Baseball is such an incredibly amazing game. Things always even out over the course of a 162 game regular season. Sometimes you just want to cry curled up into a fetal position. At other times you want to run outside and dance. When I say dance I mean like Mick Jagger dancing in the street dancing. Dorky happy dancing that makes everyone laugh and point at you. You want to do the robot or the tootsie roll in front of perfect strangers and not give a damn because your team just scored 6 runs in the final two innings of a baseball game and moved to within one game of first place.
Well dance. Do it now. Go outside and shake your groove thing because Friday evening’s 9-7 Dodger win over the Snakes was cause for celebration. It was a wild wacky crazy affair that ended with the Dodgers blowing a 3-0 lead and a solid Kenta Maeda performance. The tired Dodger bullpen allowed 7 runs in the top of the seventh inning. That lovely little frame saw Joe Blanton giving up a bases loaded walk, and Luis Avilan doing Luis Avilan type things.
When the Dodgers came to bat they were down 7-3 and if you didn’t think they were going to score 5 runs in that half inning well don’t feel bad. I sure didn’t. It seemed far-fetched, but the Dodgers made the impossible possible in that inning. Joc Pederson and Chase Utley both hit two-run home runs that tied the score. Yasmani Grandal’s RBI single past the over shifted infield into center field got the go-ahead run home. Kenley Jansen pitched a clean ninth-inning and boom. Game over. Comeback complete. Dodgers win 9-7. DANCE!
Check it out
Dodgers Lineup vs. Arizona
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Kendrick LF
Grandal C
Toles RF
Pederson CF
Kazmir P
Braden Shipley-0-1 vs. Scott Kazmir-9-3
Game Time – 6:10 PM – TV -SNLA
It’s not like the Dodgers have been setting the world on fire since the all-star break. They’re 7-5 since the break. Keep in mind at one point the Dodgers were 8 games out of first place in June. What makes this all the more poignant is that the Giants are like 2-14 since the all-star break.
I think we all knew that at some point the Giants would come down to earth a little bit, but yeesh man this is awesome. The Giants are struggling. They are a down and defeated ball club at the moment. The Dodgers have to strike now and go for the jugular while they can. At any moment the Giants could snap out of this wonderful funk and start winning again. We don’t want that.
Let’s just understand something first before we move onto tonight’s matchups. I need to make you comprehend what exactly is going on up in San Francisco.
Matt Cain has a 5.95 ERA
The Shark has a 4.30 ERA
Jake Peavy is Jake Peavy. And he has a 5.42 ERA
Angel Pagan is really old.
The Giants are 4 for 41 with runners in scoring position in their last 6 games. Or is it 6 losses? Something like that.
The Giants hit into a bases loaded triple play against Washington on Friday night.
That’s right. You read that correctly. The Giants hit into a bases loaded triple play against the Nationals. They had the bases juiced and Brandon Crawford hit a line drive to first base that turned into a 3-5 triple play. Something magical to behold. That’s something you don’t see every day. Span just took off for home. Slow your roll their buddy. Man this is so awesome!
Here it is in all of it’s glory
The Giants may not win another series for the rest of the season. They may and probably will. I just want all of you to appreciate this epic Giants slump because it could end at any moment. The Giants are playing bad baseball right now. The Giants fans are sad. Revel in that. Enjoy it while it lasts because it just feels so right.
Back to the Dodgers. The boys in blue continue their series with the Dbacks on Saturday night. The Snakes will send another no-name rookie to the mound Braden Shipley and the Dodgers will counter with Scott Kazmir.
Shipley is making his second MLB start. He’s a 24-year old right hander from Medford, Oregon. He went to the University of Nevada at Reno, and was drafted by the Dbacks in the first round of the 2013 draft. He made his debut against the Brewers on July 25 and allowed 6 earned runs on 8 hits over 5.1 innings pitched. Shipley is more of a sinker ball pitcher that can reach into the early 90’s with his fastball. You know what that means of course, grounders. He can induce them and also can bring a curveball and changeup to the dance as well.
