Los angeles dodgers clips
Greinke sharp in final tuneup for postseason
Download 276.95 Kb.
|
Greinke sharp in final tuneup for postseasonBy Austin Laymance LOS ANGELES -- Zack Greinke was the perfect complement to Clayton Kershaw over the final three months of the regular season, and the Dodgers will need continued success from their top two starters in October for the club to reach its lofty goal. Greinke wrapped up a successful regular season with six innings of one-run ball on Saturday night but took the loss in a 1-0 defeat to the Rockies at a sold-out Dodger Stadium. The right-hander pitched well enough to win his eighth straight decision, striking out seven and walking none, but Los Angeles managed just three hits against Colorado starter Juan Nicasio and five relievers. With the loss, the Dodgers fell to 12-13 in September and 6-9 in their past 15 games. But as manager Don Mattingly made clear earlier in the week, all that matters is how the club plays in the National League Division Series, which begins Thursday. Kershaw will start Game 1 of the NLDS, which will be in Atlanta or St. Louis, whichever finishes second in the league. Greinke will start Game 2. "When those guys take the ball, you feel like you're going to win," Mattingly said. "It's pretty much quality start after quality start. That's just confidence for our club." As he approaches his first postseason appearance since 2011, Greinke has a 1.58 ERA over his past 12 starts. "I feel pretty good," he said. "I'm executing pitches pretty well. It could be worse, that's for sure." Greinke, though, cautioned that winning the best-of-five Division Series won't be a simple task. "We don't have home-field advantage, that will make it tougher," Greinke said. "Anything can happen in a short series. It's definitely not going to be easy. It's going to take some breaks." While Kershaw and Greinke give the Dodgers confidence heading into the postseason, there are concerns about the health of the club. Matt Kemp was scratched from Saturday's lineup five minutes before the game when his left ankle wouldn't get loose. Kemp missed 52 games earlier in the year when he sprained the ankle. Andre Ethier is in Arizona rehabbing an ankle injury of his own, and Mattingly said he's unsure if Ethier "will be able to get on the field or not" in the NLDS. Meanwhile, Hanley Ramirez is dealing with an irritated nerve issue in his lower back, and the shortstop hasn't played consecutive games in two weeks. "It doesn't look like we're going to be total full strength," Mattingly said. The Dodgers weren't at full strength Saturday, as outfielders Yasiel Puig and Carl Crawford joined Kemp on the bench. That resulted in Skip Schumaker playing center field, flanked by rookies Scott Van Slyke and Nick Buss. The Dodgers had traffic on the basepaths but couldn't come up with a hit when they needed one. They stranded two runners in scoring position in the second inning, another in the fourth and failed to score after loading the bases with one out in the sixth. Puig pinch-hit in the seventh but struck out swinging to end the frame. "It was a tough game," Greinke said. "We played well but their pitcher pitched really well. He had a really good fastball and located it. We had some opportunities but they got out of it." The Rockies doubled twice in the fourth inning to score the only run of the game. "Greinke was great," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "We scratched the one run across but he's had a helluva year and he was good tonight." The Dodgers also received solid pitching from their bullpen Saturday, with scoreless innings from Ronald Belisario, Paco Rodriguez and Brian Wilson. In his first season with the Dodgers, Greinke proved to be worth the six-year, $147 million contract he signed in December. He went 15-4 and posted a 2.63 ERA in 28 starts. The Dodgers were 22-6 when Greinke took the mound. Greinke's regular season followed a similar pattern to the rest of the club. He was slowed by a broken left collarbone in April, struggled in May and found his stride in June. Once Greinke found his groove, the Dodgers took off and won the NL West for the first time in four years. "The beginning was pretty hectic, same with the whole team," he said. "I was struggling at the beginning and working to try to get better. Finally everyone got healthy and it took a little bit after that but we started to play better. Not perfect, but a lot of good things and a couple bad things." Greinke also produced at the plate. He batted .328 (19-for-58) to finish with the highest single-season average for a Dodgers pitcher since Orel Hershiser hit .356 in 1993. "He's been great," Mattingly said. The Dodgers will need Greinke to be great in October, too. Kemp scratched from lineup with sore ankleBy Austin Laymance and Ken Gurnick LOS ANGELES -- Matt Kemp's left ankle flared up Saturday night, forcing his late scratch from the Dodgers' starting lineup and raising another injury red flag five days before the start of the National League Division Series. "It's just irritated. Nothing crazy," Kemp said. "I played the last six games and it got a little sore." Kemp's scratch left three of the Dodgers' four outfielders ailing. Andre Ethier is taking extra batting practice in Arizona while hoping for pain relief in his left ankle after suffering an injury similar to shin splints. It's not clear whether he will be on the first playoff roster. And Yasiel Puig was limited to a strikeout while pinch-hitting Saturday night after twice fouling pitches off his left shin Friday night, although he is likely to be in the starting lineup Sunday. Manager Don Mattingly said he's concerned about the health of Kemp, who has already been on the disabled list three times this year with shoulder, hamstring and ankle injuries. "Well, a little bit [concerned] just