The Dodgers opened their 2017 Cactus league exhibition schedule this afternoon with a 5-3 win over the White Sox at Glendale Arizona. Clayton Kershaw pitched a scoreless inning and the Dodgers rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the pale hose in a meaningless game. I bet you never figured that exhibition hero Brett Eibner would hit the first home run of the spring for the Dodgers in 2017. Well he did, and it was so glorious.
Before the game the Dodgers had second baseman Logan Forsythe leading off. The rest of the lineup looked pretty similar to how the lineup should look during the regular season, save for Adrian Gonzalez being absent. Corey Seager was at his usual shortstop position, Justin Turner at third base, and Rob Segedin got the start at first base. The outfield consisted of Andrew Toles in left field, Joc Pederson in center, and Yasiel Puig in right field. Yasmani Grandal was the starting catcher, and Kershaw opened the game.
White Sox 3 7 0
Dodgers 5 10 0
WP-Castillo
LP-Soto
HR-Eibner
SV-Paredes
Kershaw was his usual self as he tossed a scoreless frame, making 11 pitches and getting 7 strikes. Alex Wood followed with two innings, and allowed two earned runs on three hits. Josh Ravin followed with an inning, and minor league journeyman Fabio Castillo pitched 3.1 innings.
The White Sox scored two runs in the second inning. Matt Davidson and Avisail Garcia both singled to put runners at first and second. A wild pitch from Wood advanced the runners to second and third. Catcher Geovany Soto’s grounder scored Davidson for the first run. Yolmer Sanchez’s sacrifice fly scored Garcia to put the White Sox ahead 2-0.
The Dodgers scored three in the bottom of the third to take a 3-2 lead. Logan Forsythe doubled off the center field wall and Corey Seager walked. Then Justin Turner’s single to center scored Forsythe and sent Seager to third. Then Grandal’s double to right scored Seager, and a ground out from Franklin Gutierrez scored the third run to give the Dodgers the lead.
The White Sox would eventually tie it up with a run in the top of the fourth. Garcia’s double, and an RBI single from Yolmer Sanchez was how the Pale Hose tied the score in the fourth frame. The Dodgers would get the lead back with solo runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings.
Brett Eibner’s solo home run in the sixth inning off of Chicago reliever Giovanni Soto put the Dodgers back ahead 4-3. In the seventh inning, Chris Taylor singled, stole second and scored on a run scoring single from Scott Van Slyke.
Edward Paredes pitched the final inning for the Dodgers, recording the last three outs. Parades struck out three of the four batters he faced including the final two outs on Yoan Moncada, and Cody Asche. The Dodgers win 5-3!
That’s all for the Dodgers today. It doesn’t mean anything in the standings of course, but it is always nice to see the club win the first exhibition game. It helps with moral. The Dodgers continue their exhibition slate as they travel to Maryvale to face the Brewers. Rich Hill will toe the rubber on Sunday and first pitch is scheduled for 12:05 PM.
For the life of me I cannot understand why the Dodgers are not signing Blanton, he helped us get into the playoffs. If not for him we may not have gotten into the playoffs. I’m sure at his age by the time the playoffs came round he’s a little tired, a bit worn out. You can’t judge him based on the playoffs..
Pay him the four million. Let’s get this done. He’s definitely a pro and a known quantity. We’ve got a lot of other people in the bullpen who are unknowns in comparison. By the time the playoffs roll around hopefully we will be there thanks in part to Blanton and someone a bit younger will take it from there.
Apparently he needs his own cheering section, I haven’t heard anything other than he wants four million which I definitely know he’s worth. So maybe we can all pitch in with a bit of whining, bitching and groveling to get him in there.
I read a story on Blanton about his not wanting to sign for less than the 4 Mil he made last year. I can see that. He is worth at least that much. Right now though it comes down to a couple of things. 1. clearing a roster spot, and 2 do they want to add salary since they are already over the tax threshold. And yes, they can judge him on his meltdown against the Cubs. He gave up 7 runs in that series and baseball has always been a what have you done for me lately sport. It might not be fair, but it is the way it is. And my guess is that they like the relievers and depth they have on the roster right now.
Ray
Blanton will get signed, but he has to realize the going rate of the market.
There were a lot of players, that didn’t get what they thought they were worth.
