Every week during the 2017 season, we’ll check in with California’s five MLB teams. Who’s up? Who’s down? Who has the cheapest ticket this week and who will play in the best series? The Golden State is home to the best position player in baseball, the sport’s best pitcher, and the 25 Harrah’s Southern California cabana comp-ees who play for the San Diego Padres.
Best Record Last Week: Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-0.
Worst Record Last Week: Oakland Athletics 2-5.
Best Attendance (cumulative avg.): Dodgers, 45,101.
Worst Attendance (cumulative avg.): Oakland, 18,822.
Huell Howser Memorial ‘Is This Guy Serious!?’ Outstanding Performance Video:
Kyle Farmer, a backup catcher who got called up this week for the Dodgers, saved their perfect week in the bottom of the eleventh Sunday night with a walkoff double. The hit capped a comeback for the boys in blue, who went down 2-1 in the top of the inning, only to win 3-2. The Dodgers, who mobbed and Magic Mike’d the recent call up near home plate, showed why they’re the last man standing in the World Series hunt for the California teams: Somebody different steps up every night.
Good night.
#LetsGoDodgers pic.twitter.com/d4Pka3mSWt
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 31, 2017
Gob Bluth’s Huge Mistake of the Week:
Mike Scioscia comes in for ignominy this week for the way he handled the bottom of the 11th inning in Cleveland Tuesday. After watching his team come back from down 7-0 to tie the game at 7-7, Anaheim’s manager led the Angels into extra innings on the hunt. That’s why it’s perplexing that he suddenly became timid in the wrong moment Tuesday and walked Indians outfielder Michael Brantley to get to Edwin Encarnacion with the bases chucked. Encarnacion did what .479 sluggers do and buried his 21st home run a few rows back to walk off in grand fashion. Why you would choose to chase Encarnacion, who has a .935 OPS over the last two weeks, and not a considerably less-scorching Brantley is a mystery. Whatever his reasons, they proved to be both dumb and bad.
Cheapest Ticket This Week: $6 Wednesday for A’s at Giants.
California Series to Watch:
A’s at Giants, 8/2-8/3. The Battle of the Bay is going to be unwatchable from a baseball perspective—please watch anything the Dodgers are involved in against sad-sack foes this week for even passable baseball. But, it will be interesting to see the first real marquee series in SF since the season really went off the rails. See that $6 ticket right above here? It’s available for both games at AT&T, and as of this writing we’re just three days out.
Upcoming Games:
Athletics: 7/31-8/1 vs. Giants, 8/2-8/3 @ Giants, 8/4-8/6 @ Angels.
Giants: 7/31-8/1 @ A’s, 8/2-8/3 vs. A’s, 8/4-8/6 vs. Diamondbacks.
Dodgers: 8/1-8/3 @ Braves, 8/4-8/6 @ Mets.
Angels: 8/1-8/3 vs. Phillies, 8/4-8/6 vs. A’s.
Padres: 8/1-8/2 vs. Twins, 8/4-8/6 @ Pirates.
Home series in bold.