Ethier's ability to draw a walk has been a positive in the face of his slump. However, if Andre doesn't start swinging the bat better, pitchers will be more apt to throw him strikes and the number of walks will decline over time, reducing his offensive production accordingly.

Going forward, Ethier's success will be a function of how he hits rather than how many times he walks, IMHO.

It's better than even steven. Being ahead at this time of year means that the calender is your friend. While the Dodgers and Giants are in the same position in the standings that they were two days ago, there are now two less days for teams trying to catch up to do so.

Apparently, Wayne Krivsky is now trying to blame Al Qaeda for the state of the Reds' bullpen.

http://tinyurl.com/kggjw

On the Reds broadcast, Marty Brennaman was interviewing a Reds beat writer and he mentioned that the Reds really have no idea who will start the coming weekend as most of the starters are banged up too. Arroyo pitches tomorrow.

And the Reds are playing the Cubs.

BTW, just on the last weekend in SF, considering how good the Giants have been overall and particularly in Phone Co. Park since it opened in 2000, the Dodgers 29-31 all-time record is probably among the best in the league. The 2006 Dodgers are 4-2 thus far at SF.

4 On Tuesday night, I heard Marty reading an e-mail that was complaining that Jerry Narron [Red's manager] always uses the bad relievers. Marty's response was something like "Hey [emailer], tell me who are the good relievers?"

You gotta love XM.

I think Dodger Blues has a poll up about that

Continuing my theme from yesterday, the sunrise was again beautiful today, we're expecting our first snow up in the mountains this weekend, and the Dodgers are still in first. The good life.

The Cubs are 13-12 at Phone Company Park.

Cleveland is 3-0!

1 - Well, sure. But if he proves he can take a walk and pitchers, as you say, throw him more strikes, he's more likely to hit better. He won't hit .350, but he won't hit .143 either.

The only skyrockets today will be lit up by the Dodgers as Wade Miller is just a shell of his former self.

100 one day, sprinkles the next and they say we don't have weather.

The Washreal Exnats are 15-11 at the Phone Booth.

I said among the best, okay maybe towards the middle but its not like the Giants own them in Pac/AT&T/SBC Park.

I think the difference between Ethier and Martin is that Martin's ABs 'look' better and tend to be more productive in terms of getting runners over, etc. Now it could just be all selective memory, but some of Ethier's recent ABs have been downright terrible.

The Dodgers do have the best record of NL West teams at the Phone Booth. The Rockies and Padres have been very bad there.

The Giants beat Arizona everywhere.

14 - I think that considering he's reached base 13 times in nine games, it's at least partially selective memory. I think a few of his at-bats have looked so awful that it's had a disproportionate effect on our perception of him.

I can certainly look at some other Dodgers in the middle of the lineup who have been overeager.

Both teams are playing in Cincy like they need to catch a plane.

14 But hasn't Ethier been hacking pretty much all year? Is the only difference that his ground balls are finding fielders?

16 Its also possible that some of those bad Ethier's ABs follow similar poor showings by guys before him in the lineup when we're trying to rally, but thats selective memory as well. You don't remember the one out singles, etc. Theres too many games and too many statistics to ever see things in their entirety.

18 - Yeah, if anything, he's might be hacking less this month overall.

1. Lugo plays just about every day.
2. Anderson plays or pinch hits every day.
3. Hamulack and Carrera are used regularly.

And you're trying to make sense of Little's comments on why Ethier isn't playing???? A bit early in the day for me to go down that twisted road...

Giovanni Carrara hasn't pitched since September 4.

i just hope Ethier is well rested for the war against S.D. Kuo going today makes me happy, i just hope the Cubbies are swing happy.

21 - Little's comments were easily understood.

21 BTW 34 years a Dodger fan, but then who is keeping score, its all good.

1. You only think Lugo plays everyday.

2. I do think they have used Anderson more than most people thought but I can't say he has done anything to hurt the team.

3. See above re Gio and Hamulack has been used in spots like Beimel though Beimel is the one you will see first if the Dodgers have a chance to win.

The Cubs are last in the NL in walks with 365 and they are a little over 50 walks behind the next best team, Pittsburgh (419).

Despite our complaints about the Dodgers hacking at first pitches, they still lead the NL in OBP.

25
At what point do I get to count the beginning of my Dodger fandom? Birth? I was born in the late fall of 1965.

First time I can recall a game on TV? 1970
First time I attened a game in person? 1971
First time the Dodgers broke my heart? 1971

Wow, this game is motoring.

27 - I think I probably would start counting in 1974, the year of my first specific memory of rooting for the Dodgers, even though I'm confident I've cheered for them longer. I can date my Laker fandom back to at least 1971-72. My brother would pretend to be Gail Goodrich and tell me to be Happy Hairston.

28
It's amazing how fast a game goes when hardly anyone draws a walk. Or gets a hit.

I'm certain I cried from my crib at the outcome of the 1966 World Series.

Or may I have just been hungry or possibly soiled myself. Or was that yesterday?

27 - Looks like 1971 is your winner.

Happy 35th, Bob.

I don't really remember the Jack Clark/Tom Niedenfuer "event", but remember the 1986 season pretty well. I guess I'm on 20 years then.

Ahh, 1971, the year the Giants tried to give away the NL West, but just couldn't manage to pull it off.

The Dodgers tried to acquire Dave Roberts from the Padres for a late-season push, but Bavasi wouldn't trade with the Dodgers fearing that it would look improper.

27 I count the 1972 season since that was the first year I attended a game and that was about the same time (71-72) when I became a Laker fan too.

I can still recall being one of many who listened to Vin and Jerry with my transitor radio and reading the LA Times stories.

Don't remember them being on TV much at taht time since Walter O'Malley only let a few games from San Francisco be televised.

Padres with the bases loaded and none out.

29 In a one-on-one game, I think Hairston would have had a harder time guarding Goodrich than Goodrich guarding Hairston because of Gail's quickness.

25

sparked a thought or 2 for me as well, my Dad took me to my first game during the playoffs against the Cards back in '85 but i didn't start bleeding blue till '87 thus my nickname bluebleeder87

Yack - is there a rule 11 against no talk of motoring?

I'll be able to tell my kids they cheered for the Dodgers when they were each 2.

And of course, there's this:

https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/257946.html

There should be no talk of a Reds pitcher is pitching decently....

It is interesting that Little has continued to ride Martin, even in the face of the letdown that Ethier has experienced. Is it really prudent to wait for the inevitable wall-hitting, considering it would come at a very inopportune time now (September, or Gagne-willing, October)? Add in the fact that Toby Hall hasn't exactly been a black hole when he's been given the chance to play, I'm surprised that Martin isn't given just a little more time off.

37 - Considering I was 4 years old and my brother 8, that's pretty much how it went.

I count 1966 listening to the World Series in Germany on Armed Services Radio and hating Willie Davis until I actually saw him play in person and then he become my favorite player for a while. He was Micky Rivers before Micky Rivers. You'd think because of 66 I would join in Bob's distate for Frank Robinson but I've always loved the fact he won the triple crown and led his team to a World Championship after he'd been traded for being an old 30.

Padres up 2-0 on a Cameron single.

