Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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My point in Tuesday night's column boils down to this: I did not think that Ned Colletti should have said he "tried everything" to keep Milton Bradley as a Dodger when it's clear that there was something he didn't try.
I'm not saying that he had to try everything. I would have tried talking to Bradley - as much out of my interest in meeting him as anything else - but I'm not saying Colletti had to. I'm just saying that it wasn't clear to me why he didn't try talking to him, and also that he misspoke. And I spent hundreds of words conveying an idea that could have been conveyed in about 25, and therefore probably made too much of it.
I appreciate the support and the constructive critiques that I've gotten. Very worthwhile.
I'm ready to move on.
I suspect that was the Dodgers' attitude too. ;)
On to better topics: how about that geriatric outfield? ;D
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5167690
I still recall him saying, "It's like 'Miller' who the heck else would you pronounce it?"
Ben Stein's famous line just wouldn't have had the same flare if it had sounded like
"Biller? Biller?"
Has anyone verified the Mueller signing rumors referred to in the last thread?
The Dodgers just signed him. 2-year contract.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=2258856
I ask the speaker for unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.
Because of his age, Boston did not want to make a long-term commitment to Mueller, electing to part ways with the professional hitter and clubhouse presence.
That's how I mostly think of it, yes. ;) That said, the reinvention of the Dodgers proceeds apace. And so far, no prospects gone. I'm impressed.
they're gonna go halfsies on johnny damon? :)
Nice signing. An actual third baseman.
And the contract is heavily backloaded.
Except the people who grew up with that name who lived near where my dad grew up.
Not coincidentally, that's the same part of the world that Bill Mueller is from.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5167696
"I don't know how they expected to keep me in center field if nobody even spoke to me," Bradley said. "They weren't trying to reconcile anything. They made up their minds to go with Jeff Kent. They wanted the old man instead of the young man."
"Garciaparra is asking for a one-year deal worth $6 million-$8 million with incentives, according to an official from an American League club.
"The Dodgers and Cleveland Indians are considered the Yankees' prime competition, and the Yankees aren't certain whether Garciaparra - a West Coast native who didn't enjoy the Boston media scrutiny - wants to play for them."
Of the everyday players, only Kent and, perhaps, J.D. Drew are assured of starting in the same position they did April 5 in San Francisco.
Center fielder Milton Bradley has been traded to Oakland, third baseman Jose Valentin has signed with the New York Mets, and catcher Jason Phillips and first baseman Choi are being shopped. All were starters last opening day.
http://tinyurl.com/c2jvd
And that is a good thing. The upgrades of Furcal/Mueller/Navarro over Izzy/Valentin/Philips are easy to quantify.
Onto the outfield.
How true. The DePodesta regime left the Dodgers with so few desirable major leaguers that it is hard to believe.
But according to a baseball source familiar with the Dodgers' thinking, Los Angeles does not believe its chances of completing a deal for Damon are that good, largely because the team believes that he wishes to re-sign with the Red Sox. Also, the team feels some reluctance to deal with Damon's agent, Scott Boras.
Opening Day Lineup
SS Furcal
3B Mueller
CF Drew
2B Kent
RF Cruz, Jr.
LF Ledee
1B Choi
C Navarro
P Penny
BTW, if the Dodgers do bring up LaRoche or Guzman at some point next season, I hope they do what the Mets did with David Wright, bat him low in the order in order for him to get adjusted and then move him up when his production demands it.
1. Russell Martin
2. Andy Laroche
3. Joel Guzman
4. James Loney
5. Chad Billingsley
6. Other
Okay, Billingsley is a long shot to be the opening day starter but he may be the best prospect in the system. I vote for Martin.
So his saying that he thought it may work out initially was just corporate PR-spin. As you know that happens all-the-time. His mind was already made up, he was just playing nice.
On the other hand, as Arte Moreno proved with Jered Weaver, Boras can be reckoned with, and favorably.
Great blog, Jon. Stay cool.
[Lurker goes back to corner from whence he came.]
Ned: "Milton, I am concerned about your past problems with Coaches, Players, the Police and Your Wife, can you say anything that will make me feel like you can play here?"
Milton: "Well, I have taken anger management classes and it's all behind me now."
Ned should stop there, but if he pushed....
Ned: "Are you sure?"
Milton: "What are you a racist? I'll beat the hell out of you!"
BRADLEY IS THE LAST GUY COLLETTI SHOULD HAVE TALKED TO! AND HE WAS!
We've all debated the facts and points for and against this trade and the way it's been handled. I just wanted to bring up the point that one of the things I liked best about Milton was his passion, and in particular, his love for LA and the Dodgers. People give the "happy to be here and contribute" BS all the time, but with Bradley, it actually really seemed like he was happy to be home, and proud to be a Dodger. I can't think of any other current Dodger (correct me if I'm wrong) who felt so strongly about being a part of this team that we all love so much. I feel this is an important point to make, especially as we are in the midst of re-creating the 2002 Giants. We all could have used less of the distractions with Bradley, but I for one will miss the passion, and the idea that someone wearing the uniform still believes that it means something special to be a Dodger.
While he lost out on free-agent Brian Giles, Colletti has spoken to the agents for several available outfielders, including Johnny Damon, Preston Wilson, Reggie Sanders and Jacque Jones.
Who do we like out of that bunch?
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