i think i got LAT'd from the last thread...

not sure if it's been discussed but did anyone hear what chase utley thought of his introduction yesterday?

Dogget retired in '87?

Dogget retired in '87?

please feel free to delete one of them Jon.

Seeing Milton Bradley snap a picture with Josh Hamilton mid at bat made me miss him that much more.

5. Yea, he had his anger issues, but he really seem like he's a likeable guy in the clubhouse if you're not Jeff Kent.

He just looks like he's having fun out there, which is way more entertaining than guys being professional. Aren't sports supposed to be fun?

My issue would Milton Bradley had a lot less to do with his anger problem and more to do with his being pretty consistently injured. I'm pretty sure the A's had a problem with that too. When he's healthy, and not imploding or exploding, he's great.

{1} if u missed it

http://tinyurl.com/5gsfyh

may not be safe for work.

I'm actually really curious about the fans perceptions of guys like Bradley or Jose Reyes versus the media's. When Lastings Milledge high fived the fans after that home run the media reacted like Randy Moss pretend to moon them. Was there that many people out there that didn't think that was awesome?

9 ah thank you for mentioning, i thought i was the only one.

I was hoping a bruin would be a bit more polished than that

9 That's what we're up in arms about? Oh no, a grown man told a joke that used a bad word?

11 he said it with a true so cal accent too

12 i don't think anyone is up in arms (at least i'm not). i don't think it was a joke either. i just thought it was funny because he sounded like to prototypical stoned surfer when he said it. also, the blunder on espn's part just something you don't see every day.

8 White guys can throw a bag of balls on the field without being called psychotic, Black guys can't.

I'll forever hate Jeff Kent.

14 There's some "Utley is unprofessional" crap out there right now. Utley said it was a joke afterwords, and I really don't think you can say the words "Boo? ____ you" seriously.

Then again I never thought I'd hear the phrase "it's a bad night to be an atheist" outside of the rapture.

15 i believe your wrong. he's shown psychotic behavior before that's why he is considered psychotic.

just like kent has shown "grumpy guy" behavior before that's why a lot of people consider him "grumpy guy".

see 15 I'll forever hate Jeff Kent.

Good for Utley. Gave those East Coasters a taste of their own medicine!

And if no one was up in arms, Utley wouldn't have had to make a statement about it.

Yankee fans were probably just upset that Robinson Cano!!! didn't get the All-Star nod at 2B.

Milton is one of my favorite players to watch when healthy. I thought he was the 2004 Dodger MVP (and said so here at the time) his clutch play and some of his catches were awesome and inspirational even if Beltre got all the great #s(Not knocking Belly here) but he wore out his welcome with the big boss. Simple as that. I love that he is an All Star and having a great season. I hope he can keep staying (for the most part) out of trouble and on the field.

Rosenthal about to be on Rome show after commercial. Hope he does not talk about the Dodgers.

I should add to 21 ....Big Boss is not a good Big Boss IMO. That's a whole other argument. Blame Kent, but management caved and listened. I would blame them more (if anything)

I have also never seen reports of police going to Kent's residence numerous times on disturbance calls, or seen Kent rush a broadcast booth to get after someone. Bradley has issues, and may not be the best type of player around this mostly young team.

17 Whatever you say, man. I'll never agree with anything you say regarding this issue, so I'm dropping it for the sake of Rule 8. Just do me a favor and go check out the league leaders in the AL.

24 year olds are so impressionable. If the cops come to Bradley's place on a disturbance call, then they might think that's the cool thing to do.

Luckily, the Dodgers haven't had a bunch of wife-beaters, adulterers, and jerks of various kinds around to sully our kids.

Milton Bradley is a great player and seems to be a generally likeable guy, but it's not like he figured things out the second he left LA. I hope he's alright now and he stays healthy, but I really can't regret trading him.

25 what does his stats have to do with the racism involved of him being considered psychotic like you said?

personally, i think milton is a good guy and treats most of the people he comes in contact with with great respect and compassion. he seems like a great teammate and maybe he's matured and learned from his past experience's. but the fact is when you have as many past issue's as milton has had and get dumped by clev. and LA becuase they could no longed afford to have you in the clubhouse you can't blame people for putting a label on him, and i'm sure that has the most to do with it, not the color of his skin.

27
And designated drivers.

24 Numerous times? I think you're reaching a bit. What about Jose Reyes? I haven't heard anything about him being traded out of town for his stunt? Why's that?

25
I'll just say for the 100th time that what Milton is doing is awesome but it also is as a DH because he can't stay healthy enough to play the outfield at this point in his career.
If and when the guy can play 10 games in a row in the outfield and stay healthy then point the numbers out to me and I'll be remiss that he is not on the team.

21
I loved Milton in 2004 but that is just silly talk when you had the year Beltre had and the meltdown Milton had when we needed him every game.

30
I knew I was forgetting something.

Yesterday I saw a replay of the pine tar incident. I had forgotten how totally out of control Brett was. I immediatly thought of Bradley. What would the reaction have been if Bradley responded to an unfavorable call the same way?

24

Perhaps you are unaware that it was Milton who was calling the police to come to his residence.

When Bradley was traded I hated the trade and and hated the reason (well the assumed reason) for the trade even more. That said getting Ethier for him looks pretty good considering what the A's got out of him.

34
When a Ballplayer like Brett goes berserk like that, it just shows his dedication and desire to win.

31 There were 3 calls in a month reported at that time. I still would love to know why Oakland dumped him. I never read anything on that. There is something up with him that we do not know fully.

27 Yeah, exactly. Guys like Raffy Furcal (multiple DUI's, worse than anything Bradley has ever done), Derek Lowe (left his family behind for a Dodger reporter), and Andruw Jones (Gold Club scandal). Ned's nothing but a phony.

37 I just assumed that they didn't want to DFA someone then have Bradley get hurt a week later.

I see nothing wrong with what Jones did. Good clean fun.

Here's Dak from FJM: Why doesn't wanting to play so bad that he's willing to throw a fit about it garner him "gamer" status? Why are guys like Milton Bradley, Carl Everett, and Jose Reyes all considered "hotheads" or whatever while jerks like Paul O'Neill are applauded for their fiery style?

38 Some of that has to do with the difference between exploding on the field in front of 50,000 people and on live TV, and screwing up off the field.

Lastings Milledge was criticized by his Mets teammates, especially Billy Wagner, more so than the press.

If the Mets wish to keep criticizing Jose Reyes, I'm sure 28 other teams (the Yankees can't take him unless they made him play second or DH because Derek Jeter will wish Brian Cashman into the cornfield), will take Reyes off the Mets hands.

41 i've always considered paul o'neill a jerk, and same as jeff kent. there are some people that don't, just like there are some people who love milton and some who don't.

Is Carl Everett considered a hothead? I thought he was just crazy and didn't believe in dinosaurs because he'd never seen one in person.

43 That story seemed to disappear pretty fast.

Vis a vis letting Drew go, indeed Drew opted out. And at that point, the Dodgers didn't choose to make him a credible offer. that's the choice that could be regretted.

Duke Snider Family Web site

http://snideralbum.tripod.com/index.html

ALSO lots of pictures of the Duke in the 50's when the Dodgers could hit home runs.

Maybe John can add to the right column list.

Carl Everett did get kicked out arguing with an umpire after he redrew the batter's box inside line and told him to back off. That was a classic.

Everett and his wife also had their kids briefly taken away by the state of New York for some reason.

But overall, I think Everett can best be described as "peculiar." And I'm grateful that he broke up Mike Mussina's perfect game. Because I can't stand Mussina.

You know, one of those know-it-all Stanford guys, like Jed Lowrie and Jody Gerut.

Do you really want to pay JD Drew at least 15 million a year until he's 35?

47 - Not giving Drew $14M per year for his ages 31-35 seasons isn't a regrettable choice. It's the knee-jerk reaction of giving Pierre a 5-year deal that is regrettable.

49
I always kind of liked Mussina, although I was amused a few years back at Todd Wright, while at ESPN Radio, for spending an entire segment pleading over the air for Mussina to pitch the damn ball (he always took too long, especially from the stretch).

50 - Having him signed through next year for $11M would be pretty sweet though. Ah, well.

I can't believe his 5-year deal would've been up next year already.

Disliking Mussina has always been a minority opinion. It's not unlike liking Billy Packer.

53 I'm totally happy we got JD Drew for 2/22, but a Pierre and Jonesless team would be pretty sweet.

Milton Bradly has played 170 games in the outfield from 2006 to the present, Andre Ethier has played 360.

One thing and maybe 55 would agree with me, had Ned Colletti renegotiated with Drew, and gave him the raise and more years and (run on sentence) Drew had the year he had last year, well, you may have had a new GM at the end of last year.

For the librarians out there.

My mother was head librarian for the science department at the University of Chicago for 30 years. She recently died at 85.

Over the years she sent me at least 300 "Ya mommam" librarian jokes. Most which can not be published here.

However her favorite librarian joke and a very simple and true one:

How many librarians does it take to change a lightbulb?

I don't know but I can look it up!

So it's a win/win/win proposition. :)

57 - For putting up a 105 OPS+ in CF? Run an outfield of Ethier, Drew, and Kemp/Gonzo out there and I think LA does a bit better than 4th place.

The child of a librarian! You must have been the envy of all the kids on the block.

Most jokes librarians have run afoul of Rule 1.

50--Yes.

The goal is to make the best team possible, not the most efficient team--payroll wise.

The Dodgers were willing to pay Gonzo/Pierre collectively 16 mils in 2007.

So yes, I'd be willing to pay Drew that.

38 The Dodgers also recently re-signed Eric Cyr into the minors, the IE 66ers.

60
J.D. Drew played RF last year (and this year).

60 ,64
Nevermind, you were saying he would play center with the Dodgers. I'm dense.

64 - Right, but I assume he would've played CF in LA, flanked by Ethier and Kemp/Gonzo platoon. That would've made his 105 OPS+ last year even more valuable too.

