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Saturday, May 13, 2006

Take The C Out Of Closer And It's Loser: Giants 6, Dodgers 5

You know, it was funny, because just a few hours ago, I was just watching Dusty Baker implode in the ninth against the Padres. Oh, it wasn't really him: it was his "closer", Ryan Dempster, who gave up a pair of hard-hit singles before facing Mike Piazza. Predictably, Piazza went yard on Dempster, giving the Padres a 4-3 victory in a game they had led in since the first. Dusty Baker's unwillingness to pull his closer — not that there were any especially better options out there, I confess — cost the Cubs a win.

So with the Dodgers. Oh, I so want to hear Grittle weasel his way out of this one. What kind of aw-shucks smokescreen will he trot out? That the loss was somehow on the offense? Coming into the ninth without having to face Bonds and a three run lead, Baez shouldn't have needed any help. Instead, he leaves a greasy smudge on the scoreboard with a "BS, L" mark behind it. And it's not as though Little didn't have plenty of time to make a decision; the Giants nearly batted around in the ninth. After the tie, he had no excuse, and you could argue that having taken the game to a 5-4 score, Baez shouldn't have been allowed to face Ortmeyer, either.

At least the Dodgers are hitting. The bad news might be that another strong outing by Sele means he's cemented his position in the rotation, one that will inevitably result in a month's worth of losses before he gets demoted to the bullpen and starts making petulent comments about his role there.

ESPN BoxRecap


Comments:
I was watching Grady Little the other day do an after game interview on FSN. I closed my eyes and I'll be damned if I wasn't listening to Forrest Gump. After that I don't rember what he said...i betcha he has the same effect on the press.
 
Good point, Steve, though I do wonder what the Dodgers would have done minus Baez in a couple of those saves. Gagné to Duaner Sanchez?
 
Beimel seems to have potential but that shows you how bad the situation has become.

Also, there is a headline on the Dodger page of ESPN that reads "Giants rally past Angels; Bonds 0-3". Wow, and for a minute there I thought it was the Dodgers who just lost a sure win.
 
I was at the game and remarked to someone that Baez had gone 0-2 to just about every hitter. Was he then making just terrible pitches? Or were they hitting good pitches? And why did they warm Broxton up, then bring in Saito after he went two (3?) Friday night?
 
Yeah, he was leaving stuff up when he wasn't all over the zone.
 
Is it unreasonable to suggest that Saito be used as closer? He did it in Japan...

Jus' sayin.
 
Rob - Its a Motels song, isn't it?
'take c out of closer and its loser'.
 
Hey, you win da prize! Give da man a ceegar.
 
I still have a hard time making out that 24 hits and 16 runs across the past two games = "a Mariners staff that's making them look like Little Leaguers". Nevermind that the Mariner's staff is actually pretty good (#4 in the league in ERA, and first in strikeouts coming into this series) or that we out-hit them and had 5 more strikeouts than their pitchers...

The Angels lost a one-run contest and are averaging 12 hits and 8 runs a game in this series. "Little Leaguers" is over the top.

In other news, is Kendry Morales showing signs of coming around? He did have a slow start last year as well, but not this slow of a start. He is 7 for his last 13, though. One can only hope.
 
This comment was to go in the Minor League thread above this post.

Whoops.
 
Well, I guess we're going to find out. Beimel recorded his first save. 1 HR but he got six outs. Inconclusive so far. I agree Saito should probably try the position since he has the most experience but he has been up and down and at 36, he is getting up there.
 

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