Okay, hopefully it shows up in tonight's highlights: Cruz hits a three run shot that just goes over Matt Holliday. To add insult to injury, it bounces around a couple of times and then bounces back onto the field right on Holliday's head. Kinda funny.

I'm watching the game on TiVo delay. I saw that you had posted and of course didn't open the thread. Once I saw that play, I knew that must be what you were posting about :)

Sorry GD - should have spoilered

No worries, I know not to open the thread until I've watched the game.

Hanleywood?

Cautiously optimistic about the trade, although sorry to see Eovaldi go.

We'll see how it works out, but I like it in theory. It addresses the Dodgers 2 biggest holes right now - the infield merry-go-around and swiss-cheese bullpen. Only time will tell how effective they are, but at least it shows that management understands the problems.

If Hanley can be the piece that stops Mattingly from changing the infield on a daily basis, that alone will be a boon. And Choate's numbers are good so far (healthy 3:1 K:BB, <1.00 WHIP), 0HR).

Really, MbC, you're sorry to see a 4.15 ERA and a 1 and 6 record go? I'm sure he's a great guy, but that is not going to get them into the post season.

That's not entirely fair. We both know that had he received any run support, that record would be very different. In his 10 starts, he gave up 3 or less runs in 7 of them. Also in those 10 starts, he gave up a total of 27 runs (with one horrible start against SF accounting for 8 of them). By comparison, Bills and Kershaw have each given up 29 runs, with one less start each.

I'm simply saying that he is a young pitcher (22) who showed a lot of promise, IMO. Let's hope that they either get Dempster, and/or that Lilly returns to his original form this year when he eventually returns.

Yep, he's got promise, but he's not there yet and they don't need promise they need delivery.

Billingsly was in pain for at least 5 of those starts. Kershaw is averaging more than an inning more per start than Eovaldi. They're much better off going to the market for a proven pitcher like Dempster than hoping a young pitcher that has been middling at best can hold it together down the stretch.

And just to be clear, I agree he has potential. But he's just not someone who can help them win now, and the way you improve a team so they can win now is to trade potential for performance. I expect we'll be seeing him win games against the Dodgers in the future, no doubt, but strategically I can't argue with the move.

Someone like a Kevin Brown perhaps? ;)

Nah, I get what you're saying.