The Dodgers came from behind on father’s day to defeat the Brewers 2-1 and take the series 3 games to 1. Kike Hernandez’s solo home run in the bottom of the eighth helped erase a 1-0 deficit and Yasmani Grandal’s bases loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth forced in the winning run. With the win the Dodgers improved to 38-33 on the season and kept pace with the Giants who have now won 8 in a row. The Dodgers remain 6.5 games back.
Tonight the Washington Nationals come into Chavez Ravine to begin a three game series. Tonight’s pitching match-up features two of the best hurlers in the National League. This is a true heavyweight bout. Right hander Stephen Strasburg will fight Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw is 10-1 and Strasburg is 10-0. The Nationals are in first place in the National League East with a 43-27 record and are 5.5 games ahead of the Marlins. The Nats recently lost a series to the Padres and are 23-15 on the road. The Dodgers are now 20-15 at Dodger Stadium. Tonight is also supposed to be the return of Yasiel Puig to the lineup. We’ll see if he plays tonight or not.
Dodgers Lineup vs. Washington
Utley 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
González 1B
Thompson RF
Pederson CF
Kendrick LF
Grandal C
Kershaw P— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 20, 2016
Stephen Strasburg– Yusmeiro Petit-2-0 vs. Clayton Kershaw-10-1
45 minutes before game time the Nationals announced that Strasburg was scratched with back tightness completely screwing my pregame. Yusmeiro Petit will start in his place. The Dodgers catch a huge break.
RHP Stephen Strasburg has been scratched from tonight's start vs. LAD with an upper back strain. RHP Yusmeiro Petit will start.
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) June 21, 2016
Game Time – 7:10 PM – TV – SNLA
Strasburg has been dominant this season posting a 10-0 record and a 2.90 ERA. Strasburg has whiffed 118 and walked 23 in 93 frames. He’s struck out 11.3 per nine innings and allowed 7.3 hits per nine. Perhaps one of his only weaknesses is the long ball. He’s given up 10 this year. Strasburg has made 4 career starts and is 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA against the Dodgers. He’s made one start at Dodger Stadium in which he limited the Dodgers to one earned run on 5 hits over 7 frames. He recorded 9 strikeouts in that start. He’s limited the Dodgers to a .233 (14 for 60) average against with a .558 OPS against.
Strasburg vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Chase Utley | 28 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | .148 | .179 | .148 | .327 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Will Venable | 14 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | .308 | .357 | .538 | .896 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 9 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .444 | .444 | .556 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Ellis | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Turner | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 62 | 60 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 18 | .233 | .258 | .300 | .558 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Kershaw’s magnificent season continues as he looks for his 11 win of the season. He’s won eight consecutive decisions. He struck out 11 in his last start as the Dodgers hung on to beat the Snakes. Kershaw has dominated the Nationals throughout his career. He’s posted a 9-2 record with a 2.09 ERA in 12 career starts against the Nationals. Kershaw has whiffed 96 in 82 frames and held the Nationals to a 219 batting average against with a .602 OPS against. Ryan Zimmerman is 7 for 19 (.368) against Kershaw and former Dodger Jayson Werth and second baseman Daniel Murphy have both hit two home runs off of Kershaw.
Kershaw vs. Nationals
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP |
| Jayson Werth | 36 | 32 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | .281 | .361 | .469 | .830 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ryan Zimmerman | 21 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .368 | .381 | .421 | .802 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stephen Drew | 19 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .059 | .158 | .059 | .217 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Chris Heisey | 17 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .200 | .294 | .333 | .627 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Daniel Murphy | 16 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .313 | .313 | .688 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Danny Espinosa | 14 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .143 | .143 | .214 | .357 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Anthony Rendon | 13 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .308 | .308 | .308 | .615 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryce Harper | 12 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | .083 | .083 | .333 | .417 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jose Lobaton | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .111 | .000 | .111 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Wilson Ramos | 9 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .111 | .111 | .111 | .222 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Michael Taylor | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .500 | .833 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clint Robinson | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yusmeiro Petit | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .500 | .000 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Max Scherzer | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Treinen | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 181 | 169 | 37 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 54 | .219 | .265 | .337 | .602 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
In case you think I’m all doom and gloom I’m going to predict the Dodgers will win tonight. Kershaw is on the mound, they’ve been hitting better and Strasburg is due to lose soon. The Dodgers are in first place in the wild card race (tied with the Marlins?!) so there is that at least. There is light at the end of the tunnel this season. Enjoy the pitching duel!
