*MONDAY'S MLB PLAY!!*

Took one on the chin yesterday as I had the Expos as my only play and if any of you were on them as well...you know EXACTLY what happened! I was thinking of changing my philosophy here and making it a goal of mine to lose 100 units by the end of the season as things are just not going my way. Thank goodness I have more than one account. Seems like the other way of trying to "win" units is not working, so going the other way might help?? Trying to keep things atleast a little humorous...the good this is it's a new week. Let's try and get out on the "wrong" foot....


Record second half: 51-56 -35.11 units


2* Dodgers -119 (Weaver only)

*No need for writeups until I can start winning, so they'll make sense.*


GL Today on all your action! (Marlins are probably a lock!) RS

you missed out on a good red sox fade op yesterday

hopefully it will work two nights in a row - but there are no guarentees

Lowe's blister and the aweful bullpen (minus foulke) are the reasons I will keep fading them when lowe is on the mound.

Found this at covers.com

Marlins at Dodgers

Jeff Weaver is having a Hamptonian second half to the season. The Dodgers are 9-3 in his last 12 starts, and he hasn’t given up more than three earned runs in any of his last 11 appearances.

I like the Dodgers here as -120 home faves. Florida has been inconsistent and streaky, as has Carl Pavano, alternately serving up good and bad games after a strong first half.

As an aside, Paul Lo Duca has a 1.160 OPS for the Fish. But Juan Encarnacion has a .568 OPS. He’d be more useful on the DL. Guillermo Mota has pitched very well, but a save, a hold and a loss is all he gets in six appearances. Wait ‘til next year.

SG’s Fearless Final Score: Dodgers 3, Fish 2

Hey..I can't argue with that. Thanks for that info brother....The main reason I am on LA tonight is Weaver...just like that article said he's been pitching great and LA has been stepping up for him. It's just the line being so low makes me a little nervous...I would have thought it would have been a little more in LA favor...

On it withya Rightside Good Luck! Let's cash!

I've been looking at it myself:


Emotional return for Lo Duca

By KEVIN BAXTER

kbaxter@herald.com


MILWAUKEE - The Los Angeles Dodgers are expecting a sellout for tonight's game against the Marlins. After all, it's Korean American Community Night.

But not everyone in the crowd of 55,000-plus will be cheering for the home team -- or for Korean first baseman Hee Seop Choi, a former Marlin.

Catcher Paul Lo Duca, the Dodgers' most popular player until he and Choi switched teams in a six-player deal 18 days ago, is certain to get a warm reception in his first trip to Los Angeles since the trade.

Even the Dodgers manager plans to give him a hand.

''I expect a standing ovation, a well-deserved one,'' said Jim Tracy, who now wears Lo Duca's No. 16 Dodgers jersey, partly in tribute. ``I might give him one, too.''

But while Lo Duca still has friends among the fans and his ex-teammates, he remains bitter about being traded from the organization he spent his entire pro career with.

''I got all my stuff out of the other clubhouse, and I'm not going to go over there,'' he said Sunday. ``It has nothing to do with the other guys. Just to keep it that way.

``The toughest part is seeing those guys over there, your friends that you played with for a long time. That's going to be difficult.

'I've never been in the visitors' clubhouse there. So that's going to be a little weird.''

Jeff Weaver, tonight's starter for the Dodgers, can sympathize after being traded three times in the past two years.

''I remember going back to Detroit the first time I got traded,'' he said. ``Just being in the other dugout is strange.

``He's going to be trying to show us, put a hurting to us. He wants to show it was a bad decision for the trade to be made.

``[But] it doesn't take much to put things behind you. You kind of understand what the baseball business is all about. The first trade is definitely the strangest.''

Lo Duca, who had a pair of doubles Sunday to raise his average to .429 in 11 games with the Marlins, said the most difficult adjustment he has had to make so far has been off the field.

But he hopes to close that chapter this week by helping his wife Sonia, who is 6 ½ months pregnant, finish moving out of the couple's Pasadena apartment.

''Making phone calls, getting movers here and getting your clothes shipped, I think that's been the toughest part,'' Lo Duca said. ``That's the toughest part of moving any time. I have all that stuff in L.A., my furniture. I'm just going to give it to Goodwill, most of it.''

