Greinke And Dodgers Face Familiar Foe (Frenemy) In Game Three

Dodgers Lineup vs. Miami

Crawford 7Puig 9Gonzalez 3Hanley 6Ethier 8A.J. Ellis 2Hairston 5M.Ellis 4Greinke 1

Zack Greinke-11-3 vs. Nathan Eovaldi-2-3

The Dodgers evened the four game series with the Miami Marlins, with a 6-4 victory to snap a two game losing streak that was somewhat starting to worry everyone including me. Then again, I’m always worried. Yasiel Puig after having a crazy day of arriving late to the ball park, being fined for it, and then being benched for the start of the game, ended up being the difference. It was Puig’s solo home run in the eighth inning that put the Dodgers ahead for good. Puig is expected to be back in the lineup for tonight’s game three.

So what will be the latest headline today in the saga of Yasiel Puig? All of this hoopla with Puig gives me a headache. I think there is way too much pressure on the young outfielder. He’s just an extremely talented, headstrong, emotional, 22 year old outfielder. He’s going to make some mistakes, he’s going to hit some game-winners, and he’s going to have some outbursts. That’s just the way he is. That’s just the whole package that comes with a young phenom like Puig. The problem is everything he does is scrutinized to the nth degree by the media. Every bowel movement Puig has is analyzed ten times over. I supported Don Mattingly’s decisions to rest Puig. He was out of control the other day and a day of rest could have done him some good, especially since he’s been pressing a bit at the plate over the last week. But one game should be enough. I think keeping him out of the lineup more than a game only hurts the team. Give him a day, but no more. How can he learn unless he is playing? This is just my speculation though, since I’m here in Los Angeles and the club is in Miami, so that’s just my two cents on the whole Puig situation. I’m sure everything will blow over in a couple of days, and I think Mattingly will handle this behind closed doors. That’s why they pay him the big bucks, to keep the clubhouse in order.

Zack Greinke (Birdman)-Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers will find themselves facing a familiar foe in game three, in former Dodger pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. The Dodgers will counter with Zack Greinke.

Eovaldi the 23 year old right hander out of Houston Texas, was a Dodger farmhand and then was promoted to the big club in 2011. Eovaldi pitched two seasons for the Dodgers (2011-2012) before being traded to the Marlins last summer for Hanley Ramirez. I think that trade worked out pretty well for us what do you think?

With the Marlins this season, Eovaldi is 2-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 11 starts. He’s whiffed 63 and walked 27 in 63.2 innings pitched. His 6.2 whiff per nine rate is pretty low for someone who throws as hard as Eovaldi does. Eovaldi has posted an FIP of 3.95 which is right on the money with his current numbers. If I remember correctly, Eovaldi was a fastball curveball guy, but had not developed a third pitch. I always felt if he ever did develop a third pitch, that he would be pretty good. He walked 27 in 63 innings last season for Miami, so it looks like he is still struggling with his command. He’s just 23 and has plenty of time to figure things out.

Eovaldi had a great start on August 10 at Atlanta in which he allowed just one hit and three walks in seven innings, and whiffed eight. But the inconsistent right hander got shelled on August 16 against the Giants giving up nine earned runs and 11 hits in three awful innings. No current Dodger has more than three at-bats against Eovaldi, but Ethier has a home run.

RBI

OBP

SLG

Jerry Hairston

.333

Skip Schumaker

.333

.667

A.J. Ellis

1.000

Mark Ellis

.000

.500

.000

Andre Ethier

1.000

2.500

Zack Greinke

.000

Hanley Ramirez

.500

2.000

Total

.462

.533

1.000

Greinke has been pitching great since this amazing Dodger run began. Greinke’s 7.1 shutout innings against the Phillies earned him his third straight win, and sixth win in his last seven decisions. The Birdman has also not allowed a run in his last 13.2 innings. Greinke has never pitched at the new Marlin’s Park, but is 2-0 with a 4.85 ERA career versus the Marlins. But he has 23 whiffs and nine walks in his five starts against them. Greinke is 11-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 2013. How have the fish done against Greinke? The Fish are 14 for 44 with a home run versus the feathered right hander.

RBI

OBP

SLG

Greg Dobbs

.333

Logan Morrison

.714

.778

1.000

Giancarlo Stanton

.000

.333

.000

Juan Pierre

.250

Jeff Mathis

.333

Koyie Hill

.000

Justin Ruggiano

.667

1.667

Nathan Eovaldi

.000

Total

.318

.388

.432

Before I sign off, I just want to make sure everyone is aware of how bad the Marlins are. I’m seeing a lot of people on twitter talking about how the Marlins are “Not to be taken lightly”, or “Don’t sleep on the Fish, because of their great young talent”. Get the hell out of here with that crap. First of all, let me remind you all of how bad the Fish are at playing Baseball games. The Marlins are the worst team, in the league. They’re six games behind the Cubs for the worst record, and have a winning percentage of .387.

Miami Marlins pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (24) throws during the inning in a game against the San Francisco Giants.

Sure the Marlins have a few good young players, like Jose Fernandez who we saw on Monday, and Stanton of course, and that Chrsitian Yelich kid is supposed to be pretty good, but come on. The Marlins are bad. They actually have decent pitching, (rank 12 in the NL) but they are the worst hitting team in all of Baseball. It’s true, they’re hitting .232, and have only hit 69 home runs, which is last in Baseball. They’re 406 runs scored ranks them dead last. As a comparison, the Dodgers have scored 509 runs. The fish hit .240 with runners in scoring position, and their .626 OPS ranks last in MLB. Yes the Marlins are bad at playing Baseball. Yes, they do indeed lose at Baseball games most of the time. Don’t get me wrong, the Marlins have a few good young players to build around and with their decent pitching, they have a bright future. Provided that they find some guys who can hit. But this is a team that is going to lose about 100 games this year. The Dodgers should win these games. I know that anything can happen in any game, and even the worst teams are going to win 50-60 games a year. I get that, but still these are supposed to be the gimme games.

So the Dodgers should win these games. And if they don’t win these next three games I’m going to be frustrated. No matter the situation, I’ll always be frustrated if the Dodgers lose. I guess you could say I’m kind of like the Puig of Dodger writers. (I see you snickering!) So telling me not to get frustrated if the Dodgers lose to crappy teams is an act of futility, because I still will. Hopefully the Dodgers will win the next three games and I won’t have to be frustrated right? Right? Right?!?! Don’t make me get all Richard Dreyfuss-y again. Jokes guys, jokes!

Minor notes

Juan Uribe has been swinging a hot bat. Uribe is 10 for 17 with a home run and four runs driven in on this road trip, and he is 9 for 13 with three runs driven in against the Marlins this season.

While Giancarlo Stanton has a seven game hitting streak in which he is batting .333 (10 for 30), but in his career at the new Marlin’s Park, Stanton is batting .307 with 28 home runs, and a .999 OPS.

Yasiel Puig’s solo home run last night in the eighth inning of the Dodger’s 6-4 win over the Marlins, was the Dodger’s 100th home run of the 2013 season.

Tonight’s game is on at 4:10 PM, and once again will be broadcast on the blacked out KCAL 9. (Time Warner, from hells heart I stab at thee!) Make your plans accordingly if you’re like the other seven million people in Los Angeles without KCAL 9 access. Check back over here after the game as our new writer Lucas Talbot will have the postgame recap. Let’s keep the Fish in the water for another night shall we? Go Blue!

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