The Dodgers are going to be exhausted, and understandable so. The boys in blue suffered a tough loss on Wednesday afternoon in their insane 14-inning marathon loss to the Orioles. It was a crazy game that saw Scott Kazmir pinch-hit, Chase Utley collected 6 hits, and Chris Hatcher ended the game at the plate. The Dodgers fought hard but it was not enough. The club going 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position is just not going to cut it. In reference to Utley’s 6 hits, that was the first time since Shawn Green’s four-home run performance in 2002 since a Dodger collected 6 hits in a game. Corey Seager extended his hitting streak to 19 games as well. He is now one shy of tying the LA Dodger rookie record which is 20 set by Tommy Davis.
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#
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Team
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W
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L
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PCT
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GB
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HOME
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AWAY
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L10
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||
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1
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54
|
33
|
.621
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–
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26-17
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28-16
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5-5
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||
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2
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48
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39
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.552
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6.0
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27-17
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21-22
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7-3
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3
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38
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46
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.452
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14.5
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18-20
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20-26
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3-7
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||
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4
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38
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49
|
.437
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16.0
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15-32
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23-17
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2-8
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||
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5
|
|
37
|
48
|
.435
|
16.0
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20-25
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17-23
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5-5
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Today the exhausted Dodgers Will welcome the San Diego Padres into town for the final series of the first half. The Padres will be in town from Thursday through Sunday afternoon. Tonight marks the return of Hyun-jin Ryu to the mound for the first time since Game 3 of the 2014 NLDS.
Dodgers Lineup vs. San Diego
Drew Pomeranz-7-7 vs. Hyun-jin Ryu-0-0
Game Time – 7:10 PM – TV-SNLA
That was the last time Ryu pitched in a major league game. He’s been ever since dealing with shoulder problems. Ryu has always pitched very well against the Padres. Actually he’s been dominating against the Dodger’s NL West foes. In 5 career starts against the Padres he’s posted a 4-0 record and a 0.84 ERA. Most of the current Padres that Ryu has faced are no longer with the club.
Ryu vs. Padres
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Melvin Upton | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .143 | .250 | .143 | .393 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yangervis Solarte | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | .667 | 1.000 | 1.667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Cashner | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .273 | .333 | .364 | .697 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The Padres will counter with left hander Drew Pomeranz. The 27-year old Collierville native has been great for the Padres, but hasn’t gotten enough run support. That’s why he’s only been able to even his books at 7-7. He’s posted a 2.85 ERA and struck out 10.3 per nine over 95 innings pitched. He has 109 strikeouts and 39 walks over 16 starts. He’s only allowed 6.2 hits per nine so he’s been able to limit base runners at a great clip. He’s 0-1 against the Dodgers this year, losing to the boys in blue back on May 1 when he tossed 7 innings of one-run ball. In 5 career starts Pomeranz is 0-4 with a 4.35 ERA against the Dodgers.
Pomeranz vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Howie Kendrick | 11 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .182 | .182 | .455 | .636 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 10 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .300 | .300 | .400 | .700 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A.J. Ellis | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .600 | .778 | .800 | 1.578 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 8 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | .375 | .375 | .875 | 1.250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasiel Puig | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Justin Turner | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase Utley | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .667 | .750 | .667 | 1.417 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trayce Thompson | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Blanton | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey Seager | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Van Slyke | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Venable | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 62 | 56 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 11 | .286 | .344 | .464 | .809 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
The Dodgers are right back to 6 games back of the Giants after they easily defeated the Rockies again. They’re wild card lead shrunk to just a half game over the Mets as well. The bullpen is taxed and the Dodgers have a huge problem with none of their starting pitchers being able to pitch past the fifth or sixth innings. The Dodgers need innings from their starters and if none of these guys can give them that then they need to go out and get somebody who can. Otherwise the bullpen is going to be destroyed by August.
On a happier note, Clayton Kershaw is feeling better and started throwing again. He may be back sooner than expected.
Go Blue!
MJ, here’s some articles on Home Run Derby:
http://sabr.org/research/home-run-derby-curse-fact-or-fiction?utm_source=Dodgers&utm_campaign=45be9c01dd-Dodgers_Dugout_Spring_Training_3_27_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ada9589456-45be9c01dd-78072805
http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/the-home-run-derby-myth/?utm_source=Dodgers&utm_campaign=45be9c01dd-Dodgers_Dugout_Spring_Training_3_27_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ada9589456-45be9c01dd-78072805
I admit most of the first article was over my head, but I do understand regression to the mean. The problem is we’re talking about rookies who have not established a mean. Maybe it’s just a myth, but why take a chance? I’m reminded of the story of Giants manager John McGraw when he first saw Mel Ott hit. He supposedly said, “I’m keeping that kid here with me. Nobody is going to mess up that swing.”
Thanks Wondering!
Scott:
I agree with most of what you mentioned but not the part where you said that our SP is unable to go more than 5 or 6 innings. It’s not the inability of some of our pitchers to do that but a lot of times DR pulls them, I believe, too early.
