[PilotMan]

Tony Phillips is activated from the DL and Tom Beyers is sent back to Albuquerque without getting into a game.


7/16 8-5 W over the Pirates
Ron Kittle put us on the board first with his 12^th of the year, and walked us off with a 3-run bomb (13) off of Tom Henke (1-4). LA had fallen behind heading into the 9^th, but Fred Lynn doubled in BJ Surhoff , who had lead off with a walk, and Kittle followed with the game ender. On the day Kittle was 3-5, with 4 RBI. LA committed 2 more errors that lead to 2 unearned runs. Franco got the win to go to 4-2.


7/17 7-4 W over the Pirates
Ray Knight homered in the first (10) to go up early, but an error in the 5^th lead to 3 unearned runs for the Bucs. Trailing 3-1, Dwayne Murphy went lefty v lefty and won, blasting a 3-run HR to right to put LA in front for good. We'd add 3 more in the 8^th on a Surhoff, bases clearing double to end all doubt. Don Robinson allowed 1 in the 9^th to raise his ERA to 5.33. Rhoden improved his record to 13-5.


Inky was activated from the DL and sent to Albuquerque for some rehab from his injury.


7/18 3-1 W over the Pirates
Frank Tanana (8-6) pitched 8 long innings, struck out 7 on his way to lowering his ERA below 4. Ray Knight homered in the 7^th (11) and Scioscia went 2-4 and Franco pitched the 9^th for his 13^th save of the year.


7/19 3-2 W over the Pirates
Fernando (10-6) gets player of the game honors pitching 8 innings, allowing 6 runners, striking out 6. Doug DeCinces goes 2-4, and Kittle hammered #14 opposite field off of Mike Scott (9-8). Scott has owned LA from time to time lately and we're happy to get the big game off of him. Franco struck out 2 and allowed 1 on a wild pitch to save his 14^th game of the year.


Steve Sax is back from the disabled list. Chuck Jackson was optioned back to Albuquerque after a respectable showing in his 7 game stint. Should see more of him come September. Inky is 3-7 in 2 starts in AAA, and he should be coming back in within a week.


7/20 8-4 L to the Cardinals
Ozzie Smith went 5-6, hit 2 RBI's and lead a 16 hit, 5 walk, and 1 reach on an error attack of the Dodgers. Ron Kittle hit his 15^th HR in the 3^rd, and Steve Sax tied the game at 3 with his 3^rd of the year in the 5^th. LA's bullpen let them down as John Franco was tagged for 4 runs on 3 hits. Don Robinson had to get the 3^rd out in the 9^th and lowered his ERA to 5.26. This snaps LA's 5 game run.


7/21 7-2 (11) L to the Cardinals
Rhoden took a no-hitter into the 7^th inning and got help in the bottom when Fred Lynn bopped his 23^rd HR of the year. Top of the 8^th though, Rhoden got into trouble and it was Cards prospect, Jay Bell, with his own HR (2) that tied it back up. Rhoden would go 9, but LA wouldn't threaten again, as the Mike Morgan threw 10 innings and got the W (9-9). Don Robinson (0-3) had pitched a clean 10^th, but gave it all away in the 11^th and left without getting an out. Tom Niedenfuer only fared marginally better and let in a bunch of runs. Robinson's ERA shoots back up over 6, to 6.07.


Inky is been recalled from Albuquerque and is ready for prime time again. We've missed his power, no question. IF George Hinshaw was put on waivers and designated for assignment. Looks like Inky is taking over in right, while Lynn goes back to left and Kittle, the hottest hitter in LA, goes to the bench. I wish Lasorda would wise up and move Lynn to center and get Dwayne Murphy back to the bench. He can't hold a candle to Kittle for production right now. Rickey is for sure not coming back until after the trade deadline.


A couple significant trades around the league. Such as....remember that time that the Yankees traded DH Keith Hernandez, minor league OF Eric Anthony and some cash to the division leading Blue Jays for 37yr old, back up catcher Rick Dempsey? Or the other one? Remember the time that the Twins sent OF Chili Davis to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for ancient reliver Gene Garber and the Pirates top prospect, P John Smoltz? Fun times people! Fun times!!


7/23 5-4 W over the Cardinals
Once again, the bullpen tried it's hardest to give this one away. If it wasn't for a late Lynn HR (24) the Cards would have tied it up. Steve Sax was brilliant again. He went 3-4 and knocked in 3 of the Dodger runs. Kelly Downs (8-7) got the win after 7 strong innings, and Ken Howell eventually got the last out for his 2^nd save of the year.


7/24 3-2 W over the Cubs
Valenzuela (11-6) had early control problems and loaded the bases in the first. The Cubs would push one across, but in the bottom half, Fred Lynn would put us on top with a 2-run homer to deep right field (25). He's closing in on 1000 career RBI's. Valenzuela settled down and that would be all he would allow over 8 innings. LA would scrap together another run in the 6^th. Only Sax and Lynn would get hits, with 2 each. Franco pitched the 9^th. He walked the leadoff hitter, allowed a triple to Pat Tabler. Then with the tying run on 3^rd, get the next 3 batters to preserve the victory for his 15^th save.


7/25 7-5 L to the Cubs
Both Frank Tanana's (8-7) took the mound today. The first one didn't allow a hit until the 4^th, and the second one, blew a 3 run lead and gave up a go ahead HR to Jody Davis in the 7^th. LA's bullpen, once again, failed in every sense of the word. Don Robinson pitched the 8^th, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. His ERA ballooned to 6.83, putting us way behind. LA got 2 back in the 8^th, then managed to put the tying run in scoring position in the 9^th with Inky and Lynn due up. Ron Robinson struck them both out to end it. Scioscia left the game limping after running the bases. It doesn't look serious, he won't be available, but he's not going to the DL either.