40 And this https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/15640.html

which you've got to think would be pretty fun for a kid to read down the road.

Or, you know, horrifying.

1964 for me.

The first year I can specifically remember rooting for the Dodgers was 1985. I remember my dad picking me up from afterschool day care the day of the Ozzie Smith game, and asking him if the Dodgers won.

I was pretty much a Dodger fan from the cradle, though. At two, I had Dodger pajamas with Steve Garvey's #6 on them. At three, I was taken to a Double A game for the express reason that Fernando was pitching. At four, I was handed a baseball by Greg Brock.

42
I agree, I've been shocked by how much time Martin is getting considering Hall is the backup. Either Little really loves the way Martin calls a game or he really detests the way Hall does.

40

to cute

Padres now up 3-0 when Harang walked Clay Hensley with the bases loaded. That's quality starting pitching for you.

May be time for the Reds to make a pitching change. vr, Xei

52
Harang is about the best that the Reds have. Either he or Arroyo.

Ethier tired because of a first pitch weak ground out to second base. I had to laugh at that Grady quote. You see it every day in the workplace. People trying to justify their jobs by trying to sound important or making non-necessary busy work for themselves. This is what Grady is doing. Trying to justify his job by analyzing that a player is tired due to a weak ground out on a first pitch. vr, Xei

53. But based on that walk to the pitcher he is obviously tired (using Grady Little logic). You can tell just by looking into his eyes on Gameday. :)
vr, Xei

54

Others here would just say it was a failure of will by Ethier or being psyched out.

29. I got to go courtside during a Laker pre-game warmup at the Forum because I had the same birthday as Gail Goodrich. It was the 1971-1972 season, I had just turned 5 years old. I was standing almost right underneath the basket during their pregame shoot around. Wilt Chamberlin, Jerry West, you name em, they were all standing right there. It was a great moment I will remember forever, even though I was very very scared at the time. vr, Xei

well that was a quick inning for the Dodgers.

Oh dear, sit Nomar?

Yeah how many pitches was that: 6 or 7?

56. And some would say he simply grounded out to second base. vr, Xei

So, waiver deal for Wade Miller, anyone?

Well, Clay Hensley is certainly matching Aaron Haraang pitch-for-pitch.

The Reds were 55-50 when play began on August 1st with a one game lead in the Wild Card race, if they lose today, will have gone 17-24 since then with a record against the Dodgers, Padres and Giants of 3-13. And they will fall 4 1/2 games back in the Wild Card race.

To follow up on 48, my dad became a Dodger fan in an interesting way. There were no teams in the Bay Area then, so his older brother was a Yankee fan. Dad hated his older brother. So when, at age 9, on the playground of his elementary school, Dad heard Johnny Podres beat the Yankees on the radio, he knew he had found his team.

Years later we drove by the schoolyard and he pointed out the spot to me. "See those steps right there? That's where I became a Dodger fan."

60 8

Reds issue murmur of protest and get a run back.

57 - My brother once got into the Laker locker room when he was about that age. I think my Dad knew Rudy LaRusso or something.

Reds murmur more and it's 4-2 San Diego now.

Hensley calls it a day and Adkins is relieving and facing Reds pinch-hitter extraordinaire Javier Valentin.

kuo climbs the ladder pretty well.

well Kuo had a nice inning as well.

Guo on the mound. I like our chances.
vr, Xei

Drew is right on schedule with his 1st inning walk.

Fortunately Valentin got a hit since I made a completely unsubstantiated claim about his pinch-hitting ability.

Anybody know where you can get pinch-hitting splits? Does Yahoo have them?

Question for Jon. About the rules/guidelines, are they numbered in order of importance? I would think so, correct? Like #1 could be grounds for immediate ejection, but it would be pretty hard to press charges in case of rule #10. It might even be unconstitutional. Not to be argumentative, and more to be a pest than anything, there is one rule that really irks me and given the chance, I'd like to kind of break it. And on a day like this, when I am pesty, well, I don't want to incur the wrath of Weisman.

I remember a Columbo episode right after the 1972 or 1973 season that showed Happy Hairston, Pat Riley, Jim McMillain and Leroy Ellis, I'm sure IMDB.com could back me up.

I also met Bill Russell (the great Celtic center, not shortsop of the Dodgers), well technically, I did not meet him, we were eating at a coffee shop near our house and he was doing the sportstalk show on KABC radio at the time. He was eating a burger (his hands covered up the whole thing) and my friend walked over to get his autograph, he nicely refused saying that he did not sign autographs and shook his hand instead.

He famously did not sign until a deal with Upper Deck or similar company when he made some money selling his signature in the past couple of years.

Ahh, there it is Javier Valentin is 12 for 49 as a pinch hitter now.

What was the velocity of Kuo's fastball in the first inning? Did he throw any other pitches?

Not being Jon, but I'm pretty sure #1 is the most important one.

And #10 is the least important. But I make no guarantees on 2-9.

74 I don't have it handy but I refer to an article in the past month or so where J.D. basically said that he really doesn't care where he bats in the lineup, it is not going to change his approach.

I believe Kuo hit 94.

80

91-94 fb and threw some sliders.

Embree facing Hatteberg in Cincinnati with 2 on and 2 outs.

From the previous thread - the party that asked If I was still married after 20 years?

Yes I have been happily married to a fellow Dodger fan for 20 years. She grew up listening to the Dodgers on the radio with her dad and would fall off to sleep with Vin Scully in her ear. She loved Fernando, Orel, Gibby, Sax, Hatch and especially those 88 Dodgers. We went to the Gibby homerun WS game sat in the 2nd row of the right field bleachers about one section over from where the Homerun landed. We go to about 10-15 games a year at the stadium. She surprised me during my 40th birthday year with a baseball fan's dream, trip to Boston, Cooperstown and NYC for games in Fenway, Yankee stadium and two days at the HOF. Lucky me!!

who did we trade for anderson again?

DOINK!

Anderson hits it out on the foulpole or is it a fairpole?

Marlon says that I am not the unknown Jackson. Okay bad musical reference joke.

Hatteberg pops out. Going to the 8th. 4-2 Padres.

A little dumb luck can go a long way.

Just turned on the game. have read Jon, but I'm still dissapointed not to try Ethier now and then. With what he's done he deserves a look at least every third game.
Wouldn't you know it Anderson just hit a home run.

Just turned on the game. have read Jon, but I'm still dissapointed not to try Ethier now and then. With what he's done he deserves a look at least every third game.
Wouldn't you know it Anderson just hit a home run.

87 rookie league pitcher named Nunez I think. With an extra H in his first name.

Sorry.

96

no harm no foul.atleast for me.

Marlon Anderson sure seems like a likeable fellow.

77 - They're kind of in order of importance, but I'd like to see them all respected. Even No. 10 - you can certainly express annoyance, but not so much that it violates No. 8. I certainly don't want to endorse your thought of being a pest.

95 Nate knows all minor league transactions, he just asked that in fun.

Let's hope in 2010 he's still asking in fun.

Well atleast Rule #9 is off the books for this game. That is unless the official scorer rules Marlon's homerun an error. :)
vr, Xei

Nunez didn't have an extra "h", he just had it in a funny place. I'm pretty sure he was "Jhonny".

