Kershaw Inspires Greatness Around Him

Remember that old cliché that offenses don’t need to try as hard when their ace is on the mound?  I seem to recall this being spouted a lot when Roger Clemens pitched.  The theory was that somehow his teammates, professional baseball players, were so in awe of his awesomeness that they just coasted on the idea that they’d win 1-0.  This, of course, is completely absurd.  But let’s pretend that this phenomenon is true for a second, because if it were then Clayton Kershaw is single-handedly destroying that myth.  The Dodgers have scored him 4.28 runs per game in 2011.  The National League average is 4.15 runs per game this season.  This means that somehow the Dodgers actually become a better than average offense when Kershaw is on the mound.  

                Meanwhile, the Dodgers have managed just 2.93 runs per game for hard luck Hiroki Kuroda, and their overall season average is just 3.63, better than only the Giants in the senior circuit.  What does all this mean?  Well, nothing really.  But interesting facts nonetheless.  If anything it just increases our desire to see Clayton Kershaw cloned nine or ten times. 

                Oh, and Kershaw pitched today.  He went 8 innings, allowed zero runs, struck out 6 and walked none.  And the Dodgers scored 5 runs in their 5-1 victory over the Brewers, after only scoring two runs in the previous three games combined.   Barajas contributed a solo homerun, Carroll, Miles and Rivera all contributed RBI hits, and Kemp (despite striking out three times) added to his (longshot) MVP credentials by singling, stealing second (his 33^rd) and scoring a run. 

                The real story though is Kershaw.  We all had high hopes for him as soon as he was drafted.  He hasn’t disappointed in the slightest, and seems to get better with every start he makes.  His one Achilles Heel was his high walk rate, and he’s cut that down drastically (2.4 walks per 9). 

                Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts breaks down his chances at the Cy Young Award this season.  As Jon says, Halladay is probably the favorite, but the award is hardly out of reach for Clayton.  And if not this year, I think it’s fairly safe to say he should be in the running for years to come. 

Photos from last night's game

In lieu of a full recap of last night's rough loss (James Loney is not my favorite person today), I have instead compiled a series of photos from the game.  These were taken on a cheap camera from long distances, so it's full of blurry figures and disappointment, much like me at the bottom of a bottle of scotch.

No, I can't rotate the photo.  I don't know why.  

This gentleman was VERY friendly and genial.  I think it's because I could smell the paint fumes from where I was, several feet away.  He must have been SUPER high.  That's probably the best job in the stadium.

Can't rotate this either.  Or the one after that.  I promise it gets better.

I won these tickets off the Dodgers twitter account last week- in honor of their hitting 65,000 followers, they gave out tickets to the first 65 people that messaged them with their email.  The seats were actually very good, and the guy that emailed me from the Dodgers PR department couldn't have been nicer.  It was really great of the team to reach out to fans like that.  Color me impressed.

Last bad one.  Sorry.  

Here's Don Mattingly, shagging flies in the outfield during batting practice.  I wonder if he's getting into game shape so he can activate himself and DFA Loney.  Also spotted during batting practice: Juan Uribe hitting in the cage, and Jonathan Broxton working out and doing sprints in the outfield.  Here's hoping we see Broxton again at some point this year- I know it's been an up and down few years with him, but I'd like to see him throw a couple of 100 mph fastballs one more time before he goes away at the end of the season.

See?  Now they're fine.  It doesn't make any sense to me either.

Meet 'The Big Cheese'.  Purchased at the field level CPK for $16.00, it's a huge piece of cheesy focaccia bread with marinara and ranch.  It made me very sick.  Sadly, Campy's Corner (home of the Victory Knot) was closed, so we were forced to get this instead.  Interestingly, several of the field level food options were closed.  Trying to save a few dollars in payroll, I guess?  

This guy must be really strong.

You see the kid sitting on the end of the bleacher, wearing the backwards white hat?  Every time a ball was hit to a player anywhere near him during batting practice, he would scream in a high pitched voice.  He wouldn't scream the player's name, or ask for the ball, or anything useful.  He'd just scream.  It was excruciating.  I really hope those girls standing to the left made fun of him.  He deserved it.

I don't think he understands what 'Winning' actually means.

This guy was sitting a few rows down in the padded seats.  You can't really tell in the photo, but he's got a faux-hawk.  Look, Major League is one of my all time favorite films.  And I have to assume he got the jersey before we all knew what Charlie Sheen really meant.  But it's the Phillies vs. the Dodgers.  However, I have now decided I won't rest until I get a Roger Dorn jersey, so I guess it all worked out.

