Running Thoughts: Chacin vs. Knuckler

Preview

Lineup Card

1st Inning

• Dexter Fowler, as many switch-hitters do against a right-handed knuckleballer, will hit from the left side.
• Rockies are making Haeger prove he can throw a knuckleball for a strike.  He can't.  Can't throw a fastball for a strike either.  Three walks in a row.  
• CarGo clears the bases!  Sweet piece of hitting.  
• Charlie Haeger out after five batters.  Damn!  Ramon Ortiz in.  
• Ian Stewart:  Two-run bomb to dead central.  
• #8 hitter Paul Phillips is the first out recorded.  
• Rockies 6, Dodgers 0  
• Good start for Jhoulys Chacin.  Only needed 13-14 pitches.  

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Lineup Card: Game 2 @ Los Angeles

Rockies Lineup

• LF Smith
• CF Fowler
• 1B Helton
• SS Tulowitzki
• RF Gonzalez
• 3B Stewart
• 2B Barmes
• C   Phillips
• P   Chacin

Phillips and Chacin have been attached at the hip so far.  That's not a bad thing.  

Dodgers Lineup

• C  Martin
• CF Kemp
• RF Ethier
• LF Manny
• 1B Loney
• 3B Blake
• 2B DeWitt
• SS Furcal Carroll -- sorry, he looked so much like Furcal last night that I got confused.  
• P  Knuckleball Haeger

Well damn... Dodgers are getting to full strength.  

Looking Ahead: Knuckle Up

Jhoulys Chacin vs. Charlie Haeger

It's been a long time since the Rockies have seen a knuckleballer.

I have no idea what to expect.

Haeger's starts have ranged from 6 IP, 3 ER, 12 K to 4 IP, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. He's been skipped a couple times. Been used in relief a couple times. That's just the unpredictable nature of a knuckleballer.

My suggestion to Rockies hitters would be to take a patient approach first time around to see what kind of read they can get on the pitch.

My suggestion to Jhoulys Chacin would be to do the same thing he did in San Francisco. Pound the zone. Trust the defense to help. I understand that's a bit much to hope for these days, but you just have to have the mentality that they'll make all the plays.

My suggestion to the defense... make the ****ing plays!

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Rock Solid Recrap: Dink & Dunk Dodgers

Dodgers 6, Rockies 5

There's no other way to say this...

The Dodgers are annoying.

Annoying because they ALWAYS play the game the right way against the Rockies. They can look like complete garbage for stretches -- like their series with Milwaukee for example -- and they will always find a way to right the ship against the Rockies.

The Rockies do their part in that as well. When a team has your number like this, you have to tighten up the strings. That didn't happen tonight. The defense let down young Esmil Rogers. The end result was another loss to the Dodgers.

Same script.  Different season.

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