because of what we've been through," Mattingly said. "But I don't know how much good it's going to do me to be all nervous and worried about it. That's not going to help it. I feel like we're being cautious. I feel like he's going to be ready to go." Mattingly conceded that even if Kemp is healthy enough for the playoffs, he won't be the player who was the NL MVP runner-up in 2011. "I don't think he's running full speed," Mattingly said. "We're not going to get the 40-[steals] type guy. That's just not there, I don't think, at this point from what we've been through with the ankle and the hammy and all that. We're not going to be that. But we're still pretty good. He shows he can do a lot of things." Kemp said the ankle was sore when he awoke Saturday. He was in the original starting lineup, took batting practice and pregame warmups, but five minutes before game time was scratched. "Nothing serious. Just a day and I'll see how it feels tomorrow," he said. "I couldn't get loose and decided not to play today. Sprained ankles are tricky sometimes." Kemp injured the ankle with an awkward slide into the plate after failing to run hard from third base in Washington on July 21, the day he returned from the disabled list and the hamstring strain. Kemp was activated from the disabled list most recently on Sept. 9 and has gone 11-for-35 (.311) with a homer, three doubles and six RBIs in 11 games. But he hasn't run aggressively on the bases or in the outfield after being cautioned by Mattingly to protect his body for the playoffs. Puig given night off, expected back Sunday By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was thinking about resting Yasiel Puig on Saturday, and that decision became easier when the outfielder twice fouled pitches off his left shin in Friday's game. Puig was not in Saturday's starting lineup against the Rockies but made a pinch-hit appearance, and the rookie is expected back in the lineup for Sunday's regular-season finale. "He was fine today," Mattingly said. "It's really just me being precautionary with him. We talked yesterday about possibly giving him the day anyway. I want him to play [Sunday]. It's really just being safe with him." Mattingly is also being cautious with infielder Nick Punto, who was scratched from Friday's lineup due to an in-grown toenail on his right foot. "We're going to be careful with him, too," Mattingly said. "There's no reason to have to run him out there." Punto felt well enough to field ground balls and take batting practice before Saturday's game, though. "It's feeling better," Punto said. "I'm fine to play." Hanley Ramirez started Saturday's game, but Mattingly the shortstop would not start Sunday. Ramirez is dealing with an irritated nerve in his lower back and has not started consecutive games since Sept. 11-12. Dodgers put in extra work on pickoff plays By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance LOS ANGELES -- In preparation for the postseason, the Dodgers took about 45 minutes Saturday afternoon to work on pickoffs. "It was just stuff we want to go over," said manager Don Mattingly. "You can't get everything done in one day in workout scenarios. We really just wanted to touch on something that we really haven't a whole lot since Spring Training." Pitchers Ricky Nolasco, Carlos Marmol, Brian Wilson, Edinson Volquez and infielder Michael Young were not with the Dodgers in Spring Training. "We've got some new guys around the infield with Michael and some different guys, so we want to make sure everybody is on the same page," Mattingly said. The Dodgers will open the National League Division Series on Thursday in either Atlanta or St. Louis against whichever club finishes with the second-best record in the league. The Dodgers will take Monday off and then work out at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Capuano in postseason mix for lefty relief By Ken Gurnick and Austin Laymance LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have a lot of difficult decisions to make with their roster for the National League Division Series, and Chris Capuano is now an option for a role in the bullpen as a third left-hander. Capuano pitched a scoreless inning in relief Friday against the Rockies, his first appearance since coming out of a start Sept. 6 with a strained left groin. Primarily a starter this season, Capuano could provide the Dodgers with short or long relief in October. "My goal was to give them that option," Capuano said. "We've got a lot of power arms, a lot of talent vying for a few spots. It'll be interesting to see what happens. At least I accomplished my goal of giving them an option." The next test for Capauno will come Sunday. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said the club is hoping Capuano can bounce back and be available to pitch in the regular-season finale. "If there's an opportunity to get me in there another time, I hope I can show them how I bounce back," Capuano said. The Dodgers' bullpen is crowded without Capuano, though. Closer Kenley Jansen is a given, as are left-handers Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell. Brian Wilson now appears to be the primary setup man, pushing Ronald Belisario down a notch. Carlos Marmol, rookie Chris Withrow and Brandon League are also vying for spots in what figures to be a seven-man 'pen. "I think another lefty is a value," Mattingly said. "It depends who we're playing against." The Dodgers will open the NLDS on Thursday in either Atlanta or St. Louis ESPN.COM Directory: documents documents -> Concept stage documents -> Concept stage documents -> The great global switch-off documents -> Nonprofit grant application documents -> The Truth about the Rwandan Genocide documents -> Annual InStructional unit plan documents -> Chaos equipment included Download 276.95 Kb. Share with your friends:
|