The first two games between the Dodgers and the Giants were played under miserable conditions, and they both ended with equally miserable results for the boys in blue. But that was all in the past. The swirling, unmerciful winds were gone. The cold, unrelenting rain was gone. The sun was out over the bay, and Clayton Kershaw was pitching for our heroes. It played out exactly as we all hoped it would.
The Giants sent Johnny Cueto to the mound, and the boys got to him early, and I do mean – they got to him. The Dodgers scored with uncanny regularity against Cueto, and it seemed to get under his skin, at one point leading to a benches clearing scrum.
In the first inning the Dodgers came out with early swings in the counts which resulted in a rally and a two-run double by Yasmani Grandal. After the hit, Cueto and Grandal stared at each other and exchanged some unfriendly words. Apparently Cueto was accusing Grandal of stealing signs from second base.
In the third inning, with the Dodgers leading 2-0 and Grandal at the plate, Cueto uncorked one that whooshed right by Yaz’s chin. Chase Utley scored on the message-turned- wild pitch, and Grandal and Cueto slow-burned at each other when Cueto came in to cover home on the play.
Grandal popped out to CF on the next pitch, and someone said something that brought both benches on the field in a typical baseball stare down. The Dodgers were ahead 3-0
The boys got to Cueto again in the sixth when they loaded the bases. With two out and two strikes, Yasiel Puig sharply singled to left and he brought in two more runs to put the Dodgers ahead 5-0. Puig happily patted his bat and the universe blew up with reminders that Kershaw was 67-0 when gifted a five-run lead.
In the seventh Cody Bellinger continued emerging from his SF slump with an RBI double, driving in Corey Seager with the Dodgers’ fifth run.
Kershaw’s day was done after seven, and Pedro Baez came in to pitch an uneventful eighth inning. Then Sergio Romo was handed the game and the ball in the ninth. Romo immediately gave up a solo home run to blow up the shutout.
That would be all for the Giants as Romo settled down and finished the game without any more drama. Whew. I would imagine his days are going to be numbered if he doesn’t turn things around – and fast.
Dodgers Win! 6-1
Look for more Dodgers thrills when Hyun-Jin Ryu takes the mound against the Marlins tomorrow night at Chavez Ravine.
Movin’ On Up: The Dodgers are 23-18 and gain a half-game on the snakes with the win.
Don’t Worry About the Ace: Clayton Kershaw with seven shutout innings, only giving up two hits.
He’s back: After a poor offensive showing in the first two games of the series, Cody Bellinger broke out today with two doubles, a run and an RBI
He’s Back Part 2: After cooling off, Yasiel Puig punched two hard hit balls for outs. In the sixth inning he punched through with a key 2 RBI single. Later he hit one deep to CF. Let’s hope he’s climbing out of his mini-slump.
Clayton Kershaw went 7 innings with 3 hits, 0 runs, 5 Ks. ERA 2.15 and he’s now 68-0 with a five run lead.
Oscar Martinez
I was born in the shadow of Dodger Stadium and immediately drenched in Dodger Blue. Chavez Ravine is my baseball cathedral, Vin Scully was the golden voice of summer all my life, and Tommy Lasorda remains the greatest Dodgers manager ever. My favorite things are coffee, beer, and the Dodgers beating the Giants. I also blog about my baseball card hobby at All Trade Bait, All the Time.
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Let’s all get together and say goodbye to Romo
What a waste of money.
