Editorials

Dodgers – Rangers Spring Training In-Game Thread

Hi, Dodgers fans! We’re going to introduce this as a means to keep you updated throughout the game in one easy post. This will also be an interesting way to look back on games as they’re updated in the moment, with the emotional responses any baseball game takes us through.

So, without further ado, here is our very first game thread, as our Dodgers take on the Texas Rangers in a game that isn’t televised by anyone, somehow. Not a single working camera. Not. One.



Alright, I’m better now.


ICYMI: Justin Turner Expected Back Early Next Week


First Through Third Innings:

First

The Dodgers did not start the game with the same fire power we saw in Thursday’s first attempts at the plate. Joc gets a one-out single, but nothing comes of it.

Texas, conversely, gets one run out of Adrian Beltre, who scores Delino DeShields, Jr. on a single. Nothing else comes of the inning, though, and the Rangers head to the second inning up a run on the Dodgers.

Second:

The Dodgers’ bats remain quiet in their half of the third inning.

Unfortunately, and again, the same can’t be said for the Rangers’ bats. Michael McKenry lined a single into left, scoring Odor. A double play follows to the end inning, though, taking us to the fourth.

Third:

Again, the Dodgers bats remain quiet, with the only real noise coming on a flyball from Carl Crawford sent to center, but it merely reaches the warning track and was caught by DeShields.

Screen Shot 2016-03-04 at 1.01.18 PM

Mike Bolsinger comes in for Kazmir, who gave up two in his two innings of work. Not quite the start Kazmir might’ve hoped for, but there’s obviously plenty of time to build on that.

Bolsinger does his job and puts away the Rangers quietly, giving up only a hit but no runs and we head to the fourth. Have any notes thus far? Let us know in the comments below!

[Note: This game is moving on A LOT faster without TV commercial breaks. My hands hurt. We’ll be back after the sixth inning!]

Screen Shot 2016-03-04 at 1.11.58 PM

Fourth Through Sixth Innings

Fourth:

Chase Utley starts the inning with a single and Scott Van Slyke follows with a bomb! Tie game!

“Stache Van Smash” remains one of my favorite nicknames of all time. Based on the call from Charlie Steiner, this left few in doubt. We obviously would give more detail, but MLB remains in the dark ages.

The Dodgers would go quietly from there on out, but we head to the bottom of the fourth with the game tied.

The Rangers wind up not getting anything going in their half of the inning. The game moves along, tied at two.

Fifth:

The Dodgers don’t get anything going in their half of the fifth, as Trayce Thompson, Alex Guerrero and Hicks go down in order.

Louis Coleman in to pitch for Bolsinger. Here is the latter’s day: Screen Shot 2016-03-04 at 1.36.00 PM

The Rangers don’t get anything going in the sixth, as the top of the order (DeShield, Choo and Fielder) go down with little very little noise.

Sixth:

Carl Crawford beats out a throw to earn an infield single!

He is replaced by Rico Noel, who promptly steals… And is caught doing so. Fart noise.

Micah Johnson singles, but Van Slyke follows with a flyout to right and the Dodgers don’t get anything out of what could have been a promising inning.

Baez in for Coleman after an inning. Coleman needed only ten pitches to get out of his lone inning of play, which was nice to see.

*Baez haircut alert*

After fanning Gallo, Ian Desmond doubles to center. The Dodgers shift on Ike Davis (hitting for Justin Ruggiano), who grounds away from said shift and Patrick Kivlehan scores on Davis’ single. No more damage gets done in that half leaving us here:

Screen Shot 2016-03-04 at 1.51.47 PM

Done stretching? Screen Shot 2016-03-04 at 1.59.26 PM

Seventh Through Ninth Innings

Seventh:

The Dodgers don’t get anything going, as Kike Hernandez, like the cat above, was caught sleeping at first and picked off to end the inning.

The Rangers don’t get anything going, either and we head to the eighth with the good guys trailing their opponents by one.

Eighth:

The Dodgers would be gifted a situation in which runners would stand on second and third with one out, but resume midseason form and stranded those two where the stood. That hurt to write, just for the record.

? JHAREL COTTON ALERT ?

Cotton gets himself in some trouble early, but induces a double play to get himself out of trouble. The Dodgers will need to score a run if we want to see more from Cotton, which we obviously do.

We head to the ninth, Dodgers down 1.

Ninth:

The Dodgers get two on with no out, but a double play halts the momentum. Credit to the Dodgers, though, as they gut out a few tough at-bats to eventually load the bases, and wind up scoring on a passed ball because spring training happens.

More Jharel Cotton!

Heading to the bottom half, we were notified that no extra innings would be played, so there’s that.

The Rangers don’t threaten in their half of the ninth, and we finish the game in a tie.

Analysis:

For the most part today, we liked what we heard, though we preferred to have seen stuff, MLB. It was great to give Cotton some experience in a close game. More thoughts to come.

Pederson getting a hit and backing up Carl Crawford the way he did was nice to hear about. He, Thompson and Yasiel Puig make for three really good  athletes in the outfield. This is certainly something to keep an eye on.

The Dodgers face the Diamondbacks tomorrow and we’ll get our first glimpse of Kenta Maeda. For now, this has been fun. Enjoy your evening!

NEXT: Dodgers Spring Training Giveaway Kick-Off

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

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