Dodgers walk the line, not over it in 7-6 loss to Rockies

The Dodgers were hoping for a walkover, but it wasn’t to be.

The Rockies issued six walks Sunday, and it still wasn’t enough. The Dodgers’ five-game winning streak snapped with a 7-6 loss to Colorado.

In another hot afternoon game, the Rockies scored five times in the first against 21-year-old Nathan Eovaldi and made it hold up.

Eovaldi, who may have only one more start as the Dodgers seek to preserve the rookie’s arm, threw less than five innings for the first time in his five career starts.

This time Eovaldi (1-2) went four innings, allowing the five runs on six hits and a pair of walks.

Jhoulys Chacin, who entered the game with a career 1.98 ERA against the Dodgers, was hardly as sharp as the Dodgers have seen him, but he made the early support hold up to raise his record to 11-10.

The Rockies scored all five of their runs in the first inning. Troy Tulowitzki singled in the first run, and then with the bases loaded, Kevin Kouzmanoff’s blooper fell off the wrist of an awkwardly diving Trent Oeltjen in right to clear the bases.

Oeltjen started in right for Andre Ethier, after he complained of knee pain in a Sunday column by The Times’ T.J. Simers.

Eliezer Alfonzo singled in Kouzmanoff for the fifth run.

The Dodgers scored single runs in the first on a Justin Sellers double and in the third on doubles by Sellers and James Loney.

The Rockies got the two back against Blake Hawksworth in the fifth on doubles by Carlos Gonzales and Seth Smith, and then a single by Kouzmanoff.

The Dodgers scored twice in the sixth without benefit of a hit or an error -- after Chacin walked the bases loaded -- on a groundout and sacrifice fly. They added two more in the seventh after Matt Kemp walked, stole his 34th base and scored on an Aaron Miles double. Oeltjen singled in Miles, but the Dodgers were left one run short.

MORE:

Dodgers-Rockies box score

Andre Ethier clarifies his comments about knee injury

Can a hot James Loney save his career with the Dodgers

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Dodgers shortstop Justin Sellers in the fourth inning Sunday at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Dodgers web musings: SI gives detailed look at Bryan Stow fallout

Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins takes a long look at owner Frank McCourt and the effect of the Bryan Stow beating on opening day in a piece titled "The Day That Damned the Dodgers."

Jenkins offered the most detailed piece I’ve seen on how the day’s events unfolded, Stow’s less-than-perfect past and some damning comments, including this one from Supervisor Mike Antonovich:

"What happened [to Stow] was the direct result of a culture McCourt allowed to exist in and out of the stadium. It was barbaric."

Also on the Web:

-- The San Bernardino Sun’s Pete Marshall offers a review of Dodger first-round pick Chris Reed’s professional debut Wednesday. He threw two scoreless innings for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga.

-- The Times’ Jim Peltz said manager Don Mattingly is taking a watchful approach to James Loney’s sudden hot streak (11 for 17).

-- Dodgers.com’s Ken Gurnick writes Ted Lilly is crediting his speedy recovery from a stiff neck to the acupuncture performed by team massage therapist Ichiro Tani.

-- ESPN/LA’s Jon Weisman looks at the ups and downs of Chad Billingsley and wonders if he isn’t slipping just as he should be entering his prime.

-- This is from Tuesday, but if you missed The Times’ T.J. Simers wondering if Vin Scully can make the grade, take a look. There’s no end to this stuff.

-- In the wake of opening day, and last weekend’s violence at Candlestick Park, The Times’ Jason Wells writes on Assemblyman Mike Gato’s effort to write legislation to deter violence at sporting events.

-- The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sandy Spieczny looks at the Cy Young chances of Clayton Kershaw. Mike Petriello of MikeSckosciasTragicIllness thinks it will come down to a two-man race between Roy Halladay and Kershaw, and uses sabermetrics to analyze the two.

-- The Chicago Sun-Times’ Gordon Wittenmyer said Ned Colletti is on the short list for the Cubs’ GM job.

-- Sons of Steve Garvey’s anonymous Steve Sax attends Dodgers game in St. Louis as a member of the media. Unknown if he wore a mask.

-- Former draft pick Jordan Pratt didn’t make it with the Dodgers after eight years in the minors but is now a walk-on wide receiver at Stanford.

  

 -- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Bryan Stow. Credit: Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times.

Dodgers Web Musings: How would you grade the first half for the Boys in Blue?

It’s midseason awards time!

Are you just so excited? Grades for this, grades for that. Best this, worst that. Sort of an All-Star break mini-tradition.

And how exactly would you review the Dodgers’ first half? If you try, there are certainly bright moments available, but on the whole it’s hard not to fight the image of the Titanic with its stern exposed high above the water line.

With half the season remaining.

