The Dodgers will open up an important three game series against the Giants in the lion’s den of At&t Park on Friday evening. The Dodgers still are unable to hit at all, scoring just 5 runs in the previous three game series against the Rockies. The Dodgers now rank 27th out of the 30 MLB clubs in batting. It’s becoming painfully clear that most of the position player roster sucks.
Friday evening’s pitching match-up should shake up to possibly be one of the best of the season. Clayton Kershaw will counter Giant’s right hander Johnny Cueto. The game will start at 7:15 PM as the boys in blue will have to figure out some way to score off of Cueto who is a very difficult pitcher to hit off of.
Kershaw is a tough pitcher to hit too. He has historically dominated the Giants. He’s already faced the Giants twice this year recording a win and a no-decision. On April 9th he allowed two earned runs on four hits over eight innings while striking out 5. The second start on April 15th he allowed two earned runs (one unearned run) on 5 hits across seven frames while striking out 6.
Dodgers Lineup @ San Francisco
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
González 1B
Thompson RF
Pederson CF
Grandal C
Hernández LF
Kershaw P— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 10, 2016
Clayton Kershaw-8-1 vs. Johnny Cueto-9-1
Game time – 7:15 PM – TV-SNLA
Overall Kershaw has posted an 8-1 record and a miniscule 1.46 ERA over 12 starts. In his dominating 92.2 innings of work, he has struck out 109 and walked 6. He’s allowed 5.2 hits per nine and has a 0.647 WHIP. His 18-1 strikeout to walk ratio is something from another planet.
Kershaw is 17-7 with a 1.60 ERA and 5 shutouts in 33 career starts versus the Giants. At At&T Park he has a 9-3 record and a 1.23 ERA with 4of his 5 shutouts in San Francisco. Check out his numbers against the current Giants. They’re pretty insane. Hilariously pitcher Madison Bumgarner may have hit Kershaw the best out of the entire Giant’s lineup.
Kershaw vs. Giants
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Buster Posey | 85 | 82 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 16 | .220 | .247 | .317 | .564 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Brandon Belt | 47 | 43 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23 | .070 | .149 | .093 | .242 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Gregor Blanco | 31 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | .179 | .258 | .179 | .437 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Duffy | 25 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | .200 | .200 | .200 | .400 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Crawford | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | .048 | .091 | .048 | .139 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Madison Bumgarner | 19 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | .222 | .222 | .556 | .778 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kelby Tomlinson | 13 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .000 | .077 | .000 | .077 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Panik | 11 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .273 | .273 | .273 | .545 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denard Span | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Johnny Cueto | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mac Williamson | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Conor Gillaspie | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Peavy | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trevor Brown | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jarrett Parker | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 279 | 265 | 39 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 89 | .147 | .184 | .204 | .388 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Unsurprisingly Cueto has pitched like an ace for the Giants, helping them vault into first place over the Dodgers. Of course the Dodgers could have signed him fairly easily, but chose Scott Kazmir instead. Anyways, Cuteo is 9-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 12 starts this season. Over his 87.2 innings he’s whiffed 73, walked 19 and has a 2.62 FIP.
The Dodgers have faced Cueto twice this season with both starts back in April. On April 10th the Dodgers somehow got to him for 6 runs on ten hits over 7 innings. Cueto still struck out 8 in that game. On April 16th Cueto allowed one run on three hits over 7.2 innings pitched. He picked up wins in both games. Over 10 career starts against the Dodgers, Cueto is 4-5 with a 3.16 ERA. Chase Utley seems to hit him the best with a .379 (11 for 29) average and 2 home runs.
Cueto vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Chase Utley | 32 | 29 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .379 | .438 | .621 | 1.058 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 21 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .263 | .286 | .474 | .759 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 13 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .385 | .500 | .885 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 9 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .375 | .444 | .500 | .944 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trayce Thompson | 9 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joc Pederson | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .167 | .286 | .167 | .452 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey Seager | 7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .286 | .286 | .286 | .571 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clayton Kershaw | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Austin Barnes | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Kazmir | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Van Slyke | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 120 | 109 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 22 | .294 | .333 | .422 | .755 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
The rest of the pitching match-ups for the series will see Scott Kazmir take the mound for the Dodgers. The Giants are still undecided. Remember Matt Cain is out with a strained hamstring. Julio Urias will start for the Dodgers on Sunday evening. The Giants have yet to name their starter for Sunday as well. The Giants are dealing with a lot of injuries too. Not only is Cain out, but Sergio Romo, and Angel Pagan are on the disabled list too. The big injury is Hunter Pence, who is out for the next several months and has to have hamstring surgery. The Giants are especially going to miss him. There are only 100 games left after tonight.