57--> Why?

Drew didnt go on the DL with the Red Sox last year, and was a much better player than Pierre was even having a down year by JD Drew standards.

How would having Drew on the team in 2007, and neither of Gonzo/Pierre--> made the team worse?

You suggested Ned would have been fired after 2007 had he signed JD Drew?

Are you serious?

He signed Juan Pierre, and the team finished in 4th place. And he still wasnt fired.

How would have signing Drew, led to his firing? Did not signing JD Drew keep the Dodgers from finishing in last place or something?

56 VORP since 2006

Bradley: 84.4
Ethier: 47.4

Ethier's defensive value this year and the fact that Bradley would have been a free agent in 2007 keep this from being considered a disaster trade. The Ethier trade is considered one of Ned's best move but at this point, calling it a draw would be really generous.

A couple fun facts I learned from this.

Luis Gonzalez actually out VORPed Ethier last year.

Ethier is fourth amongst active hitters on the Dodgers with a 14.5 VORP. Jeff Kent is 5th with a 3.6

60 The local media was not exactly enamored with him before, his stats while somewhat comparable were still down from they year before.

I am not saying that factually it makes sense, its perception. And perception would be that Scott Boras got away with something.

But then if the Dodgers have Drew, then they don't sign Boras' client, Andruw Jones so there.

62 Of course, I try to drive that point home more than anyone, but Drew has a very good chance of falling off a cliff. Remember the guy failed his physical last year. Despite the fact that he hasn't had any debilitating injuries since he was a Cardinal, he's still not healthy.

The local media was not exactly enamored with him before, his stats while somewhat comparable were still down from they year before.

Since when does the local media run the Dodgers?

No wait, dont answer that ;)

15 . I don't think I recall too many white guys or baseball players of any ethnicity make quite the spectacle of themselves the way MB has done periodically. Most of the things that MB has gotten angry about I've understood his frustration, but not the explosion he's had over it.

That said, I don't think that most of MB's public relations problems, although severe, are terribly transcendent, ie, as to make him an especially bad guy. I've heard something about him abusing his wife. THAT, if true, makes him a bad guy, but not throwing bags of baseballs, or even a plastic bottle at the feet of fans who had thrown it at him. Mentioning his anger problem in the same breath as that Hamilton fellow's crack-pipe problem does not quite make sense to me. Well, except for the wife-abuse, and of that I've only heard a couple of mentions, not enough to know any details or whether there's any truth, so I can't judge that.

56 But 2007 - present, MB has played 77 games in the OF, Ethier 145.

68 Does that discount his VORP as a DH?

I still ask, who plays those games that Bradley misses due to injuries?

Whether or not it has statiscal value, there is real value in basically being available to play everyday. Bradley has never shown that he can do that.

This is frightening. Bradley last 365 days: .313/.429/.608. You could make the case that over the last year Bradley has been one of the four or five best players in baseball.

74 Cody Ross :)

Why is there value in playing every day and producing lesser numbers if you have a half decent replacement? Unless the replacement is sub replacement level, he'd be contributing even more to Bradley's edge, even if he's not, he'd have to be really bad to erase a 40 run edge.

74 It does count his DH VORP.

I'm just talking about this year. The outfield could easily be Drew, Bradley, Kemp. And we would be considered one of the best teams in baseball. The fact that we would have done worse last year or the year before is pretty irrelevant as we didn't exactly win any playoff games. And going forward for the next three years, it's also pretty likely that Drew, Bradley, Kemp is a lot nicer than Pierre, Jones, Kemp, Ethier.

Druw 18
Drew 15
Pierre 9
Bradley 5
Kemp/Ethier .5

So money wise, it would have been better as well (21 vs 28).

It of course wasn't clear that things would work out this way (Bradley & Drew both in the top 5 hitters in baseball). I'm not suggesting that given the information available at the time, the decisions were so terrible. I'm just saying in retrospect, "arggh."

61

Librarians are gods!! I had No problems being the envy of others.

Of course, growing thing up at MIT, U of C, and other places where librarian are gods helped.

A graduate student who pissed off a librarian in the 50's and 60's and 70's had no chance of getting an advanced degree.
My mother got more gifts, cakes, and birthday cards then anybody else.

She always had cookies, in the libray, for everybody and I know she did not make them. She hated baking.

72 see 35

42 . Exactly. Several of his incidents have been SO public. Hilarious, too, except when he was affecting my team.

Again, with the difficult to deal with thing.

>>Bill (GA): Do you see the Dodgers as suitors for Teixeira? If so, what do you think the Braves can get back?

SportsNation Buster Olney: (1:42 PM ET ) Bill: Other teams find the Dodgers incredibly difficult to trade with; GMs with other teams say they're never really sure who's available and who's not available. But if they agree to put Matt Kemp in the trade and the Braves actually put Teixeira out there, I'm sure Atlanta would listen -- folks with other teams love Kemp's talent.<<

From Diamond Leung Class AAA shortstop Chin-lung Hu could be activated from the disabled list by the end of the week after missing more than a month with blurred vision in his right eye

I'd like to meet the "some in the organization."

>>Paul (Albany, OR): As a Dodger fan I would HATE it if they let go of Kemp. As a baseball guy, in your opinion, why would they include Kemp in any deal? Thanks.

SportsNation Buster Olney: (1:51 PM ET ) Paul: There are some in the organization who are less than thrilled with his evolution as a hitter.<<

51

For me this is spot on. Yes, I wish Ned had made an offer to Drew, but I was okay with him leaving. It is the choice Ned made after Drew left that is regrettable. Speaking of...is Lofton still not playing?

83
I assume that means activated in AAA.

86 At this point, why would you dare assume anything about a Dodger activation prediction?

87
Touche.

78 - Wouldn't Milton Bradley have been a free agent by now? So there's no guarantee he'd still be in LA. I'm not sure a NL team locks up a guy long term who's basically a full-time DH at age 30.

84
I wonder how thrilled Dodger management is with the offensive evolution of Nomar, A Jones, and Jeff Kent?

Here I was, wondering how there could already be 90 comments here in the midst of a slow Dodger news day and the break, thinking maybe there was Saito news...

Drew and Bradley Thoughts - now I get it, we're in summer reruns! Cool.

My Blog Guide listings forgot to put an {r} at the end of the write-up on this one.

91

Well, here is another topic. What standard rules will we use for whiffle ball at the BBQ?

Only 12 more work days until I quit. Woo hoo!

What's with that video on Diamond's blog of Hu signing autographs? Looks like Shea Stadium in the background...

if anything I hope Saito's MRI results are clean...

93

Quit?

There was some other sportswriter on a Fox Sports Radio show this morning (I was listening in the shower and couldn't bother to change it) who was giving his expert opinions on everything baseball, mostly the all star stuff, but then he was asked about the NL West, and the now-boring "Will anyone finish above .500 hah hah?" question, and he spoke about the Dodgers, predicting they would probably win the division, but that they - and this is where I finally stormed out of the shower to switch stations because I couldn't take it anymore -- "had a chance to get CC Sabathia and for some reason didn't complete the deal" and basically repeating the same mantra that you hear from Rosenthal and Olney. "They could have acquired a pitcher [WHICH IS NOT WHAT THEY NEED THE MOST, and by giving up young hitters} and didn't and I don't know why they won't make a deal (FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING A DEAL} and blah blah" and then I shut it off for NPR.

91
Tonight, on a very special Dodger Thoughts...

Host Jon proclaims, "He's years away from the major-league roster, but I continue to pay too much attention to 18-year-old James Loney. After starting 0 for 7, Loney got his first two hits yesterday, a single and a double."

http://tinyurl.com/earlyDT

Catch Dodger Thoughts, seven nights a week! Check local listings.

92. International Whiffle Ball Federation rules I would assume. You could go with Canadian Whiffle Ball rules, but they have a wider playing field and only three bases.
vr, Xei

Is 'retiring' a better word? Either way, July 31 is my last day in this lab.

97 that was ken rosenthal

we are with in a pebbles throw from 1st place...

[i just wanted to say that]

98 Awww. I love that one. I think Ed Asner has a cameo at the end of it.

101 Was it really? I did not recognize his voice at all! I should've known. Well, in a way it's a bit of a relief. Ah, it's just Ken "One Note/Frequently Wrong" Rosenthal.

Has anyone ever developed a successful approach to telling your "forward friends" that you don't like to read forwarded messages all day long? I have tried different approaches, but I always end up offending the person. I wonder if it is because most of the forwards are political in nature?

105
I once tried replying to all with "Unsubscribe" as the subject and body of the message, but that went over about as well as a punch in the face.

105
I discovered yesterday in Gmail that if you press the M key hard while reading a message, the conversation becomes "muted" and you don't see it anymore, but it doesn't become spam.

It's also a bit harrowing when you try to send a message to someone whose name begins with M and you think you lost it.

105 i get forwarded text message's from my buddy all the time, i always just respond with something along the lines of, "dude what's wrong with you" or, "you're a weird guy."

From Diamond Leung:

"Class AAA Las Vegas shortstop Chin-lung Hu could be activated from the disabled list by the end of the week after missing more than a month with blurred vision in his right eye."

There's also a really weird video of Hu's LA cap visor as he apparently stares at his feet (eventually it's appears he's signing autographs) while a woman (maybe the owner or friend of the cell phone camera) cackles at him in Chinese.

104 yea I heard the same thing this morning, it was some guy (last name Feinstein) I believe filling in for Rome who's been away...he had "Kenny Rosenthal" on for an interview and was continuously raving about how knowledgeable Rosenthal was.

105 - If they're forwarding cautionary tales (the snake in the McD's ballpit!) or stories about Bill Gates giving everyone who forwards this a $100 (because they have the technology to track that!), I usually respond with the Snopes entry that debunks it.

