Andre Ethier Is A Smooth Criminal

June 26, 2009 at 9:42 pm | Posted in 2009 rules so far, Andre Ethier, Hee-Seop Choi | 5 Comments

So, Andre Ethier likes to hit HR’s in bunches.

Ethier3HR2009 .jpg Going into tonight’s game, he had 11 HR’s, but with four of them multi HR games. Tonight he had another one, only this time hitting 3 HR’s and driving in 6 RBI’s leading the Dodgers to victory 8-2 over the Seattle Mariners. Ethier not only has hit 13 of his 14 HR’s at Dodger Stadium this year, but also became the first Dodger to hit 3 HR’s in a single game since the Choi Man did it in 2005, though remember, Choi hit 7 HR’s during that four day period. Well, at least that was until…

Yes, I needed an excuse to revive this photo from four years ago. Good times, folks.

But back to the game: in addition to Ethier’s 3 HR game, which will surely grab the headlines, what can’t be forgotten was Clayton Kershaw’s stellar performance, going 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, with 8 K’s. Kershaw has quietly turned it around after his poor April, where he put up a 7.29 ERA, to put up a 2.57 ERA in May and, going into tonight, a 2.18 ERA through June.

Let’s pray some of this rubs off on Milton, tomorrow…

- Vin

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This has nothing to do with today’s game, which i actually attended, but i am curious what you have to say about this year’s all-star game.
it seems to me that the dodgers in particular stand to lose a lot from an AL victory in St. Louis.
Should the Dodgers make it to the World Series, they could very possibly face the Red Sox or the Tigers, both of whom are absolutely killing at home (much like the Dodgers are,) and since the AL always wins the all-star game, the Dodgers will lose their home field advantage despite having the best record in baseball. All this because of that stupid attempt to make the all-star game more profitable by making it more ‘meaningful.’
With teams like the Dodgers, Sox, and Tigers being considered, home field advantage very well might be a deciding factor in a world series. Note that all of these teams are, again, dominant at home and dancing around .500 on the road.
I am, of course, assuming that current trends continue till the season’s end. I understand that this projection is dumb.
Still, for the first time in my life, the Dodgers have something to lose because of the all-star game, and this time they won’t even have a representative to help decide the outcome of the game.
mark my words, the NL will lose the all-star game, and the dodgers will lose the series in 7, in Boston, when a sox fan gets in the way of a game-ending pop fly in foul territory, leading to dustin pedroia hitting a walk-off single because he is scrappy.

Comment by Mike— June 27, 2009 #

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Hah! Big game by Andre Ethier + obligatory Michael Jackson reference = Matthew in heaven. I knew it! Well done.

Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— June 27, 2009 #

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Hah! Big game by Andre Ethier + obligatory Michael Jackson reference = Matthew in heaven. I knew it! Well done.

Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— June 27, 2009 #

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Looking at Andre’s swing and build, I think his power potential has always been underrated. He has an absolutely beautiful swing that has few holes. His real weakness seems to be pitch recognition, which is why I think that Mattingley’s style, contrary to the detrimental effect it has had on Russell Martin, is excellent for him.
Most see Ethier’s ceiling as 25 homers. I see it as more like 30-35.

Comment by Alireza— June 27, 2009 #

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man o man. this is gettin to the point where opposing teams just shouldn’t bother throwing ‘dre a strike after the 8th inning. if he didn’t swing at so many lefty breaking balls away he might up his homer count by another 10.

Comment by sumdumfu— June 30, 2009 #

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