"Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted."

That's me!

Okay, but where were you guys in your Repko predictions? ;-)

(From Dylan Hernandez, LA Times:)

The Dodgers avoided arbitration with outfielder Jason Repko, signing him to a one-year, $500,000 contract. The deal includes $87,500 in incentives based on plate appearances.

Repko, 28, might figure into the Dodgers' plans if they fail to re-sign Manny Ramirez.

===

That last line made me laugh. Or cry.

{I don't see how this totally expected announcement would ruin anyone's day, since he was guaranteed to accept and is not guaranteed to make the team, and so on. Signing him and not signing Manny is a bit sad, though, if that's ultimately what happens.}

Of course there are different circumstances for similar outfielders being released (Ross numbers game, Werth injury)but I really think the Dodgers have seen enough of him to move on. I sure have.

Why couldn't it have been USC that ended the streak? Or Oregon? Or Washington State? Somebody like that.

No, it had to be the man whose grave I most greatly desire to dance on.

Aye, 'twas a good month.

January is definitely a good month to be born, aye.

--

I like how there are already 10 comments under the Jason Repko blog brief on MLBTR. Must be due to the holiday.

You're a young curmudgeon!

35 is the new 70.

On a completely unrelated note, you know it's going to be a lovely day when you wake up to "Shine" by Slowdive.

33 About six years ago a co-worker called me "the world's youngest curmudgeon". I was about 42 at the time, and I think I've mellowed a little, so I'll happily not challenge D4P for that title.

{Hm, never realized how odd the lyrics are for that section of the song.}

seriously man...

Of course, if you drink + smoke heavily (not that Frankie did or anything, cough), maybe that's how it seems?

Wait a minute, you've met him in person. Why were you still picturing him as an old man?

==
Bates was basically redundant, and out of a job, when they hired McDaniel, but was interviewing for OC positions in the NFL. He (smartly, probably) would rather coach for USC than the Lions.

I figured you were about my age, D, and basically I was right, though I'm slightly older. But I make up for it with my occasional immaturity. I mean, youthful exuberance!

http://www.hbo.com/events/eastbounddown/

In that HBO link, McBride looks like a cross between Rod Beck and Jeff Brantley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1lpMEFl1aA&feature=related

Giorgio Armani on Manchester City's 100 million dollar bid for Brazilian star Kaka:

"But I don't know, this kind of money for such a young lad, I would rather have him grow up with the head of a normal human being...

"The whole system is wrong...

"It cannot be that a researcher earns 1500 euros a month and actors, footballers, are paid a ridiculous sum."

http://tinyurl.com/94ogpa

Not to mention fashion designers...

Then, after Eric Mangini was hired by the Browns, he inerviewed Smith for a position on his staff. It's not official yet but it could be announced any day.

>>With or without Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers are in an unusually flexible position. Their payroll is in the low $70 million range, according to internal projections, even when including the yet-to-be-determined salaries of the team's four arbitration-eligible players — pitcher Jonathon Broxton, catcher Russell Martin and outfielders Andre Ethier and Jason Repko.

The signing of Ramirez would add between $20 million and $25 million. The team also is mining free agency for another starting pitcher and reliever, which could cost about $10 million.

Even then, the Dodgers would be below their final 2008 payroll of $126 million — a figure that did not include Ramirez, third baseman Casey Blake and pitcher Greg Maddux, whose previous teams paid almost all of their salaries.<<

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9101340/O%27s-have-tough-choices;-Dodgers-primed-to-pounce

64 67 It is when I read comments like his that I pine for the days that "Ironic" wasn't such an overused word.

Either Rosenthal or the Dodgers internal projectionist doesn't read True Blue LA. :)

I'm pretty comfortable saying the Dodger payroll is no less than $75 million, and most likely closer to $80 million, including projected arbitration raises.

You might actually be disarming. As I recall, you do your best work with a bag full.

Yah, pickings are slim for the kids n' family set right now, in theaters. I might have chosen the Dogs one if I were in your shoes, if only because I know the dogs will be cute, and not sure Kevin James ever is. But that's just me. More choices on DVD (I recommend City of Ember for family viewing.)

Which will be mighty!

I would have taken my kids to the Wrestler, trying to convince them that it is all about wrestling and nothing else.

I'm getting tired of waiting.

Neuheisel is starting to lose his buzz.

Did he spot an improperly cleaned pufferfish or something, or notice the wrong kind of mushroom in an inaugural tart?

He does look like he could pull off a heimlich if he needed to.

I am after all the kid who pulled off this incredible trifecta of walking in on the worst possible scene..

drum roll...

1- Micheal Madsen's ear scene from Reservoir Dogs.
1- Private Pile off's himself and Staff Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.
3- Willem DaFoe doing unspeakable things in Wild at Heart.

They should have made sure I was asleep before popping in the video.

Also, The Garden, a documentary about the South Central Farm was supposed to be...and rumor is that I have been spotted in it:)

Forget the lines, we need more defensive backs!!

