Dodgers @ Rockies
5:40 pm
Game 2
After the bullpen completed a routine meltdown last night, we find ourselves tied for last place in the NL West with San Diego. We are 6 games under .500 and 6.5 games back of the Giants who are in first. I have become pretty much numb to bullpen blow ups at this point. Ever since Broxton's last Chernobyl incident, I see the nightly implosion as almost inevitable now. We have been watching this unfold for the last year, and it doesn't seem like things will be turning around anytime soon. Either the pitching is stellar, but the offense is paltry or nil or the offense is actually producing runs but the bullpen blows any lead obtained no matter how large. The stars have to be aligned just right for both the offense and relief pitching to synchronize for a win.
In a very inconclusive story on the Dodger's website, Don Mattingly discusses the injury updates of both Jon Garland and Vicente Padilla. If you read between the lines, they are not returning anytime soon and maybe done for the entire season. Of course the information is hazy, and they do not want to outright say they are toast, but yeah that's pretty much the gist of it. Vicente Padilla's bulging neck discs are keeping him from returning anytime soon. Jon Garland, someone who had rumored pre existing injuries in the offseason, may even have a torn labrum or rotator cuff. Now why did we sign him knowing full well these injuries were present? Just ludicrous. Obviously he hasn't pitched healthy at all this season, and only has 1 win to show for it. So either Rubby De La Rosa or Jon Ely will have to take the 5th starter spot. I suspect they'll let Rubby start and see how he fares. No news on Rafael Furcal, but I suspect he's gone for a long time as well. Jansen and Kuo seem to be progressing in rehab, and may be back soon.
Chad Billingsley (5-4, 3.70) will go up against Jhoulys Chacin (6-4, 3.19). Billingsley who is hitting .304 had a homerun and a double in his last victory in Cincinnati. I say let's hit him ahead of Big Rod, Thames or any other Auto Out in the lineup. Bills has a three game winning streak going. We lost to Chacin on April 5th with 7 shutout innings, so offense will be at a premium once again. In 7 starts against the Dodgers, Chacin is 4-3 with a 2.40 ERA.
Matt Kemp is now the league leader in homeruns with 18. He is second in RBIs with 53. Andre Ethier is tied for second place in batting average at .335.
Lineup:
Gordon 6
Blake 5
Ethier 9
Kemp 8
Loney 3
Uribe 4
Navarro 2
Gwynn 7
Bills 1
Gwynn will get the start in left field today thankfully instead of Thames. The laughable thing is Bills has a higher batting average than Loney, Uribe, Navarro, and Gwynn which is basically half our lineup.
Let's hope we can squeak out one of our fluke wins. Go Blue:)
No comments:
Post a Comment