But while Lo Duca admitted tonight's homecoming will be emotional, reliever Guillermo Mota, who came to Florida with Lo Duca, sees the three-game series in Los Angeles as just another series.

''It's a team like any other,'' Mota said of the Dodgers. ``It's like when I got traded from Montreal. It wasn't a big deal when I went to back to Montreal.''

NO FACING PENNY

One player the Marlins won't have to worry about facing this week is former teammate Brad Penny, who went to Los Angeles along with Choi in the Lo Duca trade.

Penny, who hasn't picked up a baseball since lasting just 14 pitches in his second start with Los Angeles eight days ago, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 9, with a sore right biceps.

''The way I feel today, I'm pretty close,'' said Penny, who can be activated Aug. 24.

SportsNetwork Game Preview


(Sports Network) - For the first time since their major deadline deal, the Florida Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers will battle tonight in the opener of a three-game set at Dodger Stadium. These teams pulled off a six-player deal just before the deadline, as Brad Penny, Hee Seop Choi and a minor leaguer went to Los Angeles in exchange for Paul Lo Duca, Guillermo Mota and Juan Encarnacion. Since the deal, Los Angeles is 10-5 and Florida has posted just a 6-8 mark. Los Angeles has pushed its lead in the NL West to 6 1/2 games with wins in four of its last six games, including an 8-5 win over Chicago Sunday. Steve Finley delivered an RBI single for the go-ahead run as Los Angeles struck five times in the top of the eighth inning to rally the Dodgers to the win. Shawn Green went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and Milton Bradley drove in three runs for the Dodgers, who took two-of-three from the Cubs in the weekend series. Adrian Beltre also homered as Los Angeles improved to 9-4 during the month of August. Duaner Sanchez (3-1) earned the win with one scoreless inning of relief and Eric Gagne threw two perfect innings to register his 35th save. Jose Lima was tagged for five runs and eight hits but struck out six in six frames of work. Before the game, the Dodgers placed Penny on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right biceps and recalled reliever Mike Venafro from Triple-A Las Vegas. The Dodgers will have Jeff Weaver on the hill this evening. Weaver has won three straight starts, including a victory over Cincinnati last Wednesday. The Northridge, CA native held the Reds to just four hits and a run over eight innings, while fanning seven and not walking anyone. Weaver hasn't given up more than three earned runs since April 24 -- a span of 20 starts. Weaver has appeared in two career games against Florida, going 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA. Florida will send 28-year-old righthander Carl Pavano on the hill. Pavano suffered a tough luck loss to St. Louis last Wednesday, as he allowed just six hits and a run over eight innings of a 1-0 loss. The hurler fanned five and walked four in the contest. Pavano, who is 7-1 with 3.43 ERA on the road this season, has tallied a 4-1 mark with a 2.39 ERA versus Los Angeles. The Marlins have two straight and three of their last four, including a 5-3 win in 10 innings over Milwaukee on Sunday. Florida is tied with Philadelphia for second place in the NL East, while sitting 4 1/2 games back in the wild card race. Damion Easley snapped a tie with a pinch- hit, two-run double in the 10th to lift Florida to the victory. Miguel Cabrera delivered two hits, including a homer, for the Marlins. Lo Duca doubled twice. Rudy Seanez (1-0) struck out two in the ninth for the victory before Armando Benitez did the same in the 10th for his 34th save. Josh Beckett, who hasn't won since May 20 against Houston, allowed three runs on six hits in six innings. Nate Bump threw two shutout innings for the Marlins, improved to 19-8 against Milwaukee since the start of the 2001 season. Jeff Conine, who already holds the franchise lead for career grand slams as a Marlin with six, needs just one more grand slam in 2004 to stand alone with the single-season mark. The Marlins are 27-31 on the road, while Los Angeles is 36-21 at home this season. Los Angeles took two of three from Florida in early May at Pro Player Stadium. The Dodgers are 7-3 against the Marlins since the start of last season, including a 3-0 home mark.

