The Dodgers had to come from behind to defeat the Rockies 12-10 in a wild game on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of lead changes, blown holds, and a lot of runs gave us a pretty typical Coors Field type game. The bullpen is still pretty bad and Kenley Jansen is still really good. Playing at Coors Field is like playing on the moon. The Dodgers will now return home to play at sea level. The boys in blue will open a seven game home stand on Monday evening. They’ll start with four games against the Miami Marlins before the Padres come into town for a three game set. I am sure they are all glad to be back on planet Earth. The Dodgers are 12-7 after a successful road trip and remain 2.5 games ahead in the NL West.
Carl Crawford and Louis Coleman are scheduled to rejoin the club. Crawford is coming off the disabled and a successful rehab assignment with Oklahoma City. He played at OKC and did not get hurt for several days. Baby steps. Coleman was on the bereavement list after his grandfather passed away. This probably means Trayce Thompson, and Luis Avilan get the axe, but we’ll see. In the meantime the Dodgers are swinging the bats very well. Justin Turner is also scheduled to return to the lineup after suffering a bruised toe when Colorado catcher Tony Wolters stepped on it while trying to throw out a runner stealing second base.
The fish coming into Dodger Stadium means the return of former manager Don Mattingly to his old stomping grounds. This is the first time we have seen him since he was canned last winter. I wonder how miserable he is in Miami? Not only will we see Mattingly, we’ll also get to see former Dodger keystone Dee Gordon. I still think it’s bizarre seeing both of them in those ugly Marlin uniforms.
Dodgers Lineup vs. Miami-TBA
Wei-Yin Chen-0-1 vs. Ross Stripling-0-0
Game Time – 7:10 PM TV- SNLA
The Marlins are terrible again as usual. They’ve gotten off to a 6-11 start even after beating the Giants last night. After winning the batting title and leading the National league in hits and stolen bases, Gordon has a .271/.292/.357 slash line with 3 steals in 72 plate appearances.
The Fish will send 30-year old Taiwanese left hander Wei-Yin Chen to the mound to counter Ross Stripling. Of course with a lefty on the mound we are bound to see one of those whacky all righty lineups.
Chen is entering his fifth MLB season. Last year he was 11-8 with a 3.34 ERA over 191.1 innings pitched for Baltimore. This season he is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in three starts for the Marlins. Chen is known for his excellent control. He has a career 2.2 walks per nine rate and has allowed just three free passes this season. The Marlins inked him to a two-year 28 million dollar contract in the offseason.
Chen has only faced the Dodgers once. In that start he won by allowing one earned runs on three hits across six innings pitched. He uncharacteristically walked four in that game. He’s never pitched at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are hitting just .190 (4 for 21) against Chen in very limited plate appearances. Oddly enough, Charlie Culberson has hit a home run against him.
Chen vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 12 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .182 | .167 | .182 | .348 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Howie Kendrick | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chase Utley | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .667 | .500 | 1.167 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Culberson | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | 2.000 | 2.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .500 | .000 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 24 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | .190 | .250 | .333 | .583 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The Dodgers will give the ball to Ross Stripling. The 26-year old rookie is coming off his worst start of the season. He didn’t last long in Atlanta. Stripling has a 2.65 ERA in three starts and has struck out 13 against seven walks in 17 innings pitched. He has yet to allow a home run and has yet to earn his first MLB win.
This should be an interesting series. We’ll be able to see Gordon and Giancarlo Stanton, and we’ll get to make fun of Donnie Baseball. Speaking of Stanton, he’s gotten off to a slow start. He’s batting just .193 (11 for 57) and has hit only three home runs. Here’s a fun game to play, every time Donnie makes a double switch you have to take a drink. Every time he bunts a runner from second to third you must also drink. Just do it!
It’s Clayton Kershaw bobblehead night as well. Welcome home boys!
Go Blue!
Stanton is overrated. Just another meaningless slugger on a bad team. Maybe Kid Fernandez is overrated also since the surgery. Looks good but gives up runs and loses. We know Mattingly is overrated. If our team is truly, early-season good, we should win this series easily. So far, Utley and Maeda are our MVPs. Agon a close second. Every game is the same with Wood:”He pitched better than the results.” I say BS. After watching Maeda pitch, we all know what it takes to be successful: control the pitches and stay ahead in counts. Get behind counts only on purpose to set the hitter up. “Control” is just not putting the ball in the strike zone; it is carving up the strike zone into small sections and throwing it there. It’s called pitching. Bullpen guys are the worst at it. That is the reason they are in the bullpen.
Bobbie 17 big difference in those two. Wood and Maeda. And Maeda is much smaller!
I am still bumfuzzled by that Stanton deal. They should have done what they did with Cabrera – trade him for 6 prospects.
This Dodgers team is neither as good as they have looked nor as bad as they have played. They will continue to be exactly that until they no longer are and settle in to being the best they can be when they aren’t looking like it’s still Spring Training and Carl Crawford. What about him? Nothing in particular. Just Carl Crawford. I’m an expert in these things, so this I know, if you wish to remain out front, then you must always play like you are behind, and with this roster, this staff, this defense, a different lineup every day of the year, playing from behind should be an easily achieved goal. Badgerdamus has spoken.
Agreed. But it brings up the question, will the Dodgers trade Kershaw for a huge bundle the year before his opt-out? Interesting question.
His option follows ’18, the year I have them winning it all. He will be 31 the following year, he will still be owed $70 million for only two years. I figure the Dodgers will do what they can to wear him out over the next 3 years, then extend and trade to the Rangers, where he and Ellen will live happily ever after. It’s all been prearranged.
Badger hopefully Crawford’s back was why he wasn’t hitting good. And hopefully, Crawford will start hitting sooner, then Howie has.
Badger Puig heard us, HR to right’
Waiting for Alex Wood to live up to his potential reminds me of all the years we waited on Chad Billingsley.
You’re selling Billingsley short there. He could actually put together more than 2 good outings in a row.
Puig just imagined, that the ball was Mattingly’s head!
The worse part of playing the Marlins, is we have to look at Mattingly for four games. And Dee Gordon, will
Act like he is all that. Believe me, he will get on your nerves.