I haven’t checked on Blanton, but I sure miss him
Just checked on Blanton, not doing so well, on the DL
with shoulder issues…
Hey Oscar, the Snakes won, so the Dodgers did not pick up anything on them, but the Rockies were rained out so the Dodgers gained 1/2 game on them. Now 2.5 out. Down on the farm, Willie Calhoun hit a walk off homer to give OKC the win over the Sacramento River Cats, 3-2. Trayce Thompson hit his 3rd dinger of the year in the 4th. Justin Masterson went 6 innings giving up 2 runs. Josh Ravin got the win. Tulsa played the Springfield Cardinals and won 7-4 Walker Buhler pitched 3.2 innings giving up 3 hits, 1 walk and striking out 9. The first 6 hitters accounted for 12 of Tulsa’s 15 hits. Rios was 2-4, Locastro was 3-4 with 2 doubles, Jose Fernandez was 2-5, Kyle Farmer was 3-5 with a HR and 3 RBI’s, Matt Beaty was 2-4 with a HR, 2B and 3 RBI’s. His 3 run homer was the margin of victory. Michael Johnson got the win and Corey Copping the save. Rancho Cucamonga beat Lake Elsinore 5-2. Biggest story there, A-Gone went 3-4 with 2 doubles, scored a run and knocked in 2. Logan Forsythe was 1-2 with a walk and a run scored. Dennis Santana won his 3rd and Istler got his 3rd save. Great Lakes lost 10-7 in 10 innings. They had 5 players in the starting line up hitting under the Mendoza line. Brendon Davis went 2-5 with a couple of ribbies, and Gage Green went 2-5 with a double, the teams only extra base knock and 1 ribbie. Sven Schuller got a blown save and the loss. A-Gone and Forsythe close to being activated…wonder who goes down.
SVS and, dare we hope, Utley. He’s doing OK now but it can’t last and there is no future.
Utley is invaluable as the lh platoon infielder. Who’s going to mash RH pitching and play second base?
When attempting to figure out what these guys will do, you must put on your size 6 7/8 FAZhat. The platoon is the thing. Doesn’t matter it isn’t working now. It won’t be abandoned, it will be adjusted. We need a lh replacement for Forsythe. If not Utley, who? It can’t be the stubby legged slower than sand Calhoun. That would cause an apoplectic reaction in Indiana. Can’t have that.
For the record Taylor has a .403 OBP (923 OPS) against RHP. It’s only 53 at bats, but until he cools off, wouldn’t you rather have him in there against RHP than Forsythe (.440 OPS) or Utley (.605 OPS). I would. But then, in my world the platoon is NOT the thing.
The answer, which I certainly don’t agree with, is that FAZ acquired and anointed Forsythe as our right handed hitting second baseman, and no man, nor God, will make it otherwise. So sayeth Saint FAZ, The First, Last, & Only ruler of the Dodger Kingdom.
Maybe it’s time to start the conversation on who in this organization needs to traded.
Here’s my list:
McCarthey
Hill
Kazmir
Hatcher
Baez
Utley
SVS
Joc
~Puig~ That’s a maybe…
Jonah
I didn’t understand why Puig got so much credit for hitting in two insurance runs, when Grandal hit in the two deciding runs, and he was responsible for the third run,when Cueto throw at him.
And Bellinger hit in an insurance run too.
Puig got credit for extending the lead. Everybody knows Grandal knocked in the first two. Extending the lead is important because it puts less pressure on the BP. Puig had 3 good at bats. In one he got the desired result. Bellinger’s RBI was just icing on the cake. EVERY run is important, and just because this game was not all that close, you rather have Romo pitching with a 6 run lead, or 3? Of course if it was 3, Jansen would be out there.
Jonah
Maybe you should just look up when Hatcher’s contract, runs out!
Even Badger loves his stuff.
SVS, Kiké, Thompson, Ryu, Hatcher – these are guys we don’t need and could possibly get return. I might even add Forsythe as we have Taylor. Do we need those two AND Utley/Kiké? No, we don’t. I would also consider bringing up Calhoun and seeing if he can hit RH MLB pitching. I also immediately start giving Grandal more days off. If we want him there in October he can’t be used as often as he has been. Fangraphs projected him with 330 PA’s. He’s got 40% of that already and we’re only 25% through the season. At this pace he’s gonna break.
Forgot Kike for my list. I put him in the same category as Puig, trade only if we get a decent return. A bag of balls will suffice for others on that list… I’m OK for trading Forsythe, looks like Taylor can do the job. But Utley has to go, if not now, then at season’s end. No next year no way. Kike and Calhoun as infield back up?
Actually everyone gets all over Kike, including me, but he has a higher OPS then Puig, and Joc has.
I feel that way about Kike, because I think ingratiates himself, with Roberts, and others, more then with his performance.
I think Kiké deserves to start somewhere. It will never be here. Over 150 games I think he could put up some decent numbers. With so many role players on this team, he is superfluous.
