Gimme that back
The Cubs are a perennially sad bunch in need of help, and on Friday night the Dodgers seemed primed and ready to donate to the cause. In the seventh, they turned a four run lead into a three run deficit before cutting off aid to Chicago, coming back in the eighth to take the lead in their 9-8 win. The last three innings seemed to take place in a parallel universe, with the bullpen in shambles and the offense leading the way. To say that Joe Beimel, Yhency Brazoban and Jonathan Broxton were ineffective in the seventh frame would be a mild understatement. The Cubs turned 12 batters, eight hits (most hit between hard and really hard), a walk and an error into seven runs and a cushy 8-5 lead.
Not cushy enough. The Blue put up four in the eighth on a Chicago bullpen that gives away runs like a politician does handshakes. L.A. did it in true '07 Dodgers fashion, too- five singles, a walk, a wild pitch, and a sac fly. Fortunately, the box shows Takashi Saito restored order in the ninth. Jenga.
While he didn't exactly show it on Friday, Brazoban is happy to be back in the Dodgers bullpen after a missing a year with the Tommy John surgery all the cool kids seem to be having these days. Not so happy to be joining him (nothing personal) is Brett Tomko, who has lost his starting gig to Hong-chih Kuo, assuming Kuo's second start with Vegas goes well.
Wilson Valdez went unclaimed and untraded he was designated by the Blue, so Valdez is still in the fold. He'll report to the 51's.
Jason Repko's hammy is healing. Slowly. But healing.
TODAY'S GAME- Remember, it's an afternoon affair. Mark Hendrickson (2-1, 3.22) will face struggling Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano (4-4, 5.61).
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Time to start promoting Saito as an alll star this year--15 saves in a row, ERA below 2 and look at his strike out to walk ratio. Unbelievable!
Posted by: howard | May 26, 2007 at 10:22 AM
It's nice that Kent seems like he has rediscovered his power stroke. I've always felt that he has a chance of driving the ball out of the park every time he makes contact, but he hasn't been very consistent since 2005. He's currently on pace for 27 homers and almost 50 doubles. Now if Nomar can come close to last year's numbers, and Gonzo stops slapping the ball, this offense has a chance to be pretty good as it is.
Of course, those are some pretty big ifs, and health is always a huge concern. As bad as it may sound, though, a part of me kind of wants to see Nomar or Gonzo go on the DL, just so we'll be able to see Loney and Kemp back in LA.
Posted by: Makoto Ueno | May 26, 2007 at 10:44 AM
Big MAK the knife,
Officer Kent is actually on pace for TWENTY EIGHT round trippers:
http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/teams/players/bio/?id=592&hubname=mlb-dodgers
Geez, man! Why are you such a pessismist!!
:-)
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | May 26, 2007 at 12:27 PM