Nobody breathe on the shortstop!!!
Forgive me if I come off like a skeptic, but in a fresh off the DL Nomar Garciaparra, you're talking about a player the Dodgers need in uni down the home stretch who may represent a superhero of sorts to fans around L.A., but the one they compare him to likely ain't Iron Man. Thus, my request that folks refrain from excess exhaling in the direction of Garciaparra. Besides, what business do you have panting all over Whittier's favorite son? Give the man some space, weirdo!
With the reemergence of Nomar comes the absence of Andruw Jones, placed on the 15-day DL with patellar tendinitis of the left knee (not the one that underwent surgery earlier this season). His eventual return won't come until at least August 25th (and will feature a continuation of his current pinch-hit/defensive substitution role), but Joe Torre didn't rule out the idea of perhaps stretching out this recovery period to include some tune up. At the risk of sounding overly harsh, I think the guy could use it.
As I wrote about yesterday, Andruw Jones recently admitted to feeling like this season could be a lost cause, a theory I've been running with for a while. An '09 bounce back isn't impossible (if for no other reason than there's nowhere to go but up), but Jones is just too screwed up at the moment (and booed viciously to boot) to make successful in-game adjustments. I asked Torre about that statement and his answer covered some old ground from my past inquiries along these lines (numbers being "out the window" by now when it comes to reclaiming a season, etc.). The outlook struck me as fairly disheartening (if totally realistic), but from Torre's perspective, it's more the natural result of a situation grown miserable. " I think it's just frustration on his part," explained Torre. "He's sitting down. He's not playing. It's really tough to have a rosy outlook when you're sitting here and you're playing defense every once in a while and pinch-hitting." Point taken, but it still leaves wide open the million dollar question. When, if ever, can Jones overcome what's ailing his 2008. Hitting instructor Jeff Pentland will accompany Jones during any rehab stint (likely in Vegas), but the window of opportunity is not entirely shut, is allowing about a sliver's worth of oxygen at the most.
Jeff Kent's sixth inning removal during yesterday's game may become a semi-regular occurrence as the season progresses. Torre would rather his second baseman play every day with an early exit than require more days off entirely. Plus, as Torre told Kent, if the team couldn't hold a five run lead, that wasn't the vet's fault. Not that the Blue didn't almost make it someone else's fault, but I digress...
Other Notes
Juan Pierre got the nod over Andre Ethier because Torre wanted to make sure he gets a game now and then. What that means for tomorrow, I can't say. But that's the official explanation for this evening.
Takashi Saito threw 50 issue-free feet off flat ground yesterday, but it doesn't sound like him on the mound is an imminent sight.
Unless there's an emergency, Cory Wade is likely to get the night off. Torre feels like the righty's shoulder has been tired lately because of a long appearance during the recent extra innings game in St. Louis. Hong-Chih Kuo is available. Jonathon Broxton is a wait and see.
LINEUPS
Phillies
Shane Victorino - CF
Chase Utley - 2B
Jimmy Rollins - SS
Ryan "St. Louis in the house!" Howard = 1B
Pat Burrell - LF
Jayson "Why couldn't he have stayed this healthy in L.A." Werth - RF
Chris Coste - C
Eric Brunlett - 3B
Cole Hamels - P
Dodgers
Pierre - CF
Kemp - RF
Kent - 2B
Manny - LF
Blake - 3B
Nomar - SS
Martin - C
Loney - 1B
Kershaw - P
AUDIO
- Joe Torre, Part I (with an amusing breakdown of the Manny bathroom break during yesterday's game): Download joe_torre_part_i.mp3
- Joe Torre, Part II: Download joe_torre_part_2.mp3
- Joe Torre, Part III: Download joe_torre_part_3.mp3
AK
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Loney a .299 hitter is batting eighth? you gotta be kidding me. that is the spot reserved for pierre. WOW loney leads the dodgers in rbi besides manny and he bats before the pitcher this is very interesting
Posted by: Tom | August 12, 2008 at 07:20 PM
Tom,
I found Loney at 8 pretty odd myself. Torre has been pretty insistent, except with Furcal available, on Pierre being a "lead off batter," no questions asked. As BK and I have both said all season, it's for reasons that feel stubbornly fixed (Pierre feels like a "traditional #1 guy, whatever a "professional at bat" really means) than anything based on results (Kemp has a much better OBP, very good speed, tends to make pitchers work harder). I'd much rather see Pierre lower in the order, too.
