Furcal, SS

Lofton, CF

Lugo, 3B

Nomar, 1B

Kent, 2B

Ethier, LF

Martin, C

Repko, CF

Penny, P

As promised, here are the game notes with the Beatles’ theme.

DRIVE MY CAR – Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent drove in his 1,371st career RBI yesterday to tie him for 70th place on the all-time list with Lave Cross, who played from 1887-1907. Chili Davis is next with 1,372, followed by Johnny Bench (1,376). Kent ranks 76th on the all-time homer list with 343 and he currently has a season-high six-game hitting streak.

TICKET TO RIDE – The Dodgers will pass the three-million mark in paid attendance tonight, the 21st time in club history they have reached that milestone and the 11th consecutive season they have hit that plateau. The club is on pace to set a single-season attendance record, topping the 3,608,881 fans that attended games at Dodger Stadium in 1982.

THREE COOL CATS – Rafael Furcal’s triple yesterday was the Dodgers’ Major League-leading 45th, more than doubling their 2005 total (21). The club is paced by Kenny Lofton (9), Andre Ethier (7) and Furcal (7) who are all vying to become the first Dodger since Brett Butler in 1993 to hit 10 triples in a season. The Dodger franchise record for triples in a season is held by George Treadway, who hit 22 in 1894. Willie Davis holds the Los Angeles record after legging-out 16 triples in 1970. That 1970 club hit an LA Dodger record 67 triples.

THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD – Following their win yesterday, the Dodgers are 18-7 in the month of August on the heels of a 9-17 July mark. The club record for wins in the month of August is 20, set by the 1983 Dodgers. Los Angeles is two shy of that mark with three games to play.

EIGHT DAYS A WEEK – The Dodgers finished the month of August undefeated on Saturdays and Sundays (8-0).

WE CAN WORK IT OUT – Since July 28, the Dodger pitching staff has a 21-7 record, tied for the best mark in the Majors. Their 3.22 ERA is the best in baseball and they’ve allowed just 21 home runs, the least in the Majors    (STATS, LLC).

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE – Rafael Furcal ranks ninth in the NL with 90 runs and is vying to become the first Dodger leadoff batter to score more than 100 runs since 1991, when Brett Butler had 112. At Dodger Stadium, Furcal is batting .301 (129-for-428) and since May 1, he is hitting .303 (131-for-433) with 72 runs scored. 

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS – Dodger starter Brad Penny is seeking his career-high tying 14th victory tonight. Penny has received 5.63 runs of support per game, the 10th-highest mark in the National League, according to STATS, LLC. He has a 15-8 career record in 32 games at Dodger Stadium with a 3.25 ERA (70 ER/193.2 IP).   

HEY JUDE – Dodger closer Takashi Saito picked up his 16th save in 18 chances yesterday, pitching for the third consecutive day. Saito is five saves shy of Yhency Brazoban’s Dodger rookie record of 21, set last season. Steve Howe ranks second on that list with 17 saves in 1980.

COME TOGETHER – Since July 27, the Dodger bullpen has gone 6-2 with 11 saves in 14 chances, 81 strikeouts and a 3.34 ERA (33 ER/89.0 IP). During that stretch, Brett Tomko, Takashi Saito and Jonathan Broxton have combined to go 6-0 with 11 saves and a 1.81 ERA (9 ER/44.2 IP). Dodger relievers have struck out 370 batters on the season, which is third-best in the National League and have held batters to a .252 average, yielding just 399 hits in 418.1 innings pitched.

I’LL BE BACK – N.L. Comeback Player of the Year candidate Nomar Garciaparra ranks sixth in the National League with a .321 average this year and second with a .433 average against left-handers. He is seventh with a .363 average with runners in scoring position and has 24 RBI that have put the Dodgers ahead in a game, tying him for the seventh-most in the NL. Aramis Ramirez leads the NL with 28 go-ahead RBI. Nomar is also the toughest player in the Majors to strike out.

HOLD ME TIGHT – The Dodgers have won four of their last five one-run games and are 14-16 in such contests. They’ve won 12 of their last 19 one-run games after starting out 2-9.

TILL THERE WAS YOU – Before Greg Maddux joined the Dodgers, the team’s ERA was 4.45 (465 ER/941.0 IP). Since then, it is 3.46 (83 ER/215.2 IP), lowering the club’s overall mark to 4.22, fourth-best in the NL behind San Diego (4.08), New York (4.09) and Colorado (4.17).

I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND –  Tomorrow at White Memorial Medical Center, Nomar Garciaparra and J.D. Drew will spend time visiting with youngsters in the pediatric unit from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.. The hospital is located at 1720 Cesar E. Chavez Ave.

IN MY LIFE – Former Dodger farmhand Chris Michalak makes his Dodger Stadium debut tonight, six years after posting a career-high 11 victories for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque. In 2000, Michalak went 11-3 for the Dukes, ranking third in the Pacific Coast League in wins.

