Cardinals
Eckstein Ss
Edmonds Cf
Pujols 1b
Walker Rf
Sanders Lf
Grudzielanek 2b
Nunez 3b
Molina C
Carpenter P

Padres 4 - Roberts, Young, Astacio, and Seanez
Cardinals 1 - Grudzielanek

In the words of Nelson Mundt "Hah! Hah!"

New York - Bubba Crosby
L.A. of Anaheim - Steve Finley

Houston - Jose Vizcaino
Atlanta - Either Brian Jordan or Todd Hollandsworth (Braves will decide today)

I guess I wasn't specific enough in my wish, though. I didn't mean in a silly freaking commercial!

it upset me

because i want to hate him

who am i kidding, i still hate him

Instead, I hate Ryan Klesko. What a baloney player.

Cardinals: Isringhausen, Mulder, Mabry
Padres: Hammond, Hernandez, Olivo (minors only)

Red Sox: Damon, Bradford, Harville
White Sox: Vizcaino, Dye, Cotts (minors)

Angels: DaVanon (minors)
Yankees: Small, Giambi, Sierra

Braves: Hudson
Astros: none

Hmm...perhaps I should adjust my playoff picking theory...

Can I think of a recent manager who shared all those qualities? The fact of the matter is it's very likely that I might be able to.

List of hated Dodgers:
Scott Erickson
Kevin Brown
Delino DeShields

Others:
Jim Edmonds
Jeff Kent (like him as a Dodger though)
Manny Ramirez
Derek Jeter
Rob Dibble
Keith Hernandez
Will Clark
Andy Pettitte

If only it were so.

Sheesh. Doesn't anyone know how to hit?

Reggie Sanders hits a grand slam, blah blah blah (Bob Loblaw?).

next item:

Coaching visit to mound.

Maybe Peavey ain't all that; he just looks good in the NL West's diminished competition.

I actually just don't understand the word hate when used with sports. I can't stand Terrel Owens or Randy Moss but "hate", how does that factor in. I'll save my hate for someone who ruins lives like George Bush.

Like him: He can run down anything. Got a Seeing-Eye glove. Spectacular.

Hate him: What kind of risky catch is that? Two hands, you showboat!

Agreed. When I use the word "hate" in a sports context, I mean it as a playful, meaningless sort of hate, not the kind of hate that would cause me to punch out Jim Edmonds if I passed him on the street.

Yeah, after running 20 feet in the wrong direction first.

Both of whom could likely kick our butts anyway.

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051004/NEWS/510040401

On August 27, 1955, with the Dodgers comfortably in first place, manager Walt Alston started Brooklyn born Sandy Koufax at Ebbets Field against the hard hitting Cincinnati Redlegs. Sandy gave up a hit to Ted Kluszewski in the first and then proceeded to hold the Redlegs without a hit until the ninth.

Leading 7-0, Sandy surrendered a two out double to Sam Mele in the ninth. With the shutout on the line, Sandy retired former Dodger Rocky Bridges on a pop up to Pee Wee Reese to complete an impressive 14 strikeout, 2 hit shutout for his first major league victory. His pitching line was 9 innings pitched, 2 hits, 5 walks, 14 strikeouts and no runs allowed.

Thanks to the book Koufax, written by Sandy and Ed Linn, and retrosheet.

Just wondering if anyone has heard Vin talk about Sandy's performance. Oh how I wish I had a tape of Vin's broadcast of Sandy first major league masterpiece.

Stan from Tacoma

PPV, anyone?

Stop stealing my bits!

There would go all the payroll savings next year. Just to pay for the Mike Piazza Farewell Tour.

What's the deal with Carpenter?

Sweet, 2-0 ChiSox!!

...and now Sutcliffe is talking arm angles

I'd rather pay Piazza for 1 year, than bring back both Bako and Saenz.

And if DePo were to hire Orel along with bringing back Piazza, Plashke would be in heaven.