That's "coming soon" too.

83 Great! I was telling someone with a kid about the same age that "City of Ember" is like "Brazil, lite/jr." Not perfect but very appealing and intriguing, good cast.

101 Keep in mind that January is notoriously (sorry) and traditionally the dumping ground for the worst films of the year. It is post-Oscar eligibility time, so a lot of films get dumped out now when no one cares. Of course some of those Oscar-baiting films are rolled out slowly so in many places they arrive this month, too, giving people at least some good films to choose from separate from the drek. Anyway, it's true that Hollywood puts out a lot of embarrassing garbage, but wouldn't judge it completely based on this month's releases. Plus, look how interesting 2007's films were, how eclectic the Oscar nominees were...

[sorry, I'm not in the best of moods today; otherwise I probably would have let it go]

Comes out this coming weekend.

102 I thought it was odd that they didn't title that movie "Notorious B.I.G.". But maybe marketing folks know better than I do.

We saw "Benjamin Button" this weekend. Is it a good thing or a bad thing that we immediately started making comparisons to Forrest Gump?

Had the song been "Dead Wrong" I would have started some sort of investigation.

I think the main thing is that it's a movie that's not easy on the senses.

I also added Foot Fist Way after looking it up after 57 .

Is there some MLB rule that says you have to hold onto a FA for so many months before you can trade him? I.e., if the Dodgers continue to play Boras' game of chicken and sign Dunn or some other batter when Manny is still holding out for 5 years during ST, then turn around and take Manny after the season starts when Boras finally agrees to 3 years, can they then trade the extra batter for more pitching/cash, etc? Would they have to wait several months, or could they do it sooner?

McCourt probably has enough cash to take on an extra batter for a short time.

I think you could count on one hand the number of popular movies that feature someone's face getting stapled.

I believe, and Eric Stephen who knows the CBA well, can correct me if I am wrong, but I think you can't trade free agent signees until June or July after signing them.

Also, if there was no market to sign Manny when it didn't cost you player in the off-season, why would you trade for him and have to give up more than a draft pick.

Apocalypse Now, Saving Private Ryan, Pulp Fiction, Good Fellas, Alien....

As well as the number of un popular movies.

Not anymore.

1) UHF

http://www.imdb.com/keyword/stabbed-in-the-face/?sort=num_votes

It is not that small of a film. In budget maybe, but both Rourke, and Aronofsky are pretty well known. Again, it could just be me. I think it is easily the best of the bunch, and therefore should be receiving the same treatment that Slumdog and Button are receiving.

I say that if Andruw falls in someone's lap: he'll likely kill them.

Literally AND metaphorically...

146 I agree, and that could and should be said for many, many more films.

Are anti-drug-smoking pacts something kids actually do with each other?

However, the HUGE difference is that Hamels is a Super Two, and these are actually his 3rd through 5th seasons. The 3 years of Zambrano used for comparison were his 4-6 years. That's a huge difference.

Hamels tied Dontrelle Willis's (2006) record for a pitcher with under 3 years service time, with his $4.35m salary for 2009. He's due to earn $16.15m over his 4th & 5th year. Factor in something like a $13m contract for 2012 (Hamels' final year of arbitration) and his $29.15m will blow away Zambrano's 3 arb years.

I don't think the Phillies saved a ton of money by locking up Hamels, but that's not the point. I just wish Verducci or anyone else would properly explain the subtle differences in service time and how they affect the salaries!

I probably get way too worked up about this.

Although, if the Pedroia and Youkilis deals are any indication, Paps will probably sign a much more club-friendly long-term deal sometime soon.

Amazing.

Dodgers sign Repko, Kent still drawing interest

>> At this point, Kent's agent is saying that while Kent has not made a decision about his plans for 2009, teams continue to express an interest in his services. <<

http://tinyurl.com/9rjppf

Am I missing something about Cantu? I thought he was considered an average player at best?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/marlins-avoid-2.html

I believe it was in the final hour of Rome's show. You can download each hour separately from www.jimrome.com.

Kevin Love is actually starting to come on.

Chan Ho Park!?! CHAN HO PARK!? Even the Koreans know that Chan Ho Park hasn't been a star for years!

>> Manny Ramirez got Diablo publicity last year when MLB banned him from using a batch of the bats in Japan because of their red barrels, and Filip is convinced baseball has used other strong-arming to discourage players from using his bats. <<

http://tinyurl.com/9qwvac

Then they'd want to trade away whoever they had picked up first, at something of a loss and a bargain rate, to some other team, whenever that is permitted. They could probably afford to do so, still at less net cost than taking Manny for 4 years.

It's just that Boras might not blink first unless they're prepared to go that far. If the Dodgers start panicking when, say, Dunn is signed by some other team, or is on the verge of doing so unless they ride in quickly, Boras may keep holding out for that 4 years. The Dodgers have to find some leverage, and the only real leverage I can see is leaving Manny out there to dry as long as it takes.

