Take a number

"Randy Wolf has switched his uniform number to 43 as he seeks to improve his record to 4-3," states the Dodger press notes. "Wolf wore 43 while with the Phillies before being issued 41 at his introductory news conference when he signed with the Dodgers. By Spring Training, he was 52 for his first season with Los Angeles. Last season, he wore 25 with the Padres and 39 with the Astros before starting this year as 21."

Dodgers at Mets,
4:10 p.m.
Today's lineup

Rafael Furcal, SS Andre Ethier, RF Manny Ramirez, LF Casey Blake, 3B James Loney, 1B Russell Martin, C Orlando Hudson, 2B Matt Kemp, CF Randy Wolf, P

 

Photo: Dodgers pitcher Randy Wolf wears the number 21 but will switch to number 43. Photo credit: Tim Heitman / US Presswire.

Comments

[Eric Stephen]

Maybe Randy just finished the game room at his house, and he had some empty wall space. Now he can put yet another of his jerseys on the wall.

[fanerman]

Randy should change his number to 37, to commemorate the number of weeks Michael Jackson's Thriller was at the top of the charts.

[underdog]

Hopefully 43 won't also represent his final record this season. ;-)

[underdog]

Speaking of Pedro, just saw this twitter, for what it's worth:

@SI_JonHeyman: just spoke to pedros agent fern cuza. pedro will have final decision by sunday.

[andrew]

Someone please tell me why Kemp is batting 8th? Aside from Manny he is the dodgers best hitter. They should move the beard back to the 8th hole or probably martin

[Craig88USC]

If Wolfy keeps winnin', can he go from #43 to #53, #63 and so on even up to #103

if he's lucky enough to win 7 in a row???

[Will]

Why not just go all the way and get #32.

[Craig88USC]

Andrew - That horse died and we already wept. It's all cried out, my friend.

[Craig88USC]

Astros and Nats in a real squeaker in the 11th. ; )

[Tripon]

From Diamond Lueng:

"Matt Kemp has pretty much made the National League All-Star team, this after the fans picked Shane Victorino in the Final Vote over Pablo Sandoval. MLB was already pushing NL manager Charlie Manuel to pick Kemp over his own player Victorino even if Sandoval had won the vote."

http://diamondleung.tumblr.com/

[jim hitchcock]

The story, as it goes, says he changed his number so he doesn't have a locker next to No. 22 (Kershaw) when they're on the road. At least, that's how Kershaw relates the story.

[underdog]

Just a reminder: game is on MLB Network, if you get that channel. Bob Costas and the likable, cliched but inoffensive Jim Kaat alongside him.

[Tripon]

Prediction: Matt Kemp will hit .400 the rest of the way.

And he'll mat 9th when Dodgers play in an AL stadium in Oct.

[Zach]

Maybe Wolf was freaking Clayton out with weird roadtrip stories about different cities and gals when they went out on the road.
That might explain Clayton's road hiccups.
Stop scaring the kid Randy!
He's only 21 and he is Christian. He has virgin ears!

[Kevin]

Andrew-Kemp hitting .512 in the 8 spot. That's why.

[Tripon]

Furcal is hot, hot, hot!

[Zach]

Yeah for 2nd half Furcal!!

Hooray!

[Craig88USC]

Hit
Hit
Hit
Run!

[Mike]

Hehehehe Old man with a new trick?

[hye-per-bowl]

what do our numbers look like in the first inning since Manny came back?
It's almost automatic.

[Phenomenal Smith]

The suspense is over in Houston. Nats win!

[jasonungar]

Good times in dodger land at least for me when Kemp batting 8th is new Choi

[Craig88USC]

Nats train rollin' now...

[Landonkk]

blow... it... open!

[Zach]

Speaking of Choi......rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble!

[underdog]

"Dodgers showing great patience" - Jim Kaat. Indeed.

Ump not giving much on the outside.