Kazmir (9-3 4.35) is making his 20 start of the season and has allowed 100 hits in 109.2 innings pitched. He has also struck out 117 and walked only 39 while whiffing 9.6 per nine. Kazmir has not lost a decision since May 9. That means he’s won seven consecutive decisions. This is his first time facing the Snakes this season. Kazmir has made one career start against Arizona and is 1-0. He allowed one earned run on three hits over 7.2 innings pitched and struck out 8 in that game. He hasn’t seen the Dbacks much because he’s spent his career pitching in the American League.
As for the trade deadline landscape, nothing seems to be imminent right now. The Dodgers have been rumored to be talking to the Reds about landing Jay Bruce in a possible three-team deal that could involve Yasiel Puig. That’s about it for now. The deadline extends into Monday so the Dodgers still have time to do something.
Honestly I believe that Yasiel Puig’s time in Los Angeles is about to come to an end. There is a reason he hasn’t been playing. No his hamstring is not bothering him anymore. The Dodgers are looking to deal him and they don’t want to risk further injury. I’ll miss Puig but I can’t deny that he is not the same hitter he was in 2013-2014. If the Dodgers can get someone good for him then I can live with it.
The important thing to remember tonight is that the Dbacks are really bad baseball club. The Dodgers aren’t the 1927 Yankees or anything, but compared to the Dbacks they look pretty good. Just one more lonely little game to make up. The Dodgers could be in a tie for first place by the end of tonight. Let’s make this happen.
Go Blue!
Love how u wrote that article; great job!
Regarding Puig, does anybody really want him playing over Toles at this time? To me, all Toles needs is game experience, and he’ll be a nice player for us. His speed hasn’t been seen around here since, well Puig, but since Dee Gordon.
Now, it’s time to root against sf again. They play at 1pm. Peavy, who sucks, vs. some dude named Lopez, who sucks. Should be exciting. I believe the Giants get Hunter Pence back today. Nats also just traded for Pitt reliever Melancon. Good move for them
Gnats probably won’t see Melancon. Don’t they have 2-3 days to report if traded during the season?
Giants got Duffy back this week and now Pence. I hate to say it but I think their slide may be over. Pence is their sparkplug.
he’ll be there tomorrow ready to go if needed
Bobby
I think what Toles has done up to now, is pretty amazing.
It looks like he slows the game down, pretty well.
And I think one of Puig’s biggest problems, is that he can’t slow the game down, when he comes up in clutch situations.
Oakland A’s ?@Athletics 9m9 minutes ago
The #Athletics have recalled LHP Dillon Overton from Triple-A Nashville and placed LHP Rich Hill on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 20.
Jim Bowden
ESPN Senior Writer
Padres working hard to trade Matt Kemp and are willing to pay most of salary. The Braves are one of two teams in discussions according to Padres source.
If they pay most of his salary, i’d be all for bringing him back . He’s a right handed bat who seems to hit well with guys on base; we need that
D’accord!
Me too but the more they pay the better the players they will want back.
Bum
They said that the Padres just want to get rid of Kemp, and save as much money as they can.
It is merely a salary dump.
Look what we did to them.
The Padres really didn’t value Grandal much, and especially that pitcher they sent in that trade.
Bobby
I saw that about Kemp.
The Padres will pay 18 million, and that is most of his salary and they will pay through 2019, so that is Matts whole contract, except for a little the Dodgers pay.
I just wish our front office would bring him back, because we badly need right hand power bat, and Kemp hits at a decent average most of the time.
And that fact the Padres will pay for most of his contract, would be a quo for this front office.
Bobby
And I think Kemp will hit better in our line up, then the Padres line up.
He would also love that Roberts is the manager too.
Considering how very little SVS has contributed the last two years, how can anyone say Kemp wouldn’t be an upgrade. And almost free!!!
MJ: “When I first saw that play, it didn’t look like a double play to me, because I never saw the runner on third, because he already had crossed the plate.
They are always told to freeze on a line drive, but that can happen to anyone.”
Like I said MJ, I see it differently, there is a reason there has been only one 3, 3 , 5 triple play in major league history. The correct play, was break for the plate at the crack of the bat, but, watching the ball, if ball caught, plenty of time to get back to third before the throw. The only possible reason for Span to be at home instead of third was, he thought Zimmerman didn’t catch the ball and wanted to avoid the force at the plate.
Well, off to a very enjoyable trip to the gym, lots of baseball to discuss, starting with the kid at the front desk.