Can’t argue the Utley’s gotta go position. Considering I never thought he should have been signed, I would have no problem with him being cut. I doubt that happens though.
Badger
It looks to me, Calhoun is showing right now, that he is the best bat on the Dodger’s AAA team.
And I have no doubt that he can hit major league pitching, after seeing what Bellinger, has done.
And I don’t see the front office trading him, because I think Friedman likes Calhoun, as well as his bat.
And I think Calhoun will be a very good major league hitter.
He not only has pop, he also makes very good contact, and a lot of players today, don’t do that.
And that is the type of hitter, the Dodgers need right now, and in the next few years.
And that is why I thought Toles would be a good bat for our line up, because he makes more consistent contact, and that can keep an offense, more productive.
The fact he has the pop and the clutch factor, makes his bat, even better.
Everyone wrote him off, as just a contact hitter, but he hit more HRs in his first month of the season, then Joc did in his first month, in his, first year.
Losing Toles was a blow. So was losing Ethier. But we have outfielders, especially with Bellinger out there.
I am a Calhoun fan, and hope he gets into the big leagues soon. As you probably remember, I never bought the naysayers negative wrap on him. Though he’s not fast, neither is he slow. Obviously he can hack, I wonder where he is with his footwork at second base. I read an article from a few weeks so that said he was indeed improving. After working on his hip rotation he has shown an ability to use all fields, has 5 home runs in his last 10 games, and an OPS of 1.232 over that span.
You had better reign in that best bat stuff. Maggi, Muncy, and Verdugo all have higher batting averages. Utley is on this roster for a couple of reason’s. One is his leadership and mentoring of guys like Taylor, and Seager. The other is he is one of the few guys on this team who played for a Championship team. And you have to admit, over the last 10 days his bat woke up. He still has skills, but we all know this is his last year as an active player for this team. I do not think they will cut him more out of respect than anything else, and he still has value to the team. Veteran LH bat off the bench. There is nobody else like that on this team. I would not be in such an all fired hurry to trade Puig. You take away his defense out there in RF, and who is going to play there every day? He has the best arm of almost any RF in the majors. And if he gets hot at the plate, he can carry a team. For me right now it is painful to watch Pederson’s at bats. I think Joc would benefit from some time at AAA. He cannot be going up there and be very confident about his at bats. Bring Verdugo up and let’s see what he has. We will not get the power Joc has, but maybe some decent AB’s. I think trading Forsythe is not even on the mind of the FAZTER. He traded for this guy to be his leadoff man and full time 2B. He is going to get his job back. What Gonzo coming off the DL does is push Bellinger into the OF. He can play CF, so my lineup would look like this. 1B Gonzo, 2B Forsythe, SS Seager 3B Turner LF Verdugo and Gutierrez, CF Bellinger RF Puig, and Barnes and Squirrel share the catching duties. Barnes has hit RH pitching pretty well. My bench would be whoever is not starting in LF, Taylor, Utley, and the spare catcher. Since they are using a 4 man bench right now. If they go to a 5 man bench, then maybe for now anyway, Kike because he can play more positions than most, and is the emergency catcher.
Can’t argue the logic there Bear.
I would like to believe Joc will figure it out but I’ve seen no adjustments in two years. He looks like an easy out to me. Verdugo and Calhoun. Two more left handed hitters. Bummer Thompson sucks. I wonder if he will ever get it turned around.
Well the obvious candidates are the hardest to trade. Kazmir, McCarthy, Hill, it would not bother me to trade any of those guys, I would even toss Maeda in there. Gonzo would be a choice too if he were totally healthy and raking the ball a little better. Him having zero dingers does not help matters. Hatcher, and Romo, but neither would bring much. Some of the extra outfielders down on the farm and SVS might appeal to someone. I would trade Joc if they got a true CF in return. Change in scenery might benefit the kid. But unfortunately FAZ’s non linear way of thinking means he will probably do something stupid.
Obviously you’ve never heard of “Addition By Subtraction”.
First Michael
The best bat is not always the guy with the highest average, and Calhoun is hitting in the 300s anyways, and that is good enough, with the power he has.
1.200 OPS in his last ten games. Anybody better than that?
Badger
You know I am with you, on Calhoun.