Forty years ago today, the Beatles played a concert at Dodger Stadium in front of 45,000 fans. It marked the second-to-last concert ever for the famous band. The most expensive seat in the house was $6 and amazingly, Dodger tickets can still be purchased for that amount four decades later. In honor of the anniversary, the music at tonight’s game will be all Beatles selections.

The game notes will also have a Beatles theme and I’ll post them in a bit when I get the lineup. Tom Hoffarth of the Daily News blogs about the concert in far better detail that I have and it’s definitely worth checking out.

Furcal, SS

Lofton, CF

Lugo, 2B

Drew, RF

Kent, 1B

Ethier, LF

Betemit, 3B

Martin, C

Billingsley, P

I’m not sure what the problem was yesterday with the posts. If it continues, please let me know and I"ll have someone at MLBAM check into it.

Tough loss last night, but on the bright side, we’re still in first. We missed a chance to gain a game on the Pads and they missed a chance to pick one up on us.

Today, we recalled Tim Hamulack and optioned Giovanni Carrara for assignment.

Despite the loss, the lineup is the same tonight as it was yetserday. See below for the details…

Greg Maddux is 1-9 in his career against the Diamondbacks…hard to believe anyone has had his number like that over the years, but that sounds like a surefire sign to me that he’s going to throw a no-hitter tonight.

Or something like that.

Here’s tonight’s lineup:

Furcal, SS

Lofton, CF

Nomar, 1B

Drew, RF

Kent, 2B

Ethier, LF

Betemit, 3B

Martin, C

Maddux, P

No rest for the weary…last night’s game was hardly one to remember, for plenty of reasons. Fortunately, I didn’t have to watch it in person, as I’d imagine it was a frustrating one. Jon Weisman offered some praise for the way Vin Scully and the FSN Prime Ticket crew handled the coverage of the ejections and that’s probably the only positive to take out of those events.

The team was greeted in Arizona by some lightning and rain and I got a call from Jaime Jarrin telling me to get back on the road, as the team took two out of three while I was in San Fran and lost three in a row when I left. Still, my road record is hardly anything to write home about this season.

Those of us back in Los Angeles are using the down time to start preparing for the upcoming homestand and, in the event that it happens, the playoffs. Every team that is in contention at this time of year begins the planning process and only eight of them actually get to put their plans to good use. For our department, one of the main things we’re doing right now is working on a postseason media and information guide, which helps everyone cover the playoffs more easily.

In response to the suggestion that there be statues on site here of our all-time greats, I don’t think it’s anything we’ve ruled out. In fact, I’m sure it’s one of the many things that will be considered in the future. For many years now, we’ve talked about having a Dodger museum or historical area of the stadium that fans can access and learn more about the team’s history, its players and all of the incredible things that surround this organization. The problem is, we don’t want to do it just to do it. If we’re going to build something like that, it’s got to be done right, so stay tuned. Hopefully we’ll have more info for you on that front in the future.

And as for the Russell Martin interview yesterday on Jim Rome’s radio show, unfortunately it wasn’t arranged through our department. I was told that one of his agents set it up and we didn’t find out about it until the last minute. At that point, we weren’t able to get him on the line, but rest assured, this one was not Russell’s fault or ours. Hopefully we’ll get him on the air again soon.

Let’s hope our fortune turns around in Arizona. The last time Brad Penny pitched and we then had a day off was July 27 and we went on to win 17 of our next 18 after regrouping on the off day. My fingers are crossed that we’ll bounce back again in the same manner.

A question was asked about how we select the players that go to the Arizona Fall League. First of all, the Fall League is made up of six teams composed of 5-7 prospects from each Major League team. Most of the prospects are from Double-A or Triple-A and young players with a year or less Major League service time.  A draft is held around the beginning of August where each club is assigned positions which they are expected to fill with players. For example, we were assigned one of the catching positions on our team and we are sending A.J. Ellis.

The other players we are sending are outfielder Anthony Raglani, shortstop Chin-lung Hu, right-hander Danny Muegge, right-hander Casey Hoorelbeke, right-hander Brian Akin, and lefty Scott Elbert. Also Ken Howell, our Triple-A pitching coach, will serve in the same position in Arizona so our pitchers will be with him.

When deciding which placers to send to the Fall League, we take into consideration the player’s prospect status, service time as a professional, age, position, number of innings or games played, and where we project the player to be paying the following year.

Below, we’ve listed a little bit on each guy heading to Arizona:

Brian Akin (RHP)- Akin began the season in Single-A Vero Beach where he posted a 3-3 record with six saves as a reliever with a 1.87 ERA, 47 strikeouts and was named to the Florida State League All-Star Team.  He was promoted to Double-A Jacksonville in late June where he has posted a 2-0 record with five saves while compiling a 2.76 ERA and fanning 41.

Scott Elbert (RHP)- Elbert also began the season with the Vero Beach Dodgers, posting a 5-5 record with a 2.37 ERA while fanning 97 in 17 games.  Since being promoted to Double-A Jacksonville on July 6, he has a 5-4 record with 70 strikeouts with a 3.68 ERA. 