The Giants new player, just hit in two runs for the Giants, and now the game is tied.
Baker had a good runner on third with no outs, with the pitcher up, and let the pitcher swing away.
When a manager does that, I feel like that is just a lossed run.
Boxout7
I’m talking about the line drive that was hit straight to the first base man.
Stark reports that the Reds aren’t asking for elite prospects for Bruce but want two or three good players from the next tier down (Twitter link).
What do they consider the next tier? Prospects 11-20?
Oaks and Farmer!
I’d do that in a NY minute!!!
Pederson looks to me like he has changed his swing. When I look at his HR, I thought Utley was swinging. He had a much shorter follow through. Maybe, just maybe, Pederson has figured it out.
We are not missing Puig. Toles looks like he wants to stay. Also, Grandal is looking better. He batted over 300 so far in July. We have 5 players batting over 300 in the month of July. Now our bull pen needs to get back to what they were doing before the break. I agree our starting pitching does not look strong on paper. However, if they can get a quality start each time out, we have a chance.
One game out. Who would of thought this would happen with Kershaw out. Sometime good things do happen when you lose your best player. I think Roberts and his staff needs to be congratulated. Also, Agon, Utley, and Kendrick need some compliments for holding the team together. The veteran leadership has to play a role in this.
Has he not watched Utley since Chase has been here? What took so long? Thick headedness? Utley is the ultimate professional in the way he plays the game. Except for errors, he hardly ever makes a mistakes in his positioning, running the bases, approach to EVERTHING. I wish we had more like him, younger of course.
Seager is another, wise beyond his years.
Amen!
Idahoal
I saw that with Joc too.
And I am so glad that he hit a HR swinging like that.
He now knows that he doesn’t have to swing that hard, to hit it out.
Joc is strong, and his hit to left, was the best oppo hit I have seen Joc hit.
I thought joc might have hit that hit out
I said that good things might happen when Kershaw went down.
Man, you should have heard the wailing and gnashing of teeth!
I have gotten to the point of where I just have to realize that most people are IDIOTS! So there is that!
I am sorry if I offended anyone but ________________ you if I did!
Yeah – the Dodgers are a much better team without the best pitcher in baseball, and there is a direct cause-effect relationship between Kershaw’s injury and their record since his injury.
They should get rid of Kershaw ASAP – that way they will be a better team going forward too.
Some people ARE idiots – ___________you too.
The win/lose record and the eyeball test suggest that they are. I don’t think Mark is suggesting the the Dodgers are a better team without the best pitcher in the world, but maybe there is something to Kershaw going down that got the team going. It was a blow to lose him. The team could have either folded our found a little something extra. Think of the Kirk Gibson eye black phenomenon.
Or maybe it’s all just coincidence: the team is just finally starting to hit. It could be that. Nice win last night.
i agree that it’s great that the hitters are starting to hit. I don’t think that they are hitting better because Kershaw is hurt. If they are then there is something really wrong.
All of the SABRguys believe in regression to the mean. Maybe that has something to do with it?
Mark
I will give that credit because you did say that.
Oh, I would take Matt Kemp for Free! No brainer! If you want him for more than that you have no brains!
Mark
You like Kemp too.
Padres, Braves Nearing Swap Of Matt Kemp, Hector Olivera
Who was the first team that signed Hector Olivera?
At this point I wish the dodgers would pick up the bag man at Costco for an upgrade. It wouldn’t cost anything. It seems like our front office doesn’t have any guts to do anything. Pull the trigger. Giants, Nat’s, and cubs have made moves. Standing pat isn’t going to do anything to advance in playoffs. You have to give up to get.
Even the bag man at Costco would cost something. Being that it’s such a seller’s market right now, Costco would probably ask for Urias. There are just no upgrades that I can see that won’t cost and arm and a leg.
I’m tickled to see the Pods were finally able to unload Kemp for another Dodgers castoff. Just recently there were still people here on this board who were pining for Kemp and calling the acquisition of Grandal for Kemp a bust. That trade is considered a disaster – for the Pods. The Braves GM concedes that the trade for Olivera was a bust. At some point you have to give credit to FAZ for bullets dodged. Paying a king’s ransom in prospects for a 30 year-old relief pitcher with declining peripherals and Ian friggen Kennedy would be a bullet in the temple.