I wonder if it wouldn't be worth it to bring back Piazza with a one-year contract as a backup catcher, backup first baseman and pinch hitter. I'm sure all things being equal, he and his wife would rather be in LA, and I don't see the Angels opening up the DH role for him. It wouldn't make the most sense financially, but the Dodgers probably can afford it, he could help win a few games, and the box office reaction would probably pay for whatever increment-above-replacement-value he'd cost.

Sure is a good thing that Podsednik got bunted over and stole third to set up the home run.

Is Morgan extolling the virtues of Ozzie Guillen right now? Who actually is covering the game?

The Dodgers have plenty of cash to spend. I wouldnt mind overpaying a little either to bring Piazza back, as long as it was just for 1 year.

That would be a clever window dressing. But, if the Dodgers do not win next year then DePodesta is gone.

Would you rather have Saenz at 1st occasionally, or Piazza?

Would you rather not have to read degrading Dodger articles all the time in the Times? Ok, no one is forced to read them but still I think they get tiresome.

I believe Mike Piazza back to the Dodgers makes a lot of sense all the way around. I dont see any downsides to it.

I didn't say that I was against the idea. So much more needs to be done.

So, he waits for the prospects to be ready and then gets fired right as they're about to contribute?

Wouldn't make sense to me.

Is Piazza going to match his .778 OPS as a backup?

Doesn't DePodesta work fairly cheap as a GM also?

Let's say we could get Piazza for $5 million, and you could prove that he would generate an incremental $4 million in revenue. Or, you could get Brian Giles for $10 million, but you'd know that he would add nothing to the bottom line except insofar as he improves the overall team.

Giles takes $10 million out of the budget available for players. But Piazza, because he adds to the bottom line, only takes $1 million net, leaving $4 million available to pick up a less well-known, but highly capable, additional player to improve the team. Thus, the real comparison for Piazza, according to this hypothetical, is against players who earn $1 million. Does this factor ever get measured in sabremetrics?

10

does that sound too bitter? i hope not.

You're the sort of baseball fan that Bill Plaschke hates! Sigh. You don't appreciate what makes a good game. I hope you feel ashamed. Please destroy any baseball memorabilia you might own. All baseball cards must be incinerated. You do not adhere to the Plaschkean orthodoxy.

But there is a substantial Dominican community in New York that wants to see their native hero do well. It's not unlike what happened at Dodger Stadium in the early days of Fernandomania or even Nomomania.

The established core of Piazza fans migrated to being Lo Duca fans I think. And they just have sort of disappeared.

What I don't know, so I would defer to smarter people, is what the dollar increment would be. It just seems to me that DePodesta's got to find a way to keep the fans from mutiny in 2006 while he pushes to get 'his' team on the field beginning in 2007. A one-year Piazza gambit might be just the thing.

It's just an idea.

The Dodgers' Phoenix Desert Dogs start tonight at 7 pm, Paul Bush of the Braves is starting

I've heard that Jeff Kent isn't comfortable around members of the gay commmunity.

http://tinyurl.com/ana3x

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/index.jsp?sid=l119

Supposedly they would have Gameday for every game. Can anyone find it?

With all the attention to the Red Sox, let's not forget, over past 120 years, Dodger fans have had many opportunities to enjoy "the loser's dividend." The Dodgers were the original "lovable losers." The 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s were statistical anomalies.

Would you buy season tickets because the team signed Piazza and lost 90 games again?

The Dodgers will draw what?...2.7M - 3M for just being there and a lot more for a decent team. The problem is not attendance.

Sure it would be fun for a while to see an old favorite but they have got to win some games. If Piazza is hitting .220 in June his appeal would drop quickly.

(Oh sure what about his OBS?) :)

If he is, tell him there are 30 teams, not 32...

The opposing centerfielders in Anaheim tonight: Steve Finley and Bubba Crosby.

Which means the bestselling book in America has a naked picture of Bob in it? No wonder it was selling like hotcakes.

-------------
"Would you rather have Saenz at 1st occasionally, or Piazza?"

I know that was a rhetorical question from oldbear, but I'll give the answer you don't expect -- I'd rather have Saenz in a heartbeat. He's a better hitter at this point, probably a slightly better defensive 1B, and is three years younger and therefore far less likely to fall off a cliff.

