The Only Highlight that Matters

After flubbing a sacrifice bunt, he gets the swing away sign... and swing away he did.  Uribe!!!

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Of course, let's not forget Carl Crawford's incredible evening.  Watch his 1st and 2nd homers, here and here.

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Kershaw is Starting Tonight

This is a bit of a surprise.  Clayton Kershaw will start tonight's Game 4 over Ricky Nolasco, per a @Dodgers tweet.

#Dodgers announced that Clayton Kershaw will start tonight's Game 4 at Chavez Ravine. #ITFDB
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 7, 2013

In one sense you gotta like the message this sends to Atlanta.  You've got to beat our best if you want to take the series back home.  On the other hand, as Tony Jackson noted, Kershaw has never pitched on three days rest in his career.  So, there is a bit of an unknown here.

Although this is not the best scenario, I can't really fault Mattingly for wanting to try to finish off the Braves tonight. 

This also appears to be a clear sign of "no confidence" in Ricky Nolasco - and who can blame them.  Nolasco pitched horribly his last two starts of the season; giving up 17 hits and 12 earned runs in 10.2 innings of work. 

Pic above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013

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Blog Kiosk: 10/7/2013 - Dodgers Links -

The Dodgers crushed the Braves last night, but it sure wasn't easy.  Ryu wasn't sharp.  Fortunately, the Dodger bats came alive.  Pic above via Dodgers on tumblr.

• "Nerves, not injury, doomed Ryu," via Ramona Shelbourne at ESPN.

"There was absolutely no injury whatsoever," Ryu said. "There was anxiety and I was a little bit nervous taking the mound. 

• "Dodgers fans mock Braves’ tomahawk chop after taking a six-run lead in NLDS Game 3,"  via Mike Oz at Big League Stew.  This was rather hilarious on TV.
• "Ricky Nolasco to start Game 4 for Dodgers, pitching coach says," via Bill Shaikin at the LA Times.  Although, Tony Jackson at Dodger Scribe tells us that he's been hearing rumors that Clayton Kershaw may pitch instead.
• "Finally on the big stage, Ramirez steals the show," via Tony Jackson at Dodger Scribe.

“You know, I want to play every day,” Ramirez said. “But at the same time, I knew he was doing the best for me to be ready for the playoffs. He played this game, and he knows what he is doing. That is great when you have a manager like that. That makes you keep doing your best every day, every inning, every out, every pitch.”

• "Odd couple: Ryu, Uribe become best of friends," via Jesse Sanchez at MLB.com.

"My favorite part of the game is when [Ryu] runs over and covers first base and Juan Uribe will go to the mound to give him a little breather to kind of rest," AJ Ellis said. "[You] see them out there talking with each other. I mean, what can these two be possibly talking about, because they don't know any languages between them? I always wonder what they're talking about."

• "It’s Time to shut Paco Rodriguez down, via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA.
• "The man behind “The Vin Scully Factor” comic strip," via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA.  He shares a great Drabble cartoon that pays homage to Vin Scully.  It's a must see.
• Dodger Penguin snags a great Alyssa Milano autographed card.  I'm envious.
• Stealing Home at All Trade Bait, All the Time visited a card show in Culver City this weekend and shares his adventure.  I was unable to attend.

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Monday Dodgers Videos: Magic, Kemp and Crawford

I kinda disappeared this weekend, so I was unable to post this up yesterday.  Here are this Sundays Dodgers Videos on Monday.

Magic Johnson makes a bet with Jay Leno if the Dodgers win the World Series.

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TMZ spoke with Matt Kemp recently.

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ICYMI:  Carl Crawford lifts a go-ahead three-run shot in the second and then makes a nifty grab as he falls into the stands in the eighth.

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Also, Don Mattingly discusses the his club's big offensive night as they tallied 13 runs for a win in NLDS Game 3.

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Blog Kiosk: 10/5/2013 - Dodgers Links -

Check out Magic Johnson aith former President Jimmy Carter from the game on Friday, pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013.

• "Clayton Kershaw Changes the Script," via Mike Petriello at FanGraphs.

That, really, is what is at the heart of what makes Kershaw the nearly unquestioned best pitcher in baseball. On a night where his fastball just wasn’t where it needed to be, Kershaw seamlessly changed the plan in the middle of the game to use his “lesser” pitches, and not only was it “good enough,” it was phenomenal.

• Should we be worried about Hyun-Jin Ryu?  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers keep eye on Ryu in bullpen session: Game 3 starter wears compression sleeve but says elbow is 'fine'".

For example, Ryu worked out this week with a compression sleeve on his left elbow. He also threw a bullpen session Friday with team surgeon Neal ElAttrache, medical director Stan Conte and manager Don Mattingly watching.

Ryu generally does not throw bullpen sessions between starts, and especially not two days before a start. He appeared to throw without discomfort.

Asked about his arm after Game 1, Ryu said he was "fine" and that he was wearing the sleeve to "keep my arm loose."

Hopefully, there is nothing to see here.

• Tony Jackson at Dodger Scibe writes a "A frame-by-frame breakdown of (Friday's) seventh inning".
• This sounds like an immensely stupid trade idea.  Via Peter Gammons, "One Assistant GM’s Rays, Dodgers Trade Proposal".

This is the way baseball executives pass the time: if the Rays decide this winter that it’s time to trade David Price, the first team everyone thinks of are the Dodgers. “They can afford him, and having Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Price would be unbelievable,” says one assistant GM. “I could see a deal with (SS) Corey Seager, (OF) Joc Pederson (17-year old LHP) Julio Urias and Chris Withrow. Tampa might do that.”

• "Restoring the Dodger Way," via Howard Bryant at ESPN.

Think, people. Think. Rosen, the Dodgers' chief marketing officer, implored the staffers in the months before the season began to respect the game's traditions but not to limit their thinking to traditional Opening Day celebrations of bunting and speeches. He wanted his people to think bigger, broader, and grander, to consider this day on par with Super Bowl halftime shows and the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympics and the World Cup. For more assistance and creative energy, the Dodgers worked with Dick Clark Productions, which had produced the Golden Globes, the American Music Awards, and the Miss Universe pageant. After all, this was Los Angeles. The city that invented the entertainment industry, Rosen reasoned, should be able to pull off an afternoon worth remembering.

• "Slain fan's brother: I wielded a chair", via an AP story on ESPN.

At the same time, Robert Preece told San Francisco-based KGO-TV he swung a chair in the melee after another, larger group of people came up behind them, the station reported on Thursday. He described the chair as an aluminum beach chair that was a gift from his father from Dodger Stadium and said he used it to protect his brother.

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The NLDS Edition of Dodgers Magazine

Here's a looka t the newest issue of Dodger Magazione - the NLDS Edition.  As you can see, it showcases the Dodgers celebrating their Western Divisino Champtionship in Arizona - minus the dip in the swimming pool. 

The magazine includes stories on Andre Ethier, Adrian Gonzalez, Kenley Jansen, Clayton Kershaw and Juan Uribe. The NLDS edition of Dodgers Magazine also includes several of the best Dodger photos of 2013.

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