Road trip starts off right…
The offense seems to have clicked last night and raise your hand if you thought Jay Gibbons was going to start out this hot! He’s back in the starting lineup tonight.
It’s no secret, the Dodgers need to start winning series against every team to help erase the 4 1/2 game wild card lead and 7 game division lead. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s far from impossible. Last night was a good start to a big road trip.
Tonight, Chad Billingsley is going for his 10th win for the fourth straight season. That’s pretty impressive consistency (Derek Lowe was the last Dodger to do it and before that, I think it was Chan Ho Park, but I’d have to go back and really look it up!)
I was surprised to learn today that the Dodgers have won 12 of the last 14 season series with the Phillies going back to 1996. Of course, they’ve gotten the best of us in the two series that matter most, but a game like last night is important because right now, the Phillies are ahead of the Dodgers in the wild card race, too.
Game time tonight is at 4:05 p.m. PT on PRIME Ticket so tune in…
Inside the Dodgers 
The boys are one up on me. I didn’t think they could score 15 runs in a month with this line-up, let alone one game.
Then there’s this from Steve Dilbeck:
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— Zack Lee, the Dodgers? No.1 draft pick in camp as a quarterback at LSU, told the TheNewsStar.com that he hasn?t talked to the Dodgers since the June draft and is proceeding with plans to be with the Tigers.
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“I haven’t really heard anything from them [the Dodgers],” Lee said. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m here to stay until something else happens. And I don’t really see it happening.”
So here’s a guy that we draft #1 sounding like he’d at least like to have an offer, and yet nothing. If that’s the case and this kid never hears from the team, I think the Dodgers should have to forfeit the compensatory draft pick next year. They totally drafted in bad faith and should somehow be penalized for it.
(And just think how’d we’d be if we LOST 15-9 last night)
🙂
Oh, no worries. I’m sure we’ll sign him by Monday. Logan said so. Remember?
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0804-dodgers-fyi-20100804,0,4549420.story
“Tonight, Chad Billingsley is going for his 10th win for the fourth straight season. That’s pretty impressive consistency……”
Yeah. That’s just as impressive as a six-game hitting streak. Boy, have our standards lowered or what?
There’s like 4 posts – how’d I get time warped?
I’D TAKE IS AS A GREAT GESTURE OF CARING ABOUT FANS EVERYWHERE IF THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING TO FIX THIS BLOG.
They company line that they “Never meant it to post like a chat room” either means they’re totally full of crap or they have no clue as to how fans interact before, during and after the game, especially when their “old version” 3 years ago worked perfectly. I’m more than willing to forego a picture up at the top for a freakin’ program that would actually let you converse with you fellow fans and post accurately in real time.
iwannablb1, I was thinking the same thing about how our standards have changed. But today a 10 game winner is pretty hot stuff. In reality, the won-loss record for a pitcher does not mean all that much compared to other pitching stats that more fairly measure that pitcher’s worth to his team.
Emma
Still improving today?
Let’s go Dodgers, let’s go….going to beat the Phillies two in a row!
Josh,
I know this is not your expertise but during the last few games on FSN their have been commercials in the middle of the live action. I have Time warner cable and live in sherman oaks. BUt my cousing that lives in LA on time warner cable has also had these “commercial Popups”. For example todays game in the middle of casey blakes game there was a random commercial! What the heck his going on?
erik
Kouff!
Yeah! I am improving! I made it to work. I drove all the way to work instead of train. Thanks!! I am walking slow like a viejita.
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So we are losing one to nothing. C’mon boys!
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The thing about driving is I lose track of time and spent more time at work since I don’t have a set time I have to be at the train station, but time to shut down this computer and drive home listening to the game. Let’s hope is good news I hear.
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Hi Josh!
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Emma
http://crzblue.mlblogs.com
The hitting’s back to normal I see.
Yep, what a difference a day makes. Or a quality opposing pitcher.
Hi’Ya Gang!! Oh well, Billz pitched pretty darn good, Oswalt just pitched better!!! Tough one!! Let’s get’em tomorrow and take the series!!!
Jhall ~ I think if bear’s post was a petition, all the Dodger fans would sign!
