The bottom line is Tracy does not like playing Choi. Don't ask me for a reason. He just doesn't.

Take it from me, you can make numbers do whatever you want them to do to support your cause.

i don't really buy into clutch hitting though anyway, i was just saying the reasoning is retarded. frankly, as i was saying on rob's blog, i think whatever performance variations there are in such a small number of at-bats w/RISP are pretty meaningless.

(1) Seeing Hee Sop Choi's homer in the eighth, and starting the subsequent Heep-Sop-Choi chant.

(2) Wearing my 'Ghame Over' shirt to the amusement of many Dodger fans sitting around my section. Actually being 'Ghame Over' helped as well.

(3) Watching Broxton throw some gas. How old is he? 21?

(4) Seeing the Dodgers hit four HRs, equaling the total homers I've seen hit in my previous dozen games at RFK.

Not-so-great:

(1) Being dumbfounded as I see Phillips starting at first. WTH? I think my fellow Dodger fan but not so sabr-inclined friend enjoyed pointing it out, notwithstanding my subsequent rant.

(2) Unbelievable humidity and 85+ degree temperatures. I don't recall ever sitting at Dodger Stadium for a night game and sweating so profusely. Despite similar ages, RFK can't hold a candle to DS.

(3) Kent missing tagging Vidro at 2nd base in the ninth, nearly inducing cardiac arrest.

(4) Seeing local boy and Univ of MD grad Schmoll struggle and get pulled.

I splurged yesterday for great seats in the orange down low on the left field line last night, but tonight I'll be back up in purple upper desk seats (sec 452) wearing 'Ghame Over' and a Gagne-esque beat up LA cap.

Other DT readers attending tonight's game?

1) Choi
2) Saenz
3) Kent
4) Perez
5) Repko
6) Beetle Bailey
7) Larry "Bud" Melman
8) Regis Philbin
9) George H. W. Bush
10) Jason Phillips

I waver on a daily basis from "acceptance" that this season is over, to "denial" that we still have a chance to win the NL West. I realize that we're only 4 games out, but even with the sorry state of the division I can't imagine that the winner finishes the season under 500. And when I look at the current state of the team, I just can't envision a realistic scenario where we start winning games at a clip that puts us above the 500 mark. So I am spending more time in the "acceptance" camp these days.

With that in mind, I am curious about our outfield situation for 2006. Is Ledee under contract for next year? I seem to remember him signing a one-year deal only. How about Werth? I don't have any grand illusion that Repko is going to blossom into a dominant major league outfielder, but he does seem much more versatile than Werth. His defense is excellent, he can run, bunt, and should be able to become a capable hitter. I know a lot of people on this site mock the "scrappy" aspect but let's face it, you can't have a team full of prima donna stars. You've got to fill in the spots with some low priced, hard working youngsters. In a nutshell, Repko seems like a perfect 4th outfielder - that defensive subsitution, every fourth day type of player. In my estimation, Werth has been the most disappointing Dodger of this 2005 campaign.

So my questions for you more in tune with this stuff: Can we get anything for Werth? Who is available in the free agent market this offseason that we can plug into left field along with Bradley and Drew. It seems like we've got a surplus of capable (not phenomenal but capable) infielders already in the Dodger system, and it seems like that left fielder slot is going to the big hole to fill during the off-season. I won't be too confident in our chances in 2006 if Werth is our solution.

Tracy is really messing up this team. Certainly we can still play up to .500 baseball and win the NL West, but its not going to happen as long as AP/Choi remain on bench, and the 3 others start everygame.

It aint gonna happen. The only hope now is that JP, Robles, or Izturis get hurt.

Hmm... looking at dodgers.com, there is an OF in AAA hitting .390 with .495 OBP and .622 SLG. His name is Jason Grabowski. Has DePo thought about giving him a shot? Those are great numbers!

I love the JtD name btw. Took me a bit to research and figure that one out.

