I teach high school, and my school is having a special dodger party on friday at 1:30! I want to show the Gibson homer to get them pumped!

Oh the pain, the wonderful, horrible pain!

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/history/50th/index.jsp

Unfortunately for the '70s and '80s Dodgers, they were in the midst of some pretty bad music and dress styles.

There is an interview of Mike Lupica, nice glasses.

Russ > Ruiz
Loney Burrell
Kemp Werth

Lowe = Hamels
Billingsley > Myers
Kuroda > Moyer
Kershaw > Blanton

Bullpens
Dodgers < Phillies

Boras says 5 years/85 million.

Source Rocky Mountain News:

THANKS, BUT . . .

Manny Ramirez had an impact with the Dodgers, where he had 53 RBI in the 53 regular-season games after being acquired from Boston, and went 5-for-10 with two RBI in the Dodgers sweep of the Cubs In the National League Division Series.

Ramirez has been on a good behavior, trying to redevelop a free-agent market after his pouting session that helped him for his way out of Boston.

Word, however, is that the Dodgers realize he doesn't fit their long-term needs. A defensive liability in a ballpark that puts an emphasis on defense doesn't compute over the long-term, and Ramirez is looking for a five-year deal. Owner Frank McCourt already has an expensive education on the problems of signing free agents with the likes of Jason Schmidt, Andruw Jones and Juan Pierre, and will be hesitant to go overboard again.

Agent Scott Boras has let it be known through his media outlets that the expectation is for at least five years and $85 million in a deal for Ramirez.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/oct/06/postseason-insider-beckett-says-his-ok-others-thin/?partner=RSS

6 You can also purchase 1988 World Series Game 1 on iTunes for $1.99

Russ vs. Ruiz. Dodgers
Loney vs Howard. Phillies
DeWitt vs Utley Phillies
Furcal vs. Rollins. Phillies
Blake vs. Feliz. Push
Manny vs. Burrell. Dodgers
Kemp vs. Victorino. Phillies
Ethier vs. Werth. Dodgers

Bench- Dodgers

Blake vs. Feliz- Dodgers.

Lowe
Bills
Kuroda
Lowe (3 days rest)
Bills (normal rest)
Kershaw
Lowe (normal rest)

I'd never pitch Kuroda on the road at this point. I also think Kershaw matches up better against the Phillies lineup. Lowe matches up well against the Phillies park, so I think having him pitch there twice is important.

Somebody hasn't been watching Dodger Stadium baseball the past 46 seasons. The Dodgers have often gotten by with mediocre left fielders.

I was 10 years old on October the 7th 1977, my Mother surprised me that day so long ago and made it a day I will never forget.

School was something I did in between playing ball and I was at the age when baseball becomes less something my father watched and more something I understood in my own way, 10 years old was about the time that baseball became my game and it has been that way ever since.

With the day game approaching and me beginning to understand the magnitude of what the post-season meant and how special your few chances at October are, I was prepared to stay close at hand with my beloved Dodgers no matter what the circumstances (or consequences). With a small AM transistor radio stuck deep in my pocket and with an ear piece hidden inside my shirt, I would stealthily choose my spots for quick updates which I would scribble down on a sheet of paper close enough for my best friend to see the score. It was not the first time I used that strategy, day games seemed to be more frequent back then and I never got too far from the sound of Scully even at that age.

The school yard was buzzing with excitement that October morning, fall in the Valley was warm and windy and full of possibility. I don't remember all that we spoke about as we waited for the morning bell to ring but I do recall hatching a plan to lobby our 5th grade teacher to use the AV equipment to watch the game. We knew the TV in the back of the room worked because she often had us set it up to play "The Electric Company" on channel 28 when she wanted to sit in the back of the room drinking coffee and reading her Ladies Home Journal. As with most of our plans that involved adults during that time of our lives the request fell upon deaf ears, looking back our powers of charm and persuasion were not quite developed and our overwhelming excitement and pleading could not have been seen as a good thing in her elderly eyes. There would be no baseball and no talk of baseball while class was in session, she quickly made that clear.

