Dodgers 8, Phillies 6
Jonathan Broxton's eighth save might been his toughest -- he had to face eight batters and record four outs to get it -- but he finished it off. The lineup exploded for six in the third and one in the fourth, and the game seemed to be over at that point. But the Phillies climbed back into it and got the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth. Never easy for this team. But for all the hangover of this past weekend, they're right back to .500 (59-59) and right back to within one game of the idle Snakes. This homestand is HUGE for the boys. It's their second one in a row of 10 games, and they managed to win seven on the last one. They really need to win seven again. When it's over, they'll have 35 games left -- 23 of them on the road.
It was another nerve wracking ninth, but they pulled it off! Broxton just needs a confidence booster. He's huge and throws close to 100mph. Control for him is key. Dominate those hitters!
Nomar's back today! I know...but no matter what team he ends up on next season I will definitely miss the guy. The Dodgers need to take the lead this week. The Dunn deal for AZ shouldn't phase them. They guy has a terrible batting avg and K's a ton.
This should be a solid line up if their hitting remains aggressive and everyone stays healthy:
Kemp
Ethier
Kent
Ramirez
Loney
Martin
Blake
Nomar
On paper that's an all star line up! I'm a little iffy on some of the pitching...in particular Penny and their closers though.
I'd like to see the Dodgers get Maddux and consider using Penny as the closer for the rest of this year. He's got the stuff to do the job and right now, I trust him the least among our five starters.
"[Dunn] has a terrible batting avg and K's a ton."
He also has TWO AND ONE-HALF TIMES the home runs of anyone on the Dodgers, would lead the Dodgers in Slg%, and has a higher OBP than anyone in L.A. except Russell Martin.
As for Maddux, I think he's done outside of the PetCo Pitcher's Paradise. Home: 13 GS, 79 IP, 2.73 ERA, 1.000 WHIP. Away: 12 GS, 67.3 IP, 5.75 ERA, 1.530 WHIP. Those road numbers are Hendrickson/Tomko bad.
The Dodgers have to remove the big defensive liability ethier out of there in RF...he almost cost the Dodgers another game last night. Plus he isn't hitting as his average is just that now down all the way to .273 and with no power. To his credit the guy's good for laughs every game.
Juan Pierre is the better option, as is an outfield of Pierre, Ramirez and Kemp. If the Dodgers want to win, this is the only way it will happen. Pierre, Ramirez & Kemp are The Three Amigos!
Andre Ethier: .442 slugging pct
Juan Pierre: .321 slugging pct
Hey 5th Outfielder:
Change your name to Juan Pierre...cut out the middleman.
JP looks really uncomfortable on the bench sulking, crying, kicking his little feet. He's so miserable, they are talking about building an annex closer to the clubhouse, with rails, and full changing supplies for our little baby man.
Broxton needs to throw hard stuff 95% of the time. He also looks afraid to throw inside sometimes. If he can't own the inner half, then he will never be a dominant closer.
When you throw 100MPH, and weigh 325+, you better be intimidating.
Pierre, CF
Kemp, RF
Kent, 2B
Manny, LF
Blake, 3B
Nomar, SS (off the DL)
Martin, C
Loney, 1B
Kershaw, P
so let me get this straight - nomar comes off the dl and loney is moved to 8th?!? he is the true RBI leader of the team. and russell is batting ahead of him and blake is batting behind manny...yikes.
joe, please get a serious grip. the team was on fire last night...so of course...change the lineup and start pierre in cf...what else?!?
I was shoked to see Loney in the 8th spot too, but if you think about it, anyone on before him, has a good shot at getting knocked in.
Aww...what happened AZShaker? Did da wittle 5th backup outfielder ethier get set down onto the far end o' the bench?
He did. heh heh heh
Grab some pine, meat-ethier!
Pierre starts in Center & ethier grabs some splinter.
Shocking(ly delicious!)
Pierre starts in Center, while ethier grabs some splinter - shockingly delicious!
who hit that?
oh, it was ethier!
pierre was awesome tonight, though, right 5th outfielder?
Hey 5th OF:
You'll need to get baby Pierre some Pampers or Huggies, and some baby powder. He needs to be changed every 2 1/2 innings. Back to the bench tomorrow night for the little JP babyman. WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! cries Little John Peter.........
Dodgers win AGAIN - with PIERRE starting! LA now 9-1 courtesy the Juan-derful auspices Pierre - alas, 0-5 when "bench press" ethier subs for him.
heh heh heh
Juan Pi-erre!
The starter! The catalyst! And winner!
P-I-E-R-R-E!
Mimicking former Dodger Pedro Guerrero's plea "Don't hit it to me...and don't hit it to Sax either" - now comes the ethier variation on said, his plea "please don't hit it to me, and don't hit to...me either."
Inspired by his interpretation of the 'Fosbury Flop' which he demonstrated in RF Monday night during the near part n' parcel loss to the Phillies.
5th OF = I, Skeptic = me mongo = la3000 = bosvslad = sad human being
5th OF = I, Skeptic = me mongo = la3000 = bosvslad = sad human being