Seeing what you've written this year--both attacking and patient--has proved as an nagging inspiration for me to pick up a few projects of my own since graduation--possibly sports related, possibly own--so I think you for that. The DT Picnic was one of the true highlights of my year.

i'll always follow and support the team. i have been my whole life. why stop now? il stand by them till the end. because you know what, miracles can happen.

I'm just checking in from St. Louis. I just watched the sun rise over the Mississippi, and I am reminded of just how beautiful things are when we stop to watch.

Oh, and I dreamed last night that DeWitt hit in the game winner today. Of course, in the same dream Mia Hamm was a crooked auto mechanic, so I don't know how valid it was.

I would suggest a visit to Forest Park and perhaps a trip to the Historical Museum. Or the Art Museum. Or the Zoo. They're all free.

Whou would have thought that after Andre Ethier's walkoff saved the day against the Brewers on Sunday, August 17, that we would be here now? Colorado looks more and more like they may pull off a repeat of last year.

I decided to investigate the last 11 games, suspecting that the Dodger offense has underperformed and also underperformed their underperformance. I used the Bill James Basic Runs Created Model and this is what I found:

Col - L 3-8 Runs Created 5.3
Col - L 3-4 RC 2.6
Col - W 3-1 RC 2.3
@ Phi - L 1-8 RC 2.0
@ Phi - L 2-9 RC 1.4
@ Phi - L 2-5 RC 6.0
@ Phi - L 0-5 RC 6.3
@ Was - L 1-2 RC 2.8
@ Was - L 4-5 RC 9.5
@ Was - L 2-11 RC 2.3
@ Az - L 3-9 RC 6.3

I think the RC formula overstates the number of runs created a little bit, but that's 41 RC vs 24 RS in the 1-10 run. This could easily have been a 5-6 run with an offensive line of roughly .254/.303/.332, dreadful to be sure, but not like the current existential crisis we feel. Yet in spite of all of this, wins Saturday and Sunday will make all of us feel pretty good on Monday morning. I can only hope that patience can prevail and the breaks go the Dodgers way - they have to eventually, don't they?

Ask Cubs fans.

And then, by the time the long run rolls around, we're all dead.

I am surprised you didn't list the City Museum. I have been to all before...all my family lives out here now. The good news is American Airlines did not lose my luggage like Northwest did over Christmas last year.

http://tinyurl.com/5znes6

0 - Jon, I don't presume to speak for everyone here, but I've felt for a while now that it's a matter of time until the attention you deservedly receive for DT pulls you away from regular blogging. That seems to be happening now, and I'm glad you're not just closing the doors. Waiting a few days -- even a week -- for good content is better than what you'll get from the vast majority of the "dailies" in the blogosphere. Take your time; we'll be here. Probably talking about corduroys and Mike Ramseys, but still here.

I would hate to see Kent go out there and play hurt and humiliate himself.

It's time to start prepaing his speech for Cooperstown. He's earned it.

A doppelganger?

A couple of years ago Kent jumped on Bradley for stopping at third instead of hustling home when he and everybody else knew Bradley had quadriceps that needed protecting. That wound up ugly with Bradley calling Kent a racist. But my point is that Kent has been protecting his knee in the same way Bradley was protecting his quad and to me that is hypocrisy.

Torre seemed to be forcing a square peg in a round hole instead of thinking (sorry about this)outside-the-box.

He's going to be a great starter, hopefully next year.

Biggest News is Lambo going 4 for 4 with another HR in AA. He is now hitting .409 and played both LF and 1B in this game. Not bad for a kid who turned 20 less than 3 weeks ago.

Can someone please explain to me how it is that Andruw hit 26 home runs last year and now cannot even produce close to that in AAA ball. Is it just his weight, or has his knee injury totally changed his swing? I just don't understand how you can go from a top-tier centerfielder to a person who shouldn't get a call up from AAA in about a year.

Any explanations?

Pharmaceuticals?

I personally guarantee a Dodger win this evening. If the Dodgers don't win tonight, I'll purchase a Toby Hall Dodger jersey t-shirt.

Hey, look at that, USC football starts in a little over two hours!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrfDWAnGr1c

Just guessing, but this can't be just one thing. I think it's a combination of a swing with many holes in it, losing confidence, and a subsequent drop in motivation.

