It would be exciting if they brought Lambo up when they expand to the 40 man roster.

From the interview: "I grew up in a place called Southern California..."

I love it.

I assume when he becomes a Dodger, he'll be referred to as Rambo. It seems like a great, natural nickname.

Lambo sounds like an incredibly smart hitter.

3 ,1
I like the nickname, but I don't think there's reason for him to draw first blood on the 40-man for a couple of years. No need to waste his option years when they don't have to.

It will be fun to see how the San Fernando trio of Moustakas, Dominguez, and Lambo fare as they progress up the minor league steps. We stole Lambo, clean and simple.

Hopefully Lambo can become the best Newbury Park Panther in MLB history. He really only has Robert Fick to beat (sorry, David Lamb).

He also dispels the myth that the only difference between LF and RF is having an arm.

They are very different.

Sample size is irrelevant here, and you seem to think that if Kuo could go back to starting he could throw his fast ball just as HARD as he does as a reliever and just as OFTEN. Neither of those things is true

I think you're arguing that Kuo is only effective in relief because he throws his fastball a bit faster than he does starting. I think that thinking is really under-estimating his other pitches.

A reliever cant get by on just 1 pitch, especially if its fastball & only 93 mph. Maybe if the guy is throwin 98-100, sure. But Kuo isnt that type of pitcher.

Kuo must have other skills to have the success he's had. Those other skills would work in starting or relieving IMO.

Lambo describes "patient hitting" better than I've seen Torre quoted on it:

That's all a hitter can really look for, is to get your pitch to hit. If you sit there chasing a pitcher's pitch, you're going to have a hard time.... When you're in a pitcher's count ... you might strike out on a tough pitch ... [but] Getting fooled, for the most part, is looking stupid on a hitter's count like 2-0 or 3-1 when they throw you something that's not your pitch – and you chase it.

That's the goal; it's a effect that one ends up making the pitcher throw more, one earns more walks, etc.

Lambo also said he needed to work on the little things. Please, Andrew, please get good at those because nothing is more important than the little things.

2 Home of the Cobra Kai.

(I couldn't resist)

2 - Only Navin Johnson's opening line in "The Jerk" tops it.

12 I cannot tell you how many valley kids were hopping like praying mantis' during that time. It was a lot.

171 - From the last thread -

You also need to teach Juan Pierre to throw right-handed. After that, though, the sky's the limit ...

10 Good lord, this guy gets it. And he is 19 years old.

14 And hanging out at the Castle Miniature Golf, playing video games, etc.

13 That's how my life story would begin.

This morning, a co-worker of mine, upon being told that the Russians had invaded Georgia, said: "Oh yeah. I know a lot of people who've moved to Atlanta."

For some reason, Lambo's quote reminded me of that.

12 "Not that boy from Reseda."

19 There have been times when I have told people when traveling that I am from Los Angeles and they look at me as if I came from outer space.

21
It was probably the silver one-piece jumpsuit.

21 That reminds me of the viral audio of the guy trying to get his phone bill fixed... the person at the phone company asks where he's from. He says he's from New Mexico. She says that's not possible, their company only handles domestic customers. New Mexico is a state, he says. No, it isn't -- you can't fool me, she says.

The conversation ends quickly after that.

This is also a case where making seriously bad decisions helped somebody in the long run.

Life is weird.

The 35BB to 99K that he has put up this year is a little bit a red flag (458 PA). Of course, he is still very young. But I would like to see those numbers start moving towards each other a little more.

8 He also dispels the myth that the only difference between LF and RF is having an arm.

They are very different.

I don't see it. He says that a LH hitter hits the ball differently to LF than to RF, and same for a RH hitter. Well, sure that's true. But to make the case that it requires different skills (other than arm strength) to play RF than LF, you'd have to argue that LH hitters hit to LF differently than RH hitters hit to RF. Balls hit to the opposite field slice. Balls that are pulled hook.

The only difference that I can imagine would be cause by the handedness of the pitcher (and I don't know if that's true). Maybe the ball comes off a LH hitter's bat differently if thrown by a LHP than RHP (and same for a RH hitter).

Now, if most hitters are RH, then most plays by LFers are on pulled balls, and most plays by RFers are slicing. So the two positions would be different in terms of frequency of certain types of plays. And I suppose an OFer, just like an IFer, could be better at moving to his left versus his right (or v-v).

But otherwise, playing LF should just be the mirror opposite of playing RF. OFers should think about pulled balls vs. opposite-field balls.

Or am I missing something?

