Tag Archives: Joe Blanton

Nine Dodgers players become free agents, including Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner.

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Justin Turner Dodgers

Justin Turner and Chase Utley became free agents on Thursday. (Keith Birmingham/Staff photographer)

Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner are free agents as of today, along with seven other Dodgers whose contracts expired the day after the World Series: Rich Hill, Joe Blanton, Chase Utley, Josh Reddick, J.P. Howell, Brett Anderson and Jesse Chavez.

A total of 139 players became free agents around MLB. That does not include Dodgers catcher Carlos Ruiz; the club has until Monday to exercise his 2017 contract option.

Colleague Bill Plunkett has the details.

NLCS Game 5: Cubs gain the upper hand, Dodgers’ season on the brink.

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Pedro Baez slow

First base umpire Ted Barrett calls Dexter Fowler safe, having beaten a footrace with Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (right), after pitcher Pedro Baez (foreground) failed to cover the bag. (Stephen Carr/Staff photographer)


The Dodgers will fly to Chicago tomorrow needing two wins to save their season, having lost Game 4 of the National League Championship Series 8-4 to the Chicago Cubs.

The photo gallery is here.

The box score is here.

Joe Blanton found himself on the wrong side of a game-altering home run for the second time in the series.

The Cubs got the start they needed from postseason ace Jon Lester. The Dodgers tried to give Lester a long night on the basepaths. For the most part, it didn’t work.

Speaking of unusual playoff tactics: The Dodgers’ organist provided the soundtrack to the Cubs’ batting practice.

NLCS Game 1: Miguel Montero’s grand slam thwarts Dodgers’ comeback.

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Adrian Gonzalez slow

Cubs catcher David Ross tags out Adrian Gonzalez (23) as Gonzalez attempts to score from second base on a Kenta Maeda single in the second inning of the Cubs’ 8-4 win in Game 1 of the NLCS. (Associated Press photo)

CHICAGO — Joe Blanton hung an 0-2 slider to Miguel Montero with the bases loaded in the eighth inning and Montero made the Dodgers pay. His grand slam broke open a 3-3 tie and the Dodgers ultimately lost Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, 8-4. The box score is here. The photo gallery is here.

The Cubs’ vaunted defense set the tone early in a close game.

What’s the point of pain if the rest of us can’t find delight in the suffering of others, asks columnist Jeff Miller.

Clayton Kershaw will take the ball Sunday for the third time in six days, which he’s never done before. Some notes on that, Tommy Lasorda’s health, and the new-look NLCS roster can be found here.

Here’s what they were saying after the game:

Continue reading “NLCS Game 1: Miguel Montero’s grand slam thwarts Dodgers’ comeback.” »

NLDS Game 4: Dodgers rally past Washington Nationals to force a Game 5.

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Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig pleads with home plate umpire Tom Hallion after he is called out on a disputed check swing in the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 6-5 win on Tuesday. (John McCoy/Staff photographer)

An eighth-inning rally washed over a hauntingly familiar seventh-inning collapse in the Dodgers’ 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals. The box score is here. The photo gallery is here.

Joe Blanton‘s long journey put him in the spotlight again, writes columnist Mark Whicker.

Game 5 is at 5 p.m. Thursday in Washington D.C. The winner plays the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series. Justin Turner guaranteed a victory, writes columnist Jeff Miller.

A 2 p.m. start time, revealed on short notice, meant a smaller crowd and cheaper tickets.

Andre Ethier came through with a big pinch hit.

 

The Dodgers’ NLDS roster: This is not a guess.

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Austin Barnes

Austin Barnes is appears much smaller than his teammates, who are standing on the pitchers’ mound during a workout at Dodger Stadium on Monday. The Dodgers held a workout at Dodger Stadium in preparation for their National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals, which begins Friday in Washington, D.C. (John McCoy/Staff photographer)

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed the team’s roster for the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals, which begins Friday. Our first and second guesses were both wrong.

Continue reading “The Dodgers’ NLDS roster: This is not a guess.” »