I really doubt that Cesar (or Cristian) will be playing shortstop for the Dodgers much beyond the end of his contract.

. . . there's no Nationals blog anything like Dodger Thoughts. There are some OK blogs with decent writers and good information, but no Jon Weismans and no real community. There are some pretty noxious "chat" zones (one of which attacked Rob earlier in the year . . .). But there's one guy out there who is a very smart and excellent writer, who does seem pretty brilliant "game stories". www.ball-wonk.com. His story about last night's game gives you an idea of the flavor, though it's not his best stuff. I pass it on in futherance of my DC-tourguide duties.

http://www.ball-wonk.com/archives/000456.html

(I remembered this because it echoes 25 above in describing the Nationals' acquisitions of Wilson and Castilla.)

*

Den -- I'll be there tonight, though tonight is my splurge night (sec. 113). Apparently, these seats are within chatting distance of the Dodgers' on deck circle. If you could say anything to a Dodger who will actually play tonight (thus, sorry Suffering Bruin, but I can't get you Choi's number), what would it be?

Likewise, is AP the only player batting .335 that is also a bench player?

Last nite our bench was loaded. Choi, Saenz, AP, Ledee...

Good times. Good times.

Favorite stat that doesn't mean anything but I'll use it like a cudgel anyway: The Nats are 4-13 since trading for my favorite outfielder.

Why doesn't Choi start?

etc.

Just make sure that Milton doesn't ackowledge you. I was sitting behind the visitor's dugout in Arizona with my bro and a friend the day that he got hurt. He saw us in our Dodger gear when he was on deck and actually acknowledged us

During his at bat, he got hurt. We blame ourselves.

Ledee has a 2 year contract I believe. The Outfield figurs to have Bradley, Drew, and Ledee. Repko as a 5th OF isn't so bad because of his defense. Werth figures to be trade bait, but if we can't sign someone like Giles, he might stay. My guess is that LF will be the hole that DePo tries to fill this winter, as our best OF prospect (Kemp) is still a few years away. We could take an interesting path and put Delwyn out there (his defense at 2nd isn't very good, we have other 2B prospects to replace Kent, and he has played the OF in the minors)

I see, albeit less clearly, guzman ending up at first?

Either that or "Welcome to the swamp. This weather's a refreshing change from the ocean breezes in Dodger Stadium, huh?"

I'd guess that Guzman would end up in the outfield if not at SS, since 3rd will most likely be taken by LaRoche and 1st by Loney and/or Choi.

Still dont get why people here arent more up in arms about Perez not playing. Just do not get the Choi fixation. Perez would be incredible leading off.

The only news less surprising than that Bonds will sit out the season:

1. Nats freefall from first place.
2. Brian Roberts turns back into, well, Brian Roberts.

You don't get it because there isn't one.

Yes, Jim Tracy really is an idiot.

-Jason Phillips! Choi's replacements are less adequate (Robles at least has a glove).
-While jim tracy has an actual reason for benching Perez (defense - may not be the best reason but at least it's a reason), he's given no indication as to why Choi does not play at all.
-Jason Phillips!
-Choi hits for more power.
-Jason Phillips!
-Perez is due to regress a little most likely. Choi has produced at this level before.

Not that we don't want Perez to play. Many, many, many of us would rather Perez start at 3B over Robles, but I guess we see the Choi situation as the bigger injustice. Of course the best line-up we can field has both of them in their respective corners of the diamond. Did I mention Jason Phillips?

"They were called test pilots, but no one knew their names ..."

lets say tracy is going to be back next year. now that season is pretty much done (being realistic), why wouldnt Tracy throw Perez and Choi out there every day just so he can prove his feelings about them are accurate (if they are) and start without the constant questions next year?

What would lead you to that conclusion? Repko has sort of turned my head by doing non-scrappy things like actually hitting the ball and getting on base, but why would he be "well on his way to becoming a 300 hitter." He's a strikeout machine. That was his first homerun since April. What I don't understand is why these would be indications of someone who is "well on his way to being a 300 hitter," but they are indications of failure in hitters like Hee Seop Choi or Jayson Werth.

