Ball or Nuthin' » Dodgers

Phillies Cruise Into World Series

T Lamont — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:04:14 +0000

Manny Ramirez is now free to shower anytime he wants.

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-4 to advance to the their second straight World Series. Philadelphia will face the winner of the ALCS (Yankees are leading that series 3 games to 1).

In a game that saw both teams garner 8 hits, the Phillies smacked six extra base hits. They got 4 home runs – including two by slugger Jayson Werth – which sparked their scoring outburst.

Ryan Howard was named MVP of the 2009 NLCS.

Philadelphia was quite effective with its offense. The club had only 8 hits, drew 4 walks and only left 8 runners on base. The defending World Champions were extremely productive in clutch situations, with Werth and Shane Victorino combining to drive in 6 runs with 2 outs. By contrast, the Dodgers left 15 runners on base.

L.A. was ultimately doomed by its inability to control the big bats in the Phillies’ lineup. With the exception of a 2-1 victory in Game 2, the Dodgers were blasted by an aggressive Phillies’ team stacked with good hitters.

For now, the Dodgers can only think of what could have been. Having lost 8 of its last 10 NLCS games (all to the Phillies), Joe Torre will have yet another year to come up with a game plan to surplant Philadelphia from atop the NL perch.

Holliday’s Error Dooms Cards’ Chances

T Lamont — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:14:38 +0000

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St. Louis Cardinals’ outfielder Matt Holliday was supposed to be the hero in a game that would have tied them with the Los Angeles Dodgers at 1-1 in their NLDS. Too bad the cards didn’t go in his favor.

Holliday’s error on a low line drive off the bat of James Loney with two outs in the bottom of the ninth proved to place (what would become) the tying run on second base, and the Cardinals went on to lose Game 2 of this series 3-2 to the Dodgers.

Mark Loretta came through with two outs in the bottom of the ninth by delivering a walk-off RBI single.

Journeyman infielder Mark Loretta ended the game in walk-off fashion by singling up the middle, scoring Casey Blake. The home squad won despite an outstanding pitching effort from NL Cy Young candidate Adam Wainwright. Wainwright pitched 8 innings of three-hit baseball, only allowing one run on a home run by Andre Ethier. The 19-game winner had Los Angeles batters baffled all night.

This loss was definitely a heartbreaker for St. Louis. In their first two games of this series, they have placed two of the best pitchers in the majors on the mound (Chris Carpenter and Wainwright), and are facing an 0-2 deficit as they go back home to Busch Stadium.

Holliday was acquired from the Oakland Athletics, and was the major piece of a mid-season trade designed to push St. Louis over the hump and into the playoffs. The trade couldn’t have worked out any better for the team, as they finished the season as one of four NL teams that were fighting for the best record in the league. And Holliday had homered in the second inning of this game, putting him in great position to be one of the game’s heroes.

But unfortunately for Holliday, if the Cards aren’t able to shake this funk, tonight’s error will live in infamy within the minds of the St. Louis faithful.

Note to the Dodgers…

T Lamont — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:17:43 +0000

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You have absolutely, without a shadow-of-a-doubt have to find a way to keep Juan Pierre in your lineup.

Now, I know that you think you’re outfield is set with Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and the soon-to-be-returning Manny Ramirez. But Pierre is the offensive catalyst that every team needs.

Since being inserted to replace Ramirez, all he has done is post a .328 batting average and collected 16 stolen bases. The world-class burner has also contributed 22 runs batted in (20 of them coming from the lead-off spot in the lineup). He has hit .347 with runners in scoring position. He’s batting .333 from the seventh inning on. He’s even 2 for 5 with the bases loaded.

I’m not saying that Manny should be left on the bench. I’m just wondering how a true offensive weapon like Pierre can be kept out of the lineup.

Say It Ain’t So Manny

T Lamont — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:41:22 +0000

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Hey Manny? You got some splainin' to do...

So, with the Los Angeles Dodgers playing out of their minds – including a ridiculous home winning streak to start the season – comes some catastrophic news. And we’re not talking a minor California aftershock – but something the size of a full-blown earthquake.

Manny Ramirez has started off the year in his routine fashion – batting around .350 with 6 homers…around 20 RBIs…and undoubtedly the newly crowned charismatic leaders of the most talked about team in baseball (at the moment, anyway). But MLB dropped the hammer on the Dodgers, suspending the veteran slugger for a positive performance-enhancing drug test.

One of the famed clutch sluggers of the 90′s and the new millennium, Ramirez has always displayed a unique personality. From his crazy nicknames to his unstable hairstyles, he has continued to be a leader and one of the most outspoken players in the game.

But how many more tainted superstars can the troubled game of baseball stand?