106

Maybe this is my problem...I like that idea :)

109 Redundancy Thoughts indeed! :)

78. You're assuming that Drew could have played CF, or RF for that matter, with his weak knee yeah I know he's managed it in Boston and DH's rarely. He has been pretty durable , for him at least, playing 133 games in the OF in 07 and 79 so far this year. The problem I have with Drew is that you never know when he's going to go on the DL for an extended period of time. Would he have been an up grade? No doubt, but if he had been re-signed, with the Dodgers luck, he would have reverted back to his 05 form and played only 70-80 games.

As far as MB goes, I loved the way he played and the reports are that he's great in the locker room but his volatility was a liability. Too the fact that he's in the AL could have something to do with his performance, that and having a bunch of good hitters around him, as Texas always seems to have.

Between Hu and DeJesus, I hope someone can replace Maza as utility infielder. But Maza was hitting .400 at AAA and apparently that translates to .200 in the majors. So Hu will have to hit .500 or .600 in AAA before he gets a promotion. DeJesus may have to hit over 1.000 in AA to earn the promotion.

112
A co-worker once forwarded me a message to boycott gasoline companies on a Tuesday, and I replied to all with something like "this is the dumbest thing I have ever read", but most of the list was just his friends, who actually enjoyed his being raked over the coals.

A .400 batting average at AAA Las Vegas (in 300 ABs) would be the equivalent of a .325 batting average at Dodger Stadium.
Source:
http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/mlecalc.html
vr, Xei

I think a "Hey thanks for thinking of me but I get so many e-mails I'd love it if you could in the future remove me from any mass email/forward lists you have. Thanks." should suffice. It's not really all that complicated. If that doesn't work, start forwarding to the offending friend Nigerian bank emails and "hilarious" Cialis spams, or cute pictures of kittens.

Coming from out of state for my first trip to Doger Stadium in years. My two sons would love to see batting practice.

Has anyone done the warning track thing I saw on dodgers.com? Do they do that every game?

Trying to get to the game against Arizona on Fri 8/1. Has Jon or anyone written an updated secrets to parking at Dodger stadium. I know this was a hot topic last season.

118

That last idea is awesome.

I believe the warning track thing is called "Autograph Alley" and it's there every game I believe unless there is some special event that prevents it.

119 If you are showing up for BP, then parking shouldn't be a problem. I would recommend the Sunset exit and get as close to an exit line as possible.

121 Speaking of "Autograph
Alley", how many people actually remember Matt Luke enough to want his signature? It seems like he is always the one signing.

122 I loved Matt Luke.

Have not been able to keep up as much with this site due to too much travel. Has anyone been to the Spring St. Smoke House to pregame? It was reviewed by the Times last week or so. We went Saturday and I thought the place was really cool. Also has anyone commented on Kemp's swing this year? To me it looks the coaches are trying to turn him into a contact - slap hitter. I recall last year he was more grip it and rip it.

One issue with Kemp that confuses me is this: it seems like Kemp has drastically changed his approach at the plate this year. It's been mentioned several times on the site before but it certainly appears that he is less aggressive against fastballs early in the count, seems to consistently be looking for breaking balls and adjusting to fastballs instead of the reverse and wants to hit to right-center a lot. Assuming that is true, I have to believe that he has changed his approach in consultation with the coaching staff, it seems awfully hard to believe that such a young player would make such a drastic change without the support of the manager and hitting coach. If that is correct, then I don't understand how anyone can claim that he is uncoachable or refusing to listen. If a guy is willing to retool his entire approach at the plate then it seems to me that is the epitome of willingness to learn, yet there is this constant assumption that Kemp does not do things the "right way."

Apologies for posting here on a line of thought from the previous thread (I had to sign up to comment - hence the time lag) but I'm surprised that those of you who were speculating about Bob Dylan and his interest in baseball don't know his song "Catfish" (written w/ Jacques Levy, from the Rolling Thunder era)...

"Lazy stadium night
Catfish on the mound.
"Strike three," the umpire said,
Batter have to go back and sit down.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

Used to work on Mr. Finley's farm
But the old man wouldn't pay
So he packed his glove and took his arm
An' one day he just ran away.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

Come up where the Yankees are,
Dress up in a pinstripe suit,
Smoke a custom-made cigar,
Wear an alligator boot.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can."

The rest of the lyrics can be found here and elsewhere on line...

http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/catfish.html

(Everybody here seems to use other formats for posting site links - but this is the only way I know how to do it.)

Also - I have a question for John or any other Dodger historian here.

I recall going to a game in the '60s as a small child at the time when Durocher was a Dodger coach, and going to try to get autographs at a spot where the players exited the stadium after the game, and saw Durocher come out and - after someone said something to him - slug the guy square in the chin. First time in my young life I'd seen a fist fight up close (this was a real, solid, lay someone out slug - not schoolyard bluster - yet I've seen any mention of the incident anywhere - and it was in full view of the public (maybe ten to twenty fans, as I recall, waiting outside). I think people stepped in and separated them afterwards. I didn't hear what was said, and I've always wondered what was behind it all.

Great site. Though I must admit that, as someone who agrees with Benjamin Disraeli that there are "lies, damn lies, and statistics," I'm much fonder of the lore of the game than the math of it.

125 Let's hope that he is Mattingly's #1 priority.

Leo Durocher slugging a fan? I'm shocked!

I thought he did that twice a week. In the early 1960s, the press would have covered up any fight between Durocher and a fan because that's just the way things were done back then.

Durocher would have to have done some serious damage or been arrested for the matter to get any press coverage at the time.

121 122 Autograph Alley sounds like a great way to introduce 5 and 9 year olds to Dodger Stadium
No offense but I hope we do better then Matt Luke
Rudy Law sounds like a reasonable level of former player to walk an extra fifty feet for an autograph

129
An autographed baseball by Rudy Law is one of my most treasured possessions.

At least since Saturday.

125 It could be that Kemp is not as successful as they'd like, or hoped, having changed his approach in line with coaching. Out of frustration, they might attribute this to "not trying hard enough" instead of "takes a long time to adjust and get all the details right" or even to "less than ideal coaching". Not fair, of course.

129 This is last homestands Autography Alley schedule http://tinyurl.com/6858j4. I couldn't find any info on your dates, but I didn't really look that hard so it may be somewhere.

123
The scar right? For some reason I also liked him but had he come up during your heyday, wouldn't he have been given the Maza treatment?

133 Yep.

125. Last year he started out not hitting very well either, he picked up after Mueller became the hitting coach, as did the rest of the team. So I'd attribute his 'new' approach to the coaching staff screwing him up. I always wondered why Easler was put as the hitting coach instead of Mueller just staying there til Mattingly was available.

133 Luke's 12 HR in 257 PAs is a better ratio than anyone on today's team! He's sorta more Betemit than Maza, .287 OBP, but .444 Slg. After May 14, that was a depressing team/season to follow anyway, so might as well cheer for the underdog.

135 I thought Mueller didn't want the job this year.

136 Matt Luke was a poor man's Danny Heep :)

136 Yeah, but he fills the Maza role of career minor leaguer who never did a thing that suddenly had a hot streak.

136 I agree! ;-)

134
Ever yearn for the days when you could just root for a guy for whatever reason and not have the numbers tell you how sucky he was?

Based on conversations I've overhead or been part of with Dodgers fans I figure about 95% of fans who go to Dodger Stadium do it that way.

139
I wonder if Maza will be signing autographs, a decade from now in autograph alley.

137. I never heard that, but that would explain why he wasn't the interim HC. Of course mccourt could have made him do it just by telling him he was the guy, but he probably wouldn't have been too effective if he didn't want to do it.

141 Totally. It was a really sad day for me when I realized how much I would hate Eric Karros if he was our first baseman right now.

It would be even worse the day we traded the number two prospect in baseball so we could keep our below average first baseman.

To be honest, I'm not totally convinced that the new approach is "screwing him up." He has so much raw talent that I wonder if down the road this new style will help him to recognize breaking balls out of the zone while also crushing fastballs. I'm a bit of an optimist but there's some possibility that this year is a slight step back that leads to a leap forward which, considering how awesome he is already, would make him an absolute superstar (kind of like when Tiger Woods retooled his swing). My only point is that I am frustrated that he is viewed as uncoachable and "not a ballplayer" when there is good evidence that the opposite is true. I guess it's a trash can-related issue.

Is there a rule teams can't announce trades during the all-star break?

146 Sorry. Bob, is there a rule . . .

124 I ate at Spring Street Smokehouse over a year ago and was not impressed. But, I should give it another try. Someone on this site also mentioned awhile back that they server beer now too.

51s go into break on high note

>> After a rough stretch of starts, 51s right-hander Jon Meloan finally had reason to feel good about himself after walking off the mound Monday. So did his teammates.

Meloan threw a season-high seven innings en route to his first win since June 2 <<

http://www.lvrj.com/sports/25459109.html

I expect Matt Kemp's season to unfold much like that of Billy "Downtown" Anderson's in "Major League 3: Back to the Minors".

All season long, manager Scott Bakula (not concerned with character name here) drilled into his hotshot young star the importance of fundamentals and teamwork, often asking him to sacrifice. In the ultimate game of the season (a game against the Ted Mcginley-managed major league Twins), Downtown was so brainwashed/coached that he asked Bakula if he wanted him to sacrifice in his final AB.

The manager's response: "No. I want you to swing away." Infused with confidence, young Billy Anderson did in fact go downtown, securing victory for Bakula's club.

I expect at some point in the next month, our young Oklahoman will ask Torre something like, "you want me to hit a ball to the right side, skip?" And Torre, with his hat resting high atop his head, will tell Kemp "no kid, just mash", and Kemp will proceed to take the National League by storm. :)

147
In 2006, Tampa traded Aubrey Huff to Houston for Ben Zobrist and Mitch Talbot, the day after the ASG. Does that count?

Those of you talking about unwanted junk mail and forwards from "friends" may be interested in this:

http://www.stopforwarding.us/

151 Thanks. That "rule" must be limited to the postseason.

150
That could also be a scene out of "Mr. Baseball."

153
It's not a rule as much as it's just a set of guidelines.

122 - Ken Landreaux is a regular at Autograph Alley also. I've seen him there on at least 3 occasions and I've been to 8 or 9 games total this year.