Trent Oeltjen's favorite movie is Happy Gilmore.

Apparently Trent Oeltjen gets paid in really big checks.  Maybe it's a clause in his contract.  Maybe that's how it's always done in Australia.  What am I, psychic?

Dee Gordon could FIT INSIDE HIM.

Dee Gordon and Tony Gwynn Jr. sharing a laugh with Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins.  I'd like to point out that no one approached Shane Victorino and hugged him during warmups.  That's because everyone in baseball  knows that if any of his goblin blood gets on them, they'll be turned as well.  Must be hell in the Phillies locker room.

Yes, there were catcalls.

Ah, rookie hazing.  Fraternities may frown on it, but it's still okay in baseball.  Of course, I can't feel too bad for him, as he's most likely already a millionaire.

Sweep the leg, Rod!

Is it wrong that I was hoping Kuroda hit him?  Just to see what would happen?

I tried to get a pic of him throwing.  I'm not a very good sports photographer, as it turns out.

Dee!  He entered the game in a double switch in the 7th, and showed no ill effects from the shoulder injury.  His throws looked crisp, and it didn't seem to affect him at the plate.  Some small comfort, at least.

Juan Rivera, getting back in shape for the NFL preseason.

This picture came immediately after Rivera did his best middle linebacker impression in the 8th inning, mowing down Chase Utley at full speed.  I could hear the impact from my seat, and it was pretty awesome.  I can't imagine Utley felt good this morning.  Unfortunately, Rivera was called out for interference, and it played a big part in killing our rally and chances at tying the score.

Even when he misses, it's pretty.

Last pic- this was Kemp's swing and miss for strike three in the 9th.  Even though it was only the second out of the inning, pretty much everyone left in the stadium knew the game was over.

It was a brutal loss, to be sure- Loney's second inning error cost the team two runs that may have been all the difference, and Victorino's 9th inning tater off of Mike MacDougal was an especially bitter pill to swallow.  Overall though, we had a great night at the ballpark.  Thanks again to the fine PR staff of the Dodgers for allowing us to see it.

What we learned from Tuesday's game (8/2/11)

Kuroda in 1914, the last time the Dodgers provided him with any run support.

Overview: Hiroki Kuroda learns what it takes to get a win.  Kemp does more great stuff.  Dodgers win, 1-0.

Pros: Fun fact- five of Hiroki Kuroda's seven wins have come via shutout.  Look, I think we were all a little disappointed when Kuroda invoked his no trade clause prior to the trade deadline, especially when it came out that the horrifying deadline trade of Trayvon Robinson (he's wearing a Tacoma Rainiers jersey in that link, which I guess means that whole thing wasn't a nightmare I had while laid up with a strained ligament and hopped up on my mother-in-law's arthritis meds) was kind of his fault.  But it's hard to be angry with him when he's pitching shutouts.  Matt Kemp shockingly provided the only offense for the Dodgers by knocking in Dee Gordon in the fourth inning.  Javy Guerra nailed down his ninth save- and yes, saves are overrated, and yes, Javy Guerra is probably not a great choice to be our closer long term, but dammit, he's a rookie who's been a bright spot this season, and I'm happy for his success.

Cons:  Outside of Gordon (2 for 4! get ready for your Profile in Courage, Dee!) and Kemp, no Dodger reached base more than once.  Also, they didn't work a single walk.  Mat Latos is a solid pitcher, but damn.  That's kind of embarrassing.  Good thing our new hitting coach has fixed everything.

What we learned:  Same story, different day.  If teams ever learn how to pitch around Matt Kemp, the Dodgers are screwed.  One interesting thing to note- Andre Ethier sat, with Rivera getting the start in RF.  Mattingly said he was frustrated after a tough game Monday and needed a breather.  But it certainly sounds like the frustration runs a little deeper than that- Roberto Baly of Vin Scully is My Homeboy had some first hand contact with just how frustrated Ethier is/was.  Sounds like those of us hoping to lock up Ethier long term might be out of luck...