[OhioVic]

Good pitch there. Kept getting Russell to foul off those high fastballs, then got him with that inside breaking pitch.

[Zach]

Why, Martin, Why?

It's Livan Hernandez. Seriously.

[underdog]

Was that O-Dog's way of making sure three runs scored there?

Well, I'll take it! Woof!

[Mike]

Thank you Old Dawg.

[ucladodger]

finally ODog comes through, although I have no clue what he was doing on the basepaths.

[Gen3Blue]

I wasn't paying attention but I was surprised when Furcal didn't score on the base hit--I assume he had to wait for it to go through.

Well, Hernadez didn't wiggle out of that one!!

[Landonkk]

Silver lining - J. Mart won't be getting a raise when (if) we go to arb this offseason.

Way to go O-Dawg! Atone!

[TS]

Same ole Russell Martin.

[Craig88USC]

O

D
O
G

clears the bases!
...Dodgers rollin' a 4 in the 1st.

[ucladodger]

I'm guessing that was the thought process, udog, but it want needed. That throw was going home with Loney running no matter what.

Nick Evans is also an awful awful awful outfielder.

[Zach]

Way to keep those LOB #'s down O-dawg.

[Landonkk]

or is he unrestricted?

[jim hitchcock]

Uh, O-dawg...Kemp was up next.

[underdog]

Gen, on that play earlier, Raffy did have to wait because it was a soft line drive not far from the SS, so it wasn't a given it was going through. Anyway, doesn't matter ultimately, fortunately. :-)

[Phenomenal Smith]

The man hits a bases-clearing double and all he gets is grief.

Sheesh.

[jim hitchcock]

I was clapping through my sarcasm, Bob ;)

[ucladodger]

He gets credit, PS, but that was just a really bad mistake. It was funny seeing Bowa throw his hands up over his head when he saw what was going to happen.

For all the crap Kemp got for his baserunning, that play was just as bad as whatever Bison did.

[Zach]

I was referring more to O-dawg clearing the bases with the double, then him removing himself from said bases.

But I hear you Bob! 4-0!!!! Whoot!

[Craig88USC]

Ok, let's get 2 here, boys.

I wanna bat again. That was fun.

[mattsd]

Hanrahan gets the win, despite no longer being on the team.

Lovely.

[Phenomenal Smith]

Sorry, I am a grouchy man today.

I will be less grouchy tomorrow. Probably because I won't be at work.

[Craig88USC]

Sign that guy!

[underdog]

Oh man, I really thought Evans had been picked off on that play.

[Landonkk]

random fact: i still have a Sheff Dodger jersey.

[underdog]

Stop crank-calling the LA library with dumb questions, guys!

[underdog]

Wolf often struggles most in the 1st, if at all. This isn't a huge surprise, but frustrating to be sure after given a nice lead to start.

And Bob Costas with the Steiner call on that long out. Freaked me out.

[Landonkk]

that was uhhhh... scary.

[Craig88USC]

Ol ' #43 IS a lucky number!

[alex]

Speaking of the library, does anyone know where the mythical Carl's Jr. that sells cheap beer and has a patio is? I've heard it's near the central library.

[Craig88USC]

And a big h o w l from the Wolfpack...

3 down, min damage.

[Alex41592]

They probably would've walked Kemp if Hudson didn't get rundown. This way Kemp gets to bat.

[underdog]

Disturbing facebook status a friend of mine just posted:

"Josh __ ate bison and liked."

[Zach]

Bob, the only thing you should ever appologize for on here is for closing the Griddle.
Otherwise, you should have immunity to judge us whenever you see fit.

[Craig88USC]

Look who's leadin' off...

[Michael]

Speaking of Steiner, anyone know where he is?

[Alex41592]

Doing radio as usual.

[underdog]

Bison says, Take that, All-Star Final Man voters!

[Gen3Blue]

Announcers--please don't be so naive. ESPN has done nothing but schill for the east coast for years now.

