Andre Ethier

[SCUDSBROTHER]

Dodgers very lucky to have landed this guy.You see a lot of rookies come up and hit well,but they soon slump.The league quickly learns how to pitch them.They have to be sent back down to triple AAA.Not this rookie.Very consistent(14 game hitting streak,)and very relaxed and poised.His swing is so mechanically perfect that I don't see him slumping for very long.Went deep tonight late in a 2-2 tight ballgame.The air is pretty heavy at night at Dodger Stadium.Tough to hit one out like that to left center,and pretty tough for a rookie to do it at that point in the game(after going 0 for 3.)See,he is a pretty tough hitter to get out 4 times in a row.Ain't happening very much.Rookies usually have quite a few 0 for 4/5 nights,and some 3 for 4 nights.Dodgers blew the 1 run lead he gave them,but Kenny Lofton can still punch a ball for a clutch winning hit.Dodgers go from last(2 weeks ago) to 1st place tonight.Will have to step it up offensively against Frisco.2-4 RUNS won't get it done with Hendricksen pitching.Ethier would be leading the National League at .346 if he had enough at bats.He has 273.Has an outside chance to get enough at bats to compete for the batting title.Needs to average 4.8 at bats/the rest of the Dodgers' games.Pretty tough.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

2 nights in a row now,he has gotten big clutch hits off of a lefty reliever in tie games in the 8th inning.Ethier is a lefty hitter that hits lefties,but they still keep trying to get him out with lefty specialist relievers.After Ethier got a hit off Mike Stanton,that reliever looks disgusted(and ready to call it a career.)Clutch hitting by Furcal and Ethier has been huge during this vein of Gold they have been mining.The starters are trying harder,and these two keep getting clutch hits.Then,they added guys like Lugo in trades.Lugo is not hitting like he can,but he is a very good at doing the little things that teams need to win.Last night a walk late in the game(he scored the winning run.)Tonight a valuable deep sac fly to get the eventual winning run in(winning things.)Now this reliever Broxton seems to be getting better n' better.Throwing 95,96,98,and they aren't able to get the bat on it very well.That is new.He was o.k. 2-3 weeks ago,but not like this.