Things we learned from last night's game (8/1)

 Overview: Kershaw goes distance, Dodgers actually score runs.  Dodgers 6 Padres 2

 Pros:  Clayton Kershaw. Probably nothing more needs to be said than just his name anymore, but I'm going to try anyway.  Kershaw pitched another complete game, striking out 4 (a low number for him), walking 2 and surrendering 6 hits.  What does that mean?  This was Kershaw on an off-day, without his best stuff.  Then there's this quote from Kershaw after the game when somebody mentioned he was pitching to contact.  "I hate the term pitch to contact," he said. "I'm not trying to let them hit it."  I seriously love this guy.  Instead of spouting off some useless cliche that we hear all the time like "I just have to grind it out" or some shit like that, he gives a real answer.  I've always hated the term pitch to contact too, Clayton.  The win gives him 13 on the season.  Not that the wins stat mean anything for a pitcher, but I have to admit I'm rooting pretty damn hard for him to reach 20.  If for nothing else, it's something to cheer for this season.  Can you imagine if Kershaw manages to win 20 games and Kemp manages to lead the league in RBI's this season?  Again, those stats are useless in trying to evaluate a player because they're so team dependent, but I think in this case it speaks to just how good these guys are that they can put up these numbers on a team so bad.
Speaking of Kemp, he went 2 for 4 with a double, a triple, an RBI and 2 runs scored.  He also probably would've stolen third if Rod Barajas hadn't selfishly singled him home.
Finally, Carroll went 2 for 3 with a walk, a run scored, and 2 stolen bases.  I mention this mostly because I started him in my fantasy line up and now look like a genius.

Cons:  The biggest con from yesterday is not from the game itself, but the news that Rubby De La Rosa is hurt and might require Tommy John Surgery.  Richard covered that news in an earlier post.  Check it out here.
Other than that, I don't really have anything negative to say about last night.  It was a good win all around.  Even James Loney, who went 0 for 3, proved once and for all that he's a "run producer" with a sacrifice fly.

What we learned:  How fragile young pitching can be.  We wish De La Rosa the best in his recovery, and pray to any God that will listen that Kershaw doesn't go down with some kind of arm injury.  Because that just might kill us.  Literally.

Things We Learned from Today's Game (7/31/11)

We decided to feature a picture of Blake Hawksworth today because, well, when is he ever going to be featured again?




Overview:  Rubby's De La Roasted.  Diamondbacks 6 Dodgers 3

Pros:  Andre Ethier, before flying out to end the game, collected four hits in his first four hit game of the season.  Matt Kemp had a couple hits, though left 3 on base as well.  Juan Rivera, who started for the second time in a row at first base (is management finally realizing that James Loney is just not very good?), contributed two hits including an RBI single.  Dioner Navarro had something of a tale of two games in that he homered and threw out two runners attempting to steal second, but he also grounded into a double play, struck out to end a rally and lost a wild pitch in an embarrassing fashion, allowing Gerardo Parra to go from first all the way to third.  Kudos also go to Blake Hawksworth, who tossed two scoreless innings when De La Rosa failed to make it into the fifth.

Cons:  Speaking of De La rosa, he labored through four innings, needing 103 pitches to do it, while walking four and giving up 3 runs.  We've seen flashes of his potential, but clearly there's still some work to be done in his development.  Hong-Chih Kuo  didn't fare any better.  In his one inning he walked one, gave up 3 hits, one of them a two run homerun to Parra, his second of the game.  Kuo had a rough July, in which he only pitched 4 and 2/3 innings.  In that span he has walked 8 and given up 7 runs, good for a 13.50 ERA.  Clearly he's having some issues, but our question is this:  If you don't trust a guy enough to pitch more than a few innings a month, why even have him on the roster?  He's not going to pitch himself out of his slump while sitting in the bullpen.
 As for the other cons of today's game.  Well, Eugenio Velez is still inexplicably on the roster, Aaron Miles put up an 0fer and the Diamondbacks announcers (I live in Phoenix) are painful to listen to.  They chastised Rafael Furcal for about ten minutes because he never gave up his number 15 jersey, never mind that he'd been wearing the number in a Dodgers uniform for over 5 years, to Davey Lopes.  Then they urged the Diamondbacks to not look ahead to their big series starting tomorrow against San Francisco  until today's game was over, and then proceeded to talk about the big series against San Francisco for the entire game.  I miss Vin Scully everyday.

What we Learned:  That we're not any less upset about Ned Colletti's asinine trade now then we were five hours ago.  A team, who clearly desperately needs offense, can't just trade away one of their top offensive prospects because they're thin at catcher. 

Things we learned from last night's game (7/30/11)

Chad Billingsley, having a catch with a fan in the middle of the sixth inning.

Overview: Billingsley loses control, Mattingly lets him.  Kemp still good.  Dodgers lose, 6-4.

