Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 7:00 pm Post subject:
Other than the usual Dodger bullpen implosion there was one thing I thought was fascinating about this game. You saw the difference between a pitcher and a thrower. Cumpton was great first time thru the lineup, struggled a little the second time and didn't make it thru the third time. The Dodger batters adjusted to him and he did nothing to compensate. Kershaw on the other hand struggled in the first and clearly did not have his best stuff. But he figured out what to do and breezed from the second inning on. If Cumpton is smart, he was taking notes.
And, oh, btw, the Padres won again. That's 5 in a row and 8 out of their last 10. After starting the season 2-10 they've gone 32-24 and are now at .500. It also means the Dodgers are the only team in the NL West with a losing record.
Other than the usual Dodger bullpen implosion there was one thing I thought was fascinating about this game. You saw the difference between a pitcher and a thrower. Cumpton was great first time thru the lineup, struggled a little the second time and didn't make it thru the third time. The Dodger batters adjusted to him and he did nothing to compensate. Kershaw on the other hand struggled in the first and clearly did not have his best stuff. But he figured out what to do and breezed from the second inning on. If Cumpton is smart, he was taking notes.
Yup... Cumpton struck out the first four batters he faced, if I recall, then the Dodgers slowly began to figure him out.
Kershaw finally got his curveball working and that gave him the upper hand over the Pirate batters... Though that one fastball was in the wrong spot and Russell Martin nailed it..., Fortunately Schumaker was able to grab it inches over the left field fence.
Quote:
And, oh, btw, the Padres won again. That's 5 in a row and 8 out of their last 10. After starting the season 2-10 they've gone 32-24 and are now at .500. It also means the Dodgers are the only team in the NL West with a losing record.
I thought the pitchers would have found a hole in Puig's swing by know. Maybe he REALLY is that good!!
Maybe...
He's chock full o' enthusiasm, that for sure... And according to the Times, he was thrilled to play against his heroes Ichiro Suzuki and Robinson Cano.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 6:38 pm Post subject:
Darvish and Kuroda hook up in New York. Typically, neither got the decision, they both left with the game tied 3-3. Yankees won on a walk-off home run by Ichiro in the bottom of the ninth 4-3.
Dodgers win their four in a row for the first time this season with a 6-5 win over the Giants, despite Brandon League trying to blow the game in the ninth.
Tonight is the marquee match up of the three-game series: Kershaw vs. Lincecum.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 6:27 pm Post subject:
Maybe the 'Jays aren't so bad after all:
Blue Jays hold team meeting to announce demotion of Kawasaki
(AP) In a sign of respect and appreciation you don't often see in professional sports, the Toronto Blue Jays held an impromptu team meeting on Wednesday to announce the demotion of shortstop Munenori Kawasaki to Triple-A Buffalo.
Kawasaki's demotion was made necessary by the return of all-star shortstop Jose Reyes, but rather than allow the popular player to vanish overnight or clean out his locker in the presence of disappointed teammates, the Toronto Star reports that manager John Gibbons decided to bring his team together so they could all give Kawasaki the send-off he deserved and earned over his 60 game tenure.
�gI�fve never seen that,�h said Mark Buehrle, a veteran of more than 14 seasons. �gUsually you come in the next day and look at the guy�fs locker and say, �eOh, that guy got sent down, this guy�fs coming up.�f�h
It wasn't necessarily Kawasaki's play that made him so popular with his teammates and Jays fans, though he did come through with a game-winning double on May 26 and hit his first career home run in a critical spot during a dramatic win this past weekend — both coming over the Baltimore Orioles. It was the moments he was a part of off the field that not only showcased his entertaining personality, but helped bring the Blue Jays together at a time when their season was spiraling.
Of course that really began with the interview after the Baltimore victory in May.
But there was also the unusual stretching techniques, the playing catch with fans at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, and the Kawasaki victory dance he debuted on their flight to Tampa.
That doesn't cover everything, but it does go to show that if you love the game and allow your teammates and fans to see your real personality, you'll earn their respect in a heartbeat. That's a big part of earning acceptance at the big league level. Unfortunately, though, results are a bigger part of the equation, and respect doesn't lead to results, which is why Toronto had to free up Kawasaki's roster spot.
No one understands that more Kawasaki, and not surprisingly his parting words were every bit as positive and classy as you'd expect.
�gIt�fs not as if I�fve died,�h he said through a Japanese interpreter following Tuesday�fs game. �gI�fm still a baseball player. It�fs just that tomorrow the field will be different. I�fm still around and I�fm still here to help the team when they need it. And it�fs been a terrific experience and I really appreciate everybody — and I love everybody.�h
Beaming wide, Kawasaki thanked the fans in Toronto as well as his teammates for their support.
�gI can�ft believe it. I absolutely can�ft believe the way I�fve been accepted by the players here and by the fans. This one strange Japanese guy to come here and be accepted the way he has has really been an unbelievable experience.�h
The more we see and hear from Munenori Kawasaki, the easier he is to like. For the love of baseball, let's hope he's back in the big leagues soon.
Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 12121 Location: It was fun while it lasted. Country:
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 7:06 pm Post subject:
gaijinmark wrote:
The more we see and hear from Munenori Kawasaki, the easier he is to like. For the love of baseball, let's hope he's back in the big leagues soon.
And he's back:
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left knee tendinitis, the team announced Thursday night.
Cabrera played the entire game against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, going 1-for-4 with a run scored. Leg problems have affected Cabrera at various times throughout the season.
The Blue Jays announced the move following the game.
Cabrera, 28, is batting .278 with three home runs and 29 RBIs in 78 games this season.
The Blue Jays called up infielder Munenori Kawasaki from Triple-A Buffalo to take Cabrera's place on the active roster.
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