Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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TV and more ...
1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
The Dodgers lost catcher Mike Rose on waivers to Tampa Bay and designated pitchers Derek Thompson and Ryan Ketchner for assignment Friday, according to Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com. This mainly clears space on the 40-man roster for offseason transactions, with midseason bright spot Thompson as well as Ketchner (acquired in the Jolbert Cabrera trade), both recovering from surgery, remaining candidates to re-enter the minor league system.
Meanwhile, the turnover in the Dodgers' public relations department continues. Vice President of Public Relations John Olguin, who became a friend to this site after my February appearance with him at a sports media seminar - and who was promoted to his most recent position a mere six months ago, was fired today along with PR colleagues Chris Gutierrez and Paul Gomez.
Olguin had succeeded Gary Miereanu, who was also let go in a Friday afternoon purge.
Olguin's replacement will be Camille Johnston, who will carry the title of Senior Vice President of Communications and report to Jamie McCourt. From the Dodgers' press release:
Johnston comes to the Dodgers from Rodale, Inc, a leading publishing company, where she served as Vice President of Corporate Communications for the last four years. Rodale has nine magazine properties including the global brands Prevention, Men's Health and Runner's World, which are published in 36 countries, and is also the largest independent book publisher in the U.S. with over 100 new titles a year including the South Beach Diet franchise. In her position, Johnston served as the spokesperson for the company and directed all corporate communications and public affairs divisions including media relations, brand publicity, corporate events, philanthropy and internal communications.
Prior to Rodale, Johnston held positions in the political arena. She was a Senior White House Aide in the Office of the Vice President and Director of Communications for Tipper Gore from 1999 to 2001. She also served as the Midwest Communications Director for the Clinton-Gore Re-Election Campaign and Deputy Press Secretary for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. And, she held several communications positions at the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education from 1993 to 1995. From 1997 - 1999, Johnston was the Director of Communications for WBBM-TV in Chicago, Illinois.
Incidentally, the Padres dismissed ex-Dodger Davey Lopes from their coaching staff, but before anyone throws his name into the Dodger managerial ring, re-read this Dodger Thoughts post from May.
This Riverside Press-Enterprise interview with former Dodger second baseman Davey Lopes ... does feature the same old misinterpretation of what "Ivy League GM-type managers" think of the stolen base. Lopes says that they believe "the stolen base is not important," which isn't true. What they believe is that the number of caught stealing is important - which is something entirely different and something I'm sure Lopes would endorse. Lopes had a career success stolen base percentage of 83 (557 out of 671), which just about any one in baseball would be thrilled with.(Lopes, I believe, was the oldest player ever to steal his age or better. At age 40 with the Cubs, he stole 47 bases in 51 attempts. That year, he had an OPS+ of 121, with 100 being average. His on-base percentage was .383 and his slugging percentage .444.)
At the end of the interview, Lopes concludes that the "Ivy League type-guys" will keep him from managing again. Putting aside that these types aren't in charge of every single team - if Lopes really wants to manage again, he might want to do a better job of trying to understand them instead of dismissing them. Why should they try to appreciate his talents if he's not trying to appreciate theirs? But Lopes doesn't sound bitter ... more at peace ... so maybe there's no need.
He was a fine ballplayer, in any case.
BTW, where did Derick Hall land?
Those young players showed some grit last year.
I don't know how the new PR people are going to explain the new round of firings, but it should at least be interesting. I guess if they can pull it off, they will demonstate their talent.
For what it is worth, I liked Rose as a hitter when I saw him in Triple A. I would rather have him than Bako. If all the rave reviews about Martin are true, I would rather have Navarro and Martin on the major league roster than Rose.
Stan from Tacoma
So the McCourt Silver Hammer falls on Olguin now..... I wonder what John's answers to me that night would be to me today knowing what he knows now.
It would seem that your only a part-time/temproary employee if you go to work for the McCourt's. You hear that Paul DePodesta? Better start looking now!
What movie was it where the main character screamed out, "YOUR FIRE! YOUR ALL FIRED!!!!"
That's what it's probably like to work for the McCourt's everyday.
Boy does it feel good to dream!
http://tinyurl.com/dx3zs
My guess is that Bako returns. Im always suprised by the people that want to see Martin next year. Given what we saw when Beltre and Jackson skipped AAA, why do we want Martin to follow? Even if he's playing once or twice a weeek, why would you want him playing rarely if he could develope in AAA playing everyday, not to mention delaying his arbitration eligibility. Depodesta like Bako, supposedly he has data that shows that Bako's catching improves pitchers ERA, and i think they might see him as a future managing/coaching talent. If Navarro does well and stays healthy, and bako stays healthy, i dont think well see martin 'till sept.
10 - First time I've seen him pitch Nate but I would guess two weeks rest plus the playoff atmosphere plus being at home in front of friends and family...I think anybody would be jacked up.
http://tinyurl.com/787au
During the game he commented that "the lack of bases on ball have hurt the Angels in the series."