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | August 12, 2008 at 07:29 PM
I hope Garciaparra doesn't laugh too hard. Otherwise he might end up on the DL for the rest of the year.
Didn't Greg Maddux clear waivers? I hope the Dodgers resign him soon.
Posted by: dcerros | August 12, 2008 at 08:11 PM
Over/Under question for the Blue Notes Blog tonight:
Games Started by Nomar Garciaparra this season vs. Games Won by the 2008 San Diego Padres?
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | August 12, 2008 at 08:39 PM
Good to see the Blue battle back to tie and walk off with the win!!
Posted by: Brian | August 12, 2008 at 09:58 PM
Good game!
Clutch hit by Ethier. If it weren't for those 2 blown games in SF we would really be rolling. I think we are going on a roll.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | August 12, 2008 at 10:01 PM
The big fundamental comes through....great comeback
Posted by: K T | August 12, 2008 at 10:11 PM
That was a nice meaningful hit by Ethier in the 9th Inning.
Posted by: Spanky | August 12, 2008 at 10:52 PM
broxTON is choking nearly every time out, and simply is not the answer as closer.........need to move lowe to bullpen and make him the closer........then promote mcdonald from minors to take lowe's spot in rotation......better off w/youngster in 5th hole of rotation then have youngster (broxTON) in pressure spot of closer
Posted by: WheelerDealer | August 12, 2008 at 11:10 PM
If Pierre and Torre are so into "tradition," maybe they should acknowledge that Pierre has a tradition of being mostly useless.
Posted by: hashpipe | August 12, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Bullpen has rebounded? I am worried about Broxton and Park. Park seems to have given up a run almost every outing he has appeared in the last week or two.
kemp, ethier, kent rameriz loney blake martin garciaparra should be the everyday lineup
good comeback win tonight
Posted by: Tom | August 12, 2008 at 11:21 PM
I don't know if Penny will find success against Phillies potent lineup if he throws up 88 mph fastball against them tomorrow like he did against the Giants... we shall see....
Posted by: Tom | August 12, 2008 at 11:28 PM
Nobody breathe on the shortstop!!!
I don't know how long I can hold my breath, lol...
Nice to see 2 wins in a row. This one kind of (barely) makes up for one of the SF losses.
That CBS Sports column is quite the scathing summery of AJ's Dodger career. The writer almost sounds like a Blue Notes blogger.
You do have to wonder if steroids is the cause of AJ's downfall. He did start to decline after the "big" cleanup in 2006.
Between BorAss fleecing the Ned with that huge contract, the Dodgers desperation for a power bat, and an amazingly bad season from a stubborn out of shape Jones, you have the Perfect Storm of a Career Horrible Season.
Speaking of steroids, I'm sure everyone has noticed how HRs seem to be going down each year now. 20 has become a respectable amount. And 30-40 is now the big year again.
Is it any accident that with the testing we don't have the 50+ HR hitters anymore?
Posted by: Andy B | August 12, 2008 at 11:48 PM
I agree about Broxton. He scares me as the closer. I'd rather see Kuo in that role, despite the blown save against the Giants.
Posted by: DaveK | August 13, 2008 at 09:59 AM
WheelerDealer has exactly the same idea I do. The other outside option would be to move Lowe to the closer's role and that would open up a spot for a possible acquisition of Maddux.
Posted by: dalegribel | August 13, 2008 at 12:29 PM