25 Is there a way to find out if those K's are swinging or looking?

9 -- This can serve as a reply to ToyCannon in the last thread too. I am not saying that Kuo couldn't start and be at least okay in that role, or that he only has one pitch. Kuo is not just an okay reliever; he is god-like in that role, so there is no point in taking him out of the role in which he is amazing to slot him into one where there are good reasons to believe he would not be nearly as effective. And while Kuo has a slider, curve, and change-up, he has said himself (I recently heard, and I don't remember where) that he does not have much much control or command with them. A pitcher who himself admits that about his non-fastball offerings really isn't not suited to starting. And as for possible improvement, we're not talking about a 20-year-old kid like Kershaw. Kuo is past 25, so there is not a tremendous amount of room left for improvement.

24
What bad decisions? I don't really know the Lambo biography so well.

23 I wish I had audio for my conversation with our dentist the other day. I explained that they hadn't credited our account for a payment we made at our last visit. She said that since the payment wasn't in their computer system, it never happened. I explained that the payment had already cleared our credit card account so it must have happened. She said I would have to take it up with the credit card company, since they must not have sent them the money. I said I would be happy to show them the receipt and the cleared statement. As I was about to get ready to drive over there, she called me back, and said the payment somehow didn't get credited properly. At least she apologized profusely.

29 -- Lambo stole a car, and got caught in a school classroom smoking marijuana.

26 I'll just say that in my experience, they were very different. Perhaps I am wrong. That does tend to happen quite a bit. For me, however, they were very different.

13 If only more bosses were as honest as Navin's when he explained how the weight guessing game really worked.

0 Lambo is hitting .333/.382/.552 against left-handed pitchers.

OK, but can he hit tough lefties?

31 Wow. Seems so grounded and pulled together in the interview. Hopefully he's grown up some, as he seems to be ok at the whole baseball thing.

29 He got in trouble at Cleveland High, I think for drugs. He then transfered to Newbury Park because the coach, Scott Drootin, was the coach of a little league team he was on. Lambo had an immediate impact on the Panthers. In his first season, junior year (my senior year at NPHS), he broke the school record for homeruns in a season. Even his pitching was better than all others in the league other than Agoura's Jason Stoffel, a senior who would be drafted in the third round. Newbury Park, a school that had been an also ran in baseball for many years improved to 13-1 in League and won the Marmonte League pennent. Second place Agoura was pegged as a national powerhouse coming into the season.

The SFV has seriously good baseball. I've always hated that.

Darn you and your good baseball.

31 Rick Vaughn stole a car and he ended up being a good guy.

37 Newbury Park is in Ventura County.

Another story about Lambo which I think I've told before: I was next door to the place where he was staying earlier this year, when I walked outside and found the whole side of the house on fire. I called the police, my girlfriend called Lambo and screamed, "Your house is on fire, get over here right now!" Lambo: "Nah, I'm busy. I'm driving to the airport." House burned to the ground and is still in ashes.

The cause of the fire had nothing to do with him, however, and everything to do with his roommate.

*called the fire department that is

39 I was just musing. Lambo is from the San Fernando Valley.

That said, the Marmonte League has produced a fair number of major leaguers: Robert Fick and Tyler Johnson from Newbury Park, Jack Wilson form Thousand Oaks, Mike Leiberthal from Westlake, Jay Gibbons from Moorpark, Jeff and Jered Weaver from Simi Valley.

37
That is what happens when you play baseball year round and don't have the beach beckoning within a Lambo throw.

The other guy who would have graduated with those three was Robert Stock who decided to leave HS early and was the starting catcher for USC in what would have been his senior year in HS.

40 Wow, what a tool. Thanks for ruining me rooting for a Dodger prospect. Damn punk kids and their MTV.

To be honest, I don't think he really believed the house was completely ablaze.

45 I would also urge Lambo to get off my lawn.

36 Cleveland High in Reseda. See 20 .

40 He has tremendous poise. You can't teach that.

Give me nine guys like that.

I lived on a coldasack off the street Lambo lived in Newbury Park. I'd see him sometimes when walking down the street. He'd say hi to me, recognizing me as the guy who announced NPHS baseball games. I'd never say more than hi back. I felt in awe of his presence, a man so much greater than me.

49 Which is a useful skill when one has coaches like Larry Bowa around.

coldasack? You hate the French that much?

Awesome.

I've heard bags of frozen peas are the most effective tool for producing the coldasack.

0 - Also, I like the introduction of the new baseball term "homes runs." Because really, you hit homes runs at multiple parks; therefore there are multiple homes, yes?

Larry Bowa eats the young of Dodgers fans.