Plenty of media outlets are passing out letter grades, but The Times’ charitable award of an overall "C" for the Dodgers is a tad mystifying, or, in the eyes of T.J. Simers, "the most ridiculous, outrageous, off-base pile of rubbish lacking even a scintilla of sense that I have ever read in this newspaper."

Fortunately, he meant only the print edition.

Simers gave them a "D-minus," saying they avoided an "F" only by managing to climb out of the cellar with their final weekend sweep of the Padres.

Over at ESPN, Jim Bowden gave them a "C minus" (available as a video at this link). I know, where were these teachers handing out grades when you were in school?

Also on the Web:

-- The Times’ Bill Shaikin has Commissioner Bud Selig alluding to a Dodgers’ future without Frank McCourt.

-- Shaikin also looks at the latest documents filed by McCourt in his bankruptcy hearing, noting he has already exhausted the $35 million owed the team this season by Fox.

-- Ned Colletti tells The Times’ Dylan Hernandez that acquiring Juan Rivera may not be a sign of a last push, but it did improve the club.

-- The Wall Street Journal reports that Major League Baseball claims the hedge fund McCourt is using to keep the team financially afloat has accepted a $5.25-million fee he tried to withhold from the court.

-- That boycott may be extending to watching games on television. The Sports Business Journal  reports the Dodgers have the third-lowest rating of any MLB team and are down 27% from last season.

-- The San Francisco Chronicle’s Scott Ostler said Selig can’t avoid his role in approving the McCourt ownership bid and that it’s time for Selig to step aside.

-- Kirk Gibson told MLB.com he fulfilled his late father’s wish by accepting a bid to coach the National League All-Star team. Gibson, the Diamondbacks manager, twice turned down invitations as a player (including with the Dodgers in ’88) because he was uncomfortable with individual, midseason awards.

Wonder how he feels about midseason grades?

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Matt Kemp bats at the All-Star game. Credit: Denis Poroy / Reuters

Even when James Loney appears to be back on track, the opinions manage to vary

James Loney.

Got an opinion?

Of course, you do. Everybody has a James Loney opinion. Too this, not enough that, just fine at this.

Has to go, should be a fixture, needs to be shown the Russell Martin door.

Isn’t he a blast?

And then there’s this: Loney is currently hitting like the player the Dodgers thought they had.

As opposed to the player who batted .211 in the second half last season, only to come roaring back this April and hit .210.

The Loney concern level continued to rise. Regular panic in the streets. By the middle of May, The Times’ T.J. Simers said he was in danger of not being offered arbitration next year, to which Loney replied: "If I stay on the same pace, why would they bring me back?"

Dodgers web musings: The reviews are in for Frank McCourt and they're all bad (videos)

Not a great day for Frank McCourt to be feeling the love from the media.

Reaction to Commissioner Bud Selig's turning down McCourt’s TV deal was unanimous. As in unanimously bad.

-- The Times’ Bill Plaschke writes that it is over for McCourt, that Major League Baseball simply doesn’t trust him. And why would it?

-- The Times’ T.J. Simers writes McCourt has taken all the joy out of watching the Dodgers.

-- The Times’ Bill Shaikin and David Wharton cover the news angle and writes the next big news day could come when the next team payroll is due June 30.

-- USA Today’s David Leon Moore writes of the sadness in the Dodger Stadium stands as attendance shrinks over displeasure at the McCourt ownership.

-- ESPN/LA’s Tony Jackson writes that it’s time for McCourt to step aside.

-- Steve Garvey, who somehow remains employed by McCourt despite his efforts to buy the team, in a video tells Fox Sports Mark Kriegel that owning the Dodgers just may be his destiny.

Is James Loney finally on the rebound?

James Loney may have usurped Matt Kemp this season as the most divisive Dodger, if for completely different reasons.

But mention Loney’s name to team followers, and they almost sprint into different camps: 1) No way can the Dodgers continue with a first baseman who lacks power and hasn’t hit since last July; or 2) He’s a reliable RBI guy who can hit .290 and play an excellent first base.

The anti-Loney group has gained steam since he went into the tank last August, then hit .208 in April.

But the shrinking pro-Loney contingent has gained hope by his recent play, and if it still won’t be confused with Ryan Howard, it’s certainly vast improvement.

After hitting .208 in April with a .241 on-base percentage and .238 slugging percentage, Loney has come back in May with .278/.345/.380.

Friday night he hit only his second home run of the season -- and first in 45 games -- and has now hit safely in 11 of 13 games.

Loney admits his slow start had troubled him.

"It’s not fun and it bothers you, but, you know, they schedule 162 games for you to play," he said. "You struggle for the first month, hopefully I got that out of the way."

Six of those last 11 hits have gone for extra bases. He may never be a home-run hitter, but the Dodgers need him to drive the ball. Even when he initially started his resurgence, he was mostly hitting singles.

