The First Place Dodgers Return Home to Keep the Snakes in the Grass

Dodgers Lineup vs. Arizona

Aaron Harang-7-5 vs. Trevor Cahill-8-9

*Update-Guys, we just found out that Arizona has designated first baseman Lyle Overbay for assignment to clear room for Chris Johnson. There are also rumors of the Dbacks trying to move Stephen Drew. More trade rumors on the way.*

The Dodgers return home tonight after completing a successful ten game road-trip, going 7-3, and ending the trip with an amazing three game sweep of the Giants. The Dodgers have moved back into a first place tie with the Giants, and begin a nine game homestand with a three game series with the Arizona Dbacks.

Tonight will also mark the newest Dodger star, Hanley Ramirez’s debut at Dodger stadium. We are only a day away from the July 31 trade deadline, which is at 1PM pacific time tomorrow. The rumors are swirling of course, and the Dodgers have been linked to just about everybody. These trade rumors give me a headache. The Ryan Dempster saga continues with the Dodgers trying to acquire him, and Hunter Pence, and Shane Victorino, and Alfonso Soriano, and Hank Aaron, and Babe Ruth, and Ty Cobb, and every player in the hall of fame. If any trade news breaks we will keep you informed.

The Dodgers begin a three game series tonight against another division rival the Arizona Dbacks. The Dbacks come in 4.5 games behind the Dodgers and Giants, in third place in the NL West at 51-51. While the Dodgers and Dbacks battle at Dodger Stadium, the Giants are hosting the Mets. Arizona just recently acquired Houston third baseman Chris Johnson, after designating their former third baseman, Tattoo man Ryan Roberts for assignment, and then trading him to Tampa Bay.

Tonight, righty Trevor Cahill, a winter pick-up for the Dbacks will draw Aaron Harang. Cahill is 8-9 with a 3.89 ERA against the league. He seems to have trouble in the first innings of games. Cahill has allowed 17 runs to score in 20 first innings. Against the Dodgers he has been dynamite. He has posted a 2-0 record, a 1.96 ERA, 15 whiffs, in 18.1 innings of work against the Boys in Blue. Cahill has held the Dodgers collectively to a .225 batting average against (18 for 80), with three home runs and 12 RBI. A.J. Ellis is 4 for 5 with a home run against Cahill. Matt Kemp is 1 for 3, and Hanley Ramirez is 2 for 3 against Cahill. Andre Ethier is 1 for 4. James Loney is 0 for 9. Bobby Abreu, A.J., and Jerry Hairston have hit home runs off of Cahill.

The Dodgers will counter with right hander Aaron Harang. The big show has pitched well overall, posting a 7-5 record, a 3.39 ERA, and a 7.2 whiff per nine rate. However against Arizona his numbers are frighteningly bad. He is 3-6 with a good ERA of 2.42, and 65 whiffs, but a lot of the current Dbacks have hit him hard. After all the snakes are hitting .309, (46 for 149) with five home runs against the big guy. The guys we have to watch for are Miguel Montero, Chris Young, and Lyle Overbay. Montero is .500, (7 for 14), with a home run. Young is hitting .316 (6 for 19), with three home runs, and five RBI. Overbay is hitting .458 (11 for 24), with five doubles. Paul Goldschmidt has also gone deep off of Harang.

Luis Cruz has a 12 game hitting streak, and is hitting .300 with 12 RBI during the streak. Can Luis keep up his hot hitting? Game time is at 7PM, on prime ticket. Join us after the game for our detailed recap. Let’s hope Harang is a snake charmer tonight. Let’s keep this momentum going! Go Blue