Looks like the boys laid another egg. 9 of them as a matter of fact.
Oswalt’s a good pitcher, but his ERA’s over 4, not zero. Of course they’ve done this all season against a decent to good pitcher so why should tonight be any exception? I take it the great Gibbons experiment will now end tomorrow.
LOL Trumom!! I think you’re right!!! Hi’Ya Beav!! I hope they don’t pull the plug on Gibbons. Hell, give the kid some AB’s and playing time. Let’s see what we’ve got for next year. Realistically, we’re not catching the Puds or G’nats this year. I’m not mailing it in, but, he’s just as good as anything else we can put out there.
Kemp must be in JoJo’s dog house again. Since we got Podsednik, the timing just might not be right for Gibbons yet. JoJo won’t sit Podsednik to play Gibbons. Let the kid get his playing time at AAA and we’ll see him in September.
Oh no don’t call Gibbons a kid lol. I didn’t even know Gibbons was a hometown boy.
2008 season
Gibbons batting for the Albuquerque Isotopes, Triple-A affiliates of the Los Angeles Dodgers, in 2010. On June 12, 2008, Gibbons wrote an emotional letter to all 30 MLB clubs, asking to return to baseball, promising to donate his salary to charity. The only team that gave him a chance was the independent Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League, a team unaffiliated with MLB. He played in 27 games for the Ducks, hitting .280 with 5 home runs in 107 at-bats.
Wow he was willing to play for free.
LOL Shad!! He’s a kid to me. Thanks for the info, nice post!!!
EVERYBODY is a kid to me!!!!!!
Me too Trumom!! LOL!!!
It’s hell to be an old-timer 🙂
Unless you want to play for Ned.
LMAO!!!!
:)))
I think Joe prefers them that way too 🙂
Well I guess you can call him a kid if he’s 33 yrs old lol.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Gibbons
I guess Castro is wearing #33. Mitchell still can’t get the call up and do we really need a powerless hitting utility infielder in Castro on the team now?
What the heck is Mitch Jones during with the Pirates?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_Jones
Good Evening ITD readers and writers!!! Some great posts today/tonight. I really wasn’t surprised by tonight’s loss. Oswalt playing his first home game as Philly was bound to be not so good for us. I will be happy with 2 out of 3, but I already got my one game I thought they would get. I guess I am lowering my standards as well.
Dylan Hernandez asked this question………………..
Will Kemp start tomorrow? “I’ll look at it tonight.” Torre said.
Matt is either really, really in the doghouse, or Joe really doesn’t know what is going on. I mean what possibly do you have to look at? I guess if you are asleep on the rail, you miss quite a bit of the game.
Giants and Cubbies are tied at the moment. The Giants acquired Mike Fontenot from the Cubs. He is wearing a Giants uniform with his Cubs cleats.
To clarify……………….the question was asked after the game not before.
Hi’Ya Nelly!! Good to see you!!! Billz pitched well, good sign. Just got out pitched by Oswalt. Those things will happen against a pitcher of his caliper. I’m hoping we can take the series tomorrow. I think Kershaw is going so we should have a shot if the offense shows up.
Good night and god bless!!! Excelsior True Blue Believers!!!!
I agree Jhall!!! Of all the matchups, this one was pretty much a pitcher’s dual from paper to the game itself. Good Night and have a wonderful tomorrow 🙂
Are you freaking kidding me Burrell with another go ahead HR’s in the 8th? what a freakng joke
Look like McDonald and Park are helping the Padres win and to screw the Giants lol.
The Dodgers management are all liars, and they think the fans are stupid and only want our money, nothing more. Drafting Zach Lee and then not making him an offer, what kind of BS is that. Logan White is also full of it, just another Dodger liar. What a BS organization the McCourts have turned it into. Sell the team BS lowlifes.
Sorry about tonight!!! No matter what has happened in the past the Dodgers still scare the crap out of me! I was there on Tuesday when they pounded the Phils, it was painful. For your sake I hope they do something good next year when you guys get Manny off the books. Take care.
Michael
http://phanaticaddict.mlblogs.com/