101 Nate will be in the Dodger front office by then so he will probably be worrying about signing all the young talent to long term deals to avoid arbitration.

I get it now. Hadn't seen the home run when I answered.

Sounds like (since I only have the radio) that Kuo has more control over his fastball, I did not see his first start, am I correct in that assumption.

106

after the first inning against the mets, his fb command was pretty good.

Linebrink starting the 8th for the Padres.

it seems that the infield grass at wrigley is really high.

Blanco is a former Dodger if i remember correctly

I just noticed that Adam Dunn might break his own strikeout record this year. He has 176 with 16 games to goand the record is 195. Perhaps he might make it a round 200?

Scott Linebrink will not tie Jason Isringhausen for the NL lead in blown saves today.

Two innings, 24 pitches, 19 strikes, 5 balls for Kuo.

111 - Adam Dunn might hit 500 HR and strike out 3000 times in his career, with a 240 AVG and a 380 OBP. Imagine the great debate about whether or not he deserved to be in the hall if that happened.

86 I extend my congratulations on your 20 years of marriage from the previous thread to this one. I've been married for 26 years. In 1978, while my future wife and I were dating, I took her to an old-timers day at Candlestick. They were honoring the Dodgers-Giants squads from 1958. I was ecstatic probably watching the likes of (memory don't fail me now), Gino Cimoli, Willie Kirkland, PeeWee Reese, Willie Mays, Johnny Roseboro, etc. My wife was busy reading Gail Sheehy's "Passages." But she was pleased that I was so happy.

113

looks good for Kuo, so far.

Frankly, if Kuo turns out to be a reliable starter, that might be the biggest surprise for the Dodger rookie class of 2006.

Adam Dunn had an OPS of .700 in August and it's .712 in September.

Were those stories I've heard about Kuo being a good hitter just rumors?

118 - His numbers for the yaer are a little off, but I think that his approach lends itself to occasional big slumps.

114 If he did that, he'd deserve it, but there's no way he'd get in. If people are calling Frank Thomas a borderline hall of famer, there's no way they'd even consider Dunn.

Kuo was 1 for 11 at Las Vegas, but his one hit was a grand slam.

I just looked at Kuo's birthdate again. For some reason, I thought he was younger.

114/121 I'm afraid that by the time Adam Dunn is up for HOF voting, 500 home runs will no longer be much of a benchmark.

121 - Maybe in 15 years when Dunn is coming up for the award then the baseball community at large will be better informed about statistics.

Going to the bottom of the 9th in Cincinnati: Hollandsworth, Phillips, and the pitcher's spot due up.

Hollandsworth whiffs.

Aflac ? Guerrero?

Phillips joins the whiff brigade.

The last hope: Royce Clayton!

123 I think all the years off for the surgeries and the subsequent lack of pitching make you think he is younger, I think of Greg Miller the same way even though is only 21.

Kuo, since his recall up, 12 IP, 7 hits, 1 run, 17Ks/5 BBs.

115 - Congratulations! You also can thank my wife for her trouble with Nachos in 1988. At the Hollywood stars game against the Expos, Dodgers were behind 2-0 in the 7th when my wife came back to stand with nachos, 7th inning stretch game, she put the nachos in her seat to sing then forgot and sat in the nachos, Dodgers come back and win when Gibby scores from 2nd on a WP. Game 1 of the WS, she is making it back to her seat and in her haste to get to the seat before the national anthem starts, she drops about 1/2 the nachos on the floor, you know the rest, Gibby makes history!!:)
For my birthday, she bought me the novel Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsela and boos by Fred Claire and Kevin Kennedy for my reading pleasure. What a gal!

Could there be any greater sign of surrender than sending up Royce Clayton as a pinch hitter?

Bochy tries to give the Reds an out twice in that inning and the Reds blew both of them on the botched sacrifice and then sending the pitcher up with bases loaded and one out.

I don't envy Narron talking to the press after the game.

Royce Clayton is not the Dodgers savior...

Padres 4, Reds 2.

Cardinals magic number drops to 12.

133

The Cincinnati press is not excatly a confrontational bunch.

I sure hope that the crowd gets into the games this weekend, while they tend to get into the games when the Giants are in town, normally they don't get to that same frenzy since they can't boo someone like Bonds.

I will say that in the two games I have attended where Maddux has pitched, the crowd has really appreciated him and have been into the game, the one game that I did not go to was the 1-0 Giant game and the crowd was definitely in that game.

129 - Looks like either a 1 1/2 or a 1/2 game lead for the Blue depending on our game today going into the weekend against the Friars. Hopefully for this weekend we can turn our fortunes around against the Pads and at least split or maybe hoping(dare I say it) 3 of 4. Let's get out of Chitown with a win first, then we focus in on the matter ahead.

Just a quick survey, who will be attending games over the last homestand. I will be at 4, going every other day starting Monday, and I am still trying to hold the urge to go on Friday or Sunday, a dreaded family commitment keeps from seeing the 1981 reunion.

I'm going to one of the Pirates games.

Gameday is seconds before MLB Radio.

Does anyone want to join me for next Friday night against the D-Backs, D. Lowe should be pitching that night.

I can email you the ticket, Infield reserve behind home plate.

new ballgame

Uh-oh. Here we Kuo! Hang in there guy.

"Pagan triples on a line drive to Lofton"

Ugh. Did that look on TV as bad as it looks via GameDay?

142

how much is that ticket gonna cost 200+

Betemit's defense has been great this series.

Kuo starting over relieving is still a better option.

That was a Pagen thing to do
Perfect play Martin. I can't believe he hasn't been a catcher since little league.
But the D's have done nothing since their only hit.

Actually, nothing.

145
Pagan hit a legitimate triple that split the gap. A 1954 Willie Mays would have played it into a triple too.

Then Furcal and Lofty should at least attempt bunting for a hit.

Hey, the game is on WGN!

Nice walk by Wilber II

Betemit and Drew keep walking and clogging the bases.

139 - I have tickets for Saturday and Wednesday against the Bucs, I might try for the Saturday against the Snakes as well but I'm not sure about that one right now!!

Hopefully with the misadventure with Kent, Chad's comeback after missing almost three weeks sounds about right for the dreaded but somewhat common this year, strained oblique.

I see an Anderson playing for the Dodgers and keep thinking of Dave Anderson.

153

i'm watching the WGN broadcast just for the Lasorda apperance.

Do you hit for Kuo. Not normally, I think.

I'd enjoy road day games a lot more without Charley Steiner. The man leaves no cliche unturned. At least Ethier isn't playing today, so I don't have to listen to Charley's inane banter about how Ethier has been "living out of a suitcase since the end of July." You know, as opposed to everyone else in baseball. Now, if Ethier were SLEEPING in a suitcase, that would be news...

159- absolutely not!

I like to my last game of the season by myself and soak in the atmosphere. Lately, it's been a meaningless game so I will not be able to cash in Jon's "Loser's Dividend" this year.

My guess since and since I only a have few seconds before we find out, Miller with 5IP and 81 ptiches is done for today.

There's a Bob Uecker quote from Major League that springs to mind regarding the status of the Dodger offense today.

Yep, it's going to be Marmol in the 6th.

