The 2006 Dodger Season Thread

[mojorisin71]

Sunday, April 30, 2006

San Diego 6, Los Angeles 5 in 10 innings at PETCO Park

W - Scott Linebrink (2-2)
L - Tim Hamulack (0-2)

SD 6 runs, 7 hits, 1 error
LA 5 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors

HR - Bill Mueller, LA (3)

Dodgers' record - 12-13 (T-3rd in NL West)

The Padres scored five runs in a five-game losing streak. Then they scored five runs in ONE INNING. Enough said. Click here for fan reaction to this game.

[mojorisin71]

Monday, May 1, 2006

Arizona 3, Los Angeles 2 at Chase Field

W - Claudio Vargas (3-1)
L - Brad Penny (2-1)
S - Jose Valverde (6)

ARI 3 runs, 9 hits, 1 error
LA 2 runs, 8 hits, 1 error

HR - None

Dodgers' record - 12-14 (4th in NL West)

QUICKIE RECAP: One of the most overused sports clichés is "Hindsight is 20-20," and it applied perfectly well to the Shawn Green-for-Dioner Navarro-and-three-minor-leaguers trade in December of 2004. Green wanted out of LA, and he hasn't stopped sticking it to his former team since. He went 2-for-4 and scored what turned out to be the winning run in the third inning, and to add insult to injury, he robbed JD Drew of what would have been a go-ahead HR in the 4th. Brad Penny pitched 6 innings and allowed three runs in the 3rd without getting an out, and that was all the damage the DBacks had to do to back Claudio Vargas, who drove in the winning run. The Dodger offense fell silent as usual, but even the loss couldn't ruin the general good feeling around Dodgertown: Lance Carter and Hong-Chih Kuo both got demoted to Las Vegas, and Joe Beimel and Jonathan Broxton were called up to replace them.

SIDE NOTE: Beimel wore #97 last night, which makes him the highest-numbered Dodger in both team and franchise history.

[DodgerBlue81]

Should have swept San Diego. That game on Sunday was a disgrace.
And then they lost another 1 run game last night, they really need this game tonight.
And when the hell are Furcal and Kent going to hit?

[mojorisin71]

Tuesday, May 2, 2006

Arizona 10, Los Angeles 8 at Chase Field

W - Luis Vizcaíno (1-2)
L - Takashi Saito (2-1)
S - Jose Valverde (7)

ARI 10 runs, 15 hits, 0 errors
LA 8 runs, 13 hits, 1 error

HR - JD Drew, LA (5,6), Chad Tracy, ARI (4), Shawn Green, ARI (2)

Dodgers' record - 12-15 (4th in NL West)

QUICKIE RECAP: No lead is safe for the Dodgers. Two days removed from losing a 5-run lead in the bottom of the 9th and losing the game in extra innings, Odalis Perez was handed a 6-0 lead heading into the 5th, and to no one's amazement, he lost it. Shawn Green homered to lead off the inning, and then Andy Green walked, Chris Snyder, who had become Barry Bonds all of a sudden, walked, and one out later, Craig Counsell, another former Dodger singled in a run, and two batter later, Chad Tracy (no relation to Jim) hit a game-tying grand slam. Perez couldn't get anyone out, as Jonathan Broxton allowed the go-ahead run and just like that, a 6-0 lead had turned into a 7-6 deficit. JD Drew homered in the 7th to tie the game, but Takashi Saito allowed two runs in the bottom half of the inning, as the DBacks completed the two-game sweep. Green went 4-for-4 with 2 walks, and he robbed Rafael Furcal of an extra-base hit with another catch at the wall. Former Dodgers just can't help sticking it to their former teams (i.e. Counsell, Jeromy Burnitz, etc.)

