still hold a five game lead in the NL West heading into tonight’s rubber match against the Giants. Tonight it will be Kenta Maeda 15-9 3.24 ERA taking on Left hander Matt Moore who is 11-11 with a 4.06 ERA. Game time 700pm SNLA.
The Dodgers won a close contest on Monday and the Giants won a close contest yesterday. I expect today to be more of the same. Matt Moore last pitched against the Dodgers on September 25th and took a no hitter in the ninth inning until Corey Seager saved the day. Check out this stat:
#Dodgers are 16 for 125 (.128) with 45 Ks vs LHPs in past 12 games. #Giants starting LHP Matt Moore tonight https://t.co/6pchAttYul
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 21, 2016
Today’s Dodger Lineup:
Kendrick LF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
González 1B
Puig RF
Ruiz C
Hernández CF
Culberson 2B
Maeda P
How have the Dodger hitters fared against Moore:
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Austin Barnes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Charlie Culberson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .188 | .278 | .188 | .465 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .667 | .000 | .667 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | .143 | .000 | .143 |
| Howie Kendrick | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | .333 | .368 | .389 | .757 |
| Joc Pederson | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | .250 | .571 | 1.000 | 1.571 |
| Yasiel Puig | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Josh Reddick | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .200 | .333 | .200 | .533 |
| Carlos Ruiz | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Corey Seager | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .167 | .286 | .167 | .452 |
| Rob Segedin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Chris Taylor | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Trayce Thompson | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | .667 | .667 | 1.667 | 2.333 |
| Justin Turner | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .143 | .333 | .286 | .619 |
| Chase Utley | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Scott Van Slyke | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Totals | 88 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 21 | .182 | .287 | .273 | .560 |
It seems as though Howie Kendrick and Yasiel Puig have had the most success against Moore. I feel as though the Dodgers need to put things in motion. Last night they brought in Micah Johnson to pinch run and he didn’t steal. When you have some speed on bases you have to maximize it since the Dodgers hardly have any speed. I feel the Dodgers should bunt guys over tonight especially with the right handed lineup. Trying to steal tonight will be tough since Moore is a left-hander. They need to make Moore a little uncomfortable since he doesn’t have a repeat performance tonight.
This will be the Giants lineup:
Span CF
Pagan LF
Posey C
Pence RF
Belt 1B
Nunez 3B
Panik 2B
Adrianza SS
Moore P
Kenta Maeda has won his two starts against the Giants this year. The Dodgers hope for a big start tonight to win this series. This is how the Giants have fared against Maeda.
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Brandon Belt | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .500 | .833 |
| Brandon Crawford | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .250 | .500 | .250 | .750 |
| Eduardo Nunez | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .500 | .000 | .500 |
| Angel Pagan | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .400 | .400 | .400 | .800 |
| Joe Panik | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .667 | .800 | 1.667 | 2.467 |
| Hunter Pence | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .200 | .333 | .200 | .533 |
| Buster Posey | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 |
| Denard Span | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .200 | .333 | .200 | .533 |
| Totals | 35 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | .286 | .405 | .400 | .805 |
It would seem that Maeda will have to be careful with Brandon Belt, Angel Pagan, and Joe Panik. I feel the Dodgers bullpen will have to be relied on today. The Dodgers need to look at some tape on how to get to Matt Moore early. He also dominated the Dodgers when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays in an earlier start this season. The Giants hold the season series edge 8-7 with the final three games looming in San Francisco to end the season.
James Moya
Hi I’m James Moya. I am an avid Dodgers fan. I graduated Cal State Fullerton with a Bachelors in Communications. I used to freelance at the San Bernardino Sun. I’m excited about this opportunity to write for LA Dodger Report to gain experience. I’m a straight shooter on my opinions and I hope to get some good conversations going. My dream has always been to report on the Dodgers because Baseball is the National Past-time. I hope you enjoy the ride with me.
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I would have liked to seen Micah Johnson over CC at 2B. That’s all…
Yes – I know he’s LH, but maybe he can hit MLB lefties?
Mark
Almost every time Culberson plays second, he has made an error, that has cost the team a run.
James
I agree the Dodgers need to play small ball against Moore like you have suggested.
They must try to have the best productive offense they can have.
That is making sure every at bat they have, is used to get runners over, and get runners in.
If a person is a decent runner, and on third, I agree a bunt needs to be an option, depending on who is hitting.
They also need to have patient at bats.
The Dodgers have yet to score a run against the Giants’ starters. They are dead last in nearly every offensive metric against lefties. They left 10 on base in the first 7 innings last night and only won Monday due to the incompetence of the Halloween Boys’ bullpen and some bad defense by Pence.
There is an overused aphorism that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, but the way the Dodgers approach southpaws is an example of insanity.
Further, Roberts has to stop playing Captain Hook and jerking our supposed aces after 5 innings.
For tonight they should play Kendrick at 2b, Puig in Rf, Joc in Cf, Ruiz at C, play Toles in Lf and leave Maeda in to pitch more than 5 innings.
Rick
You know I feel the exact same way, and I have thought about the definition of insanity too.
But it does not change your mind about Roberts being a freeking genius does it?
