Today's game(s)
Quite a long day for stadium workers today…
From 12-2, we’ve got the WIN clinic, as a girls’ softball instructional is going on down on the field right now with Jamie McCourt, Eric Gagne, Manny Mota and Jeff Kent.
The car gates open at 5 p.m. for tonight’s Hollywood Stars Game…among those coming are Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Jimmy Kimmel, James Van Der Beek, Mia Hamm, Louis Gossett Jr., Carlos Mencia, Michael Clarke Duncan and Corbin Bernsen. That game starts at 5:15.
The real Dodger game starts at 7:10, with Cesar Izturis set to leadoff and play shortstop. He will appear in his 560th game a short, leaving him 11 games behind Jose Offerman for third place on the L.A. Dodgers all-time games played list at that position. Bill Russell (1,747) and Maury Wills (1,497) are in the top two spots.
Here’s the lineup:
Izzy, SS
Cruz, RF
Nomar, 1B
Kent, 2B
Saenz, 3B (6-for-7, 2 HR, 5 RBI off Zach Duke)
Kemp, CF
Ethier, LF
Martin, C
Sele, P
Inside the Dodgers 
Nice lineup here, and JD Drew gets his nap since we don’t have an off day for a while. Lofton gets a second off day in a row.
Time to secure the series win. Go Dodgers.
HAIL CESAR!
It’s great that Drew doesn’t play anymore. Maybe he’s bored with baseball. He has enough money to do so many much more fun things.
honestly I love that Ethier and kemp get to play but the dodgers are paying a fortune for drew, why the heck does he play so little? I know he is injury prone but give me a break. Anyways, the pirates are like playing a minor league team so we should win.
The Drew brothers are S-O-F-T. Lok at JD’s history, or read LaRusso’s book “3 Nights”. He has had a sore shoulder since the road trip to DC and Atlanta. He does not play through pain. Besides it gives Ethier and Kemp the playing time they need.
It is unfortunate that the Dodgers pay so much for Odalis and JD and get less in return that one could expect. I really don’t understand why Odalis is not made a reclamation project. Surely he still has the skills. Isn’t it the pitching coach’s job to help him out of his funk? It seems like a costly guy to give up on and let ride the bench. JD is fragile and is hurting. He is not known to play through pain but not being able to understand what that is like, it might be unfair to him to accuse him of being soft. It seems to me he has an escape clause in his contract at the end of the season. Will be interesting to see how that plays out. That is, if he will exercise his option or stay with the Dodgers for the length of his contract. I think he might be more durable as a DH. When healthy he certainly can be productive.
Wow, sure looks like the Boo birds are out today. Fact is that there is no better time for Drew to rest up then during this series. Statistically it makes sense and I for one like the idea. Grady made it quite clear in the beginning of the season that he was going to be sure Drew was well rested so he would last the whole season. Plus he’s always available to come off the bench, so give it a rest you guys !!! Now Odalis, that’s another matter in itself. His problem isn’t physical, his problem is mental and attitude. Until he bucks up and plays like a team member I say forget him. Get what you can by the trade deadline and move on. We, the team, need to keep thinking about the streak and what we can do to keep it going !!
Go Dodgers !!
No way does JD opt out and lose out on the $33 Mill left on his contract. JD has a sweet swing and plays a great RF but he is not a top tier hitter. He reminds me of what James Loney might become. A good hitter, good OBP, 15-20 HR’s, and solid D. Nobody is worth $11 mill a year to me when people whom actually save lives for a living dont make anything near that. But that’s just my opinion.
“people whom save lives”, huh? Me am not going to say anything else about this.
Let me say something about the Odalis comments seen here over the past couple of weeks. I would not be all so fired up to trade him or to simply release him, while still being responsible for his $39 or so million. Given his performance and inactivity over the past month or so, what trading value could he possibly provide for us. Anybody willing to take the chance on Odalis and willing to part with any proven or even promising talent would have to figure that they can reconstruct Odalis to where he is again a successful starting pitcher. He has been that to some degree in the past, and he is hardly old enough to be over the hill. Right now he probably is much “out of shape” and in need of some “head counseling”, but if anyone can reconstruct him to a previously successful level, why not us? Trading him now is not going to bring us anyone of value that will contribute to this season. Someone in the organization should be working with Odalis to bring him back to a level of performance that can contribute to the Dodgers NOW. I don’t ever hear about that going on, and I think that is too bad. Forgetting him on the bench or letting him pitch just a couple of innings every other week will not get that job done. So, let’s lean a little bit on our coaching staff to get in gear and get this $39 million package working for us instead of against us. OK, now I’ve said my piece.
