Dodgers Game 68 Notes 6/14/23

This Wednesday night game was picked up by ESPN and consequentially blacked out on the Dodgers cable network, Sportsnet LA. Although it's typical for regional sports networks (RSNs) to not broadcast games when an ESPN or FOX buys the rights to a game in which their teams are involved, due to exclusivity clauses, ESPN literally screwed the ole pooch on this one. Simply did not give a fuck. ESPN slated the subway series from Citi Field in a 7:05/4:05p window with the White Sox @ Dodgers stacked on the back end, scheduled for 10:10/7:10p. That's fine. Games have been shorter, I have ESPN, I can watch it's fine. However, the Yankees and Mets started about 25-30 minutes after scheduled first pitch. Now, to us normal, rational folk, that's somewhat of a non-considerate. Meaning who gives a shit, as a White Sox or Dodgers fan we're left to think ESPN knows what they're doing. Except no, ESPN's announcers in the Yankees and Mets game didn't so much as mention the White Sox and Dodgers game would start on time on ESPN2, which tells me that people at ESPN were scrambling like fucking weasels trying to figure out if MLB would let them delay first pitch until the Mets and Yankees ended on ESPN so that they could retain ad valuations distributed for the west coast / late game. In result, not one graphic or spoken word on the ESPN game told viewers that White Sox @ Dodgers would be played on time, on ESPN2, until it was Bottom 1st in LA. Just an unbelievable shit show by people being paid inordinate amounts of money at ESPN. Anyway, tale of the tape for White Sox @ Dodgers:

Los Angeles Dodgers 38-29, 2nd NL West

Clayton Kershaw, 8-4 2.95 ERA

Chicago White Sox 29-39, 3rd NL Central

Mike Clevinger, 3-4 4.19 ERA

Top 1st

- missed this entire half inning because ESPN didn't tell their viewers this game was on ESPN2, while the Mets and Yankees play what the New York sports fans think will be a preview of the 2023 World Series on ESPN.

Bot 1st

-Freeman on base in his leadoff AB, again

Top 2nd

- Jake Burger HR solo

- Yasmani Grandal was always a wishful thinking, bridge catcher when he was on the dodgers, but my God would i hate for him to be the catcher on my team this many years past when he was on the Dodgers 😬

- Yasmani Grandal singles to RF

- "Picked up his 2,000th hit earlier this year. And he's also currently the active career stolen bases leader in the MLB"

-ESPN announcer about Elvis Andrus

- Andrew McCutchen got his 2,000th hit last night (6/13/23). Can't really comprehend Andrus having more hits and SB than McCutchen... very weird

Top 3rd

- Luis Robert dinger. 16th solo

Bot 3rd

-Mookie walk, predicted Fred hits him in

- Fred strikeout looking, Mookie steals on 3-2 pitch

- I kinda hate Mike Clevinger for reasons i cant explain

-maybe his Padres stint, or the claims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse against him

- Tim Kurkjian loves baseball more than anyone has ever loved anything

Top 4th

- Grandal double, 2 for 2 against Kershaw tonight. That's why Grandal is still starting for an MLB team, he thinks

-Tim Kurkjian, when asked who's the best red-headed MLB player ever: "Well, there's a debate if Mark McGwire is red-headed or not" .... what Tim

-Kershaw makes a great play despite his advanced age and recent death of his mother, great play

Bot 4th

-s/o to Roxy Bernstein doing play-by-play on ESPN national broadcasted MLB baseball 👍worked with Roxy in fall 2017 at Pac-12 Network during football season while I was in college, great guy and love seeing him get this opportunity after working out of the Bay Area market.

Top 6th

- Rojas error at SS to let leadoff man on. I'm still giving that man chances in my head but if he can't field or hit how is it different from me starting at SS for the Dodgers?

-Benintendi having 0 HRs still is why ChiSox fans are strong as people

-Rojas just made a tremendous pick and play to get Kershaw out of the 6th haha

Bot 6th

-Heyward hit scores runner (no RBI) 2-1 CHW

-Rojas Ks, looking, weird

-we love some Mooookkaaayyyyy 4-2 Dodgers

-*old friend alert* Joe Kelly gave up the hit to Mookie

Top 8th

-was in the process of typing "wow, the dodgers are leaving Yency Almonte in for a second inning after pitching the Full Top 6 ->> BAM HR to Jake Burger (Jimenez on 2nd after leadoff double) 4-4 score

-Alex Vesia in (former Cal State Eastbay Pioneer, pitched against us when I played for SF State, never faced him)

-gonna note he pitched for csu eastbay whenever i can

-beans benintendi

Bot 8th

-Rojas groundout super surprising

Top 9th

-South African in for us again

Bot 9th

-lifeless 9th.

Optimistically thinking, these bad outings for the Dodgers bullpen at least mounts incentive and reason for the front office to go pickup a top-line reliever by August 1st