Re: fedoras. The conventional wisdom is that men wore fedoras right up until 1960, when JFK was inaugurated sans chapeau. The story I have heard is that men's hats immediately went out of style.

I do not know if this is actually true or not (well, JFK wasn't wearing a hat when he was inaugurated, but I don't know for sure that that's what changed the style).

I also do not know what effect, if any, this had on baseball fan attire.

Pure speculation, but I'm thinking fedoras started losing favor in the early fifties about the same time as rock and roll and rebel actors such as Brando and Dean started getting popular. Seems like that generation just never wore them.

What's for dinner tonight, Marty?

I'm still at work (working hard mind you) and haven't thought much about it. It's looking like a boring menu of leftover pozole tonight. Though the pozole did turn out great and is usually better re-heated. I think I'll try out a Syrah I found at Trader Joes. I can't remember the name of the vintner but will post it if it turns out to be good.

You guys sure have started following orders -- a new thread is announced and Bam!, everyone runs into the next room.

So I'm posting my thanks to Eric for the trivia bits here. The ironing one is great, though when I pass it along, my wife is very likely to say "Wasn't that you?"

Carried over from previous thread.

Over/Under tonight for Brad Penny is 7 IPs.

Place your virtual bets.

vr

Xei

Wonder if Choi starts tonight? Sure hope so. See you around the 4th inning. Please get us a lead by the time I log in.

vr

Xei

Under on Penny.

Random Dodger game callback

May 31, 1937

The second largest crowd in Polo Grounds history, 61,756, filed in on a Monday afternoon to watch a doubleheader between inter-borough rivals Brooklyn and New York. The main attraction in the first game was the King, Carl Hubbell, who was riding a record 24-game winning streak dating back to July 13, 1936. But the Dodgers ended Hubbell's string, knocking him out in the 4th en route to a 10-3 victory. In the anticlimactic nightcap, the Giants scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to earn a split with a 5-4 win.

The 1937 Dodgers were not a fearsome squad and were in fourth place when the day ended and finished the year 62-91, 33 ½ games behind the pennant-winning Giants and in sixth place. New manager Burleigh Grimes was not much an improvement for the dismissed Casey Stengel.

Future Hall of Famer Heinie Manush led Brooklyn's attack on the season batting .333 and second baseman Cookie Lavagetto finished at .282 and led the team with 8 homers. The pitching staff was a disaster. One year after leading the NL in strikeouts, Van Lingle Mungo pitched in just 25 games. Another future Hall of Famer on his last legs, Waite Hoyt got into 27 games. Max Butcher and Luke Hamlin led the team with 11 wins win each. The Dodgers had an atrocious 26-52 record in road games.

Manush was the hero on this day in May. In the doubleheader he managed to get seven straight hits, going 7 for 9 on the day, including a triple. Manush had tied a National League record for consecutive hits in a doubleheader. Joe Medwick had seven straight in a doubleheader in 1936. Pinky Higgins would then have an 8 for 8 doubleheader for the Red Sox in 1938 to set the major league record, that still stands.

In between games, Hubbell was presented with his National League MVP Award for 1936 from Babe Ruth.

In the nightcap, the Dodgers, who got a hit in all nine innings of the first game, got a hit in each of the first eight innings, but it was only good for four runs. The Giants tied the game in the sixth on a 2-run homer by shortstop Dick Bartell and then won it in the 9th after the Dodgers made two errors and first baseman Johnny McCarthy singled in the winning run. The Dodgers stranded 25 runners in the doubleheader, 16 in the first game and 9 in the second.

The win over Hubbell was one of the few victories the Dodgers managed over their rivals. They went 6-16 against the Giants in 1937. But the Giants were at the end of a run as one of the dominant teams in the National League dating back to 1933. The Giants had won three of the last five National League pennants and one World Series. But the Giants were on their way down. And despite the dismal 1937, the Dodgers were putting together a few pieces needed to become respectable in Lavagetto and acquiring pitcher Freddie Fitzsimmons from the Giants in midseason.

But success was still a ways off. Changes in the front office and with the manager would be needed.

Thanks to the NY Times, BaseballReference.com and Retrosheet

I"ll take the over on Penny tonight.

Fedoras, for the GQ/DT readers-The highlight films for the Dodgers WS in 59, and 63 show a lot of men in ties, and some in fedoras,although more so in Chicago and NY than in LA.

By the 65/66 WS films, a lot less LA fans in fedoras and ties, although some are actually wearing Dodgers' strawhats of some kind for sun protection along with short sleeve button down shirts. A notable exception (of course) is Frank Sinatra, pictured at Game 1 of the 66 series in a three piece suit smoking a pipe with various other Sinatras!

Fedoras and suits for ballgames sounds strange now, but so do those pictures of people in formal wear gambling in 50's/60's era Las Vegas casinos.

Under - 6 2/3 IPs.

I too had heard the story Humma Kavula relates.