Resigned to my fate and yet comforted by the radio hidden my pocket pressed against my leg, I was prepared to listen as I could and catch the highlights on the TV news later that night. The clock moved slowly. I was unable to think of anything but baseball as I fidgeted at my desk and sketched small flip books of crushing swings and balls flying over fence in the corners of my notebooks. Recess came and went with a blur and still the day dragged on like an old dog on a hot day.

Sometime in that void between the joy of recess and the promise of lunch a student monitor came into our class room, these were the days when messages were still largely hand delivered by the best students of the 6th grade. We stirred in our seats and thought nothing of the note handed to our teacher, things like this were common enough then. As my teacher opened the folded white paper and read it silently, I saw her look in my direction, look down and read again, and look up again at me. My mind raced, "what could I have possibly gotten caught for?" I thought to myself, everything and anything that I could be guilty of within recent memory flashed in front of me – I was truly panicked for there were more than enough things that I was guilty of to warrant some serious consequences should they hit the light of day. Everything from spit wads, to the radio, to pitching quarters in the boys bathroom at lunch, and that's just the stuff I feel comfortable telling you about now.

"Please don't let it be me, please don't, please, please, please" was the sound of my mind reaching out for mercy somewhere above. My teacher calmly folded the note and handed back to the monitor, without an ounce of emotion in her voice she said aloud my name. Oh god, it was me.

She told me to collect my belongings, that my Mother was here and taking me out of school for the rest of the day. Glory hallelujah! I am saved, I am delivered. I knew in an instant that this was no punishment this was salvation. My mother, swayed by my love of the Dodgers, was here to bring me home to watch the game. I tried not to gloat and did what I could to maintain my behavior (and smile) as I quick grabbed my things and floated towards the door.

In the years that have passed so many days that I spent in school, at work, doing the right thing…so many of these days have faded into the black void of memories lost, but that day, when my Mother allowed me to play hooky, that day remains with me always. I remember…
My Mothers smile as I broke into a run when I saw her at the office, burying my face into her stomach and wrapping my arms around her so tight.
My Mom making me a hot waffle sandwich filled with ice cream, possibly the most delicious memory of my youth and letting me eat in front of the television (something she frowns upon to this day).
The Dodgers losing late and my chest being tight, the pain and anxiety which I have come to know as "dread" in my adult life
The improbable joy of Vic Davalillo, a name that I hold dear to this very day and a reference that I drop to people of my age and when they recognize the name I realize I may have found a friend.
The heroics of Manny Mota, on a team full of stars someone who I loved then for reasons I still don't know why
The clutchness of Bill Russell. I have come to not believe in clutch as a concept, but Bill Russell will always be clutch for me
The magic of victory snatched from defeat (the pain of defeat snatched from victory was a lesson soon to me taught to me by the hated Yankees but for this day I was yet unspoiled)

Many days have been lost to the ravages of time, but that day is always my day, an everlasting gift from the love of my mother to the love of this game.

I just called and told her this story.

Until today, I had never heard of a hot waffle sandwich (with or without ice cream, a ha).

Pretty cool Dodgers video, first posted on the Dodgers.com message board.

answer: You live with it, and make sure everyone else on the field is either above average, or stellar. Which I think the Dodgers have done this year. Blake, DeWitt, Kemp, Ethier are all above average. While Martin, Loney, Furcal are all above above average.

Casey Blake is -10 at 3B this year and last.

Crede, Furcal/Hu, DeWitt, and Loney should be a very good defensive infield at least.

I always wonder who wold be the average fielder in that situation would be? Is he mythical?

Do you have that number for DeWitt? I think that he has been pretty awful defensive 2nd baseman but that seems to go against the opinion of the group. Also is there any Dodger who is considered good on the + - system, heck how about any Dodger's in the plus (seriously)? I guess Furcal probably does, but this team looks fairly bad on defense to me.

Furcal was a 0 this year, +6 last year, +4 in '06.

I don't know enough about them to have an opinion, but DeWitt and Casey Blake, who imagine rank pretty low, have seemed pretty good with the glove.