Piazza is just not a very good baseball player anymore. Let's stop pretending that bringing him back would have anything to do with performance or winning. It would be 100% sentiment, pure and simple.

So, I'm firmly in agreement with the idea to bring Piazza back -- but as an announcer, not a player. He's really good at that.

yeah, at this point, in terms of which is a better player, i'd take saenz > piazza in a heartbeat. if saenz got used for what he was supposed to be used for (that is, a really good RHB off the bench), then he's great to have. if he's taking playing time from choi, then he becomes less useful.

I'm not who they'd be targeting.

When Dodger marketing reps paid sales calls on potential corporate ticket buyers and ad/promotion partners last winter, they surely did not forget to mention Eric Gagne, as well as the new acquisitions like Jeff Kent. It's a selling point for the season ticket buyer who might be less obsessed with the team's record, and more focused on the entertainment value of the experience for clients. It's also a selling point for the advertiser, who can figure on a somewhat larger audience tuning in to see their old favorite back in uniform.

I don't know what to expect from Piazza as a hitter next year. I'd compare him to Saenz. Freed of the responsibility of crouching behind the plate more than once a week, he might be decent coming off the bench or playing an occasional game. It's the kind of risk I'd take--a one year contract, rightsized expectations. I'd rather take that flyer than "win" a bidding war for a Brian Giles type. That's the definition of a bad, costly risk.

I'm figuring DePo turns up his nose at most of the FA class this winter. Too many teams chasing too few good players. Every contract signed this winter will be atrocious.

I'm figuring DePo will also be very cautious about trading any of the Dodgers' A-level prospects. So, what's he going to do to improve the team for '06? Try to find fill-in guys who are willing to accept a one or two year deal, and who can produce decent numbers until the youngsters arrive. Piazza would have to be on that list, especially when you factor in the marketing aspects.

What you expected?
Not quite what you expected?

Jon Stewart is, by acclamation, the coolest man in America. Jon Weisman has turned Dodger Thoughts into the best and one of the most-read baseball blogs. Jon Papelbon has Red Sox fans all hot and bothered. Jon Daniels just became the youngest GM in history. etc etc

In 2005, Piazza had a higher OPS than (partial list):

Ramon Hernandez
Rod Barajas
Mike Lieberthal
Ivan Rodriguez
Dioner Navarro
Greg Zaun
AJ Pierzynski
Paul LoDuca
Mike Matheny
Brad Ausmas
Johnny Estrada
Jason Kendall
Jason Phillips

His OPS was only exceeded by (100+ games):
Jason Veritek
Victor Martinez
Michael Barrett
Jason Larue
Joe Mauer
Bengie Molina
Jorge Posada
Javy Lopez

He's not nearly what he was, but he's not without value. Despite playing in only 113 games, Piazza had more home runs (19) than all but three catchers. Only four had more RBIs. He was in the top ten in walks.

Piazza is sort of in the Larry Walker-mold for the Cardinals. Sure Walker is old, cant really play the OF anymore, and is definitely not as good as he used to be. But he can still be an asset. In fact, LaRussa managed Walker perfectly this regular season. He limited Walker's games, so he'd be ready for the playoffs. Same thing that Phil Jax used to do with Rob Horry.

I think Piazza could fill the same role for the Dodgers. The only negative I could see with Piazza is if he got real hot at the beginning of the season,and started taking real game time away from Navarro. Thats why it would be imperative for the manager to keep a strict allocation of Piazza's games played throughout the year, no matter how he performed.

Piazza is better than both Bako, Rose as a backup catcher. So it wouldnt just be for sentimental reasons the he'd be brought back. A .778 career OPS I'd take from a backup catcher.

I was using a bit of hyperbole there. You're right, Piazza is not without value. But I don't see what is gained by comparing a (now) first baseman's offense to that of a bunch of catchers.

3b- Aybar
1b- Choi
RF- Drew
LF- Dunn
2b- Kent
CF- Bradley
C- Piazza
SS- Perez

Bench- (Cruz, Werth, Navarro, Robles, Guzman, Mueller)

I can dream.

