Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Jon's other site:
Screen Jam
TV and more ...
1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
|
Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, LF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF James Loney, 1B Russell Martin, C Nomar Garciaparra, SS Casey Blake, 3B Derek Lowe, P |
Special thanks to former Dodger Matt Luke, feel-good story of the 1998 season, for his guest appearance and to the Dodgers for arranging it. Luke showed up and chatted with us in the shade (thankfully) by the picnic tables for a good 45 minutes, which was a treat.
More thanks to BHSportsguy for doing all the legwork organizing the picnic, and to Bob Timmermann for his entertaining trivia quiz – and to both for joining me in offering prizes.
Hopefully, those who continue from the picnic to the game tonight will keep the good times rolling.
Diamondbacks take advantage of two straight days of awful starting pitching.
5-0 D'Backs Top 1. Backe is about to make his 42nd pitch.
What did you wear to the picnic?
Wow, Casey Kotchman sucks with the Braves with a OPS+ of 34.
I'm sure Bob will post everyone's ERA+
We were thinking of doing a "match-the-name" when we posted the pictures.
Apparently, playing as much Wii Sports Baseball as I have has given me a decent eye...
The only disappointing part of the Whiffle Ball games were the teams never had official names... I rallied for the West Virginia Troys but it really didn't catch on...
Durham, 2B
Hardy, SS
Kapler, LF
Fielder, 1B
Hart, RF
Counsell, 3B
Cameron, CF
Kendall, C
Bush, P
Brewers lineup per Press-Enterprise Dodger blog.
Where had you come from that required you to be dressed up...?
All who enter there are required to wear coat and tie...?
article on James McDonald, and what a sorry state the M's farm system is.
Adam Dunn doesn't have a homer for August and is OPSing .526. Lets hope he keeps this pace up into Sept.
There is no reason this should only be a once a year things. I am thinking 3-4 times a year would be great. We could go by the seasons...the standard ones, not the ones of Southern California.
But seriously, I had a blast. It was nice to meet everybody, increasing my face-to-face with DTers from like 3 to like 30. Special thanks to everybody that took a turn watching my kids (Mrs. Jon, bhsportsguy).
So, in light of all the talk this year about intangibles, who is the "grittiest" member of DT?
Toy Cannon recieves the Juan Pierre Memorial "Making Things Happen" award for his gritty base-scooting. Who is Karim Garcia interfered on just about every fly ball, so there should be an award for that.
Fun times all around...we should definitely do this more often.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/dodgerthoughts/
Loney could get some days off against tough lefties in the future. "Loney's so unpredictable," said Torre, who could choose to sit Loney against either Jeff Francis or Glendon Rusch when the Rockies come to town next week.
What does Torre mean when he calles Loney unpredictable?
I love it.
One of the best places on the planet!
http://tinyurl.com/5phe4l
43 The Berroa over Loney argument is ridiculous.
OPS vs lefties this year
Loney .693
Berroa .572
Not a tough decision.
I think this is more planting the seeds for if and when Furcal comes back and suddenly Nomar is a bench player. So Nomar can start at first against lefites while Furcal starts at SS, and Loney becomes the best bench player this side of Mark Sweeney.
The Pre-Playoff Game Gathering!
Book It!
Dodgers still looking for a pitcher?
>> Joe Torre says he's not counting on Brad Penny coming back -- <<
## Also, Torre says that even if Rafael Furcal comes back, he probably can't be counted on as an everyday player after missing so much time. ##
http://insidesocal.com/dodgers/
So basically our options against lefties is:
JP leading off, and Loney batting 8th with Berroa and Ethier benched.
JP leading off, and Berroa batting 8th with Ethier and Loney benched.
Ethier in the 2nd or 7th spot, and Berroa in the 8th spot, with JP and Loney benched.
Of course, this assumes that both Ethier and Loney both won't start at the same time against lefties despite giving us the best offensive and defensive support for the game. Which would you pick?
Has Penny come down with a case of "Schmidtitis"?
Minor leauge Innings Pitched 569.2 + Major Leauge Innings 1,978.7 innings Pitched (13 Years) = 2,547.9 Innings Pitched Total
CLB = No More Winstrol
Furcal at Short, Nomar at Second, and Kent at First = Torre Nirvanna
Given the lineup for tonight's game I love Torre.
Good Vibrations!
*Looking forward to a modest two game winning streak for Lowe.
Jeff Kent now starring in "True Grit"!
For all of the crap that I've dished out to this guy - I Love It!
Feel the Pain and fight through it!
The Old Man Is a Stud!
Fight On!
You've got it down!
Think Cure!
Please Donate Now!
Seriously we gotta do this more often, really fun.
Lets go Dodgers!
That would be my number one argument against starting Juan Pierre against lefties. He just can't make that throw.
DODGER LOVE!
ANDRE!
ANDRE!!!!
WOOO!!
ANDRE POWER!!
Go Andre!
Ethier Home Run!
This is so much fun!
He's been so much better at turning on pitches. He still has a little trouble getting around on fastballs (takes most of those to center and right) but he is really spinning on the off speed stuff. So much better than earlier in the year. He has been spectacular these last few months and nobody is happier than me (maybe Matt himself...maybe).
The Politician - Step into my car ...
Not anymore. Martin just dropped to .799.
A good coach will only ask more from those that he knows have more to give.
Loney has so much more to give.