Bryce Harper is hitting .290 (9 for 31) with a home run at Dodger Stadium.
In case you missed it yesterday while you were out with dad, the Dodgers made a trade. The club traded starting pitcher Zach Lee to the Mariners for infielder Chris Taylor.
Go Blue!
On the last thread, someone asked me to compare Culberson to Taylor. They may be the same guy. Culberson was once a first round pick. He’s 27 and still has never distinguished himself. Culberson really has never played SS much.
Chris Taylor was a 5th round pick and is 2 year younger. He has a lot of experience at SS, but really is not a starting SS. He has put up better numbers in the minors than Culberson, so it’s likely that he’s ahead of Culberson in the pecking order… which is minor league depth!
On another note: The Dodgers will likely have the highest payroll in baseball for the foreseeable future. As Crawfish, Ethier and Gonzalez come off the books, you will see them replaced with homegrown players, free agents or trade acquisitions, but you are a moron if you think the Dodgers won’t do everything within their power to re-sign Kershaw! The only question there is whether Clayton wants to pitch at home. That’s it! Nothing else is in that equation.
Who picked the Rangers to be the best team in the AL this year? NO ONE. That’s the power of the farm system with a few selected free agents. God, some of the stuff I read here…
Puig? I would have traded him two years ago, I would have traded A-Gon a year ago. Now, it’s too late. You can’t get much for either one. It’s hard to do a blockbuster trade, when all you have are Cracker Crumbs and all everyone wants are your Blue Chips.
He will be 30 if he opts out after 2018. What about the apparent prohibition against signing 30 year old pitchers to long term big money contracts? I thought the Braintrust is against this?
And what makes you think they will have the highest payroll in baseball after 2018?
According to part owner Todd Boehly, leading the league in payroll every year is not sustainable. “I think sustainable is more like the league average,” Boehly said, “plus some, or plus a lot. ” per the LA Times.
The apparent prohibition against signing 30 year old pitchers to long term big money contracts applies to everyone not named Kershaw!
He is special! Koufax, Scully, Kershaw – never anything but Dodgers (unless Clayton wants to go back to Texas – I’m betting that he won’t).
I can see him pitching past 36 years old.
Boehly is right, but it will be Plus A Lot!
Cracker crumbs? You bet on 95 wins while holding a hand of cracker crumbs?
I knew you were bluffing.
You’re right about Kershaw choosing his next state of employment. I believe I had that one.
Trade Puig two years ago? When he was 23 with a 145 OPS+ ? I don’t recall you saying that. I do remember you wanted to trade him at his lowest point last year.
Culberson/Taylor. Yeah, it’s a throw up between them, but who really cares? Both are nothing more than cheap replacement parts.
World Series odds. I think the Dodgers opened around 10-1. It’s between 16 and 20-1 now, depending on where you look. The money don’t like our chances. Neither do I.
I suggested trading Puig for Stanton at the end of his first season and I have advocated ever since.
Oh. You would have traded him for Stanton.
I am as sure as I can be that Kershaw will opt out (crazy if he doesn’t), and if FAZ doesn’t trade him for a king’s ransom the season before, then he (FAZ) is crazy.
Losing their top 5 prospects to get Cole Hamels clearly destroyed the Rangers chances this year.
The difference is, the Rangers older players are worth their contracts. Look at what Beltre is doing in his old age and then they had rookies like Profar, Odor, Mazara and second-year players like Rua step up and they took a big chance on Ian Desmond and that paid off.
If they didn’t have $200 million owed to Fielder and Choo they would really be sitting pretty. Their youngsters were ready to step up. Ours weren’t.
Beltre is amazing, but I’m not sure why Gonzalez at 34 is more of a risk than a guy pushing 40. They took a chance on Desmond…exactly. And we’re not the only team with bad contracts?
Good one snider.
Texas didn’t give up their top prospects. And none of those they did were rated as highly as De Leon. We went through this last year when it happened. I posted the rankings of all involved. It was a good offer, but we could have easily beat it. Yeah, it’s beating the dead horse, but, f that horse. We should’ve gone for it.