Oh, and Bob, no offense...but it's starting to look like it's Marty's on Thanksgiving.

Marty and I actually live very near to each other we've discovered. You can come visit both of us!

Have true doubleheaders joined Fedoras and smoking jackets by the wayside or do they still pop up (rainout reschedules?)? I travel pretty regularly for work with a fellow who -- every single time we fly -- bemoans the modern dressed-down traveler. "I guess the phrase 'jet set' has completely lost its meaning," he laments. ("God forbid," I usually respond, "ordinary folks should be able to see their grandparents across state lines." I don't own a fedora, but if I did I would enjoy pulling it out for these trips.

Sam, I'd bet being better dressed never helped anyone scramble for a better seat on a Southwest Flight

True, true. And since today's modern traveler must carry his entire wardrobe and home office onto the plane (that is what I bemoan every single time we fly), wearing studier, flexier clothes probably make a good deal of sense.

Betting the over on 7.0 IP is really betting on a blowout win, isn't it? With Brazoban for the 8th and Gagne for the 9th, neither suffering from overuse (to put it gently), I can't imagine a starter going more than 7 unless he's pitching a shutout or winning a blowout. So I'll take the under, by process of elimination.

I will take the under and I will watch the game in my grey felt fedora.

By 1984 when I was on UAL to NY and then on to London, the flying attire was pretty casual. A few years after that I was regularly flying between HNL and LAX; jeans and polo shirt were my norm, and I was kinda upscale.

More on the fedora:

http://tinyurl.com/8buat

I think the fedora could make a comeback if Matt Drudge didn't wear one (or at least show himself on his site wearing one). I know I'd like one.

But JFK wore a hat to his inauguration.

James Bond wore a hat I believe in the first two films of the principal series. Sean Connery had a hat during "Dr. No" and "From Russia With Love" I believe.

P.S. I had crafter a really clever joke based on the name of the actor who played Dr. No, but when I double checked, I found out that he spelled his last name Wiseman, not Weisman. So Jon misses out on a nickname.

Oh, for JFK and hats see
http://tinyurl.com/9lpzf

Thanks, Humma. I actually have a fedora of my own, sort of as a joke, and it's really beat up, but I sort of think they're cool.

Dr. No - great movie. The movie where James Bond sings.

Of course, From Russia with Love and Goldfinger were the best. To think what a fan I used to be of those movies - and I read all the books too - but now they come out and I completely ignore them.

The last Bond movie was the worst. Flat awful. Something about North Koreans and Madonna. Also featuring the worst of the title songs. The whole exercise was a movie-sized shark jump.

I wrote a Dodgers news aggregator that checks all the major sources for new articles every hour, wondering if you guys have any feedback or know of media outlets that I'm missing (minor league news papers?).

http://www.sportspyder.com/teams/mlb/dodgers/

I so desperately wanted to leave the last James Bond movie. Except I went through such trouble to find the theater. It was in Apple Valley and I was out there to cover a high school football playoff game in Lucerne Valley.

Has anyone been to Lucerne Valley? Does anyone know how far it is from places where there is actual human habitation?

I was trapped with nowhere to go and nothing to do.

I read that Zach Day went on the DL, and Jim Bowden said that he was about ready to trade him before they discovered a fracture in his wrist...

I would name the Dodgers a prime suspect in this part of the story.

Did anyone know that the Cubs used to have spring training on Catalina Island? And the White Sox were in Long Beach?

Arizona leads the Mets 7-0
The Phillies lead the Giants 5-0

#31,
Yes to both of those questions.

The Browns used to train in Burbank also.

Taking the over, based on the loopy logic that with Bradley cooling his heels for a few days, the team will step it up.

Now, can someone please tell me what a porkpie hat is?

Dodgerkid, Catalina Island was at one time owned by Wrigley. He raised both little Cubbies and buffalo there.

Picture of some Cubs players arriving in Avalon in 1930:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics38/00053973.jpg

Bradley is out tonight also.

Rose makes his Dodger debut and bats 8th. Choi is back in the lineup batting 7th

31: It was all about the Wrigleys.

Porkpie hat:
http://www.shushans.com/porkpie.jpg

I played Avalon in high school.

A couple of years ago there was an 8-man football playoff game between Trona and Avalon.

It was at Avalon.

For those with good maps, you can see how far apart those two schools are.

a buffalo chased me on the island once.

Old friend Jason Romano just went into the game as a pinch-hitter, and was picked off of second by the catcher on the first pitch.

pinch-runner, not pinch-hitter

I'll take the over. Penny picthes 7 1/3 and gives up 3 runs. Sadly, I'm not even sure if the Dodgers are leading.

Choi hits a HR and as he passes Tracy in the dugout mutters in Korean "stiffness in my arm my ass". When Tracy asks what he said, Choi replies "Thanks for the days off. Only playing every three days really helps my swing".

Those sheer cliffs come in handy, don't they, Dodgerkid?