Think double reverse psych.
In the first half watching Lowe blow a lead would have hurt our chances, but with this line-up we can come back.
If I were an announcer or wanted to be one, I would spend all of my free time training myself to imitate Vin.
Dick Enberg is the only person that I would say comes close.
We can never see ousrselves as others do.
Even I can see that Loney has the ability to master the outside pitch approach and then turn on the inside pitch.
Same for Bison.
It's easy to turn on the inside fastball.
It takes real talent to hit the outside ball for power consistently.
I was think'in today that it might be a good idea to sign up Blake and Manny for a couple of years - Whadda ya say?
Loney will learn to stay back and trust his hands. Mattingly will see to it.
Yeah, you're right. Always keep in mind that I'm the guy that was advocating re-signing Furcal at the start of the season.
Great to see you back here. You had mentioned some challenges with the health. Hope you're ok.
BlueBleeder threw gas, I'm not sure how we scored four runs off him. Kevin completely shut down the BlueBleeder led team in leading the Karim Garcia's to a 4-2 victory thus sweeping the doubleheader.
The food was incredible from the Portuguese Eggs, to the Carne Asada, to the TriTip, to the donuts, to the brownies, to the Cookies.
Andrew Shimmin was waiting for a boardroom to break out.
Hey, I've got an idea! Let's do another one next weekend at South Weddington Park. We can spend the day weeding, edging and mowing.
Marty, did you end up going? How's the peeper?
Great job by Lowe - and Martin (the Robot Made of Nails).
Kemp's OPS vs LHP = 1.048
Kemp's OPS vs RHP = .731
ML RHB OPS vs LHP = .776
ML RHB OPS vs RHP = .719
So Kemp's OPS is 43% better against LHP, while the ML righties are only OPSing 8% higher against LHP. He's basically average against RHP but makes his living off lefties. In his career, Kemp's split is .951 / .776.
Related to 104 , maybe his reaction time is slow but he's able to catch up better to lefties? It would be interesting to see hit charts by platoon split. Anybody know where those can be found? Maybe he pulls more vs LHP...
Please Make a donation to Think Blue!
If you have already made one, please make another.
In love ...
http://tinyurl.com/yw2p8f
Oh well, he grounded out.
Are you talking about Kemp's AB?
Yeah - a bit out in front and on top.
The Bison will be back!
That pitch wasnt a curveball. Anyways, when you get an offspeed pitch middle in, you better turn on it. Thats what happened in his 1st AB. Basically, if you try to pull a breaking ball on the outer half thats what will happen. If the breaking ball is middle in, pulling the ball is easiest for the hitter (its really tough to go inside out on a pitch you have to wait on)
Ha! I was just telling BH the same thing.
I never doubt you. You are always on spot.
Gracias. Just love talking the game. It's amazing how something so simple as see ball; hit ball has so many different levels to it.
The Brewers want to win too.
Will the Dodgers pitching be too much to over come?
That's gints ball
http://www.flickr.com/groups/dodgerthoughts/pool/
Should the Dodgers try to bring back Manny and Casey?
Great pics, thanks.
I'm not concerned so much as perplexed. I think he would be a better hitter if he pulled the ball in the air at the appropriate times, and this year he hasn't. Can someone with access to the Bill James site verify these thoughts?
Watch out!
Ethier: 1 for 3 with a HR
Kent: 6 for 23 with 3 HR's
Manny: 2 for 7 with a HR
yess!!
Both teams' shortstops now have errors!
Dodgers PA love Journey's Don't Stop Believing.
I stopped believing. Sorry Journey.
I Believe.
Big Time.
Do they keep tack of those?
Lets go beard!
I don't always drink beer - but when I do ...
I can't watch this.
I'm watch'in it from Brea and lov'in it!
Molly: YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES NOW!
Broxton the Closer!
Ouch!
Are you say'in do or die?
Follow th Plan!
I'm eager for tomorrow's game.
Ready for a modest one game win steak:)
vr, Xei
vr, Xei
vr, Xei
vr, Xei
Kemp listening to Duncan's intructions on that play?
Because nobody's said that one, yet.
Actually, in that situation, he should be standing on 2B in case the ball goes off the wall or off the CF's glove. That way, at minimum, he makes it to 3B with less than two out. Bison was actually going back to tag up on that play.
vr, Xei
On and on we go.
Kemp is too much fun to watch!
Martin is the Robot Made of Nails!
Kent is an Old Man ,,, and he is tough!
These are kind of twists and turns in the season that i like! Blake! Manny! Park!
Please Donate to Think Cure!!!!!!!
Yes, tough one to take. We win the game if that nimrod sitting in the first row next to the bullpen decides to man up and try to catch Martin's drive. It was his seat where the ball was headed, and he didn't even stand up! The least he could have done was move forward and block Kapler from catching it.
What is most glaring at this point in the pennant run, is the inability of the bullpen to nail it down. The loss of Saito has created a domino effect and I don't see how they salvage the season with the pen they have. The only veteran is Park. I don't count Johnson as a Major League veteran. What do you do? If Penny can pitch at all, you might be able to use him in relief. But who else?
The Dodgers have a good enough lineup to stay in games until the end, but the bullpen may very well end the hopes and aspirations of this team. Is it fixable at this point? And how do you fix it? Anyone? The numbers are less important than the nad, as it were.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.