Wow I didn't realize that he was so valuable at 3rd, do other defensive metrics support that? Based on the + - system was he the Dodgers best fielder in 2008?

Why do you believe that it does not account for the speed of the runner? I am under the impression that the plays are graded based on the likelihood of the out being recorded, and therefore the speed of a runner would definitely be considered, but I have been wrong before.

A - Billingsley shutting down Phillies offense
B - Kuroda shutting down Phillies offense
C - Myers shutting down Dodgers offense
D - Moyer shutting down Dodgers offense

?

How about:

1 - Phillies light up Billinglsey
2 - Phillies light up Kuroda
3 - Dodgers light up Myers
4 - Dodgers light up Moyer

? I'd also say that Blake vs Feliz is a push, and at this point so is Ether v Werth. To me, it seems like both teams will pitch around the other one's best bat, Howard for the Phils and Manny for the Dodgers, so the rest of which team's offense is more likely to pick up for them?

Of course, if HCK(G) is in uniform for the Dodgers, all bets are off...

(and how long has DT been trying to trade Juan Pierre to the ChiSox? As long as Steve has been gone?)

Personally, I don't put much faith in defensive metrics. Too many inherent flaws. I'll take scouting reports and what I can observe.

Like outfielders allowing runners to advance, if you're constantly catching balls at the warning track, you're going to have more runners advance than a guy catching them in shallow right or in right-center.

"How you keep your attitude, your personality up, is we all still love the game," Kent said. "We all still love to win. We all still love to play it, whether you're physically in it or not, you still play the game in your mind. It's not hard."

ANDRE ETHIER VS JAYSON WERTH.

I know this really belongs on The Griddle, but last night's game is a dead thread. So I'm putting this here:

King Kaufman's column today, in which he argues that Willits really shoulda been called safe.

http://tinyurl.com/4o24rs

Thoughts?

Yes it certainly is subjective but at the same time you prefer to rely on scouting and observation, isn't what you observe also subjective? Is that you think that the people involve in the plus minus system watch less baseball than you, or that they lack knowledge of the game? As for scouting, scouting reports only concerns abilities not results so I don't know how that helps. No system is prefect but this one seems to be as good as it gets, and you can always cross reference with other systems that are decent.

66

How about if the game comes down to Kent's ability to score from 2nd on a single? Personally I would drop Park before McDonald or Ozuna.

Are the Angels still the best "fundamental" team in baseball when Aybar doesn't even use proper bunting mechanics in that situation?

In other words, a good call of a bad rule.

What Kaufman implies but doesn't say is that if he was the ump, he would've called Willits safe even with the current rule.

In my example though, I guess it could be argue that the runner initiated the contact (whereas the catcher did last night) although I'm not sure how relevant that part of the argument is.

Bottom line: I think he was safe, but I can be persuaded either way.

Man, I am old.

?

How about:
I'll take D here
1 - Phillies light up Billinglsey
2 - Phillies light up Kuroda
3 - Dodgers light up Myers
4 - Dodgers light up Moyer

If Burrel has shaken off his 2nd half slump that changes things quite a bit. He was such an automatic out in Aug/Sept that it was easy to pitch around Howard. Moyer is the kind of pitcher who doesn't fair well in the postseason. If the Dodgers don't light him up I'll be disappointed, but then again Mr. Davis had some serious luck against us. Wouldn't shock me at all if this goes 7 games. The Philly offense is scary but at the same time I'm loving this Dodger offense at the moment. A healthy Furcal and a rested Martin give the top of the lineup some spice. Ethier will need to deliver because he's going to see lots of baserunners.

It is amazing that no one is arguing that Kemp is better then Victorino. My he's come a long way since being a Rule 5 player twice. I've come down on Depo for giving him up but really the Padres made the bigger mistake when they took him during his 1st Rule 5 venture and then let him come back to us.

So do you have no value for speed? Given the amount of off days that we have and that we will only need 3 or 4 starters is there really any value in having 12 pitchers?

I guess neither situation will add much to the team but my opinon is that Ozuna speed is more likely to become a factor than a 12th pitcher in what I can only imagine would be in a long extra inning game.