Pirate eyes are watching you
Pirates at Dodgers, 1:10 p.m.

  • Xavier Paul, LF
  • Russell Martin, C
  • Andre Ethier, RF
  • Matt Kemp, CF
  • James Loney, 1B
  • Ronnie Belliard, 3B
  • Blake DeWitt, 2B
  • Jamey Carroll, SS
  • Hiroki Kuroda, P

It’s May 2 – the last day of the year that the Dodgers will play the Pirates unless they meet in the National League playoffs! With the 2010 season series tied, 3-3, this one’s for all the marbles.

Hiroki Kuroda has two victories and a 4.19 ERA in 14 career daytime starts.

  • Logan White insists to Bill Shaikin of the Times that the Dodgers are being prudent with player development spending, not parsimonious.
  • Lucy is quite lucid about the Dodgers’ struggles, at It’s Time for Dodgers Baseblog (via Blue Heaven). Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness provided inspiration.
  • Also from Blue Heaven: Roy Campanella, Ralph Branca, Phil Rizzuto and Tommy Henrich are featured on the cover of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
  • Saturday at Albuquerque, Isotopes starter Josh Lindblom held Round Rock to one run over four innings, then gave up five hits in a four-run fifth. Lindblom allowed 10 hits in all while striking out seven, all in 94 pitches. Albuquerque lost, 12-7.
  • While Jon Link gave up another two runs at Albuquerque, Justin Miller pitched a shutout sixth and has an ERA of 2.13 with 13 strikeouts and 13 baserunners in 12 2/3 innings.
  • Chris Withrow allowed one earned run over six innings in Chattanooga’s 4-2 loss to Tennessee. Withrow allowed three hits and three walks while striking out six. Afer giving up seven runs in 2 1/3 innings in his previous outing, Withrow lowered his ERA to 7.04.
  • Trayvon Robinson, who has been struggling this season at AA, had his second two-hit game (single and triple) in a row for the Lookouts to raise his OPS to .747.
  • Inland Empire outfielder Kyle Russell also singled and tripled in the ’66ers 8-5 defeat. Russell is on-basing .431 and slugging .598 in 102 plate appearances, with 25 strikeouts. Russell will be 24 in June.
  • Blake Smith, a 2009 second-round pick, hit two homers for Great Lakes in an 8-6 win. Brett Wallach alllowed four runs in his poorest start of the season, his ERA rising to 2.81.
  • Did you know Angel Berroa was now farming for the Giants?

Update: Joe Torre told reporters today that he did not expect Vicente Padilla back before June. Thursday’s starter has not been decided. Torre added that Manny Ramirez and Jeff Weaver will begin rehab assignments Tuesday in San Bernadino.