Thanks, Bob...think I'll stick to powdered wigs.

All right, while riding the train/bus home I changed my mind re, dinner. It's going to be.....Hamburgers! On the grill. Accompanied with ice cold beer.

I wasn't chased by a buffalo, but I was definitly in a staring contest with one on Catalina. They're some BIG suckers, that's for sure.

By the way, I'll take the over tonight. Barely. I think Penny will go seven and change.

Buffalo meat is, surprisingly, the leaner red meat.

They're bison, not buffaloes.

Yay for the fans for staying out of the way on that foul.

Well, I'll be buffaloed.

Of course, if you saw some of these critters:

http://www.notitia.com/bison/Buffalo.htm

I thought Lee going 0 for 5 yesterday was a freak thing.

Gameday has Mike Rose as #64. Is that what he's really wearing?

WGN alert: Requisite comment made about how Dodger fans don't arrive 'til the fourth and start leaving in the fifth. Knowing guffaws all around.

He's wearing # 54, Bob.

Thanks Jim.

The Cubs have taken a quick lead in Olneys.

And in runs too.

Is that amazing old miniature golf course (think mossy bricks and geometric wonders, not windmills or volcanos) still open in Avalon?

There is a real 9 hole course on the island. Very short but still fun to play. feels like you are in the jungle or someting.

It's called Golf Gardens, Sam:

http://prominigolf.com/links.html

Warning: Scooter's little brother hangs out on this site.

Why in the world would you send Choi on that 3-2 pitch? What possible reason could you have? Bored? Embarrassed that our only baserunner is on a strikeout and want to give it back?

Geez, Maddux is not even playing and Vin is still waxing. I'm not sure he ever stopped from last night. BTW nice strike there, Brad.

That's kinda weird, Sam...I had a miniature golf game (on the Amiga) that looks like it was modeled on Golf Gardens.

Oops, Dusty just swallowed his toothpick.

Assist to Mike Rose for making contact on that 3-2 pitch.

Hah, Vinny just said the same thing.

UG-LY! but we'll take it

HAIL CESAR

Dodgers really need to stop running that ad where Izturis morphs into Jackie Robinson stealing second base. Izzy does a lot of great stuff but stealing second ain't one of them.

Heh, made that last post when all Gameday said was "run scoring play"...not quite what I assumed but still good.

Thanks Jim for the GG link. Can't recommend enough that folks find their way to Avalong and play that course -- supercool.

SD 1-0, bottom 3rd bases loaded, 2 out

Well, if you take the hovercraft, then it's just Avalon.

SD now 3-0

Just checked in. Anyone know why Rose is playing? I thought Navarro was up for Bako.

WGN Alert: Requisite joke about lady eating sushi at the ballpark -- probably a "California Roll," get it . . . Knowing guffaws all around.

Nick -- they swapped Rose and Navarro this morning. some discussion mixed in with the porn star stuff at the beginning of the previous thread.

Nomo getting spanked in Oakland. 6-1. Just air-mailed ball over catchers head allowing run to score from 3rd. Then walks bases full and gives up single. 84 pitches through 4 inngs and still not out of it. Hate to see him get beat up like that.

That doesn't make sense, they're playing the Chicago Cubs.

Oh, now I get it. Hehehehe.

3 run HR for Brewers. Russal Braynan for the all star team!!!! 3-3

Pevey getting worked. Gives up double after HR. Hate to see him get beat up like that. OK just kidding

Another double for Brewers. 4-3. Brail Folkenberg warming

Bradley's MRI results: Milton Bradley got the results of his latest MRI. They showed that the outfielder suffered a slight tear of the ligament in his right ring finger that holds the flexor tendon in place. Tracy said the finger would be put in a brace for three days, when it is hoped Bradley will be able to swing a bat.

"If he can't, obviously, we have something else we'll likely take a look at," Tracy said, adding that surgery has not been discussed.

"It's not major," Tracy said. "It's his comfort level and his ability to grip a bat and swing it, that's the main issue."

From Dodgers.com

Man, Vinny was talking about the Drysdale game during his shutout streak where he hit Dietz but they wouldn't give him the base. I was there and it is still my favorite all-time game attended

WGN Alert: I missed the details of a series of remarks focusing on (i) the inappropriateness of wearing a Reds cap to a game not involving the Reds, (ii) Alyssa Milano "trying to put on weight for a new role," and (iii) people in CA not knowing where Chicago is, but you get the drift.

Izzy is sick

I checked out the WGN baseball blog. It's filled with the utter genius of Bob Brenly. That means he's making fun of Dodger fans for showing up late and leaving early. Commenters are even better.

All I need to know about Chicago is that even the cows want it burned to the ground.

I'll take the udder genius of Jim Hitchcock over the utter genius of Bob Brenly any day.

Cubs have 6 hits, we have 1. Apparently, we've been much more efficient with our baserunners.

Very inefficient play by Dubois.

The Dodger catchers have 2 unassisted double plays this year.

