Today's game
For those who mistake staying positive to having our collective heads in the sand or Ned not trying to improve the team or Frank McCourt being "non-chalant about the team’s performance," please know this: Everyone here realizes that losing seven of eight games won’t get it done.
But when you’re playing a 162-game schedule, getting down on yourself whenever you go through a slump doesn’t really accomplish much…at least in my opinion and just about everyone I know who works in baseball. The key is to stay even-keeled, even when you are winning or when you know that you have to improve. The silver-lining is simply that we haven’t lost a ton of ground, which keeps us in the hunt for the division title. That doesn’t mean it’s not a missed opportunity, which it most certainly is.
That said, here’s today’s lineup:
Furcal, SS
Lofton, CF
Drew, RF (back to the No. 3 spot today)
Nomar, 1B
Ethier, LF
Aybar, 2B
Izzy, 3B (Welcome back and congrats on the new daughter)
Martin, C
Penny, P
Inside the Dodgers 
1) Nomar batting cleanup, but Russell Martin is still batting 8th.
2) Izturis will go to third, and he will continue to fill a hole, the one called the 5.5 hole.
3) Brad Penny is a good guy to have kick off the series, but it’s a crime not to give Aaron Sele as many starts as possible during a homestand. Expect continued dominance from him tomorrow from the Dodger Stadium mound.
Izzy’s name looks good in the 3rd base spot. Sharp defense is worth a lot, because it keeps everybody on their toes, and keeps the pitcher’s head up. Welcome back and congratulations to him, indeed.
I would have kept Drew batting second, though – his profile seems to fit that spot better nowadays.
While I’m looking at the lineup – why does Martin always have to bat 8th? I would love seeing him higher in the lineup sometimes.
Here’s to hoping this horrible stretch will soon be a memory. We don’t have much of a chance to rescue the month of July, but we can start on some momentum on an important homestand. I hope the guys are set to first play well against the Cardinals, and then try to make up some ground on the Padres.
I had to laugh at the *Congrats to the new daughter* comment…We wouldn’t want Izzy going all Shea Hillenbrand on us
Big game tonight, hopefully the home cooking is just what the doctor ordered.
Had a quick thought about Martin batting 8th – if that is to keep him fresh, since he is the catcher after all, by trying to have him have the least at bats of all the position players per game, it could make sense, I’d say.
I have an optimistic feeling about tonight’s game, but then again, I had it about game 3 of the Snakes series too, and see where that got us 😉
Just heard a Funny story about our bats from a guy who works at DHL apparently when our equiptment was sent to StL after the allstar break the asst equiptment manager sent them DHL and they lost them They showed up in the visitors clubhouse in SD and the Braves got ahold of them DHL just now figured that out and is trying to get them Back here to the Dodgers and are ‘supposed’ to arrive by gametime. Hopefully they Find there way to the home dugout at Chavez revine……. Shouldda used Fed Ex….
I HAVE A HANG OVER, & I’M NOT SHY ABOUT IT!!!
CAN WE WIN ALREADY!!??
I wish I could go to the stadium today! THERE I SAID IT!!
If we don’t win with Penny we are doomed!!
Also a happy 4th birthday to Dodger Thoughts.
GO DODGERS !!!
Had a great vacation in Ontario. Missed Josh’s comments and those of the many Dodger posters. Josh is right. Staying positive is the only way to fly. Forget yesterday and have some fun today. A second silver lining is the performance of Ray’s kids. The plan is to build a contender. That takes some time. We all know the risk in paying huge salaries to free agents or trading the farm for high salaried players. Better to risk it with the kids and short term contracts with players to hold positions for other kids in the system than get into more huge contracts. I like Russell batting eighth. Takes some pressure off him and takes fewer at bats. Allows him to concentate more on his catching. Higher in the order will come as he continues to develop as a catcher and a hitter. Waiting to see the box score in the morning.
patriotacts425@comcast.net
happy 4th b-day, to DT’S.
I’m hoping the Dodgers don’t bring Hillenbrand on board. He is a good player but apparently not a good team player.
Welcome back euhlman !!
Go Dodgers !!!
Thanks Gary.
I wanna wish Izzy a happy return to the blue, & I hope his wife is feeling better.
They traded off Milton Bradley, but Odalis Perez and Toby Hall seem to be filling the roles of “clubhouse frustrations” just fine on their own. Let Hillenbrand go to the Giants and get in a fight with Barry Bonds.
I dont know about the whole “staying even keeled” thing. That may be fine for front office personnel but I’m a fan. We are frustrated not by Ned Colletti’s timidness to do something but by the acquisitions he makes. Hendrickson and Toby Hall aren’t the type of young players or impact players to justify trading a switch hitting 22yr old catcher with solid defensive creditials in the minors.