I suppose it's more likely that they won't pick up any other major hitter and will just start using Pierre and Repko for as long as it takes until Boras blinks. But we'll lose more games that way than picking up another FA with hopes of trading him away again later.

The weird thing about that is he didn't do much at all in the two seasons prior, with 15 HR & 75 RBI combined. Although maybe they feared that could simply be chalked up to injury. Either way, a weird deal.

Stan from Tacoma

What I wonder is if the participants on the show are ever prosecuted for what seems like an awful lot of crimes committed on camera. Just now, a meth addict had her boyfriend blow into the breathalizer on her car so she could start it and drive off. There are lots of things like this, coupled with the drug use, that make it seem jail time should be inevitable for some of these people.

BTW, Allison, the dustoff huffer, is by far the best episode of that show.

I'm convinced You Tube exists for moments like these.

We are playing chicken with Manny but we also seem to be playing chicken with our starting rotation.

I've seen that one!

But in Dunleavy's defense, the Clippers were playing without Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, Zach Randolph, Marcus Camby, and (FWIW) Jason Hart. The whole starting lineup other than Thornton was out.

Kevin Love is an NBA player. He passes well and rebounds pretty well. But I'll be surprised if he's ever an All-Star. Not very quick, no back-to-the-basket game, and not big enough to muscle PFs or Centers in the NBA. He'll need to float a lot and hit short jumpers, and guard 4s who aren't scorers. I can imagine a long, respectable career, but not a great one.

198. Gen3Blue
Watching TCM "No way Out" with Richard Widmark screeming the N-word at Sidney Pottiere made me drag my son in to see how much things had changed in 50 years.

I still think if we got Dunn for 2 years at 12 mil/per, we could shake things up.

It really is... he's had 5 years of 40+ dingers & his OBP is not to shaby either. The question for me is, what player is he comparable to?

It's the NBA player whose name I dare not speak.

Either that, or the Clippers just love acquiring injury risks.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/01/dodgers-continu.html

...but don't appear to be any closer to re-signing the All-Star outfielder.

"Just checking in," General Manager Ned Colletti said of his 15-minute phone conversation with Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras.

"We had a conversation," Boras said.

Ramirez is still looking for a four-year contract with an option for a fifth year, while the Dodgers have in mind something closer to the two-year, $45-million deal they offer him in November.<<

"The Curious Case of Forrest Gump"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh3fdylgU2w

Also, looks like Radmonivich has finally found his game.

You'd think he'd wanna tune-up just in case any major league team wants him for '09.

Which is kind of scary.

After Ronnie Lott left the NFL, that was it. There have never been any good defenders on a West Coast NBA team.

Michael Cooper was a mirage.

Remember, in sports:
East = Tough
West = Finesse

I can make a chart for you to keep in your wallet to refer to.

I'm recording both 24 and the two CBS comedies in the 9:00 hour, and since I can't watch something else while recording two other items, I'm forced to watch the 2nd half of the Lakers/Cavs game in...dare I say?...standard definition!

My suffering knows no end!

there's some more stuff there, it also looks like he made his rounds around ALL the Dodger's minor league affiliates.

But I can't think of an instance when I would want to record four things at once.

Vizquel will come into camp primarily as a utility infielder and backup to rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus. Vizquel is also on Venezuela's provisional roster for the World Baseball Classic.
____

my apologies if it was mentioned earlier.

Vizquel, who will turn 42 in April, would be a candidate for a utility role on the club and give the Rangers some insurance, with 20-year-old Elvis Andrus expected to start at shortstop. Vizquel, owner of 11 Gold Glove Awards, could help mentor Andrus, who has never played above Double-A

http://tinyurl.com/8v8cq3

http://www.metsblog.com/2009/01/19/starting-pitcher-mets-like-sheets-he-likes-years/

This is unreal.

That was hilarious. :-) Still doesn't explain USC this year. They locked down almost everybody!

Here you go fellas.

http://www.chucklorre.com/

The official Chuck Lorre Vanity Card archive, I think tonight's shows are up.

USC only had a good defense because they played in a weak conference.

These guidelines are in place to help you understand how sports are set up. It's a service of East Coast sportswriters and ESPN.

But then, I guess Oregon was only a high-scoring team because they played in a weak conference.

With the schedule running to October 4 this year, if the Rangers call up Andrus on June 1 he will accumulate 126 days of service time. So just to be sure, maybe they wait until June 10 or so.

Here's something I found interesting about Longoria. A full season of service time is 172 days. Longoria was called up on April 11 last season, so by my unofficial count he accumulated 171 days of service time. Under normal circumstances, that might have looked like a planned move by TB to get one extra year before free agency, albeit one subject to arbitration.

However, since he signed a long-term contract after only one week in the bigs that could take him through 3 (or 2) free agent years, perhaps it wasn't so devious after all. :)