Sunday, July 01, 2007 |
What Second-Place Season? Dodgers 5, Padres 0
Okay, so the Dodgers lost the home series to the Padres yesterday. Ouch.
The front-office may not think so, and there may be various other people who may not think so, but perhaps it's a good thing if the Dodgers don't trade Matt Kemp, James Loney, and/or maybe — dare I say his name? — Chad Billingsley for a Big Bat. As usual, the Bats are of dubious quality, with the price of front-runner (and DH in all but league) Adam Dunn allegedly scaring off the Padres, who then decided Milton Bradley even half-time was worth more than the unidimensional Dunn.
Bradley, of course, was supposed to suit up for the Pads today, but he was immediately moved to the 15-day DL before he had a chance to wear a Padres uniform, with the same oblique strain that sidelined him with the A's. There are risks with Big Bats, just as there are risks with Unproven Kids.
Chalk one up, a very big one then, for the Kids today. Billingsley had his best-ever major league start, fanning nine Padres over seven frames, while facing an opponent who, on paper, should have wrecked him and the Dodgers for a sweep. Germano's death on the road (1.08 ERA) despite pitching in an obscenely run-suppressing park at home. His big trick: Mr. Ground Ball, which he gets at about a 3:2 ratio over flyball outs.
Of course, that doesn't mean he's invincible, as homers by Matt Kemp and Rafael Furcal attested. Germano gave up all five of the Dodgers' runs, and when they weren't going yard, the Dodgers pretty much pecked him to death with singles, as in the third, when they slapped and stole with abandon to the tune of three runs. With Bills' top-notch performance, it was all the Dodgers needed. I've been a Billingsley skeptic for a long time because of his inability to prevent the walk, with a 59:58 K:BB ratio in 2006. This year, it's like a light turned on for him, and he's only walked 19 while striking out 44. His WHIP has taken a corresponding .400 decline, and he ended the game with a highly palatable if not downright tasty 3.44 ERA.
So let's hold off on trading him.
Otherwise: it was my first time to Dodger Stadium this year. I must admit, the parking was very pleasant, evaporating easily after the game, though it wasn't a fair comparison, since the announced 48,632 attendance looked more like 30,000 in the hot, muggy Sunday afternoon. We had no Dodger Dogs, nor any stadium food generally owing to my restricted diet and Helen's desire to stay away from the lines. But: well, steamy or no, it's good to be back in the old yard.
Labels: dodgers, padres, recaps
Amen, amen, amen. The Times and Daily News differ on detail this morning, but put them together and it sounds like we turned down a Kemp for Buehrle deal days ago.
One game out as the break approaches, Bills' start yesterday, Tsao's outing Saturday night and Houlton yesterday, some life in Nomar's bat, probably just the one start for Lurch according to Grady...it's way to early to give up on the west.
Best, Ken
--SoSG Steve Sax
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