INSIDE PITCH
The Dodgers are trying not to read too much into the massive week Jerry Sands(notes) put together. Similarly, they’re trying not to read too much into the struggles he endured for over a month when he was in the big leagues earlier this season.
They know it’s part of the learning curve, part of the adjustment process, and the real Jerry Sands lies somewhere in the middle.
Sands went 15-for-27 with seven RBI over the last seven games, including three doubles and his first home run at Dodger Stadium. The home run was pulled, the singles were crisp, the doubles were crushed.
But one week, especially four games against the demoralized Pirates, will not impact the Dodgers offseason plans.
“We talk about Jerry a lot; we just want to let him keep playing and see what it looks like,” manager Don Mattingly said. “We didn’t want to judge him quickly before (when he hit .200 in a first-half call-up) and don’t want to judge him quickly now. Kind of let him play and see where he ends up.”
The Dodgers were off on Monday. They host the Giants on Tuesday, the opener of a three-game series that concludes their home schedule for the season. Sands will continue playing every day, one advantage of Andre Ethier(notes) undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery last week.
Sands is still a big part of the Dodgers’ future. Ideally, Sands joins an outfield of Matt Kemp(notes) and Ethier that can hit for power and average.
But he’ll need to earn his way into that starting job.
As Ethier and Kemp no doubt remember, the Dodgers rarely hand starting jobs to younger players. Those two had to wait patiently as the Dodgers signed veterans such as Luis Gonzalez, Kenny Lofton, Jose Cruz Jr., Juan Pierre(notes) and Andruw Jones(notes).
Sands had to wait until the Jay Gibbons(notes)-Marcus Thames experiment ended in flames. He had to wait for the Juan Rivera(notes) experiment that has gone so well, it could continue next season.
First base is still an option for Sands too. It’s probably not as likely an option as it was a month ago, before James Loney(notes) turned around his season and potentially saved his career, at least, his Dodger career.
A lot depends on the financial flexibility that owner Frank McCourt provides general manager Ned Colletti, and the persuasion power of Colletti with free agents.
Sands will get nine more games to make an impression, then it will start all over next spring. Somebody might be blocking his roster spot temporarily, but Sands will play as much as his hitting justifies it.
NOTES, QUOTES
• RHP Jonathan Broxton(notes) underwent arthroscopic surgery Monday morning on his right elbow. Dr. Neal ElAttrache removed a bone spur and associated loose bodies as planned. Broxton will start his rehab program in the next few days and should be able to begin a throwing program within six to eight weeks.
• LHP Clayton Kershaw(notes) is looking for his 20th victory against the Giants on Tuesday night. He’ll be facing RHP Tim Lincecum(notes) for the fourth time this season. Kershaw won the Opening Night duel, 2-1, in Los Angeles, won a 1-0 afternoon duel in mid-July in San Francisco, and also took a 2-1 victory two weeks ago in San Francisco.
• CF Matt Kemp is the National League leader in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), according to both websites that measure it slightly differently. Baseball-Reference has Kemp at 9.1, with the next-highest being a 7.6 WAR for Ryan Braun(notes). Fangraphs has Kemp at 7.6 WAR, ahead of a 7.1 by Braun.
• RHP Kenley Jansen(notes) has struck out eight of the last 12 batters he’s faced.
• RHP John Ely(notes) hadn’t pitched since being called up from the minors when rosters expanded, until Sunday. Ely was the safety valve, in case Hiroki Kuroda(notes) couldn’t pitch or had to leave a game early. Ely pitched two scoreless innings. If he would have pitched the ninth, he could have gotten the save, despite a 14-run lead. But instead, RHP Ramon Troncoso(notes) got the final three outs.
By The Numbers: 8—The number of Dodgers with six hits in a game. James Loney almost was the ninth, but he flied out to deep left field Sunday and finished 5-for-6. Loney had three RBI, and has nine in the last three games.
Quote To Note: “Just feeling ready to hit and taking advantage of what they give me. It’s actually funny. The last two years, people think those were good years, but I don’t accept that. I learned a lot about hitting this year. Learned a lot of things that can help me.”—1B James Loney, on his second-half turnaround. Starting with the Aug. 21 game, Loney is hitting .396/.455/.723 in 114 plate appearances. In the previous 123 games, Loney hit .254/.305/.327 in 434 plate appearances.
ROSTER REPORT
Medical Watch:
• OF Tony Gwynn Jr.(notes) (sore left shoulder) did not play Sept. 15-18. He hopes to play again this season.
• RF Andre Ethier (sore right knee) was shut down for the season Sept. 8. He underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Sept. 14, and he figures to need about six to eight weeks of rehab. He is expected to be ready for spring training.
• RHP Jonathan Broxton (bone bruise on right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 4. He threw a bullpen session June 7. He made rehab appearances on June 21 and 23 for Class AAA Albuquerque, but he felt tightness in his elbow when playing catch June 25, and he was shut down from throwing. He was cleared to begin a throwing program in early August, and he threw off a mound for the first time Sept. 12. He had season-ending arthroscopic surgery Sept. 19.
• INF Juan Uribe(notes) (abdominal strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 24 with what originally was called a left hip strain. Uribe was taking batting practice every day in mid-August, but he hadn’t improved enough to be able to run the bases. He got a cortisone shot to numb his left hip. He underwent season-ending surgery Sept. 7 to repair a sports hernia.
• RHP Rubby De La Rosa(notes) (sprained ulnar collateral ligament in right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 1. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Aug. 9.
• RHP Jon Garland(notes) (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 2. He played catch June 21 but had to shut it down quickly. He underwent season-ending surgery during the All-Star break and began his rehab.
• RHP Vicente Padilla(notes) (right radial nerve irritation, sore neck) went on the 15-day disabled list May 14 due to the arm injury. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Rancho Cucamonga on May 29, but he was shut down in early June due to a neck ailment. He underwent neck surgery June 16, and he likely will miss the rest of the season. He was transferred to the 60-day DL on Sept. 6.
Rotation:
LHP Clayton Kershaw
RHP Hiroki Kuroda
Bullpen:
RHP Javy Guerra(notes) (closer)
RHP Kenley Jansen
RHP Ramon Troncoso
RHP John Ely
Catchers:
Infielders:
1B James Loney
INF/OF Eugenio Velez(notes)
Outfielders:
LF Tony Gwynn Jr.
CF Matt Kemp
RF Juan Rivera
OF/INF Jerry Sands
OF Andre Ethier (out for season)