6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog: Home Is Where The Heart (Attack) Is: Rockies 6, Dodgers 3

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Monday, April 09, 2007

Home Is Where The Heart (Attack) Is: Rockies 6, Dodgers 3

Well, as mentioned earlier, the game didn't go so well for Jason Schmidt (pulled hamstring) or Matt Kemp (banged up shoulder, X-rays turned up negative), both of whom are for now listed as day-to-day. Kemp's liable to hit the DL anyway since the Dodgers will need a roster spot for Rafael Furcal once he comes back from his very brief minor league rehab assignment.

I was really waiting for the kvetching about Juan Pierre's "arm" in center to reach some sort of real lather in today's Dodger Thoughts gameday thread, but it never really got there. Not that there wasn't opportunity; in the sixth, Garret Atkins (spelling Todd Helton for the day) hit a "sac fly" to center that was almost an infield pop, yet Kaz Matsui felt comfortable enough to run home and collect a free run. It was the sort of thing that prompted DT commenter Greg Brock (comment #593) to opine,

I have to believe that all the questions being asked of Grady (about Juan Pierre) are a result of blogs. Most mainstream journalists (I'm looking at YOU, Plaschke) didn't say boo when the Dodgers signed him. Stark was curious, Olney had doubts, and Keith Law absolutely trashed the signing, but the greatest criticism came from the Philosopher King and others.
Juan Pierregate is already in full swing. And I love it.

In fairness, as Bob Timmermann pointed out later, Bill Plaschke may have been on leave working on a book project at the time the signing occurred, but I also agree Andrew Shimmin (c. #608) that if Pierre were hitting worth a damn, the rat-a-tat-tat questioning wouldn't be happening.

The Dodgers mounted a ralleylet in the ninth, loading the bases with one out, applying some late pressure on Rockies closer Brian Fuentes, yet he allowed only one run on a sacrifice fly, the exact wrong bit of hitting needed for that circumstance. The earlier surrender of one run at a time by the Dodger bullpen made a big ninth inning rally a requirement; in turn, Jason Schmidt's early exit mandated the daisy-chain of relievers. In only four of the Dodgers' seven starts so far has the starter made it through the sixth inning, and of those, only three were quality starts. The bullpen is going to get mighty tired if this keeps up.

Finally, Jon touched on the parking situation at Dodger Stadium; those who arrived early had no problems, but others described it as a nightmare. Again, I ask: has anyone from the Dodgers organization apologized for the people displaying disabled placards or license plates who were directed to park in the regular lots despite those insignia? Which Dodger VP will get the axe because of this year's screwup?

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Labels: dodgers, recaps, rockies