Vicente Padilla Keeps On Rolling
August 5, 2010 at 12:51 am | Posted in Hong-Chih Kuo, Joe Torre, Ryan Theriot, TOOTBLAN, Vicente Padilla | 26 Comments
If you didn’t watch the game, and you’re just seeing that the Dodgers won 9-0, you probably think it was a laugher. Not quite; it was 4-0 until the 8th inning, and while seeing Andre Ethier break out with two doubles (off a lefty!) and a homer among the six extra-base hits by the Dodgers was sure fun, it’s obvious that Vicente Padilla is the story here.
Padilla took a no-hitter into the 7th in throwing his fourth career shutout (and first as a Dodger), baffling the Padres with painfully slow “soap bubbles” scattered among 90+ mph heaters, with James Loney just inches away from snaring a liner that may have kept the no-no going.
That, amazingly, is Padilla’s eighth straight start without having allowed more than two earned runs. No, really: look at his game log since his return from the DL:
As I mentioned on Twitter earlier, I can’t wait to see what the free agent market does for him. He missed two months with arm trouble, accidentally shot himself in the offseason, has a long reputatation as a jerk… and is pitching like an absolute ace.
To top it off, he even contributed two hits, which means that every time I make the joke that “Torre shouldn’t have pinch-hit Garret Anderson for the pitcher, because Anderson’s not any more likely to get a hit than the pitcher is,” it’s all too true.
******
TOOTBLAN alert! We have a TOOTBLAN alert! It took Ryan Theriot only four games as a Dodger to do it, but we saw a real live TOOTBLAN tonight. In the bottom of the 7th, he reached second on an error by Chase Headley, and advanced to third on an Andre Ethier groundout. With one out, Matt Kemp hit a hard grounder to the shortstop. Theriot, for some reason, broke home and was out by approximately the distance between Chicago and Los Angeles. Now that’s a TOOTBLAN.
******
I would love to go one game, just one, without dropping some negativity about Joe Torre. I don’t really enjoy it as much as it probably seems I do. It’s just, we all know about Hong-Chih Kuo‘s injury history. When you have a guy like that, you know that his arm could go at any second, and you use the bullets he has on high-value innings. So after needlessly using him last night (Ted Lilly had only set down twenty Padres in a row), Torre had Kuo (and Jonathan Broxton, for that matter) warming up in the 8th inning in what was at the time a four-run game.
Kuo, of course, was never needed, but since he had to throw two days in a row, it’s fair to question his availability for tomorrow’s game. Every pitch rolls on that odometer, so for the one millionth time this season, leave Kuo alone unless you need him.
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Is there a reason you left out Ryan Theriot’s double haha. I mean thats what, his second hit as a Dodger.
Comment by Robert— August 5, 2010 #
Yeah, that was a nice hit, I’ll give him that.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— August 5, 2010 #
TOOTBLAN UPDATE!!!
hey dodgers and MSTI fans. guess what time it is???? thats right its time for the daily tootblan alert!
TOOTBLAN-ryan theriot (2) 7th inning.
foolishly trying to score from third with 1 out and the bases empty theriot was out by a mile! picking up his second tottblan with the dodgers and firmly moving him into third place behind martin and kemp. very astutly pointed out by MSTI!!!
with martin now out, thats a big blow to his chance to catch kemp for the tootblan crown. so you have to figure that theriot will be right up there in the battle for tootblan crown 2010!!
kemp-5
martin-3
theriot-2
well thats all for tonight dodger fans! great game by padilla and win! keep watching everybody, keep your head up and your feet on the ground. remember everytime you watch a dodger game you just never know…..you just MIGHT see a tootblan! until next time dodger fans…….
Comment by format— August 5, 2010 #
I didn’t see the game but was following on line and in the 8th I said to myself…I bet Kuo is warming up….dang, Joe, put down the tea and manage!
On a separate note–I hope we resign Chente, he is a true Dodger and has fire in his belly, even if he has lead in his leg!
Comment by Jeff— August 5, 2010 #
I do too – I’ve always liked the guy. He just LOOKS like he means business!
Comment by Jeff— August 5, 2010 #
Now that Nolan Ryan’s group has bought the Rangers, let’s start a campaign to get Cuban to buy the Dodgers.
Comment by Eric— August 5, 2010 #
I disagree, in fact, things are likely to get worse if Mark Cuban ends up buying the Dodgers because he’s an overzealous owner who knows nothing about baseball and is liable to okay trading away top-tier talent in the minors for someone in a desperate and ill-advised attempt to “win now” all the time. While this may be okay for some fans, unless he starts dumping 140 million into the team, we will be shitty for quite some time if we have no depth in the minor leagues. Also, there’s no way he’ll be able to outbid the Yankees for premium talent, so we’ll be stuck in largely the same situation as we are now – directionless, and without help from the high minors.
