Don't Worry, Takashi Saito Is Taking It Well

Make no mistake, the Dodgers are a patriotic bunch. After the U.S. made the final out in the sixth to win the Little League World Series, a huge cheer went up in the players training room (out of a reporters eye line, within his ear line, so to speak). Takashi Saito returned to the clubhouse, pretending to wipe away tears, but seemed more or less OK. I was concerned initially because ESPN showed a shot of all the kids on the Japanese team scooping up dirt from the infield. Considering how hard-ass some little league coaches are these days, it wouldn't have surprised me if they were being punished ("Because you lost, we're not leaving this field until every ounce of dirt has been cleaned up!"). Turns out, they were just taking home a memento or two. Whew!

The Dodgers are a relatively chipper bunch these days. They left town in first place and came home in first place. Repeat that a couple more times, and we'll all be around this October.

Two guys who will have a major role in deciding whether that happens are Brad Penny and Chad Billingsley...two guys heading in opposite directions these days. The 16 runs that have been tagged on Penny over his last 16 innings may make for some lovely symmetry, but it's not an encouraging statistic. Nor is the 6.36 ERA he's posted since the All-Star Game. Guys end up in Kansas City for that sort of thing. Last sobering thought of the night? The next run Penny surrenders will equal his total for the first half of the season, in over 60 fewer innings. Not that we're encouraging pessimistic thoughts, but it might be a good idea to keep some vodka next to the remote as you tune in (and live blog!) tonight.

Billingsley, however, is headed the other direction, and not without a little trickery. While we were all distracted with the "Will Bills get out of the fourth before his 65th pitch?" questions, he managed to lower his ERA to 3.02, including a pretty damn sick 1.87 after the break. All of this by working to take the complicated stuff out of the equation.

"I don't really study before a game. I'm not a big film guy. I just want to go out there and pitch my game," he says. "Yeah, I want to know if a guy is a high ball or low ball hitter, what he can and can't hit, and that kind of thing, but I want to go out there and throw my game and make little adjustments here or there." It's a lesson he's picked up as the season has gone on. "Earlier in the I was making it harder. Thinking, 'This guy can't hit 0-1 offspeed pitches,' and overthinking and getting myself into trouble."

Little, as you might suspect, is thrilled with his development, and says the coaching staff has tried the K.I.S.S. approach (not that he's actually calling Billingsley stupid, of course). "We've talked to him a lot about that. Any pitcher we have on the mound, we don't want that person going away from his strength to get to (a batter's) weakness. That never works out very well." Little said. "Earlier in the year, when he was falling behind hitters, he was concerning himself more with the weakness of a hitter, and taking away from his strengths. Now I think he's simplified it a little."

TONIGHT'S LINEUPS
Lugo in the three hole, Drew on the bench. Little did say he'd get a rest against one of the lefties Cincinnati is scheduled to start this series. Why wait?

DODGERS
Furcal ss
Lofton cf
Lugo 3b
Garciaparra 1b
Kent 2b
Ethier lf
Martin c
Repko rf
Penny p

REDS
Freel rf
Hatteberg 1b
Encarnacion 3b
Griffey cf
Aurilia ss
Hollandsworth lf
Phillips 2b
Ross c
Michalak p

Posted by kambrothers on August 28, 2006 | Permalink

Comments

what is "earline"? sammy rules.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:00 PM

billz is the best. sammy is second best. bk is third best. ak is fourth best.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:04 PM

does sammy speak english? blue notes should do
an in depth interview? sammy rules.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:07 PM

Ryan Freel. Isn't he the guy who stole 5 bases with rifle-armed Jason Phillips behind the plate.

Actually, when you look at that lineup, Manager Jerry Narron must be doing quite a job. On paper, it doesn't seem imposing, but they're doing well.

Nice to see David Ross playing successfully. Not that we'd have a starting spot for him, just too bad we got nothing in return for someone who has developed into a good major leaguer. Of course, the Padres cut him loose, too.

Posted by: Dodgerdog | August 28, 2006 at 06:09 PM

Billingsley looks like the real deal at this point. It is tough for a young pitcher to withstand the pressure of a pennant race, but he's doing a great job so far. Granted we're not into September yet but if Billingsley keeps up his current pace, or at least something close to it, he has a chance to become the Dodgers' best late season rookie starter during a pennant race in quite some time. Fernando was 4-2 over the last two months for the WS winning team in 1981 and Tim Belcher went 4-2 for the 1988 champion team. Hideo Nomo (5-4) and Ismael Valdez (6-5) also were significant contributors to the 1995 division champion team, but Billingsley may outshine them all by the time the season is over.

Posted by: Tim H | August 28, 2006 at 06:18 PM

any chance of live blog having a sammy bobble head nite? with the intense competition of monday nite
football, it would be a good promotion.no?

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:24 PM

iknow,

Is that you, stargazin? HAHA!!

Posted by: LoLo | August 28, 2006 at 06:42 PM

could blue notes get quote from sammy so we know he really ok?

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:44 PM

what is stargazin? he one who does ALL CAPS?
very impolite.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:46 PM

No MLB package for me tonight since I am on business travel. Guess I'll rely on the good-old-fashioned radio. At least I'm on west coast time and don't have to stay up until 2AM to support the blog. HAHA!

Posted by: LoLo | August 28, 2006 at 06:47 PM

Dodgerdog,

So we are in agreement that Dunn looks like Ferrel? HAHAHAHA!!

I can see him getting hit and looking at Penny saying "You hit me! You hit me in the arm! Why did you hit me in the arm?"

Posted by: LoLo | August 28, 2006 at 06:50 PM

update on competition- emmies on 31 and 62. dark
angel marathon on 69. red sox and a's on 36.
bbc world news on 30.

my computer and my dodger dog, that all i need.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:54 PM

forgot the weather channel on 37, the ERNESTO
coverage is absolutely riveting.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 06:56 PM

lolo- what radio station you tuned into?
if you can't get a local dodger station, i could do
a play by play on the live blog.no?

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 07:10 PM

LoLo,

Besides Ferrell/Dunn, how about Eric Byrnes and Steve Zahn (the guy who played Glenn in Out of Sight-George Clooney/JLo)?

Don't know if I can tear myself away from this riveting MNF exhibition game for the Dodgers. What a choice!

Posted by: Dodgerdog | August 28, 2006 at 07:12 PM

freel at bat. 2 balls no strikes. scully says freel is a daredevil outfielder. 2 and 2 count.
vinny says hes like a wild horse. count is 3-2.
vinny says it a gorgeous eving. 77 degrees.
BALL 4. PENNYS PISSED. FREEL STEALS 2ND. HIS 29TH
STOLEN BASE. POOR THROW BY MARTIN. HATTENBURG FLIES TO CENTER. 1 OUT.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 07:14 PM

pick off throw at 2nd is wild . PENNY IS PISSED.
ENCARNACION AT BAT. VINNY SAYS HES GOOD.COUNT 2-1.
STRIKE 3 CALLED . PENNY IS PISSED.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 07:17 PM

lolo- runner at third. 2 outs . griffy is ab.
count 0-2. PENNY IS PISSED.VINNY CALLS HIM JR. SAYS HES PRETTY GOOD. GRIFFYS GRANDFATHER PLAYED WITH BABE RUTH. penny is pissed. count still 0-2.
griffy keeps fouling them oof. pop up. lugo
catches it.

lolo you there? 3 outs. pennys pissed.

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 07:20 PM

lolo?

Posted by: iknow | August 28, 2006 at 07:21 PM