Casey Blake - Matt Sayles-AP

Hope you bought a lottery ticket yesterday because the Dodgers broke all the odds. To win game 2 against the Cardinals and take a 2-0 lead into St. Louis, no one would have believed you. Got to love it.

I was coming back from Vegas yesterday and could only catch part of the game on the radio. Nicely, the only part I caught was the bottom of the ninth. I can’t say it was a quiet listen, as my kids were screaming in the back of the car while I had the stereo cranked up. I should clarify screaming…they wanted to watch Thomas the Train Engine – which we allowed, just to the sounds of the Dodger game. My son kept saying “Sound on, sound on” and my younger daughter kept saying, “mama, mama, mama” with the hope that my wife would turn on the dvd sound since daddy obviously wasn’t going to budge on turning off the game.  Let’s just say chaos is my family sometimes…

In the midst of all that, I heard Casey Blake take the walk.  Then Belliard hit the single, then Loretta hit the single.  Ironic as always that Juan Pierre scored the tying run.  Who knew that the lower part of the lineup would just chip away at the lead.  Dodger fans would…but not the rest of the country.

Great article in the LA times yesterday about how the team thought Casey Blake was the hero with the walk (click here).  I fully agree and have been hyping him all year.  He doesn’t hit like Manny, but he definitely does the other things to be just as valuable.  

So in the midst of all the excitement, I was brought back to earth here in the Bay Area.  I talked to Giants fan co-worker and asked him why he hadn’t congratulated me that the Dodgers won last night…he responded, “You’re not on the team, why should I congratulate you?”  Such it is up here.  At least the Dodgers are in and the Giants aren’t so I can just smile and know he knows the Dodgers are the better team.

Bring out the brooms – let’s sweep the Cardinals!

Jon Garland - SI.com

Where do I start with Game 2.  Awesome, Awesome, Awesome.  I love a good Dodgers beat down.  As I write this, it is 12-1 in the 9th.   Here I thought Brad Penny would pitch like he did last weekend when I was there, and he just didn’t have it. 

Obviously I could have changed the post to wonder if the best Dodger pickup was Ronnie Belliard.  That grand slam in the 1st inning set the whole tone.  Then it was run after run and homeruns galore.  I like Blake DeWitt, so seeing him even get into the action was great fun.

It was great to see Pierre even get a hit with two outs.  I’m convinced that Juan Pierre is going to play a big part in the playoffs for the Dodgers, and it may just be a clutch hit at the right time.

Now to my focus.  Jon Garland pitched great today.  Even more, he has pitched great for the Dodgers.  I don’t know if it is the new team, or just more offense, but he has been a great pick up.  I think he may be a great pick up for years to come.  As they go into the playoffs, its hard to know where he will pitch.  He may not be the #1 this year, but he could be there in years to come.  He’s just solid, and he may be the difference for the rotation.

Well – Happy Birthday to me – the game is final and the Dodgers won 12-1.  My one request today was to watch the whole game.  I have to thank the Dodgers next time I talk to them for working together for a great game and memory.  The best comment I heard from a Giants fan today, “Isn’t there some sort of mercy rule?”  Love it.

Until tomorrow, who do you think is the best Dodgers pickup?

Casey Blake - LA Times

Yee Ha!  What a way to start.  Big wins are always fun…especially when you live up here.  Sadly I won’t be at work the next few days for the weekend, because it would have been really fun to talk about this game.

I’m making it official.  Casey Blake is my favorite player on the Dodgers right now.  If you’ve read this blog, you know I’ve been partial for a long time.  I like Manny and Loney and Pierre, but Blake just gets the job done.  He is a good guy and a great player.  Sometimes up, sometimes down, but he is clutch when they need it.  I’m glad to see his body seems to be ok after resting for a bit. 

My prediction rang true that the Dodgers would have the advantage, but it definitely wasn’t what I expected.  Matt Cain is a good pitcher and the Dodgers ate him up.  It’s interesting how Manny is just playing smart these days.  He’s hit a few homeruns of late, but he’s trying to hit to the right side and he was involved in driving in runs tonight.  I agree with people that something seems a little off, but he’s a good enough player that he’s still contributing.

It was great to see Loney playing well too.  He has a sweet swing.  I still think he’ll win the batting title some day, but he when he connects, man does he drive it.

We saw history tonight too.  Buster Posey is the Giants true catching prospect, and he made is major league debut.  They’ve been talking about this guy for weeks as he just tore up the minors this year.  What was interesting was that they’ve had him in the majors for almost a week and he hasn’t been in a game.  Bruce Bochy said he was waiting for the right time, but it was weird that they waited so long.  I guess that being down 7-1 was long enough.  Based on his stats we’ll be seeing a lot of him, and he seems to be the heir apparent for Bengie Molina.