Marmol seems so harmless, small and fuzzy, certainly not a dangerous adversary.

Singles like that probably explain why Pierre sits atop the NL hits leaders.

Then again he's doing pretty well in the CS department too.

nice pick off by Kuo

Nomar has to stay on the bag. Kent should have at least been backing up the play.

Pierre is picked off, so it doesn't really matter.

What happened on that play, Kuo failed to cover?

I guess it was harmless.

That was CS 19 for Pierre. And a PO for Kuo.

Sam puzzles over the logical inconsistency.

Does Kuo have a good move or did Pierre just commit too soon?

170

It was pretty much a swinging bunt from Pierre and the ball was placed just right for him to reach.

Kent would have had a lot of ground to cover on that play too.

173- bad baserunning by Pierre

173

I think 172 is your answer.

How is Kuo's velocity?

kuo was throwing hard that inning, sitting 94-96. he probably has one more inning left.

very good outing by Kuo, i just hope the Dodgers can score runs against this scary Cubbie bullpen.

Juan Pierre belongs on the Cubs.

174- Kent wouldn't have made it to first in time, but he should have been backing up first in case of an errant throw.

Do you let Kuo pitch one more or do you say thank you for a solid 5 IP.

Quality start alert - condition orange!?

182

if his spot doesnt come up in the top of the 6th, id let him go one more. hes only at 80 pitches.

180 JoeyP, who had a worse half inning in that San Diego game, Bochy, who bunted twice and sent the pitcher up with one out and the bases loaded or Narron for sticking with Harang so long?

oh my god, marmol killed kenny!

Very good bunt by Lofty.

I hope he's ok.

169

if i had the personalty of Kent i would have yelled at Kent for not hustling, but that's just me.

Those ears don't really detract from the soft fuzzy scampering through the trees image Marmol's name suggests.

I don't think quality starts are rare enough events that we need a warning system.

183 Quality starts on this road trip, Lowe, Kuo, Stults and Penny, also all 4 wins.

Kenny got beaned on the throw?

Nate, your assessment of Kuo so far?

WWDD (what will drew do) against Marmol?

Marmol has a bb/k ratio of 56/58

LETS GO BLUE

Will Drew walk here.
Is that good?

184 Nate is hoping for a rally since Kuo is due up 8th this inning.

Is Kuo Greg Maddux now? Of course you don't take him out at 80 pitches. One more inning and Kuo can call it a day.

No walk for Drew!

Jon, any chance of a 1000 post game this weekend? What do you all think.

I apologize to J.D.

Drew earns his money with that blast.

JD Drew is just the perfect hitter.
Patience, Power, and never gives at bats away.

194 Apparently Drew will take him yard. My fantasy team laments Drew's benching.

186 I laughed.

196 The hope for 20 HRs from someone still flickers barely.

203 Is that the real JoeyP. I kid because I care.

I think we are perhaps a bit too generous as we go on.

204 I should also note my fantasy team laments the fact that Drew is on it, since its such a small league and I could have done better during the draft.

The weekends get less traffic that the workweek.

We prefer to slack off.

For the record, I am off work today. It's a subtle difference.

203

J.D. is a robot if you ask me.

"Eyre" -- far more threatening than "Marmol," downright angry some might say.

Saturday's Dodgers game is competing with a USC game. Sunday's game will compete with NFL games.

Monday will likely get the most entries.

Nate, your assessment of Kuo so far?

His fastball command has been excellent and hes getting his slurve over for strikes. he only really made one mistake and it was that fastball right over the plate to pegan. other then that hes pitched a good game with some bloops and bleeders for hits.

He needs to develop a secondary pitch to nuetralize righties a bit and stop them from leaning over the plate. Maybe work on that change up more, hes jut not throwing it with the same arm speed so he isnt getting that deception on it. Maybe also work on a cut fastball although with honeycutt, i think that is going to be taught.

Although you have to love Dusty Baker's managing. Lofton/Nomar/Drew leading off...He starts off with Marmol whose horrible, but then has Scott Eyre warming up if Marmol gets in trouble..

Wouldnt bringing in Eyre first have been the best move? Eyre's better than Marmol, and 2 of the Dodgers he'd be facing are lefties anyway.

I dont think another team will give Dusty a chance when he's fired.

I think the Dodgers need to call up a Rochester now.

Wow, Betemit didn't look good on that at bat.

Are there players that look good striking out? I guess hard swings through the zone that just miss, rather than chasing stuff?

Maybe also work on a cut fastball although with honeycutt, i think that is going to be taught.
That is the pitch he should be working on. A cutter is one of the best ways a lefty can neutralize a right handed batter.

nice at bat by Anderson

214 Wow. I was just going to say he was "rad".

Anybody heard of Billy Sadler? He's the Giants newest reliever as Benitez went on the 60-day DL.

Drew's OPS in September: .931

217

to put it lightly

honestly the only concerns surrounding kuo is his health. if that holds up (like jd drew), he will produce and be good to excellent.

Ethier's going to return to the lineup and Anderson will move to catcher.

222 - I'm sure you've seen him before.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006669/

211 Speaking of J.D., he was on Cowherd's ESPN show this morning.

The way to get Drew animated? Start talking SEC football with him.

226

His character in "Kinsey" was exceedingly creepy.

227
As a friend of mine says "ESPN thinks that any SEC team that wins a conference road game should be immediately put into the BCS Bowls."

What did that final pitch look like.

what were those last two pitches to murton? they came in around 84mph. wgn had a behind the backstop camera on both so i couldnt tell.

I hope Grady doesn't take any chances with our bullpen. I really don't want to see Tomko today unless we are up by 5. I wouldn't mind seeing Brox for 2 and Saito for 1.

Guo's BABIP against. 7 for 21 (minus 5 Ks)
7 for 16: .4375
Pretty unlucky so far.
vr, Xei

billingsley, kuo, elbert, meloan, kershaw, morris.

we will be in good hands.

231- I was wondering the same thing. They had slider velocity but might have been changeups. I'm just guessing based on the way Murton swung and missed.

231 Curve (more of a slurve like you said) on both of them.

I had a good view but wasn't thinking. Looked like a slider but 84 is nasty slow.

Morris?

Another great start by Kuo. Maybe we finally found our hard throwing lefthanded starter. He's earned a spot in the rotation.

233. 7 for 24 (6 Ks). 7 for 18: .389
getting better. vr, Xei

24 batters faced, 28 balls by Kuo today.

210 Here, I'll make you feel like you are at work, excuse me, where's the restroom?

But it looks like we will be seeing Brett Tomko.

242

Go to the clock, turn right. Watch out for the guys shooting up.

238

bryan morris, our 26th pick this year.

hes basically a meloan clone IMO but just 3-4 years younger. Same hard 90-97mph fb and same spiking curveball. Meloan is just more refined right now.

236- I don't think Kuo throws a curve. It sounds like it might have been a slider.

243. I'm thinking about dressing up like Brett Tomko for Halloween. Scary eh!
vr, Xei

245

The 26th pick this year. our 2nd overall pick.

The Cubs are a perfect team for Kuo to face. His start against the Mets was great.

This one was expected. The Cubs have a really poor lineup full of free swingers. If you dont stay disciplined against Kuo, you got not chance bc like others have said no one can hit his pitches.