It's amazing to me still that the media and what constitutes the "Dodger's brain trust" can have their priorities and their heads so screwed up. I mean to constantly harp on Kemp who is still batting over .280 has over 50 RBI, over 20 steals while Mr. 18 million has got what 2 HR and 9 or 10 RBI and batting .160. I am totally flabbergasted and bewildered by Ned, Torre and Company and their myopic judgments!! It is really getting old and most of the regular fans I'm around at the games aren't buying it!

From Cot's contracts:

Kuroda may become a free agent after contract expires

Does this mean he can leave the Dodgers for another U.S. team with only 3 years of ML service? I find that odd.

145/150 - Matt Kemp's hit chart certainly shows him making a concerted effort to go the other way. A majority of his fly balls, home runs, and extra base hits are going to right field. Amazing that he only has one homerun on the road so far.

http://tinyurl.com/mkemphitchart

91 Drew and Bradley Thoughts - now I get it, we're in summer reruns! Cool.

unsubscribe

157
Most of the Japanese players have a clause like that attached. After having to pitch 9-10 years in Japan, they don't want to get tied down in the U.S.

Danys Baez had a similar clause in his contract because he felt his years he put in in Cuba were worthy of veteran status.

157 I'm sure you can get that written into your contract somehow.

148 They have a pretty good selection of beer both on tap and in bottles. They feature Angel City Brew on tap which is pretty good. I had the same bad first experience at Philipps's but have had several great experiences since. Give it another try.

162 Do you know if they have Craftsman beer on tap?

150 i got my vote ready for post of the day

164
Remember when it was a big thing to be "Play of the Day" on Sports Tonight on CNN? The heyday of Fred Hickman and Vince Cellini!

Hah hah. The Giants are bringing back the Crazy Crab, that hilariously awful mascot from the 80s, for a one-time promotion during upcoming game. Someone will probably try to make a Crabby Patty out of the poor guy.

Lincecum hospitalized for dehydration and flu-like symptoms:

http://tinyurl.com/lincecum

Sounds like his first AS party went well!

167 Is that a new thing to add the suffix, or is that a one in a trillion coincidence there.

Ever since I called Bryan Morris out on his lack of strikeouts, he has been locked in for Great Lakes.

Last 4 outings:

21.1IP 9H 7bb 24K 0.85era

The thing to get at Spring St. Smokehouse is the Louisiana Hot Links. Homemade, and unlike any I've ever had elsewhere.

168
They have a new feature to create your own suffix. More info here:

http://tinyurl.com/ericstephenisgreat

:)

171
Cool, the internet experience just keeps getting better.

169 He should be promoted to the 66ers.

171 Alas!

"Error: TinyURL redirects to a TinyURL."

157 Kuroda was hired as a free agent, not as an indentured servant like the regular rookies. An MLB team did not have to invest years of teaching him to play baseball in rookie and minor leagues.

171
By the way, that is the first time I've ever made a small link longer by using Tiny URL. I'm surprised it let me create that.

174
D'oh! The link was just to tinyurl.com anyway.

175 If that was true, Saito could walk anytime.

What if someone else tries to use "lincecum" (or, for that matter, "ericstephenisgreat")? Is there an overwrite?

CC and K-Rod will only cost $200,000,000

I wonder if McCourt is interested.

179 No overwrite. http://www.tinyurl.com/ericstephenisgreat will forever lead to an error page.

178

No, he's an indentured servant because he came in on a minor league deal due to the fact that no one was interested in him. It's different for the ones who sign major league contracts from the start.

179
"The custom alias you've chosen is not available. We've created a random one for you instead, but you can try assigning a different custom alias again below. Use 6 characters or more for the best chance of getting a unique unassigned alias"

Shocking that "ericstephenisgreat" wasn't already taken! :)

181
I perhaps should have taken better care of my legacy.

I wonder what time Saito's doctor gets back in town? vr, Xei

185

The longer this takes, the more I feel the news is un-good.

184 I'm sure you'll find another adjective to your liking.

185 186 i need him to be placed on the DL asap so i can put him on the DL in my fantasy league so i can pick up kershaw.

180 I hope we are passing on K-Rod and stick with Brox... we already have a dumbass in our clubhouse that everyone hates.

188 In my league if Sammy goes on the DL, I'm picking up Broxton. Saves count big time for me.

We'd get K-Rod just in time for his insane delivery to end his career. Bullpen is not an issue for LA, and hasn't been for years.

Shocking CNN.com headline:

FBI lab workers say 'CSI' not realistic

190 already missed the boat on that one.

192 What?! Next thing you know, the CIA and NSA will say that "24" is not realistic.

Hi DT,

With not much Dodger related news hitting the press during the all-star break, I wonder if some of you would be willing to share your opinion with me/play a little game.

I don't know about you, but I get a dreadful feeling when I think ahead two weeks from now when the Rosenthal rumors are flying and Plaschke is making one final push to buy everything at the trade deadline.

I'm asking for pure speculation on your part.

"What are the chances that ________ will be traded from the Dodgers before the end of July?"

To keep it easy, assign each player a percentage.

Dewitt: 10%
Ethier: 35%
Hu: 55%
Kemp: 30%
Laroche: 65%
Lowe: 25%
Loney: 15%
McDonald: 30%
Peewee: 20%

Anyone else I'm forgetting, please feel free to add. Thanks for playing

195

Kind of feels like Howard Stern's "death pool."

195 That's kind of morbid :(

195 your list looks pretty reasonable, if penny had stayed healthy i'd throw him out there at about 45%

Last week, I heard the former head of Britain's MI5 say on NPR that the novels of John Le Carré are realistic for the cold war period they were set in. (Believe it or not the interviewer then asked her if Fleming's James Bond novels and the movies were also realistic. ;-) She kept her cool in replying.)

199
I didn't know one way or the other for sure, but I've always felt like Le Carré's novels were realistic.

195 i'm going to go conservative

Dewitt: 3% - Torre loves him
Ethier: 15% - hard to see us moving an OF not named Kemp
Hu: 20% - injury-prone bullpen guy - worth more to Dodgers than other teams
Kemp: 30% - this one is tougher with all the negative press you read... still, hard to imagine the Dodgers won't realize that he is young and and still has star potential.
Laroche: 30% - his value has gone down.. I think Ned looks bad if he gives up on him now. Aug 1, he is our starting 3B for the rest of year.
Lowe: 50% - I really think that Lowe is gone. Philly or St. Louis will want him bad enough. Wouldn't surprise me if the Rays or Twins bit too.
Loney: 5% - He doesn't go unless we get Tex back.
McDonald: 30% - He could only go if we're getting a legit star like Bay or Tex.
Peewee: 10% - again, low perceived value to most teams

197 - Yes, it is morbid. But I think that if there's any kind of bright side it's that Bills has cemented himself along with RuMar as one of the 0% Dodgers

Laroche: 30% - his value has gone down.. I think Ned looks bad if he gives up on him now

I'm not trying to be funny when I say, "That has never stopped Ned before."

202 I think Loney is very close to that group, no?

203 That is sadly true. I've always felt that Ned would be a really bad stocktrader.

186. Yeah, it's probably a complicated diagnosis. Atleast in the sense that it's probably not something like "he just needs to rest his arm". Otherwise, what could be taking so long. vr, Xei

202 i never get the 0% thing, what if for whatever reason you get like a hamels and burrell for pierre and bills deal? does that mean you can't do it becuase bills is untradeable?

201 I think you're confusing the two Taiwanese Dodgers.

207

Is 0.0001% better for you?

I take it to mean that a favorable trade involving Bills is close to 0% instead of the he is untradeable argument. Anyone is tradeable, but the odds of a trade like the one you suggest are close to 0%.

208

Which is interesting since Kuo is the better hitter anyway.

Just out of curiosity, when is it too old to go TP-ing?....

201 - Hu: 20% - injury-prone bullpen guy

Wait, Hu?

188 190 So it's all about you, then? :-P

212 Never too old, if we're talking about Bill Plaschke's house.

208 LOL, you are right, I did. Forgot all about the SS.

The way the Dodgers and DBacks are constructed "as is", the NL West title is going to be a crapshoot. The difference maker will be one of three things in my opinion. 1) Whoever makes the best trade/addition to the team before the deadline, 2) Whoever avoids injuries to key players (see: Saito), 3) Whichever manager does a better job of putting out the best players on a consistent basis. I'd say Arizona has the advantage on #2 with the lingering Saito injury. Arizona probably has the advantage on #3 with the Andruw Jones/Juan Pierre track history. I'm not sure about #1.
vr, Xei

207 - That 0% should be interpreted as 0% of being dealt away in a stupid deal

212. In my neighborhood it's around 45 years old. When I become King, it will be a criminal offense. :)
vr, Xei

217 I actually think that the Dodgers have a much better pitching staff top-to-bottom than the Dbacks and that will be the decider. That's even if we lose Saito. Bills/Lowe/Kuroda/ are pretty formidable unless they lose form. If Penny comes back healthy, that'd be great. Kershaw should only be getting better, and Stults and Park have been good. Worst case would be Kuo in the starting rotation, and I don't think that would be a bad thing either. For the Dbacks, they have to win every Webb/Haren start, because the rest of their pitching staff is not too good.

220

Doug Davis is awesome as long as he's facing the Dodgers.

Billingsley, Martin, Broxton, Kershaw - 0%

220 Johnson's FIP is much better than his ERA so he's probably around Kuroda's level. Stults and Park are no better than Owings and Davis and while we can add Kershaw they can add Scherzer. It's pretty even.

Total runs scored in the Dbacks/Dodgers series this weekend - 19 runs - over/under?

224 i'd have to take the over.

224. Oh, give me the pitching matchups and I will run the numbers. vr, Xei

222

I wouldn't call Broxton at 0%.