The Dodgers are perfecting the 2u double play.

Bob when was the first?

You would know better than I, Bob, but isn't that three?

can anyone watching the game explain what just happened? Gameday said "patterson out on batter interference"

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've seen three this year. The catchers have been better at drawing the interference call than, like, actually throwing anybody out.

That strike 3 call was absurd.

Runner goes on a 2 strike pitch. Dubois strikes out. As Rose steps up to throw to second, Dubois leans/hops forward and they bump. Interference called on Dubois, so the runner is out. (Meanwhile, to my eyes, Rose was way behind and not going to get the out at second w/o the interference call.)

I think that was the first time game day put a called strike outside the zone.

Sheffield would have punched the fan out, on principle.

Phillips has 2 DPs according to the stats I found. I think one was a K-CS the hard way, but maybe it was also an interference call.

Sheesh, those were some close pitches on that walk to Perez.

I thought that was a solid strike three pitch to Kent. Right on the outside corner, or quite close enough.

Just a terrible call. It wasn't even particularly close. It even appeared to be outside. After we get Jim Tracy, et. al, the umpires can go next.

I'm really surprised, Steve. It looked good to me live and on replay. I think even a bad pitcher gets that call, let alone a guy throwing a one-hitter.

I thought it was low. It being outside was a bonus.

How do people become official scorers?

I'm just surprised he wasn't getting those calls on the second and third balls to Perez.

That was really random, but still something Ive been wondering. My bad.

Does the over/under bet refer to statistical innings pitched or innings pitched in.

Regardless Penny is likely to get an out.

Looked at the replay. Still low. Not outside. Yes, a pitcher throwing a one-hitter is going to get that call.

If it makes you feel any better, I thought the 1-2 pitch to Perez was strike 3.

Official scorers have to prove that they've seen a lot of games in person (at least 500) and they have to take a test.
That's about it. For the major league level that is.

If you want to become one, you can ask the Cal League or Western League teams how to become one. It's a lot harder in the minor leagues from people I've met. They don't have instant replays. And guys who want to get promoted really care about their batting average and ERA.

The official scorer in Arizona on the day that Sanchez threw his glove at the ball. Turns out that I've met that guy. I know him by his first name.

I feel like such an insider.

He was one of the official scorers for the 2001 World Series too. They use three for those games. One from each home city and a neutral guy.

Do the official scorers make much money?

Statistical, I'd assume...since they're often fractionalized.

Im not saying I want to be one, I was just wondering how a person goes about becoming one. I was thinking it would be former umpires or someone already associated with the game.

What? No Duaner Sanchez?

For those not watching at home, Robles to bat for Penny, Gagne is up in the bullpen.

I think the official scorers get $50 or $100 a game in the majors.

In the minors, they probably get free parking and a bag of peanuts.

Do we not have anyone better than Robles available to PH? I missed most of the game.

Official scorers used to be beat writers, but newspapers tend not to like to have their reporters be part of the story.

Now they tend to be retired reporters or the time honored tradition of "guy who knew somebody"

With Bradley unavailable, they're aren't any other lefties available.

Mike Rose is doing Dusty's job for him -- shredding Zambrano's arm.

Rose has had some good ABs tonight.

Not only is Zambrano pitching well, Baker likely knows that he will need a pile of relievers tomorrow with a rookie starting.

say goodbye to the division.

Being an official scorer wouldnt be a bad side job. Go to every home ballgame, get to sit in the press box all game. The money sounds horrible, but 80 free ballgames. Sounds good to me.

Ironic that the only reason the game's actually not over is that Gagne is coming in.

Think Jon's feeling better. Glad to see it.

Man, I think Zambrano could go 16 tonight.

Weird - FSW2 is fancifying the video of Gagne's entrance live.

the guy with the gloves is obviously on drugs.

Getting there - thanks, Jim. I'm working while watching the game: Instead of watching from a comatose state, I'll be comatose after.

Gagne in in a non save situation??? Somebody check Jim Tracy's pulse!!

Maybe he read Dodger Thoughts last night.

vr

Xei

But the gear on Phillips.

Knock on wood, but the changeup is diving!

the best reliever versus the best hitter.

Put, Put the gear on Phillips. Its wierd, the B isnt anywhere close to the P on the keyboard, yet I still typed a B.

Missed the first 8 innings. I see the Dodgers have one hit and it's from Izturis. What inning was it in, and what kind of hit?

Penny beat the Over.

vr

Xei

Tracy has done this many times in the past. In home games where the Dodgers don't have a lead, he'll bring in Gagne in the 9th anyway, because it's impossible for him to get a save, so there's no point in saving him for later.

Maybe it's a Jim Tracy impersonator coaching tonight? And the FJT blog people have the real one locked up safely somewhere...