It was real interesting reading the local papers today to see what they said about the series this weekend.  What was interesting was that there wasn’t a lot to read.  The Giants are on the cusp of not making the playoffs and everyone knows the Dodgers are better, they just hope they can stay close to still catch the Rockies.  The Giants are playing the Dodgers this weekend, but the focus is the next series with the Rockies.  As a Dodgerfan, I wanted the big story on how important this series is…but none of that was there.  The focus was Tim Lincecum’s back, Buster Posey being in the bigs, and the hope to catch the Rockies.

Bring on tomorrow and Sunday.  If anyone is going to the game on Sunday, let me know and we can meet up.  The Willie McCovey statue might be a good place before the game.  E-mail me at scott@sfdodgerfan.com.

Go Dodgers.

Andre Ethier - Gary A. Vasquez - US Presswire

Great series this weekend between the Dodgers and Phillies.  Only fitting too that they would split the series.  Those two teams are truly the best teams in the National League (both in pitching and offense) and it was obvious in watching them.  They went back and forth, scrapped runs, held pitching, blew each others pitching, and ended in a split.  I do believe the Dodgers will have to beat the Phillies to get to the World Series this year.  They couldn’t do it last year, so maybe this next year.

They will have to figure out a way to beat Cole Hamels though.  He truly has their number.  He pitched really well on Friday.  I was glad to see Ethier the hero two nights in a row.  The team just keeps fighting and stays in the game.  Juan Pierre continues to rock. 

They directly asked Joe Torre on ESPN last night if he has thought ahead of what to do with Juan Pierre once Manny comes back.  He danced around the question nicely saying that Juan understand the situation of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier up and coming and with Manny being the high paid star.  What he didn’t directly say is that “Juan Pierre understands that he will go back to the bench once Manny comes back.”  The TV analysts really thought they should trade Pierre now that his value is up. 

As much as I want Juan to play, that seems crazy to trade him now.  Who knows what will happen to Manny once he comes back.  He could get injured, or so could the others, and then no one else has the depth and background like Pierre.  I do think Juan understands the situation and has finally come to peace with it for now.  After playing so well, and then having to sit, maybe it will be different, but at least in word he seems that way.

I say don’t mess with what isn’t broken.  The Dodgers are great right now, with and without Manny, keep it that way.

Found a great new blog this last week.  It’s by a guy who actually works at Dodger stadium selling and preparing Dodger Dogs.  He’s got funny stuff.  http://tonyvarela.vox.com/ .

Also wanted to pass on a good article  (Click Here) on Fox Sports on how the Dodgers clubhouse is a lot friendlier this year.  I do think winning always smooths out a clubhouse, but there does seem to be a good mix of veterans and young guys this year.

What do you think?  Phillies and Dodgers in the National League Championship series again this year?

I have to admit I was pretty disappointed when I found out that Manny Ramirez still has a really good chance to make the All-Star game this year.  I know he will have the month of June to make his case, and he is definitely popular, but I believe that anyone who gets suspended for steriods for 50 games shouldn’t get to play in the All-Star game.  It just isn’t right.  It is an honor, and most of the time a pay raise for a lot of guys to be in that game, and to keep someone else from going for a guy who cheated just isn’t right.  It sounds like Joe Torre is on the same page, but it certainly didn’t seem that way from the Dodgers owner Frank McCourt.  He said it would be an “honor” for Manny to play.  That still seems like a bad quote from a guy who’s number 1 player just got busted for cheating.

I actually don’t vote for the All-Stars a lot any more (I used to love pushing out the tabs at the ball-game), but this year, I’m going to vote for three players.   These guys have been all-stars in every part of the word and should get their shot.

Juan Pierre - Fox Sports.com

First, Juan Pierre.  Manny’s replacement doesn’t hit homeruns, but he steals bases, is hitting like crazy and is doing everything possible to help the team.  Just look at his stats the last few games:

The hits alone is crazy.

Casey Blake - Fox Sports.com

Second, Casey Blake.  Where would the Dodgers be without him this year?  He is just clutch and has a lot more homeruns than Manny.  He can be streaky, but he drove in the winning run again two nights ago and was involved last night.  He was a good pickup and will definitely provide stability at third for the next few years.

Jonathan Broxton - Fox Sports.com

Finally, Jonathan Broxton.  Who would have thought that we wouldn’t be missing Saito.  Broxton has shored up his game, and as long as they keep him out against the Giants, he can definitely pitch.

Honorable mention to Chad Billingsley.  He really has become the ace this year.  The Dodgers are now 9.5 games ahead in the West.  I read today that they haven’t been that far out in front since 1988 when they won the World Series.  Too early to predict the World Series, but they are a very good team.  

Go Blue.