244 Thanks mister.

246

I think he throws two breaking balls but strictly a "curve" or a "slider" i dont know. I just know Ive seen a sharper breaking ball from him that comes in 84-87 and ive seen a slower, loopy breaking ball from him that comes in 79-83.

246 It broke sideways and was about 83/84 mph. Slow for a slider given his fastball is 94+ I guess it is a sideways bending 84 mph pitch and we can call it what we like.

Who I would like to see the least from our bullpen:

1. Carrara
2. Hamulack
3. Hendrickson
4. Dessens
5. Tomko
6. Sele

229. How odd, since all I've been reading today on college football blogs is about how ESPN has a huge bias against the SEC in favor of USC. Apparently it is ESPN's duty to promote a game that will be on CBS Saturday.

248 To follow up, Kevin Goldstein or John Manuel on a chat said he wasn't worried about Morris's numbers in the Pioneer League since it is skewed towards hitters and his strikeout rate was great regardless.

It will be interesting to see where Morris, Steven Johnson and Kershaw end up next year, Meloan will probably start in Jacksonville with Elbert and both could be in Vegas before the year is out.

251, 252- maybe a slurve. Did it look like Dontrelle's breaking ball?

Penny pitched very well yesterday throwing 103 pitches through 7 innings.

My criticism of Penny is that besides being inconsistent is that he rarely throws much over 100 pitches a ballgame. It's like putting quarters in a machine and it stops when it gets to 100. It makes no difference if it is in the 4th inning or the 7th he's gone at 100. Why is that such a big deal?

It's because Penny is near the bottom of the list for most pitches thrown per inning pitched.(least pitches/inning being the best) He averages 16.76 pitches/inning which is 75th out of 82 (M.Cain). Best is Maddux at 13.51. Opponent BA against Penny is .271, 46th out of 51 (with at least one inning pitched per game played).

It's amazing that he has 16 wins with these
negatives going against him.

Verlander has similar statistics, but his ERA is 3.42 vs 4.04 for Penny. When you consider that Verlander is pitching in a much tougher league the ERA differential is huge.

Lasorda, "I know you've had a tough year, but like we used to say in Brooklyn..."Wait till next year"..??????

Didnt the Brooklyn Dodgers have alot more success than the LA Dodgers have had?

254

But ESPN shows those Saturday night SEC games where they seem to gush over the teams all the time. Sort of like their depiction of Columbia as being tough place to play. Georgia went on to win 16-0.

Kuo's next two starts are against the Pirates and D-Backs, suddenly the 5th spot (or whatever spot this is) is looking like a potential strength down the stretch.

Tommy never found anywhere near the right key.

Yikes. All over Chicago dogs are howling.

255. That was my question and I think it was Jim Callis yesterday. I asked variations of that question in his chat for the last 4 weeks, he finally decided to answer it. Unfortunately, he didn't answer my question about wheter or not the Dodgers are going to sign Kyle Orr or Nicholas Akins.

Please don't blow this one, Tomko.

The Brooklyn Dodgers won 13 pennants in 73 seasons (including the American Association years).

The Los Angeles Dodgers have won 9 pennants and made 5 other postseason appearances in 49 years.

263 I'm pretty sure Orr is signed, he just couldn't get a visa.

rate2 my rear!

Here we go again, Grady should just take out Tomko now before he gives up a homerun.

great performance by Kuo.

258 Only from 1941, I think on any measurememt, the L.A. Dodgers have been more successful than their Brooklyn forefathers.

Its just the star quality, especially once Jackie, the Duke, Campy and the rest joined from 1947 on, makes it seem like they were always successful.

Their LA descendents won 3 World Series before they were 10 years old.

Its interesting that at least 3 or 4 people picked up a distinct pitch as unusual. And it was effective.

Pierre get's another hit

I think Orr is competing for his national junior team so he wasn't going to play this year for the Dodgers anyway. Hopefully, he will be able to go down to the instructional league this year.

Kent really looks bad playing 2nd base.

Uh, oh. World Bank Protesters gathering oustide. I hope they don't roll my car when I sneak out early to head to Oriole Park.

What is Grady waiting for? He usually seems to wait 1 or 2 batter too late.

The Dodgers longest stretch without winning a pennant is from 1921 through 1940 (19 seasons).

19 seasons could come sooner than you think.

Tomko stinks!

I think Tomko may have just lost his 7th inning job.

Tomko being Tomko

Unbelievable.

why, Grady, why?

He gives up 3 hits, and you leave him in.

Why?

The Cubs have 1 batter that can beat ya. Ramirez.

The Dodgers have 1 pitcher that can give it up: Tomko

Horrible.

Please remove the profanity ban.

My approval rating of Grits has gone down quite a bit in the last week.

Well, that just happened.

I h8 Tomko.

Why not bring in Broxton? Why? Goddamn it!

we have Tomko for another year right

277. Winning a pennant would seem to be a little bit harder these days as there is one extra round of playoffs to crapshoot through. Yeah, it's easier to make the playoffs, but I would think the extra round more than cancels that out, but I'd love to see the math showing by how much. vr, Xei

Another Grady blunder. What does Tomko have on Grady? I wonder how many times Tomko has given up tying or winning runs this season?

I blame myself. I just realized this was on the tube and turned it on while there was a 5-2 lead.

I apologize.

As a former hopeful supporter of the Tomko hire, I would like to officialy report that he is now dead to me.

Tomko is as bad as Baez.

282 To Grady's credit, Pierre's single had nothing to do with Tomko, and a 2B with better range may have fielded the Theriot hit.

Last few days have been perplexing to say the least, the way that Little has handled the staff. Facing losing 2 of 3 to the Cubs is inexcusable.

And the Dodgers lose a series to the lowly Cubs. :'(

what happened for those of us busy typing? Did halloween arrive early or something??
vr, Xei

I was hoping after Little gets tired of letting Tomko blow every single game he comes in, they can bring back Todd Worrell.

Tomko is back to being a Giant to me.

For awhile, it looked like Tomko could be a decent middle reliever, esp since we have him signed for another year. Now, he's just Danys Baez.

If we don't make the playoffs, we this game, and the game the other night will be the reasons.

You know, I bet Furcal can get the ball over at about 91-93...

Tomko in Wrigley Field isnt putting him in a 'position to succeed'.

Its terrible, bc the Cubs lineup is wretched and only has like 1 guy thats a threat. At worst, you cant give A-Ram anything good to hit.

going home with a win is a huge thing Grady!! Tomko is Tomko let's face it!.

the dodgers will be out of 1st place by monday. probably 2 1/2 games.

Napoleon had Waterloo
Jim Tracy had Jason Phillips
Grady Little has Brett Tomko.
vr, Xei

295 Exactly. Two of the hits in that inning were the bunt and the ball off Kent's glove. The home run was all his but geez guys.

295- see 267

let's hope we get to there bullpen.

307. Ah yes, Brett Tomko and his "bad luck" 5.00 ERA!

I would think winning the division or the wild-card would be a bit more important than it seems to be. I also hate this using 4 or 5 pitchers( which is partly the starters fault for not going deeper, although often Grits doesn't give them a chance), because no matter who they areout of 4 guys,its easy for one guy to not have it.