The save opportunity for the game disappeared after the tie reached the ninth - Tracy has always used Gagne in this situation.

and by the way, why was Robles pinch hitting? And why was the 3bman playing right on the line about 6 feet in from the bag, and then the ball hit exactly there. Wierd!

vr

Xei

SD about to win again. Putting up a 5 spot in the 6th

Burnitz buntintg shows why Dusty is a lousy manager

That's about the dumbest thing I've ever seen.

Thank you Mr. Baker.

Baker is dumber than Tracy! Well, just as dumb perhaps. Bunting. Well, atleast it wasn't their best hitter who was bunting, so it might've been worth a shot.

vr

Xei

Steve-Care to comment on that managerial choice

How hilarious would a BIDP have been?

Perhaps Baker will now try to run out of the inning since the sac bunt didn't work.

vr

Xei

Wow -- that was some strike one to Ramirez.

Is Aramis Ramirez the Cubs "Butter and Egg" man? Or is that Derek Lee?

Oh crap.

vr

Xei

Bring Erickson in! :)

vr

Xei

Sitting on the changeup.

How about a suicide squeeze play.

vr

Xei

Our best hope now if for Baker to try something stupid, like a squeeze or a double steal.

atleast Tracy brought the IF in.

vr

Xei

Jose Macias...My favorite cubbie.

Tough spot for Rose to be making his ML debut.

Let me state the obvious here. It's a good time for a strike out.

vr

Xei

"I have a very bad feeling about this..."

Star Wars 1-6.

I wonder if Gagne talks into his glove when he's at home.

vr

Xei

Breath deep, the gathering gloom...

"Young" Mike Rose, as Vin keeps calling him, will be 29 this summer. He's older than both pitchers he has caught.

GAAAAAAAAAAGNE!

That was nice. Big K.

vr

Xei

Kgagne! Sweet!

How has that guy hit ten homeruns? He's worse than Mondesi.

Anything thing else you'd like to state Xeifrank?

State the obvious again, Xei. It worked last time!

Hangingggggggggggg...phew.

Dodgers finally get a great start, and what do you know, they only come up with one hit thru the first 8 innings.

vr

Xei

I'm not sure if Rose looks nervous or I am just watching him through nervous eyes.

We could use a strike out here again. :)

vr

Xei

They don't call 'em the Friendly Confines for nothing.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!!! Lets get a run!!!

Not hanging. Goodbye.

Whew!

LOB=2

vr

Xei

real canadian vs phony french. battle of the last names here, you know Gagne will win

Whew. Time for Drew and Kent to justify their salaries!

KGagne! Sweetness!

Assist - Dusty Baker, making Jim Tracy look good.

"What me nervous?"
Alfred E. Newman

"...Ride, Ride my seesaw."

Moody Blues. Have no idea what made me think of that song.

The Dodgers don't need a lot of hits to beat the Cubs.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B09090LAN1965.htm

Let me state the obvious for a third time. It would be really nice to get the leadoff man aboard in the 9th(1).

vr

Xei

1. But not to attempt to bunt him over.

Michael Wuertz? Another ballplayer who has never been in my kitchen.

vr

Xei

Of course Baker won't use his best reliever in a tie game. Or even his second best reliever in Wellemeyer.

Not that I would have been in favor of having Burnitz bunt at all, but however wrong he was, Dusty would have had a run had Burnitz gotten the bunt down.

WGN Alert: Have captioning on to try and avoid waking family. Unless my captioning went screwy, which has been known to happen, they were calling the 0-2 high fastball a "President Bush". ?? Little help?

Xei -- you asked before about Robles -- Bob pointed out he was hitting b/c with Bradley out, he was our only lefty on the bench. Izturis' hit was fluky, a short pop to the no person's land between short, left, and center. I think the CF got a glove on it but couldn't reel it in. Choi scored from first on the play.

Does anyone else think that some managers (Dusty, Clint Hurdle, etc.) who are in trouble job-wise are doing goofy things like that to curry favor on Baseball Tonight and from Joe Morgan?

Thanks Sam.

vr

Xei

XF is the man!

Is that Cosmo Kramer in the Dodger's dugout?

Ok, leadoff on man just like I wanted. But please don't try to bunt with Drew up, or anybody else up.

vr

Xei

I nominate 193 for best use of bold type! :)

f-k he's bunting.

vr

Xei

I wouldn't say that if Burnitz had gotten the bunt down, the Cubs would have scored because I think Tracy would have walked Ramirez.

No, DON"T have OBP Drew bunt!

Oh help me. Oh please help me.

Noooooooo! Drew bunted foul.

Let me state the obvious here. We don't need a bunt, what we really need is an extra base hit.

vr

Xei

SAm, I would only note that Bush and Alfred E. Newman look alot alike.

Let me state the obvious here. We don't need a bunt, what we really need is an extra base hit.

vr

Xei

My Gameday just went screwy. No way Drew actually bunted, right? Is Joe Morgan at the keyboard?

I am in so much physical pain right now.

Ughh! Fire Jim Tracy!!!!!!!!!!!!

vr

Xei

He better not be bunting with 2 strikes!

here comes the 0-2 ticked off game-winning HR.