Comment by Hank— August 5, 2010 #
I have questioned why everyone is jumping on the Cuban bandwagon, what did he win with the Mavs?? Also the guy is a tosser, no thanks.
Comment by DodgersKings323— August 5, 2010 #
I disagree with you Hank. Marc Cuban has proved to be passionate, but not stupid. What about his running of the Mavericks makes you think he’d suddenly turn into a moron? He’s taken that team from a complete joke to an annual contender. And as for never being able to outbid the Yankees, have you not been paying attention to why McCourt so wants to retain sole possession of the Dodgers? There’s this little matter of the TV rights coming up a few years from now. Frank has visions (and they’re actually realistic) of creating his own YES network…the very thing that drives the Yankee money machine. You don’t think Cuban, an acknowleged savy businessman, would take full advantage of that? The difference is that Cuban has proven he’ll do everything he can to put a winner on the field. McCourt’s proven he’ll do everything he can to line his pockets, even if it’s a the expense of the team.
Give me Marc Cuban any day!!!
Comment by Doug Harris— August 6, 2010 #
More random Dodger thoughts from up North,
After watching our Royals reject for about a week I never thought I’d utter the words “I actually miss Juan Pierre.”
Padilla is nasty, crazy and he has proven to be the most reliable Dodger pitcher.
Mark Cuban. Bring it and his money on.
Joe Torre to Chi Town a week after the last out of the season is made.
Russell J.Martin is out 15 games? Who’s going to fill those little shoes?
The Dodgers could actually win the next four games in a row. I still feel the Giants will choke and the Rockies will once again go on a big run. My goal is to see the boyz in blue out three games by Sept.
Will Erik Estrada have to learn to strike out badly while playing the lead in the Ronnie Belly-ard movie? I simply laugh everytime he is at the plate.
Comment by Adonis— August 5, 2010 #
MSTI,
What the hell is a TOOTBLAN?
Comment by Jeff726— August 5, 2010 #
thrown out on the bases like a nincompoop. TOOTBLAN
Comment by format— August 5, 2010 #
Steve Sax was a TOOTBLAN. Theriot looks just like Steve in the field.
Comment by TROBOB— August 5, 2010 #
Coined by Cub fans specifically for Theriot, who they believe to be the worst baserunner in the major leagues.
Comment by The Dude Abides— August 5, 2010 #
Padilla’s on a one-year deal, correct? I would therefore assume that, if McCourt still owns the team, that this will be yet another offseason in which the Dodgers will let a good, sometimes great, quality starting pitcher go in free-agency because they can’t afford to commit to (or rather, McCourt will refuse to pay) a deal that’s over one year/$5M, and instead roll the dice on a bargain bin, high-risk guy with issues and potential, right?
Comment by Steve— August 5, 2010 #
Yes, though I wonder how much his personal history, injury this year, and age will help keep his price down.
He may also decide that after years of troubles elsewhere, he’s found a place he’s accepted in LA and wants to stay.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— August 5, 2010 #
the dodgers have got to resign him, even if its just a 1 year deal. and even with his injury history and his age, still he has pitched amazing this year.
Comment by format— August 5, 2010 #
Right now, I see a poor man’s Luis Tiant. Sign him for at least two years with a third year team option.
Comment by TROBOB— August 5, 2010 #
Vicente, simple y sencillamente magnifico.
Comment by d— August 5, 2010 #
I agree, I think Vicente will want to stay here and if the Dodgers were smart they would market him not Tranny Martinez as our Latin star.
Comment by Jeff— August 5, 2010 #
You think he looks like a tranny? I don’t get it. :(
Comment by Jeff— August 5, 2010 #
I meant Tranny Ramirez of course :) However even Tranny Martinez is hitting better than Garret Anderson!
Comment by Jeff— August 5, 2010 #
Padilla could have 3 complete games in there. He should also be 6-2, and could conceivably have 7 or 8 wins except for Torre’s poor handling of the pitching staff.
Comment by TROBOB— August 5, 2010 #
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[...] August 5: I would love to go one game, just one, without dropping some negativity about Joe Torre. I don’t really enjoy it as much as it probably seems I do. It’s just, we all know about Hong-Chih Kuo‘s injury history. When you have a guy like that, you know that his arm could go at any second, and you use the bullets he has on high-value innings. So after needlessly using him last night (Ted Lilly had only set down twenty Padres in a row), Torre had Kuo (and Jonathan Broxton, for that matter) warming up in the 8th inning in what was at the time a four-run game. [...]
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