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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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1
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36
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25
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.590
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–
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17-12
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19-13
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5-5
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2
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32
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29
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.525
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4.0
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17-14
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15-15
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5-5
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3
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28
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32
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.467
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7.5
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11-15
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17-17
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5-5
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4
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26
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36
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.419
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10.5
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10-22
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16-14
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3-7
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5
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25
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36
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.410
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11.0
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15-18
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10-18
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5-5
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The Dodgers better get two out of three in this series if they know what’s good for them. The Dodgers remain 4 games behind and need to make up some ground. The Dodgers best not sleepwalk through this series or I might have to tweet some disgruntled stuff on twitter. I don’t want to have to do that Dodgers. Just win.
Go Blue!
I love the comments from the draft experts on this board on who we should and should not have taken in the draft so far. Please explain who YOU would have taken, and why. Then tell us all who YOU would have taken the last 10 years and why, and compare that with how the Dodgers did.
Then, if we determine your potential choices the last 10 years were that good, perhaps instead of sitting on your laptop and typing to us, you should be working for an MLB team.
My lord, anything to bitch about, somebody will latch on to it and bitch. Talk about instant, baseless, over reactions
No offense Bobby but it sounds like you are also bitching. Not saying you need to stop, just that bitching can come from anyone.
I care less who they draft because A. I do not watch college baseball or read Baseball America, so I have no clue who these guys are. B. I do not follow H.S. baseball, so I have even less knowledge of those kids. The last time I knew about a kid who was in the draft was Bryce Harper, and that was because he was on the cover of almost every baseball publication there was. Until they wear the blue, I have no interest. When they get to AAA, and most do not, that is when I take notice unless it is someone like Seager, or Urias, or even Cody Bellinger………
Bobby
I was thinking about what you have said, and you are right, the Dodger’s draft has been bad, for quite a while. And I do hope that this new front office does change that.
And I would hope any Dodger fan, would feel that way, but sometimes, I have my doubts.
I am just not crazy about them, signing another pitcher that has already had a TJ surgery.
And that is because the pitcher they drafted last year, had to have a TJ surgery after the Dodgers signed him.
I think the fact that the front office has tended to sign some pitchers with long injury histories, is another reason I get leary about signing pitchers, that have had injury problems.
Maybe that is why some people don’t give the front office the benefit of that Doubt.
I did notice that Scott didn’t have the up to date stats on the catcher, the Dodgers drafted.
But I know that he has been working a lot, and he is also running this blog, the best he can.
Bob, my comments were a first impression and were not intended to offend anyone or to demean any of the kids we drafted. I’m pleased we took a shortstop with our first pick because we’ll need one if Seager is going to move to third in a few years, and if not they’re usually the best athletes and can move anywhere.
I am anything but an expert on the draft but I do try to keep up with our top prospects and it seems to me there are quite a few good pitching prospects in the upper minors and fewer position players. The overwhelming majority of the position players bat left-handed; thus the desire for a right-handed bat. I understand the prevailing philosophy of taking the best player available regardless of position and for all I know that’s what they’ve done.
They actually picked 3 SS……the last one a college senior
Some people seem to fail to understand the basic purpose of a sports blog. Namely, that is to reinforce or dissipate your feelings of happiness or frustrations over the fortunes or behaviour of your selected sports team. It is a fan’s right, nay, responsibility, to sublimate those feelings for his own well being. If you don’t feel that way, then why are you even reading the blog. If all you want is the official corporate opinion of the team, then visit their website.
I agree, and when you go on the website a lot of the fans there are FO apologist’s making excuses for the foibles of FAZ and Fried Brains
Yeah go over to Dodger Insider. Over there the Dodgers can do no wrong!
You got that right, another one is Dodger nation….although some of the guys on there think they hang the moon..
He didn’t say he wanted the official corporate opinion of the team. I don’t, either. It’d be nice, though, to have comments that tended to run more along the lines of analysis and thoughtful criticism than the baseless variety of criticism that is the norm.
I’m pretty sure the FO does not have some sort of fetish for drafting, signing or trading for pitchers who’ve had TJ surgeries just because they like to, or are on some secret mission to deliberately sabotage the team. The kinds of scouting reports that the organization has access to, and the draft meeting, numerous as no doubt that have been, far exceed the cursory ammo we have while sitting in our armchairs whining.
If your’e skeptical of the pics, good. Go do some digging on some scouting reports and talk to some insiders and report back on who the Dodgers should have drafted.