No reliever should be 0%.

Tony Jackson on Saito:

Turns out his appt with Dr. ElAttrache isn't until 5 p.m. West Coast time, so we aren't going to know anything for a while and maybe not even until tomorrow. I know this is a big issue with a lot of Dodgers fans -- I can tell by the number of emails I have gotten today inquiring about it -- but I appreciate your patience. Dr. ElAttrache isn't going to the tell the Dodgers anything, and rightfully so, until he tells Saito himself.

226
Kuroda/Davis
Bills/Haren
Lowe/Webb

How is it possible that Kershaw and Broxton are available in your leagues?

Under.

228

Stupid HIPAA!

And professional ethics!

And common courtesy!

Name ERA ERA+ WHIP K BB
Owings 5.02 90 1.31 85 35
Davis 3.80 119 1.48 58 35
Johnson 5.23 86 1.41 95 28

Stults 2.67 164 1.25 21 10
Park 2.63 166 1.37 52 24
Kuroda 3.43 128 1.20 62 29

I don't know where to find FIP ERA, but it looks like the Dodgers have a clear advantage with this set of players. Unless you argue that Park/Stults will fall off and Johnson/Davis won't. Am I missing something?

230 Yeah, I've been thinking that I must play in a hypercompetitive league compared to most people. In my league guys like Kershaw, Broxton, and Kuo have been been taken all year. Even Eric Stults and Chan Ho Park are taken, for chrissakes.

Broxton:6%
Dewitt: 50%
Ethier: 7.5%
Hu: 5%
Kemp: 1%
Kershaw 4%
Kuo 4%
Laroche: 50%
Lowe: 5%
Loney: 1%
McDonald: 51%
Meloan 51%
Peewee: 25%
Pierre: 2%
Elbert: 7%
Santana: 3%
DeJesus: 4%

233. Try FanGraphs.com
It's a great site.
vr, Xei

233 Yep, I'm assuming there's going to be some regression involved in Stults and Park.

230 234 , it's only a 10 team league, not a keeper league. pitching categories

W-L-SV-CG-SHO-HR-K-WHIP-ERA

kershaw and broxton are available, but i own kuo. once saito is DL eligble that would open a spot for kershaw.

Ned seems like the type of guy that wouldn't raise from the small blind even if it was just he and the big blind left.

Thus, I don't see him trading Derek Lowe. He sees him as too valuable for this season, and Kershaw, Park, Penny, and Stults to be too risky to count on.

Ideally he'd trade Lowe and get back a hitter and a thus-far-underachieving pitcher that could step in and give us a 3.7 era. I don't think he is up to that task.

Bills, Kuroda, Kershaw, Penny, and Park/Stults does seem too risky with Ned needing to get into the playoffs this year.

238

Kershaw was drafted from the get go in my league. Too many Dodger fans.

230 234 238

Kershaw and Broxton, even Kuo, are probably available in most leagues that play regular 5 x 5 stats and aren't keeper leagues. I guess Broxton is probably picked up in most of those now, but non-closer relievers just don't have much value. In my sabermetric 20 team league, these three have been on teams all year (Kershaw when he was available), but in others they are free agents right now and in Kuo case, will probably remain that way.

I play in a league that uses holds (among other unusual stats) and where about 12 of the 16 team owners work for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

It's a tough league.

241. In my keeper league, I drafted all three of those guys (Broxton, Guo and Kershaw). I had to wait a few months to get any use out of Kershaw, and am now waiting again. vr, Xei

Ok, the over/under for the three games in Arizona came out to be 26.63 runs. Here is how it broke down, keeping in mind that Chase Field is #2 in park factor/runs scored so far in 2008. vr, Xei

Matchup, over/under, LAD win%
Kuroda/Davis, 9.20, 49.07%
Bills/Haren, 8.81, 46.75%
Lowe/Webb, 8.62, 43.34%

244. Saito was left off the roster for these three games and both Jones and Nomar were put in the starting lineup. vr, Xei

245 I'd wonder how high the over/under would be if Jones was not included. :)

Seriously though, no 2-0, 3-1 type games predicted? Those last two games don't look like they'd produce 17 runs total. Still, park factor is the big decider, I guess.

29 percent of the road homers Billingsley's given up in his career have come at Chase Field (4 of 14).

246. The simulator plays 10,000 games. So yes, I'm sure there are plenty of 2-0, 3-1 games in there but they get washed out in all the higher scoring games. What I reported is the average over 10,000 games.
vr, Xei

Dodger batters are hitless in their last five All-Star ABs. The last Dodger base hit was a single by Paul LoDuca off Mark Mulder in the 6th inning of the 2003 game at Comiskey Park.

There are of course no Dodger pitchers there this year, but the club's pitchers have retired the last 8 batters they have faced (after Vlad's HR off Penny in 2006).

Interesting piece on the Bleacher Report on the NL's "Should Be An" All-Star Team

http://tinyurl.com/6jl4u2

Several un-represented Dodgers get a nod (including our injured Sammy) and Bills gets recognition, too. No Russell Martin, however. (Ryan Doumit, NL starting catcher, according to him.)

248 Gotcha. Thanks. Pretty cool tool. I guess we better win the Kuroda game.

More from that article linked above specifically about Chad:

"The aforementioned starters—each one proposes a legitimate case to making the All-Star team. If I were to pick two, they would have been Aaron Cook and Chad Billingsley.

For Cook, he is a workhorse who goes unnoticed because half of his starts are at Coors Field—although there is an argument to be made that Coors Field actually helps Cook.

Had Billingsley not started the season by getting thumped in three of his first four starts, we are talking about a legitimate Cy Young candidate. Additionally, despite having a rather high walk rate, Billingsley throws a fair amount of strikes. I haven't checked out his Pitch F/X data to see what kind of swing-and-miss statistics he has, but clearly he is doing something right."

250 I'm glad that guy's not picking the All Star Team.

I always know I under priced something on Craigslist when I get about 30 emails wanting it right away. Alas, I am too lazy to delete it to change the price.

254 Ned had the same problem with Dioner Navarro.

212 - if you have to ask, you're probably too old.

As for trade speculation, I am holding fast to my opinion that the Dodgers are going to stand pat. Unless they get an incredible deal. The only guy I would put at even being a coin toss (45%+) would be Lowe.

Had Billingsley not started the season by getting thumped in three of his first four starts, we are talking about a legitimate Cy Young candidate.

I'm guessing even the best pitchers in the game get thumped three times in a season.

257

Must be taking a page from Dodgers management by letting first impressions determine all.

It's now about that time where we all put our ears up to the door of Dr. ElAttrache's office.

233

http://firstinning.com/

Owings- 4.26 FIP
Davis- 4.05 FIP
Johnson- 4.05 FIP

Stults- 4.44 FIP
Park- 4.19 FIP
Kuroda- 3.99 FIP

227 Broxton is a 0% because he is our current closer and will excel in that role at a bargain price next year.

Fox and ESPN spend so much time trying to create magical sports moments. All-Star pre-game is such contrived garbage.

RIP Matt McHale - Dodger beat writer back in the day when the Daily News newsprint smudged my fingers.
http://www.dailynews.com/ci_9879800
and
http://www.dailynews.com/ci_9882596

The All-Star Game itself is contrived garbage. Well, maybe not garbage, but definitely contrived.

262 If you didn't enjoy what Josh Hamilton did last night, you don't like baseball.

265 Did I say Home Run derby?.....who doesn't love the home run derby!?

Hu experiences All-Star break vision cure. Love it.
What does it mean?
The accompanying video provides a perfect backround for the announcement.

Are the tradewinds gaining force?

Watching people hit near-superballs over a fence just doesn't sound like much fun.

Of course this is all contrived. I'm glad to see every moment of it nonetheless. Moments like these don't just happen.

I remember when it was in Boston and Ted Williams was there and Tony Gwynn had to help him walk. Damn near made me weep.

man, Tommy Lasorda is such a stud anywhere he goes...

it's funny how the ESPN announcer says somebody's name & THEN HE SAYS AN NY Yankee's name...

sigh.

Somebody over at Bronx Banter said something about Lincecum, is he hurt or something?

I was looking forward to watching him pitch.

272 He's out with dehydration and "flu like symptoms" which sounds pretty similar to what my freind went to the morning after the handle challenge.

He also pitched on Sunday so there's no way he would have taken the mound tonight.

Does anyone know why Koufax did not attend this event?

Why is Sheryl Crow considered talented?

273 I'll bite. What's a handle challenge?

265 , 266 It's batting practice. Key word, practice. We talkin' about practice.

275 Does Koufax ever attend an event?

277 Two men, one handle of the booze of your choice. Continue until handle is empty or both participants are unconcious.

Koufax does attend the HOF induction sometimes, partucularly when an ex-Dodger is inducted. But it should never surprise anyone to see him absent from any event.

What is a handle of booze? How much is that?

Why is Sheryl Crow considered talented?

See also: most "celebrities"

282 1.75 liters, the standard for the big bottles.

280 Sounds fun. Next year I will try that in conjunction with the Home Run Derby. It will also be just practice for me.

281 Does he live in New York or elsewhere?

Perhaps a handle of booze is like a lid of the Yoda. Just enough booze to fill a hollow jug handle.

I made the mistake last night of trying "drink everytime Chris Berman says back".

I was late to work this morning.

I never heard it referred to like that. That's a lot of alcohol. Obviously, a young man's game.

283

It's silly of me to bring it up. People like what they like. But I've never found any of her work even remotely memorable or interesting. I also don't think she's physically attractive, which I hear others say a lot. I've been waiting for that star to fade since the 90s.

Didn't Koufax attend the All Star Game in Boston when Ted Williams was honored?

286 He's always had multiple residences. He's lived in Vero Beach, Maine, Idaho. Seems like whenever someone finds out where he lives, he moves on to the next place.

287

My cue there is.

