Houston, We Have a Problem

LA Dodgers @ Houston Astros
5:05 PM PT
Game 1

Ted Lilly
8-9
3.55

Bud Norris
6-8
5.34

Lineup:
Pod 7
Carroll 6
Ethier 9
Loney 3
Mitchell 5
Theriot 4
Oeltjen 8
Ellis 2
Lilly 1

After last nights debacle, the Dodgers have now been shut out 16 times this year which is the most since 1989. They have only scored a meager seven runs during their current 5 game losing streak. Houston, on the other hand, has won 6 of their last 8 games. The Dodgers haven't played the Astros since the odd two game series back in May at Dodger Stadium. This will be their first trip to Minute Maid park this season. This also brings up a thought that I've had about the strange schedule the Dodgers have been handed this year. I'm in no way making excuses for this year's mediocrity, but the combination of difficult interleague play earlier in the season for the Dodgers and the cake-walk of a schedule the Padres have been gifted, has definately benefitted the latter.

Rest assured Torre was quoted earlier saying  "We need to put something together. We just can't get in unless we win games. We haven't sustained anything. Am I giving up? No, I'm not giving up." Sure looks as though he's given up to me. Not only is Torre delusional, but as Scott pointed out, he is despicable. Pulling John Lindsey back from the on deck circle was just cruel. Now, it's not that I don't like Ethier, because I do. It is just the lefty vs. righty matchup is not the only strategy in baseball. Sometimes you have to just let your gut make the decision. This guy has waited 16 years for that moment, and then Torre steps into to do his job which is to ruin it. 


The lineup looks a bit different today with the Aussie, Oeltjen, making his first start as a Dodger at 3rd giving Casey Blake the night off. Hit Machine will also be resting with Carroll at shortstop. Russell Mitchell will be playing 3rd tonight moving over from 1st in last night's game. Still no Lindsey in the lineup. 


Side note: Clayton Kershaw, who has already thrown a career-high 183 1/3 innings, will have his next start pushed back from Saturday in Houston to Tuesday in San Francisco. John Ely will be starting Saturday. I like Ely, so this is fine by me.