Baseball Toaster: Dodger Thoughts : Wall-to-Wall Baseball

Wall-to-Wall Baseball

2006-09-27 21:10

by Jon Weisman

It wasn't the four-homer night of last week, but it was an incredible night of baseball. The Dodgers, Padres, Cardinals, Phillies and Astros, all fighting for the playoffs, were all involved in see-saw affairs - and for Philadelphia and Houston, it was a see-saw they almost couldn't get off of.

The evening ended in almost flawless fashion for the Dodgers. Washington was doling out hope and frustration in equal amounts, but finally succumbed to Philadelphia in the 14th inning, 8-7 (despite a pinch-hit single by former Dodger minor league pitcher Beltran Perez, the 47th player used in the game). Earlier, however, Albert Pujols hit a three-run, third-deck homer off Cla Meredith in the eighth inning to send San Diego to defeat and allow the Dodgers to move within a game of the Padres, while maintaining a one-game advantage over the Phillies.

With four games remaining, the Dodgers' magic number for clinching a playoff spot is four - to win the NL West, it's six. (Yes, second-place teams can have magic numbers - they just end up being larger than the magic numbers of first-place teams.) St. Louis, meanwhile, holds off the Houston charge for one more day, despite the Astros' 15-inning victory over Pittsburgh in a game that involved 46 players.

It was hardly a flawless night for Dodgers starting pitcher Derek Lowe, who allowed 10 hits and fell behind, 4-1, but he got through six innings in 90 pitches, setting up not only Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito to close out the game, but also setting himself up to return for his Sunday start on three days' rest.

It was also great to see Andre Ethier put the bat on the ball in a big situation, with a 1-2 count against him, and ground a clean single into right field to tie the game in the sixth inning. Ethier's triple-happy teammates also got two key blasts from J.D. Drew and Marlon "Merlin" Anderson that lifted the Dodgers toward their comeback victory.

The Dodgers have now won five of their past six games.

* * *

Saito was floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee again. His 22nd save, setting a Dodger rookie record:

vs. Kaz Matsui
0-0 fastball called strike high in zone
0-1 pulled on the ground foul
0-2 way outside
1-2 fouled at plate
1-2 soft fly out to Lofton in left-center

vs. Jeff Baker
0-0 called strike
0-1 slider low, swung on and missed
0-2 slider low, taken
1-2 fastball down the middle, called strike three

vs. Jamey Carroll
0-0 ball
1-0 called strike
1-1 slider looped into center field for single

vs. Jeff Salazar
0-0 inside, swung on and missed
0-1 outside corner, tailing away from lefty, swung on and missed
0-2 just missed the low outside corner, taken
1-2 slider on the hands, fouled toward the Colorado dugout
1-2 fastball, swung on and missed

17 pitches, 13 strikes, four balls

Comments (103)

Show/Hide Comments 1-50

2006-09-27 21:11:18

1. bhsportsguy

Houston keeps pace, the Cards take their number down only by one.

2006-09-27 21:13:30

2. Bob Timmermann

I'm entering the laundromat blackout. No communications will be possible for a few hours.

Then we'll know....

2006-09-27 21:16:53

3. Xeifrank

Just wanted to jump the gun and wish Jon's brother a happy birthday. vr, Xei

2006-09-27 21:17:08

4. capdodger

2 Sound General Quarters. Good luck and Godspeed.

2006-09-27 21:17:28

5. Vishal

i want the cardinals to miss the playoffs, but if the dodgers make it i wouldn't want to face clemens, pettitte, and oswalt.

2006-09-27 21:19:51

6. das411

Dodgers-Phillies Vish!!

2006-09-27 21:20:33

7. Xeifrank

After winning 5 of 6 as Jon points out... it makes the Pittsburgh losses all the more painful. vr, Xei

2006-09-27 21:20:50

8. Greg S

Just a public service announcement: Remember that tomorrow's game is at 12:05 PM. Don't come home after work looking forward to sit down and watch it (unless you've Tivo'd it)

2006-09-27 21:21:00

9. Bluebleeder87

you're laundrmat is stuck in the 20th century Bob, my local laundromat has internet connection.

2006-09-27 21:22:13

10. Vishal

[6] that would be fine with me, but that can only happen if the dodgers win the division and the phils edge san diego for the wild card. then the mets play houston or st. louis in the first round... right?

