Sons of Steve Garvey

Post-Game 88 Thread: Sharing the Wealth

2009-07-12T14:18:00.000-07:00

Chad Billingsley may be the ace of this team, but Clayton Kershaw is the ace of right now. The Dodgers have won Kershaw's past six starts, and he's gotten the victory in four of those games. The only knock against him are the walks — he issued five today — that prevent him from going deeper into games. But the Dodgers don't want to overburden this developing arm. Kershaw has the entire second half to work on his pitch efficiency.

Here's a list of Dodgers who hit at least one home run on this just-concluded road trip:

Brad Ausmus
Chad Billingsley
Casey Blake
Blake DeWitt
Andre Ethier
Rafael Furcal
Orlando Hudson
Matt Kemp
James Loney
Russell Martin
Manny Ramirez

That's right: All eight starting position players are on that list. Not that the team can't use some improvement, but the Dodgers — at 24 games over .500 — are in fine overall shape heading into the All-Star break.

Overjoyed

2009-07-12T12:00:00.000-07:00

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen welcome Rasheed Wallace (with his daughter) to the Celtics.

photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Game 88 Thread: July 12 @ Brewers, 11a

2009-07-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Clayton Kershaw (6-5, 3.27) vs. Yovani Gallardo (8-6, 2.95).

The Sausage Race? Cool. Playing "Roll out the Barrel" after "Take Me Out the Ballgame"? I could take it or leave it. But Bernie Brewer? The mascot who makes Mr. Met seem warm and cuddly by comparison? Just creepy. Those glassy eyes, that oversized, banana-colored (and -shaped) moustache — and are those teeth? A mouthguard? Bernie Brewer approaches D. Baxter-level creepiness.

Oh yeah, the Dodgers have been assured of the best record in the majors before the All-Star break. Next time you see a regular-season Game Thread here, we'll know who will have home-field advantage in the World Series, and we'll be anticipating the return of Manny Ramirez to Dodger Stadium.

And Then There Were Two

2009-07-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

From "Broxton to miss All-Star Game" from Dodgers.com:

Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton will miss the All-Star Game with discomfort in his right big toe, he said Saturday. He will also not pitch in the team's final game before the All-Star break.
Manager Joe Torre said he and third-base coach Larry Bowa noticed Broxton limping off the field after the Dodgers beat the Brewers, 12-8, in extra innings on Friday.
"We interrogated him [Friday] night and finally got it out of him," Torre said. "It's been bothering him since Sunday, so he's not going to be available for us." [...]
To shore up their bullpen for the last two games before the break, the Dodgers recalled Scott Elbert from Triple-A Albuquerque. Los Angeles optioned Blake Dewitt to Albuquerque to make room for Elbert.

And from ESPN.com:

"[Broxton's] mentality is, 'I'm not going to be a wimp, I'm going to go out and gut it out," Torre said. "We had a talk today about that, too. You have to be able to help your team when you do that. Even more important than that, you've got to make sure you don't hurt something else adjusting to doing something a little bit different."

Want more bad news regarding our pitching? You got it. From Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times:

[Jeff] Weaver ventured out of the bullpen [yesterday] to take the place of fifth starter Eric Milton, who could be headed for season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disk. [...]
Milton was already on the disabled list with what some suspected might be a phantom injury designed to create a roster spot when he went out for a run in the outfield at Citi Field in New York on Thursday and came down with a real back problem. He underwent an MRI exam the next day, which revealed the herniated disk.
The 33-year-old left-hander, who missed the previous two seasons recovering from an elbow operation, is to be examined in Los Angeles on Monday. Whether Dr. Robert Watkins recommends rest or surgery, Milton isn't expected back any time soon.

Oh, and Roy Halladay? That's a pipe dream. Expect a trade for a fifth starter-type talent, and expect everyone to bitch and moan about losing the prospects it takes to get the deal done. With so many teams still in contention, it's a seller's market.

UPDATE: Hoffman subs for Broxton on NL team (MLB.com)

Post-Game 87 Thread: Playing Catch

2009-07-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

BREWERS 6, DODGERS 3

I missed most of today's game, but I didn't mind because I spent the day playing catch with my five-year-old nephew. We used the squishy foam ball the Dodgers gave out on Father's Day. By the end of the day the kid had a pseudo-windup for his throws and was fielding grounders with two hands. I was so proud! Now all I have to do is teach him to throw left-handed.

Game 87 Thread: July 11 @ Brewers, 4p

2009-07-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

"Ed Hardy? Never heard of him. Is he related to J.J. Hardy?"

Jeff Weaver (5-2, 3.32) vs. Mike Burns (1-2, 5.57).

COMMENTS: According to MLB.com, Jeff Weaver has never faced the Brewers. Whoops, wrong Weaver! Burns, on the other hand, has faced the wrath of Ryan Braun, who in turn faced the wrath of Brewers GM Doug Melvin. Serves Braun right for making clothing for douchebags.