I’d hate to see what you guys would say about the Pirates. JD Drew not worth $11 mil? What about Jeromy Burnitz at $6.5? Or Joe Randa at $4? Give it a rest…be thankful you’ve got a winning club to cheer for.
“A New Pirates Generation”
http://www.coryhumes.mlblogs.com
Hey Cory…
Thanks for the bit of perspective. I for one do not forget. It seems there are many with short-term memory loss. After all it was only last year when the wheels completely fell off this wagon. We are truly blessed to be so deep in talent right now. JD Drew will get healthy again. He’s playing through an injury and is a gamer. Seems to me I remember a month or so ago that I didn’t read anything but good news about JD. My how times change so quickly. lol…
Kemp and Ethier!!!! Baby Dodgers lead the way..starting another streak.
Way to go
Wow everyone looked good tonight and saito Had some electric stuff.Wish Izzy would have done better in the leadoff spot be he looked very good in those 2 double plays. Broxton even looked good but thats what I was saying about playing bad teams with our line up.Everyone will shine the team needs games like these to put it all together for the tough teams. Great jobon this streak ! Go Blue!!!
It may be the Pirates, but it’s 3 in a row and a streak it is !! Sele looked good, Broxton looked good, Kent looked good and of course the Kids looked good as well !! This team is full of gamers and I can only hope that they know we’re behind them. Maybe this kind of energy will help turn Odalis around and make him a team player as well !! I’ll be at the game tomorrow to see the streak continue !!
Go Dodgers !!!
He’s not going to keep up the .700 batting average all year.
I still say it’s overkill to put in Brad Penny against Kip Wells, especially after outscoring them 17-4 over the last two games. Start Odalis tomorrow; it’s not like we can’t still beat Pittsburgh with him on the mound.
And is it just me, or was the official scorer a little harsh on Seo?
I would agree, start Odalis tomorrow and save Penny for Minnesota (38-35). Izzy still got a hit in the 8th !! I was at the game and Seo didn’t earn the save, he survived it !! All the same, it’s great to see the guys playing hard !! Keep up the streak !!
Go Dodgers !!
I’m a little puzzled about why it would even be concidered a save opp.Doesn’t the score have to be within 2 runs? people on base plus at bat and on deck hitter for it to be concidered?I think the scoring is really screwy in that a reliever can come in with runners on base and allow a game tying hit that ties the score and still get the win if the team comes back.
I think perez might be a good idea but on a very short leash. Might help him build a little confidence and save the penny for the tougher job especially if we need to fill tomkos slot for a game or 2.All of our pitchers have shown through the years they have ability and some of them are feeling downright human at the moment.It doesn’t help anyone when they are down to be kicked by the people who are supposed to be fans but we expect alot for the money they are paid.Granted perez has always had a knack for saying the wrong things at any givin time but he is a very ‘special’ proud person and while he is still on the team we have to help him be the best he can be as fans.Tracy is no longer a Dodger and he is fully getting our 2 cents worth now. What i can’t figure out though is when Tracy comes out with the hook are people booing because he is Tracy or That we are kicking the **** outta his pitcher and want him to leave em in…..Izzy Looks Good where ever he plays and since he is back furcal has seemed to have kicked it up a notch.I Like what I’m seeing Kent is Back in form Killer Tomato is looking good again The kids are all Rookie of the year canadates Saito is making me not miss gagne as much and has been perfect the last 13+ innings only thing i’d like to see is lofton play 2 steps back really hate to see balls over his head bouncing off the wall.Kemps Catch tonight at the wall was beautiful repko in center is just plain sick defence gotta teach him not to try standing atop the wall to catch em.
Before I get off My Dodger High I think that this team has sooo many tools at its disposial and that if we can get em all healthy for Sept and keep it going to win the Wild Wild West that we will have the deepest team going into the playoffs in quite awhile.
In closing I’d Like to post a challenge to Dodger fans to Find people at work or friends who might not vote for all stars to get Nomar,Kent,and Lofton into the All Star game and maybe even write in for Martin,Kemp and Either just to put Numbers up on the kids as I did.We Got Izzy there last year on a Last Minute online onslaught.Go Blue!!!
The pitcher recieves a save if he fulfills at least one of the following three conditions:
1. He comes into the game with a lead of no more than three runs, and pitches at least one full inning.
2. He comes into the game with the potential tying run being either on base, at bat, or on deck.
3. He pitches at least 3 innings after entering the game with a lead and finishes the game.
Thank you Jen didn’t know about the 3 inn rule.