Archives for the month of: July, 2013
On the mound Sunday, Ricky Nolasco realized a childhood dream of pitching for the Dodgers.

On the mound Sunday, Ricky Nolasco realized a childhood dream of pitching for the Dodgers.

Unfortunately, the Dodgers ended the first part of the season with a loss to the Rockies, 3-0. But, hey, a couple of weeks ago it looked like we were dead in the water, and now we stand in second place, just 2½ games behind Arizona with a 47-47 record. Much better than we had been doing. I just wish Ricky Nolasco could have won in his first game at the Ravine. He has been a lifelong Dodgers fan, and it would have been fantastic to have him win the game he has dreamed about forever.

721_-mlb_all-star_game-primary-2013Now, it’s time for a little break. The All-Star Game is tomorrow afternoon/evening on Fox, and I’m rooting for the National League (especially Clayton Kershaw), as usual. I’ll be making a little wager, and watching with a cold beverage in my hand at the Caesar’s Palace sports book. It’s a tradition started long ago when the NL couldn’t beat the AL to save its life. So enjoy, take the day off and watch some exhibition baseball!

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke

A big woo-hoo for that game, am I right?

Zack Greinke’s one-hit complete game shutout was a thing of beauty and a joy for at least the next five days (until his next start).

Greinke finally looked like the ace he was supposed to be all along. He even got a hit and stole a base like it was no big deal. Easy peasy!

Spectacular performance even though watching it on Fox is not the same as having Vin calling the shots. (I love Eric Karros, but there is just something about the melodious Master Scully.)

I think it is hysterical that, yesterday, after the Dodgers lost, 3-0 — one of only four losses in 21 games — the pundits said, “Wow, they played like their old selves. Let’s hope they’re not slipping back into bad habits.”

Every team has to lose one once in a while. Lighten up, Lyons.

Even though we didn’t gain any ground on the D’bags today, we didn’t lose any either. It doesn’t mean we will stay behind them forever.

One more game ’til the All-Star break. Go Dodgers!

Mark Ellis dives for the bag on a pickoff attempt by the Rockies.

Mark Ellis dives for the bag on a pickoff attempt by the Rockies.

Second baseman Mark Ellis (I LOVE this guy!) knocked in four of the six runs for the Dodgers last night in a 6-1 rout of the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. It came a day after a 5-hour, 14-inning marathon in which the Dodgers came out on top, 7-5, sweeping the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks,  regaining a .500 average and moving to within 1½ games of the division lead.

Yasiel Puig didn't make the All-Star Final Vote, but he's certainly making his mark on the Dodgers' season.

Yasiel Puig didn’t make the All-Star Final Vote, but he’s certainly making his mark on the Dodgers’ season.

Our boys are now 16 for their last 19. That is a phenomenal run, and the contributions are coming from all corners: Yasiel Puig’s tenacity, Hanley Ramirez’s power, all the starting pitchers’ control, Andre Ethier’s glove, Juan Uribe’s grit, you name it. Everything about the Dodgers is working right now. Even Brandon League didn’t give up all of the six-run lead he was given in last night’s game (just one solo homer). That’s saying something.

The only thing that didn’t work was the Final Vote attempt to get Puig into the All-Star Game. He fell short of Freddie Freeman (who?) of the Atlanta Braves in the biggest fan voting extravaganza of all time, apparently. At least for baseball. Freeman managed to get almost 20 million votes, and I hear Puig wasn’t too far behind. I voted for Puig, but I didn’t go crazy about it. I was watching TV and submitting over and over until my hand got tired, and I got bored. Then I decided to let the rest of Dodgers Nation do some of the work.

Oh well, Puig will have plenty of time to be an All-Star. For now, I’m just glad he’s our star.