Tomko ruined another great start by Kuo. How many more chances is Grady going to give Tomko before Grady realizes that Tomko is not a reliever either.

*232. ddger
I hope Grady doesn't take any chances with our bullpen. I really don't want to see Tomko today unless we are up by 5. I wouldn't mind seeing Brox for 2 and Saito for 1.*

Thanks.

I think we need to introduce Tomko to Jeff the cat.

Other than Broxton and Saito, who are the reliable relievers that Grady is forsaking?

How ironic, if we go ahead this inning, Tomko has chance to win it.

No score through 4 in San Francisco. Cook vs. Cain.

315 Exactly. The problem is that we only have two competent relievers.

I think Beimel should be our 7th inning guy since Grady doesn't use him like a LOOGY anyway.

The problem is that you have no breaks until after the homestand and you have a starting staff that has trouble getting past 6 IPs, you know Maddux is going real deep, you have Chad on Saturday, so you don't know what he will bring so you have to trust your pen, you manage for today and tomorrow. I agree that you should have brought Broxton in to pitch to Ramirez (although he gave up a hit to Ramirez on Tuesday) but guys are accustomed to their roles unfortunately Brett could get out the bottom of the lineup.

Stupid WGN camera angles. At least the announcers were able to properly judge it.

315 Stults? That's actually a good point, we don't have much. In the playoffs, however, we have Billingsley or Kuo for the 7th.

318315

Yeah, but why was Kent in the game with a three run lead?

312- All across New England, Sox fans are saying "Don't say I Didn't tell you so". Grady goes with the ineffective pitcher one batter too long. As soon as Theriot's hit went through, I was pleading to bring in Broxton, the game was right there at that moment to win or lose.

At least Old Maid is pinch hitting for Wilber II

321 Lucky you. The Fox Sports viewers had the pleasure of Steiner yelling like it was an easy homerun.

323 Because he's the second baseman?

The Cubs also swept the Cards 4 straight right after they had beaten up the Dodgers, go figure.

When I think of all the relieverrs teams seem to sign
And how they're in a hurry to complicate their lines
By chasing after outs and dreams that can't come true
I'm glad that we are different, we've better things to do
May others plan their future, I'm busy losing too.

1-2-3-4
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, manage for today
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, manage for today
And don't worry 'bout tomorrow, hey, hey, hey
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, manage for today
manage for today

314 - but do you think Jeff the Cat would take on such a large assignment?

Ned needs to evaluate pitchers in peripherals from now on.

That means, staying away from guys that are bad and have clear histories of being bad: Tomko, Hendrickson, Baez

There is a part of me that kind of thought that it was going to be this way heading to this weekend, hopefully the home winning trend will outweigh the Padre beating the Dodger trend.

Is Grady planning on using Broxton for only 1 inning at a time like Saito. Grady should start managing to win games that we have a lead and not worry so much about saving all his relief pitchers since situations change from day to day.

214

Re that "secondary pitch" needed to stop them from leaning over the plate, ever hear of chin music?

Should the game end this way, it (and this series) is a harsh blow... but I'm still surprised at how quickly people assume the worst.

This team has rebounded before and they will rebound again. Clearly, they're not going to make it easy on themselves, but the Padres are not playing lights-out right now and neither are the Giants.

I don't hate Tomko quite as much as many of you do and I had no problem with him pitching that inning. That said, I would have brought in Broxton to face Ramirez. Mostly because... why not? He can certainly go 1-1/3.

NOW he brings in Broxton?

331 At least from the pen, Tomko's perhiperals are pretty good. Strike out an inning, 4:1 K/BB less than one home run per nine.

335 Exactly. Heck, odds are in our favor that we'll score against ReDempster.

If the Dodgers tie the game in the 9th, I fear to think whom the Dodgers would bring in to pitch.

Dessens?
Beimel?

So Tiger lost. But is his streak snapped? I thought that the PGA had said that match-play didn't count towards the streak, but Foxsports doesn't seem to acknowledge that. Does anyone know/care?

http://tinyurl.com/kbd4n

340 I would think that Brox would just stay in, at least for 1 inning, maybe 2. They why not bring him in in the middle of the 7th? I don't know.

I try to be fair minded, but it is far too predictable when certain pitchers are brought in in certain situations. It could well be that Tomko is unsuited to short relief, as Hamulack certainly is. I have thought long on Grits resting of the vets, and using his whole roster in a confident way.
But not seeming to distinguish when a situation is important to making the play-offs and making a very few exception in the case has turned me.
I like many things about Grits, but I agree with many in Boston that he is not sharp enough to run a play-off bound team.

if i saw the score board & the Padres were losing i'd try everything with in my power to win against the Cubbies. i don't know if that makes sense to you but that's what i think.

For the better part of a month, I think the bullpen is averageing at least 3 IPs per game (that includes those extra inning games), I think that he is trying to manage with that in mind.

340 It doesn't count for his PGA streak but in some higher place it does count.

Dang it Dusty, where's Dempster.

Bynum's errors probably hurt us because it made Dusty play the other guy.

Howry's much better than Dempster, darn it all.

I blame the offense today (only 4 hits thru 8 innings)...

...and of course Tomko.

For those following on Gameday, the delay is for Theriot leaving the game after hurting his hand on Anderson's ground out.

Thanks, Bob. I was just about to ask.

Sheerly from a hypothetical standpoint, it doesn't make sense to make moves that win you one ballgame but damage the team in the longterm (ending up costing them more games).

Grady has generally done a solid job all year -- while I do question some of his recent decisions, I find it hard to believe that he's suddenly lost the ability to manage games he way he did earlier this year.

348 More hits would have been nice, but they did get five walks, as well.

The Cubs against the 4 NL playoff spot holders
Mets - 3-3
Cardinals - 11-8
Dodgers - 3-2 (so far)
Padres - 0-7

Before today, Tomko had allowed 23 baserunners in 20 2/3 relief innings while striking out 20, with a 3.05 ERA.

I might have gone to Broxton sooner, but the decision to bring him in was defensible.

If Ethier wants to play this weekend, he better not swing at the first pitch

342 You realize that all he has done is led two teams in his two years in Boston to the playoffs and in his third year managing has his team in first place.

351

agreed, but these types of losses hurt, i would not like to be on the LOOONNGG plane ride home if i were the Dodgers

Ethier is going to continue to struggle if they continue calling that last pitch a strike

354 But would you bring him in in the exact same situation next time, Jon?

You know what, I think it will sting for a while but they know they have their fates in their hands, so I think they will be fine.

Gruntle gruntle grutle....

That loss is most assuredly on Tomko; how much is on Little's shoulders remains as an exercise for the reader.

wow, there's alot attached with that wow.

327 You had another shortstop cum second baseman pinch hit just prior. He should have taken over at second. Of course, you might leave Kent in just in case, but then again, the only way just in case happens is with some bad pitching and/or some bad defense. We saw both. As I am certain that you appreciate, the defense is a little easier to manage than the pitching. If that one play is made, the inning ends before the homer. And, yes, it might be once in every 15-20 games that it makes a difference, but since we don't have that crystal ball, we need manage as if every time could be that one. And especially now with the "short season" [when every mistake, on the field and in the dugout, gets magnified].