Pros: Matt Kemp makes baseball look easy.  He had a little help from the offense, as well- Tony Gwynn Jr. had a couple of hits, including a triple, and Jamey Carroll reached base twice as well.  Casey Blake, back from the DL, went 0 for 3, but had a sacrifice fly and made the D'backs pitchers work, which was a pleasant change of pace from Uribe.  On the pitching side, Scott Elbert went two scoreless and Josh Lindblom, called up when Kenley Jansen went on the DL for heart arrythmia, pitched a scoreless ninth.

Cons: Don Mattingly.  I'm usually a Donnie Baseball supporter- aside from his weird fascination with Dioner Navarro, that is.  But leaving Billingsley out to die on the vine in the sixth inning was inexcusable.  Bills started the game pretty shaky, allowing two hits in the first and then loading the bases with no outs in the second.  After that, though, he buckled down, allowing only a sac fly in that frame and then getting through the fifth with only two more singles.  As soon as he took the mound in the sixth, though, it was obvious he was done.  Something happened mechanically, to the point that Chad was literally falling over after every pitch, and he just couldn't find the strike zone at all.  So what did Mattingly do?  He left him in to face the next seven batters.  Bills got two outs, walked four and gave up a RBI single, finally (but not mercifully) being pulled after walking Kelly Johnson to load the bases for a second time.  In came Matt Guerrier to face Justin Upton, and if you think Guerrier mowed him down to end the threat, you haven't been watching the Dodgers in 2011.  One bases clearing double later, the D'backs had all the offense they'd need, and that was it.

What we learned: That Billingsley should not have been left in to face seven guys in the sixth.  Seriously.  Everyone- even Vin Scully- knew there was something wrong immediately in the inning, yet Mattingly and Honeycutt didn't make a move until far too late.  It was near heartbreaking watching Billingsley implode on the mound, as he obviously knew he had lost his rhythm and couldn't get it back.  Also, we learned that Mike McDougal and Matt Guerrier have some sort of perverse game going on to see who can allow more inherited runners to score.

******

In other news, Ned Colletti said yesterday that he isn't planning on making any more deadline deals, so this might be a quiet few hours leading to the deadline.  We're still waiting to hear what the return is in the Furcal to STL deal, but Octavio Dotel hasn't checked out of his hotel yet, so it doesn't look like Ned got his guy.

Things we learned from last night's game (7/27)

Overview:  Still no run support for Mr. Kuroda.  Rockies 3 Dodgers 1.

Pros:  For the 142nd time this season,Hiroki Kuroda tossed a quality start, going six innings, allowing one run while striking out 6 and walking 3.  That he still got the loss is hardly a surprise anymore.  Other positives from last night?  Well, Kemp had two hits, including a double.  Furcal had two hits as well and actually seems to be heating up (.808 OPS over his last eight games), though he did get caught stealing as well.  The Dodgers, had 8 hits total and still managed just one run on a solo homerun by Rod Barajas in the 9th (what contender needs a catcher with some pop?).  Also, Scott Elbert pitched 2/3 of an inning and struck out one and allowed no runs.  Not really all  that exciting but we're grasping at straws here.

Cons:  The Dodgers were 0-4 with runners in scoring position, once again showing their remarkable ineptitude at driving in runs.  Hawksworth and Macdougal each gave up a run in their innings of  relief (Macdougal actually pitched 1 and 1/3).  Ethier went hitless which should not come as a surprise at this point.  He's been pretty awful in July, posting just a .664 OPS.  Really, there are so many cons here that it gets tiresome to list them.  On the bright side, the four game winning streak is over so hopefully that means nobody at all is convinced that the Dodgers can go on a run.

What we learned:  That once again, if your first or last name starts with a K, you're probably one of the bright spots of the 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers.  

Things we learned from last night's game (7/26/11)

Two of the three reasons the Dodgers are almost in third place.

Overview: If you have a K starting either your first or last name, you should be playing for the Dodgers.  Dodgers beat the Rockies, 3-2.  

Pros: Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, and Kenley Jansen. Is there any question that without Kemp & Kershaw, the Dodgers would be dead last?  One of the biggest disappointments of this season, in my opinion, is that because of the off-field circus and the on-field mediocrity of the team, the main stream media is overlooking the MVP/Cy Young seasons these two are putting together.  For them to put up the numbers they've got, surrounded by no offense and pretty shoddy defense, is nothing short of amazing.  They make the Dodgers competitive every time they're on the field.  And you can add Kenley Jansen to that rare list of valuable 2011 Dodgers- he just embarrassed Chris Iannetta, Seth Smith and Dexter Fowler in the ninth, racking up a pop up and two strikeouts in SEVEN PITCHES.  That boy's good!