If the Dodgers were unwilling to get Cueto in the offseason, which would have cost nothing in the way of prospects, I don’t see how it makes sense to give up nearly all of our best prospects for a pitcher with the same comparable production, albeit younger and cheaper.
We need a right hand power bat, and right hand power, is obsure in baseball now.
Puig is not a power hitter.
I think this front office did make a mistake by signing Olivera.
I saw his injury report, and I was afraid what he would be.
And we are still paying for Olivera as well as Kemp.
And I believe that the Braves got the better deal, on this one.
Patch
That Royals pitcher, is hurt now.
And I don’t think that we would have done that deal.
.563 = 92 wins. I want 94.
I don’t want Jay Bruce as a member of the Dodgers’ outfield. I want today’s Dodgers to resemble the Dodgers of my youth when each regular was a plus defender. While they were outstanding hitters, they showed equal capacity on defense. We never had a plus hitter on third, but Billy Cox was a plus fielder. The rest — Campanella, Hodges, Robinson, Reese, Snider and Furillo were all great with their gloves and their arms. I omit a left fielder because that was a revolving door. For a while, Pafko was there, finishing off the outfield with three center fielders. Jay Bruce just doesn’t fit in with that model. As far as I can tell, Toles is fine. I think we should send Puig to Oklahoma City until he regains the bat that he had when he first came to LA.
We need a good arm for the pen.
I hope the front office isn’t going by the bullpen’s era.
Our bullpen hasn’t looked that good, in the last few games.
Part of that reason might be the many innings, but some is those high leverage situations.
If they could pick up a good set up guy, that would be a big help.
Stripling and Avilan have been good, since they have come back up, but this pen still needs help, for the rest of the season.
These starters are not going to suddenly pitch deeper into games.
So I hope the front office haven’t waited around to long, while other teams are picking up all the good bullpen arms.
And we still need a big right hand bat, to help the team attack leftie pitchers too.
Mark Walter just said puig ain’t going no where and they don’t need to make a big move. So that’s means no moves. Wow without Kershaw and no backup. We are supposed to win the title. I don’t think so. Big market cost cutting like small market team.
Yea, I said that I would not participate anymore, but I still read every once in a while, but the arrogant bastard c can’t stop.
Badger you were always right. The way that we should all respond to narcissists and sociopaths is to get in their face and not back down. Don’t just be one. I have had some disagreements with you but not anymore. I feel really sad if you changed because of Colorado. Maybe a Colorado year will happen to the the Arrogant De Facto Bastard who appearantly nobody loves enough to teach him any manners.
He is probably making up for something that we all know subconciously is true. When a big man has a small woman there is also a little man there too.
Based upon his behavior why would anyone believe what he says. There are 2 people on this blog who said that they had “partners” so maybe they can inspect his manhood for him and let us know. Not sure what kind of partners they are.
If he ever gets to heaven I predict that his mansion will be very far from the alter and will be a small match box. That will be large enough for him because soon he will realize that instead of a normal saint he will be in the body of a cockroach. Out
HUH???
Bob, that was just wierd.
D-Backs’ Daniel Hudson Trade Falls Through
By Steve Adams | July 30, 2016 at 8:02pm CDT
July 30: General manager Dave Stewart tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link) that he’s had a deal which he believed to be close to completion before “the tide changed.” MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert tweets that Stewart was referencing the Hudson trade.
Was that FAZ?
Well said above, both Patch and Wolfe. I agree fully with both of you on all points made
This team has came back 29 times this year!
Hey since I don’t check in here everyday and never read the blogs or comments that I missed, please forgive me asking but has anyone heard from RogerDodger lately? I know he has had real health issues for many years but I haven’t noticed any posts from him lately.
I bet that some slo-pitch softball team is really pissed that the Dbacks stole their softball uniforms, WTF is Dbacks officials thinking?
Well BOB we may have had our disagreements over the years, but we agree on that topic. And we are not alone.
I’m fine with no trades. We got everything we need to finish right where we are supposed to finish.
Badger
I don’t think that is true about no deals.
I read that about Puig and the Dodger owner yesterday and he didn’t say there were not going to be any deals.