Scouting report: Dodger Stadium has not been a friendly place for the Marlins, who have lost five straight and 11 of 13 there since 2000. Los Angeles has won 23 of its past 32 and 29 of 39. . . . Pavano has had some success against the Dodgers, winning four of five decisions with a 2.39 ERA. He started twice against Los Angeles last year but failed to get a decision despite pitching 14 scoreless innings. He'll have to be careful with Shawn Green, who is hitting .533 with two homers against him in 15 at-bats. Steve Finley also has hit Pavano well, batting .375 with three homers in 16 at-bats. . . . The Marlins last saw Weaver in Game 4 of the World Series, when he gave up Alex Gonzalez's winning home run in the 12th. That is his only decision against Florida.

Lo Duca and Friends Are Back
By Jason Reid
Times Staff Writer

August 16, 2004

CHICAGO — Catcher Paul Lo Duca, reliever Guillermo Mota and outfielder Juan Encarnacion return to Dodger Stadium tonight in what the Dodgers said would be an emotional start to a three-game series against the Florida Marlins.

"It's going to be kind of weird for everybody," infielder-outfielder Shawn Green said. "It's always weird facing friends and guys you played with, and Dukie … was such a big part of the team.

"Mota was here the last couple of years, he was obviously a key too, and Juan is a great guy. It's definitely going to be a little strange."

General Manager Paul DePodesta, in an attempt to bolster the roster for the playoffs, traded Lo Duca, a two-time All-Star and fan favorite, primary setup man Mota and everyday right fielder Encarnacion to Florida last month for pitcher Brad Penny, first baseman Hee-Seop Choi and minor league pitcher Bill Murphy.

The former Dodgers return to Chavez Ravine for a sold-out opener.

"It hasn't really hit me yet," Lo Duca said. "I'm sure when I get to the ballpark, it'll be different when I go to the other clubhouse. I've never been in the visitors' clubhouse there, so it's going to be a little weird … probably a little emotional."

Lo Duca said he was touched by protesting Dodger fans after he was traded.

"It's neat. I'm not going to lie," Lo Duca said. "It's a great honor when you're … accepted by your peers and your fans…. For [the fans] to do that, I'll always appreciate that."

The current Dodgers said they would always appreciate the contributions of Lo Duca, Mota and Encarnacion.

"I can't wait to see the fans' reaction with all the guys back," closer Eric Gagne said. "They better get a standing ovation for all they've done for us. We're in first place right now, and they did so much to help us get here. It's going to be real emotional."

Manager Jim Tracy agreed.

"I expect a standing ovation, a well-deserved one, and that's what you're going to get," Tracy said. "And in my own way, I might be giving [Lo Duca] one too."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Dodgers put Penny on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, retroactive to last Monday, because of a nerve problem on his right arm, and purchased the contract of left-handed reliever Mike Venafro from triple-A Las Vegas. Although Penny could be activated and start Aug. 24 against Montreal, the Dodgers said it appeared doubtful the right-hander would be ready to take that turn.

Trainer Stan Johnston said Penny continued to experience numbness in his forearm and that Penny would not resume throwing until the sensation was gone.

Penny did not rule out returning Aug. 24.

"It's realistic," he said. "The way I feel today, I'm pretty close."

Kazuhisa Ishii, who pitched well in place of Penny in Saturday's 2-0 loss, is scheduled to start again Thursday against Atlanta at Dodger Stadium.

*

ON DECK

Opponent — Florida Marlins, three games.

Site — Dodger Stadium.

TV — Channel 13 tonight, Fox Sports Net 2 Tuesday and Wednesday.

Radio — KFWB (980), KWKW (1330).

Records — Dodgers 69-47, Marlins 58-58.

Record vs. Marlins — 2-1.

Tonight, 7 — Jeff Weaver (10-10, 3.78 ERA) vs. Carl Pavano (12-5, 3.11).

Tuesday, 7 p.m. — Wilson Alvarez (6-3. 3.42) vs. A.J. Burnett (3-5, 4.35).

Wednesday, 7 p.m. — Odalis Perez (6-4, 2.85) vs. Ismael Valdez (10-7, 5.31).

Tickets — (323) 224-1448.



Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times

Dude...you are lighting it up with the info!! Thanks a bunch! I sure hope they come through for us tonight!