I was bothered that Martin wasn't brought up at the end of the season. If his chances are that good of making next years club, even winning the job, why wasn't he?

Like confucius, I hate those 3Bmen with 1.000 OPSs!

Any ideas?

Calling up Martin would have served no purpose other than simply rewarding him for a good season, which is something DePo had said he wasn't going to use Sept callups for.

171 The Padres have 12 FAs that they need to do something with, all but 1 (Andy Ashby) played some importance this year

The Giants have 8, but 5 have team options that likely will be picked up. After that, they need a 1B (Snow's a FA) unless they go with Niekro. And they could probably use a starting pitcher

Arizona has 8 FAs, and they need bullpen talent. Probably will overspend for a colser

Colorado has stated resigning Mike Dejean is important. I'm guessing that means they're not going to do anything big

As long as Kent wants to be on the Dodgers, I think he will see his name in the 3 or 4 slot.

And it's 100% horse manure that a 3B "needs" to drive in 100 runs. If your offense is good, the shape of that offense is irrelevant.

So AP isnt the best fielder. Who cares? As long as he OPS's .800 or better, he's good enough to start.

If that was the real reason, it gives me another reason to disagree with him.

175. capdodger

If that is the reason, why be so chincy? A couple of weeks?

If Dunn is an OBP machine, and Kent has a history of hitting well with RISP, that might make sense. Then again, how many GIDP's would that create?

I find it amusing that we are debating batting order slots for guys whom we have no real reason to believe will ever play for the Dodgers...

I did look up first basemen. Obviously, he goes from being a top 10 player at catcher to something less as a first baseman--but still in the top 20. My vision of this would be that if Piazza played in 120 games next year, probably two-thirds of those would be as PH or 1B.

I definitely recall seeing a story about Navarro and Martin where it was said that they don't want Martin or Navarro to be backups next year, they want them each to play full seasons. Navarro's here, and Martin will be in AAA. Unless Martin takes away Navarro's job next Spring. It was, as I recall, a story that also had the DePo quote about why he didn't call Martin up.

P.S. Jon is becoming as old school as John. The new spelling is Jhon, as in Jhonny Peralta.

Then again, he may not like having someone hit 40HRs and clearing the bases for him everytime he got up to bat.

Agreed. So who is this non-good-hitter you speak of that will weaken the Dodgers? Certainly not Willy Aybar.

But I think Kent is the sort of guy who wouldn't mind batting behind guys like Biggio and Bagwell and Berkman because he was aware of their status with the Astros. He started 2004 batting cleanup and got dropped down a slot after Beltran arrived.

As an added incentive, he can punch out "confucius."

How so? Has Piazza expressed a willingness to take a gigantic pay cut to return to L.A., or is this just wishful thinking?

Even $5M, which would be about a 60% cut in salary for Piazza, is certainly a huge amount of payroll to spend on a PH/backup C.

Sign furcal in the offseason and play antonio at second for the whole year.

Why not Nomar?

I'm afraid I still detect those who wish to see Izzy gone. If he makes a good recovery I'm afraid we are stuck with him, and that may turn out to be good.

this plan is nixed if we have to overpay furcal

So set me straight. If a minor league player comes up for 2 weeks he gets a year's worth of ML credit?

yes he does

211 - Because we'd rather not set any more records for DL time?

212 - I agree... if he played so poorly this past year after his hot start because of an injury, he probably would play pretty decent if he recovers. Robles/Perez in the interim aren't bad provided that is one of only a few holes in the 06 Dodgers.

Look, confucius, do you have anything to offer us besides racist jokes and hyper-distorted rhetoric? Nobody is saying Aybar is a savior. What I am saying is that he is far from being (as you claim in post 187) "not a good hitter."

Yes and no. He only gets the 2 weeks of credit. But that 2 weeks sometimes makes the difference in becoming a free agent a year sooner.

That leaves the Dodgers. So, if you want, call it educated wishful thinking.

What do you people think about trying Bradley at leadoff, ONLY if neither Perez nor Aybar are in the lineup next year?