Cons: Andre Ethier and Jamey Carroll were the only other hitters to reach base more than once.  Furcal went 0 for 3, and only reached because Ty Wigginton was playing left field and isn't quite sure what to do when a baseball is hit towards him.  Juan Rivera is turning back into a pumpkin.  Our most reliable number 5 hitter continues to be Aaron Miles.  

What we learned: Make no mistake- while the Dodgers won this game, it wasn't because they were better- they just happened to be lucky.  No one should be looking at this current four game winning streak thinking we have any chance at better than third in the division this season.  We're not trying to be negative here, just realistic about the fact that the best long-term course of action for this team is to sell off whoever we can and acquire some prospects.  

Things we learned from Last Night's Game (7/22)

Hiroki Kuroda, considering a career move.



Overview: Time to trade Kuroda, if only because he deserves better. Nationals 7 Dodgers 2.

Pros: Despite a rough start to the game, including giving up a two-run homerun to Nationals pitcher John Lannan, Hiroki Kuroda put out yet another quality start. He pitched 6.1 innings and gave up three runs while striking out 7. He's putting together such a solid season that we genuinely feel bad for the guy that his record is 6-12. Hopefully the guy gets traded to a contender (and the Dodgers get back a useful player or two) and ends his season on a high note. We'll be genuinely sorry to see him go, but it's time. In other positives, Kenley Jansen faced 4 batters and struck out all of them. He continues to be a rising star on an otherwise disappointing team.

Cons: Where to start? Let's see, the offense was again abysmal. The Dodgers only scored their two runs because of bad Washington defense. Other than that, they made no real threat of getting back into the game. Even Matt Kemp has slumped lately. He is 3 for his last 19, with 10 strikeouts and no RBI's and 1 walk in that time. Hopefully he pulls out of this soon. Other than that, Guerrier gave up a grand slam in the 9th, the Dodgers managed just 3 hits, and Juan Uribe again went hitless.

What we've learned: It's tough to rag on a guy who's been so good all year, but Kemp's little mini slump just shows that without him hitting at a God-like level, the Dodgers are just as likely to solve the debt-ceiling crisis than score runs.

Things we learned from last night's game (7/18/11)

Don Mattingly spots Ned Colletti standing just behind the camera.

Overview: Dodgers leave their offense in Arizona.  All Star Ryan Vogelsong shines.  Giants shut out the Dodgers 5-0.

Pros: Ummm... the fact that I predicted a shutout proves I'm psychic?  That's about all I've got.  Oh, and Matt Kemp made a great running catch at one point.

Cons: This offense is painful to watch.  It's tough to win when you can't score even a single run.  The only player with more than one hit?  Juan Uribe, raising his BA to .210.  Chad Billingsley pitched a little better than his line would have you believe, but the margin for error with this team is so small that Pablo Sandoval's solo home run was all the Giants really needed to win.  At least we didn't let the pitcher get 3 RBIs today.

What we learned:  That we should never make fun of Ryan Vogelsong.  He hears everything.  Honestly, the best thing to come out of this game *might* be how embarrassingly we lost- this three game series was touted as a "do or die" series for the Dodgers, a last chance to prove we could compete for the division.  If the Giants manage to win today or tomorrow, you'd have to think that even the rosiest of rose colored glasses would concede that the season's over.  If this loss helps the front office realize it's time to rebuild, then it was worth it.

Things we Learned from Today's Game (7/17/11)

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2011 Los Angeles Isotopes


Overview: Lilly likes giving up long balls, Hudson hits homer. Diamond backs 4, Dodgers 1.

Pros: Lilly, despite giving up two more homeruns, one to D'Backs pitcher Daniel Hudson, was actually pretty sharp. He struck out 9 over 6 and 2/3 innings while walking just two and allowing just four hits. We start to get the feeling that if two or three times a game Lilly didn’t serve a meatball to some scrub, then he might actually still be a pretty good pitcher. Kemp continues to be pretty much the entire Dodgers offense, even when he has a mediocre game. Kenley Jansen struck out the side (around a hit) in his one inning of work, giving him 51 K’s in 31 and 2/3 innings. Daaaaammmn.