Sorry Badger, I couldn’t resist poking the embers. Essentially unknowable what it would’ve taken, and I think I would’ve tried for Cueto and Chapman anyway. Water under the bridge.
It was a solid take man. And right in the kisser.
I was for Cueto. And Price. And Zimmerman. And Samardzija. I am now for Maeda and Kazmir. Feels like rooting for the junior varsity.
I wanted Zimmerman.
Hamels made a good transition to the American League.
And not all National
Leauge pitchers, can do that.
Wild card already?
At least we have won 5 out of 7 🙂
We’re getting there. Where? A team with Ryu, Puig, and then boom, a big trade for another pitcher.
No Puig in the lineup tonight
Strasberg is scratched for tonight’s game.
That’s a huge break. Yusmeiro Petit.
Dodgers, 4-3.
Did you see Cory swing on that 3, 0 count? He hit a little grounder to second. He must have been indecisive.
Texas didn’t give up their top prospects. And none of those they did were rated as highly as De Leon. We went through this last year when it happened. I posted the rankings of all involved. It was a good offer, but we could have easily beat it.
You have a short and selective memory, Badger. Maybe that explains why you say you are never wrong. Texas gave up the following players for Hamels:
Jake Thompson – #2 Prospect (BA calls him a #2 or #3)
Jorge Alfaro – #3 Prospect (powerful Catching Project)
Nick Williams – #5 Prospect (BA likens him to Carlos Gonzalez)
Alec Asher – #`13 Prospect (BA calls him a solid #4)
…as well as Jerad Eickhoff and Matt Harrison, who are both on the Phillies 25-man roster.
Just so I am clear, what package could the Dodgers have put together that beat that deal that would not have included Seager, Urias or De Leon?
You want to do this again? Why? You just love these circular arguments. Doesn’t matter how much time goes by, around we go.
Best prospects. Depends on where you were looking at the time. The Rangers highest rated prospects were Gallo, Mazara, and Gonzalez and only Gallo was in the Top 25. None of those guys you just listed were close to the rating of Seager 1, Urias 4, Olivera 16, De Leon 20, or Peraza 26 Thompson was 49, the others out of the Top 50. And you repeatedly vomited that it would take BOTH Seager and Urias, which was, is, and will remain, fokken crazy.
You know, arguing this stuff with you year after is tiresome. Your predictions have never come to pass, your trade ideas are often ludicrous, you lose every bet we’ve made over the years, and it’s because you recalibrate the facts. Knock it off man.
Badger I don’t think it’s fair to list Peraza and Thompson as we didn’t have them before the deadline. Alfaro is indeed a catching project, but he’s having a good year at AA; maybe they move him to 1B. I think Kyle Farmer would comparable–less power but better defense. But it’s academic–let’s get out of here Jake. It’s Chinatown!
We were able to get them at the deadline. A flip could have easily been done as it is done all the time.
But you’re right Snider. This argument is a year old. Lots of new topics to debate.
Knock off stating facts while you manipulate an argument with prospects that weren’t even there?
That’s weak!
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/07/dodgers-prioritizing-cole-hamels-trade.html
Anyway you slice it, there was no way on God’s green earth the Phillies woud have did the deal without at least 2 of the big 3. If you think that, you are exactly what I think you are: devoid of reason!
… and you still have not said what the deal could have been better than the SIX players the Rangers offered. Just hyperbole.
My predictions never come to pass, really? You should seek help immediately.
The Dodgers will rue the day they traded for Crawford! How did that one work out?
Puig is a knucklehead! That too!
It is tiresome – losing always is – and you lost a long time ago. You just can’t admit it.
“You speak an infinite deal of nothing.”
― William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
You are seriously delusional! I’m interested in how you use the bathroom with all the $hit that comes out of your mouth…
Well Strasburg completely screwed up my pregame
Scott
You shouldn’t feel bad about your opening. Vinny was sick, but he wanted to see Kershaw and Strasburg pitch, so he came to work sick.
Kershaw not at his best tonight, still looks awesome. Can’t throw the curve.