And on the diamond in Anaheim, Bartolo Colon had some third out issues against the Yankees.

Sorry, Rafael, thanks for playing but your DUIs aren't going to cut it here.

I understand what you're saying, though.

This is not going to end well.

I don't mind people who disagree with me. In fact, I find them more entertaining to converse with. But what you've been giving us does not qualify as conversation.

I certainly don't speak for the others here, but one of the things I've always liked best about this site is the high level of reasonable discourse. So I do tend to dislike it when people start bringing talk radio tactics in here. It's counterproductive, and annoying.

Five of them have reached base.

C Dioner Navarro
1B Paul Konerko
2B Jeff Kent
3B Willy Aybar
SS Nomar Garciaparra
LF Hideki Matsui
CF JD Drew
RF Jose Cruz Jr

...is not a bad lineup. It isn't a 90-win lineup, but it isn't a 71-win lineup either.

Colon is positively Brazobanian in his 2-out pitching.

It's over 2 innings.

But I hear he would have been more valuable to the Dodgers.

I swear I wouldn't be surprised to find some of these media guys on the Angels' payroll.

Matsui is an RBI machine. Konerko's a masher. The three of them would be replacing Choi, Izturis, and Werth. That's worth $30MM.

The Cardinals almost peaked too soon.

I said the joke was racist, which isn't a character judgment. If I had said you were a racist, that would be a character judgment. But I didn't say that.

I wouldn't have even mentioned the joke if your other posts hadn't been so ludicrous, however. And I don't mean ludicrous in that your opinion differs from mine, but ludicrous in the way you attempt to make your "arguments." It's a rather juvenile posting style better suited to the ESPN.com or Dodgers.com boards than it is to this site. If that's the kind of posts you want to make, great, but you shouldn't be surprised that it doesn't go over very well here.

That said, I'm done posting about this. I already probably made a bigger deal out of it than needed to be made. I generally am not in the habit of calling out individual posters like this, but this was one situation where I couldn't quite restrain myself from doing so.

I'd much rather trade for then extend Dunn and have him and Gagne wearing Dodger hats in the HOF. Then sign Giles... of course.

Kinda like the Padres in reverse thinking.
If their ace doesn't win then it's over.

(for the nit pickers. I'm not saying any such thing about the Yankees-Angels)

It is, of course, a myth, that GMs like Beane and Epstein don't care about "character". Beane dumped Jeremy Giambi because he didn't want to put up with him anymore. Epstein (and probably the rest of the Red Sox players) wanted Nomar out of Boston.

And the Cubs were the only team that had any sort of interest in Nomar in the past offseason. And Nomar seems interested in staying in Chicago and wants to become an outfielder. That way he can block Matt Murton in left!

Now, do we hug like a made-for-TV movie?

Let us never speak of this again!

As for Giles, I don't see the Dodgers getting him without /really/ overspending. Sorry.

Sorry if this has been mentioned before.

"With Peavy out, the rotation for the rest of the series is in limbo. Adam Eaton would likely pitch Game 4, if necessary, and Brian Lawrence would be the likely choice for Game 5, Padres spokesman Luis Garcia said."

Now that is freaking hilarious.

He is looking more like a DH every year.

I would register FirePaulDepodesta.com the very same day.

Didn't know there was one. My new favorite site.

Didn't know there was one. My new favorite site.

Good, now you can leave us alone and blog over there with Bill Plaschke and his band of knuckleheads(half-joke, half-serious).

But if the Angels can't hit a gimpy Mike Mussina, then prepare yourself for the Yankees in the ALCS.

Again.

No faith in Jackson, eh?

Our he could be the second coming of Dave Goltz.

I'd settle for Kevin Gross.

