Frayed Knot

Gotta put up more than two runs (one earned) vs the likes of Alex Wood if you expect to win.

With the pitchers due to throw against us in the next two nights, we really don't want to let this one get away.

Y'know, if the Dodgers can't decide on their replay choices in the (supposedly) required 10 seconds, just let them have another 45 or 50. It's not like games already average 3 hours-plus or that it's midnight back here in the east with half the game still to go or anything.

Ashie62 wrote: If Jacob doesn't find his zip the rotation might become, 1.Thor 2.Matz 3. Harvey 4. deGrom 5.Colon. Unlikely but would not shock me. The rotation is simply a loop. Where it starts and ends is pretty much irrelevant.

[fimg=140:2lijhng8]http://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201604090/images/headshots/b/bc1f2e90_mlbam.jpg[/fimg:2lijhng8] Hi, I'm left-hander Alex Wood. You may remember me and my jerky-jerky motion when I was featured in such films as 'Braves 2013-15', or 'Bombed by Yeonis' I've never beaten the Mets in 7 starts [0-3; 4.35 - all with Atlanta] before being dealt to the Dodgers in a multi-team/mega-player deal last July. In October, I relieved in Game 3 NLDS where I served up a 3R HR to Cespedes in the midst of a 2-inning/4-run performance in a game the Mets went on to win 13-7. I'm kind of sucking so far this season too, 1-3, 5.18 in six starts.

Frayed Knot wrote: #13 Don Cardwell

One answer to #4 is Jack Hamilton. That's one of those odd facts that just sticks in my mind for no reason at all. #12 Syndergaard #13 Don Cardwell

One of #6 is Darling

He certainly deserved what he got last night and could be in for even more punishment depending on what the rules are concerning an ejected player returning to the field after the game is over. - The call he was yapping about wasn't even against him (although he may have been mad about something earlier as well) it was strike 3 to Danny Espinosa (which WAS a strike acc to ESPN's 'box'). - And whatever it was he was saying, it was certainly thumb-worthy as Dusty Baker was trying to shoo him away and shut him up, only to have Bryce keep it up while hiding behind other bodies. But the ump knew who it was, Harper's "Who me?!?! look notwithstanding. A coach even tried to claim it was he who said it but 'Blue' wasn't buying. - Two pitches later Clint Robinson won the game via a walk-off HR and that's where he made things even worse with the flying post-game F-Bombs. Yeah, dude, the post-game celebration is still all about you.

3 days, 3 games, 3 saves, 9 in a row retired for Familia Probably gets the night off tonight, but he seems to have put his early season shakiness behind him.

Steven Strasburg signs a 7-year extension just ahead of his FA year. So much for Scott Boras always taking his clients to the open market - although reportedly there are opt-outs involved. (opt-outs are the new black). This very much surprises me. Strasburg seems to shun the spotlight every bit as much as Harper seeks it out, but I never got the idea he was all that popular in DC. But he's finally been the pitcher they always hoped since about August of last season (though has surrendered two HRs tonight) so I guess the team figured the time was right.

Note that not only did the Dodgers go to the matte finish helmet this year but also the LA insignia on the helmets are in raised lettering.

Joe Blanton, currently pitching, was part of the 2002 'Moneyball' draft for Oakland. That scene wasn't in the movie but it was a big part of the book. Blanton was 24th overall, 8 picks after Nick Swisher, then John McCurdy at #26 (never made the majors), Ben Fritz at #30 (ditto), Jeremy Brown 35th (the fat guy in the film clip at the end of the flick - played briefly in the majors), Steve Obenchain (37th - never played) and Mark Teahen 39th who had a decent ML career. They then took a chance on a HS hurler in the 40th round named Jonathan Papelbon but he didn't sign and instead went to college where he was selected 3 years later in the 4th round by the BoSox.

Gary was talking about this (the 6th) probably being Matz's last inning, but I'd like to see him go one more.

Kazmir has got to want to strangle Kendrick after that one.

Edgy MD wrote: In order for a breakout year to be a breakout year, you have to stay broken out, rather than be quickly recaptured by your previous legacy. Else, it's just a freak year. No pressure, Hagar. Well it was more like a break-out two-year stretch (2014 + 2015) even if he still has yet to log a full 500+ AB kind of season. Turner's LAD stint now sits just 20 plate appearances short of equalling his NYM time [875 vs 895] and his OPS out west is 158 points higher [864 vs 696; or OPS+ of 135 vs 95] while his HR rate tripled during these near-equal stretches even with this season's (slow or normal?) start mixed in. Doesn't mean the now 31 y/o is a sure bet to maintain that pace but it's also too big a gap to write off just as a SSS fluke.

That shaggy redheaded, bearded guy who used to fill-in in NYM colors is starting most of the games at 3B for LA these days (24 starts + 1 at DH in 31 games). But his OPS, as we head towards the quarter-pole of the 2016 season, is starting to creep back down following his ridiculous break-out year (albeit in part-time duty) in 2014 (897) and the full-ish one that followed (861). His 706 OPS this year is more in line to where it was (696) across parts of four seasons in Queens although he's still hitting 3rd or even clean-up most nights.

