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- Capuano contending for Dodgers playoff pen
- LA TIMES Dodgers fall to Rockies 1-0, and try to get bodies healthy for playoffs
| LOS ANGELES DODGERS CLIPS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2013 OC REGISTER Dodgers draw a blank in 1-0 loss By Pedro Moura LOS ANGELES – Zack Greinke wasn’t at his best Saturday night, but he wasn’t all that far away from it. The Dodgers’ offensive work was nowhere near first-rate, though, as they mustered only three hits for Greinke’s postseason tuneup in a 1-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. “It could be worse, that’s for sure,” said Greinke, ever the pragmatist. Greinke threw 90 pitches in an abbreviated six-inning outing, allowing four hits and one run, on a Nolan Arenado RBI double, while striking out seven. By the time he starts Friday’s Game 2 of the NLDS, it will have been more than a month since he pitched into the seventh inning of a game. Saturday was the ninth time this season the Dodgers had been held scoreless, compared to 22 times shutting opponents out. Rockies right-hander Juan Nicasio shut out the Dodgers over seven innings in July, and he repeated his effort Saturday, but only over 51/3 frames. Manager Walt Weiss used five relievers to procure the 11 remaining outs, and they delivered, permitting no hits. The Dodgers (92-69) had three hits in all, one apiece in the second, fourth and sixth innings. Michael Young and Juan Uribe each doubled, and Hanley Ramirez singled. In the team’s best scoring chance, Uribe popped out with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth, and Scott Van Slyke flied out. Uribe also walked leading off the ninth but was stranded. Greinke (15-4) will finish the season with a 2.63 ERA in 1772/3 innings. He could get some down-ballot Cy Young Award votes, but he threw his support firmly behind teammate Clayton Kershaw to win it outright. “It should be an easy one,” Greinke said of Kershaw’s candidacy. Center fielder Matt Kemp, scratched five minutes before Saturday’s game because of left ankle soreness, said he felt it flare up when he woke up, likely as a result of playing in six straight games for the first time in months. He said he hoped he could play in today’s regular-season finale, but qualified it. “We’ll see how I feel in the morning,” he said on his way out of the stadium. Capuano contending for Dodgers' playoff 'pen By Pedro Moura LOS ANGELES – Chris Capuano appeared out of luck for most of September, an ill-timed groin strain knocking him out of action just as the competition heated up for the final bullpen spots on the Dodgers’ playoff roster. But the 35-year-old left-hander appeared in Friday’s win over the Colorado Rockies, striking out two of three hitters, and is expected to pitch another inning in Sunday’s season finale. “He was pretty good,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Saturday. “We’re hoping to be able to use him tomorrow.” Mattingly was more tight-lipped than normal, perhaps because Capuano is suddenly a viable and attractive option to fill out the first-round bullpen as a third left-handed pitcher and long reliever. “Another lefty is something we value,” Mattingly said. Capuano has pitched in 28 games out of the bullpen during his nine-year career. Any playoff role for him would be strictly as a reliever, and he said he understood that throughout his three-week recovery. “Whatever happens with the postseason rosters, I just wanted to be available and strong in case they need me in any way,” Capuano said. “My goal was to give them that option. We’ve got a lot of power arms and a lot of talent vying for a few spots. It’ll be interesting to see what happens. At least I accomplished my goal.” Capuano averaged almost 93 miles an hour on his fastball in his appearance Friday, his fastest average in any game in his career. He attributed that to the ease of a shorter stint out of the bullpen. KEMP SCRATCHED, PUIG FINE Minutes before Saturday’s first pitch, center fielder Matt Kemp was scratched because of left ankle soreness, in a move the team called “precautionary.” Kemp missed 52 games over the last two months while on the disabled list because of a sprained left ankle. He had started the team’s previous six games – and nine of the past 10 – while attempting to accumulate at-bats in advance of the playoffs. Another Dodgers outfielder also sat out Saturday, but has a clearer prognosis. Rookie