2006-09-27 21:22:21

11. Greg S

7. No. Not for me. It makes it exactly the same painful. If we continue to win, it will be zero painful.

2006-09-27 21:25:05

12. Vishal

[10] so essentially it would require a massive collapse by the padres. i don't think it's likely.

2006-09-27 21:25:16

13. Xeifrank

I will be out in the desert enjoying a 97 degree day tomorrow so everyone have fun and pull out another victory for the Dodgers. I will be with you in thought. vr, Xei

2006-09-27 21:28:44

14. JoeyP

Its too bad the Rockies-Dodgers isnt the ESPN Thuraday day game.

And also they are showing Phillies-Marlins on Friday nite, but no Dodger-Giant game.

How can you not show the Dodgers-Giants friday night?

2006-09-27 21:30:24

15. Bluebleeder87

like Jon pointed out, it was cool to see Andre Ethier getting a clutch hit.

2006-09-27 21:32:51

16. Mark Joseph

Probably some Yunkee player scratching himself has all of their TV cameras pre-empted.

2006-09-27 21:32:58

17. Bluebleeder87

Phillies vs Marlins are alot more exiting?

2006-09-27 21:35:24

18. Sam DC

I see you retired the last thread at 756.

755 would have been the respectful way to go.

Like Bonds'll do next year.

2006-09-27 21:37:24

19. Eric Stephen

Broxton is now up to 97 strikeouts on the year. I believe he & Saito will be the 2nd reliever teammates to each have 100 Ks in a season (Shields & K-Rod in 2004). BTW, I will be in SF for Saturday & Sunday's games. Hopefully the Dodgers will improve on their 0-4 record with me in attendance.

2006-09-27 21:37:28

20. Griffon64

I too was glad to see Ethier get an important single. Still don't want him back in the starting lineup though.

One game only though, and tomorrow is a new game. We start anew. You are only as good as the game you are playing on the day when it is this tight.

2006-09-27 21:42:18

21. Bluebleeder87

an mlb.com buddy of mine will be there as well

2006-09-27 21:43:18

22. scooplew

19 Have you considered not going? (Just kidding).

2006-09-27 21:47:43

23. scooplew

Bonds did not play today or Tuesday -- not even to pinch-hit -- and the Giants are off on Thursday. Gee, I wonder who they are saving him for.

2006-09-27 21:48:04

24. Eric Stephen

Oh yeah, Delwyn Young's home plate collision was awesome, but it seems rich donnelly was at fault here, again.

The right arm of #37 is still costing the Dodgers!

2006-09-27 21:49:29

25. Bluebleeder87

let's hope he changes his mind, or he gets a flat tire. :o)

2006-09-27 21:50:20

26. Bluebleeder87

Vinnie called him another name if i remember correctly no?

2006-09-27 22:00:01

27. gibsonhobbs88

Dodgers these days are affecting my health, I've now obtained the flu with bronchial like cough. The stress of these games are too much. I will miss tomorrow's game as I can't afford any more sick days. I hope Penny reverts to his "dominate Rockies" form tomorrow. Good comeback from 3 runs down tonight. I'm signing off early, get some sleep! Goodnight all Dodger nuts throughout the great USA!

2006-09-27 22:03:38

28. Bluebleeder87

my health is fine but my heart beats faster during surtan times during a game.

2006-09-27 22:04:23

29. Bluebleeder87

good night peeps, same bat time same bat channel tomorrow.

2006-09-27 22:04:36

30. scooplew

27 I cannot envision Penny self-destructing again. I feel that he will demonstrate tomorrow why he is paid what he is paid.

2006-09-27 22:10:16

31. NPB

What a night when a Dodger comeback win is the LEAST exciting game of all the key contests...

2006-09-27 22:10:20

32. JoeyP

Penny has dominated the Rockies this season.

5 starts
5-0 record
32.2 IP
1.93 ERA
23 Ks
3 BBs
2 HRs

2006-09-27 22:10:46

33. Jon Weisman

19 - In 2003, Gagne had 137 strikeouts and Mota 99. And I'm sure Mota had two strikes on that 100th batter. So close.

2006-09-27 22:13:16

34. Greg Brock

Bob should be adding fabric softener right about now.

Take care of your cotton, people.

2006-09-27 22:17:14

35. fanerman

32 - I hope he doesn't "regress to the mean" tomorrow.

2006-09-27 22:20:43

36. Gagne55

35 He certainly didn't do well against the Rockies last time. Before that his era was below 1.

2006-09-27 22:21:26

37. Gagne55

And he was cruising in it too. Then just suddenly imploded without warning.