Earlier douchebag content at SoSG:
Things I Don't Understand: Ed Hardy T-Shirts
Dan Neil, on Wine for Douchebags
"Douchebag" Has Jumped the Shark, You Douchebags

Miller Park: More Than Just Secret Stadium Sauce

2009-07-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's not Broadway — it's Milwaukee!

"Chorizo wins the pennant! Chorizo wins the pennant!"

"Dude, Fielder's OPSing out of his mind." "Yeah, but UZR hates him."

Bonus gratuitousness.

Congrats, Jonathan Sanchez

2009-07-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Sanchez celebrates after his no-hitter last night.

Sanchez hugs his father.

I'm not the type of Dodger fan who finds it necessary to hate the Giants in order to love the Dodgers. Don't get me wrong — I still find the Giants annoying and wish they'd stop winning already. But Jonathan Sanchez's no-hitter last night was a cool baseball moment that transcended the uniform he was wearing.

Yes, it was also annoying in that it overshadowed Manny Ramirez's historic home run and Matt Kemp's all-around awesomeness. But who can't enjoy that on a pitching staff packed to the gills with Cy Young talent, it was the 2-8 starter demoted to the bullpen who, in a spot-start, threw the season's first no-hitter? With his father in the stands, watching his son pitch in person for the first time?

If it's been a magical season for the Dodgers, then it must be starting to feel magical for the Giants too. In fact, it's gratifying to see the NL West — home of three of the top five records in the NL — getting some positive recognition. No more "NL Worst" jokes — except when it comes to the victims of Sanchez's no-hitter, the Padres.

photos by Ben Margot/AP

Best Sponsor Ever

2009-07-10T21:45:00.001-07:00

Not to bite the Google Ads that keep myself and the rest of the Sons in the lap of luxury, but I came across this troubling little ad on the bottom of our page.

SoSG believes in the sanctity of marriage - except for that Heidi and Spence (whoever the F they are).

Post-Game 86 Thread: Matt Kemp's F.U. Moment(s)

2009-07-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

UPDATE:

DODGERS 12, BREWERS 8 (10)

Dear All-Star Selection Committee:

Hi, it's Matt Kemp. The one you passed over to replace the injured Carlos Beltran so Charlie Manuel could have his whole damn outfield in St. Louis? Yeah, that's me.

You might want to know I hit a tenth-inning grand slam — my third of the season! — to help give the Dodgers an inspiring come-from-behind victory over the Brewers tonight. Helped out my All-Star teammates, Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton, who weren't so hot tonight.

Anyhoo, have fun without me! I'll be at home getting ready for our playoff run.

Yours truly,
The Bison

P.S.: Oh yeah — just for kicks, I ended the game like this:

photos 3 & 8 by Morry Gash/AP

Revenge of Werth

2009-07-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

So much for sneaking in at the last second. From "Werth added to NL All-Star roster" at MLB.com:

Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth has been added to the National League All-Star team as a replacement for the Mets' Carlos Beltran.

And from ESPN.com:

[Nelson] Cruz was selected to replace injured Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter. [...]
Major League Baseball said Friday that Cruz was chosen because he received the next-highest number of votes for outfielders on the AL player ballot.

But from the Bucks County (PA) Courier Times (via Diamond Notes):

[Phillies manager Charlie] Manuel, who will manage the NL All-Stars, will pick Victorino if it’s his call, but he thought Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp may get in because he finished higher in the players’ vote.
"One of the things that the league office was kind of concerned about is Kemp had more player votes and that plays some kind of part in it,” Manuel said. “I have to wait and see."

Unless Werth had more player votes than Kemp, I smell a rat.

Earlier at SoSG:
Post-Game 34 Thread: Werth Steals for the Cycle
What Jayson Werth Did After the Game

Game 86 Thread: July 10 @ Brewers, 5p

2009-07-10T14:00:00.000-07:00

Chad Billingsley (9-4, 3.14) vs. Braden Looper (7-4, 4.78).

Ah, the Brewers' Miller Park: home of friendly fans and Secret Stadium Sauce. Although the Dodger Dog will always be first in our hearts (and stomachs), a Milwaukee Brat slathered in the good stuff can also bring one to baseball nirvana. Highly recommended for the next time you're in the greater Milwaukee area.

Gastronomical delights aside, this is Billingsley's last chance to become a ten-game winner before the All-Star break. He's had some hard luck lately and he may not be the National League starter — that honor belongs to Tim Lincecum — but Billingsley's trip to St. Louis is well deserved.