The Bluejay’s former first basemen, was offered a 6 year 60 million contract from the Bluejay’s, at the begining of the off season, and he only got a forty million dollar two year contract, from the Indians.
I personally don’t think what the relievers were paid last year, was fair as compared to some of the starting pitchers like Kazmir, who is getting 16 million dollars a year, and he couldn’t pitch much more, then five innings.
And the other two, Anderson and McCarthy, who didn’t even pitch much at all last year.
But that is the going rate in baseball I guess.
And Michael is right it is what have you done for me, lately.
Today’s Sermon:
Blessed are they with poor memories,
they suffer their sins only once….
I see it differently. If you forget things, you’re doomed to make the same stupid mistakes. Pay attention. When people show you who they are, believe them.
Badger
That is one of Oprah’s favorite sayings, and I think she heard that, from Maya Angelou.
But I think she said believe people the first time, they show you, who they are.
You guys are reading a lot more into that than I intended. To me, I simply wish I could forget the mistakes I’ve made, the things I should have done and didn’t.
Jonah
Believe me it is good that you have a conscience, it makes you a better person.
Even hermits need some type of human connection, even if it isn’t as deep, as others have.
You can’t change what you are, so just be yourself.
Because when people are just being there true self, they are almost always, at there best.
I certainly get it, but it all unfolds as it must wonder. We are born with amnesia so we don’t recall our previous mistakes, nor do we recall our previous lessons. If we did, we’d all have IQs around 300. All we can do is use today to do better.
Badger
I don’t think that would increase our IQ, on that physical level, in the brain.
I think that is more about one’s emotional, IQ.
We are still facing all of those personal lessons, that we did not learn previously, if we are talking about, rein incarnation.
There are no heroes in exhibition baseball……just wannabees…
It’s my opinion there are no heroes in baseball. At least, not because of anything they do on the field.
Eibner. A name that will live in anonymity.
Why are you guys being so negative?
Scott has to write the game details, and Eibner, did hit a good oppo field HR, to put the Dodgers a head.
He didn’t say he is going to make the major league team.
Every dog has there day, and my dog makes my day, every day.
Doesn’t it appear that Badger provided the answer to your question before you even asked it?
“Pay attention. When people show you who they are, believe them.”
So, Eibner is a dog?
Why you so hard on Eibner? He’s just a guy trying to make the minimum, which is now over a half million a year.
Double digit mind sums it up, for him anyway, and it’s below average.
Badger
I left that to you, because I thought you would answer that better, then I would.
I didn’t mean that you were being hard, on Eibner.
I just meant in general, because it isn’t Scott’s fault, that there isn’t much to say.
Just joking MJ. What Eibner or anyone does in a February scrimmage with the White Sox doesn’t mean a thing. If he keeps it up it will mean a job somewhere but I really doubt it’s here. He’s way down the depth chart in LA. You’re right, Scott gotta throw something against the wall.
Negative? Excuse me. Badger is right. There are no heroes in baseball, just athletes trying to make a living. Calling a scrub who hits a meaningless HR in a spring game is a gross misuse of the word. A hero is a person who runs into a burning building to save a life. Or a person who sacrifices their life to save others…..not some journey man OF trying to make a team…….
Emerson
I am expecting to see a selfie of you, and Romo.
He is suppose to be giving everyone selfies, for anyone who asks.
Are selfies dumb?
Answers at Debate.org
Badger
It is probably better then an signature, to show that you had an interaction, with someone.
I just thought that is would be something, to see Emerson in a selfie, with Romo, nothing less, or more
I had my picture taken with a few people a long time ago. Tommy Davis, Maury Wills – my favorite was a shot with Eric Heiden after a Waves to Wine bike trek. That one hung on my wall for a while. I’m not star struck anymore, and I think selfies are like tweets, we have enough of them without my involvement.
Blanton signed yet?
Badger
I am not one, that wants my fifteen minutes, of fame.
Are you begining to sound like the older, generation?
I guess that is debatable.
Selfies are the modern version of name dropping… They’re like, look at me and my good friend Hillary (or Trump or sports star). Ego trip.
Jonah
So it is a parcel way, to claim someone’s ten seconds of fame, and make them seem, and feel, important.
I heard Romo does selfies and reach-arounds.