Feel better? :)

I'm also excited to see Pee Wee come back up to the bigs, I think he has a future in MLB.

Elbert was also fun to watch, although to be honest I don't understand why Kuroda doesn't get more innings-- that's what he's there for, or so I thought.

In any case, baseball can be unpredictable, but teams and players almost always return to the mean.

So, wait, six million isn't enough for a young player starting out Joe? And nobody is forcing Alvarez to play baseball for a living, he could always back to school, graduate and join the rest of us in the workplace, but oh, wait. He wouldn't be able to earn $6 million out of the gate that way either. The fact that the team can offer Alverez $6 million as a bonus compared to what he can earn not playing baseball makes Sheenan's comment on the current draft a strawman's argument.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=999

Not that I'm anxious to pack it in or anything, but watching this on a daily basis is getting painful. And we got to wait two more weeks for Ohio State to show up.

Like the punk told Dirty Harry, "I needs to know."

I am not alone. .....

This season hasn't worked out for the Dodgers, but then I've had years that haven't worked out too. I can understand, and I'm willing to stick with them and see what comes next. I'm also crazy enough to hope against hope that they suddenly go on a 10 game winning streak.

I am depressed. I continue to depend on you for "ONLY" positive writing!

With my bet, it may be time to leave the country again.

This core will have many many chances.

I for one, remain optimistic. You are never as bad as you look and I have seen what these guys can do when everything is clicking. When they left for this road trip, I found myself thinking of Hawkeye telling Miss Munro to "just stay alive". If they can remain within striking distance, I like very much the possibilities given the schedule going into the last two weeks of the season.

Torre seems to realize that time is running out and that he cannot go with the same-old-same-old (witness Martin leading off last night). With the season on the line, Dre is getting the starts and I assume that Nomar's days a numbered. Whether the adjustments work or not remains to be seen, but when push comes to shove, I cannot imagine him letting the PVLs take him down.

Strangely, the crowd is applauding an award given to Lloyd Carr.

Utah is outgaining Michigan 313 to 102.

well, without you, and Vin, and the shameful and cynical removal of my previous NL team of choice from the city of Montreal, and moving to the West Coast-- ;^)

--without all that, I wouldn't root for the Dodgers!

As regards M. Sweeney, yes, lets roll him out. Bring on Pee Wee!

It's going to be hard to get excited in September when their schedule won't even allow them to be spoilers. If they fall out of the race this weekend, they haven't got a single significant game left in the season -- unless Colorado goes on a run, I suppose.

But that might be a good thing. No other managers will be pressuring Joe to play his major-league lineup. We can see some lineup creativity, a few starts for James McDonald, Hu at short, PeeWee in left. It's already happening with DeWitt up here to replace Kent.

My theory on the team is, the ravages of time caught up with them. The kids lack stamina because they aren't used to a full season. The veterans lack stamina because they're old. We don't have many players right in their prime years who aren't on the DL (Furcal) or the bench (Pierre).

P.S. If Pierre is such a great September player, why hasn't it occurred to Ned to trade him, now, to a contender. He's clearly a surplus player now. Just a money deal would be fine with me, with maybe a low-A player thrown in for the optics. Couldn't the White Sox use him? The Mets? The Phils? Red Sox?

sorry peepz but my dna coding tells me never to give up, so I'll be there until there mathematically out of it.

1) Halos
2) Rays
3) Cubbies

I also don't understand the love affair here for MR or Blake. Yeah MR's a great hitter but at the same time he also turns 37 next month and will want at least 3yr/60 mil. Do you really want another Kent in LF? Wouldn't you rather have something like this:

LF Matt Holiday FA next year
CF Kemp
RF Ethier
1B Loney
3B Hank Blalock FA this year
C Martin
2B DeWitt
SS Raffy

Holliday's contract runs out after next year and the Rocs aren't going to be able to hold onto him so will probably try to shop him. He's 9 years younger than MR has better D a better Arm, just as good of hitter and will want just as much $$. Blalock's a FA this year and seems to need a change of scenery he'd also solve the 3B ? for quite a while since he's only 27. Would we have to give up a ton for Holliday probably which is one reason s'den rapping the farm was so bad.