Late Changes to Dodgers Lineup

The Karma gods are coming after the Dodgers in a big way. Andre Ethier was just scratched from today’s lineup with a sore left elbow. Per the Dodgers Twitter page Ethier is suffering from elbow inflammation, but Don Mattingly said Ethier would be available to pinch hit if the game is on the line. How odd would it be if Ethier lost his hitting streak cause he pinch hit.

In other elbow related news Jonathan Broxton has been shut down after complaining of elbow pain today, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com this would at least explain his dramatic drop in velocity and his control issues. How ironic that 2 nights ago he looked dominant getting a save, then after being replaced last night after throwing 8 straight balls, he complains about elbow pain.

There is one issue delaying the Broxton’s MRI:

"the immediate issue was to find an MRI tube large enough for Broxton to get his 300-pound frame into. “I’m serious,” said Mattingly"

Are you kidding me? There have to be 20 hospitals within 20 miles of Dodger stadium, don’t they have MRI machines big enough for horses? “They need to find an MRI tube large enough for Broxton’s 300 pound frame.” Excuse me for being insensitive but I find this funny. Maybe part of Broxton’s issues are that at 300 pounds he’s not in the type of shape he needs to be to withstand the everyday exertion of being a Major League pitcher, thus the extra strain on his elbow.

Finally, Tony Gwynn Jr. will replace Ethier in the lineup today. So the top 3 hitters in the Dodgers order today will be Gwynn, Miles and Gibbons. Honestly has a Major League team ever fielded a starting lineup with 3 worse hitters at the top of it? Should be a scoring fest today at Dodger stadium, at least for the Cubs.