I understand some are on pitch counts(Urias) but others(McCarthy) shouldn’t be. There have been times when a pitcher was pulled and could have gone another inning.
The same thing with the RP. If their turn isn’t coming up at that inning, let them go another inning or at least another 1/3 or 2/3.
When Hatcher is the only pitcher left and ALSO has to BAT because nobody else is left on the bench, that game is in BIG BIG trouble.
DR should’ve realized or Hunycutt that We have RYU the next day.
We now have an overtired BP trying to compete the next day and I, for one, am AMAZED that they have done so well so far. The BP is like a horse that gets tired and more tired until finally it just drops dead from exhaustion. I can’t wait for the AS break for the overworked and overtaxed BP to get its rest they so deservedly need.
I agree with you the issue is more not allowing the starters to pitch more innings rather than needing to pull them. But again, who is making that call? Whose decision is it?
There have been a lot of trades proposed here. Now I would like to offer the one, the only one, that would solve our problems:
FAZ, their ventriloquist dummy manager, and $25MM, for the Giant manager and front office.
Could they throw in their catcher for another $25 million?
We wish….
How much more Hatcher does the brass need to see? As soon as he entered the game, I told my wife that it was a lock that this would end poorly. Since the chance of him doing well is sooooo remote, why is he even worth giving him a chance to bring in his monogrammed gas can? Have mercy Brass and DFA his azz before the game tonight. There has to be someone that is at least marginally better than Hatcher.
They are “in love” with his 98mph heat and don’t care what’s between his ears. No doubt some other team would pick him up and he will probably come back to haunt us LOL.
Ritchie, I do agree with you about Hatcher. However he has to go. This is where I lay some of he blame on Honeycutt. The 98 mph fastball s a good thing , but he has to locate it. He has to do something to change speed. Why can’t Honeycutt work with Hatcher for 15 minutes each day on locating his fastball and use what ever his next pitch is to change speed in a bullpen session. He is supposed to help these guys. Maybe he does, I do not know. I have seen too many pitchers come to the Dodgers and are doing well, and do poorly with us, and then go someplace else and do well.
Al, I couldn’t agree more with you about Honeycutt. Way too many pitchers come here to flame out and then go elsewhere and are re-born. And I don’t give a crap about the BP’s ERA. They can’t keep inherited runners from scoring.
Inherited runners don’t count against the bullpen’s era. Leastwise, I don’t think they do…
That is why Baez’s era doesn’t look that bad.
We’ve been talking about another pitch for months now. All he needs to do is change his grip, throw a couple hundred of them and he would have it. Throw it forstrikes? Yeah, that would be nice. He is a ML pitcher. Throw it at the knees breaking down and it doesn’t even need to be a strike. Just don’t throw anything down the middle. (I think I saw Baez throw a couple 80 somethings for strikes) Geez, 98 and you have a WHIP of 1.5? FIX IT DUMMY!
Inherited runners that score will be counted against the persons who put them on, of course. I assume the bullpen ERA is the calculation of all the runs scored against all the relievers. The ERA of any given reliever may not represent the value of that reliever since his failings may be covered up by the pitchers who follow him. I would say though that the bullpen ERA is pretty telling about the quality of the bullpen, but says nothing of any given reliever.
That was my point. People brag about the BP’s Era and how great it is. Whoopee!!!! If you can’t keep the inherited runners from scoring who gives diddly doo what your fake ERA is.
If our bullpen is going to be pitching 4 innings a night, how many runs they give up collectively is something worth considering. While we are still 3rd in blown saves, every other stat, including FIPs WHIPs and DIPs, BAA and ERC are good. I’m surprised to read that, and don’t expect it to keep up, but according to the numbers, not counting those BSVs, we have some good arms down there.
Badger
Are those stats still accurate when the relievers, are not penalized for inherited runs, like the era?
Slotim
Like the article said, the bullpen, is not good in high leverage situations.
But isn’t that what a bullpen is for?
My gut is a trade is coming (somewhere, sometime soon) and Hatcher will be a piece of it. He has lost the trust of the locals but is worth something, somewhere. I wish him luck except when he pitches against the Dodgers!
There was an article in True Blue LA, saying that the Padre’s offense has been really good lately.
I believe it said that the Padres were averaging four runs a game, in the time period they mentioned.
But I don’t remember that time period, so what good am I.
The Dodgers announced tonight that they’ve activated left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu from the 60-day disabled list and designated veteran outfielder Will Venable for assignment in order to clear a spot on the 40-man and 25-man rosters. The Dodgers also optioned Luis Avilan to Triple-A and recalled right-hander Carlos Frias.
Avilan actually did a great job yesterday.
I don’t think he likes AAA that much.
They are talking trade with Oakland. I am not sure we need a trade. Ethier is coming back the first of August. We now have 6 starting pitchers when Kershaw comes back. The bull pen could use some help, but Urias is coming back later to the bull pen. I really think we ought to sit tight. Save the farm kids. Just hope McCarthy, Ryu, and Ethier are good enough addition at mid point to make the Dodgers a very good team down the stretch. Adding two starting pitchers and a starting left fielder would be great additions for most teams.
