Dreamscape
06-03-2010, 06:38 PM
Trying out a new feature...if anyone wants to do these from now on, let me know.
Atlanta Braves (31-22) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (31-22)
AP Preview of Opening Game (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=300603119)
True Blue LA Blog (http://www.truebluela.com/)
Thursday, Game 1
Kris Medlen (2-1 W-L, 2.85 ERA, 3.54 FIP) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (5-3, 3.55, 3.72)
Pitching Preview: Kuroda was rolling along quite well until he ran into the Coors Field vortex of doom. His ERA ballooned 50 points as he gave up seven runs, five earned, in just four frames of work. Outside of that, he has been a solid number three guy, averaging over six innings each time with a WHIP at 1.36. Don't expect many walks and not too many strikeouts. His game is based on keeping the ball on the ground. He has given up an unusual amount of homers off those few pitches that hitters get under, but don't expect too much in terms of power. Braves need to be aggressive against Kuroda. Take the Greg Maddux approach. He will throw a lot of strikes. Don't fall into the trap of hitting his pitch on 1-2.
Friday, Game 2
Kenshin Kawakami (0-7, 4.66, 4.67) vs. Clayton Kershaw (5-3, 2.95, 3.38)
Pitching Preview: Things do not get much easier for Kawakami as he draws one of the better young pitchers in baseball. While you should be aggressive against Kuroda, Kershaw is the guy you want to work. He will walk quite a few batters. He averages 5.20 BB/9. He also K's 10.13 per nine so expect a lot of both. He has been hurt by the run support game. If Kuroda is our Derek Lowe, Kershaw is our, well, Kawakami. The lefty will keep Hinske on the bench and really, no one should complain. Kershaw would eat him up. Load the lineup with righties and hope you can get him into early pitch count trouble.
Saturday, Game 3
Tommy Hanson (5-3, 3.78, 3.63)vs. Chad Billingsley (6-2, 3.74, 3.78)
Pitching Preview: Almost hard to believe that Billingsley has been in the majors since 2006. The hits have been a bit high this year against Billingsley...almost one every inning. Unlike Kershaw and Kuroda, he has been prone to some gopher balls so Jason Heyward and Troy Glaus, you will be counted on. An All-Star last year, Billingsley has really struggled against lefties this year. They are hitting .292 with an .854 OPS against him. While he has only walked 2 righties to 28 K's, he has walked 20 lefties. Expect the Braves' LH-heavy lineup to have an edge, but with that said, Billingsley is a very good pitcher and could snap out of his LH struggles quickly.
Sunday, Game 4
Tim Hudson (6-1, 2.30, 4.37) vs. John Ely (3-2, 2.54, 2.08)
Pitching Preview: The 24 year-old from Harvey, IL has been a monster for the Dodgers this year. Acquired from the White Sox in the Juan Pierre deal, Ely has posted a 0.94 WHIP in his first seven starts with a 7.2 K/9. He also walks no one. In 46 ING, he has walked just 7 unintentionally. It's not even as if he's lucky, either. That's the scary part. He will get his fair share of grounders, but leans to flyballs. Even so, he has yet to give up a homerun. Fortunately, Ely will not continue. While he has a superb minors record, things are not going to go this well all season. He will begin to walk people. Two years ago, he gave up 18 homers in the Carolina League and there are some parts here in the CL that are very hard to jack homers out of.
West coast games are usually tough on us fans that largely reside in the eastern time zone, but hopefully, we will see some lively game threads. This is an exciting series for the Braves. The Dodgers have been very good despite not having Manny Ramirez Rafael Furcal, or Andre Ethier out there every day. They have found solid production from Reed Johnson and Jamey Carroll. Manny has been a huge Man-Ram of No Power. In 35 games and 128 trips to the plate, he has just ten extra base hits. But chances are he will start to hit. Matt Kemp has been solid, though he has been thrown out 8 times in 15 attempts.
For the Braves to take this series, Glaus will have to continue to hit and Prado will have to find his road bat. He's only posting a .696 OPS away from Turner Field. But chances are pretty good we split, which in Los Angeles, is a good weekend.