But, he's got a huge ranch in Georgia, so it worked out okay for him.

vr, Xei

I've never seen a comment from Tracy explaining this situation, and I just don't know how Tracy would be able to justify his decision-making in a way that would satisfy knowledgable fans.

"His decision to start Phillips at first base and continue to use Choi as a pinch-hitter proved astute. Dodger front-office executives have scratched their heads recently, wondering why Choi rarely plays despite carrying an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .800.

Although the overall batting numbers of Phillips and Choi are about equal, Tracy said the determining factor is that Phillips is batting .315 with runners in scoring position, and Choi is at .177."

... his Double-A transition has been successful thus far, and I am optimistic about his chances to be a useful pitcher.

Thanks, I hadn't seen the actual quote.

54
If Tracy is back next year, than DePodesta is officially spineless. You can't make a radical overhaul of the roster subscribing to one philosophy, and then allow the team to be managed by someone with a completely different philosophy. I am not a fan of DePo and I am definitely not convinced that he will be successful in the long run, but I am even less enamored with Tracy. If his sour mug is still infiltrating my television set in 2006, than DePo will have some serious explaining to do.

What if Choi had actually been above average the last 6 weeks, the site might have changed its URL to www.HeeSeopSteve.com

He has been better since July 1st than Repko (.277/.382/.426 for Choi vs. .304/.345/.430, this doesn't count last nights game) If Repko is progressing to be a good hitter, then you have to apply the same argument to Choi.

http://tinyurl.com/7sjzq

It's true that Perez has produced more, but Choi has been decidedly unlucky with his at-bats, while Perez has been pretty lucky with his.

See http://tinyurl.com/be75t

I'm not crazy?

1 Taveras Willy -.109
2 Alou Moises -.088
3 Jones Andruw -.063
4 Jeter Derek -.063
5 Blake Casey -.063
6 Mench Kevin -.061
7 Rodriguez Ivan -.061
8 Lane Jason -.061
9 Pierre Juan -.056
10 Hall Bill -.055

and the Clutchiest:

1 Kent Jeff .101
2 Vizquel Omar .092
3 Sheffield Gary .091
4 Encarnacion Juan.084
5 Ramirez Manny .083
6 Mueller Bill .079
7 Kotsay Mark .079
8 Phillips Jason .075
9 Ortiz David .065
10 Edmonds Jim .063

Choi (at -.077) would rank as the 3rd biggest Choker had he qualified. So he and Phillips are quite the case study.

There is no justification for Phillips over Choi, esp. against RHP. The RISP is the only thing, and that's a stupid stat.

To College Park, Md. [who had earlier commented that it is impossible to tell if a long fly is an out or a home run from the seats in dead center]: One easy way to tell whether something is a home run from anywhere in the park: If the batter is a Dodger, it's a home run.

. . .

They don't study up much apparently.

stubbs, I think fanerman pretty much covered it in 52, but I would emphasize two things to answer your question.

First, we understand why Tracy isn't playing Perez, even if we disagree with it. It's because of his supposedly poor defense. Dumb reason, but we get it. For Choi, there is no reason, good or otherwise, beyond either (a) Tracy is a jerk and hates Choi, or (b) Tracy is dumb and doesn't understand that he's benching the better player.

Second, I like Perez and want to see him play instead of Cesar or Robles, at least half the time, but he's really just a better version of those guys offensively. Which is to say, all batting average, little power, few walks. He's better than they are, but not by as much as Choi could be.

So those two reasons explain why the anti-Tracy crowd here isn't talking as much about Perez. most of us want to see AP in the lineup much more often; indeed, as often as we want to see Choi. But we whine about AP less because at least there's no mystery as to why JT isn't playing him.

