Will anyone listen to new controller?
What won what whereThis shaming won't be soon forgotten. "This one was tough, very tough," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said after Sunday's loss. His team was swept in four games by the Cardinals, with the two supposedly most talented starting pitchers on the team — Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley — looking bad and badder. Vicente Padilla had a good day Sunday, but what happened after he left is what hurt. The Dodgers led 4-0 going into the bottom of the eighth. Before it was done, Jonathan Broxton had blown the save and the game, allowing two walks and four hits, including the game-winner. On the day, Dodgers pitchers gave up nine walks and struck out nobody. (First time since 1948 for that.) Broxton made 44 pitches in the St. Louis heat, so he's pretty much out of action for a day or two. "We just asked too much out of Broxton," said Torre, the guy who left him out there. James Loney turned up injured, joining Manny Ramirez and Russell Martin on the bench. And for Monday's return back home, they have to call up minor leaguer James McDonald to start. Other than that, things are fine in Dodgersland.
Oh wait: The owners are still getting divorced and fighting over the team. In my KCRW column on Monday, I sort of characterize Frank and Jamie McCourt as latter-day Beverly Hillbillies. It airs at 6:44 p.m., on the web then and after.