Golden Boys – A Dodgers Dynasty

[xiberger]

Well, considering the average age of the team, I figured these guys would feel more comfortable wearing uniforms that are old as well. :-)

And I have to agree with you, Bonds and baby blue don't go well together...

[kjb23]

That's an awesome screenshot on the left there. Good dynasty too, i'm following.

[GEOLINK]

Is it me or does Bonds look huge in that pic.

[xiberger]

Game 140: Padres (53-86) @ Dodgers (85-54)

Dodgers Disappoint Again In Series Opener

Left: Placido Polanco drives in three runs with a homer; Right: Jay Gibbons makes a fantastic catch at the wall.

LA continues its recent struggle in series opening games. The 3-5 defeat against the Padres was the third opener loss in a row for the Dodgers. While SD's starting pitcher Jake Westbrook recorded his seventh win of the year with a strong outing, Shane Reynolds of the Dodgers was dealt the loss. "The first start after an injury [inflamed left elbow] is always very difficult because you're still afraid of getting hurt again", Reynolds said after going four innings and surrendering as many runs on eight hits.

The scoring started with both teams putting up a run on the board in the second inning. Alex Gonzalez's sacrifice fly was tied instantly by Frank Thomas' 19th home run of the year. In the fourth, Placido Polanco took Reynolds deep for a three-run shot. The Dodgers managed to cut SD's lead to just a single run by scoring in the fifth and eighth inning, but Jay Gibbons homered in the ninth for the game's final score.

Left fielder Barry Bonds had a terrible night, going 0-for-4 with one base on balls. The slugger recorded three inning-ending outs, including the final one in the bottom of the ninth inning. In total, LA's big guy had five runners on base in those three at-bats. "On a good night, I could've been the game's hero", a disappointed Bonds told reporters. "I usually don't have problems in clutch situations, but this time it was different. I'm sorry for letting the team down, but I promise to make up for it in the upcoming games."

Boxscore: SD 5 – LAD 3

[xiberger]

Standings, Stats & Scores:

Hall of Fame: CF Kenny Lofton

Hall of Shame: 1B Julio Franco

[xiberger]

Game 141: Padres (54-86) @ Dodgers (85-55)

Wakefield, Padres Defeat Drowsy Dodgers

Left: Closer E. Gagne delivers one of his deadly pitches; Right: RF M. Alou throws away his bat after going deep.

A 1-3 loss at home against the Padres extended the current downward spiral for the Dodgers. With five defeats in the last eight games, Bonds & Co. have displayed major weaknesses in both offense and defense. "Now it's time for my guys to react", GM Jim Tracy expressed his anger about LA's second straight loss to the last-place team in the NL West. "If we keep on playing like this, our dream of going to the playoffs will only remain a dream. This is serious, and I deeply hope that everyone on the team is aware of that."

The Friars opened the scoring in the third inning on Bernie Williams' RBI single. One at-bat earlier, Placido Polanco had reached third base on a defensive error by the home team. Williams took advantage of the situation, giving the visitors the first lead of the night. In the fifth, Kenny Lofton tied the game with a seeing-eye single that drove in Omar Vizquel from second base. One frame later, Moises Alou silenced the fans at Dodger Stadium again, by taking LA's starter Kenny Rogers deep for a solo shot.

Shortstop Alex Gonzalez finally made it 3-1 for SD in the seventh inning. His RBI single scored Michael Cuddyer for the game's final score. In the ninth, closer Eric Gagne took the mound, retiring the opposing side for his 33rd save of the year. Padres starter Tim Wakefield celebrated his third win against the Dodgers in 2005, by pitching six strong innings. LA's Kenny Rogers, who gave up all three runs over seven innings, suffered his eighth loss of the season.

Boxscore: SD 3 – LAD 1

[xiberger]

Update:

LF Eric Young suffered a strained left forearm against the Padres. He will be unable to play for 19 days and has already been placed on the 15-day DL. Once again, LF B.J. Surhoff has been called up from AAA to complete the Dodgers.

[DeuceBlades]

Hey xiberger, sweet dynasty. Dont give up now, take it all the way! ! ! Nothing less than the World Series will do. Hope you make man, good luck.

[lz477]

Hey xiberger, sweet dynasty. Dont give up now, take it all the way! ! ! Nothing less than the World Series will do. Hope you make man, good luck.