1B: choi. he should be the full-time starter next season(or at the very least, platooned w/saenz). if he doesn't work out, we'll find out by the trading deadline.
SS: izturis will be back by midseason, and he's under contract and presumably not tradeable while he's injured. does it make sense to get a big free agent for half a season? that's really the length of time the hole will be there. i think we should give antonio perez a shot if his defense holds up (if we get ron washington as the manager, he may help these guys with their D anyway). and if his D isn't good enough at short, robles can suffice for the rest of the time till izturis gets back.
3B: this is where i would LIKE to see us get someone for a year or so until laroche comes up, but i don't think anyone good is available. joe randa, et al. don't do anything for me. probably we should keep aybar there and see if he can continue to have a ~.400 OBP. if he falters, by midseason we can platoon perez/aybar when izturis gets back.

now, we NEED to have a LF. ideally i'd like to keep bradley too, but still, i want a big bat. give me a dunn, abreu, matsui, etc... someone of that caliber. if we are plugging in guys at the other positions like SS and 3B, we can get some premium talent here. and we can keep guys like cruz or werth or ledee as bench insurance.

also, we should have an ace starter. a guy like burnett won't come cheaply, but i don't see why we don't have the money to win the bidding. or we can trade some minor leaguers if necessary, but i don't think it's necessary. i can't believe this roster would put us over $90-95 million, as the savings of green and dreifort alone should pay for most the new outfielder and pitcher.

that would leave us with:
aybar/perez
choi
drew
kent
OF bat
bradley
navarro
perez/robles-->izturis
burnett?

that's a credible lineup.

We clearly have the money to win the bidding; the question is whether the bidding is really worth winning. Ask Jaret Wright and Carl Pavano why.

I keep beating this drum, and I guess I'll beat it again: Signing a famous (as opposed to ace) pitcher like Burnett to a long-term contract this offseason makes little sense. We already have three starting pitchers locked into long-term contracts, so Burnett would make four. What's the point of developing all these pitching prospects if all you're going to do is block them? DePo simply cannot afford to sign a pitcher whom we need for only one year to a four-year deal. If you do that, there's no place to put Billingsley, Jackson, Orenduff, Broxton, Hochevar, Miller, or whoever.

I see us getting more of a stopgap fifth starter in the Kirk Saarloos vein, and hoping Billingsley grabs that job by the All-Star break. (As BA predicts he will)

When you get in touch with your reasonable side let me know.

FYI---I have never blogged anywhere else B4 I started here a couple-three weeks ago.
Blogging is not important to me. I know what I know and do not have a need for conformation. (Opinions are up for discussion.)

I guess the fans who have a diff opinions than you are knuckleheads and belong somewhere else?

....erased....

(for the record, unless we can really makes some trades and put out there a true ace and a real solid bat, then I hope it happens.)

on the other hand, having a real ace is valuable. ask bartolo colon and pedro martinez why. i'm not saying burnett is the next pedro, but he's got ace-like ability.

but you're right, i want to bring in our young pitchers. you know, for some reason i thought odalis was only signed for 2 years. i just checked and he's got a 3-year contract, which would take him through 2007. blah. i was thinking he'd be gone, so another rotation spot would open up in '07 for billingsley, and the next year penny would be gone so hochevar or miller could step up.

so originally, i was thinking if we got burnett, we could begin the season with burnett-lowe-penny-perez-jackson as our rotation. that leaves us with too many pitchers in 2007 though. but maybe we can trade one of the starters and call up billingsley at the deadline next year :)

What Jon does is blogging. What I do is post. Right?

Given what it would take to get him (I'm guessing 4 years/$44 million, or 5/50), I'd rather have a losing season next year than take on that sort of bad contract.

Jon asked the same of people who wanted Tracy gone.

Fair enough. But, just as we had slight trouble finding a suitable replacement for Tracy, the DePodesta-Haters are having the same problem.

I think I was the one who said that people shouldn't advocate Tracy's firing unless they had a replacement in mind.

Jon was a little more moderate, requesting only that they have the qualities in mind that they would want the next manager to possess.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2181177

He made a point of emphasizing "we all share in the credit when we are winning and everybody shares the blame when we are losing". It was pretty clear he wasn't too impressed with Tracy's refusal to accept any blame. On multiple occasions he said mistakes were made and the organization would work together to fix them and put a good product on the field next year for the fans (apologized for letting down the fans).