289 It's a really dumb idea even if you are young.

I know girls that like her very much so...

I think she has a couple of good songs, she's pretty attractive as well. Different strokes for different folks.

Everything that was said about Sheryl Crow, I want to repeat, but directed at Joe Buck.

The National League will win this game tonight. I haven't run it through a simulator, check the odds, or even looked at the lineups much. I just know it will happen. You have my guarantee.

275

I hope it wasn't because of "flu like symptoms"

296 I dont think nepotism has anything to do with Cheryl Crow being famous, whereas with Joe Buck...

296

I'll support that as well. He's a doofus.

296 You think he's attractive?

297 On a position by position basis the NL is superior, but the NL has found new and creative ways to lose all star games.

Count me in...I truly can't abide Joe Buck.

295 was for Icaros by the way.

290
Among the many female celebrities we're supposed to think are attractive, there are very few I actually think are attractive.

302 According to Yahoo Sports it's all about Ichiro's pep talks.

301 I believe it was said, she's not attractive?

304

I got it.

Joe Buck is the Juan Pierre of the broadcast booth.

307

Bluebleeder said she was, so that counted under "everything that was said about Sheryl Crow."

Clint Hurdle has a good lineup. The best three hitters on the team are batting 3-4-5. Perhaps Joe should think about giving something like that a try.

Im at work right now - has the game even started? It seems like it was only yesterday when Penny started and mowed down Ichiro, A-Rod and Ortiz.

just for the heck of it my "pick to click" tonight is EVERYBODY!!!

Thank you. thank you, I'll be hear all night...

307 Check 295

312 - Game just started.

305

That's because there aren't enough Filipina female celebrities.

I seriously wanted the AL to get see Lincecum pitch tonight, oh well.

310 Ok, absolutes never work anyway.

Lincecum pitched Sunday so I doubt he would have pitched at all tonight even if he weren't sick.

But you could see Brian Wilson!

316

Filipina and female being redundant, of course.

319 Come on, he doesn't even ice his arm or take many warm up pitches. He could have started and closed tonight.

Cliff Lee is not impressed with the stars of the National League

Thanks for the info Bob. I'm sure he'll start if not next year in the near future.

I'd like them to play the RBI Baseball music for an inning.

316
Who are the famousest Filipinas...?

Joe Buck doesn't bother me when he does play by play.... when he tries to jump into color commentary/analyst/know-it-all... then i get nausea.

325
I would say that Corazon Aquino is the leader in the clubhouse with Imelda Marcos running a close second.

More people probably know Imelda Marcos though, but Corazon Aquino actually did stuff that was good for her country.

Such as not being Imelda Marcos.

325

Hard to say...maybe the girl who was on the last American Idol?

I've already staked my claim to Charmane Star (NSFW).

Imelda baby Imelda baby what to do
All the poor people saying that they gotta quit paying for you

Charmane Star (NSFW)

Also NSFHome when you're not home alone.

327 Yeah, I'd say Imelda would be a shoe-in for that list.

327
Anti-shooite!

331
Darn!

I didn't even think Jack Buck was a very good announcer, but I'm sure to get less support on that one.

330

What, you're not allowed? Lame.

What, you're not allowed?

It's our version of Rule 1.

334
I believe what I just heard! I believe what I just heard!

Someday 2002 will be the answer to a trivia question:

What was the only year of Alert Pujols' HOF career in which he was not an All-Star?

336

Oh, so she's not allowed, either, huh?

334

I just didn't want to be the first to say it.

Anybody out there watch the pregame ceremonies. I am saddened and frankly a bit perturbed when I see so many other teams represented out there and the only Dodger we see is Don Sutton? Where is the Duke and Koufax. I know these are the only Dodger HoF'ers alive but come on. Is anyone going to tell me that Maury Wills shouldn't be out there as a HoFer. Billy Williams did more for the game than Wills or Hodges or Garvey. Are you tellin me that Ferguson Jenkins or Orlando Cepeda meant more to this game then Fernando or Don Newcomb? Come on folks. This is ridiculous. Thanks for the opportunity to vent.

339
She has no interest.

337 340

Thank you, my brethren.

Lasorda was also out there. You also have to take into account who they were able to secure and schedule and which 'names' would draw more attention.

342

See, that just makes it sound like a D4P rule. I'm against male oppression. It's out there more than we're allowed to realize.

Charmane Starr just made me forget about Joe Buck.

346

Give it time...everything eventually melts away.

Chicks who I think are attractive because they are talented:

1) Gwen Stefani (all time for me, I wish she dumped Gavin & marry me)

2)Sheryl Crow

that's all I have for now.

Icaros:Sheryl Crow::Marty:Gwen Stefani

345
You could start a new variant on Lindsay Bluth Fünke's "HOOP" campaign...

349

seriously Marty? well I think she's way hot & way cool.

man you guys are tough...

Let's get Martin into the game already - what's the hold up?

Anyone ready to pick a MVP?

See, and I've always had a bit of a thing for Gwen Stefani...so who can explain it?

352

If it were up to me, he wouldn't get off the bench.

355
Yeah, but you know that he wants to play every inning right?

I dreamt we had to play him at SS.

357
I dreamt this morning before I got up that in 1971 Japanese immigrants were ruining Granada Hills by driving poorly.

They have Yogi Berra in the booth and they are asking him about museums and asking him if he's "ever not had any fun?"

Good grief.

Japanese immigrants were ruining Granada Hills by driving poorly

"God knows they're squinters"

358
I had a dream that I stole a police car and kicked out the windshield, but only used my new wheels to go to 7-11. I woke up before I found out what kind of Slurpee™ I got.

..in my Playtex...

359
He should have said, "yes, right now."

361
You got a Blue Slurpee.

363
Or "You mean, other than right now?"

364
You should made me drop my s'more. The hilarity was worth it and the milk through my nose.

366
The thing to remember is: it wasn't a dream.

He could have gotten really mean and said something like, "Those five minutes I was forced to talk to your wife at that houseparty."

Joe Buck calling this game is making me beg for those Dane Cook AWWWWWK-tober commercials.

Cook has a better delivery than Buck.

I mean, can't I get Gary Thorne and Dave Campbell somewhere?

I dreamnt that they traded Kent trained Kemp to play at second base in his place.

Rick Gonzalez will be the featured actor in the TBS postseason commercials this year.

I dreamt that Kim Ng and Logan White were running the Dodgers as baseball's hottest power couple.

371

Will he also be reminding us exactly how many AWK-tobers are on our calendars?

371
I prefer "The other, other guy from Reaper."

Anyone with Halladay or Kazmir on their fantasy teams, Mariano Rivera says "you're welcome."

375

Dioner was learning the cutter for his throws to second.

368
That throw by Ichiro was a "laser."

369 - Shulman and Campbell are on ESPN Radio.

He was safe.

Pujols was actually safe, but when the ball beats the man...

368
One of the greatest announcer/insult/wife moments was during an NBA game a few years back. Former Nugget Scott Hastings was interviewing Danny Ainge, and Ainge was giving him a hard time for the makeup he was wearing while on TV.

Hastings said something like, "I got it from your wife."

Speaking of cutters, Ichiro's ball to second had a wicked tail to it.

pujols' leg might've been in, but then he went off the bag.

besides, if pujols had run all the way to second, he would've been in there easily.

377 379

He was safe but MAN was that cool...

Other people know Rick Gonzalez as "Spanish" from the movie "Old School."

But I'm not a big Will Ferrell fan.

Zambrano's fastballs look like cartoons!!

The Golden Nuggett sports book is taking bets for USC as a 3 1/2 point favorite over Ohio State.

Bet early and often.

385

I also think he was the small forward in "Coach Carter." Maybe he played the two, actually. A swing player.

MB made a couple of good throws while he was wearing his boy hood team colors. The salami against the Braves was by far my favorite memory of him...

milton bradley, on the other hand, knows how to hustle. (take that, jeff kent!)

i'm still a fan of MB. he's got problems, and he's too sensitive to minor or even simply perceived slights, sure, but he's also misunderstood.

Milton's intentions are good...

Oh lord, please, don't let him be misunderstood ...

Well, the NL has got a few incredible calls, but at this point we can use them. Go NL, dispell the unegual leagues BS.

Manny out, Sizemore in.

the dude from "Juno" looks like a young Jon...

[http://tinyurl.com/3sokvu]

Now the best Santana in the game--hope we get him.

393 are you saying that the talent level of the two leagues are NOT unequal, or that they are, but it sucks and it shouldn't be like that?

387
Woo hoo! That will pay for Dodger playoff tickets.

woot woot.

NL YES!

that's more like it.

Holliday solo shot 1-0 N.L off Ervin Santana. Opposite field rocket.

397 that should be is, not are. tsk, tsk.

A-Rod out, Crede in. Mid-inning.

Surprised Fukudome has played five innings. He doesn't even deserve to be on the team.

403
In the 2015 ASG, or whenever its at Dodger Stadium again, we can do the same for Martin, Kemp, et al, so they get the home applause.

I was thinking Ichiro's OB% wasn't gonna be all that good but it's actually good no? check it out:

best ob% year was 2004 with a .414 ob%
fallowed by this:

.350 ('05)
.370 ('06)
.396 ('07)
.366 ('08 so far)

the guy is a great athlete man.

341 - I was thinking the same thing when I was hearing the introductions on the radio. I know Maury and Fernando aren't in the HOF but Maury should be except for the short sighted narrow minded writers that have kept him out. No Duke who played so many games in the WS in Yankee stadium as a Dodger should have been there. Maybe he couldn't be there due to his own committments, I don't know. Koufax again he's so private and doesn't always go for these ceremonial things but it's a shame not to have more Dodger representation.

Still no word on Saito?! My fantasy team and our 2nd half season as fans awaits!!

The bearded mountain man in the Heineken commercial kind of creeps me out with his laughter.

Marcus Camby traded to the Clippers for a future second rounder.

Golden God Alert!

martin in the game!

Martin will be catching Dan Haren.