I concur...but I want more than just the World Series. I want to see what this team looks like a year later. How many guys will return...how many will retire?

Go xiberger, go!

[xiberger]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. Winning the World Series would definitely be a movie-like finale to this dynasty. I'll do my best...

As for the future of this team, I'm not going to play a second year, but I will post a list of all the retiring players.

[xiberger]

Game 142: Padres (55-86) @ Dodgers (85-56)

LA Avoids Sweep, But Problems Remain

Left: SS Omar Vizquel slides into second base with a double; Right: The Dodgers hold a meeting on the mound.

After the Dodgers had won the third and final duel of a three-game homestand against the Padres, the mood in the clubhouse was relieved, but not ecstatic. Even though a bitter sweep was avoided, the air was filled with many critical voices after the game. LA's starting pitcher Steve Sparks was one of the topics that were talked about. The knuckleballer allowed just one run over eight innings for his tenth win of the year, but he also surrendered eleven hits and only struck out one batter.

In terms of offense, the home team did not shine either, despite scoring six runs on 13 hits. "If you take a look at the box score, you might get the impression that we had a good day at the plate", GM Jim Tracy stated at the press conference. "But in fact, we were just lucky to win this game." However, Barry Bonds, who was 3-for-4 with two RBIs, slightly disagreed with his manager. "Today's win was a step in the right direction", the slugger said. "Things are not perfect at the moment, but they're far from being disastrous."

In the first inning of the game, SD had opened the scoring on Michael Cuddyer's two-out RBI single, but LA quickly responded with two runs of its own. Craig Biggio added to the lead in the second, and Kenny Lofton singled in a run in the fourth. Just like Bonds, Lofton also had three hits and a pair of RBIs against the Padres. While Wade Miller, who started on the mound for the visitors, could not avoid his 16 (!) loss of the season, the Dodgers managed to avert a major crisis, for now.

Boxscore: SD 1 – LAD 6

[xiberger]

Game 143: Rockies (84-58) @ Dodgers (86-56)

Rockies Win, Pull Within One Game Of Dodgers

Left: RF Austin Kearns dives and makes the catch; Right: 1B Jim Thome had a four-hit night at Dodger Stadium.

A strong finish lifted the Rockies over the Dodgers, 5-2. Jim Thome, who was 4-for-5 on the night, came up with a clutch two-run blast in the eighth inning, and Luis Gonzalez capped his great performance with his second RBI double in the ninth. Colorado's Jamie Moyer earned his 16th win of year by throwing seven solid innings in which he gave up just two runs on six hits. Thanks to the well-deserved win at Dodger Stadium, the Rockies are now just a single game behind the Dodgers in the NL West.

Gonzalez got things started for the visiting team by driving in the game's first run on a sacrifice fly in the third inning. LA tied the score in the bottom of the fourth when Frank Thomas' single brought home B.J. Surhoff from second base. In the fourth, the Rockies regained the lead on Gonzo's first RBI double of the night, but the home team again recorded the tying run in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Surhoff ripped a single down the left field line, allowing Kenny Lofton to score.

In the sixth inning, relief pitcher Mike Jackson came into the game for LA's starter Terry Mulholland. Despite striking out three batters over two innings, Jackson was dealt the loss because he let a runner get on base in the eighth inning. John Franco then gave up the home run to Thome for Colorado's 4-2 lead. "We could only chase after Colorado", second baseman Craig Biggio summarized a frustrating game. "But every time we caught up with them, they would score another run. There was really nothing we could do."

Boxscore: COL 5 – LAD 2

[xiberger]

Game 144: Rockies (85-58) @ Dodgers (86-57)

Clemens & Co. Prevail In Long Ball Parade

Left: LA takes the lead on V. Castilla's three-run shot; Right: The Rocket struggled at first, but still got the win.

The Dodgers successfully defended the lead in the NL West by beating the Rockies, 10-5. In a game with five home runs, the Californians came up with the bigger hits than their rivals from Colorado. Led by Barry Bonds, the Dodgers scored eight of their ten runs on long balls. Bonds, who went 4-for-5 on the night, opened the scoring in the first inning on an RBI single. Additionally, the slugger recorded his 36th home run of the year on a two-run blast in the fourth, raising his RBI total to 117.

