Just when you think you've seen it all
We actually got booed just now as the game was ending, despite a 7-2 win. The crowd wanted to see Eric Gagne and poor Tim Hamulack took the brunt of the fans’ excitement. He got booed when he warmed up, then again when he left the bullpen and when he got the last out of the game.
Our intern Ryan just told me the only time he’s ever seen anything like it was at a Golden State Warriors game when fans got a free chalupa if the team scored 100 points. But with a big lead, they ran out the clock the last two times down the court rather than break the triple-digit barrier.
A strange night, but we’ll take another win. Seven straight at home.
Inside the Dodgers 
Josh,
I just got back from the game and I think you’re simplifying it a bit. Yes, there was booing b/c the fans wanted to see Gagne, but there were two other bigger reasons people were booing Hamulack. 1)He ruined the shutout and 2)He’s booed every time he’s brought in. I’m one of his booers. He always comes in and gives up a handful of runs. Poor Tim Hamulack? I say poor us. He’s terrible every time he pitches at the stadium.
Where is Lance Carter when you need him to create a save situation?
Tomorrow looks a little more like we’ll have a shot at a Canadian battery; the starting pitchers have more evenly matched ERA’s.
But you know, it’s really hard to complain about watching the Dodgers hitting 2 3-run homers with 2 outs.
Here’s a topic for you Josh:
What with all the baseball bats that are breaking these days (Vin keeps mentioning that he’s never seen so many bats break like they have in recent years), what if any talk is going on around Major League Baseball about the implementaion of composite bats? I’ve heard rumors that Easton and Louisville Slugger are in development of a -“looks like wood, feels like wood, acts like wood, so it might as well be wood”- composite type baseball bat. I’m thinking that the game will probably adopt something like this if it can be scientifically proven to be of no significant advantage over the white ash variety… but with a much longer life-span. What can you offer on your views and those around the team… if you get some time to mention it here and there, I’m sure we’d love to read about it. Thanks for considering it.
Great win last night!! The kids are doing great, and they have the look of confidence. I’m proud of this team and what Grady, Ned and Frank have done with it thus far. They’re very deep off the bench and in the system. It reminds me of the early 70’s.
I think I’ve seen enough of Hamulack at the major league level for a while. You can’t bring him in anytime when the game is on the line. He should be in Vegas getting his pitching sharpened. Would like to see us give Hull a chance and see what he can do at the major level.
Forget Hamulack. Bring up Miller or Carrera or anybody not named Lance Carter.
I too was there last night. Hoping to see Gagne but both fortunately and unfortunately we didn’t with such a big lead. The chants for “we want Gagne” and “Gagne, Gagne” were awesome. Hope Colletti, McCourt, Gagne and Boras remember how much Gagne is Dodger Blue when it comes to negotiating his next contract.
The funniest part is when there were a mix of cheers and boos when the double play that would’ve ended the game wasn’t completed. Tim Hamulack = Mike Venafro from last year. Will only come in to the game in hopes of creating a save situation.
Little early to be thinking about Gagne’s contract, we gave him $5,000,000 per SV last year and $10,000,000 more this year, zero so far. Im a HUGE Gagne fan, but we need to see what hes got- and I really hope he doesn’t get greedy in the negotiations. Maybe the bright future will be a lure?
They weren’t booing because they wanted to see Gagne, necessarily. Most Dodger fans would just a soon see Hamulack in Las Vegas, not on a Dodger mound. He scares me more than anyone when he comes in from the bullpen.
In the name of all that’s good and Holy, what else can go wrong….. Let me ponder…. Hmmmmm,
http://psycho.mlblogs.com/
Why on earth is Hamulack even up here? His control is awful to say the least. Why did we ever get rid of Duaner…Oh I forgot…Jae Seo…WOW!
Don’t even get me started on the Duaner Sanchez abortion. Jae Seo hasn’t pitched particularly well, but there are those who’d swear by his talent. I still think Duaner’s confidence was the key to his ability to pitch at this level. He’s got nasty stuff from the pen.
As for Gagne being greedy: I don’t think he’s of that kind of character. But who knows… worse things have happened when one realizes the end of a career is not that far off. Not saying his is, but who knows what the future will bring or even how much more his elbow can take at this level of competition.
Ditto the Hamulack and Carter laments. Giovanni has experience with the club and has proven to eat innings, which is exactly what we need from a middle reliever. Why he’s not with the big club yet is beyond me. One would think he’s had time enough in Vegas to get himself into a solid rythm by now.
The Phillies don’t look that good this year. Let’s hope we can capitalize with Arizona playing Atlanta and re-gain first place during the weekend. Go Blue!!
I was really hopeing to see gagne …but then again I dont want him to fail …his fastball is no where near 97 98 mph …hopefully we can get the old Gagne back …..GAME OVER!!!
GO BLUE!!
In defense of the Sanchez trade, Seo seemingly did have a breakout year last year. He added new pitches to his repetoire, and he was incredibly effective in the World Baseball Classic, although in all honesty, so were Chan Ho Park and Adrian Beltre. Still, with Seo I’d like to see Rick Honeycutt find out exactly how to get inside his head so that he can be on every time he starts, and also have enough together that when he’s off, it’s not by much. The guy did go 8-2 with a 2.59 ERA in 14 starts last year (he was demoted only because Kris Benson came off the DL, and he was 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA then).
And on Gagne, give it time, and I think his fastball should get up to 95 or so. I doubt he’ll hit 97 before at least next year, with proper offseason conditioning, but he’s adjusted, having added that slider along with the changeup and curveball. As for whether or not he’s greedy, come on. If he’s keeping people in Dodger Stadium in the 9th inning so they boo a reliever for not giving up enough runs to warrant a save situation, he’s worth the money to the team. I’d still wait a bit to make sure before a new contract, but I think he wants to stay.
Go blue team.
We really need to bring up someone like Carrara.
Or we could dip down to AA and bring up Casey Hoorelbeke. He has a 0.26 ERA in 34.2 IP, with 27 Ks, 11 BBs and a WHIP of 0.82.