3 quite the nick name. lambo the rambo?

i also like lamram. then if we have both manny and lambo, we'll have an outfield of manram and lamram.

53 Chico Marx would be prouda that one.

57 You can't fool me. There ain't no such thing as Sanity Clause.

Groucho: "Say you're on a horse and want to ford the river..."

Chico: "Why you wanna the Ford when you gotta the horse?"

Ivan DeJesus (#6) and James McDonald (#9) appear in this week's Prospect Hot Sheet:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2008/266639.html

Old Friend Carlos Santana checks in at #10.

58 Well, who you gonna believe, me or your own-a eyes?

Who's going down or released to make room for Penny?

60 Interesting write-up on young Ivan:

"DeJesus's offensive game is predicated upon his strike-zone discipline and his ability to make contact. He has a .303 batting average and a .410 OBP with 66 walks and 70 strikeouts in 108 games. The OBP alone is plenty valuable for a middle infielder, and a promising sign for a player as young as DeJesus already in Double-A. Although he has excellent bat speed, DeJesus doesn't have much power, nor does he project to have much pop. He's slugging just .393, which may pose a problem against major league pitchers who will adjust and attack DeJesus within the strike zone more often if he doesn't show the ability to drive the ball against them. But DeJesus has youth on his side, so even a bit of additional strength would go a long way in his development. What was unusual about DeJesus's week is that the normally smooth-fielding middle infielder made four errors. His range and arm would play better at second base, where his clean actions could help him be an above-average defender."

Sorry if this has already been discussed, but what prospects are likely to get a September callup? I would assume that Chin Lung Hu will be called up as a defensive replacement/pinch runner.

How close is James McDonald to the majors? What type of pitcher does he project as? Does anyone have a scouting report on him?

I've been so preoccupied with school this year that I haven't had time to follow the Dodgers farm teams.

DT icon Danica McKellar is on Science Friday talking about her new book written for middle-school girls.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200808084

64 Hu's a definite. DeWitt, too, I should think. McDonald seems likely, too. They may call up a third catcher just to give them more depth/flexibility, like AJ Ellis?

I'm not sure whether they'll bring up DeJesus, too, but it would be fun to see him. And then another pitcher, probably Stults. That's about it. Maybe another hitter from Vegas...

Actually, Ellis isn't on the 40 man so scratch that. Would have to be Lucas May, or (gulp) Gary Bennett if they needed catching depth.

Another hitter would have to be Repko, and/or Xavier Paul.

64 Re: McDonald, from that aforementioned BA prospect Hot Sheet:

" Why he's here: 1-0, 1.50, 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 10 SO
The Scoop: Solid command of two offspeed pitches, especially a changeup that features good separation and arm speed, has brought McDonald to the cusp of the big leagues. He fanned 10 and walked two in his six-inning Triple-A debut Wednesday at New Orleans. Even though just eight Zephyrs put the ball in play against him, leadoff batter Jesus Feliciano homered to lead off the game, highlighting one area for improvement for the 6-foot-5 righthander. Despite his height, McDonald has just average velocity and plane on his fastball, traits that could be exploited by opposing batters now that he's pitching his home games in Vegas' power-friendly Cashman Field."

Why is the team still pretending that Gary Bennett is going to return? Cut the cord already.

67 - or John Lindsay.

I think there are a couple of assumptions to be made regarding the expanded roster. We have to factor in health. I would say that Furcal, Proctor, Bennett, and DY come back in September. Nomar is going to displace someone next week.

From the press notes:

"Tonight's game marks the fourth time in the last eight games that the Dodgers will face a former Cy Young Award winner, as they have also taken on Brandon Webb, Randy Johnson and Chris Carpenter in addition to Barry Zito since July 31. Other Cy Young Award winners to face the Dodgers this year include C.C. Sabathia, Jake Peavy, Greg Maddux, and Johan Santana for a total of 13 games or 11.3 percent of the schedule to date."

69 It's more like having a guy on the 60 day DL does no harm, so why not keep him there. I think anybody who has been up at any time this year and is healthy will be called back up: Stults, DeWitt, Repko, Hu, Young. Plus there's always a third string catcher (May) and I think McDonald will get the call as well.

Also: "Over the last month, Matt Kemp has helped carry the Dodgers offensively. Since July 9, the outfielder is batting .337 with a .385 on-base percentage and .574 slugging mark. He has 34 hits, six doubles, six homers and 15 RBI during that span."

71 Sounds pretty normal to me.

70 Lindsay would need to be added to the 40-man roster, which does not have an open spot.

75 - True, I would have no problem letting go of Alverez.