Drew actually has 17 sacrifices in his career.

If Drew strikes out because he tried to bunt twice, the remote control is going thru a window.

There it goes!

vr

Xei

Well done, Tracy.

See, you can tell that bunt call totally messed up Drew's concentration. He was worrying more about finding a good place to bunt than to HIT the damn ball.

FJT!!!!

The humans make mistakes, and as always, it's the machines that suffer.

Paul Depodesta just had an aneurysm somewhere.

Against Michael Wuertz.

Tomorrow's LA Times will read:

From Jim Tracy: We lost last night because we didn't have any situational hitting. Drew couldn't get the bunt down.

vr

Xei

Burnitz has 8 sacrifices in his career.

Barry Bonds has 4 and one was as recent as 1998.

Bunting with the guy with the .381 OBP. Just great.

To be precise, an aneurysm doesn't necessarily kill you. It just has the potential to kill you.

How many games has Jim Tracy blown this year, or helped blown? I've lost track.

vr

Xei

Or has my general distaste for the sac bunt blinded me to some benefit to bunting in the bottom of the ninth? Obviously, a 2 run HR is overkill at this point. We only need one run.

He even had an example right there for him in the top of the inning.

It doesn't help that Mr. Swing At Anything That Moves is trying to put the emphasis on what he said in the paper about not walking.

And then he gets hosed AGAIN! Jon, don't tell me that pitch was a good pitch.

That was a strike, kent.

Outs are precious. A walk also moves the runner to 2nd.

vr

Xei

Anyone else thinking wild card at this point in the season?

227: That's fine, but with a hitter up with power and high OBP, a bunt decreases the likelihood of scoring even one run.

It looked like a ball to me, Steve. But it was a great pitch.

Tracy's just trying to save Dusty from being fired by looking worse in contrast.

Who pitches the 10th for the Dodgers if we don't score? Yhency?

vr

Xei

231 - You're scooping my upcoming post.

I think Gagne will continue in the 10th.

This game is going to spark my next area of research. Whether there is a managerial equivalent to the Grabowski Principle. Funding sources and grants to be announced.

Let me state the obvious here. We could really use a walk off homerun here.

vr

Xei

We could really use a new manager. Kevin Kennedy? John Kruk? Anyone at this point, please.

Jon, that's depressing.

If the Cubs win with Blanco, Hollandsworth, and Neifi batting, I will be most displeased.

But in good news, my cat is back from the vet with some really nasty looking scars on her from where her tumors got removed. She seems in pretty good shape. But she does have to wear that collar. How humiliating.

Time for another sacrifice here.

Another bunt? oh please

vr

Xei

And wouldn't you know...BUNT ATTEMPT!

Gah...and now Dusty's smirking.

Choi almost threw to second.

vr

Xei

Choi almost threw to second.

vr

Xei

stike em out yhhhhhhency.

vr

Xei

That pitch was better than the one they called Kent out on.

vr

Xei

You have to be kidding me. You punch out Kent on those two pitches and then don't give us that one? Please.

At the moment the best thing that could happen for the Dodgers is for Tracy to come out and argue a balls/strikes and get kicked out of the game.

vr

Xei

Screwed by the umps again.

vr

Xei

Hmmmm...a managerial Grabowski Principle...hmmm

Are professional hitmen expensive? I think if we all pool our funds...

Perfect!!! Forget the wild card.

Now I know why Giant fans hate him.

I could easily see this as a 5-1 deficit fairly soon.

vr

Xei

I didn't care for the way Ledee jogged after the ball after it got past him, either. HUSTLE!

any thoughts on trading for a hitter? Or am I over-reacting to a long, long slump.

The window for trading Brazoban is slowly closing.

Only out in the inning so far, is a bunt.

vr

Xei

Wuertz gets the win
Tracy gets the loss

I dont dislike brazoban, but why wasnt Gagne allowed to continue?

WGN Alert: Showing obligatory footage from top of stadium of cars pulling out of Dodger Stadium parking lot.

Steve - I would have assumed that the managerial Grabowski Principle occured in your eyes before you started your site.

Let's see. Deep Throat is unearthed on Redford Ave. Paris gets engaged to Paris. What a weird day.

Let's keep in mind we really have no business being in this game. One hit--we do not even deserve to be here. It should have been over in regulation.

Gagne had to come out because they don't have any music for him walking back out of the dugout.

In other news an insane gunmen killed himself in the area today.

vr

Xei

You can't show cars leaving Wrigley Field because nobody parks near the stadium. And if you looked at the El station near Wrigley, it would have people on it already.

Three questions:

1. Why bunt with your number three hitter?
2. Why bring a young pitcher with a tendancy to be wild in for your best pitcher?
3. When can the WGN idiots be hung from the pressbox railing?

That was pretty good, Big

Gagne threw 24 pitches and it's May.

