L.A. Consequential

[Frayed Knot]

So just when you thought it might be safe to go back to CitiField, the Dodgers, 76-32 on the season and 21-3 over their last 24 games (all three losses coming to Atlanta) come into town tonight.
And so considering as how they’re definitely cruising into the playoffs and we’re almost as definitely NOT going sneak into a WC slot, you might figure, well, what’s even the point here, aside from not visibly soiling ourselves on the field?
The answer is that we’ve got to help knock them off their current winning pace.

As most of you probably already know, no NL team since those 1986 Mets has won 2/3 of their games (3 AL teams -- 1995 Indians, ’98 Yanx, 2001 Mariners — have finished a regular season with better winning percentages since). But now this year’s Dodgers, having now completed exactly 2/3 of their season, are on a pace to go 114-48, six games better than the ‘86ers.
We of course can not allow this to happen so we need to both take care of business this weekend and keep track of their progress for the remainder of the season.


Friday 7:10 -- deGrom vs Yu Darvish [6-9; 4.01; 1.17] making his LAD debut

Saturday 4:10 -- Lugo vs (LH) Rich Hill [8-4; 3.35; 1.18]

Sunday [u:23jqjr7p]8:10[/u:23jqjr7p] -- Matz vs (LH) Hyun-Jin Ryu [3-6; 3.83; 1.37 in 15 starts]

Edited August 4, 2017 by Guest

[Fman99]

I love the Sunday night games, while the broadcasting sucks, at least it gives me something to watch that night. Most Sunday matinees I miss due to napping related activities.

[MFS62]

Fman99 wrote: I love the Sunday night games, while the broadcasting sucks, at least it gives me something to watch that night. Most Sunday matinees I miss due to napping related activities.

If all else fails, the latest Sharknado movie will have its premiere on Sunday night.

The forces of good MUST defeat the Spawn of Satan this weekend. And I'm not talking about the movie.

LGM

Later

[Frayed Knot]

I love the Sunday night games, while the broadcasting sucks, at least it gives me something to watch that night.

As mentioned elsewhere, the Mets will be playing the part of the party of the second part during the Sunday broadcast.






Dodgers you probably don't know:

* If I were to ask you to name the guy who is 4th in WAR on the 2017 Dodgers -- behind only Kershaw, Seager, and Turner -- most of you would need a lot of guesses before coming up with Chris Taylor
Drafted in the 5th round as a SS in 2012 by the Mariners, he was dealt to the Dodgers in June 2016 for one of their former 1st round picks and, prior to this year, had a paltry .234/.289/.309 ML line across 300 ABs.
Well this year he's playing mostly every day (90 games) and mostly in LF (although also 3rd, SS, 2B, CF) where he's hitting a ridiculous .313/.379/.534 with 42 of his 100 hits going for extra bases

* Austin Barnes is the backup catcher to Yasmani Grandal so you wouldn't figure him to get into too many games, except that the Dodgers also use him at 2nd base including getting a couple starts there and he's
responded with a .413 OBA over 160 PA and 17 of his 38 hits have been for XB
Barnes is a 27 y/o former 9th round pick by the Marlins (went to LA in the Dee Gordon deal) who had only 61 ABs in 2015 & '16 combined


Getting out of nowhere contributions like this is how you play .700 ball for an extended period.
Of course having MLB's best ERA by more than 0.6 R/G over the next best teams (Arizona & Cleveland) and nearly 1-1/2 R/G better than league average helps a bit too.

[bmfc1]

Sunday afternoons are for baseball. Sunday nights are for peak TV shows. Sunday night baseball is an abomination.

[Frayed Knot]

I'm bothered less by 1 of 15 Sunday games each week being at at night than I am by the fact that most Saturdays no more than 3 or 4 day games out of 15, and sometimes not even that many.


oe: speaking of which, I mistakenly listed the Saturday game in this series (above) as a 7:10 game when it's actually 4:10

[MFS62]

Speaking of Spawn of Satan, I din't realize that Chase Utley still plays for them.
Bastage.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Well, if this LAD team breaks the '86 Mets' mark then this NYM team will be to blame on account of their (soon to be) 0-7 record.
The Dodgers aren't +7 on anyone else, not even the other NL West teams against whom they have, or will have, many more games head to head.

Good thing we missed Kershaw, huh?



The '86 team should show up one day and beat these current Mets up.

[Edgy MD]

Meanwhile, in the minors, Reds prospect José Siri had a record-setting hitting streak going when he approached the plate for what looked like his last at-bat. Down 4-1 with the bases empty against Dodgers affiliates the Great Lakes Loons, Siri found himself doing some dodging of his own when Loons pitcher Ryan Mosely threw at him with his first pitch. Mosely than proceeded to widen the strike zone by about 24 inches, giving Siri a pointless pitch-around. Siri attempted a bunt on a wild swing at two pitches off the plate before accepting the inevitable walk.

Mosely followed that display up by mouthing off to the batter as he ran to first. While Siri wouldn't be baited, the rest of his teammates left the bench for a heated conference.

Boo, Loons. Boo, Dodgers.

[youtube:22k0l059]LNgXSIC96a0[/youtube:22k0l059]

[MFS62]

The announcer's words beautifully captured my thoughts about that organization.

Later

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

The pitcher for Great Lakes (Ryan Moseley) showed himself to be both gutless and classless. I can't believe he wasn't ejected after throwing way inside on the third pitch.

I looked at the roster for the Great Lake Loons and found it interesting that their manager, Jeremy Rodriguez doesn't turn 28 until Augut 30th. He's only a few years older than most of his players. I haven't paid much attention to Single A managers, but are they typically so young?

[Frayed Knot]

Tough to know what was being said there. I guess one would have to ... wait for it ... Ask Siri.

[Edgy MD]

Siri, who is the record holder for the longest hitting streak in the Midwest League?

[Centerfield]

Rockin' Doc wrote: The pitcher for Great Lakes (Ryan Moseley) showed himself to be both gutless and classless. I can't believe he wasn't ejected after throwing way inside on the third pitch.

Yup. Complete asshole.

[Centerfield]

So more of the story comes out. Turns out a Dragons pitcher hit a Loons batter who had homered 3 times the day before.

Doesn't make it right of course. Stupid.