357 So what are you saying; that this loss hurts? Of course it does. But (sorry to break out the old cliche) a season is a marathon. The Dodgers have stumbled in the last week... they need to regain their stride, which will be a challenge, but one that they've overcome on multiple occasions this year.

357 - I think I'd rather lose this type of game (and the first in the series) than getting skunked 10-0. Give me a lead late in a game, and I'll take my chances holding it.

I agree with Jon on 354. Before the extra inning game Tomko had not allowed a run in his previous five appearances. Not that he's great, but he was a plausible choice for that inning.

356 - you realize that all Grady Little had to do was pencil in two of the best hitters of their generation in the 3-4 spots in the lineup. Or, how good of a manager is Joe Torre, really? We probably will never know, because Steinbrenner keeps grabbing the best available free agent talent.

Pit in stomach.
Bile in mouth.
It hurts to watch
my team go south.

We're in first place. And a 3 game lead as far as going to the playoffs. And going home.
Bad loss, bad series. but we are in a very good place.

i feel bad for Tomko because i know he's a good guy.

364 - Kent still had another at-bat in the game, didn't he? If so, I leave him in.

Maybe Jon can write an article about how Grady should tell Tomko and Hamulack that they look "tired" too and need a few days (weeks) off?

Has Kent ever been taken out purely for defensive purposes all year? Any other time he's left a game early it's either been because of injury, double switch, or blowout status.

Lofton and Saenz (although he rarely plays in the field now) are the only two players routinely taken out for defense.

Barry Bonds hit a single off the wall that bounced about 20 feet up the wall.

364 Are you really advocating taking Kent out every time we have a three run lead? Removing one of the most dangerous bats in the lineup for the extra one or two plays out of a hundred someone else would make is a losing proposition.

Also, as much as we don't like it, Tomko is the third best arm in the pen, and we need to use him in those situations, simply because we can't keep running Broxton and Saito out there with a three run lead.

I can see pulling him after the Theroit at bat, but using him at the beginning was not a mistake.

372
Kent batted in the 8th.

The Giants have taken a 1-0 lead in the 6th.

359 - I can't really answer that question in a vacuum. I think the biggest problem this series, for all three games, was the use of Saito. But if pressed to answer whether I would again feel comfortable starting an inning with Brett Tomko vs. Henry Blanco, the answer is yes.

How many eventualities is a manager supposed to watch out for anyway? There's only so much you can guard against.

Again, we were tremendously spoiled during the Gagne era when a lead in the 7th pretty much was a guarantee win. Now we are like every other team, struggling to get to our closer.

Lets remember that Tomko's emergence in August probably avoided some other deals for relievers since he did well and he was under contract.

So now it has come down to this weekend. Somewhere for both of these teams, they would each take a split gladly and move on for the rest of the season, the Dodgers schedule is fairly similar to the Padres, the Padres play the D-Backs more but then the Dodgers play the Jim Tracy led Pirates, the Dodgers play the Giants at home while the Padres go to St. Louis to probably play a team whose only concern will be the 2nd or 3rd best record in the league.

What's Arizona's record against SD? They play alot of games against each other down the stretch.

One other thing to remember about defensive replacements is that Grady was absolutely skewered by Red Sox fans in the 2003 playoffs because he kept subbing out his best hitters for defensive replacements way too early in games, when those guys still had at least one more at-bat coming. That would have been the situation with Kent, too. Take him out and you might have had Ramon Martinez hitting at a key moment instead.

2.5 game lead on a playoff spot, not 3 (364).

378 How did the use of Saito affect either of the last two games? Or do you just mean that was the worst move of the series?

I can see pulling him after the Theroit at bat, but using him at the beginning was not a mistake.

Dessens was worming up in the pen, i'd much rather take my chances with him.

Tomko vs Ramirez & 2 runners on scares the heck out of me.

Not only did I put the wrong post number (it was supposed to be 370), but I also don't know how to do the link thingy.

Can someone please tell me how?

Another tough loss, 2nd in 3 days when we should have won it. It would have been nice to take 2.5 game lead playing SD but we need to at least break even against SD this weekend. Our middle relief is killing us right now.

384 - It was the worst decision of the series. He was used when he was least needed. Keeping him out of a tie game, using him with a 6-0 lead - both wrong.

368 That is same argument about Phil Jackson too, but having the best talent doesn't mean you win all the time, certainly it gives you an advantage, teams with less have a much smaller window to screw up, see Dallas Mavericks.

Are you saying that anyone could have the Dodgers in this position right now? Certainly Terry Francona winning the Series the next year tells you how talented they were but then they were a few outs away of being eliminated.

For Joe Torre, as I said to someone yesterday, the one thing that Torre does is manage for today, similar to how Scioscia is managing the Angels right now. But when you have Rivera, I think that is what you do, the Dodgers don't have anything to close to that right now. And the Angels have pretty much limited their staff to whatever starter is pitching and then Sheilds and Frankie, the Dodgers problem is that their starters can't get to the 8th inning. It has been a problem all year and may be the one thing that hurts them down the stretch.

Not that this means anything but I found it interesting that just as Tomko starts questioning his role in the pen, he proceeds to stink it up in two consecutive outings.

"Tomko is a man not satisfied with being in the middle.

"Do I want to be the seventh-inning guy all year? That's not the goal when this started," Tomko said. "If that's what they need me to do next year, I don't know. This has been good for me to get my feet wet in relief, but the goal was something a little bigger"

http://tinyurl.com/q9thm

At least from the pen, Tomko's perhiperals are pretty good

Sample size.

390 - I noticed that quote ... thought it was rather strange for him to say at this time, even though he had had some bullpen success.

386 Put the number between brackets []

wow, 2 tough losses on games we should've won. That hurts alot! Of course it's not the end of the world, but with the Padres playing at Cincy and the Dodgers at the Cubs you would have to expect either a one game gain for the Dodgers or break even in the standings (vs the Padres). I really think Grady's problem of late has been that he is not managing to win TODAY'S game, but he is managing today's game with the next few games in mind. With only a handful of games left, the MOST important game is the one at hand. Pitch a starter who is doing well an extra inning, let Broxton get an extra 2 or 3 outs, let Saito get an extra out. It's really not going to kill their arms. You have to play for today, otherwise there may be no tomorrow! If you lose with your best, then so be it. If you lose with your best on the bench, then shame on you!!
vr, Xei

Lost in all this was another fine start from Kuo. I think having anoter reliable starter in the mix for the last two weeks could be very very important.

376 This isn't April, May, June, July, or August, it's September. And you do what you can to protect a three run lead in the late innings in September in a pennant race. And since no one here is all that fond of Lugo as a hitter, fine, simply recall that last won World Series and the less than .200 hitting Alfredo Griffin using his defense to win games.

372 What is Kent hitting on the road this year? .230 something? Yeah, a potent bat on the road. But to be fair, he is marginally improving on the road, since last time I posted on the matter, during that last series in S.D., he was hitting .220 something on the road. And today he went 0-4. Take a gander at his recent road numbers here:

http://tinyurl.com/fl92o

3 for 33 on the road this series. Forgive me, but what was that again about that potent bat? So the Lugo haters get the point, those are Lugo-like numbers. So why not take the fielding upgrade with that three run lead in the 7th?