Besides Bonds, infielders Vinny Castilla and Craig Biggio homered as well. Down by one run with two outs in the second inning, Castilla connected for a home run to the left side, thus recapturing the lead for the home team. "I've had a great year so far", Castilla said. "The only thing that bothers me a bit is my low number of long balls. But I'm working on that, as you can see." In the eighth, Biggio launched his 18th homer of 2005 for the game's final score.

Starting pitcher Roger Clemens earned his 17th win of the season, despite struggling in the beginning. The Rocket gave up two runs in the second inning and was taken deep by Colorado's Chipper Jones in the third. "After that, I got back into my rhythm", Clemens stated at the press conference. "Luckily for me, my teammates bailed me out by putting up lots of runs on the scoreboard." The ace remained on the mound for seven innings, striking out five opposing batters.

Boxscore: COL 5 – LAD 10

[xiberger]

Game 145: Rockies (85-59) @ Dodgers (87-57)

Colorado Miles High On Aaron's Grand Slam

Left: Larry Walker rounds the bases after his solo blast; Right: Aaron Miles connects for a pinch-hit grand slam.

In his first appearance in two weeks, setup man Tom Gordon and his fellow Dodgers suffered a devastating defeat against the Rockies. Flash came into the game in the eighth inning, trying to take a two-run lead into the ninth. Instead, the visitors crushed the opposing reliever by scoring six runs on five hits, including a grand slam. After Jim Thome had tied the game with a two-run single, Gordon loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Aaron Miles. The second baseman delivered a clutch home run to give his team a comfortable 9-5 lead. Flash was not available for a comment after the game.

Prior to the events in the eighth inning, the Dodgers seemed to be in control of the Rockies. Frank Thomas's RBI single in the first and Larry Walker's solo home run in the third gave the home team an early two-run lead. Colorado scored two runs in the fourth, but LA responded by regaining the lead on Vinny Castilla's RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Walker then drove in his second run of the night by hitting a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Sean Casey's pinch-hit RBI double in the seventh kept the Rockies in the game, but Omar Vizquel's 13th long ball of the year made it 5-3 for the hosts.

After the game, the Dodgers were trying to comprehend what had happened. "We played very well tonight, which is why it hurts even more to lose like that", center fielder Kenny Lofton said. Manager Jim Tracy did not want to blame Gordon for the loss. "He's a got guy and a fantastic player", Tracy told reporters. "It clearly wasn't his day, but he's still an important member of our team." Next up for the Dodgers is a four-game series against the Giants at San Francisco, followed by three road game against the Diamondbacks.

Boxscore: COL 9 – LAD 5

[GEOLINK]

lol Thome in a Rockies jersey

[xiberger]

Game 146: Dodgers (87-58) @ Giants (65-80)

Giants Walk-Off Against Dodgers In Wild One

Left: E. Alfonzo is greeted at home plate after his walk-off shot; Right: M. Cabrera shows his great fielding skills.

The Dodgers and their fans are currently living a nightmare, with the 2-4 defeat against the Giants being only the latest in an unfortunate series of events. "We just can't catch a break at the moment", outfielder Larry Walker mumbled after a crazy game at AT&T Park. It all began with the duel of two outstanding southpaw pitchers. While SF's Andy Pettitte held the opposing side scoreless for eight innings, LA's Kenny Rogers surrendered one run on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, second baseman Craig Counsell took Rogers deep to open the scoring. It was only his second home run of 2005. Due to the visiting team's inability to score, the Giants took the slim lead into the ninth. Jay Powell came to the mound, but the closer could not get the job done. Pinch hitter Barry Bonds started the inning with a lead-off single, putting the tying run on base. One out later, Greg Myers shocked the crowd with a monster blast into the cove, making it 2-1 for LA.

Suddenly, the Dodgers had been given the chance to steal the win from the Giants. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the visitors handed the ball to their closer Trevor Hoffman. He got two quick outs, but SF's Nomar Garciaparra kept the home team alive by going deep to tie the game. In the eleventh, relief pitcher Mark Guthrie finally gave up the game-winning home run to Edgardo Alfonzo, thus recording his first loss of the year. While the Giants stormed out of the dugout to celebrate the victory, the Dodgers left the field with their heads down...again.

Boxscore: LAD 2 – SF 4

[sfgiantsflgators]

yeah Giants.

[xiberger]

Game 147: Dodgers (87-59) @ Giants (66-80)

Sparks Superb In Sensational Shutout

Left: Steve Sparks pitched a gem for the Dodgers; Right: Barry Bonds hit one of LA's two long balls on the night.