2006-09-27 22:25:05

38. Gagne55

Saito just set the team rookie save record. A record that didn't even last a season.

2006-09-27 22:26:30

39. natepurcell

minor league news:

Affiliation change: The Dodgers switched Class A affiliations, leaving Columbus of the South Atlantic League and adding Midland, Mich., in the Midwest League.

thoughts? I dont want to send our pitchers to cold crappy michigan.

2006-09-27 22:30:07

40. Gagne55

39 Meh. It's A-ball.

2006-09-27 22:32:40

41. natepurcell

whats your point?

2006-09-27 22:41:47

42. ToyCannon

Not to cold in Michigan during the summer. I thought College kids knew that kind of stuff.

2006-09-27 22:46:42

43. 27indigo

19 My girlfriend and I will be there on Saturday. Driving down from Oregon.

39 I thought the whole point of the Dodgers switching their minor league affilates (San Antonio-Jacksonville; San Bernadino-Wilmington/Columbus) was that they wanted a minor league "hub" near Vero Beach. Moving to Michigan kinda goes against that whole deal.

2006-09-27 22:49:01

44. natepurcell

Kershaw and Morris are going to be in Vero by summer time so that doesnt matter :)

2006-09-27 22:56:58

45. Greg Brock

Bob should be folding right about now. Something tells me Bob takes great pride in his folding.

2006-09-27 23:05:43

46. bigcpa

FWIW JD Drew tells the OC Register he doesn't plan to opt out of his contract and that he's enjoyed his time living in Los Angeles. This is on espn rumor central- not the OC Register website.

2006-09-27 23:06:04

47. natepurcell

I have a load of unfolded laundry in my room right now thats been there since Sunday. Oops.

2006-09-27 23:06:46

48. fanerman

47 - That's how I roll, too.

2006-09-27 23:08:20

49. JoeyP

I think the Midwest league is a better league than the Sally IIRC.

2006-09-27 23:10:03

50. Greg Brock

47 48

Shame on you. At the end of the day, all a man has is his folding. Well, and his word.

But folding is really important.

Show/Hide Comments 51-100

2006-09-27 23:13:07

51. Linkmeister

That Phillies game...I'm shaking my head. So many lost opportunities for each team during and after the 9th inning.

I guess I have to go look at Gameday to figure out how the Dodgers got behind and came back; you guys don't report very well on the previous thread. ;)

2006-09-27 23:20:09

52. Bob Timmermann

I take no pride in folding. I take great pride in shoving everything into a drawer.

The mission was a success.

28 socks went in. 28 socks came out. Not one was left behind. I thought I had lost a sock, but it was left behind in a washer. I came back for it. Like a good commander.

The checkered jersey is clean!

2006-09-27 23:20:57

53. xaphor

50. Oh how I wish I had some unfolded clothing. The better half is out of town but I think these pants can see me through the next couple of days. :)

2006-09-27 23:21:08

54. natepurcell

I think the Midwest league is a better league than the Sally IIRC

better in what way?

2006-09-27 23:22:25

55. natepurcell

28 socks went in. 28 socks came out. Not one was left behind. I thought I had lost a sock, but it was left behind in a washer. I came back for it. Like a good commander.

LOL. thats classic.

2006-09-27 23:24:58

56. bigcpa

Looking at the next 4 days... we won't have another 4-game pileup like tonight. On Saturday we play before SD & Philly. On Sunday Philly's 10am start might be over before our first pitch. Would be nice to scratch Lowe at that point if the WC is in the bag. What if the WC is clinched but we're tied with SD? Hmmmm.

2006-09-27 23:37:20

57. Greg Brock

There is a taxonomy to clothing arrangement.

Top Drawer: Socks and Boxer shorts. Maybe you cram undershirts in there, but I don't recommend it. It's a bit excessive for my taste. Give the undershirts some space...They deserve it.

Middle two drawers. Undershirts and T-shirts.

Lower two drawers. Pants and shorts.

2006-09-27 23:58:39

58. Bob Timmermann

Drawer five contains both my undershirts and my diplomas.

2006-09-28 00:07:57

59. Greg Brock

My UCLA diploma on the wall, just below the Brando autographed Godfather movie poster (both in location and importance). I have no idea where my high school diploma is. I'm not even sure I ever picked it up.

My Jr. Lifeguard diploma is probably at my grandmother's house. She was rather proud of it. I was surprisingly indifferent.

2006-09-28 00:14:51

60. Greg Brock

You keep your college diploma in a clothes drawer?