Wondering
No because I don’t know if he is doing this, because he thinks his bosses want him to play this platoon line up.
Wondering
I have also thought like you, that Roberts is trying to play everyone, and I don’t think that is best at this point of the season.
But I still think without Roberts and his coaches, this team wouldn’t be where they are, with all of these injuries.
And I have never said Roberts was a genius.
But I do think a has a highl emotional IQ
Colletti just said this, on the pregame show.
The Dodgers need to win this game tonight, and win this series against the Giants tonight.
Because Anderson and Kazmir are pitching against Colorado this week, and you don’t know what they are going to do.
The real question, is why are these two pitchers, even pitching, in the last week, of this penant race?
because we’re a funny team, that’s why!
I honestly don’t get pitching those two. The Dodgers could have pulled within two of Washington last night. Let the kids pitch.
It’s time to start batting your best hitters against a left handed pitcher. Do you think they are going to use this line up in the playoffs? I don’t think so.
That’s my Knucklehead!
I love him!
Damn, if he could just focus like that everyday!
just don’t look at him!!!!
Don’t even look at him!!
Bobby
What a big HR for Puig!
I love it, and take another look at that Bumgarner!
Mark’s mouth fell open, after Puig’s big HR.
Look, I have always said that Puig has MORE talent than any player I have EVER seen. I called him a cross between Roberto Clemente and Bo Jackson the first time I saw him. I am never surprised at anything he does! I clapped tonight!
Mark I was just teasing you, I know you have said that.
😉
“Puig may be a knucklehead but he is my knucklehead”
Mark Timmons
Maeda is on 5 days rest. He will last about 4 innings tonight… maybe 3. Get Urias warmed up!
Ok, time to listen to the voice of god on ESPN.
My lord, Puig showing every skill off tonight! He deserves to play more. You can see he’s learned something, and changed something! Props to whomever coached and taught him in AAA; that person or persons deserve praise and a raise!
Maeda actually pitching well today I think. Yes he may only go 6, but after 6 months, I think we all expect 6 and nothing more than 6!! But today we have plenty of relievers who can close this thing out.
Did anyone see that catch Ender Inciarte made for Atl to rob Cespedes of a game winning hr in the bottom of the 9th today? Amazing!
Bobby
I saw that catch.
And this is why Puig needs to play even more.
This reminds me when Puig first came up.
Puig can thank his agent who helped him deal with the demotion, Roberts for probably being the prime person that decided to demote him, and FAZ for sending a message that they were trying (pretending) to trade him plus all the people in OK.
Puig is better than anyone else that the Dodgers have to play RF regardless of whether he’s facing a righty or a lefty.
Toles is a bad man!
That is why I am fighting for Puig to play, as well as Toles.
I think all of the support that Puig got from his team mates, over the Bumgarner thing, has recharged Puig!
Puig also went up and visited Vin today, and gave Vin those shoes he where, with Vin’s picture on them.
I know it is wore, but my wifi went down.
Good to see Alex Wood back as well
Mark I liked Puig too, but doesn’t that little voice in your keep repeating “You know he’s gonna break your heart”…
God forbid in the playoffs…
Magic Number 5
The real test is how Puig handles this success. Let’s see how he does and how Roberts handles him from here on out. We know that Mattingly could not deal with Puig’s success and gave him a free ride until Puig got the entire team against him.
Sometimes the most important days are the ones after the young superstar has done good, and you want to use that to help him grow and get better, not just lay back and watch him flame out.
Where did Badger and Watford go???
Mark killed them, dismembered the bodies, ground them up and fed them to his dog.
Peter
I wish they and everyone would come back, especially right now when it is exciting.
I guess they are boycotting Mark, but they are not doing anything to Mark, they are just missing out in the fun.
And actually Mark has not been ranting much, if at all lately.
And notice how it’s been relatively civil? It usually takes two sides to create an issue, and the Timmons Obsessed were relentless.
Haven’t seen Watford since that scrap with Always Compete. They both vanished after that one.
The Dodgers are not getting a bump out of their platoons. Combine that with pitching changes early in games that wind up mitigating any advantage the platoon was intended for and all that is accomplished is putting out a weaker defense on the field against lefties.
Clearly Upton needs rest and no longer can be left in the lineup. Kendrick has lost range and is now rusty at second. He needs more time at second before the playoffs. I would platoon Kendrick and Utley at second and use both at the pinch hitter in the most critical part of the game.
MY lineup:
LF Toles
3B Turner
SS Seager
1B Gonzales
RF Puig
CF Pederson
2B Kendrick/Utley
C Barnes
Upton???
Wondering
It must be an outfielder, because the Uptons are both outfielders, but one is on the Tigers, and the other is on the Bluejay’s.
But why did he mention that name in talking about the Dodger lineup?
Bum
The problem is when a starting pitcher comes out, most managers, stick another leftie pitcher in, because of our offensive stats against leftie pitchers.
And I thought Kike played center fine last night.
But I hope Joc and Turner, and our other players, work in the off season, to be better hitters, against lefties.
Because with this front office, I think Roberts, does this platooning, because he thinks that that is what the front office wants.