Is this going to be an annual event? Each year we anxiously await the next round of firings by the McCourt's?
Next press release:
LOS ANGELES--Dodger President Jamie McCourt today announced the firing of janitors helper, Juan Augustine Sanchez-Riviera after he mistakingly mopped the floors two consecutive weeks in a row at Dodger Stadium. In an effort to cut costs while still showing a massive profit, McCourt told the Times, "We can't have that here. We need to be concentrating on cutting costs, not incurring them, and I think our record shows that we have done exceptionally well at just that."
When asked, Sanchez-Riviera replied that he was just going off of a inter-office directive from the former president that he mop those floors because:
1-They needed mopping.
2-That's what the previous owner did every night after every game to keep the stadium sparkling clean as the day it opened in 1962.
3-That he would be accountable if he didn't.
"I just did what I was told to do by Mr. McCourt." Apparently Ms. McCourt didn't like that directive and said she would chastise Mr. McCourt when she got home later that night between a commercial break of their favorite new Geena Davis comedy/drama, "Commander in Chief."
Jamie McCourt took the time to also announce that the night janitor at the Unocal 76 station behind the left field Pavillion would be promoted from with-in and take over Sanchez-Riviera's duties immediately at a savings of some $200.00 a year in labor and benefits.
"We're slowly but surely learning that we inherited a lot of needless costs when we took over the team, and I'll be more open to discuss with both Frank and Paul that over-spending will not be tolerated... Not on this team at least."
I will grant that the continuity and stability seem to be lacking with this organization, but frankly, I doubt the (L.A.) Dodgers have ever had worse press than they've had in the past year. If you're going to fire someone, it may as well be the PR guys.
Laroche is not making a strong case for himself. The Dodgers in general aren't doing much
Laroche 0-4, 2 Ks
Abreu 1-4, reached on an error, but was immediately picked off
It can either be "you are fired" or "you're fired" for short. Different than, say, "your" possession or "your racially insensitive and unfunny comments."
I apologize if it offended you, and if I could, and there was an edit feature on each post I would make the guy a greezy slimball Italian with a meatball sandwich hanging out of his mouth. But, did you notice that the firing of the three individuals were all of an Hispanic origin?
Or is your accusation that blind?
Why don't you look to the racial profiling of that fact and then tell me if I'm being insensitive.
My typo and I thank you for pointing it out.
But right now, I'm experiencing serious Paul Konerko rage. What was wrong with the Dodgers? Letting go of their best offensive prospect of the 90s for Jeff Shaw, who might as well have worn a sign saying I hate the Dodgers while he pitched here. That trade probably cost the Dodgers two NL West titles in the first half of this decade--maybe more.
So I say: Let the McCourts fire all the suits they want. Let them clone their children and put them in those empty offices. Let every press release go forth with lie upon lie.
Just so long as the baseball people, DePodesta, White and the rest, are left alone to cultivate the players in the minor league system, and to keep on feeding that system with superb prospects.
The annals of baseball are filled with tales of terrible owners. But not all of them are losers, and some win big despite appalling behavior. Let that be the Dodgers situation.
There is little doubt in my mind that the reason more then likely is the same reason all the others aren't there anymore. They tried to do their perpective jobs and couldn't operate because of efficency and short temperment of the owners. And of course, your right, GREEN is definitely involved.
The Lakers PR guy, John Black (??), I think has been on the job for a while. He must have his share of headaches and war stories.
The main thing that can stop the bad press is something outside of the abilities of any PR campaign; fielding a winning team with players significantly better than Edwards,Valentin, Erickson and Carrara.
Glad to see someone else on this site appreciating Konerko. Wonder what Lasorda's "opinion of Konerko's performance" was.
IMO Konerko's Dodger days ended due to issues outside of his control; 1) Lasorda desperately wanting to be the permanent GM, and 2) Dodger management(Fox) being afraid of a backlash similar to the Piazza episode, should remaining fan favorite Karros be dumped. Considering that Konerko was shaky his first few years with the Reds and Sox, it would have been another PR nightmare for Fox.
Why have people on this site consistently opined that Choi is better than Konerko? Cheaper yes, but better? Is that the same school of thought that had posters claiming that Werth was better than Garrett Anderson?
As for the big picture, though, I'm with Ratt: I don't care that much about what the McCourts do as long as they leave DePo free to do his job.
The woman McCourt's hired, just judging from her resume, is coming into a newly redefined job. The old job prioritized dealing with sports media, but she has no background in that. What she will probably excel at is establishing a corporate image, developing relationships with the political and business leadership, and fending off crises. I noticed McCourt severed ties with Sitrick, so that responsibility is shifted to her too.
The business about the arbitration clock I don't think should be a consideration for a team like the Dodgers. If you are talking about a small market team with limited resources, I can understand how such a consideration would factor into a decsion about when to move a prospect to the major leagues.
Stan from Tacoma
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