2006-09-28 00:21:03

61. Bob Timmermann

I keep BOTH college diplomas in a clothes drawer.

2006-09-28 00:22:51

62. fanerman

52 - Bob, you're my new laundry role model. I have 2 sets of socks (different style) and both are odd-numbered. I imagine I lost them while doing laundry.

2006-09-28 00:23:52

63. Greg Brock

BA and MA?

Or is it actually Dr. Bob, PhD in hilarity?

2006-09-28 00:26:20

64. Bob Timmermann

BA, History, UCLA
MLIS, UC Berkeley

They look remarkably similar.

2006-09-28 00:28:03

65. Greg Brock

The all say University of California in huge letters.

"Given at Los Angeles" is small and, seemingly, unimportant.

2006-09-28 00:31:59

66. Greg Brock

My dealings with the librarians at UCLA were not particularly fun.

They also made me buy a UCLA coffee container to carry into the library. I resented that.

2006-09-28 00:35:36

67. Bob Timmermann

66
They weren't out to make friends with the students. You were just interrupting them from important work. Which likely didn't involve students.

2006-09-28 00:39:47

68. Greg Brock

67 God forbid a fellow walk into the Young library in need of help researching the Tartar invasion of Lithuania.

I mean, who doesn't know about the Tartar invasion of Lithuania. Come on!

2006-09-28 05:54:47

69. dianagramr

Wasn't there a movie about that ....

Saving Bob's Clothing That Covers His Privates?

2006-09-28 05:55:32

70. dianagramr

you DID wash more than just socks, didn't you Bob?

2006-09-28 06:21:39

71. 50 years a Dodger Fan

LAT says the Dodgers are thinking about moving spring training to Arizona. They are moving their A team from Vero to somewhere in California and some other club is going to move a minor league team to Vero.

2006-09-28 06:39:26

72. we are infinite

Sorry if you guys have been over this a long time ago, but doesn't it kind of bug you when Vin says a player "graduated from the University of California." I'm always like, erm, which one?

2006-09-28 06:39:35

73. Disabled List

28 socks = 14 pairs.

Bob does his laundry once every two weeks. I do the same thing, except I never get an even number of socks to come back from the laundromat.

2006-09-28 07:02:35

74. Vishal

[72] whenever anyone just says that someone went to "the university of california", it's referring to berkeley. the other ones require the location to be added on, but not cal.

2006-09-28 07:10:19

75. we are infinite

Ohhh tricky! LOL you'd think I would know that after growing up in the Bay Area. It must be because I was on the Stanford side of the bay (not that I root that way).

2006-09-28 07:20:48

76. we are infinite

To clarify, I always refer to "The University of California" as "Cal" or "UC Berkeley." It's just the full name that threw me off. I'm not THAT bad. :)

2006-09-28 07:23:37

77. Vishal

hehe, it's because berkeley has the distinction of being the oldest, flagship school of the UC system. so when you watch a cal football game on tv, you'll see that it's some team vs. california. kind of like how the university of wisconsin-madison is known as wisconsin, even though there are other branches.

2006-09-28 07:34:36

78. Terry A

71 - Not just "some other club," but That Other Club.

As in, that club that really has Colletti's number when it comes to trades.

2006-09-28 08:03:28

79. DodgerBakers

71. That's too bad. Even though I live in AZ, I liked the feeling of Vero Beach and having the Dodgers there. The history there is great, too. Anyone know what town they'd move too? Tucson or Phoenix?

2006-09-28 08:13:16

80. Benaiah

79 - Tucson has a AAA team so I don't think so. Obviously Phoenix has a AAAA, er MLB team, so they are probably out too. I would imagine... Yuma? Globe? Prescott? What are the other Arizona teams?

2006-09-28 08:19:53

81. worz

54 Does anyone know what happens when a team changes its affliate? How do teams decide which players move to the new one? Do most get "left behind"?

2006-09-28 08:20:06

82. frankie g

this is why i hate the mccourts. So they are moving the dodgers out of vero beach. They currently are running instructional league in AZ. THey just do these shady things all the time. I know we are in a playoff hunt, but it sucks that the mccourts are the owners of this club. It looks like they are going to play in the Cal league and have the D-rays run a club out of Vero Beach.

2006-09-28 08:21:01

83. frankie g

the players belong to the parent club, so we don't lose any players. The only thing we are giving up on is Dodgertown.