[mojorisin71]

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

San Diego 11, Los Angeles 5 at Dodger Stadium

W - Scott Cassidy (1-0)
L - Franquelis Osoria (0-2)

SD 11 runs, 17 hits, 0 errors
LA 5 runs, 6 hits, 1 error

HR - Olmedo Saenz, LA (3), Dioner Navarro, LA (2), Andre Ethier, LA (1), Josh Barfield, SD (3), Mark Bellhorn, SD (2), Geoff Blum, SD (1)

Dodgers' record - 12-16 (5th in NL West)

QUICKIE RECAP: The Curse of Lance Carter has affected the Dodgers since his disastrous outing last Sunday at PETCO. And when he got sent down, he seemed to have the last laugh in LA. The Dodgers fell behind 4-1 in the 7th, but pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz briefly lifted our hopes in Dodgertown with a game-tying HR. And in the 8th, all hell broke loose, as Franquelis Osoria allowed a single to Vinny Castilla and back-to-back HRs to rookie Josh Barfield and Geoff Blum. And before the inning was over, Osoria allowed two more runs to make it impossible for a comeback, despite Bruce Bochy's attempts to give it to them by sending Dewon Brazelton to pitch the 9th inning (he did allow Andre Ethier's first career HR). Danys Baez allowed two more runs in the 9th to cap the scoring. That 9th inning on Sunday seemed to ignite the Padres, as they've won 4 straight and the Dodgers haven't won since. Things don't look good for LA, as they have one more game tonight against San Diego and then host the Brewers, who despite being in 5th place, they have a 15-12 record and are sending two of their aces against LA in the series. The Dodgers' elimination number has dropped to 133 as of May 3.

SIDE NOTE: The flags at Dodger Stadium flew at half-staff in memory of Steve Howe, killed two hours east of LA in Coachella, CA last week. RIP.

[DodgerBlue81]

Last place, and probably will stay there the rest of the season. This team is a joke, I think only the Royals worse. I don't see them not finishing last. Furcal and Kent can't hit. Navarro can't hit and can't throw anyone out, and there's no pitching except for Penny and Baez. Lowe and Tomko have been OK, but Odalis Perez is a disgrace, and the bullpen is horrible.

[UnderPressure]

About time to win. Not a bad debut for Russ Martin.

[Jake83]

Watching what the Angels are doing while struggling makes you want to see Loney back, Matrin, Guzman and the young pitchers.

[mojorisin71]

Thursday, May 4, 2006

San Diego 3, Los Angeles 0 at Dodger Stadium

W - Alan Embree (1-0)
L - Takashi Saito (2-2)
S - Trevor Hoffman (5)

SD 3 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors
LA 0 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors

HR - Khalil Greene, SD (5)

Dodgers' record - 12-17 (5th in NL West)

QUICKIE RECAP: The Dodgers are quickly sinking to new depths. Just two days after I endorsed Takashi Saito as the only reliable arm in the pen, he gives up a three-run HR to Jeff Spicoli to undo the work Brett Tomko did (7 innings, 5 hits and no runs). It was another pitching duel between Tomko and Clay Hensley, but it almost ended five innings earlier, as Andre Ethier broke his bat on a pitch and the barrel hit him on the back of the head. He managed to go 6 innings and only allow two hits. Alan Embree, Scott Linebrink, and Trevor Hoffman shut the door on the Dodger offense, who had two starters and the pitcher all batting around or less than .200. So when you only manage two hits off a pitcher who got hit in the head, it comes as no surprise.

[mojorisin71]

Friday, May 5, 2006

Los Angeles 4, Milwaukee 3 at Dodger Stadium

W - Danys Baez (1-1)
L - Matt Wise (2-2)

LA 4 runs, 13 hits, 2 errors
MIL 3 runs, 10 hits, 0 errors

HR - Carlos Lee, MIL (13)

Dodgers' record - 13-17 (5th in NL West)