He also went through the list of guys Tracy and most fans complained were let go and said not a single one of them would have been a good signing (this included Beltre, Loduca, Finley and Lima). He was pretty unhappy with Beltre and called him selfish and disloyal - also said he didn't play to a level that warranted the contract he got with Seattle.

Please, DePodesta, don't overpay for an overlong contract for an overrated free agent pitcher. There is no Colon, no Unit, no Clemens/Oswalt/Pettitte, not even a Jason Schmidt out there, and if there was, we'd only get him if we gave him the keys to Fort Knox. We need to suck it up and develop our own superstar pitchers.

I agree with whoever profiled an offseason pitching acquistion as a Sarloos type. A .500 pitcher who can pitch a lot of innings. That's all we can deal with.

The idea of getting a hard-hitting LF seems more urgent. That's a position we can pay a lot for, since nobody's on the minor league horizon who will take that job anytime soon. One headline-making acquisition, and then some little inexpensive pieces; that's DePo's shopping list.

well, burnett is in his prime, has great stuff (including a 97 mph fastball), he strikes out a lot of batters (over 8.5 per 9 IP), he doesn't give up a ton of home runs (12 this year), he pitched over 200 innings this season and has been healthy since he recovered from his tommy john(but he doesn't have a TON of innings on his arm yet), he held batters to a .237BAA (he's got a career .230 BAA), and this year he even had a 2.42 groundball ratio to boot.

all of that sounds pretty good to me.

That is what i love of Lasorda he is one tuff s.o.b. and he speaks his mind. Somebody had the balls to say what i think a lot of us have been feeling.

This is Jon's blog. We all just live in it.

By the way, people still seem to be blasting DePo for the Lima non-signing. Did nobody notice that in 2005 he posted the worst ERA in baseball history? (Among pitchers with 30+ starts)

310
All true; Burnett as a potential signee has both a lot of good points and a lot of bad ones. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make about the 97 mph fastball, though. Brazoban's got one too...

I only now just stopped laughing, dzzrtRat. That's the best line I've seen in a while.

I don't think there's video feed. There's not even audio feed. MiLB.com assured me there was going to be Gameday, but I don't see it.

As for the prospects, Laroche is 1-2 with a K, and Kemp is 1-2 with an RBI double. Starting pitcher is out, but no sign of Broxton or Dannemiller

Oh my God...I've become one of those demons Plaschke was talking about...

You could also look at it from Beltre's perspective: A 15-year-old kid is coerced into faking his age in order to sign with a team, works his butt off for a decade, and yet until 2004 is reviled by fans as a big disappointment. The team is constantly trying to trade him, or acquire new players to compete with him. When he finally has a big year, he does so making a relative pittance, giving his team a tremendous performance at far below market value, while playing through a serious injury to do so. After sacrificing himself both physically and economically to the team's benefit, the team makes a halfhearted offer of a contract for less years and money than he would get elsewhere. And on top of that, the team doesn't even return his phone calls.

Does this player "owe" the Dodgers anything?

With the Brazoban reference, I was just trying to emphasize that "ace-like stuff" does not equal "ace," and that most pitchers with ace-like stuff are in fact not aces.

I appreciate you all finding a way to nip the hostilities before they got out of hand. My only additional comment is to please not tell people who disagree with you to go blog somewhere else. I don't know how many times I have to say that different opinions are welcome here.

But overall, thanks.

Wait.

Hmm. That's an unworkable solution isn't it?

I am assuming that is OK.

334 - There's always the possibility I'll try again with Jon Weisman's TV Thoughts.

http://tvthoughts.blogspot.com/

To say this didn't get off the ground is an understatement.

After 6 innings:
Laroche: 2-4, 2B, K
Kemp: 3-4, 2B, 3B (just needs the homer...)

If I emailed that obnoxious Sports Guy and asked him when he thinks he and/or his beloved Bosox jumped the shark, how many obscure movies/songs/Celtics would he mention without actually answering the question?

Go figure.

Laroche: 2-5, 2B, K
Kemp: 3-4, 2B, 3B, BB
Abreu, Hull, Broxton, Dannemiller: DNP

Loney: Taxi (could see time tomorrow I believe)