Moment of truth. They need to win this series in SF, and don’t give me that it’s early crap……win at least 2 of 3….I personally think the Urias game is a throw away…the kid will be lucky to go 4..
Bringing up Urias was a move of desperation, clutching at straws. “The Plan” isn’t working out quite like they wanted and they are desperately trying to either turn the team around or at least appease the fans. If things don’t change soon, I expect Guggenheim to dump FAZ and turn command over to one of the experienced GMs they have on staff. They didn’t bring them on board because they’re nice guys…
If my memory serves me right, one of the coaches, Woody Woodward was also a GM for the Mariners for a while. So that makes about 6 of them in the employ of the team. FAZ’s plan has gone down the proverbial tube with a vengeance. If anyone on this team outside of Gonzo, Utley and Seager and Thompson was actually hitting the damn ball, they might be in first place…….good news, ,;; Pagan, Pence and most likely Posey are out. The bad news, still have to deal with Belt, Crawford, and Panik and Duffy………
The Dodgers need Turner’s bat the most.
Because if Turner hits, everyone else’s at bats, get better, especially at the top of the order. I just hope Turner starts hitting.
Well, 5 runs total in 3 games against Rockies ain’t going to cut it and they are lucky to have won 1 game, thanks to Trayce and the walk off HR.
I will make this short and to the point, CK NEEDS to pitch a shutout for Dodgers to have even a chance to win! Dodgers are 27th in batting for a reason and the offense is the SINGLE MOST GLARING WEAKNESS on this team that may very well keep them out of October this year.
Only plus is that most all the players, for some insane reason hit better on the road. Gonzo is close to .375 on the road. They average close to 5 runs a game on the road…so we will see…
Michael
I know that Stripling is on an innings limit, but couldn’t he be in the rotation, until the Allstar break?
I thought he was going to be, but then they sent him down and put him on the 7 day DL, and from what I heard he is just starting to throw again..
It’s easy to figure what takes place in this series if Dodgers duplicate their “offensive performance” of the just completed series with the Rockies. Dodgers will be swept and even CK may take a tough loss unless he pitches a complete game shutout.
Stripling will likely start a game at OKC next week and then come back to LA.
He has been throwing in AZ but they are working on his delivery.
Thanks Mark,
Appreciate the info Mark. I try to monitor what is going on at OKC, but they rarely mention what is happening at Camelback……another anomaly, I like to check the other teams rosters and from what I have seen, the Dodgers are the only team carrying 13 pitchers and playing with a short bench……
That’s because they have no problem with hitting . HA! HA!
I see the KC Royals have the same disease: 4 runs scored in the last 6 games.
If I were hitting against Cueto, I would just try and upset him. He uses all kinds of deliveries and deception including the “quick pitch.” I would step out repeatedly and just throw his timing and concentration off. He is doing something novel – just give him some of his own medicine.
Mark
I saw on the MLB Channel, that Cueto’s side was hurting him, and something else was bothering him too.
If the Dodgers get on base, Cueto doesn’t mess around with his delivery quite as much.
Baseball Draft. How have and how will the Dodgers do?
Here is a website of past drafts:
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/team/draft.jsp?c_id=la
This is for 2015 — but notice that near the top, you can go back to 2000 for all those seasons. I went through this a month or two ago, and picked up the names I knew that had made it one way or another, and it was a short list.
Someone doing a major article on this, could look at all 30 teams, and see just which teams pick the good one that make it, and which teams fall short.
Of course, injuries play a part. Trades for giving away players to get more established players —- all change the outcomes.
Baseball Reference makes it fairly easy to check each team’s choices for each round every year back to 1965, with some stats and WAR for each player…of course, some of those wins were for other teams due to trades. But you have to be careful because many players were drafted out of high school but did not sign, skewing the overall results.
This is why they call them “prospects”. Many (including the Braintrust) treat prospects like pure gold – they are all going to be big stars don’t you know. A look at the Dodger drafts of the past tells you that in one sense, prospects THAT MAKE IT ARE LIKE GOLD – they are rare.
This is why sometimes, it makes sense to trade prospects for real major leaguers who have already made it. An example is “The Trade” that drives Mark so crazy. The Dodgers traded 2 of their top pitching prospects, Rubby De La Rosa and Alan Webster, plus Ivan De Jesus Jr. (a 2nd round draft pick), Jerry Sands (a former big time prospect himself) and James Loney to get Gonzalez, Crawford, Beck and Punto.
3 or 4 of the Dodgers prospects – how many of them ever did anything? NONE.
Not all prospects are going to make it.
Here is Grant Bisbee’s take on the Dodgers 1st 2 draft picks:
Gavin Lux:
“I don’t get this pick at all. What are the Dodgers doing here?