1. Howie Kendrick is doing a credible job in LF. I am not afraid of him there anymore. His bat is heating up as well.
2. Yasmani Grandal looks totally lost. Since he was injured the second half of last year and tanked, he has lost everything. I have lost all confidence in him. I endorse a trade for Lucroy. It will cost the Dodgers a lot: Barnes, Grandal (someone will take a chance), Verdugo or maybe they would take Puig (his talent is tantalizing) and a starter like Barlow or De Jong. I think Grandal needs a new start. Fans hate him because he’s the guy they traded Kemp for.
3. Face it: Joc Pederson is a platoon player. .160 against LH pitching – OUCH!
4. Lucroy may be the missing piece, especially if Ethier comes back in August.
5. I keep hearing Andrew Miller’s name mentioned, but he doesn’t want to come West.
6. I would not trade Julio Teheran for Jose De Leon!
7. Julio Urias in the pen could be awesome in August and September.
8. I think these guys are close!
What guys.
Mark
I totally agree with you about Howie in leftfield.
He can’t get the balls high off the wall, but he can run up on sinking line drives.
He will either dive, or catch a low liner, before it hits the ground.
1- Howie doesn’t pass the eyeball test in LF. We will need him at 2B anyway – Utley is turning into a pumpkin
2 – Joc has only been up about 10 times all year against southpaws. We don’t know if he can hit them or not – he hasn’t been given the chance
3 – They interviewed Bobby Bowden tonight – he hears that the Dodgers are targeting a starter, a reliever and “a bat”. He specifically mentioned Teheran and Sonny Gray.
4 – They are still only 5 games over .500 and 5 1/2 games behind SF. They aren’t close to anything yet.
-Utley’s OBP is still respectable but when Puig comes back I think they’ll have to use Howie mostly in the infield.
-You must mean Jim Bowden–I couldn’t figure out why Bobby would be talking Dodgers. Yes to all three, please.
-As much as I’d like to trade Grandal for Lucroy, I don’t think he can pass the physical nor does Lucroy want to come to LA. Unless someone could get him a date with Charlotte McKinney.
-We’re closer than we were before Turner started hitting.
Per Dodgers’ Digest:
“Frank Montas had irritation in the area of his rib surgery incision, which is why he’s on the minor-league DL. Not major, but rough timing”
Not at all surprised by this.
But notta to worry. We won’t need the pen. Ryu, McCarthy and Urias will all start pitching 8 inning games.
Kendrick and Utley. It’s a good idea to limit their innings. Which one goes on the DL first? That’s a platoon that must happen if either are to remain on the field. We have other left field options.
It’s going to take Pederson a lot of at bats to learn to hit lefties. I think he can do it, but he needs to play everyday. This is the year to do that. They won’t. Not the Los Angeles Platoons.
Joc Pederson’s biggest problem, is that he can’t get a homer off his mind.
He still is swinging from his heels, with two strikes.
He doesn’t do it in every two strike count, but much to often.
He isn’t using the same strategy, that he used, in the first month of the season.
Where he would shorten his swing, with two strikes, and hit the ball, to the opposite field.
And because of that, Joc isn’t hitting in many runs, with people on base.
And his average has went down, since the first month, just like it did, last year.
He has had his average go up, a little, in the last two weeks, but I don’t know if that will continue, with the way he swings from his heels, with two strikes.
And most of Joc’s HRs, are solo HRs because of this strategy. I still think he needs to tilt his bat down a little, when he is waiting for his pitch.
Because when Joc makes contact, he pops up a lot, or hit a high HR.
I think tilting his bat down a little, will help him hit more line drives.
And it isn’t that I think, that Joc can’t learn, or do what I am saying.
I just think he wants to hit HRs, more then be a well rounded hitter.
Dodger rick
I heard that Montas comes off the DL the same time, that Bolsingers’s slot in the rotation comes up.
And MCCarthy and Ryu, are pitching on Wed, and Thur, in AAA.
So some think that Montas will be pitching in Bolsinger’s slot, in the rotation, on the big team.
On the Crawford trade from Boston —– I am not sure the Dodgers traded FOR Crawford, as he was a piece the Dodgers had to take from Boston, in order to get Agon. Dodgers probably wanted Josh Beckett at the time.
Just looked. Carl Crawford has and will make $170,793,142 in salary for his career. With the 2016 and 2017 seasons, he is “released from contract.”
Roger
I don’t think that Crawford even tried to play for another team, so I don’t know why Mark is saying that.
Crawford knew his body was just not the same, so I think, he just retired from baseball.