263 - don't forget the commentary that it was people leaving after the Cubs took the lead. Never mind that it was like 20 seconds after the fateful play...

Gonna walk 'em loaded then give up single to make it 4-2

Gagne wasn't exactly unhittable in his inning. He might have ended up with a 50-pitch outing if he went two. For what it's worth to you.

Oh my god. Im surprised Lee didnt hit any of those other pitches out.

The WGN fools just about jumped out of their seats on hat flyball out by Lee. Awesome to see those clowns get so riled up.

264 -- but the formula, Jon. That's the trick. Plus, Dusty pulled a stupid bunt and they're winning. So the formula can't just be "bunt in stupid places and you lose." It has to be more than that. Hence, advanced study and a hefty grant are necessary.

Thanks Jon and Bob. Like i said, I dont dislike Yhency. I was just wondering why Gagne didnt go back out.

In Seattle, the Mariners were down to Toronto 9-2 after 7 and Hargrove took out Beltre, Sexson, and Boone and then saw his team score 5 runs, but come up short 9-7.

I'm not against pulling Gagne there. You use your best pitcher in the situation suited to him. He didn't look all that great anyway. We had the shot, Tracy blew it. If he didn't care about winning, why not just throw Carrara out there though?

I think the lesson learned in that inning is:
Don't give up hits to hitters like Neifi Perez.

In these challenging times we can at least take a time out to laugh at the Yankees.

Brad Halsey 11 starts, 7 QS, 2.99 ERA ($318K)
Randy Johnson 10 starts, 6 QS, 3.99 ERA ($15.5M)

Then the Yankees threw in Vazquez, Navarro and $9M.

Have you ever heard the White Sox guys? It's hard enough watching the White Sox and Angels bumble around the diamond for nine innings, but throw those guys into the mix, and it is as unbearable as anything in the baseball world. Even John Kruk.

Maybe Ledee can get it back with an HR. Oh yea, he struck out to end the last inning, making 0 fer 4 tonight and 0-4 yesterday.

Should Phillips hit for Rose?

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's not the way I would take one for the team.

And the recently deceased batting helmet creator saves another life.

Charge him Antonio. We need a brawl to liven this game up.

Wow he was lucky not to catch that in the face

Too bad it wasn't Tracy who got plunked. All kidding aside, not a pretty site to see.

vr

Xei

Well, we DO need baserunenrs.

That made quite a sound.

Let me state the obvious, we could really use a home run to end the game.

vr

Xei

In 1962 George Lindsey showed that it's a bad strategy to have an average hitter bunt with a man on 1st and one out in all game situations. Here's why, since I happen to be in the middle of reading the paper.

At the time, the chances of scoring at least one run with a man on first and nobody out and a man on second with one out were roughly the same (39.6% vs. 39%). The average number of runs scored was higher with a man on first and nobody out (.813 runs vs. .671 runs). Also, there's a chance that the bunt fails (or the batter strikes out) and you're left with a man on first and one out (26.6% chance of scoring and .498 runs on average).

I'm just stunned that Tracy would have Drew bunt, and I can't imagine DePodesta doing anything other than seething. Drew is not an average hitter; he's our number three hitter and Wuertz had just given up a walk to Werth.

In any situation, sacrifice bunts get me fired up, but after an unintentional walk, especially so. Why not make the pitcher throw strikes instead of giving them a free out to get them back into the rhythym.

Jon, Vin just said that-you beat him to it

Choi has 2 sacrifices in his career.

Please do not have Choi bunt

Just talking bunt right now is making my eyes bleed.

He turned to bunt! Please tell me he was kidding.

OMG, Choi better shake-off the next bunt sign

a bunt would be totally idiotic, but he's squaring around for some reason.

vr

Xei

Was that George "Goober" Lindsey?

I can't believe this.

Choi would've walked him over to 2nd and we would still have no outs.

vr

Xei

FOR MIKE ROSE AND THE PITCHER'S SPOT?

Now send him to third so a Sac Fly ties it!

Why not Phillips? Hes killer with RISP

Tracy telling Choi "good job" on the bunt as he comes to the dugout just makes me sick.

vr

Xei

I feel like I am watching the same half-inning over and over...man on first, a bunt laid down...

why are we stuck with Mike Rose? Where is Dioner Navarro?

"Goober" had to time to do such a study. He didn't join the "Andy Griffith Show" until 1964.

I really think in times like that Tracy bunts out of fear of the DP. But 2-0 with Choi must lead to a walk 80% of the time no?

Lesson

Tracy's Head

Bunting for the 0 VORP catcher and pitcher's spot to drive it in. FJT!!

296 - George "Goober" Lindsey?

I hate to sound like a broken record. But someone please fire Jim Tracy.

vr

Xei

Mkae contact Mike. For the Love of god

Now bunt him to 3rd then bunt him home. It's fool proof.

vr

Xei

Finally, the umpire's inconsistent strike zone loves us.

