Rocky Mountain Lowe
Derek Lowe's last outing was among the best all-around games I've seen from a pitcher in quite some time. The follow up? Not so much. Lowe left tonight's 7-2 loss to the Rockies before the fifth inning concluded, having served up 5 runs (4 earned) and 8 hits to the Colorado batters. His counterpart starter Rodrigo Lopez also left the game early, but in his case, it was due to hurtin' hammys. Before checking out, Lopez was actually inflicting a little hurting, holding the Dodgers to just a run. The Blue batters couldn't capitalize on Lopez's early exit stage left, but that was something of a moot point, anyway. The theoretical catch up work would likely amounted to bupkiss after Rudy Seanez contributed a late shelling to the box score.
AK
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I'm sorry but I just don't understand why it is necessary to sit out Kent, Martin, and Gonzo in the same game. Liebarthal hitting clean-up really puts fear in my heart, It looks to me like Grady felt this game was expendable. He insists that all the players need constant rest even thought the Dodgers had only played 14 games this season. With the exception of Nomar, Grady cut the heart out of the Dodger line-up Wednesday night. I know that the season is a long 162 games but not much thought was put into the lineup Wednesday night. Grady continues to use Betimit like he's an allstar, but hitting less than a buck is unacceptable! The Dodgers need to try and win every single game with the best possible lineup available, and Wednesdays was certainly not the best! When Grady thinks rest is more important than winning I think maybe the Dodgers need to rest him for some games!
I know that some of you will take exception to this thought because you will say that resting players all through the season will keep them fresher for the end game but I'm not buying it. To rest them all in the same game is a recipe for a loss. These players are paid millions of dollars for their expertise and endurance so the best should play everyday!! If a player is slightly injured or a certain match-up warrants a change in a certain game, then so be it. Wednesday's line-up I hope I do not see again!
Posted by: Package | April 19, 2007 at 06:53 AM
I agree--I don't mind giving a player a rest, but to rest your 4, 5 and 6 hitters simultaneously doesn't make much sense to me. I think Grady should've rested just one of them last night, another one today, and maybe a third on Friday. Perhaps Grady's thinking is that by resting them all at once, you weaken the lineup for one game only (as opposed to three games like my suggestion would do). However, I think the lineup can afford to make up for the absence of one of those guys at any point--all three of them, though, is a recipe for disaster...
Posted by: Valmont | April 19, 2007 at 08:59 AM
Package,
I think you summed it all up with your second sentence: "Grady thought this game was expendable." I also concur with you that too much rest could be a bad thing for the Dodgers. Others might argue that such a veteran-laden team will need to rest its players more often. However, I think the madres and snakes are proving that this year will be one heck of a battle for the NL West crown. A win in April counts just the same as a win in June or August, so I hope Grady & Co. realize that NO games are expendable.
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | April 19, 2007 at 09:28 AM
i agree with package, it seems like the dodgers didnt even try before the first pitch was thrown. Rest the guys in august not april!! Why "rest" Three of our best hitters in the same game??? One guy is alright but THREE??? Every game counts{ask the dodgers last year when they tied with the fathers if every game counts or not}so try to win every game. I agree that betemit sucks i have been saying that all spring training im getting tired of not having loney in the lineup.Lets shape up and go get em today!!!!
Posted by: bigtaxdizzle | April 19, 2007 at 09:47 AM
When i came home last night to watch my TIVO'ed game and saw the lineup, I knew right then we were in for a rough night even with Lowe pitching , both Lowe and the offense had a rough night... Lowe was very lucky to dodge that line drive through the box.
I thought they should have rested 1 veteran each night and using one of the outstanding rookies (Valdez, Clark) to cover second or left field and they would've lost much but to not have Kent, Martin and Gonzales and have Betemit instead of Valdez...it was a recipe for a lost.
Posted by: KT USN | April 19, 2007 at 01:29 PM