[OhioVic]

Have the Mets gotten Kemp out this series yet ? :)

[Michael]

No he's not on the radio today. It's just Rick.

[Craig88USC]

...everybody's hitting. ; )

Let's go Raffy.

[Landonkk]

I have to agree with Psycho on the unlimited computer voting. My vote shouldn't count less than the guy who has all day to sit on his couch and vote in Philly.

[underdog]

Ugh.

[Craig88USC]

Dag nab it.

[Ollie]

apparently Charlie is at a wedding

[ucladodger]

And that was just as bad. Yuck, and then that happens.

[fanerman]

Base running blunder. D'oh.

[Alex41592]

Whoops. Though Kemp probably doesn't score on that hit.

[Landonkk]

Have the Mets gotten Kemp out this series yet ? :)

Posted by: OhioVic | July 09, 2009 at 04:43 PM

They have now.

[OhioVic]

Disappointing that Kemp was no longer on 2nd, but Furcal really has started to pick it up !

[wireroom]

Alex, the mythical Carl's Jr. you speak of is in the food court of the Macy's in Downtown.

[Craig88USC]

Keep the hits a comin' DRE

[ucladodger]

And of course Kemp gets singled out. Does ODog have the 6th tool?

[Jon Weisman]

Does Lyons go on and on like this when Juan Pierre gets picked off?

[Alex41592]

Manny gets a chance to bury the Mets right now.

[Andrew Shimmin]

Kemp doesn't have the seventh tool (lumberjack beard), either.

[Alex41592]

I really wanted to comment about Pierre getting picked off. Thank you.

[Craig88USC]

Good eye, 'Dre''

Table set for El Maniaco...

[ucladodger]

Hernandez just has nothing to get Manny out. Nothing.

[Mike]

Manny being Manny.

[Craig88USC]

Manny
drives
in
Raffy!

[OhioVic]

VERY Sweet swing from Manny there. He's lookin' better and better.

[Craig88USC]

C'mon Shake N Blake -

Join the Hit Parade...

[Phenomenal Smith]

I think the only way to reform the voting for the Last Man spot for the All-Star Game is to institute an electoral college system.

Votes would be apportioned by the number of major league teams per state. Teams without an MLB franchise would get a 1/10 vote. Canada would get a 1/2 vote. The rest of the world would get a 1/2 vote.

After the votes come in, the electors would meet in the 30 MLB parks to cast their votes. They would then be taken by bonded messenger to Bud Selig's office in Milwaukee. He would open each certificate before a representative of each of the 30 teams and announce the result.

In the event that no player receives a majority of the electoral votes, the election would then be decided by Peter Gammons, who would rule on whom he thought he was the most worthy.

If Peter Gammons is unvailable, the top 2 players in the league that didn't get a majority would have their names written on slips of paper and then they would be chosen out of Tracy Ringolsby's hat.

The tricky part is that Ringolsby never takes off the hat!

[Alex41592]

Lyons is just a tool.

[Craig88USC]

Shaker!

[Zach]

Manny is a beast. The Dodgers are winning 100 games this year.

[Andrew Shimmin]

"Not much of an arm," was a very kind way of putting that.

[ucladodger]

Well, I guess Livan doesnt have anything to get anybody out. He looks like a high school pitcher out there. 86 fastball, loopy curve, little slider.

[underdog]

Ramirez makes it look so easy.

Hernandez also makes it look easy. ("Hernandez has nothing," says Costas surprisingly bluntly.)

[Mike]

The is what the Dodgers should have done yesterday! Oh well. Good job by the offense today.

[fanerman]

And that suggestion is why Mr. Smith is Phenomenal.

[dsw]

Alex/Wireroom - that Carl's Jr. is actually across the street from the Fifth St. entrance to the library - on Fifth between Grand and Flower.

[Mannyman]

Whenever I see Livan pitch I feel as though whats happening now is supposed to happen. They guy has always looked waaaay hittable.

Good job boys!