"I’ve never heard of a bad hit," Loney said. "But obviously you want to hit he ball harder more often."

Loney is hopeful he’s turned the corner on his 2011 season. The Time's T.J. Simers is one of those who have suggested if Loney was unable to turn things around, he could go non-tendered in the offseason.

"I feel confident in what I’m doing," he said. "I still have to go out and battle, hit tough pitching and see where it goes.

"But it feels really good. It’s been a process. Sometimes you want it to happen sooner, to get back to how you hit the ball, and sometimes it just happens a little later than you want."

Sometimes it happens, and camps remain divided.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Dodgers first baseman James Loney and Marlins pitcher Javier Vazquez watch Loney's solo home run in the second inning Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Andre Ethier flips photographer the bird, and it's a mini-Internet sensation

Ah, the age of the Internet. Things happen and the news travels quickly. Good news, bad news, personal news. Also pictures.

Andre Ethier is about as savvy on new media as any Dodger on the club.

Which clearly means, he should have known better than most how his "incident" would play out, not to mention just known better.

Ethier made a silly, childish mistake Monday, when irritated with a photographer during pregame batting practice, he flipped him the bird. Actually, he then slipped his bat under his left arm and gave the double salute.

Naturally, these photos eventually made their way to the Internet, which quickly made Ethier the Dodgers’ topic de jour.

Ethier met with reporters Thursday before the Giants game, and though he did eventually apologize, to say he was contrite would be stretching things.

He spent the first few minutes with reporters trying to make light of it.

"They really weren’t supposed to release this photo shoot yet," Ethier said. "It was an inspirational piece and they asked me what I thought of Dylan Hernandez at the time. It was based on the L.A. Times beat reporters.

Take me out to the ballgame, right after that second mortgage is approved

As if an unpopular owner, a mediocre team and frightening violence on opening day weren’t cause enough for a significant drop in Dodger Stadium attendance, here’s one more:

It’s just too damn expensive.

A pair of stories in The Times on Tuesday highlighted just how ridiculously pricey it’s become under the McCourts to take in a ballgame at Chavez Ravine.

T.J. Simers actually opened his wallet and forked over $140 to purchase two tickets on the loge level. Crazy, I know. Next thing we’ll hear Tommy Lasorda bought his own lunch. OK, not that crazy.

They're picturing Mark Cuban in Dodger blue

Mark Cuban to the rescue, Mark Cuban to the rescue … go Mark Cuban, go Mark Cuban!

Well, yes, his is a popular name among those counting the moments until Frank McCourt is shown the road and Major League Baseball puts the team up for sale.

It has even inspired its own website, Mark Cuban Save the Dodgers, which argues he is the best candidate to return the Dodgers to O’Malley family respectability.

Since Cuban’s Mavericks are in town kicking the Lakers’ little fannies around, The Times’ T.J. Simers quite naturally tried to hit him up for a comment on the Cuban-buys-the-Dodgers movement. Cuban, who has already swung and missed on purchasing the Cubs (also in town!) and the Rangers (their former president is in the building!), declined the interview request.

"Just make up something that you want me to say," Cuban said, "and then put my name to it."

Clearly, Cuban does not know Simers, who was more than willing to do just that.

" 'When I become owner of the Dodgers, fans will never again have to worry about the Dodgers having enough money to sign the best players,' said Cuban, although I made it up because that's what I would like the next owner of the Dodgers to say.

"I will spend so much money, Bud will consider fining me."

There’s much more, of course. I almost wish Cuban would buy the Dodgers, just to witness his give-and-take with Simers.

I doubt, however, when Simers asked to interview Cuban he would ever give the McCourt response of last spring: "In your ... dreams."

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo: Mark Cuban. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire

Dodgers Web musings: Andre Ethier, you are sports' biggest rising star

That’s right, the Dodgers’ own Andre Ethier is not only the hottest thing on the baseball diamond right now, but also the biggest sports star to watch this month.

Anyway, so says a marketing research company that puts out a monthly list it calls "Rising Sports Stars."

Ethier, who at 27 games has baseball’s longest hitting streak in two years, had the biggest lift in popularity last month, according to Brand Affinity Technologies. They base their results on some nebulous formula that looks at media exposure, performance, awards, popularity, engagement and fan base.

Ethier’s rating climbed 136% last month, according to BAT. Before you get too excited, he just squeaked past New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza’s 135% increase.

Also on the Web:

-- Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi takes a look at Ethier's hitting streak.

-- Joe Torre has been mum on Major League Baseball’s takeover of the Dodgers from Frank McCourt since arriving on the scene with trustee Tom Schieffer last week but earlier confided to MLB.com’s Mark Newman that Commissioner Bud Selig did confer with him before taking action.