I love the Dodgers, some of the front office personnel are just “doing a job” and don’t feel the same type of passion for these Los Angeles Dodgers that some of us do feel. Maybe it’s my love for the Dodgers that prohibits me from being even keeled and hoping for the best. But anyone who knows this team and the passion of us fans know that we need someone that other teams are scared of whether it be a pitcher or a hitter no one in our line-up or rotations strikes fear in our opponents. That’s just my opinion though. Nomar is solid and certainly a great player but not a player you fear coming up to bat. Gagne was that player for us but no longer. We need that edge back.
Let’s win one for Vinnie & Tommy!
WOW we have a game here !!!
Molina is GOOD !!!
Go Dodgers !!
can we win one already!!
talk about not respecting Lofton’s arm!! WOW!!
The scary part is I don’t think a trade would even help this team
we are the walking dead.
this team is garbage, I now hate the Dodgers, am embarrassed to call myself a fan. Go Giants!!! at least they show a pulse you pu$$IES!!!!!!!!
they dont sem to care, why should I??
This is what happens when you mix over the hill veterans and kids. They should release the dead wood and show people they really want to win.
Pats… you do bring up a very good point: Why is Russell Martin STILL batting 8th??? The way he hits with no protection behind him is amazing and who knows how many more pitches he’d get if he had a bat behind him.
Well, I see the Giants picked up Hillenbrand. Not sure that he would have fit in well with our needs, but I believe he will help the Giants a great deal. Alou seems to know how to bring out the best in his mature players – unlike the manager of our team, I might add.
Hillenbrand may be all the Giants need to push into the postseason – Alou is an excellent manager for getting performance out of his team. Everybody seemed to write them off due to age and well, look at them now.
If Martin batted higher in this game, we could have scored a run or two. Look at the hits – at the very top, and then Martin. That’s all.
I’m so sick of the zero hitting with RISP this team is displaying. I thought last year’s team was bad, this one is more expensive and seemingly worse. Oy vey.
I hope we wake up out of this night mare streak.
What a slump. Nomar and Ethier left 9 on base. We had opportunities but when the 4 and 5 guys don’t get it done it’s hard to win. Tuff loss.
Ethier isn’t ready for the 5 hole. I would try Martin 5th and Ethier 6th.
I agree. Martin showed excellent results with RISP earlier in the season. Why not try him more in the middle of the lineup.
If Drew is out for an extended period our choices are limited. We may have to put Nomar behind Martin and Ethier in the order so hopefully they will see more fastballs. I hope Repko is close to coming back.
drj, don’t worry you never were a fan. A true fan doesn’t go running to the dark side when things get tough. This was a pretty darn good game. Our pitching was very good and the kids are doing great !! Did Lofton mess up, yep !! Did we miss great opportunities to score, yep !! But this was a 2-0 game with what quite possibly is the next WS winner !!! Molina was great, Pujols is the best in baseball, bar none and Suppan pitched a gem. You have to love that this team stayed up with them !! They had plenty of chances to blow us away and the Kids kept it close. If you love the game you have to appreciate what you saw last night. It convinced me that we should cut out some of the dead weight and build from within !! These kids are getting very valuable experience in a division run. I say keep trying and learn how to come out of it !!
Go Dodgers !!
PS-Getting rid of Steiner would be the first step I’d take in improving the fans spirit !!
As long as Drew’s status or performance remains uncertain, I’d like to see us bring Kemp back. He might as well get some more major league experience along with the other youngsters. It would be much more productive than giving that playing time to Cruz, and it seems like we’re holding Ledee strictly for pinch hitting. When Kemp was starting and gettin 3 or 4 at bats, he seemed to adjust to the pitcher sufficiently to get a hit here and there. Like I said, much better than the Cruz alternative.
If Drew goes on the DL I would also like to see Kemp come up and get some consistant playing time. I know there will be growing pains but the experience will be good later on. When Repko comes back, hopefully they will lose Ledee or Cruz or both.
messagebear@yahoo.com
i’d bat him 2nd.JMO.
messagebear@yahoo.com you said>>Well, I see the Giants picked up Hillenbrand. Not sure that he would have fit in well with our needs, but I believe he will help the Giants a great deal. Alou seems to know how to bring out the best in his mature players – unlike the manager of our team, I might add.<<
I’m such an optomist, i’m just glad we have those options.
