[PilotMan]

7/16 1-0 L to the Cardinals
Von Hayes went 2-4 and upped his hitting streak to 14 games and his average to .273. LA wasted a great start from Jim Beattie, who pitched 7 innings and allowed 1 hit and struck out 3. The Cards got a great start too. Jaime Navarro, walked 5 and allowed 2 hits through 7 and neither pitcher allowed a run. Lee Smith (2-3) had a rough inning. An error by Barrett, then back to back walks. A single from Jay Bell knocked in the games only run.


7/17 9-4 W over the Cubs
A few tough games against the Cards and a good game to get back on track again. Slugger Victor Madden homered (23) in the first to put Chicago up first, but LA answered with 5 before the first out was even recorded by rookie Kevin Brown. Guerrero homered (14) and tripled enroute to a 3-4 with 3 RBI's. Inky scored 3 times and Von Hayes hit for the 15^th straight game with a 2-run HR (7). Marty Barrett also homered for the first time this year. It's been over a year since he'd homered. Frank Tanana (7-7) got the win in relief as Patterson didn't get his 5 innings.


The White Sox have lost top player Barry Bonds, for possibly the entire season, with a back injury. The Sox are a game and a half up on Mariners and Bonds leads the team in HR (23), RBI's (69) and is 2^nd in AVG (.307). Daryl Boston takes his place in the lineup.


Rob Deer had the highlight of his career end. A 22 game hitting streak. If you remember anything about Rob Deer's career, it's that a 22 game hitting streak might be the most unlikely thing he would ever do.


7/18 3-0 W over the Cubs
The Cubs extend their losing streak to 9 games as Bryn Smith (3-11) goes the distance for the shut out. His first on the year, and his best game too. Hayes saw his hitting streak come to an end, while Inky added 2 hits, and Caminiti went 3-4 with 2 RBI's on a single through the drawn in infield. David Cone (6-8) took the loss.


7/19 3-1 L to the Cubs
The Cubbies grab the win from Viola tonight (8-12) Former Dodger catcher Ronald King blasted a go ahead triple that scored Ramirez in the 6^th. Inky homered in the 7^th (4) to LA hope. LA got the tying run on with 0 outs in the 9^th but couldn't get them in. John Smiley moves to 6-7 with the win.


Juan Samuel was activated from the DL and Inky was optioned to open the roster spot. LA has signed 37 year old Buddy Bell to a minor league deal. Bell is a 4-time All Star and 6 time Gold Glove winner. He was released by the Rangers in April and hasn't played this year. In 18 seasons he has 2563 hits and a .277 average, with 207 career home runs. Last season, with the Rangers, he batted .268 with 14 HR's and 69 RBI's, while committing 16 errors at third in 156 games started. Bell lost his job when the Rangers signed Gary Gaetti to a 4 year deal in the offseason.


7/21 3-0 L to the Pirates
Brian Harper, the best catcher in baseball, went 3-4 including his 14^th of the year to put the Pirates on the board. Dave Hengel added insurance for Pittsburgh in the 7^th with a solo shot (2). Ken Howell (5-9) pitched alright beside those. The real problem was Doug Drabek (3-5) who only allowed 2 hits in 7 innings. Paul Assenmacher, pitched 2 hitless for his 2^nd save of the season.


7/22 2-0 L to the Pirates
Oof. Another shutout. We've now scored 1 run in 27 innings. Caminiti goes 2-3 and Beattie pitches into the 6^th, but takes the loss (5-6). LA never really threatened. Jack McDowell (8-5) struck out 8 in 7.1 innings of work and Henneman got his 21^st save. We could really use some power in this lineup.


7/23 3-0 L to the Pirates
Holy cow. Another shut out loss. That 27 scoreless for LA and 1 run in the last 36 innings. Today it was Jose DeLeon (10-6) shutting down the Dodgers. Bryn Smith (3-12) loses again as LA only manages 4 hits. Henneman gets his 22^nd save. Steve Balboni got a triple. Really, the game was over at that point. There was no other way.


7/24 2-0 W over the Pirates
A win is a win, but 2 runs isn't sending fireworks into the sky. Viola (9-12) pitched great, with 8 shutout innings. Top 6 with the score tied at 0, and runners on first and second, Schofield knocked a single to put LA on the board. LA would add another in the 9^th and Franco pitched a quick 9^th for his 18^th save of the year.


Expos outfielder, Hubie Brooks hit for the cycle last night against the Phillies. It was his 7^th HR of the year.