Cons: Offense. We’ve known this for some time, but other than Kemp and Ethier, there is just nothing on this team to scare people. Aaron Miles batted fifth today. We'll repeat that: Aaron Miles batted fifth today. The worst part is, as crazy as that may be, we don’t really have a better suggestion at this point for who should be hitting fifth. On a day where Matt Kemp only gets one hit (and scores the only Dodgers run on a wild pitch), the team just can’t get anything going. The bottom of the order is a black hole, and the top of the order isn’t doing much better. Even Jamey Carroll, who most agree has been a pleasant surprise since signing last year, has hit just .176/.276/.235 over the last month. What a time to go in a slump and kill your trade value.

What we learned: It’s tough to say if we learned anything by this game, other than the fact that Daniel Hudson is truly an up and coming star for the D-backs. What this game does is reinforce the idea that this team should not be buying at the deadline. There are simply too many holes on the roster that cannot be plugged up with enough talent to make any kind of run. When Aaron Miles is hitting fifth, a spot usually reserved for good hitters, it’s pretty much a white flag on the season.

Just for fun, here are some more pictures from today's game.

Kenley Jansen, being awesome.

Kemp, waiting for somebody else on this team to do something.

Kuroda wondering what the weather is like in New York right about now.

A pretty nice stadium over all, though with the feel of a mall more than a ballpark.


Sorry for the blurriness of some of these pictures. Just imagine you're looking at the field through my teary eyes.

Things we learned from last night's game (7/16/11)

Hiroki Kuroda daydreams about what it would be like to have an offense
Photo credit: Getty Images

Overview: Kuroda solid, Kemp great, rest of team can't get it together. 3-2, Diamondbacks win.

Pros: Hiroki Kuroda overcame a rough couple of innings in the early going (even the outs the D'backs were hitting were hard in the first two innings) to put together another wasted quality start.  Tony Gwynn Jr. got on base three times in four at-bats, and continues to look pretty comfortable as the de facto leadoff hitter.  Scott Elbert came in and pitched two very strong scoreless innings.  Matt Kemp hits the baseball harder than anyone else on the planet.

Cons: Wow, the offense other than Kemp is awful.  Ethier is in a funk right now, hitting .167 in his last 10 games.  Furcal is 3 for 34 since coming off the DL (hat tip to @Joe_Block, who tweeted us in-game with that info).  Uribe was 0 for 3 before being pinch hit for in the 9th by James Loney.  Juan Rivera was 0 for 4, but that's not too surprising considering he was playing against an RHP.

What we learned: Same old story- if the other team can limit the damage Matt Kemp causes, they've got a good chance to win.  Furcal reduces whatever lingering trade value he has with every start, and Kuroda's record this season (now 6-11) has pretty much nothing to do with his ability.  This was a very winnable game that the Dodgers couldn't convert, and the kind of game that illustrates why the team needs to go back to the drawing board.

Things we learned from last night's game (7/15/11)

Dioner Navarro reminds Don Mattingly about the pictures he has from their lost weekend in Tijuana.
Photo Credit: Jon Soo Hoo

Overview: Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw are good at the baseball. Juan Uribe is not. Welcome to LA, Juan Rivera!

Pros: Kemp and Kershaw come out of the All-Star break swinging, both literally and figuratively. Kemp's 2 run home run was crushed, and he just missed another in his first at bat, sending one all the way to the center field wall. Kershaw's line was somewhat marred by Juan Uribe's 7th inning error (more on that in a minute), but all 4 runs were unearned and he tacked 8 more strikeouts onto his league leading total. Those kids in Africa are going to get the greatest orphanage EVER.  Juan Rivera also had a great start to his Dodgers career, golfing a solo home run into the left field bleachers on the first pitch he saw, and later adding an RBI single before being pulled for defensive replacement Tony Gwynn Jr.- a nice move from Mattingly, who has been making more good moves than bad as of late.  Even Dioner Navarro counts as a plus this game, contributing 2 hits to raise his average to a robust .195.

Cons: Juan Uribe.

What we learned:  Not much, all things considered.  The two best players on the team dominated the opposition, and the rest of the team performed well enough to win.  We learned that Mattingly, at least in the early going, isn't afraid to pull new acquisition Juan Rivera when the match up isn't in his favor.  Unfortunately, we also learned that he thinks batting Juan Uribe second might help "jump start" his bat, which 1) isn't working and 2) hurts the 3-4-5 hitters' chances to produce runs by not having anyone on base to drive in.

Danny was lucky enough to go to the game (the only good thing to come out of living in Phoenix, from my estimation), so he'll post some pictures from last night sometime soon.  In the meantime, we'll all prepare to see Hiroki Kuroda continue to audition for opposing team's scouts starting at 5:10 tonight.