I like the underdogs that succeed, but I am not sure Calhoun is really an underdog, with the bat, he has!
That’s your opinion MJ, which I do not agree with and that’s fine. Calhoun is a contact guy, but I would not say he is the best hitter down there. That’s a stretch. Okoye Dickson was killing the ball 3 weeks ago and is slumping. Calhoun could fall into that too. Maggi has been stellar since his promotion, He has a higher BA, slugging, OPS, and OBP than Calhoun. He is playing solid defense and getting the job done. That’s what I am basing it on, not just his batting average. Muncy has been playing a lot of 2nd base, and Calhoun has been rotating between there and DH. So, you follow your criteria and I will follow mine.
Michael.
Maggi has had, only 59 at bats.
And Calhoun has had almost three times the at bats, that Maggi, has had.
Maggi is 27 years old, and has been in the minors, for five years.
Calhoun is much younger, and this is his first season, in AAA.
And when players are at about 100 at bats, that is a good way to gauge what a hitter, might be
And I didn’t see a thing about trading Puig, but Puig hasn’t carried this team, since the begining of the 2014 season.
He is not a good clutch hitter, and that is the reason, he is hitting at the back of the line up.
And Bellinger is going to play in left, when Agone comes back
He is isn’t a everyday centerfielder.
But I don’t think Joc will to continue to play center, if he doesn’t start hitting.
When Roberts was interviewed for the manager’s job, he was asked what he would have done with Joc when Joc was struggling in his first year, and Roberts said, he would have sent him back to AAA.
But I don’t see Joc being sent down, but if he continues to struggle, Kike might be playing center again.
I don’t think Joc worked on his swing to much in the off season, because he just got engaged to his girlfriend, right before the season began.
He only was with his girlfriend for a year, and we all know how young love is.
Horse manure. Kike is a LOUSY CF. He takes terrible routes, and there is no way that guy plays CF every day. I would rather see Eibner out there. Besides, putting a utility player out there every day makes no sense what so ever.
The all knowing MJ has spoken. Puig is capable of carrying this team. And something else you should know, Roberts has confidence in him and told him so. He is playing RF every day because of his DEFENSE!!! Puig has hit in the clutch before. Not so much lately, but he is having good at bats. Do you ever actually listen to what Davis and Orel are saying??? They mentioned that fact at least 3 or 4 times on the air yesterday. He is hitting down in the lineup because Roberts feels that puts less pressure on him. That is obvious. His 2 best spots this year are 6th and 8th. Great, having a hitter like that in the 8 hole means your lineup is long. Hard to pitch around the guys in front of him. But he could very easily slip into that 6 hole and be productive. Stick to knitting, you know nothing about hitting. And by the way, Bellinger played a lot of CF in the minors, so he is very capable of being out there every day.
Michael
Puig stats through the years, speak for themselves.
And I wasn’t going to say anything back to you, because you like Puig, so much.
But after you made that sexist remark, that showed, me a lot.
And by the way, this isn’t Puig’s first year, it is the first year, that Puig has wanted to do the work, to get better, and that is the problem, with Puig.
Just lay there and bleed…
I apologize for that remark, it was uncalled for, but I think I know a lot more about hitting than you do, and it is not that easy. Yes, I acknowledge that this is the first time in his career that Puig has had to work. Pretty much the same for Joc, and a guy like Toles who was out of the game for a while. Difference between you and me is I understand that just the work is not going to produce results. Yeah, I like Puig as a player, and I like Joc, and Toles, and a bunch of other guys too. The only one I really despise is Grandal and that is because he to me is over rated. We will see what his stats look like at the end of the year, if he makes me eat crow and the Dodgers win, well great. But of the 3 between Joc, Toles and Puig, Puig is the most frustrating because he has the best tools of all of them. He is a legitimate 5 tool threat when he puts it all together. Run, field, hit for average, hit for power, and a rifle arm. Toles has never been a power hitter, but is probably capable of 15 maybe. Joc has 30 HR power easy, his problem is lack of contact and striking out too much. And since he got to the majors he has not been the stealing threat he was in AAA. You keep telling me this is not Puig’s first year. I know that MJ, I know exactly how much MLB time Yasiel Puig has. It is listed in the Dodgers media guide which I get every year. I know his stats better than he does. Have you ever hit off of a major league pitcher? I have 3 times. Not that frippen easy, and damn near impossible when you are 16. Joe Moeller, former Dodger pitcher went to my high school and he used to come out and pitch to us before he left for spring training. And when you are facing those kind of arms every day it takes a skill level neither you nor I have ever achieved. So yeah, because of that perspective, I have more respect for what these guys face everyday than the average fan does. Whether I like one player more than another means nothing. I am just more forgiving and trying to put myself in their shoes. I played the game for more than 20 years in one form or another. Until my knees finally gave out. So what I look for in a player is a lot different than what you look for. As for Grandal, well part of it is because they traded Kemp to get him, and over the time since the trade Matt Kemp has out produced him at the plate every year, and is doing even better so far this year. But the main reason, and this is my own thing, I cannot abide players who use PED’s. That includes anyone who played for the Dodgers and was suspended for their use.