Looper has had a strange career arc, relieving for the first nine years of his career (including closing for the Marlins and Mets) until the Cardinals turned him into a starter in 2007. As a result, he has started against the Dodgers only once, in 2007, when he got the win.

top photo from Flickr user katherine of chicago

Mientkiewicz Rehab Includes Pigskin

2009-07-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Stan Conte and Doug Mientkiewicz throw the football at Dodger Stadium before the Dodgers' July 1 game.

From Eric Collins (presumably) at Psychollingy:

I just saw Dodger Head Trainer Stan Conte throwing a football around with injured first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz. What's that all about?

I was wondering the same thing when I saw Conte and Mientkiewicz bust out the pigskin before a game earlier this month. We can only assume throwing one-kneed passes has therapeutic properties.

photo by Orel/SoSG

A Farewell to Citi Field

2009-07-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Citi Field, under less Armageddon-like skies.

Matt Kemp plays a game of shadows.

Bullpen catchers Mike Borzello and Rob Flippo.

photos by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers

Pitching Updates

2009-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

A Ronald Belisario update from Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com:
Belisario seemed to escape serious injury when his elbow came up tight this week, but he still figures to miss a minimum of a month. He will meet the club in Milwaukee for the weekend to be re-examined and discuss a recovery program for the All-Star break.
Hong-Chih Kuo's line for the Isotopes last night: 1.0 IP, 1H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0K.
Jeff Weaver will start Saturday against the Brewers, according to Gurnick.

The Sad, Sad Tale of Mr. Met

2009-07-10T01:25:00.000-07:00

My soon-to-be Year One son (a.k.a. DeBaby DeShields) recently received the kind of gift that could put him on the path of overpaid mediocrity.

Actually, I might prefer him to be overpaid and mediocre than underpaid and awesome. But I digress.

Unfortunately, Rusty Staub's kid book did not include the drug-, booze- and babe-fueled Mets of 1986. And to quote everyone's who's seen it, it's a choking hazard in September.

Out of curiosity, I looked up what other Mr. Met books are out there. The results are a little disconcerting.

Hopefully the last book is merely a rumor - Mr. Met's the last Opening Day starter not on the DL.

Post-Game 85 Thread: Back to Beautiful

2009-07-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

DODGERS 11, METS 2

This game was almost the opposite of yesterday's ugliness:

Rafael Furcal: 3-for-5, 3R
Andre Ethier: 2-for-5, 2R
Manny Ramirez: 2-for-2, 2R, 2 RBIs
Juan Pierre: 1-for-2
Casey Blake: 2-for-5, 1R, 1 RBI
James Loney: 1-for-3, 1R, 3 BB
Russell Martin: 1R, 2 RBIs
Orlando Hudson: 1-for-3, 3 RBIs but a boo-boo
Juan Castro: 1-for-1, 2 RBIs
Matt Kemp: 3-for-4, 1 RBI
Randy Wolf: 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Ks, 118 pitches. Oh, and — finally — a WIN!
James McDonald and Claudio Vargas: 2 2/3 scoreless innings

Beautiful stuff. On to Milwaukee!

photo by Frank Franklin II/AP

Kemp's Last Hope: Injury Replacement

2009-07-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

From " 'Bran-Torino' takes a ride to All-Star Game" at MLB.com:

Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge and Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino are your choices in the dramatic 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote, comeback survivors of the wildest overall balloting in the history of a four-day event that decided the 33rd and final roster spots for the 80th All-Star Game on July 14 at Busch Stadium.
Fans smashed Final Vote records by casting 68.6 million votes at MLB.com and ultimately they decided on the two first-time All-Stars whose respective clubs forged a voting alliance after seeing Inge and Victorino in second place on the second day. The Tigers and Phillies called it "Bran-Torino" and that catchphrase would become a campaign sensation.

You're still #1 in our hearts, Bison!

UPDATE: From Diamond Notes:

Congats to Matt Kemp
Matt Kemp has pretty much made the National League All-Star team, this after the fans picked Shane Victorino in the Final Vote over Pablo Sandoval. MLB was already pushing NL manager Charlie Manuel to pick Kemp over his own player Victorino even if Sandoval had won the vote.

Game 85 Thread: July 9 @ Mets, 4p

2009-07-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Randy Wolf (3-3, 3.49) vs. Livan Hernandez (5-4, 4.56).

COMMENTS: Okay, so maybe, like Rafael Furcal, Mr. Met swings both ways. The same could be said of the Mets themselves, disappearing Tuesday then reappearing yesterday to take Hiroki Kuroda behind the woodshed.

Which Mets team will show up today? Impossible to know, and further complicating matters is Wolf, a Mets killer who also attracts no-decisions like burrs to pets. The enigmatic Hernandez has lost his last three starts but pitched well against the Dodgers in May.