Oh, sorry, way late on Goober. Had to kill a spider.

Why is Rose hitting here? Oh right, so we can double switch in Phillips just in case we come back.

Having Choi bunt against Dempster may be worse than having Drew bunt. Dempster has walked 23% of the batters he's faced this season.

Why wouldn't you let Choi rip on a 2-0 pitch?

And that's two favors from the inconsistent strike zone!

Let's not cry for Navarro. He's not hitting at all in L.V.

I'm guessing JT had Choi bunt to save his stiff forearm which developed from too many swings

I'm going to have get my copy of Lindsey's memoirs out "Goober on the Half Shell"

We could really use that extra out that JT gave away about now.

vr

Xei

Never mind. Crisis averted. No run scored. Blowing game intact.

Old Maid Signs may be our last hope.

vr

Xei

Would anyone be shocked if Olmedo bunted? Really?

Replay of last night please

If Jim Tracy were a super-hero, he'd be a-hole man.

vr

Xei

That 1-1 swing was terrible.

Good job Tracy.

vr

Xei

The book is actually called "Goober in a Nutshell"

Bob, it was George R. Lindsey, who was doing Operations Research work for the Canadian military at the time. I don't believe he went on to become "Goober" :).

I can't blame Tracy for this one, its pretty tough to manage a ball club that achieves 1 hit over 10 innings.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Tracy's bunt calls were asinine.

Anyone but Jim Tracy. I cant take anymore of these horrible decisions.

These arent even questionable. They're just plain wrong. How can the media not be on this guy? He is just a horrible manager.

The managing of Jim Tracy is getting so bad and potentially costing us so many wins, that I am starting to actually get mad at Paul DePodesta for not relieving Tracy of his duties. I don't care what the backlash might be, DePodesta has a job to do, and his job is now to fire Jim Tracy and replace him with a DT manager by committee. I get saturday nights.

vr

Xei

I think you can omit the 'vr' on this one, xeifrank. Tracy doesn't deserve it.

George "Goober" Lindsey did have a Bachelor of Science degree and taught high school science before he went into acting.

I hate:

JT
Ledee
Drew &
Choi (but only becasue he didn't tell JT to piss off on the bunt sign)

Did I forget anyone.

Now 6 1/2 back. 3 1/2 behind the D'Backs.

What a wasted effort by Penny

338.

Doesn't matter how many hits you have, it's a 1-1 game, and then a 2-1 game. Same as a 10-10 or 10-9 game. Should be managed the same way considering it's not Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens or Mariano Rivera out there on the mound facing us.

vr

Xei

Just another sorry loss. At this point we're not getting beat, we're beating ourselves. Special thanks to JT for using Choi to bunt.

Well, gameday is still stuck on Mike Rose, so I'm guessing we lost.

The bunt shows that Tracy is not influenced by DePodesta.

We need to come up with a new name for Jim Tracy, I can't stand hearing, saying or spelling his name any more. Perhaps a contest like the DT logo contest would do.

nvr

Xei

Its mind boggling that hes still managing this team. Depo should be filling out a pink slip right about Now.

When you see the only Dodger hit of the night you realize we really should have been no hit. If I'm Zambrano I go kick the s--t out of Dubois or Patterson for missing that Isturis ball that should have been caught.

For the last month this team has been a total disappointment, from Depo to Tracy, to practically everyone in uniform.

6.5 games back at the end of May isn't insurmountable, but only if this team cares enough to start winning more than one game in three.

349.

I vote for Idiot.

Gotta be at work at 4:30am tomorrow morning, so I am heading out after I find something inexpensive to break.

Xei

#338: Are you serious? It's a one run game and Tracy bunted with our #3 hitter, Drew, with no outs in the 9th. Then he bunted with Choi, who was followed by a powerhouse who now has 6 ML ABs, with no outs in the 10th. It's easy to manage a team that wins or loses every game by a bunch of runs. The true test of a manager is how he does in the close ones.

I think the bunt shows that JT assumes one of his players can actually get a base hit with a runner in scoring position. Which, after tonight, we can assume is impossible with this crappy line up.

If Tracy is fired this early in the season, and we don't go to the playoffs, DePodesta looks bad. I think he'll wait until the season is over to fire him.

Well, at least Penny gave us 8 solid innings... I think Tracy's mistake was in asking Drew to bunt. Our best chance to score was in the 9th, not the 10th.

Kid, He'll wait becasue Frank won't fire him in the 1st or a 3yr contract and have to pay him to go fishing

I think Tracy is only signed through 2006, but I may be wrong.

On May 14, 1963, the Dodgers were in fifth place and the LA Times columnists were speculating about whether Charlie Dressen or Leo Durocher would replace Walter Alston.

Well the Marlins fired their manager in May and won it all.

Only two years! It was a shotgun marriage anyway. Time to take the PR hit BEFORE the team is 15 games under .500.

Alston had Koufax and Drysdale.

Since so many traditionalists credited last year's success to Trac