Oscar’s pimping a new Video. Want to know why I won’t let anyone take my picture? Look at Oscar.
That’s cold man!
I’m ten times worse than Oscar.
Are you saying Oscar looks so good all it would do is jam your inbox with incoming mail from wannabe suitors?
Badger
Do you think we should throw him into a lake, and see if a can swim or sink, to see if he is a witch?
No. The Ugly Police would be breaking my door down… Good thing I was born here:
Jonah
Not everyone looks as good as they did when they were younger, but as everyone gets older, looks don’t mean that much, it is more about what kind of person, you are.
With some, it’s the kind of person they have ALWAYS been.
There was never a time I wasn’t ugly. I am comfortable with my inside self, I just don’t look in mirrors. Many years ago a friend make avery reasonable remark. He thought he was ugly too and had even talked to a shrink about it. The shrink told him that people like him (and me) valued beauty far more than average people and are driven to have attractive wives etc. Funny how we always value most the things we don’t have…
I cannot agree more there. I was never gorgeous, more the mountain man type. But now the mountain part is missing…
I have had a beautiful wife….sometimes what you have is over rated……she was evil inside…
Jonah
Obviously I can knit, and see what a good hitter is, better then Michael can!
And he shouldn’t be so critical about other players, if he doesn’t want anyone to say a thing about the players, he favors.
I am sorry the truth hurts!
I remember a quote from George Leonard Herter:
There’s only one way to beat a woman, grab your hat and run…
Never met a woman capable of making me grab my hat and run. And MJ is right women are judged on their looks way more than men. But women judge men that way too. I have seen many a good looking woman pass up a average looking intelligent hard working man for some hunk with the brains of a gnat and a Ferrari because daddy bought it for him. Bullshit and money gets a lot in this world. Holding on to it is a lot harder. I am glad you can knit MJ…….I can build models……..
Jonah
Women are judged more on their looks, then men are.
And most women don’t judge men on their looks, alone.
They often say that some of the stuff you don’t like about others, is something you don’t like, about yourself.
And it works in the other way too.
Stuff you like or value about others, is something you just might, have within yourself, too.
I guess they call that displacement.
Jonah
I am really not that mad, obviously Michael is upset, because he wants Puig, to do better.
No, I just think your argument is weak, and as for knowing a good hitter when I see one, I saw guys like Williams and Mays, Cepeda, Tommy Davis, and a whole lot more play. So I think I have a pretty good idea who is a better hitter. I have seen bad hitters, Ozzie Smith and Yadier Molina become good hitters.
And you are not critical? Please, you rail against Joc and Puig all the time, and throw their service time in there too. People who live in glass houses should not toss rocks. I care less what people say about players unless I think their view is shallow and wrong….
And do not kid yourself, I have forgotten more about hitting and this game than you will ever know.
Michael, take this as friendly advice, not criticism: You will not win this argument, your typing finger will fall off first.
In other words, Render Unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s. In this case, The Last Word. And I didn’t even have to marry someone to learn that….