"The positive drug test that has left Rafael Palmeiro's legacy in doubt involved the potent anabolic steroid stanozolol.... Palmeiro said Monday that he had never intentionally taken steroids, but stanozolol does not come in dietary supplements and is among the most popular steroids on the market."

http://tinyurl.com/7tbvk

Yesterday, in another thread, I had said that Palmeiro could have run afoul of the test by taking the wrong medicine (or supplement, etc.) ... can't say I feel the same way today.

The way I see it, this is pretty damning evidence. If it's 100% true that he took the stanozolol stuff, it's got to hurt his Hall chances. I guess part of my reluctance to buy this story was just that I'm just way more surprised than I would have been if Bonds or McGwire had been the subject of the story instead of Palmeiro.

There may be a few too many righties at the bottom of the lineup but the top would be awesome. And before anyone can criticize Valentine hitting 3rd, I stacked 1,2,3 with players that are patient and take a lot of pitches... They may not have averages but Valentine and Choi walk a lot and I figure that by the time a pitcher got to Kent & Bradley the # of pitches thrown would result in them seeing more "mistake pitches".

If memory serves, in past seasons his decisions regarding playing time have always been based on a player's quality of play on the field. This is no longer true, and I'm wondering why.

So, which of the following is true?

1. This year, for whatever reason, Tracy has developed a newfound ability to hold grudges against certain players, and bench them even when their performance dictates otherwise.

2. He is ignorant enough to genuinely believe that Phillips is better than Choi and Edwards/Robles is better than A Perez.

or

3. This is all in my imagination and Tracy has always held inexplicable grudges against certain players.

FLORIDA ST LEAGUE
Best Hitting Prospect - Andy LaRoche, Vero Beach
Best Power Prospect - Andy LaRoche, Vero Beach
Best Reliever - Mark Alexander, Vero Beach

SALLY LEAGUE
(none)

SOUTHERN LEAGUE
Best Strike Zone Judgment - Russell Martin, Jacksonville
Best Baserunner - Todd Donovan, Jacksonville
Best Pitching Prospect - Chad Billingsley, Jacksonville
Best Breaking Pitch - Chad Billinsgley, Jacksonville
Best Defensive Catcher - Russell Martin, Jacksonville

The Triple-A lists don't get released until tomorrow, but nobody on LV really has a chance of making it. Maybe Navarro as best defensive C and that's about it.

117 Well, Tracy did the same thing to Choi last year. Played him for a little while after the trade, then relegated him to the end of the bench. So he plain old doesn't like Choi. Probably because he isn't enlightened as to player evaluation (few managers are).

I thought he got the maximum out of the Cora/Hernandez platoon, but maybe he made the right decisions there for the wrong reasons too (i.e., perception of defensive ability). Who knows?

Choi's SLG of .476 has him at 13th of 23 (if qualified) ahead of: Palmero, Helton

Choi's 14HR has him at 15th, in the top 21 only 1 has fewer than Choi's 246 AB (Doug Mientkiewicz 239AB)

Bottom line is that Choi is at worst a league average 1st baseman, and as best something better... Tracy is at best an idiot at worst an idiot who is managing the Dodgers.

Phillips, by the way, would be last in OPS and 2nd to last in slugging...

Now even his defense at second base is being maligned by Tracy and some media members. Until this year, as far as I can tell, he'd always been considered a pretty good defensive 2B.

Of course you play Perez when you're throwing Izturis and Phillips out there. You don't have any other choice. Except of course, to whine in the paper that your offense doesn't score any runs.

Those were the days. I remember thinking "no way he can keep this up", but I wondered why Tracy didn't ride him until he fell back to earth.

(I'd post his batting stats, but they don't exist in Baseball America's DB thanks to the morons at MLB "Advanced" Media, which took over the minor league stat contract this year. And you thought Elias was bad...)

re 117

I'm seem to recall that Karros and Grudz were traded because Tracy didn't want them (bad clubhouse guys, whatever). Granted, Karros wasn't worth much anymore, but he was better than McGriff in 2003. Grudz was certainly better than Cora that year as well.

