The Cubs suffer from a different kind of agony. They're usually good for at least a couple of postseason runs in any given decade, but always fall short - often in very painful fashion.
Dodgers won again tonight, 6-1 the final score. A solid start for Lilly (making his return from the DL), allowing only 1 unearned run & striking out 4 in 7 innings of work. Ethier & Kemp, naturally, continue to amaze, and I still feel sorry for Aaron Harang: struck out 9 Padre batters in a row last night (setting a new Dodger record), en route to 13 total strikeouts, but lost the game due to Kenley Jansen giving up a 2-run home run in the top of the 9th...the Dodgers won the game anyway, and that of course is what matters.
Pirates came out on top today finally breaking their losin streak. Wish the Pirates had better bats... The pitchers are killing it this year. Who goes to the pen when AJ comes off the DL? Also no one can stop Matt Kemp right now. He is in beast mode.
Had a great time at Chavez Ravine yesterday afternoon. Despite being in the sun for about half of the game, the benefits of going to a day game at the stadium (no real traffic go to & from the ballpark) are huge plus. Went with my dad, a friend & his dad, which made for an interesting afternoon (the jokes we make, my dad talking to at least 500 people around him as he always does ). Nice to finally go to game on Jackie Robinson day, with the video tribute the Dodgers had on him being well done... and it was a thrill to see Tommy Davis & Don Newcombe throw out the first pitch. As for the game, Kershaw didn't have his best stuff (3 ER, 1 unearned run, 3 walks & 3 K's in 5 1/3), and Dee Gordon had 1 error, and 2 other playable balls wiz right by him. Kemp homered, continuing his beast mode start to this season (.487, 6 HR, 16 RBI's, an OBP of .523 & slugging over a 1000... Hell yes!). It was quite a sight to join in on the stadium crowd chanting "MVP, MVP!" after the homer... he will of course won't be hitting at this pace all season, but he is definitely proving that last season was no fluke. And it was great that Dee(eeeeeeeeeeee) Gordon redeemed himself in the 9th by getting that walk off single to win the game... I've been to a few walk off wins in person now since 2006, and there always so, so exciting to experience. The 9-1 start of course is very good, but I/any Dodger fan with reason should hold back on any great excitement/foolish pronouncements... it's still only April 16th. The quality of the opponents isn't the issue here (you got to beat up on the weaker teams, and it's not like other likely good or great teams won't be playing Pittsburgh & San Diego throughout the season), it's the how early it is in the season. The 2005 Dodgers started 12-2, and ended the year 71-91. Still, it was quite a special afternoon at the ballpark, one I'll remember for quite sometime (and the Dodgers are 2-0 in games I've attended so far this year. ). Also, you may have heard about this play from yesterday's game. : At the end of the day, the correct call was made... the ball isn't dead/fair or fall if it's rolling around like that, and it eventually rolled fair. Dale Scott (the home plate umpire) clearly rules the ball fair, even after putting his hands up (though that was done clearly to get out of the way of the play). Too bad (ie: BOO HOO) for the Padre base runners for not paying attention to that fair call. Though I missed that (the action at home plate) part of the triple play (I was talking to my friend's dad about chicken & waffles ), I saw the rest of it, and was deliriously happy after realizing that a triple play had just occurred. Incredible.
Pedro Alveras is on track to hit 47 home runs this year. The trouble is he is on track to have 47 hits this year.
It's been 2 terrible days for the Bums in Milwaukee this week: Guerra blowing the save in the bottom of the 9th last night, leading to George Kottaras' walk off hit giving the Brewers a 5-4 win (and coming after Ethier hit a go ahead home run to give the Dodgers the lead in the top of the 8th)... tonight, with the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the 10th, Matt Guerrier walks 3 batters, A.J. Ellis throws a ball to center field on a botched attempt to get a runner out at 2nd (a stolen base attempt), which all setup Ryan Braun's walk off sac fly giving the Brewers their 2nd consecutive walk off win against the Bums in this series. Oh joy!
And it does appear Ellis had tagged Morgan out, but oh well... these sort of calls are a part of baseball after all. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/dodgers-fans-booed-chris-paul-son-230124515.html Something I forgot to mention about being at the game this past Sunday... it was so great to have joined in on the boo's for Chris Paul at the stadium. When it comes to NBA basketball, L.A. will always be a Laker town.
Well, I'm ready for Terry Collins to be fired. Taking out pitchers who are doing well seems like a good way to lose a lot of games. Amazing.
What the heck was with that triple play thing against San Diego that video makes no sense. edit: okay, after watching it a few times its seemingly the right call, but that is probably one of the most messed up triple plays ever.