In a time of crisis for the Dodgers, starting pitcher Steve Sparks gave his team a major boost by pitching a gem against the Giants. The knuckleball specialist went the distance for a three-hit shutout in LA's 9-0 shellacking of their West Coast rival. Sparks threw a total of 87 pitches, striking out four batters for his eleventh win of the year. "It's like a dream come true", the 40-year-old commented on the best performance by a Dodgers pitcher in 2005. "To pitch a complete game shutout in a situation like this is everything the team and I could've asked for."

In addition to Sparks' domination on the mound, the Dodgers also controlled the game with their bats. Kenny Lofton opened the scoring in the third inning, despite being thrown out at first base. Omar Vizquel and Larry Walker brought home two more runs on RBI singles. Finally, Barry Bonds capped a five-run frame with his 37th long ball of the season to give the visiting team a commanding lead. One inning later, Lofton and Vizquel made it 7-0 by driving in another pair of runs.

Tony Armas Jr., who had started on the mound for the Giants, was replaced by Jon Ludlum after 3 2/3 innings. While the home team could not produce anything at the plate, the Dodgers kept on pounding the opposing pitchers. With Walker on first base and one out in the seventh inning, Frank Thomas homered off SF's reliever John Koronka. "We played excellent baseball tonight", GM Jim Tracy declared after the game. "This fantastic win really shows how strong this team is, despite the recent problems we had."

Boxscore: LAD 9 – SF 0

[xiberger]

yeah Dodgers. ;-)

[sfgiantsflgators]

yeah Dodgers. ;-)

well of course - two GIANTS drove in two runs a piece for you. changed the whole approach for the opposition.

(any other dynasty i'd tell you good luck at this point...but i'm really hoping you start a 15 game skid to close out the season...)

[xiberger]

Game 148: Dodgers (88-59) @ Giants (66-81)

Giants Take Revenge Against Arch-Rival

Left: C Josh Bard makes a nice catch in front of LA's dugout; Right: 1B Shea Hillenbrand went deep twice for SF.

One day after blanking the Giants at AT&T Park, the Dodgers just barely avoided the same fate. The home team scored eight runs, while allowing only a single run in return. To make things worse for LA, starting pitcher Terry Mulholland suffered an injury to his right forearm in the third inning. The southpaw slid into second base, trying to break up an inning-ending double play, but did not succeed. Instead, Mulholland had to be replaced by relief pitcher Mark Guthrie, who had recorded his first loss of the season two days ago at the very same place.

After five scoreless innings, the Dodgers opened the scoring in the sixth when Larry Walker singled in Craig Biggio from second base. However, the visitors did not have the lead for too long, as the Giants immediately put up four runs on the board in the bottom of the inning. Shea Hillenbrand started the frame with a solo shot, Mark Ellis' double drove in another run, and Nick Swisher added two more with an RBI single. SF's starter Esteban Loaiza did not allow much for the Dodgers, holding them to just one run on three hits over six strong innings.

In the eighth inning, the Giants recorded their second four-run inning of the game. Josh Bard and Ryan Klesko drove in one run each, and Hillenbrand took reliever Roberto Hernandez deep for his second long ball of the night. In the end, Guthrie suffered his second loss in three days, while the Giants and their fans got sweet revenge for the previous defeat. "That's baseball", LA's first baseman Julio Franco philosophized afterwards. "One day, we slaughter them, and the next day, we're the ones getting slaughtered."

Boxscore: LAD 1 – SF 8

[GEOLINK]

Is it possible too get a picture like that?

[sfgiantsflgators]

(you know what goes here)

:D

[xiberger]

Is it possible too get a picture like that?

Isn't the image proof enough that it's possible? :cool:

Just focus the ball in the replay mode and rotate the camera around it. Easy as that.

[xiberger]

Update:

In the last game agains the Giants, starting pitcher Terry Mulholland (42) suffered a strained right forearm. He has been placed on the 15-day DL, which means he's out for the reamainder of the regular season. I've called up left-handed reliever Kent Mercker (37) from AAA to complete the roster.

The good news is that starting pitcher Kevin Brown (40) will return to the rotation in two days. Brown had a record of 9-3 with a 4.28 ERA, before being sidelined for more than two months with a fractured leg.