QUICKIE RECAP: Dioner Navarro went on the 15-day DL yesterday after taking a foul tip off Vinny Castilla's bat on Thursday. In other words, it was an excuse to bench him. Russell Martin became the third Dodger to make his major league debut this season and he went 2-for-4 with a 2-run double and he tagged out what would have been the go-ahead run in the 8th, but the Dodger bullpen faltered again, as they let Derek Lowe's 7-inning, 2-run performance go to waste as Tim Hamulack failed to get anyone out and Danys Baez let the winning run score on a wild pitch. LA pounded Chris Capuano for 10 hits and 3 run in 6 innings, but they needed a Furcal slap single and a Nomar single down the RF line to win it in the bottom of the 9th. Last night was the fourth consecutive no-decision for Lowe, who despite his 3.05 ERA, has only one win to show for it.

[UnderPressure]

Nomah came up big again, but the bullpen still blows.

[mojorisin71]

Saturday, May 6, 2006

Los Angeles 5, Milwaukee 4 at Dodger Stadium

W - Danys Baez (2-1)
L - Chris Demaria (0-1)

LA 5 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors
MIL 4 runs, 10 hits, 0 errors

HR - None

Dodgers' record - 14-17 (5th in NL West)

QUICKIE RECAP: This game looked eerily similar to Friday night's game in that the score was tied 3-3 in the 8th inning, Danys Baez allowed the game-tying run to score, and for the second straight night, Nomar had a game-winning hit in the bottom of the 9th to cap off his 3-for-5-with-3-RBI night as the Dodgers won consecutive home games for the first time this season. Ben Hendrickson started for the Brewers as Tomo Ohka went on the DL, and he gave up 3 runs in 5 innings. Brad Penny wasn't sharp (7 hits and 6 walks in 5 1/3 innings), but he still left with a tie game. Baez was in line to pick up his 9th save, but allowed a double to Carlos Lee and an RBI single to Bill Hall in the 9th inning. In the bottom half with one out, though, Kenny Lofton doubled and Nomar singled to almost the exact same spot to send him home and to win the game and the series. The Dodgers may have won, but the pen needs serious fixing. And that includes the closer.

[mojorisin71]

Sunday, May 7, 2006

Los Angeles 10, Milwaukee 2 at Dodger Stadium

W - Aaron Sele (1-0)
L - Dave Bush (2-4)

LA 10 runs, 14 hits, 0 errors
MIL 2 runs, 8 hits, 2 errors

HR - Olmedo Saenz, LA (4), Russell Martin, LA (1), Rafael Furcal, LA (1), Carlos Lee, MIL (14)

Dodgers' record - 15-17 (4th in NL West)

QUICKIE RECAP: Odalis Perez was scheduled to start this game for the Dodgers, but his mother is seriously ill and he was placed on the bereavement list as he is currently in the Dominican Republic to be with her. Aaron Sele was called up from Las Vegas to start, and in his first career NL start, he did a heck of a good job, going 6 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits and he left to a standing ovation in the 7th. Dave Bush, the Brew Crew's spot starter (Ben Sheets had some tightness in his shoulder), didn't fare as well, getting pounded for 8 hits and 6 runs in 6 innings. Russell Martin hit his first career HR in the 2nd to snap a 1-1 tie, and the Dodgers never looked back, as Olmedo Saenz and Rafael Furcal each hit 2-run jacks to sweep the Brewers and move out of the cellar. It's very awkward to say that the Dodgers are 4 games behind the first-place Rockies in May, but then again, this is baseball.

[DownUnderDodger]

I finally got to see a Dodger game on TV which happened to be game 3 of the series against Houston - of course we would be given the worst of the 3 game series :grouchy

It may have been a win without the errors - Mueller, what were you thinking?? Crucial mistakes which cost 3 runs in a 2 run game!! Then again, who knows how the game would have gone had the errors not happened??

One thing that pleases me is that Colorado are the pace setters - they must be there on sufferance - aren't they

[Elvis]

Mueller out 4-6 weeks with a knee scope Oh well, more chances to watch the kids play. Can Izzy play 3rd?