Credit when credit's due...here's the quote of the day:

232. ddger
I hope Grady doesn't take any chances with our bullpen. I really don't want to see Tomko today unless we are up by 5. I wouldn't mind seeing Brox for 2 and Saito for 1

391 Possibly, but in a recent article by Nate Silver, he points out that when a pitcher moves into relief, they tend to see a jump in strikeouts and a decrease in walks. Granted, not to the extent Tomko had, but it would give him middle reliever numbers.

Tune in around 5 pm on the Griddle when I attempt to live blog the Seattle at KC game.

Is Tomko suffering from disgruntled reliever syndrome? I remember reading a Dodgers Report in either the Times or Daily News that said he was unhappy with his 7th inning role, and I think it came out before this series.

How long, then, before we trade him to the Devil Rays?

No one is mentioning this but I think it was, as we say from the old country, a bachi (trust me Jon no getting in swear words through the foreign language door) for Tommy to sing during the 7th inning stretch.

396
We nominate you to tell Jeff Kent that he has to come out of the game in that situation because you think his defense and bat are subpar.

I would again feel comfortable starting an inning with Brett Tomko vs. Henry Blanco

Anyone should be able to get out Henry Blanco.

2 runners on pitching to Aramis Ramirez is a different story. The blame lies definitely with Grittle/Tomko both, but I also have a little blame as well to Russell Martin. He was setting up right down the middle, as if he thought Tomko had enough stuff to go right at A-Ram and get him out. That was an incorrect evaluation.

When you have as futile lineup as the Cubs have, you dont let their best guy beat ya. I know DLee is on deck, but Lee isnt recovered yet from his injury and A-Ram's been on fire the 2nd half of the year. Just poor everything in that at bat.

Letting A-Ram beat you in that situation is worse than OP facing Pujols in the 14th inning.

Half game lead and the next four vs the Padres at home. When the dust clears late monday evening one of the five scenarios will have taken place. vr, Xei

A) Dodgers ahead of Pads by 4.5
B) Dodgers ahead of Pads by 2.5
C) Dodgers ahead of Pads by 0.5
D) Pads ahead of Dodgers by 1.5
E) Pads ahead of Dodgers by 3.5

Choked away this series- my guess is this costs us the NL west. I dont care if they are all bunts, after 3 hits i think you have to make a change when facing one of the only 2 dangerous hitters the Cubs have. Let him beat the best in your'pen if he is going to. Not mental midget Tomko.

my guess is C or D

396 Why should you manage a game differently in September? Why would something that works one month not work in the next month? Do you believe that the optimal strategy really changes? Granted, I can see bullpen usage changing, stretching out your lesser relievers, but taking a good hitter out for Ramon Martinez is never a good idea unless you can be assured the guy will not come up again.

As for Kents recent struggles, sample size issues.

I hope Grady is happy to have saved Saito again for the big series against SD. Hope he gets a chance to use him in save situations.

393 Thanks, Marty.

It always seems to happen that when you see an "easy series" on the schedule, it turns out to be anything but.

this just makes it all the more interesting for my tomorrow.

407 Also, it didn't go out but he did just miss a go ahead homer in the 8th.

This isn't Bill Buckner in last inning of a possilbe World Series clinching game.

407. The leverage each game has increases as the number of games left decreases. Much like the later innings of a tied game hae more leverage (effect win expectancy more). Do you manage differently in the first inning of a tied game than you would in the 9th inning of a tied game? Of course.
vr, Xei

B

404 I'm feeling good, strangely, that it will be B or C.

408 All of the signs would point to low-scoring, tight games vs. SD. So, we may be glad Saito wasn't used today.

404 God help us if it's E. Some people may eye the window in that case.

Matt Cain's given up 1ER in his last 42 IP.

412 Good point.

In today's game notes, Drew reveals that his shoulder just now feels "somewhat normal." Also: "Because of the rehab, I wasn't able to do my normal training during the offseason," he said. "This winter, I'll be able to get it in shape for next year."

Since All-Star break until the Milwaukee series, the Dodgers had only lost one series to a sub-.500 team and that was on the road to Arizona who was only one game under when they started that series.

If the Giants go on and win, they would be the only other team besides the Dodgers to play better than .500 since the break.

As of now the Dodgers are 4 games above .500, the Giants could be one game over, the Padres are one game under, the D-Backs are 5 games under and the Rockies are currenly 10 games under .500

So no one has taken control, I think the Dodgers have held first place the longest since the break.

404 - How do the pitching matchups lineup? Is Billingsley confirmed on getting a start?

415 C'mon, defenestration is so outré.

420

i think Bills pitches Saturday.

Re 342. Sorry for the sarcasm, but seeing as I was touched in the last couple days for Grits feelings of taking September pressure off of the unprepared Ethier, it was nice of him to give him one chance, with the game on the line.

The Dodgers, D-Backs and Giants have had incredible losing runs this year.

The Dodgers lost 13 out of 14, the Giants lost 16 out of 19, the D-Backs lost 20 out of 23. All of them eventually came back, though the D-Backs have now fallen back once again.

The Padres had a run where they went 6-14 which occurred during the Dodgers hot streak, but they have played at or around .500 for about 2 months.

I don't know what this means for the next 2+ weeks, I'm sure I would feel better if we had won those games in Chicago but then maybe this is what they need, a sense of urgency against the Padres.

Any guesses to Jon's next blog entry title?
A) Tick...Tick...Tick...Tomko
B) Tomkuo, The Tale of Two Pitchers
C) Grady Pulls The Fuze, Tomko Explodes
D) [Something about the Padres Series].
E) Other
vr, Xei

425 - E. It's already chosen, and you're on the wrong track. (Hint - you might dispute the first letter.)

OMG guys!! One of the freshmen who lives across the hall from me this year, was just out in the hallway wearing a beat up ol' Mets uni-tshirt. I could only see the front of it (Mets 33) when I asked who it was...

I'm gonna go cut my hair & the barber is gonna have fun with me today ranting about todays loss! i'll be back in to shakes of a lambs tale.

Tommorrow, David Wells will have one of those rare occurences over the last 4-5 seasons when he faces someone who has more wins than himself. Only Clemens, Maddux, Glavine, Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina have more career wins. This is the first time he has gone heads up against Maddux. I did check for that, he never faced Glavine when he was with the Braves, don't know if he has since Glavine became a Met.

I would guess that he probably has gone up against his AL foes, Clemens, RJ, and Mussina.

396 Questions on Kent's range bring up the issue of Nomar's range. Not criticizing either of them, just saying that Nomar, as an inexperienced First Baseman, is 'tender' about getting too far off the bag. Naturally so. Hopefully the bench coach is positioning both players. Just saying we don't know enough about it to blame either player. I blame the manager for taking Kuo out while he was still pitching well. Good plan IF YOU HAVE GOOD RELIEVERS.

Taking out starters with about 80 or less pitches may be saving us injuries, but it sure loses us games. I don't know which is more important. I'm old enough that for at least half my life, winners pitched complete games, so I have my suspicions.