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OK, so we've got a team hovering around .500, a manager with hated MFY ties, a disappointing high-priced CFer, a constantly injured big-name pitcher, and a volatile mixture between younger and older players.
Oh yeah, and they're in town this week to play the Mets.
Ladies and Gentlemen, your Los Angeles Dodgers!!
That would be the Dodgers of a 26-26 record, Joe Torre managing (I'm going out on a limb and predicting a Torre/media frenzy this weekend), Andruw Jones stinking up the joint, Jason Schmidt never seeing the light of day, and their well-publicized clubhouse strife from last season.
The LA Torres have been pitching well lately but barely scoring at all, giving up only 17 runs over the past week but losing 5 of 6 to the Cards & Cubs because they scored just 1, 0, 4, 1, 1 & 1 runs over that time. They're probably in a foul mood seeing as how they're coming off a sweep in Chicago and last night blew a 1-0 lead by serving up a run in the 9th and another in the 10th. That also means they got into NYC very late (heh heh) which, being from LA, will seriously cut into their tanning bed time.
We faced them out in their crib early in the month, losing 2 of 3.
Each time we got to their starters but left a small village of runners on base in both games 1 & 2 and before getting totally shut down by their pen: 4 IP - no hits in game 1; 6 IP - 3 hits w/11 Ks in game 2
Finally in game 3 we smacked Brad Penny around like some rap-video skank while Maine cruised into the 9th
M*A*S*H Notes:
- Andruw Jones: 15 Day DL, meniscus tear in knee caused by excessive fat
Hell, he's doing THEM a favor by getting hurt (.165/.273/.271)
- Rafael Furcal: 15 Day DL, lower back strain
This one is doing US a favor as he's the rare Brave who actually got better after leaving Atlanta
- Jason Schmidt: 1,458 Day DL, elbow or shoulder or crankcase or something
Is rehabbing in the minor leagues ... is rehabbing in the minor leagues ... is rehabbing in the minor leagues ... lather rinse repeat.
- Nomar Garciaparra: 60 Day (or maybe 60 year) DL, strained calf
Wow, Garciaparra AND Alou hurt at the same time ... whoda thunk it?
Who's on First? No, Hu's on Short
The Taiwanese born Chin-Lung Hu is manning SS while Furball is on the DL. A good glove with speed but is finding hitting tough on this side of the Pacific (.179/.250/.214 in 84 ABs)
Who is Blake DeWitt?
The 22 y/o 3rd baseman is one of those annoying call-ups (annoying when they're on the other team) who's been hitting better at the ML level (.300/.372/.457) then he ever did in the minors.
Game 1: Thrus 7 PM EDT - Claudio Vargas vs Brad Penny (5-5, 5.32 ERA, 1.48 WhiP)
It may be the last start for a while for Vargas (or maybe not)
Penny's been our personal punching bag (5-12, 6.21 ERA) seemingly since he thought beaning Shinjo was a good idea.
Game 2: Fri 7PM EDT - John Maine vs Clayton Kershaw (6 IPs, 2 ER, 5 hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks!)
Kershaw is probably THE most heralded pitcher to debut this season. The #7 overall draft pick out of a Texas HS in 2006, this 20 year-old 6'3" lefty blew through both low-A and (skipping A+) AA ball last year (89 hits & 163 Ks in 122 IPs) and continued his destruction of the lower ranks with 9 AA starts this season before his ML debut last week against StL.
Book says: blazing fastball and a killer curve.
Game 3: Sat 3:55 EDT (FOX) - Mike Pelfrey vs Chad Billingsley (4-6, 3.68 ERA, 1.36 WhiP)
That's national TV for you out-of-towners.
Make or break for Pelfrey?
We should have kicked Billingsley's butt more than we did during the LA series. He'll walk a bunch if you let him.
Game 4: 8:00 EDT (ESPN) - Johan Santana vs Hiroki Kuroda (2-4, 3.29 ERA, 1.30 WhiP)
(I once knew a lethal bantamweight named Hiroki Kuroda)
Another national TV game
We REALLY let this guy off the hook last time, scoring 4 in 4 innings but left 8 on base (including sacks drunk twice) before getting our ass handed to us by their pen (mostly Kuo)
Poison Pen Pals:
Leftys Hong-Chih Kuo (2.32 ERA) & Joe Biemel (1.13) have been solid, as has closer Takashi Saito (1.99) and (surprise!) Chan-Ho Park (2.37 over 30 IPs)
Torre favorite Scott Proctor (5.25 ERA - 1.42 WHiP) and the big-butted, man-child Jonathan Broxton (4.22 - 1.39) not so much.
What to root for:
The Dodgers left here crying 50 years ago - let's see them do it again.
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