So if the NL wins i'm expecting to go at least 10+ years with out a loss.

411 At catcher, not SS. =(

406 His OBP in Japan was phenomenal. Over .400 almost every year.

I like it that Martin is catching now...

a little lower...

awww, the throw was high. kinsler had it beat anyway though.

Great jump by Kinsler.

I thought if Martin's throw was lower he would have nailed the runner. what do you think Vishal?

hey, Vishal so your gonna hang out with us right!? (picnic)

was a-rod pulled for a reason or was he just pulled mid inning to get an ovation?

Haren keeps shaking off Russ.

421 - Ovation. The same thing will happen next inning with Jeter.

Derek Jeter's life time obp is a very respectable .386 & his life time OPS+ 121

Hall of Famer? personally I think so. They just plays baseball the right way...

I think the stadium will collapse when Mariano Rivera comes in.

424
They just plays baseball the right way...

Did you learn that phrase from "How to learn to speak with American sports broadcasters cliches?"

Lemme tell you, if Francona micro-manages regular Red Sox games the way he does this All Star game, I'd be very annoyed if I was a Sox fan.

420 august 16th in LA? probably not, man. i'm in SF.

i don't think he could've gotten kinsler. that steal was on haren, not martin.

I wonder how many DT'ers have gone to Yankee Stadium, I know BH has been there, obviously Molly Knight has, I'm thinking Jon's been there too.

429
Raises hand.

look at us with a 2 run lead...

429

I was there just last week! It was a great experience. In fact the game I was at was the last home game played before the break.

I'll raise my hand one of these days as well but new NY Stadium will have to do.

Somebody check the NL bullpen for signs of Trevor Hoffman.

Not there.

Whew! That's good.

I can sense Game 1 of the World Series coming to me live from the Friendly Confines.

The good news is, New Yankee Stadium will look a lot like the old one. The field dimensions are almost identical.

429
I saw the outside of Yankee Stadium from a boat while taking a 3-hour tour (a 3-hour tour!) around Manhattan.

429 - I was there in 2000 - same trip I went to Fenway and to Cooperstown the summer prior to my 40th birthday. I not only saw games there but also got to go on tours of both stadiums. My wife paid to have my name on the Yankee message board-a birthday message so a Dodger fan could have his name on the Yankee message board. What a woman!! Yankees beat the A's 12-6 that day.

434
The Trop will be rockin' for games 3-5!

429 I was there a couple times. Great place to watch a game.

From a USA Today story about Billy Packer by Michael Hiestand:
"Packer is pretty difficult to categorize. He's never learned to type or use the Internet. He's never had a cellphone. He famously thinks TV ratings are bogus. He hired a psychic to find the murder weapon in the O.J. Simpson case and used to play golf backward, hitting from green to tee. He once stacked his collected Picasso ceramics in Plexiglas under a plywood board — and used it as a work desk."

Diane Pucin in the LA Times says she knows Packer's cell phone number. And also Packer has sent out e-mail apologies to people. Perhaps he staffs that out.

But why in the world would anyone play golf from green to tee? What golf course would let you tee off on a green?

Hate to say it but one of the best baseball experiences of my life was in the right field bleachers in Yankee Stadium.

429 Saw a Yanks/Mariners game in 2005.

well I'll live vicariously thru my friend, he's heading out there in August.

I told him to take many many pics.

429 ... I'm a regular reader, but an infrequent poster.

Yankee stadium is unfortunately, my home stadium.
I live next to the 4 train, my brother in law has season tickets, and my wife works for MLB here in New York. So I'm there about 20 times a year.

It's got a great atmosphere during playoff games, etc.

But what I would give to be as close as to
Chavez Ravine.

409 Woohoo! Now we just gotta cross our fingers about Camby and Davis staying healthy.

Hopefully when the new stadium is opened that won't affect the run down bar/bowling alley across the street in right field. Great place to grab a beer and check out the local nuts.

438 :) i may have to root against the cubs if that happens.

434

No Hoffman but the Nl bullpen does have Billy Wagner, and Brian Wilson. The AL has a much better pen so nothing automatic here with the lead.

Gonzalez in, Berkman out. Uggla (you know his name means owl?) in, Utley out. Tejada in, Hanley out.

434 what is it with overrated people named brian wilson?

[ducks]

446 Stan's - it's a hell hole, but yeah it's kind of fun...almost like going to a zoo.

whoa two posts in 1 hour - i'm gonna have to slow down here

446

That really is a bowling alley isn't it? I walked by there after the game and I wasn't sure. Who has a bowling alley by a historic ballpark? That is very cool.

---

NL with a two run lead? Just gotta.... HANG ON!!!

I like what Hurdle is doing (or not doing) so far.

So who will Hurdle use the last three innings? And would Wagner be tabbed to pitch the ninth? It won't be Wilson, but Lidge is pitching better this year.

450 er, that should be re: 448

448 Marmol too, I think.

455
Marmol has been pretty bad recently.

Bad throw, but he had NO shot.

409
That comment kind of flew under the radar for me. Good for the Clippers; I have always liked Camby.

452 Even cooler when you find out the bowling alley has restroom attendants, or whatever you call those people that stand in there with towels.

Volquez is in the bullpen.

456 I know, that's why I was adding him to the list of Hoffman and Wilson.

For me, the only good reason to root for the NL in this game is to make the trumped up Papelbon-Rivera debate moot.

Quentin in, Hamilton out. Joe Nathan pitching.

the only good reason to root for the NL in this game is to make the trumped up Papelbon-Rivera debate moot

Don't you want the Dodgers to have the homefield advantage in the World Series...?!?!?!?

462 how about because you like the national league, or because they haven't won it in so long?

462 It's more a "continue the Yankee Stadium AL losing streak" thing for me.

Cook, Dempster, Lidge, Marmol, Volquez, Wagner and Wilson available for the N.L.

465
I am not a "league" guy. I didn't even like the League of Nations. Or the Justice League.

453

I'd go with Wagner for the 8th & close up shop with Lidge in the 9th. I really hope the NL wins finally...

Karros finally sees an All-Star Game!

468
Let me guess: you bowl alone...

468
Or the Justice League

That hurts, Bob.

468 how about the league of extraordinary gentlemen? or 20,000 leagues under the sea?

470 comment of the night

Finally a reason to really pay attention.

give it a ride GG!!

shut up, Joe Buck.

468 How about the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?

More audible cursing from Russ.

473 Another fast typer.

which stadiums do they sing GBA at?

460

earthlings!!!

All Active plays-the-game-the-right-way team (open for debate)

Pierre
Figgins
Jeter
Hunter
Kent
Mientkiewicz
Freel
Ausmus
Maddox

Camby to the Clippers for a 2nd round pick? Absolute steal!

480
Stadiums about to die.

480
Pretty much every stadium, although the New York teams do it every game.

Blue Jays fans have issues about singing it.

478

Russ's mom is NOT amused.

480 i think every game in new york. Other stadiums, like AZ, I think only on sunday games.

482 glaring omission: eckstein

482
Eckstein

482

No Eckstein? But he's a gamer!! And no LoDuca? He's our heart and soul!!!

Joe Buck and Tim McCarver make me appreciate Charley Steiner and Rick Monday

485 i wish they'd pick another patriotic ditty if they were so inclined to add one. i'd say GBA is my least favorite. i'm more of a "america the beautiful" or "my country 'tis of thee" kinda person.

I thought Eckstein at first too, but nobody replaces Jeter, ever, for anything.

did they just call volquez a "cincinnati redskin"?

Navarro PHing for Varitek.

So are just assuming that Lincecum got drunk?

They let Tampa Bay players in the game?

482
O. Vizquel
I. Rodriguez

I've seen Volquez many time this year, and he just doesn't look as good as his stats. I think Texas got a steal in that deal and Volquez will fade in the second half. I've been wrong before though.

Jeter plays way more righter than Eck, I stake Jim Tracy's reputation on it. I guess Eck could out-right Kent though.

I don't know about Lincecum, but Haren looked drunk. He always looks drunk to me.

496 haha, "flu-like symptoms" and "dehydration"? affirmative, i'd say.

I used to have a MLB video game where Buck was the announcer and hated it for how boring and lifeless the commentary was.

Let me take this time to apologize to that videogame.

Freaking wicked 2 seamer on the inside corner from Volquez.

If Drew lives up to the perception people have of him, he will walk in this PA.

So are just assuming that Lincecum got drunk?

I'm picturing Donna Martin on prom night.

Martin and Navarro in the same frame.

500 well, i think schilling's gotta be your starter. maddux is too much of an "intellectual". can't trust those guys.

Rats!

& it had to be Drew.

Holliday loses another MVP award.

505

So much for living up to expectations, eh?

499 See what I mean? His second half fade just started.

I was going to go with, "Drew opted that ball out of the ballpark."

Drew opts out to right for the home run.

And now the NL gets to go to war with the likes of Ryan Ludwick, Nate McLouth, and Corey Hart.

and Martin tells his ex-backup to have a seat.

509 what can ya say, the man's just a gamer ;-)

Extra innings would also prevent there from being a decisive winner in the phony Papelbon-Rivera debate.

And now the NL gets to go to war with the likes of Ryan Ludwick, Nate McLouth, and Corey Hart.

and THIS is why I hate subbing people out in the middle of the game! "Play to win" my butt!

518 and we all know you're a fan of free baseball.

whoa, where did 519 go?

that said, I think Hurdle is doing a much better job of playing the best players than Francona so far.

521
I'm really just a fan on meaningless catch phrases.

My life is generally pretty empty.

there was no doubt about it either, line shot.

imagine Dioner in Dodger blue behind the dish and Martin at 3B or SS.

oooh, Dioner and Drew back to back in the All-Star lineup. That's gotta rub Colletti the wrong way.

522 I probably type so slow that I haven't finished it yet.

526
What leads you to believe that Martin could be an effective everyday player at 3B or SS?

I wish all of the starters, besides pitchers, should all go 7 innings or so.