Comparison: Nick Ahmed without the defense or power.
Draft grade: F”
Will Smith:
“I don’t get this pick at all. What are the Dodgers doing here?
Comparison: Jeff Mathis without the power or defense.
Draft grade: F”
Great
Now that’s actually pretty funny! 2 F’ with the first 2 picks haha
I find it interesting that several other sites posted A+ and A- on the same players, but you choose to post the one that fits your warped worldview. Total BS to post either way. Who the hell knows? Not some idiot fish hack!
You are right that they are just prospects. Many do nothing. You are right. That’s why you hoard them! You don’t know which ones are going to make it.
I can’t stand it when people try to post just one side. It brands you as easily influenced… a lemming!
Use your own brain…
I have no opinion, but all these analysts do. Opinions are like… well you know.
Bisbee’s a Giants fan…good writer, but I’ll bet his tongue is in his cheek.
then that would make sense. haha he got me!
Badger
Where are you?
His village is looking for him…
Mark
Turner really looked bad in that first at bat.
I really wanted Grandal to get a clutch hit there. 2-0 vs. 4-0 is a massive lead difference (even if Kersh is pitching)
Dodgers have no chance of winning this series
They have 2 chances – slim and none!
Best chance of winning tonight with kershaw pitching. Somehow they have to figure out how to score more than 2 runs per game
As I mentioned earlier KC has scored 4 runs in their last 6 games. Ouch!
Dodgerrick, is this Grant Brisbee who writes for the McCovey Chronicle? If it is, you need to join S F Giants. Maybe you are a giant fan on a Dodger blog. You give us no explanation of who Grant Bisbee (Brisbee) is and what is his expertise. Please explain.
His piece was at the top of the Google search and not identified as being from McCovey chronicles. Easy mistake. I’ve enjoyed some of his writing because he’s witty and less of a homer than you’d expect.
Everyone knows that Brisbee is a Dodger Troll. To quote him is…
I have to stop.
Actually Brisbee gives more credit to this team and the FO than most of the posters here….even though he’s a Dodger hater. Even he doesn’t hate this team as much as the fans here.
ok…..read the above quote from him. Ef ’em.
I am with you!
Anyone notice that despite Kershaw, a leftie, on the mound, Bochy has his regulars in there? Regardless of which side of the plate they bat???
That’s what a real manager does. Play his best guys vs the best pitchers. Not throw out a crap all rightie lineup just because the pitcher is a leftie
Man this team sucks
Bobby,
Well, that is not even close to true… in fact it is bullshit! Pence would be playing but he is on the DL, so a lefty takes his place because that’s what they have. They don’ t have much of a platoon split this year, so their regulars are it. In the past Bochy has played the splits more – he can’t this year. If Bochy had the option the Dodgers do, he would play it differently.
Damn, I can’t stand this stupid stuff!
Oh, and their lefties are doing WHAT?
What options? they suck versus lefties and righties
Mark
Actually the Giant team, hits leftie pitchers, better then rightie pitchers. I saw that in a story about Urias starting on Sunday.
1 n- I know that Bisbee writes for a Giants blog but he is usually reasonably objective if the Dodgers do something well. It is possible that his tongue was in his cheek – he frequently is funny (or at least tries to be).
2 – Giants are playing lots of lefties due to injuries.
3 – Dodgers look overmatched by Cueto mostly. A couple of hard hit balls so far. Turner and Joc have looked particularly bad.
4 – Kershaw got out of rhythm in the 6th – he’s having trouble getting his curve in tonight, but he is still brilliant.
5 – The Dodgers HAVE to do something different on offense, but I’ll be darned if I know what.
Woaaaaaa!!! Oscar’s favorite player goes deep!!!
That HR was for MJ
It was for Oscar too
I think it was for yours truly as I streamed tonight’s game even though it’s over my budget capping above what this desert sat is for. That and, well ya all know my voicing of Turner. Now, don’t settle for nothing short of a series sweep! Ya hear staff? You just got showed how to go about it so do your job and be the man like that man on the mound was tonight! Great win so take their breath again!
Bobby
After the game Turner said that he was feeling fine, but he is just not getting the results. I just hope he is going to start hitting. He is the most important bat, in the Dodgers line up. Turner hits, the Dodger offense, will start hitting.
Come on Kenley!
YESSSSSS!!!!!
Phew!!
Well, that was interesting. Cueto seemed out of it in the first before settling in; Kershaw was less than perfect and Jansen was doing his best impression of Baez. I guess JT has earned another few weeks in the lineup.