So I'm as unsure about today's game as I was sure the Dodgers would win yesterday, which means...huh? Where was I? Oh yeah, Mr. Met sure gets a lot of action. That dog.

photo 1 by dMdC Photography; photo 2 from Tangerine Music

I Wonder What the Home Digs Look Like

2009-07-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Dodgers in the visiting clubhouse of Citi Field before Tuesday's game.

photo by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers

Seattle Memeriners

2009-07-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Although the Giants may be the most technologically advanced team in the majors — why do you think Pablo Sandoval is leading the All-Star Final Vote? — the Mariners lead the league in combining technology and fun. First they made Safeco Field Nintendo DS-friendly, and tonight they're celebrating Cheezburger Night.

That's right: The Mariners are teaming with I Can Has Cheezburger, a.k.a. home of the LOLcat, for a special night. Features include discounted tickets, a special T-shirt, "Happy Cat Hour" and the opportunity to meet "Chief Cheezburger" Ben Huh.

The Mariners may be in third place, but credit them for giving their fans what they want. For their next trick maybe the team can have players Twitter from the dugout.

Diagnosis: Outrage Fatigue

2009-07-09T07:00:00.002-07:00

Photographic evidence indicates there's been more Torre love than Manny hate at Citi Field so far — and the same guy holding up all the signs.

Early media coverage of fan reaction to Manny Ramirez's return focused on the cheering of Dodger fans. Was it their forgiving nature of all things Dodger Blue — even in light of the delicious ironing of rooting for a Barry Bonds-like figure — or was Manny not as polarizing as some had hoped?

Early returns in San Diego were inconclusive, as Dodger faithful braved the slog down Interstate 5 to make their presence felt at PETCO Park. (That effort, by the way, should be applauded — as annoying as it is to constantly suffer the mass presence of opposing fans at Dodger Stadium, turnabout is fair play.)

New York was supposed to be the real test. Joe Torre himself implied as much, and the mainstream media breathlessly awaited the flinging of the ceremonial first syringe. Certainly the birthplace of baseball bile wouldn't disappoint.

Except, it did. From the LA Times:

The Dodgers' left fielder sparked some boos Tuesday night during an abbreviated appearance, but he mostly generated indifference from a Citi Field crowd that displayed something resembling SoCal cool.
The heckling was especially mild among those seated behind Ramirez in left field during the 4 1/2 innings he played before being ejected for scattering his bat, helmet and arm guard on the field after a called third strike.

Even by accounts of the New York press, the booing seemed token. Which makes us wonder: Where is the hate?

The answer is simple: It's evaporated. We're just tired of it all. What once was scandalous is now routine. Manny, A-Rod, Clemens, Tejada, Giambi, Sheffield, Bonds, McGwire, Sosa....Simply taking in a game without worrying about who did what PEDs has become a challenge for the modern-day fan.

So we offer apologies to the morally outraged members of the mainstream media. We're sorry most of us don't have the energy to act freshly fed up with each new revelation of PED use. It's just that we're too busy trying to enjoy the game of baseball.

photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Seven Hours Left to Vote

2009-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Time running out for LA fans to help Kemp (Dodgers.com)

photo by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers

Post-Game 84 Thread, Part Two: There's Something Wrong With Ethier

2009-07-09T00:10:00.000-07:00

Man, that was a disappointing GIDP, with runners on first and second, one out, and Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez flailing around like a fish on land after giving up a homerun to Manny Ramirez. GIDP, game over, and the hapless Mets stumble into a win. Andre Ethier ends the game 0-for-5 with 8 total LOB, and the Dodgers lose 5-4.

Look, I know Ethier is our walk-off king this year. But he is on a wicked 3-for-30 streak and has one multi-hit game in his last 10 games. Maybe Joe should give Andre a day off, rather than sitting Loney (especially at the end, when we could have used Loney to PH rather than send up Ethier, as Erin pointed out in our GameThread).

And maybe enough with the yoga thing, which hasn't helped Russell Martin at the plate this year, either.

Post-Game 84 Thread: What Do the Dodgers and e.e. cummings Have in Common?

2009-07-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

They both failed to capitalize!

METS 5, DODGERS 4

With the erratic Oliver Perez on the mound, this figured to be an eminently winnable game for the Dodgers, but they just nibbled and didn't bite. The Dodgers received nine walks from the Mets but...

1st inning: Left men on first and third.
2nd inning: Left Matt Kemp at second.
3rd inning: Left bases loaded.
5th inning: Left men on first and second.
6th inning: Left men on first and third.
7th inning: Left Russell Martin on first.
9th inning: Left Blake at second.
total: 12 men left on base

Hiroki Kuroda: 4 1/3 IP, 4R, 3 ER, 1K, 91 pitches.
Vote for Matt Kemp: 3-for-3, including a triple.
Manny Ramirez: 9th-inning home run off Francisco Rodriguez. The Dodgers have lost both post-suspension games in which Manny has homered.