#42---ATL @ LA, 4/5/2006

The Dodgers jumped all over Horacio Ramirez with four in the first and one in the fifth, but Odalis Perez coughed up five himself in the top of the third, capped by Wilson Betemit’s two-run bomb. Three more in the fourth put the Braves in front, but the Dodgers matched that in the seventh. Atlanta’s run off Franquelis Osoria in the eighth, on Matt Diaz’ two out double, was the game winner

#41---CLE @ LAA, 5/10/2005

I included this game as a cautionary tale about scoring and as encouragement for any beginner who has ever been flustered. This game, which was pretty good on its own merits, a 5-4 Angels win in a matchup of CC Sabathia and Paul Byrd (who of course would become an Indian himself in 2006). But note that the game was played in LA, and the pitchers listed as home are…Indians. Oops.

#40---DET @ CLE, 3/6/2004

This early spring training game was won 10-8 by the Indians with a four run eighth inning. Ernie Young’s two-run single drove home the go-ahead runs.

What I like about this scoresheet is the appearance of Grady Sizemore as a pinch-runner for Matt Lawton in the bottom of the fifth. He would subsequently come to the plate twice and draw a walk each time, a nice way to make an impression on this observer. This sort of thing observed years later is what make scoring spring training games worth it.

It is even more fun when the player in question is one who was not a big-time prospect. While few expected that Sizemore would be the player that he is, he was certainly well-known as he had been included in the Bartolo Colon trade. If you look at an old sheet and find a sleeper prospect playing in the late innings of a blowout who winds up making good, it’s kind of cool.

#39---NYA @ CLE, 7/9/2003

In honor of CC Sabathia's (seemingly) impending move to pinstripes, here is a game he lost to the Yankees in 2003. Three walks, an infield hit, and an error enabled New York to score three in the first, and that was all they would need, as David Wells continued what seemed to be his mastery of the Indians.

Batting ninth at third base for Cleveland was Jhonny Peralta. With talk that he could move to third if the Indians acquire a middle infielder, it is interesting to be reminded that yes, he has played third base before. When he played third in a September game this season, I had no recall of his time at third in '03. But here it is, ony my own scoresheet. If I didn't trust the record books, I'd have to trust that. Memory is nice, but inadequate.

#38---LA @ STL, 7/5/2002

Here's a great scorekeeping tip for you, that will make you look really intelligent should you ever start a vanity blog of your own scoresheets: forget to write the date down on the sheet. A trip to Baseball-Reference revealed that it was July 5, 2002.

The Dodgers scored in the top of the first, but a Pujols homer put St. Louis in front in their half of the inning, and they added two in the second and another in the fifth. But LA came back and led 6-5 going into the bottom of the ninth. Eric Gagne was summoned in the ninth, but Miguel Cairo and Kerry Robinson singled to put men on second and third with nobody out. Fernando Vina was intentionally walked, and it paid off as Placido Polanco hit back to the box for a 123 double play. Gagne coaxed an Edmonds warning track fly, and the Dodgers held on.