Atlanta Braves (31-22) @ Los Angeles Dodgers (31-22)
AP Preview of Opening Game (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=300603119)
True Blue LA Blog (http://www.truebluela.com/)
Thursday, Game 1
Kris Medlen (2-1 W-L, 2.85 ERA, 3.54 FIP) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (5-3, 3.55, 3.72)
Pitching Preview: Kuroda was rolling along quite well until he ran into the Coors Field vortex of doom. His ERA ballooned 50 points as he gave up seven runs, five earned, in just four frames of work. Outside of that, he has been a solid number three guy, averaging over six innings each time with a WHIP at 1.36. Don't expect many walks and not too many strikeouts. His game is based on keeping the ball on the ground. He has given up an unusual amount of homers off those few pitches that hitters get under, but don't expect too much in terms of power. Braves need to be aggressive against Kuroda. Take the Greg Maddux approach. He will throw a lot of strikes. Don't fall into the trap of hitting his pitch on 1-2.
Friday, Game 2
Kenshin Kawakami (0-7, 4.66, 4.67) vs. Clayton Kershaw (5-3, 2.95, 3.38)
Pitching Preview: Things do not get much easier for Kawakami as he draws one of the better young pitchers in baseball. While you should be aggressive against Kuroda, Kershaw is the guy you want to work. He will walk quite a few batters. He averages 5.20 BB/9. He also K's 10.13 per nine so expect a lot of both. He has been hurt by the run support game. If Kuroda is our Derek Lowe, Kershaw is our, well, Kawakami. The lefty will keep Hinske on the bench and really, no one should complain. Kershaw would eat him up. Load the lineup with righties and hope you can get him into early pitch count trouble.
Saturday, Game 3
Tommy Hanson (5-3, 3.78, 3.63)vs. Chad Billingsley (6-2, 3.74, 3.78)
Pitching Preview: Almost hard to believe that Billingsley has been in the majors since 2006. The hits have been a bit high this year against Billingsley...almost one every inning. Unlike Kershaw and Kuroda, he has been prone to some gopher balls so Jason Heyward and Troy Glaus, you will be counted on. An All-Star last year, Billingsley has really struggled against lefties this year. They are hitting .292 with an .854 OPS against him. While he has only walked 2 righties to 28 K's, he has walked 20 lefties. Expect the Braves' LH-heavy lineup to have an edge, but with that said, Billingsley is a very good pitcher and could snap out of his LH struggles quickly.
Sunday, Game 4
Tim Hudson (6-1, 2.30, 4.37) vs. John Ely (3-2, 2.54, 2.08)
Pitching Preview: The 24 year-old from Harvey, IL has been a monster for the Dodgers this year. Acquired from the White Sox in the Juan Pierre deal, Ely has posted a 0.94 WHIP in his first seven starts with a 7.2 K/9. He also walks no one. In 46 ING, he has walked just 7 unintentionally. It's not even as if he's lucky, either. That's the scary part. He will get his fair share of grounders, but leans to flyballs. Even so, he has yet to give up a homerun. Fortunately, Ely will not continue. While he has a superb minors record, things are not going to go this well all season. He will begin to walk people. Two years ago, he gave up 18 homers in the Carolina League and there are some parts here in the CL that are very hard to jack homers out of.
West coast games are usually tough on us fans that largely reside in the eastern time zone, but hopefully, we will see some lively game threads. This is an exciting series for the Braves. The Dodgers have been very good despite not having Manny Ramirez Rafael Furcal, or Andre Ethier out there every day. They have found solid production from Reed Johnson and Jamey Carroll. Manny has been a huge Man-Ram of No Power. In 35 games and 128 trips to the plate, he has just ten extra base hits. But chances are he will start to hit. Matt Kemp has been solid, though he has been thrown out 8 times in 15 attempts.
For the Braves to take this series, Glaus will have to continue to hit and Prado will have to find his road bat. He's only posting a .696 OPS away from Turner Field. But chances are pretty good we split, which in Los Angeles, is a good weekend.