Last 7 starts: 7W/OL;  8.3 IP/G;  48K/6W/40H in 58 IP (and he got “knocked around” for 16 hits and 2R in the 1st 2 games, so has been stronger in his last 5.)

4-0 and two complete games, and two 2 hitters.

Lopez has been consistently decent for us.  He has made 4 starts for us (and posting a 3-0 record)  but only thrown 23 1/3 innings, meaning he’ll give you 5-6 innings each time out.  He does not strike out many, 15, but he also doesn’t walk many, 6.  His WHIP of 1.37 is mostly due to his  H/9 being 10, which also explains his 4.42 ERA.  He  is sort of like a right-handed Moyer (except that he uses his high-80s fastball more) in that he pitches to contact, uses the inside of the plate, and has a lot of balls put in play against him.  He’s not at all overpowering, nor is any of his stuff above average.  He just sticks to it and gives a workmanlike effort.

With Lee coming on board and Pedro waiting in the wings, this will most likely be his last start, barring an injury to a  starter, so let’s hope he delivers another winning effort tonight.

I’m sure glad we’re missing Cain in this series.  He could have put up that game he threw last night against us.  Don’t need that.

You ALMOST get a Lincecum-Hamels matchup – it’s off by a day.  Instead it’s Moyer-Lincecum on Saturday night.

I hope Cliff Lee gets to pitch on Sunday.  Right now the probables are Hamels-Zito.  I’m constantly checking the ‘net to see when Lee’s first start will be, please please please let it be Sunday.

I also hope we pummel the Giants this weekend.  They’re feeling good out here, being the Wild Card leader, having just swept the Pittsburgh Pirates, having traded for Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko, and with LA slipping in the standings they’re gaining in the NL West race.  Gotta bring these guys down to earth, send a message for when we meet them in the playoffs.  Man oh man I hope it’s Philly-San Fran in the first round, I’m definitely going to those games.  But that sounds a little scary with them throwing Timmy L and Cain against us; Halladay would’ve made me feel a lot better about a matchup with them.  But like I’ve said before, that ace-of-the-staff crap doesn’t scare these Phils.

1) The NY Times is reporting that David Ortiz is one of the 100 or so players that tested positive for PEDs in 2003.

2)  I read this article by Tim Kurkjian a couple days ago and have been meaning to post it here.  It’s a good read about a suject we have discussed many times: pitch counts.