Not trying to win, just making my point. She is a great fan, not a batting coach or a player. Having played women’s softball means nothing in the bigs. She uses a different yardstick to measure players than the front office does. I never give anyone, male or female the last word if I think they are wrong, and I was married twice. Gonzo activated…..SVS to OKC, and thanks for the advice there buddy. And she assumes she knows what I am thinking when she said I am upset. I am not upset….I get frustrated with the guy, but I know the difference and the value of quality at bats, and Puig has had a lot without results….she does not see the value in those.
I’m outta here, I can’t stand the sight of blood….
Michael
You constantly say bad things about a Grandal, almost every time, you write something!
And I happen to like Grandal, and by the way, he hit in the game deciding runs, yesterday.
And I get tired of you putting Grandal down!
And you expect more from players , with much less time, then Puig and Joc have, unless of course, you like them.
If Toles was hitting 204 or 241, you would be all over him, like you already were, earlier in the season, so maybe you should take your own advice!
And you are finally right, you have forgotten more, about hitting, I am glad you wrote that above!
And I don’t have to play baseball, to know what a good hitter is.
And if what you said was true, ESPN wouldn’t have a former softball player, doing analysis of baseball games, on Sunday night?
And I have more respect for a player like Grandal, that puts the work in, to get better.
And Puig has just decided to do the same, after five years.
And I don’t dislike Puig, but he just isn’t hitting, that well, and that is the truth.
There was an article just in the Orange County Register, and in that article it said, Puig has been hitting 206, in his last 26 games.
And for some reason, Puig can’t hit a good fastball, like most major league hitters, can.
And because of that, he is getting fastballs, 68 percent of the time, from pitchers.
And he is getting more fastballs, then anyone in baseball, except two players.
And he should be hitting those out, but he isn’t!
And I remember Steve Garvey talking about Puig’s issues, with fastballs, last year.
How is Puig going to be a good hitter, if he can’t hit a decent fastball?
This article about Puig, was in fangraphs, today!
That’s right, I do say stuff about Grandal and have not been alone saying it. I could care less that the blind squirrel has been hitting lately and personally, it is about time he hit for some average. You can like the guy, does not worry me a bit. You might not have to paly baseball to know what a good hitter is, but it helps to have been in that scenario. Here is what I know to be a fact. Puig is a product of his culture. He got into the game on raw talent. He was never coached the way Pederson, Seager, or any of those guys was. He never has had to work as hard as he has the last year. He was a natural, the game came easy to him. He was signed at a young age and brought to the majors and pretty much killed the pitchers. But not being schooled in the way the game is played here, the pitchers studied him, found his weaknesses and suddenly he was not that guy any more. Oh he shows flashes now and then, and he was obviously hard headed. Mattingly did not take the kid under his wing and try to tutor him. So he was just out there, and he was young and foolish and made a ton of mistakes with his behavior. None of that is happening this year. He has been pretty well behaved and is trying to apply all he is being taught. Whether it works or not is up in the air. As for Toles, I feel bad for the guy getting injured when he was just getting it going. He is a worker and he will be back, but as much as I get on Toles, or Grandal or who ever, you have bagged on Puig the same way because he has more time in the majors. He is still a baby baseball wise. So are all of them. And like I said, My dislike of Grandal is because I do not like PED users, and I do not like them on my team, but I do not make that choice. I think he is over rated as a catcher, and as a hitter, he has power, that’s a fact. But he strikeout to much, is not that great in the clutch. He knocked in his runs in the first inning so the only reason they were the margin of victory is because CK shut the Giants down. Puig’s RBI’s were just as important as Grandal’s. I do not watch ESPN, rarely listen to analyst’s either. And fast pitch softball is not hard ball. As far as forgetting more about baseball than you will know, well the knowledge I have garnered over the years despite what I have forgotten still exceeds what you know about hitting and the game, and if you are sick and tired of my hammering the squirrel every chance I get, I feel the same about your incessant patter and whining about Joc and Puig.
Braves sign Loney
https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/865306886974910464
Blue Jays suspend Pillar for calling a Braves pitcher a “homophobic slur”. What next, players must wear suit and tie and bow to umpire? That isn’t baseball…
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/05/blue-jays-suspend-kevin-pillar-for-2-games.html
What’s the issue?
There’s no place for homophobia. Pillar should know this. He does now.