And about this front office not making any bad deals is wrong.
Who signed Olivera, and is still paying for some of Olivera’s salary to this day?
And how much was the bonus, that they original gave to Olivera?
$30MM, I think. And the Padres immediately DFAed Oliveira as soon as the deal was completed.
It is looking more and more like Cuba’s top league is AA ball.
Still waiting MJ. I don’t anticipate anything big. Do you?
Badger
Nothing big by our standards, but I think they could get a decent arm for the pen, without giving up to much
Wondering
I didn’t know he was out of jail yet.
Why do you encourage that crap? I don’t even think BOB is mentally stable, but you have no trouble piggybacking on his disordered rambling so you can take another characteristic dig at Timmons. It’s manipulative.
But what you do here is insightful and thought provoking?
If I agree with someone’s take, I’m likely to say so. BOB has a problem with a certain individual continuing to boast while insulting posters intelligence and he has a right to say so. I have a right to agree with him. And on that topic, I do. Feel free to disagree.
Kazmir – great. His ERA is now 4.47.
It will go down this inning. Maybe.
This rookie pitcher only lasted five inning in his first start, and this is his second start
Badger
How do you think the fan base will feel, if there is not even one move?
How will the fan base feel? Fortunate the giants have stunk it up since the All Star break.
It’s my opinion the knowledgeable Dodger fan won’t expect anything out of the ordinary with FAZ moves.
Badger
So just like us?
But I will tell you that Friedman saying he was going to get elite players is going to even get me mad.
I am not in favor of trading any of our top prospects, but I think some can be used to make this team better, epecially in the bullpen.
But obviously some players won’t be happy.
Well, he has yet another day to pull off the trade for that “elite” player. The player I want to see them put on the field is Jose De Leon. 91 pitches last night. 7 IP. 3 hits. Only 1 K, which I find odd. He made one big mistake, 3 home run. 91 pitches tells me he should be ready to throw 100 next time out. That might give him 6 innings. With our starting pitching thinned out, a start from him would sure come in handy.
This is the second throw by Toles to Cory, that Cory has missed the tag.
This just happened a few games ago.
Cory doesn’t tag the lead leg.
Baez in and drills the first batter he sees. Then gives up a hit that drives in another run. Doesn’t DR look at his spread sheets??
They say: NEVER NEVER put Baez in a game with runner(s) on base. He has he highest % of IRS on the team. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! HATCHER #2
And after he had two strikes on the hitter.
Surprised Roberts didn’t bring him in with one out and no one on. After the double it was too late. I thought the D Backs pen was going to blow another one, but no such luck.
Lucroy to Cleveland, by the way.
Richie
That is the problem with Baez.
Most relief pitchers, have to come in with runners on base.
That is what a relief pitcher is for.
Mark use to say only bring Hatcher in in a clean inning, and then he evetually would say get rid on him, as well as everyone else.
Speaking of spreadsheets – some will find this interesting:
http://www.fangraphs.com/coolstandings.aspx
Thanks for that link.
You’re welcome. It would appear fangraphs has lost confidence in the midgets. With a two game lead they are no longer favorites? Interesting. What do you suppose they see in the Dodgers?
I would like to know what “elite” pitcher Dodgers could get for Cotton, Montas, Kazmir, Stripling, Puig?
So would A.F.! Someone predicted teams would be lining up to trade with us at the deadline for all the depth we had before the season. The problem is, the only players anyone would want are the ones who are keeping us in the race. That or prospects.
Bum
The only one I have a problem with trading is Montas, because we won’t have Kenley next year.
Christ, go ahead and get Bruce already… I hoped for better but even Bruce seems to be beyond your capability. How many more games might we have won if you’d got off your burro and got a hitter a week ago? Even if the Dodgers win this year, you’ve proven yourself to be poor GM. A curse on you and your diseased family…
Cleveland got better.
Cleveland.
Bruce? At what cost?
Stark reports that the Reds aren’t asking for elite prospects for Bruce but want two or three good players from the next tier down (Twitter link).
Earlier Updates
He’s leading the league in RBIs and has a .915 OPS. If he’s going to be that cheap I would think other teams might be interested. If so, it’s hard for me to see FAZ outbidding for his services. We already have a crowded outfield What we need is another starter.