The Dodgers also got the pleasure of paying Todd Hundley for spending most of the time of the DL that year.

If it is true that Tracy didn't like Grudz or Karros, he certainly wasn't finding excuses not to play them anymore.

The guy wasn't a .300 hitter in the minors, I highly doubt he's going to do it in Dodger Stadium.

However, if we're going to play him, shouldn't he be in CF? Or does he only play the corners? I would think that letting Bradley run a little less would be a good thing, given his leg problems in the past.

My opinion is that Repko is a handly 5th outfielder to have around to play good defense, pinch run, maybe come in to pinch hit occassionly; but certainly not to start. Werth, even at 75%, is a better player. Depo is high on Werth; if he wasn't, Randy Johnson would have been pitching the last half of the season with LA last year. I think that Repko is just another of Tracy's pet players due to hustle or some other BS. And I really don't expect him to be on the roster next season, unless it's as a 5th guy.

Add Repko to the list of guys with inflated trade value due to scrappiness.

Zobrist walks 16.0% of the time, Denker only 15.8% (only considering Sally stats)

Zobrist 24 year old playing Lo A
Denker 19 year old (soon to be 20) playing Lo A

Yes, I have issues, but they can be fun to deal with sometimes!

(Odds of getting mocked rise greatly if I post this.)

And is anyone else concerned that the word googol won't be as cool to our children as it was to us (and they won't know how it's really spelled either!)?

You probably already know this, but they've both been promoted to Hi A... that's why BA didn't have Zobrist's Low A stats. (Or Denker's either for that matter.)

There was also a CPU named Norman Bates, which we had to keep on a different network because, like his real-life (fiction-life?)counterpart, he didn't "play well with others."

147. Ain't nothin' wrong with the fetishization of the Illiad, Odyssey, and Aeneid.

Nick - Yes. I'll be up in 452, row 4 or so. Sam DC shelled out the big bucks and will be in 113.

I'll be at the Pour House before (4th and Penn Ave SE) and perhaps Trusty's afterwards (new bar opened up at 14th and Penn Ave SE).

I'll definitely be at Trusty's after the game tomorrow night (flying back to LA Friday morning :) )

[147]Pro-Hellene that I am, I'm delighted that Odysseus and Telemachos are computer names, whereas Aeneas was merely a hard drive. :)

Cool, I'll be up in 522...it's the upper deck, about parallel with 3rd base, but they're actually pretty good seats.

I was thinking about stopping by Cap Lounge or the Hawk 'n' Dove (also on Penn). Depends when I get get out of the office.

Lot of Dodger fans last night, hope to see a bunch more at RFK today.

So none of you guys was the one wearing the Steve Sax jersey, huh?

I'm not the Sax jersey guy, but I saw him too. Also saw a guy with a Repko jersey...didn't know they actually made those.

Myself, I would just as soon see Perez play shortstop.

I saw one interesting jersey that had Nationals written across the front, Nationals patch on the left shoulder, Dodgers patch on the right shoulder, and Gagne written across the back. Jersey was black/blue/white in color.

I thought about wearing my Nationals shirt with my LA cap, but I'm going all Dodgers gear tonight.

Can anyone confirm?

http://tinyurl.com/79xzw

"And once steroids were made illegal in 1991 and in the next two years the subject was widely discussed -- like at the 1993 World Series -- where was Bud Selig to investigate?"

Brackets/bolding mine.

Possession of them without a prescription is a federal offense; they are in the same category as Vicodin and other generally prescribed drugs. Punishment for possession is up to one year, which would make it a misdemeanor. An intent to distribute makes it a five-year sentence and a felony.

Each state would have different rules -- I suspect some would make it a felony and others a misdemeanor.

i toyed with naming my dog (since i didn't have a horse) bucephalus, but settled on good ol' buck, based on jack london's call of the wild. now that was a dog.