Adrian Gonzalez (who turned 34 yesterday) is still their stalwart at 1B. He's started every game but one this season and has never really cared whether the pitcher is throwing with his left arm, or with his right, or from between his legs. Of all their high-priced position players, he's the only one starting full time these days. Still hitting well [.278/.359/.391] although with a freaky H/R split going on where he's got a sub-.100 BA at Dodger Stadium (4 for 43) while hitting nearly .400 on the road, but it's probably just flukey small sample stuff that I wouldn't count on continuing.

d'Kong76 wrote: Hernandez, LF Kendrick, 2B Gonzalez, 1B Turner, 3B Puig, RF Thompson, CF Ellis, C Culberson, SS Kazmir, P Looks like the lefty starter causes [crossout]Mattingly[/crossout] Dave Roberts to get all fraidy-scared and sit most of his LH batters. In addition to Utley, who's been the LAD leadoff hitter most of the time this year, gone from tonight's lineup are the youngsters Pederson (CF) and Seager (SS) plus the switch-hitting © Grandal. In their places at catcher is the sub-.200 hitting AJ Ellis (although he's started nearly half the time this year), at SS something named Charlie Culberson (formerly of Colorado apparently), and in CF goes Trayce Thompson, a rookie last season w/the ChiSox and the brother and son of NBA players Klay and Mychal.

We need to do a group KTE here since no one seemed to have signed up for last year's 1st round playoff opponent. Dodgers: 16-15, in a virtual 1st place tie w/San Fran 10th in the NL in RS/G; 4th best in RA/G Monday, 10:10 — Matz vs Scott Kazmir [2-2, 5.68, 1.36 WHiP] Tuesday, 10:10 — deGrom vs Alex Wood [1-3; 5.18; 1.49] Wednesday, 10:10 — Syndergaard vs Kente Maeda [3-1; 1.66; 0.95] Thursday, 10:10 — Colon vs Clayton Kershaw [5-1; 2.04; 0.77] Looks like getting off to a good start is the game plan for this series because the pitching sure doesn't get any easier as things go along. The odd thing you notice when looking at the Dodger roster, knowing that they’ve been setting records for payroll these past two years, is how many rookies and 2nd year guys and reclamation projects they’re starting, something that makes you wonder who all that payroll is going to. Well the first place to look is at who’s NOT playing, or at least not starting regularly. (OF) Carl Crawford ($21.6 mil) has started just 9 games in LF plus another at DH. Hitting .211 with fewer HRs than Bartolo (OF) Andre Ethier ($18 mil) — broken leg, on 60-day DL (RHP) Brandon McCarthy — ($12.5 mil) TJ surgery, gone for the season (LHP Hyun-jin Ryu — ($7.83 mil) shoulder surgery last May, still not pitching (OF/3B) Alex Guerrero ($7.5 mil) — last year's Cuban import has a knee contusion and is on extended spring training (RHP) Brett Anderson ($12.5 mil) — back surgery, 60-day DL plus an assortment of other injuries to more minor guys. Oh yeah, and they're also paying at least part of the freight to former players such as Matt Kemp ($14 mil over 4 yrs to SD), Bronson Arroyo (retired - $4.5 mil buyout), Michael Morse ($8.5 mil to Pitt); Hector Olivera ($23.35 mil over next 5 yrs to Atl where's he's currently under suspension. He never played an inning in LA). And then there's the $40+ mil in current or future obligations they're on the hook for with two other Cuban imports currently toiling away in A & AA ball. All this from a team that isn't even broadcasting their games to half the city because they can't seem to get their local cable deal straightened out.

The Cardinals are probably the best example of the up/down nature of the NL so far. They're currently sitting at 16-16 although with a [u:27mpxthw]plus 40[/u:27mpxthw] RS/RA which suggests they should be more like 20-12. Problem is, they've been winning a bunch of blowouts vs the weak sisters (six wins of seven or more runs) but are 2-10 when matched against the Cubs (1-2), Pirates (1-5) & Nats (0-3)

The key was knuckleballer Steven Wright* for Boston who tossed a complete game 3-hitter on just 101 pitches. By contrast, Harvey today did 102 through 6 and Cashner for SD was at 98 after just 5 Also helps when all scoring comes via quick-strike HRs: 4 for BoSox, 1 for Yanx. * his friend's father invented the battery insertion diagram you know

5/8/16 Mets 4 - Padres 3 Cubs 4 - Nationals 3 (13 innings) Red Sox 5 - Yanx 1 (and in only 2:27 ... I didn't think that was possible for a Yanx/Sawx game)

Other oddities in this season so far: - the NL is out-playing the AL in inter-league play, holding a 23-16 winning edge so far. If this holds up it would be the first time the NL got the better of IL since 2003 and only the 5th time in the 20 seasons of IL - the NL is also out-hitting and out-scoring the AL for the first time in who knows how long (maybe the entire DH era). NL = .253/.324/.411 and 4.48 R/G AL = .248/.315/.398 and 4.04 R/G

Then there's the 'Home-Run Barrage' game ... oh wait, that's most of them.