Maybe Guggenheim and Company invested heavily in a pharmaceutical firm that had a new blood pressure medication and the plan was for the Dodgers and their coaching staff to do whatever was necessary to keep to Dodgers treading water, choking in the clutch, implosions of the bullpen, freaky lineups to drive up Dodger fans’ blood pressure so that they would seeking this new wonder drug to lower their collective blood pressure? That would drive up the stock price and Guggs and company would have their profits. Yeah, that’s the ticket. That’s exactly what happened… until September 12th when they turned the dogs loose.
This 2018 version of the Dodgers is too good, too deep and too talented to have been this bad… and here we sit on September 15th, tied for the Wild Card and a half game behind the Rockies, who are what their name says “Rocky.” This had to be the master plan all along. There is no other explanation. Watch them win out.
“This is all true. Some little green men told me on their spaceship. I’ve seen their ship – they are not taking me back. No way…”
OK, give me a better explanation. Maybe there isn’t one. But, here we are. The Dodgers are hot, gaining confidence and in control of their destiny. Today, they will get Axford, Cingrani and Garcia back – the plan the rest of the way is to use 27 pitches in a game – each pitching to one batter every day. That will keep the arms fresh down the stretch.
OK, so right about now, you realize that if you gave me an enema, you could bury me in a shoebox. Back to reality, and the reality is the Dodgers are officially hot and charging hard to the finish line. They are already assured a split with the Cards and on the road, that ain’t bad…. but they want more – they want two more games! I like Rich Hills curveball in the 85 degree, 61% humidity of St. Louis today. It would be nice to see Toles and Verdugo against the RH pitcher, Gant.
Rants & Raves
- Striker (I refuse to call him by his horrible first name) Buehler looks to be our Ace in Waiting. He has grown so much since last September.
- Michael Grove might just do what Buehler did next year, although he a #2 at best… most likely a #3.
- Just think, the Cards tried to trade Flaherty to the Jays for Donaldson. Yikes!
- I wonder who will close tonight? I can’t see Kenley in 4 straight.
- Congrats to Tulsa and RC for winning their respective titles. I expect we will be listening to AC/DC on this… soon.
- What a spin by Manny Machado as he attempted to turn a double play… and THE THROW WAS ACCURATE. No way Seager even attempts that play. Sorry Corey!
- I might trade Brian Dozier for Logan Forsythe right about now. Ouch!
- Joc should NEVER leadoff!
- Against the RH Flaherty, the Dodgers’ LH Hitters were 1-15 – yeah, those platoons work well don’t they?
- Doc better let Puig play today.
- I wonder if they will call up Santana – he’s on the 40-man?
- Root for the Giants this weekend – vomit in your mouth later!
Sit the old men. Play this lineup today:
- Verdugo CF
- Turner 3B
- Machado SS
- Bellinger 1B
- Muncy 2B
- Toles LF
- Puig RF
- Grandal C
Discussion (55)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Time for a little ‘Back in the saddle again’ from Aerosmith…
What can I say, it’s been a special week and the board is humming…
Enjoyed the game of course, but loved Hill’s body language after the Slam.
He was so down on himself. Great for his teammates to pick him up.
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Still a lot of baseball to be played, but nice to see SF putting up a show.
Let’s hope it’s only temporary, and they fade again, before next weekend.
As good as it was yesterday to be a Dodger fan with the Buehler gem and Puig’s big night, coupled with Rancho and Tulsa both sweeping their playoff match ups it was even better to be one today! They spanked the Cards in every phase and Puig and Cody put the hammer down. Muncy is having great AB’s too and needs to be in there every day. Lady Mo is favoring the Blue, Strip against Wan-O for the sweep tomorrow.
Next goal is to overtake atlanta for home field. Currently 1.5 behind. Not sure who has tiebreaker.
Rockies lose. Dodgers in first
Rockies lose. Dodgers back in first!
3 outs away from 1st place
M.T. – Great music…
It reminds me of what’s important in Indiana…High school hoops and that first crop!!!
Today is history and tomorrow is a mystery!!!
So let us wake up tommorow and sweep their ass…
I was at the game today. My wife, daughter, and my 83 year old mother-in-law who attended her first pro baseball game. Somebody should pay for hitting turner after being hit as Ramirez was by the cards. It was nice leaving the stadium with dodger blue on and not have to hide. Machado and Puig hit laser shots and bellinger swung the bat well. The crowd was booing puig early but had given up by his third homer. Th.e offense was relentless. If Wong hadn’t played out of his head defensively at second the dodgers might have scored 20. Even dozier scorched one. A word about hill: he looked great early his fastball and curve were dominant. All of a sudden Kershaw like he totally lost walking 3 and wisdom crushing a grand slam. He came back in the fifth to retire the side. I don’t know why hill and Kershaw can be cruising and then totally lose it. If we make the playoffs I would start the series with Buehler. The situational hitting early was bad but after the cards got the lead the dodgers stormed back. Pederson had some horrible swings but 3 hits and one vs. a lefty. If one guy in the lineup gets hot like puig today and Turner continues his torrid pace the dodgers are on their way. However, with just a minimum of games left there is a long way to go. It was fun today go Dodgers!!!!
