Games 134-135: Dodgers vs Colorado Rockies 6:3, 14:5
As witnessed by my earlier post reagrding the comeback kids, the success in two first games in the Rockies series clearly lied in how the Dodgers were able to strike right back after their opponents put up a big inning. I believe the April Dodger would have laid on their backs and practically called it quits right there and then when the threes and fives were put on the board by the visitors.
Anyway, have you noticed how well the Dodgers are seeing and hitting the ball lately? While I missed the series finale yesterday (due to heavy storm which made me turn off all power-based devices at home), I did notice that even when they made outs, it was not on weak grounders and/or popouts. At least not to a degree that had been noticeable before this trend. My lithmus (proper word?) test here is how Raffy and Nomar make their outs. On their worst days, it's a grounder to shallow short by Furcal and first-pitch centerfield lazy flyout by Garciaparra. While they are not exactly tearing it up recently (especially Nomar), they make defense work harder for the putout.
As for the two game themselves:
(1) How is this possible that Wilson Betemit is leading this team in HRs? ;) I admit, he has a sweetest longball swing, but with Jeff Kent and JD Drew onboard, it still feels strange.
(2) Since it's September, I guess it's safe to say that Drew DID indeed stay healthy this year. Partly due to the "play four-sit one" procedure advocated by Grady Little. My point though is: which version do you like more for the ca 11 mln, I guess it's what JD makes per year: the high-octane HR/RBI type which is more prone to injury, or the slap-hitter/adequate-fielder RF which we have seen mostly this year?
(3) Congrats to James Loney for his career-first homer run in the Dodger uniform, hit in the middle game (8th innings, nobody on, against a Manny Corpas!
(4) This second game of the series was indeed strange pitching-wise. It featured Mark Hendrickson, deprived (and rightly so) of the regular starting spot in late August and the former LH relief specialist Hong-Chi Kuo, whom I believe you easily challenge for the starter role next season. While both were equally efficient (no runs, no hits in their respective inning of play), Hendrickson is clearly on his way out the closer we get to the playoffs, while Kuo might just be a specialty lefty (to a much larger extent that Joe Beimel and/or Tim Hamulack's stuff will ever allow them to) coming out of the bullpen in the stretch run.
Anyway, have you noticed how well the Dodgers are seeing and hitting the ball lately? While I missed the series finale yesterday (due to heavy storm which made me turn off all power-based devices at home), I did notice that even when they made outs, it was not on weak grounders and/or popouts. At least not to a degree that had been noticeable before this trend. My lithmus (proper word?) test here is how Raffy and Nomar make their outs. On their worst days, it's a grounder to shallow short by Furcal and first-pitch centerfield lazy flyout by Garciaparra. While they are not exactly tearing it up recently (especially Nomar), they make defense work harder for the putout.
As for the two game themselves:
(1) How is this possible that Wilson Betemit is leading this team in HRs? ;) I admit, he has a sweetest longball swing, but with Jeff Kent and JD Drew onboard, it still feels strange.
(2) Since it's September, I guess it's safe to say that Drew DID indeed stay healthy this year. Partly due to the "play four-sit one" procedure advocated by Grady Little. My point though is: which version do you like more for the ca 11 mln, I guess it's what JD makes per year: the high-octane HR/RBI type which is more prone to injury, or the slap-hitter/adequate-fielder RF which we have seen mostly this year?
(3) Congrats to James Loney for his career-first homer run in the Dodger uniform, hit in the middle game (8th innings, nobody on, against a Manny Corpas!
(4) This second game of the series was indeed strange pitching-wise. It featured Mark Hendrickson, deprived (and rightly so) of the regular starting spot in late August and the former LH relief specialist Hong-Chi Kuo, whom I believe you easily challenge for the starter role next season. While both were equally efficient (no runs, no hits in their respective inning of play), Hendrickson is clearly on his way out the closer we get to the playoffs, while Kuo might just be a specialty lefty (to a much larger extent that Joe Beimel and/or Tim Hamulack's stuff will ever allow them to) coming out of the bullpen in the stretch run.
posted by Harry | 10:51 PM
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