This game could have been had so easily – Penny and the ‘pen pitched so well, holding down a powerful Cards lineup. That was probably our best shot taking a game in this series ( unless Weaver do us a favour on Sunday but right now the lineup can’t hit out of a tissue paper bag ).
I’d like to see Kemp back and playing regularly if Drew has to go on the DL too. Maybe a DL stint will give him the opportunity to shake the mystery ailment that’s making him hit so badly of late, too.
I really really really want to watch some baseball, and I watch the Dodgers. But the game is painfully boring when you just know the offense won’t muster anything, and the game was over as soon as Penny gave up a run.
And also, please, no more Steiner! I mute the TV and turn off the radio ( if I’m ranging somewhere away from home during the game ) when he comes on.
PS: the even-keeled comment discourages me a little bit. I like watching a team who appears to enjoy playing. An even-keeled team is a bit boring to watch. I want to see the occasional celebration and passion for playing, instead of some lackluster fist tapping at best. How sanatized baseball seems compared to other sports!
Josh can you delete the “messagebear” comment I quoted? I was talking about having the rooks as an option un like the giants having NO option.
“Interpol”. I agree with your options. I would rather get our prospects playing together for the last couple of months of the season than bringing in a rent player. I think that our pitching has straightened out somewhat, and we cannot do much about Kent and Drew being hurt and seemingly playing like they have been hurt for some time. Rather than giving playing time to Cruz and even Martinez, I’d like to see what we can do with Kemp and Guzman in our lineup for the last months. I don’t particularly like Furcal, even though his fielding has improved since Izzy came along side of him. When Repko comes back, I’d like to see us give him a chance at leadoff, and I don’t care how Furcal feels about a lower place in the batting order – it may actually do him some good. If we have a chance to unload Drew and Furcal in trade, I think we would be better served with some good AAA talent in return for next season.
Furcal should not be leading off. He strikes out more than he walks. He doesn’t take enough pitches and make the pitcher work. He should be hitting 7th or 8th. If your going to play Lofton, he should lead off and bat Martin 2nd. Until we get a big bat this lineup will struggle. I think we will have to wait until the off season for the big bat and true ace pitcher. In the mean time, I agree, play the young guys. That is our future.
Lots of comments. Seems to me even keeled refers to an attitude after big wins or tough losses. It no doubt means not to get too high or low depending on game circumstances. It doesn’t mean to play without enthusiasm.It also means management has to stay level headed and not run off making big deals for high salaried soon to be free agents or trade the kids on the farm too easily. If we are bailing out because things are not going so well now, we probably don’t bleed Dodger Blue. I started following the Dodgers in the early 50’s. The rallying cry then was, “Wait until next year.” We waited losing to the Yankees year after year until 1955. Each game there is something good that happens, regardless of the final score. Last game – Furcal’s average climbing, Martin two hits, good starting and relief pitching. I am all for building with a long term goal which includes building from within. I am still looking for the Dodgers to rebound this year but really don’t want to see some big costly deal that is short term and doesn’t work for the long term future of the team.
Being a GM is tough work and requires among many things patience when fans, players, writers are impatient. Go Dodgers. Let’s get this one tonight.
I’m willing to bet that JD Drew has been playing with nagging injuries for some time now, and with his knee being hit hard, I think a trip to the DL would do him some good. He’s been having a down year, and the rest would allow the Dodgers to get a pick-me-up from Las Vegas, like Guzman or Kemp. Guzman didn’t make the best first impression, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Repko is due up soon anyway, and I see him coming in and taking more starts in center field. After all, he is capable of throwing someone out at second.
My lineup
Furcal
Izturis
Nomar
Kemp
Repko
Aybar
Ethier
Martin
I really like having Aybar, Ethier, Martin consecutively in the lineup. I remember thinking that Grady blew a golden oppurtunity for Kemp’s resurgence by not starting him against Suppan. Suppan is a great pitcher when he does not give up home runs, but the gives up a lot of them. Last night’s lineup was not going to hit home runs.
Patriotacts we are of one accord. My only difference is that I would like to see Delwyn Young get a chance for some actual playing time and not just as a September call up with little time. Also looking forward to seeing Repko get it going again. Unfortunate that Werth has not been able to overcome his injury. It looks career threatening.
euhlman / patriotacts – I also agree, play the kids. Not sure Kemp is the right guy to bring up though. Every team out there knows he’s a fast ball hitter and weak on anything that breaks. I don’t know enough about Young but if we want a big bat Guzman is the guy the Dodgers have been high on for years now. Lets take this guy out for a test drive and see what he can do !!
And Griffon I completely agree, get rid of Steiner he forces more radios and TVs into the off position then anything else this team can do !!
Go Dodgers !!