Danny Muegge (RHP)- Double-A Jacksonville hurler Danny Muegge is currently working on a 9-8 record in Southern League competition, posting a 3.93 ERA with one complete game, through 22 games (123.2 IP). He came to the Dodgers last year in the Shawn Green trade.

A.J. Ellis (Catcher)- Double-A Jacksonville backstop A.J. Ellis is currently working on a .993 fielding percentage behind the plate. In 72 games he has collected 617 putouts in 680 total chances while committing only five miscues.  He has gunned down 29 of 83 baserunners attempting to steal against him (35%).

Chin-lung Hu (Shortstop)- Double-A Jacksonville shortstop Chin-lung Hu was named to both the Southern League All-Star team and the XM Radio All-Star Futures World Team this season.  Hu is currently batting .258 with 20 doubles, two triples, four homers and 34 RBI. 

Anthony Raglani (Outfielder)-  Raglani has spent the majority of the season with Double-A Jacksonville, serving a brief mid-season 17-game stint with Single-A Vero Beach (June 10-July 3) where he hit .317 with four doubles, a triple, a seven RBI.  With Jacksonville, Raglani is hitting .245 with 20 doubles and nine homers.

Ken Howell (Pitching Coach)-  Triple-A Las Vegas Pitching Coach Ken Howell has been selected to serve as the Mesa Solar Sox Pitching Coach.  Howell is currently working in his fifth season as a pitching coach in the Dodgers’ player development system, spending the 2005 season with the Double-A Southern League Champion Jacksonville Suns and prior to that, three seasons as Single-A Vero Beach’s pitching coach.  Howell, a former Dodger hurler, was the Dodgers third-round draft pick in the June 1982 draft and pitched in seven Major League seasons, including five with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Furcal, SS

Lofton, CF

Nomar, 1B

Kent, 2B

Ethier, LF

Lugo, RF

Betemit, 3B

Martin, C

Penny, P

This space today is a kind of a follow up to last week when I commented on the stellar pitching of Greg Maddux and Jason Schmidt. The recurring theme in both of their performances that night was that they “attacked the zone.” Both veteran pitchers stand in contrast to what Chad Billingsley is going through right now. The thing to remember however, is that what Chad is experiencing is the rule, not the exception. 

Chad has outstanding stuff. He has a 97 MPH fastball, a sharp breaking curve, a slider and a change up. When he throws strikes, he has shown that he can get Major League hitters out. What has happened is that he has run up high pitch counts and has struggled getting past the sixth inning. This is common for young pitchers. What was fouled off or swung through in Triple-A and Double-A is now sometimes taken or hit hard. What was a 1-2 count in Triple-A often becomes 2-1 in the big leagues. The adjustment to the increased discipline of Major League hitters can be difficult. The instinct is to try to do more. Sometimes young pitchers judge their outings by how many times they miss the bat or strike hitters out. Chad has stated himself that he needs to trust his stuff and be in the zone better. It is only through experience that a young pitcher learns these things.

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever received came from my Triple-A manager Doc Edwards. I had spent the year in Triple-A in 1983 and walked about 4.5 men per nine innings. During Spring Training the following year, Doc suggested that I start pretending that two balls are three balls. In other words, make something happen at the two-ball count rather than pick and risk walking the hitter. I started to use that strategy and cut my walks in half, leading to a June call up. What Doc’s words made me become was more aggressive and less apt to beat myself. I found that if I located my fast ball well, that good things would happen. He also told me not to be concerned with style points — that a line drive out was still an out and was much better than a walk. He also added that I wasn’t good enough to concern myself with style. He was right on all counts.      

I think we have seen the gradual maturation process of Jonathon Broxton this year as an example. Late last year and early this year, he had to find out what he could and could not get away with. Gradually, we have seen a more efficient pitcher emerge.

Often you will hear a pitching coach tell a young pitcher to stop trying to miss the bat. What he is saying is don’t try to make the perfect pitch all the time. One of the best ways of looking at this I have ever heard came from the great left-hander Steve Carlton, who was also my teammate for a short time with the Twins. Lefty spoke of pitching as an accelerated game of catch between himself and the catcher. As he delivered his pitch, Steve eliminated the bat from his conscious. He focused on hitting the glove and executing his pitch. If he did that, he reasoned, good things would happen more often than not.

Chad Billingsley showed last week against the Marlins and in very impressive flashes most other starts, what he can do when he is consistently in the zone. He just needs time to test the waters. I had a guy when I was with the Pirates who was very much like Chad is as a young pitcher. His name was Jason Schmidt. 

Clearly Andre is popular, as we had tons of questions flowing in from you guys and your fellow Dodger fans during his live chat. The transcript should be up shortly. Here’s today’s lineup:

Furcal, SS

Lofton, CF

Garciaparra, 1B

Drew, RF

Kent, 2B

Ethier, LF

Lugo, 3B

Hall, C

Hendrickson, P

Roy will answer the question about the Arizona Fall League shortly. Time to turn the tables on the Padres, who seem to have been our toughest opponent all year.