Two things;
1. Not all the products of the farm reach major league quality.
2. If they did, we wouldn’t have roster room for them nor positions to hold.
I say gamble that the ones we trade for the catching and hitting we so desperately need now are the ones who will not reach major league level later.
Ethier is not guaranteed to be back by the first of August. It is July 7th and he has not started any baseball related activity’s. When he is cleared to start throwing and hitting off a tee, and against BP pitchers, it will be at least a week or more before he can begin re-hab games. You are looking at mid-August at the earliest, because he will need at least 2 weeks of games to get into game shape, and even then he will not be the old Ethier immediately. He is 4 months behind everyone else and has not seen a pitch since mid March, so saying he will be back in August is totally off base. And Friedman said in an article today that the Dodgers are already talking trade with other teams and they did so after the draft, so maybe some of those picks were made with trade partners in mind. Then again, I do not trust Friedman to make any deals that will improve the team. He has failed miserably on that account ever since he got here……
1 – Not all returning injured players will do so successfully. Not a sure thing that Ryu, Anderson, McCarthy or Ethier will be able to do it.
2 – Not all prospects will make it – 25% of the top ones will if we are lucky.
3 – No matter how good or bad the bullpen, we are ultimately setting it up for failure if the starters continue to pitch for less than 6 – 7 innings.
4 – The pitchers don’t pitch longer because they aren’t any good if they pitch longer. Some pitchers don’t have enough of a variety of pitches to go a 3rd time through the order; others run out of gas. Other than Kershaw, I have no confidence in any of our starters the 3rd time through the order. That’s why they need new starters.
5 – Some relievers are OK in high leverage situations; others are not. Hatcher and Baez are not. Fien is not. Howell is not; neither is Coleman. I only have confidence in Jansen, Blanton and Libertore at this point.
6 – The Dodgers’ needs are too numerous to fix this year. i would let it ride and see what they have to start the next season after the dust settles and we know who is on the roster and who from the minors will come up.
Yep
All of that has been true since Opening Day. The prospects we have all need to stay where they are to play and get repetitions. When rosters are expanded, bring up those who deserve it. No trades that involve ANY of our best prospects. Not yet.
Ryu not ready?
It would seem not. Maybe they just wanted to get the bullpen some extra work.
Non of trade ideas I have seen, would help the Dodgers, especially Bruce!
Turned on the TV and heard the great news that Neddy Jr. might actually have an IQ above 80 and now we are watching Dummie #2 mismanage this game.
Ryu more than 70 pitches?? Really??
Only 3 Bench players? Really?? No matter what happens Frias is probably gone tonight and an OF will be called up.
According to dodgers.com, they are leaving the roster the way it is until after the all star break. 3 bench players and 14 pitchers……..totally STUPID plan….
Meanwhile, even if Ryu was pitching a shutout, he wouldn’t be winning. Again. No runs on 2 hits in 6 innings.
This pitcher has been getting strikes called, that are inside.
I am suprised the players, haven’t went inside on the TV to see where these pitches are.
Are where the catcher had been moving his glove.
No more Will Venables or Nick Tepesches please – just real major leaguers .
Another snoozer.
I feel like a broken record – starter doesn’t pitch deep into the game; no hitting with RISP – a recipe for a loss.
If Ryu isn’t ready, then wait ’till he’s ready.
I have been on most other MLB team blogs in the past hour.
They sound the same as here. Are you sure you aren’t posting at 25 sites?
Yada, Yada, Yada!
Same ole’ Same ole’
Yeah, you are a broken record.
Would you evaluate it any differently? Did you see good hitting? Good starting pitching? Did Ryu seem ready to you? Isn’t he the latest of many starters unable to go at least 6 innings? Aren’t the Pads a second division team? Didn’t the Dodgers just get their butts kicked by the O’s too? Is there a positive takeaway from this game that I am missing here?
Mark
I just heard that Toles is coming to LA today.
Tired of Friedman, tired of Faz, tired of losing games to bad teams. They made Pomeranz look like Greg Maddux…….by the way, can he still pitch?? Tired of an offense that could not hit my grand mother, and she is dead…Tired of second tier pickups who should not even be in the big leagues, and sore armed reclamation projects. This team is not a good team….
Maddux is leaving the Dodgers at the end of this year, he is going to be a coach I believe at one of the Arizonas colleges.
Good for him. He sure didn’t stay here long.
I do not blame him. Pitchers should be talking to that guy every day. They might just learn something.
There’s a vote of confidence! Maybe no one here was listening?
I think a point has been reached. Many fans, I think myself included, have given up. I don’t feel like there is anything that they could do that would give me hope again. I don’t think there are any players now available who could significantly help. Only blood would make me feel better, a loud, public booting out of Friedman and his stupid little buddy, AND his ventriloquist dummy manager who has won terminal disrespect. I’m not sure even that would do it, maybe it’s just time to give up being a stupid Dodger Fanatic, maybe I should logically select a good, well run team to cheer for. I’m sick of losing, pulling for a team that isn’t even trying…