Former Dodger starter Kelly Downs is having a rough season in Milwaukee. Last night, he won his 2^nd game of the year, to run his record to 2-13. His ERA with the Brewers is 5.73 and the worst season he has put up since his early days in LA.


7/25 3-0 L to the Astros
Greg Swindell (12-1) threw a 3 hit shutout today against LA. Fred McGriff knocked in 2 as Bob Patterson took his first loss as a Dodger (1-1). LA's best performance belongs to Frank Tanana in relief. Tanana pitched 3.2 innings allowing 1 hit and striking 3.


7/26 8-2 L to the Astros
Not a big surprise, that Candiotti (12-6) shuts us down again. Caminiti and Scioscia belted 5 of the LA's 7 hits. Ken Howell (5-10) started, but didn't last 5 innings. I wonder when we can get Tanana back into the rotation? I wonder when Inky will be back? We can't hit at all. The depth of the Astros is almost comical.


7/27 5-1 W over the Astros
Who thought that Jim Beattie (6-6) would win a dual with Nolan Ryan (11-6)? Not me, that's for sure. LA got a pinch hit HR from Pete O'Brien (1) as padding, but otherwise Beattie pitched a brilliant game today. Ricky went 3-5 and Schofield went 2-3. Even Surhoff added 2. Juan Samuel left the game with a foot injury.


7/28 8-6 L to the Padres
Bryn Smith (3-13) got lit up early and often in this one. We were down 8-0 after the 3^rd and the game was basically over. LA chipped away and Samuel smashed #8 of the season. Tanana threw another 4 shutout innings of relief and lowered his ERA to 2.85. The Padres are pulling away from us for 5^th in the West. Paul Kilgus got the win (7-9).


Do you think LA will trade anyone before the deadline? We have some talent we could part with.


The Padres say goodbye to Kilgus after he beats us. He goes to the Orioles in the heat of the AL East race. He actually improves their rotation somehow. The Padres get Aaron Cain, a 10 year utility player, with 171 career hits. He hadn't taken an at bat for the O's this season. So basically free.


7/29 3-2 W over the Padres
Frank Viola and Mark Gardiner both pitched well early on, but the Padres broke through first. Matt Williams homered deep to left (26) to score 2 and put the Padres up in the 6^th. LA got back to it in the 7^th when Doug Jennings lead off with a single and later scored with Henderson on a Hayes single that tied it up. LA got the go ahead run in the 9^th once again, thanks to Jennings who singled Surhoff who had walked. Price gets the win to go to 4-3, while Franco pitched the 9^th for his 19^th save.


7/30 5-3 W over the Padres
LA scored 2 in the first, and seemed to have Ojeda's number all game (7-11). The Padres got back into it with 2 in the 5^th to tie the game back up. Patterson (2-1) got some support from the team as they got a string of hits and doubles in the 6^th to plate 3 and take the lead again. The Padres tried to come back, but the bullpen kept it to 1 run. Franco got his 20^th save of the year.


What the fuck...


So LA makes a trade. Let's start with what we did get. Coming to LA from the Chicago White Sox is OF Darryl Boston. Boston, 26, will be arbitration eligible in the offseason and is in his last option year. Boston has 7 years of experience in the majors. He is a career .247 hitter, with a 34 HR's and 551 games played over that time. He is a pretty good fielder and can play all 3 outfield positions. He's fast, with 104 career steals and a high of 31 in '86. He was a 3 year starter for the Sox, but lost his job and has ridden the bench for the last 3. In return, LA ships RP Lee Smith. Yep. Lee fucking Smith. A guy under contract for next to nothing for 3 years. On the year, Smith is 2-3, with 3 saves and a career low 1.83 ERA in just under 40 innings of work. LA also sent minor league shortstop Patrick Abbatiello, the former #5 prospect in the Dodgers farm system, who was hitting .207/.247/.315 for AA San Antonio. He's got speed, and a good eye. Plays a couple positions. This doesn't feel like a very fair deal for us, nor does it feel like a trade that needed to be made, or gained us anything at all.


Boston gets a spot on the roster and Doug Jennings was optioned back to Albuquerque. Really can't say whether or not this is an upgrade. Both guys are lefties. To fill the spot in the bullpen, the team has recalled Scott Baker, who had just come off the DL. LA now has 4 lefties in the bullpen. In fact, all the major bullpen slots are occupied by lefties. Only Baker and Denny are right handed relievers.