I suppose the Dodgers are clinging to Berroa in the hope that Garciaparra can make it back for September. But if he can't, then I'd swap Hu and Berroa before the Sept 1 deadline. I'm not counting on Furcal at all.

I'd also try to get Young up, once his oblique is healthy (assuming it's really injured) and give Sweeney a brass watch.

Those seem like two obvious in-house moves to make. Sadly, I'm sure Torre's PVL habit gets really bad come September.

Total Games Started, MLB 2008: 3438
Games Started by former CYA Winners: 217 (6.3%)

Giles vetoed the move to Boston:

-------------

"in the final analysis, Brian said, 'I made a commitment to the Padres three years ago that I would like to fulfill. And it's my hope that at the end of the current season, that they would elect to pick up my option for next year, and I can finish my career with the Padres.'"

http://tinyurl.com/6yof8g

Calling up Elbert would have no downside. He needs the work, he's already on the 40-man, you wouldn't be using an option year, and you'd have an alternative in case you were ever tempted to use Jason Johnson in extra innings.

79 He just gave up $3-4 million for that move, right? With the trade kicker in his contract? That's a lot of money to avoid living in a hotel for two months.

81
His salary for this year, and next, would increase by $2m if traded. On a prorated basis, he'd gain about $600k this year.

His 2009 option would go from $9m to $11m and be less likely to be exercised. There is a $3m buyout.

I expect Kemp to hit well tonight since I put him in my brother's fantasy league starting lineup, benching Jermaine Dye.

He's on vacation in the boonies.

78 It would be interesting to see the percentage broken down by leagues since almost all former Cy winners pitch in the NL (including AL winners Sabathia, Martinez, Santana, Zito).

The only AL guys are Halladay, plus six starts by Colon.

The NL has the four ex-ALers mentioned above plus Peavy, Carpenter, Webb, Johnson, Glavine, Smoltz, and Maddux.

78 According to that, there's only a 2.7% chance that we'd have faced so many former Cy Youngs. But that's under the assumption that former Cy Youngs are distributed evenly. Looks like of the former CYs, only Halladay and Colon are currently in the AL, and of the 9 in the NL, 5 are in the NL West.

So that would skew our numbers a bit.

82 So the salary for the remainder of the season is pro-rated? So at this point it is only a $600k trade kicker for this year? Would his '08 salary only jump the full $2m if he was traded before the season?

83 Kemp is the 38th best player in baseball this year according to the Yahoo fantasy baseball rankings.

85 That 9 number of mine doesn't jive with 84 's 11 because I didn't include Smoltz and Pedro due to injuries. Though I did include Carpenter for some arbitrary reason.

86
Would his '08 salary only jump the full $2m if he was traded before the season

Yes.

80 It costs approximately $70,000 for each minor leaguer called up for September. Those guys don't play for free.

Spotted in Washington today, a kid wearing a UCLA baseball cap and an SF Giants t-shirt.

What do I do? Too much internal conflict!

Back to an earlier point (and ESPN's #1 post-Favre obsession):

Unless he has text messages or phone transcripts in which Manny admitted he was not trying, the commish could never prove that he was purposely dogging it to get out of Boston. But it's pretty clear that he was.

If I were running the BoSox, I would think about suing Ramirez for breach of contract. They'd lose, but they'd make a point, and maybe deter future goldbrickers with the threat of a time-consuming, possibly costly lawsuit.

OTOH, in losing, they might create open season for goldbrickers.

Wander if there'll be a "Brian Giles isnt competitive" article written re: Giles declining to take part in a pennant race..?

I think Raffy Palmeiro (before the steroid thing), had declined a trade to the Cubs and he was criticized for it.

91 It's all bad, as far as I'm concerned. Send the kid to a re-education camp.

90 True, but that's an insignificant sum for a team that's paying Gary Bennett half a million bucks to stay as far away from the ballpark as he can.

92 It's going to be hard to prove that Manny wasn't trying when he hit .351/.467/.622 after the All Star Break for Boston.

80 Elbert isn't on the 40 man.

96 I think you are forgetting just how good Manny Ramirez is at baseball.

80 Elbert isn't on the 40 man. He will need to be added this winter for the Rule 5 draft.

92 They'd not only deter groldbrickers, but any players who would consider signing there.

That's another thing caused by the advent of free agency. Teams won't do things like sue their players, and will only very rarely terminate contracts for cause, because it will deter future players from signing there. The only such player I can think of who had such action taken against him is Denny Neagle.