Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Hanley Ramirez is getting a scheduled off-day on Sunday, which means Erisbel Arruebarrena will start in his place. Oh wait, of course he won’t. He’s hurt, because this is the Dodgers and that’s what everyone does — they get hurt.
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Dodgers
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Rockies
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1:10 p.m. PT
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Denver, Colo.
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2B
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Gordon
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RF
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Blackmon
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RF
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Puig
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LF
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Dickerson
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1B
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Gonzalez
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SS
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Tulowitzki
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LF
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Kemp
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1B
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Morneau
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CF
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Van Slyke
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3B
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Arenado
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3B
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Uribe
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C
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Rosario
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C
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Butera
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CF
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Stubbs
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SS
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Rojas
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2B
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LeMahieu
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P
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Beckett (R)
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P
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Flande (L)
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Arruebarrena has a strained hip flexor and will undergo an MRI in Arizona while the team heads to Detroit after today’s matinee. Don Mattingly told reporters Arruebarrena hurt himself running to first base during Friday’s game on his RBI single.
Miguel Rojas will draw the start at shortstop instead. They’re basically the same player right now, so there’s not much lost. The Dodgers recalled Carlos Triunfel, but with Ramirez healthy enough to play and Rojas a capable backup, there probably won’t be many at-bats for him — which is a good thing for the Dodgers and the fans.
Josh Beckett takes the bump for the Dodgers. Eric Stephen provided this tidbit of information earlier on Twitter:
Dodgers have 39 straight games with 2 or fewer walks by starters (longest of modern era). Last one to walk 3: Josh Beckett in his no-hitter
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) July 6, 2014
The Dodgers’ streak is impressive, and it’s even more impressive how the defense has improved in that time. Yes, Andre Ethier not being able to track down fly balls natural center fielders can is an issues, but the overall defense of the team has been noticeably better.
The defensive metrics don’t agree as much, as guys like Dee Gordon (-2.8 UZR/150, -2 DRS) and Yasiel Puig (-0.8, -3) are rated as below-average defenders when they clearly aren’t. Aside from Juan Uribe and a healthy Arruebarrena, Gordon and Puig are the Dodgers’ best defensive players. Adrian Gonzalez is also playing a fine first base this year.
Beckett needs to avoid having a Dan Haren-esque start and keep the Dodgers in the game. They’re facing Yohan Flande, which is one of the most made-up names I’ve ever heard.
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