7/26 3-2 W over the Cubs
John Denny improved to 11-7 with 8 innings of work. A 4^th inning 2-run HR by Rick Schu (10) put the Cubs in front. LA would tie it in the bottom half though, as Fred Lynn went opposite field with his own 2-run shot (26). Then Denny would do the rest. After Tony Phillips walked, then stole second, Denny, batting below .100, cracked a double to the gap in left that scored Phillips and put LA in front. Franco pitched the 9^th for his 16^th save.


George Hinshaw was claimed off of waivers by the Pirates.


The Yankees, who are falling further behind the Blue Jays as we head to the deadline made, what looks to be a desperate move to get more pitching. They've sent fan favorite CF Brett Butler to the Padres for SP Rick Sutcliffe and a minor leaguer. Sutcliffe is an inning eater and was an All-Star this season. He has a career record of 86-101, with a 4.05 ERA. Butler has been in pinstripes for 5 seasons, is a career .286 hitter, 2 time All-Star (84, 86) and Silver Slugger winner (84).


The Dodgers have also made their first big trade in at least 3 seasons. We are saying goodbye to hit and miss outfielder Ron Kittle, who was the hottest hitter on the team in July, cranking out 10 HR's and a .314/.385/.771 slash line this month. He's been a big trade card for the team, as he just can't get steady playing time at all. He's a career .250 hitter with 76 career HR's. We also sent minor league SS, Kent Anderson. Anderson is a former 8^th round pick of the White Sox, back in '83. LA was his 4^th team and had been playing at AA San Antonio. So......LA has decided that the Sid Bream experiment, at least for now, is done. Bream isn't delivering this year at first base, so he's heading to the bench. Taking is place, is Texas Rangers first basement, Pete O'Brien. O'Brien is was a Gold Glover in '85 and a top prospect. At 29, he's the same age as Kittle, and has played in 160 games each of the last 3 seasons. This year he is .294/.363/.469 with 17 HR's and 56 RBI's. He's a career .273 hitter with 106 HR's.


From the outside looking in, this looks like an upgrade in the lineup in exchange for depth of position. There's still more depth in this team they can move if they feel like a good deal can be made. I'm happy with this one. Kittle never seemed to get his chance after that first trade that brought him here.


7/27 4-2 L to the Giants
Rhoden (13-6) threw another complete game, striking out 8 along the way. LA however, did next to nothing until Tony Phillips hit a 2-run HR in the bottom of the 9^th. LA would put the tying run on base, with 0 outs, and Dan Plesac would pitch his way out of it. Ending it with a pickoff of BJ Surhoff on first base. How sad. Bream went 0-3. Inky hasn't been good at all since he came back. In 5 games, he has 0 extra base hits and is 3-17 with 10 strikeouts. Ugh.


7/28 2-0 L to the Giants
Kelly Downs (8-8). Poor Kelly Downs. He made 2 bad pitches all game. His no hitter was broken up in the 5^th by a Gregg Jefferies double to left. The very next batter, Terry Kennedy cleared the fence with HR #11 and that was it. Those were the only hits for SF the entire game. Downs walked 1, and struck out 11 in a nearly commanding performance. LA got 4 singles and 5 walks and couldn't get anyone home.


Dave Winfield got his #2000^th hit as member of the Kansas City Royals.


7/29 9-1 W over the Giants
Pete O'Brien didn't take long to make his mark on the team. In his 2^nd game, he hit HR #18 and went 3-3 with 2 doubles. Valenzuela (12-6) got the win, in a complete game performance. He allowed 5 hits, and struck out 5, lowering his ERA to 2.52 and showing his All Star mettle yet again.


The Dodgers have made another move, and I have really mixed emotions about it. LA gets younger, moves a bat and brings in some pitching help. Doug DeCinces is heading out the door. He's really had his moments with the team the last couple of years, even if his numbers are way off this year. At 36 he's not getting any younger, and Lasorda's penchant to put him at short is hurting us. He's batting .255, with 11 HR's and 34 RBI's. Anyway, he's not heading far, down to San Diego to see the Padres, along with some cash. In return, LA gets southpaw Dave Dravecky. Dravecky, 31, has spent his entire career in San Diego. He has a 54-61 record and a career 3.63 ERA. This year isn't on that level. He's started 6 and come out of the pen 9 times. He's 1-5, with a save and a 6.70 ERA, but like I said, that's not been typical for him. His career highlight was a no-hitter back in '83 against the Cardinals. His contract is up after this year. LA also gets minor leaguer Kevin Koslofski, an OF, and former 6^th round pick of the White Sox. He's never played above rookie ball.


7/31 15-4 L to the Braves
All you can do is laugh. We got killed today. John Denny (11-8) took the loss, and the bullpen allowed 7 more. Tom Burgmeier, who had been pretty effective, joined the rest of the bunch today, allowing 7 hits, and 5 runs, in 1/3 of an inning. Enough of that. Bright spots? Ray Knight and Steve Sax each had 2 hits. Tony Phillips hit HR #10 and Sid Bream came off the bench to his HR #7. Alejandro Pena threw 2 scoreless innings. Braves rookie shortstop, Andres Thomas, hit his first career HR in the game.


No other last minute deals. Tom Burgmeier was designated again and placed on waivers. Chuck Jackson was called back from AAA to take his roster spot and presumably to give us the infield depth that DeCinces gave us. Dravecky was added to the bullpen and LA is running with 11 pitchers now.