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Not much else to say about this one, except that until they prove otherwise, the Dodgers can't win in American League parks and they can't take advantage of opportunities. They went 1 for 8 with RISP tonight after going 1 for 7 last night. The Dodgers might have the better record -- or at least they did until tonight -- but the Angels are clearly the better team. Dodgers fall to 25-18.
Tony Jackson is in his fourth season covering the Dodgers for the Daily News, his eighth season as a full-time Major League Baseball beat writer and his 13th season covering MLB on regular basis. He is a native of Springdale, Ark., and a graduate of the University of Arkansas, although he refuses to root for the Razorbacks again until Frank Broyles is finally out of there. Tony is single and has a daughter who lives in Colorado. His hobbies include working out, reading and taking winter vacations with his daughter to non-MLB cities, usually in Mexico or the Caribbean. And he LIVES to blog.
Going to Dodgers Stadium? Here's your parking guide.
Comments
Im sure if Gonzo wasn't batting under .200 in his last 40 some odd ABs that average w/RISP would be a little bit higher.
But hey! he's a veteran. He can't anything wrong according to Grady.
Posted by: The_Great_Arcade_Fire | May 19, 2007 8:55 PM
I was warned by red sox followers that Grady is a veteran's manager who coddles veterans to the very end. He is truly living up to the billing.
You know anyone who follows baseball could of predicted that this lineup would not score enough runs before the season started...I don't know why the Dodgers are so surprised.
Posted by: J.L. | May 19, 2007 8:58 PM
Also, the lineup itself is put together to NOT score runs. When we have a team that relies on people getting on base, stealing bases, sacraficing and getting base hits with runners on you need to set it up to allow that.
Right now Pierre, Nomar and Gonzo all in the top 5 of the lineup and they are 3 of the least patient hitters in the league. How are Furcal and Pierre, if he ever got on base, supposed to steal when they are swinging at the first and second pitch most of the time. We have the speed at the top but we don't have the patient batters behind it to allow it to be used.
I'd love to see this lineup at least once this year.
Furcal
Martin
Ethier
Kent
Nomar
La Roche
Gonzo
Pierre (.308 obp for a number 2 guy is pathetic.)
Posted by: The_Great_Arcade_Fire | May 19, 2007 9:22 PM
GREAT points, and a great lineup. I have tried to lay off the Dodgers-need-to-work-counts-more mantra that I beat to death earlier in the season, but other people are starting to make the same observations. This is a lineup comprised largely of first-ball swingers, and I think that ultimately is going to be the Dodgers' downfall this season.
Posted by: tony jackson | May 19, 2007 10:07 PM
I think that will be their downfall too unless the pitching turns it up a notch, which I doubt because I think Grady will ride Hendrickson and Bombko until they crash and burn completely.
Also, last nights game (5/18) I think Grady called a hit and run with Martin on first and Either at the plate with a 1-2 count and 2 outs. WHY?!?! The odds of that pitch being hittable are slim to none. Ethier slowing rolled out on a low change up.
I know thats nit-picking on small stuff but stuff like that really bugs me. That and the whole batting Martin 6th thing.
Posted by: The_Great_Arcade_Fire | May 19, 2007 10:58 PM