Hello,
On Saturday the Dodgers lost to the Giants 4-2, as both teams have won 1 game each in this series. The tie breaking game will be played Sunday afternoon. Previous to Sunday's game the Dodgers had won 4 straight games against the Giants. Following Sunday's game LA doesn't play San Francisco again until September 12th. 7 of the last 17 Dodgers games are against the Giants. By then I'm sure the Giants will have remembered how to score and probably added at least one more veteran bat. Both teams still will be fighting for what likely will be the only NL West team making the playoffs.
Saturday's game wasn't the finest game for the Dodgers, it reminded me of many of LA's games earlier in the season. LA only had 4 hits and were a Tim Federowicz two run home run from being shut out. That was a big hit by Fedex, but sadly he's hitting only .200 this season. Carl Crawford in his first full game back since returning from injury was 0 for 4. He's hitting .289 now after he had flirted with .300 for most of the season. LA should be glad for anything that the oft injured Crawford can give them.
Even Yasiel Puig, who had been carrying the Dodgers since he's been in LA, struggled. He was 0 for 4 and is hitting .407. He struck out in all of his 4 at bats. Will today be the day that Puig's batting average dips below .400? I hope not but most had to realize it was only a matter of time. Hanley Ramirez was 1 for 4 and is right on Puig's tail for the best batting average amongst all Dodgers. Ramirez is hitting .406.
LA slipped back to 26th in MLB in runs scored, the Astros scored 9 runs to bypass LA for 25th place. In the NL West standings the Dodgers and Rockies remained tied for second place, both teams are 4.5 games behind the first place Diamondbacks. Arizona seems to have rediscovered their winning momentum, they've won 4 in a row.
Also LA was finally able to add that desperately needed 4th starter. They traded with the Marlins for Ricky Nolasco, the experts say that the Dodgers didn't give up much for him. Nolasco is 5-8, has a 3.85 ERA and says he's been a lifelong Dodgers fan. Neither his win/loss record or ERA aren't great, but you need to remember that Nolasco was pitching for the lowest scoring team in all of MLB. Miami is at 281 runs, the only MLB team that hasn't scored 300 runs this season. Of course LA doesn't have many more runs, but their offense has picked up of late.
And I still don't understand the impact of international signing funds, but the Marlins sent $200,000 in that to the Dodgers. All the Dodgers gave up is paying most of the rest money owed to Nolasco this season, what's a few million dollars to the Guggenheim ownership group? The Dodgers also gave up 3 prospects, but none of them are top prospects. LA sent Steven Ames, Josh Wall and Angel Sanchez to the Marlins. Wall was the only player I had even heard of.
Matt Kemp could be back as soon as today or tomorrow. I hope the Dodgers aren't rushing him back. When he got off of the DL it didn't seem like he was fully healthy. I hope that he's the healthiest he's been all season.
themusicaddict
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