My wife asked me about Rafy last night. If she asked me today my whole story would change. Beside a blanket apology to Congress, he needs to make one to Canseco. How sad it that. Perjury just doesn't seem to be much of a deterrent anymore.

I always liked Grissom as a Dodger as he was a lefty killer. Really liked him when he was in his prime for the Expo's. Saw him at a charity softball game in Palm Springs and he was awesome.

I believe you saw a replica of a Gagne All star jersey. the National being a reference to the National League and not the Nationals.

Like many, I'm somewhat dubious of any RISP numbers from a small sample. Just a quick look at the last three years (not counting 2005) shows that our would-be and our ersatz first basemen perform thusly with men in scoring position:

AB/OBP/SLG/OPS
Choi 138/383/428/811
Phillips 198/376/354/730

Their career averages present as so:

Choi 841/349/442/791
Phillips 1108/324/386/710

Conclusion: Choi is the better hitter. Unsurprisingly, over a large enough sample, Choi will outperform Phillips in most, if not all, contexts. (Oh and, the "ability" to hit with RISP, to the extent it exists, is possessed equally by both players)

Tracy's willingness to use the small sample from 2005 appears to indicate either (1) that he's not too bright (or at least has a very tenuous grasp of statistics) or (2) that he's being disingenuous and really has it out for Choi. It's possible, however, (and I think ultimately the case) that Tracy is doing what most people do: starting with a conclusion that he arrived at by some inscrutable and unassailable process informed by observation and intuition, then buttressing that belief with a hodgepodge of whatever data conveniently support the conclusion.

But whatever the explanation, man it's sure annoying!

I know that there's a percentage of posters here who don't think "chemistry" is significant to winning, but Tracy certainly does and there's something "chemistry"-related about his decisions to not play Choi and A. Perez. We're not in the dugout or clubhouse, so we don't what it is ... but there's something there.

163 I'm with you on this. For those of us privileged to see Bill Russell play SS ... well, it's nice to have Izzy.

If Tracy isn't starting them because of chemistry, well, then that's an even worse reason than what he's given.

Surely the Dodger staff have the same information Jon posted here and, knowing that Choi is a streaky hitter (aren't they all?), you'd think they would have taken notice of his tater yesterday as the possible start of a new streak. Is it dumb or is it a agenda item, i.e., no at bats for Choi until his OPS is 2.000.

ARRRRGHHH! Tracy drives me nutty!

I could accept Saenz over Choi, or Perez over Choi, or even Robles over Choi.

But Phillips makes no sense. If you want a RH hitter, go Saenz. If you want a good defender go...um, Choi? Phillips brings nothing besides "clutchness".

Besides Phillips hit a home run as a starter, and Choi hit one as a pinch hitter. They must be made for those roles, right?

Or maybe Navarro would play 3rd?

What should happen is the top dog Times reporter or editor should publish an interview with Tracy in which the manager is forced to answer a series of direct questions about the Choi situation, i.e.

What is it about a guy with power, a high OBP, a good eye and a good glove that you don't like?

Why did you move a guy into a new position (after he'd failed in his old one) in the middle of a pennant race, while leaving a proven starter on the bench?

What would Choi have to show you to get, say, four starts in a row?

Is there something about Choi you don't like, and if so, what is it?

Many fans think Choi should be starting, and they show their support every time he comes to bat in Dodger Stadium. What do you know that they don't?

If DePodesta ordered you to play Choi, would you resign?

I think there's something similar going on in Tracy's mind about Choi. He's seen on numerous occasions how Choi can become a hole in the lineup for an extended period of time, and his perception seems to be that regardless of how superior Choi's overall stats are, Phillips is less likely on any given day to be a hole in the lineup. This isn't a belief I endorse, it's just one I suspect Tracy has.

Well said.

Phillips is more than a crappy hitter - he's the back up catcher!

212 - makes sense to me.

Tracy's bench coat for '03 and '04 was Jim Riggleman