Two Lefts will be Alright

Just when injury news started to compound the dodgers mini slump we finally get some good news:

First, Randy Wolf's injury is just an impingement (whatever that means, you figure it out). Grady McGriddle said somewhere that he doesn't expect Wolf to need more than the 15 days he's on the DL to come back into the rotation at full speed.  I'm happy yet slightly sad to hear that as I had plans to talk my significant other to perhaps endure a rehab start by Wolf.   She dislikes Wolf because he's frustrating for her to watch due to the walks and jams he gets himself into resulting in games that last too long.  In the record heat it might have been fun to talk her into that. 

Second, Joe Beimel's heart palpitations were probably just over some woman he met at a bar after the game.  Nothing serious like cutting his hand on broken glass or breaking it on a bar patron's jaw.  Joe is one of my favorite dodger relievers in recent memory.  He rose from obscurity to being a pretty useful reliever for two years straight.  Only guys in blue that don't start that I have more faith in are Saito and Broxton.  And that pickoff/balk move....whoah-ho-ho!

Thankfully the padres have lost the same 2 out of their last three that the dodgers did this week so the blue remain just a game out of first despite their recent struggles.  Perhaps more thankfully, the dodgers face the lowly marlins while the padres face the braves that just beat L.A.  Hopefully there is a Mario Party type reversal of fortune brewing here and come Monday the blue will have a 2 game lead in the west.

All-Star Game

I've had a change of heart regarding the all-star game.  I wouldn't mind now if Brad Penny gets the start.  I think it's okay because I don't think Brad will repeat his mistake of trying to throw 100 m.p.h. and mess with his success as he did last year.  He doesn't have anything to prove this time around and he'll just go out there and try to have fun.  

Somehow I think Russell Martin will be key in the N.L. team's success (since he seems to be instrumental in most dodger wins).  I'm interested in seeing how Martin's game-calling skills translate to guys he's never caught before.  I'm going to predict they bat Martin second.  The N.L. has had Mike Piazza/Lo Duca game-calling for way too many years (Piazza is still one of my favorite players and I boycotted dodger stadium for 2 years after they traded him.  Lo Duca, not so much).  

I doubt Saito pulls a Trevor Hoffman and give up the game in the 9'th.  They so better put Sammy in there for the 9'th.  Hoffman blew it last year and it's somebody else's turn this year.  If Saito still dumbfounds N.L. hitters after a year and a half, he should really mess with the heads of A.L. hitters still.  I wish I could see a Saito/Bonds duel, but I guess I'll have to settle for Saito striking out A-Rod.

I wasn't too excited about the All-Star game.  Now I am pretty pumped up.  Thanks Blogger!