2006-09-28 08:25:50

84. capdodger

81 Usually, the players all belong to, and are paid by, the MLB club. When a MiLB club changes is MLB assocsiation, the MiLB players change as well. This is assuming that the MiLB team isn't a co-op or shared team.

82 Whaa???? There's lots of big reasons to dislike the McCourts: Hiring/Firing DePo, Firing Porter, Renovations, etc... The location of the MiLB teams is a really a petty item.

2006-09-28 08:26:44

85. capdodger

Wait... Did I miss an announcement?

2006-09-28 08:28:49

86. Benaiah

I thought that the Dodgers owned their park and stuff in Vero, and parts of Dodgertown. Wouldn't this make it difficult to switch locations?

84 - I strongly disagree that this is petty. The Dodgers were the first team to set up spring training in Florida and it is a part of Dodger lore. It isn't like renaming Dodger stadium Disney stadium, but it is annoying and Frank Mccourt is directly responsible for it.

2006-09-28 08:30:07

87. dianagramr

Kim Ng needs to be made the GM ....

(grumble grumble)

2006-09-28 08:33:45

88. regfairfield

82 We're moving from Columbus, not Vero.

2006-09-28 08:34:58

89. capdodger

86 - First, yes. But they did it when they were a Brooklyn team. They don't have quite the same snow-bird fanbase in FL that they used to. It's inconveient for the team that the primary player development facility is 3000 miles away from the home base. McCourt may be responsible, but it's a good choice.

Have they even announced that they've put Dodgertown up on the block yet? How did this go from moving a Low-A team to MI because of poor field conditions to razing Dodgertown?

2006-09-28 08:38:23

90. Sam DC

Well, I feel the Nationals have put up a good fight, but I really don't see them beating Lieber this evening with big-eared Mike O'Connor on the mound.

So the Dodgers best take care of business themselves.

2006-09-28 08:43:01

91. bhsportsguy

Here some details on why they are changing their affiliations in their high and low A classification teams.

And although they have trained in Vero for over 50 years, they have had a minor league club since 1980. They last had a club in the California League in 2000.

Both the Vero Beach and Columbus, had poor atendance, in 2006, they both drew 64,985 while each playing over 60 home games.

To illustrate the lack of draw in the two cities, the Dodgers' rookie league affiliate, Ogden, Utah, drew 134,961 for only 38 home dates,

2006-09-28 09:06:51

92. mitleid

I understand the tactical aspect of the maneuver, but Delwyn Young's blatant football tackle made me sick. Kudos to J.D. Closser for not pegging Delwyn in the head with the ball.

2006-09-28 09:08:24

93. NPB

Are you kidding me? That play was awesome. Nice to see the Dodgers showing some fight.

2006-09-28 09:09:30

94. adraymond

92
Eh. Delwyn had his chance to impact a pennant race as rookie and he took advantage of it. Both he and Closser did their jobs. Plus, it looked totally rad.

2006-09-28 09:09:38

95. Bob Timmermann

73
Sometimes I wear more than one pair of socks during a day.

2006-09-28 09:14:15

96. Greg S

Delwyn's hit was awesome. Catcher is blocking the plate and he has a right. And with the season on the line, he did exactly what he should have done. Good for him.

2006-09-28 09:16:56

97. capdodger

I ask again... Where has it been written that the Dodgers are leaving VB? What did I miss?

2006-09-28 09:17:42

98. Greg S

As for Vero, I believe that we no longer own the facility or the land. We sold it to the city and now lease it back from them. We have a long term contract that if we were to move to AZ, would be bought out by the city trying to attract us.
I believe it is Surprise, AZ that wants us but some other team could move there and we could take their place. Tucson has both a minor league team (Sidewinders- D-Backs AAA) and the spring training facility of Dbacks, White Sox and Rockies.
HIstory/shmistory. It makes no sense to have spring training 3,000 miles away from home. Hisory went out the window in 1958. Time to get over that one.

2006-09-28 09:18:28

99. Greg S

97 There not... yet. They are moving their A ball affiliate (who has only been there since 1980) out of there. That sparked the discussion.

2006-09-28 09:18:51

100. Greg S

99 they're not

Show/Hide Comments 101-150

2006-09-28 09:23:10

101. Jon Weisman

Game thread is open.

2006-09-28 09:25:12

102. capdodger

99 - All I've seen is that the Low-A Sally Lg. team is moving to MI. What my question was where has it been written that the High-A FSL VB Dodgers are moving?

2006-09-28 09:54:36

103. Jon Weisman

See new post up top for the Vero update.