Game 61: The ordinary is extraordinary, the extraordinary is ordinary.

Yimi Garcia

Justin Turner and Yimi Garcia collided in the infield, letting Wil Myers’ pop-up fall with two outs in the seventh inning. An error was charged to Turner on the play. (Associated Press photo)

SAN DIEGO — The 2015 Dodgers are an interesting baseball team.

Clayton Kershaw struck out 11 batters in 6 ⅔ innings tonight. He got hit by a line drive. He gave up a home run to Clint Barmes, of all people. He threw more pitches than he’s thrown all season. This was a minor subplot.

(Watch Kershaw’s postgame interviews here.)

Alex Guerrero had one plate appearance. He fell behind 0-2, took a pitch in the dirt, then did something he’s done often enough this year to make you forget he’s a rookie, dumping a pinch-hit single into center field to win the game. Again: not the most compelling aspect of the Dodgers’ 4-3 win.

This is a team capable of making the extraordinary look completely ordinary, then turn around and look so fallibly human, like when Justin Turner and Yimi Garcia collided in the infield, A.J. Ellis ran the bases, and Adrian Gonzalez lost his cool:

Gonzalez talked about that quite a bit in my game story. The box score is here.

Paco Rodriguez has a bone spur in his left elbow. He’s hoping to postpone surgery until after the season is over.

Game 49: The Dodgers really don’t like the strike zone in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS — Well, that was frustrating.

Read who got ejected from today’s loss to the Cardinals in my game story.

Paco Rodriguez ‘fessed up Sunday: He knew his velocity was down, the team was concerned, and he’s flying back to Los Angeles to meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache tomorrow. Deep breath. It isn’t Tommy John surgery — yet — but it isn’t as optimistic as Rodriguez made it sound Saturday, either.

Sunday’s box score is here.

The Giants lost, so the Dodgers remain a half-game up in the National League West standings.

Paco Rodriguez might be hurt after all, and now he’s getting his elbow checked out.

Paco Rodriguez

The Dodgers placed Paco Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list with a left elbow strain and recalled Matt West from Triple-A Oklahoma City. (Getty Images)


ST. LOUIS — Paco Rodriguez had a locker full of clothes in the visitors’ clubhouse at Busch Stadium, but he wasn’t there Sunday morning. So we were denied the chance to ask him about going on the 15-day disabled list with what the team is calling a strained left elbow.

Right-hander Matt West is up from Triple-A and wearing number 76. West is available out of the bullpen today; manager Don Mattingly described the 26-year-old as a possible multi-inning pitcher with a “live arm and good stuff.” That’s better than a dead arm, of course, and it seems Rodriguez might have one of those.

Continue reading “Paco Rodriguez might be hurt after all, and now he’s getting his elbow checked out.” »

Game 7: Dodgers 6, Mariners 5.

Alex Guerrero

Scott Van Slyke douses Alex Guerrero after Guerrero hit a walk-off single to win their game against the Mariners, 6-5 in 10 innings Monday. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff photographer)

There were two games tonight at Dodger Stadium.

The first couple paragraphs of my game story quickly reflect that. The story for the early editions focuses on the ball flying out of Dodger Stadium — four home runs for the Mariners, one for the Dodgers — and the fact that this has been happening since Opening Day.

ESPN.com’s Park Factors for 2014 rated Dodger Stadium as the 27th-most hitter friendly park in baseball. In a handful of games this season, it’s one of the five most hitter-friendly parks in MLB. Oh, and all of tonight’s home runs came in the first five innings. Go figure.

Continue reading “Game 7: Dodgers 6, Mariners 5.” »

Dodgers spring training 2015: Another tie, Will Ferrell, Clayton Kershaw, Hector Olivera, etc.

Corey Seager

Corey Seager drew a walk and flew out to the warning track in the Dodgers’ 2-2 tie with the Colorado Rockies. (Getty Images)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Dodgers tied the Colorado Rockies today, 2-2. It was their third tie in their last four Cactus League games. Corey Seager interrupted the streak with a game-winning double in the bottom of the ninth inning Sunday to beat the Milwaukee Brewers. Otherwise, the Dodgers would be looking at four ties in a row. As I told someone at the ballpark today, I thought I was finished covering hockey.

The box score from today’s game is here. Some postgame thoughts:

Continue reading “Dodgers spring training 2015: Another tie, Will Ferrell, Clayton Kershaw, Hector Olivera, etc.” »