OPS this season:

Ludwick : .962
McLouth : .899
Hart: .831

Not exactly bums either.

Schilling is not really active by my arbitrary standards (he should pitch thru the pain!)... neither is Smoltz, who is my first choice. I like Maddux too much for the team but I couldn't think of another pitcher who really plays the game the right way. Moyer? It's hard to pick a flaky lefty

529 Sometimes the starters aren't the best players. We see this with the Dodgers, but also with All-Star teams.

Yankee fans are all over Paps.

Lets see if the baseball gods redeem the Padres. Navarro puts the N.L within 90 feet of the lead.

haha! take that, paps.

assist to navarro.

oh yes!

Perfectly executed...

I really don't like Papelbum.

535 though, to be fair, i have paps on my fantasy team and don't dislike the guy.

534 - Yes they do. Unearned run and the N.L takes the lead.

Uh oh. Brian Wilson is up.

It's so unbelievably easy to hate Yankees fans.

When you make me root for Papelbon, you've really accomplished something.

532 one of the fews ways in which the dodger lineup resembles an all-star team :)

531 ooh ooh, how about mark buehrle? white, doesn't strike out a lot of dudes, is statistically underwhelming, but seems to get results and is well-regarded.

Brian Wilson's Wiki page makes him look pedestrian but I guess he's put it all together this year.

re: 528 I just asked you to imagine it, Bob! It's fun, try it! If you can picture Berroa going deep in the hole and gunning someone out, you can picture Martin and his 4-foot range out there.

another reason not to like wilson: that hideous soul patch.

So who is closing this out? Wagner?

Martin dues up 5th in the 9th.

546 - Wagner will pitch to Sizemore and Lidge will pitch the 9th.

546 Lidge.

Funny moment with Bradley, Drew, and Navarro on the bench in the same shot.

I hope Lidge closes it out, when he's right he is fun to watch.

I want the NL to win; Rivera will have a nice moment whether its a save situation or not.

Evan Longoria: .275/.348/.861, 16 HRs, 53 RBIs, 6 SB
Matt Kemp: .284/.337/.814, 9 HRs, 51 RBIs, 22 SBs

Not too bad.

Putting in Wagner is asking for trouble...

it would be cool if Russell hits the dinger to break the tie.

-- bear in mind I wrote that BEFORE the Longoria double. Hurdle, you made your first mistake of the night. This is ridiculous!

Oh Mets fans I feel your pain.

Yes! A 1u!!!!

Chucking poo up there?

You are Billy Wagner, man. Throw a hundred miles an hour!

blah. good for evan longoria, but blah.

553 send those stats to the LA sports media

555 Won't McCann come in or is he the 'in case of emergency break glass' catcher?

556
Are we really so analytical that we're questioning strategy decisions in an exhibition game?

OK, don't answer that. :)

Not to be snark, but how did Wagner even gain enough worth to be in the all star game? Is this the Mets' lone rep?

559
Wagner's trying to lose weight, laying off the cheese.

553 Didn't Longoria wallow in AAA for about a month? His numbers would be more robust if he were in the majors the whole season like MK.

McCarver shut up. Just fair??? only by 10-12 ft.

i hate k-rod and his squat.

568.
Agree.

I hope he blows the lead.

562 - McCann will probably bat in Martin's place. If somehow McCann were to get hurt you CAN sub in a catcher that has already been taken out in the All-Star game.

564 Wagner was the Mets' lone rep before David Wright made the team as an injury replacement. Wright, Reyes, Beltran, or Santana would have been much better choices.

New motto for Iraq: change your tv, change your life!

563

My feeling is, if they really want the All Star game to count, I would prefer they manage the game like an actual playoff game.

You can't have it both ways, is all.

Part two: why don't we just give WS home field to the team with the best reg season record? Too obvious?

I hope he gets lit up like a pinball machine that pays out in silver dollars.

if this were Family Guy, Rivera would give up back-to-back doubles, a homerun, hit a guy, then run off the field crying.

564
Maybe it was Wagner's 2.31 ERA, or his opponents' line of .193/.239/.310. Or maybe its because he's one of the greatest relivers of all time. He's had an ERA above 2.85 once in 13 seasons, and that was an injury-shortened year.

571 how is johan santana not an all-star??!

Thank God they took him out, glad I didn't have to see him do cartwheels and jumping jacks on the mound.

Way to cut away Fox. We could have seen most of Rivera's entrance and subsequent standing ovation.

How about a steal here by Guzman. Who plays 3rd in the 9th Tejadah or Guzman or Russell?

Selig's experiment isn't working I really hope they make it like it was. 573 I'd give it to the team with the worst reg season record but that made it to the playoffs.

everybody likes the underdog is my reasoning.

what a bad call by the ump the runner was safe...

didn't guzman look safe?

I'm still processing the fact that Guzman is actually an All-Star.

He was out.

Pipe down Marge, the mob has spoken.

Marianorail...Marianorail....Marianorail!

Navarro was the goat until he threw out that guy.

Ryan Dempster is in because it's not a save situation.

Have no fear...It's Ryan Dempster!

Ump is enjoying his All- Star TV moment with the dramatic "Yer OUt!".
Wasn't Vin just lamenting such outbursts?

Back to back old friends.

Guzman playing out of position at third. And an all Canadian battery.

It's probably MVP claimin' time.

What's with the glove movement by Dempster?

594

It's irritating.

Drew plan - Low and away - repeat until strikes out looking.

593
...for Russell Martin, due up 2nd for the NL in the 10th!

596 Great call!

596 Nice call.

It certainly brings back the occasional memory.

Still, you suck, Colletti.

This plate umpire is pretty good. Who is he?

Was Rich Harden an All-Star before he was traded?

601.

What about CC?

Martin in the on deck circle. Is something wrong with McCann?

601/602 - Neither was an All-Star this season.

603 - McCann got hit on the hand in San Diego on Sunday. So, he may not play.

I'd love to see Selig declare a tie again.

604.
Thanks.

604 Hard to believe Harden wasn't one of the best starters in the AL.

Russell Martin gets to face Mariano Rivera in Yankee Stadium. That's awesome.

Battle by the Golden God.

609 and a base hit

Hooray!

Nice at bat Russ.

You da man, Russ!

Wooo!!
Golden God!!!

gawd I love Russell!

Nice AB, Russ!!!

sweet

What a tremendous moment. I don't care who wins anymore.

Russell Martin - forcing compliments from the "announcers".

I remember Tejada winning the MVP.

yessss!!!!!!! GOLDEN GOD!!!

BOOM
BOOM...

TEJADA!

/Oakland

That was a great at bat by Russ. Even Joe Buck agreed! Sweet, sweet at bat.

Now let's score the go ahead run, Golden God.

Russ takes MVP when he steals home.

OH MAN!

DP

I guess we don't squeeze in the all star game.

Stupid Uggla, now Martin's going to have to catch like 10 innings during what was supposed to be a nice few days of near-rest

That's OK. Russell will get em in the 12th.

Ugh. Ugh-la. And what was Tejada doing there -- gonna head back to first Miguel?

Actually, they should probably bring McCann in soon, to give him his shot.

Not Uggla's inning.

Ugh-gla on tilt

This inning is getting Uggla for the NL.

Uggla must translate to goat somewhere.

Was that owl or goat?

Ugly

You ain't got no alibi.

Uggla wrapped up the MVP.

i hate the AL

Right under the glove of Uggla.

Ah, I didn't see 605 til now. Hmm. Hope this one doesn't go too much longer. Would hate to see Russ have to catch all those innings in this fairly meaningless game. But another at bat would be nice.

Uglier

Uggla is not the MVP. Kent could have made those plays.

Goat!

Step into my office, Dan.

Because you are fired.

Uggla. Uggla. Uggla. A.L 11 straight next on Fox.

Wow. Just a total meltdown.

Hurdle's coming out to get Uggla.

Southwest should get Dan Uggla to be their new spokesman.

"Wanna Get Away?"

They should have moved Guzman to 2nd and Russ to 3rd.

Well that was fun...

If this was feudal Japan, Uggla would do the right thing.

Wouldn't it be wise to bring in someone like Lidge here and hope for the strikeout?

Well that was fun...

NPUT

651 I literally lol'd at that.

I had a coach in high school pull our CF mid-inning for letting a grounder get past him.

Trade Uggla for a bag of sanitary socks! to LA

Poor Joe Schlabotnick. I mean, Uggla. I feel sorry for him. Er, I would feel sorrier if his stupid team hadn't just taken 3 outta 4 in LA.

walk off grand slam?

They should at least go to Marmol. They need strikeouts.

EEK. Martin almost through that away.

whew.. russ slipped on that throw. could have been bad.

You are a mess, Dan Uggla.

Hurry up!

Aaron Cook is a sinker baller and he's been great in this inning.

gotta give props to cook here

That was remarkable. Major props for Cook for getting out of that uggla mess.

WOW!!!!!! WHAT A PLAY! MORE FREE BASEBALL!

What an escape.

And Carlos Quentin with a pathetic attempt to take out Martin almost hurt himself instead.

Everybody head upstairs for the new inning!

Tony jackson just got the story on Saito. Strained ligament he is out for 6 weeks and then will be revaluated. Saito going on the DL Friday and the Dodgers will make a move.

woulda been really funny if the game was won on a cristian guzman homer.

crappy news on Saito. The Brox closer period officially begins.

Holy crap!

Can't say our boy hasn't been in the center of action over the last few innings, hoo boy!

Strained ligament is actually a bit better than I feared. I was worried about torn tendon or TJ surgery... so, could be worse.

That was a great grab and tag by Russell, even if it was possible Navarro slid under first. You have to call 'em out on that one though.

674 It seems that the "move" T-Jax refers to an internal move the Dodgers will make (to replace Saito on the roster) and not necessarily a trade.

NPUT reminder.

he's a magician, says the announcer.

does Selig not enjoy baseball? seriously.