Yasiel Puig left Friday’s game after fouling two balls off his left shin. He pinch hit Saturday but is expected to start Sunday. “He’s fine today,” Mattingly said of Puig. “It’s really just me being precautionary with him.” SHORT REST Mattingly continues to refuse to get into any sort of detail about his playoff roster plans, although he did reveal he and GM Ned Colletti began to discuss it in earnest Saturday morning. One popular question is whether the Dodgers will consider starting ace Clayton Kershaw on short rest in a possible Game 4 of the NLDS on Oct. 7, or use a fourth starter, presumably Ricky Nolasco. Mattingly repeatedly said he and Colletti had not discussed that decision, then offered a small clarification. “Everything’s on the table when you get to the playoffs,” he said. “You’re gonna try to do what’s best to win.” Pitching Kershaw on three days rest in Game 4 would also allow the Dodgers to start Zack Greinke a second time in a potential Game 5, on regular rest because of the second off day. NOTES The Dodgers spent roughly 45 minutes working on pickoff plays before Saturday’s game. Mattingly said he wanted to get the training out of the way before the playoffs for infielder Michael Young and the pitchers who weren’t with the team in spring training, when similar workouts are common. … Infielder Nick Punto (ingrown toenail) is unlikely to play in the finale but is expected to be available for the playoffs. … With St. Louis winning and Atlanta losing Saturday, the Dodgers will play the Braves in the NLDS unless the Cardinals lose and Braves win Sunday. LA TIMES Dodgers fall to Rockies 1-0, and try to get bodies healthy for playoffs By Kevin Baxter The Dodgers assured themselves of a playoff berth 10 days ago. They know they're going to open on the road, on Thursday, and they've even narrowed their possible opponent down to two teams — St. Louis or Atlanta. Now all they have to do is make sure they have enough healthy players to make the trip. That's the same ankle that was sore enough to keep Kemp on the sidelines for two months, one of three trips he made to the disabled list this season. Only now Andre Ethier, the man who replaced Kemp in center field, has batted only once since Sept. 13 because of a left ankle sprain. Then there's shortstop Hanley Ramirez, whose sore back has prevented him from starting consecutive games for more than two weeks. And when Yasiel Puig was limited to a pinch-hit appearance Saturday after fouling a ball off his left foot Friday, the Dodgers were left with a starting outfield made up of two rookies and a second baseman Even ever-ready utility infielder Nick Punto was unavailable because of an ingrown toenail. With the possible exception of Ethier, who is working out in Arizona, the Dodgers' walking wounded are expected to suit up and play when the postseason begins this week. On Saturday, their stand-ins struggled against right-hander Juan Nicasio, who came in with a 5.32 earned-run average then held the Dodgers to three hits for 51/3 innings. The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the sixth inning but failed to score when Juan Uribe and Scott Van Slyke popped out. Van Slyke struck out with Uribe at second base to end the fourth. Zack Greinke was almost as good as Nicasio, giving up one run and four hits in six innings, striking out seven and lowering his ERA to 2.63. It was the 12th straight start in which Greinke gave up two runs or less but it wasn't good enough to get him his 16th win, which would have equaled a career high. Tip of the Cap Left-hander Chris Capuano pitched a scoreless inning Friday, striking out two, in his first appearance since a groin strain forced him out of a start in Cincinnati three weeks ago. Manager Don Mattingly said Capuano is expected to work an inning in the regular-season finale Sunday in what could be a tryout for a spot on the playoff roster. "If we weren't thinking about him we wouldn't have tried to push him to get him back," Mattingly said. "Another lefty is a value. It allows you to match up more." Capuano has pitched in relief three times this season and his presence in the bullpen would give Mattingly an additional left-handed option to J.P. Howell and the struggling Paco Rodriguez, who pitched a perfect inning Saturday after giving up four runs and walking six in his previous 51/3 innings. 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:
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