Hill gave up 2 hits. Like Clayton he had a bad inning. He’s a gamer and a guy I would go to battle with in the playoffs. When he’s off it’s usually a HR proceeded by a walk. In my opinion, the Dodgers needed another lefty in the pen. Wood’s demotion May be more about that.
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Next 0-8 streak the haters will be crying to deal Puig. If Kike is killing lefties and he’s not then play him in RF. For now I like him or Muncy at 2B
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The Machado criticism is silly at best.
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I found Clayton’s comments interesting when Turner got hit. I thought at the time the Dodgers should have drilled someone but beating them 17-4 might just be more effective. Drilling someone might have woke them up.
Nothing I love more than beating the Giants is smoking the Cards at their place. They kicked our ass a few weekends ago at Dodger Stadium, and had a lot of fun doing it. I still can’t get over when they plunked a scalding hot Hanley Ramirez in the ribs to take him, and us, out of the play-offs. Paybacks a bitch Red-Birds, suffer! Dusting off my broom for tomorrow.
I forgot SD, make that 10 and 3.
Nice outing by Julio. Showed solid command, velocity reached 93 mph, and he mixed his pitches well. Promising for next year.
Julio Urias 9th inning was important in his comeback. 1-2-3.
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I see him in the Rotation next year with Buehler, Hill and ___________ and ______________.
8 Dodgers now have 20 or more HR’s on the season and Kemp has 19 and Taylor 16. This power display is ridiculous but the Birds had it coming. If they complete the sweep tomorrow they would have a 5 game win streak going into the Rockies series (same as before the AZ series) with Ryu, Kershaw and Buehler lined up to start.
That reminds me of my favorite song:
Young Julio will pitch the 9th!
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ALLRRRIIIIGGGHHHTTTT!
I remember when someone made a excellent point, about this now being in the Dodger’s hands.
First the Cards, and then finish this off baby!
In my earlier Yasiel post I used 5 exclamation points. I think it’s more like !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! , ad infinitum.
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And assuming that the Cards don’t stage a ridiculous comeback, the runs the Dodgers have put up in this game precludes the need to use Kenley, if he was at all available today.
Dodgers making quite a statement. Puig has 3 hits in each of the last 3 games he started. It is mandatory to play him and Muncy right now! A little help from MadBum and the Gints would be sweet also! And Snakes face the Astros.
You flipped the script and you shot the plot
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I remember, I remember when the neon use to burn so bright and pink
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Saturday night kind of pink!
Look up in the Sky.
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It’s a Bird!
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It’s a plane!
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It’s a Puig Flying!
Didn’t everyone love to hear the Boo Birds in St Louis, who some call the best fans in baseball, Boo after every time, Puig hits another out?
Cody and Puig with four RBIs today, and Muncy on base five times, and with an RBI.
I love Rich Hill – his passion, his joy, his intensity , his story and sometimes he drive me crazy too.
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It could be that he has yet to put it all together…. like for the next 5 weeks would be awesome!
Puig, Period.
I’ve been a big advocate of Re-signing Machado. And that was based on the Machado that I saw in his early games with the Dodgers. The Machado I’m seeing now seems to have taken the all or nothing mentality of too many of his new team-mates. Instead of just trying to make solid contact, instead he’s swinging wildly when all that!s needed in a hit.
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Nice to see Cody get two consecutive hits off a lefthander. Hope Puig’s strikeout is just that, just another strikeout, and not the beginning of a trend where he gets homer happy.
Belli 2 singles with runners in scoring position against LHP?? I was led to believe that Belli couldn’t hit LHP, or that the odds were better for a RH batter. Maybe now he can stay in the lineup for the season???
Yasiel, Yasiel, Yasiel!!!!!
OK. Cody pulled it. Probably had no other choice given that the pitch was inside, and looked like it could be a borderline strike.
I hope Bellinger doesn’t overswing. Like to see him trying to just hit the ball to the left side. All that’s needed is a hit. Will the Dodgers take care of another opportunity or will we see more of the same we’ve become accustomed to?
And yet Alex Wood is the problem?!?
Question:
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Do you think Tommy Lasorda would allow teams to hit JT or other Dodgers like they do?
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Maybe they weren’t trying to hit J.T., but if I were the manager, some Bird would get drilled today – late in the game. Somebody I could lose.
And Machado’s AB wasn’t much better. Also swinging too hard.
Typical Grandal. All he needs to do is go up to the plate and make contact. Instead he swings wildly at three pitches. And of course Bellinger hits the fly ball that would have gotten a run in during Grandal’s AB. Not scoring in that inning could come back and haunt the Dodgers.
Forget about your house of cards
Today’s lineup:
Joc
JT
Manny
Muncy
Grandal
Belly
Puig
Utley
Hill
Mark, I think a split is bad they need to take the last two games also, and then take at least 2 of 3 from Colorado. Playing 500 ball will not get the title, not sure anything less than 8 and 3 will do the job.