Funny
And I am sure Jonah can find us a selfie somewhere, to make it interesting, but it won’t probably be a self, selfie, but one of his many favorite characters, so I will just leave it to Jonah.
I avoid cameras like vampires avoid garlic. Come to think of it, I avoid garlic too. Hmmm… Could I really be Bella Lugosi? Vampires have eternal life, you know… Which reminds me of a vampire book by Stephen Leather, “First Bite”…
Jonah
Vampires don’t do well, in the light, let alone, from a flash of light.
You ask, I deliver…
Jonah
I knew you could do it!
I like it!
Starting Lineups
Dodgers Brewers
LF Ethier (L) 2B Villar (S)
DH Turner CF Broxton
2B Utley (L) RF Santana
RF Van Slyke 1B Perez
CF Hernandez 3B Gennett (L)
C Barnes C Bandy
1B Davis (L) DH Nieuwenhuis (L)
SS Taylor LF Cordell
3B Culberson SS Rivera
Pitchers: Hill vs. Peralta
Location: Maryvale Baseball Park
Time: 12:05 p.m. PT
TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network
Radio: AM 570, KTNQ 1010
Dragged and dropped into LADR from TBLA
Have I mentioned lately I expect little or nothing from Barnes? Washington is shopping Derek Norris whom I have always liked. Would one of our broken down starting pitchers be a fair trade for Norris?
Trade Barnes for him.
If taking a selfie makes you famous it’s probably for doing something stupid.
I just not into the “look at me” syndrome… Us secret agents must learn to live a very low profile.
Jonah
I think I know who you are working, for!
If I told you, I’d have to kill you…
Jonah
If Barnes can prove he can hit major league pitching, he would be fine.
I don’t know if with his few at bats, he is going to be able to prove it.
But I hope he does.
I will keep this secret between us, how about that?
Why do you expect nothing from Barnes?
Why do you expect I could logically answer that? Barnes is a typical FAZ selection, some degree of versatility, the ability to play several positions not good enough to be a regular, no expected hitting ability. (from me) If you want to be in his corner and tout him, feel free.
Jonah
He lives in Corona, which I consider my home town.
And he went to school in Riverside, and went to Riverside Poly, a school, we use to play.
Not really sure whose corner I’m in, nor what those corners signify.
I’m just curious about him, seems to have a good pedigree and positive evaluations.
Can’t hurt to give him a shot, right?
Artieboy
Thanks!
Wondering – I saw that about the Nats shopping Norris, and had the same thought. I’d take him for sure.
As for selfies, I can’t abide em.
Watford
Good one!
Your picture says it all!
Hatcher has not lost his ability to disappoint. A fast ball right down broadway.
Idahoal
But once again, he has no options!
He is just not a pitcher, he is a thrower!
MJ
I agree with you. Hatcher is not a pitcher. He is a thrower. Hill did look good.
Idahoal
Yes Hill did look good, and he was economical with his pitch count, once he warmed up.
Belinger & Verdugo just went back to back homers – the future looks very bright.
Watford
They both hit those HRs, against a leftie!
One thing I noticed about Bellinger, is that he doesn’t get off balanced as much as Joc does, at times, when he swings.
Hitter between them Watford….kid named Allie struck out. They did both go yard against a lefty. Bellinger CRUSHED his.,
Michael
They are still looking for Bellinger’s ball.
lol Michael – I was watching Rickie Fowler win the golf at the same time!!!
Must have missed a batter…
Really enjoying watching these kids play.
Got to see Jose Fernandez although he didn’t swing a bat in anger as he took a 4 ball walk.
Fernandez has no shot at making this team. Judging from his first couple of games neither does Kike Hernandez. He should have caught that drive to center, and he is not hitting the ball very hard. Hatcher just confirmed what Dodger fans have known for the last 1 1/2 years…..he sux……Morrow was just as bad……Cash looked good as did the kid who closed the game….Spitzbarth…….?????? WHO?????????
Watford
That is what was nice about those two homers. Both against left handers. Both homers were well hit. Just wish one batted right handed.
Thinking the same thing Al – it’s left hander after left hander. How come there’s so many LHers when only approx 10% of the total population is LH?
It gets worse. They can only play first base or outfield (unless they’re pitchers, of course). With weak arms, they’re first base or DH. National League really really needs to adopt DH or most of the good hitters will be going to the AL.
NPUT guys