Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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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
Nine games into the season, the Dodger pitching staff has struggled to get people out after about the second inning.
Expectations for the pitchers shouldn't have been too high going into 2006, but it's fair that they could have been higher than this. On a 12-man staff, only Brad Penny and Danys Baez have outpitched their histories.
The same logic that tells us the offense will not continue to lead the league in hits tells us that things will normalize among the pitchers. Certainly, though, there is reason to wonder how much better "normal" will be.
Look at Brett Tomko, for example. In all the local papers today, individual interviews with Sandy Alomar, Jr. and Tomko turned into a de facto debate about whether the two two-run home runs Tomko allowed in one inning Wednesday were because of pitch selection or pitch location. Not to be snide, but one wonders whether Tomko has been having these debates all his career. The guy gives up runs at a rate higher than the league average, and at his age, it's going to take a heck of a discussion to change that.
This Dodger team was marketed as one that would win more through better chemistry, character and veteran leadership. Nine games into the season, we're about to begin our first test of that theory. Is it about personality, or is it about talent? There are four possible answers to this quiz:
It should be said that the Dodgers' 4-5 record isn't far below reasonable hopes for a team that begins the season with six of nine games on the road and six of nine games against National League East division title contenders. Anything above 5-4 would have been a pleasant surprise. As far as the goal of the Dodgers winning the NL West, I don't see any reason to panic. Thanks to the strength of their farm systems, the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks are more likely than any other NL West team to improve as the season goes on.
But I will take this moment to reiterate that for all the supposed personality strengths of the 2006 Dodgers, I don't see much difference from the 2005 Dodgers other than the absence of Milton Bradley. That 2005 team was made up of plenty of hale fellows well met who never got credit. The biggest chemistry difference with the 2006 Dodgers is that people were willing to hear, to believe, that there are good guys around. Oh, and that they go to dinner together. For now.
Me, I'm not placing a whole lot of hope in chemistry and character getting the Dodgers out of a pitching slump or holding the hitting to such lofty levels. Instead, I think it comes down to what Grady Little said of Yhency Brazoban in the Press-Enterprise:
"He has to do better."
Can he? Can the Dodgers? Sure. But we'll have to see how much.
(Update: Oh yeah - Spring Training stats don't matter.)
* * *
Next thing you know, they'll be banning Butts Up or Socco in grade schools...
* * *
Update 2: Jeff Ianucci of My Name Is IRL passes along a report by Damian Dottore in the Register that the Dodgers may host an Indy Racing League street race in the area surrounding Dodger Stadium as early as next year:
Dodgers senior vice president of communications Camille Johnston confirmed Monday that IRL officials are proposing a race that would use the parking lot and access roads on the streets in Elysian Park.
IRL vice president of public relations John Griffin said the race likely would be held in March, with a 2007 event being a remote possibility.
"The Los Angeles market is very important to the Indy Racing League," Griffin said. "We are exploring several opportunities for us to return."
The IRL raced for four years at California Speedway in Fontana, but the track was left off the 2006 schedule. Speedway officials wanted to hold the race the week after the Indy 500. The IRL, however, thought it would be too much of a logistical nightmare to travel across the country in such a short amount of time.
Update 3: Uh, who had Cody Ross with seven RBI in the pool today?
So, when will it be?
Despite the photos people linked, I still deny the existence of Kenny Lofton on the Dodgers. I'm trying for a "doubting Thomas" attitude.
Keeping with the season and all that.
and Yhency, this is what he is...he did well for a short while until every other team else saw him a couple of times
I don't think your #5 is much different than my #4. Same spirit, anyway.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/run-slowly-and-carry-a-big-bat/
Dodgers Lakers
Made me scratch my head anyway.
http://www.dailynews.com/dodgers/ci_3704701
Not sure about the rules you have on the site, so here is a link.
After reading yesterday's interviews, am having very negative thoughts about Alomar, who could be a real minus to this pitching staff. First of all, with his veteran-ness he controls pitchers into throwing the game he calls v. shaking him off, as Tomko said he wanted to do yesterday. A real problem when Alomar doesn't know the hitters Second, Alomar is now terrible at controlling the running game. Third, is his attitude as was revealed in the interviews yesterday.
"On the pitch to Jack Wilson, he was supposed to go up and in but left the ball
middle-in," said Alomar. "On 0-2, you shouldn't give up a home run. We threw
too many strikes in those situations. He left one breaking ball up for a home
run. You have to keep them low in the zone. He just missed a few locations,
that's the bottom line."
Up and in on 0-2 ? How about low and away, especially with a free swinger like Jack Wilson ? How easy is it for a tiring pitcher to be a little off on an up and in pitch and leave it out over the plate ? But worse still, rather than be magnanimous and share blame, Sandy is only interested in covering his own rear-end by publicly roasting his pitcher. He went on to do with other pitchers too.
" Alomar said Brazoban's velocity wasn't up to his normal speed, a continuation of his inconsistency since developing arm soreness in the spring. The stolen base on Kuo, Alomar believed, might have been the result of Tracy's inside information from last year. 'I guess they picked something up on him,' he said."
Yeah, they picked up on something alright. It's the fact that his arm is a wet noodle. Funny how he focuses the one guy who didn't look at the baserunner and blames it on Tracy's inside info about the pitcher and blithely ignores the fact that two other runners stole bases too. Or that he hasn't caught a single baserunner stealing since 2004.
This kind of petty backbiting is absolutely inconsistent with a supposed veteran leader who is trying to mold a pitching staff. In fact, I have no idea what on earth convinced Colletti that this guy was such a great leader/game caller. He joined the White Sox and their pitching staff in 2001, and there ERA + went from 110 to 101 in 2001. In the succeeding three yrs. he's with them it averages 103. He leaves them in 2005, and the staff ERA + goes to 123. He then joins Texas in 2005, whose ERA+ was 111 in 2004, which then stumbles to 90 in 2005.
Yes, it's a small sample but Dodger pitchers so far this year have a 7.71 ERA with Alomar catching -4.12 with Navarro.
While I'm not prepared to say Alomar himself is the reason for making pitching staffs worse (there's a case he's a contributing factor to worsening pitching staffs though),
the evidence is absolutely crystal clear that he doesn't make them better.
And I would wager to say I've seen it performed many more times than Jon has.
The McCourts seem to be more interested in a friendlier team, than a winning one. Therefore, they must believe that popularity will generate more revenue than substance.
They might be right.
Look at the Cubs.
Honestly, I've tried to justify from a baseball perspective why the McCourts have operated the way they have. I cant justify it.
However, from a business standpoint, I completely understand. Frank McCourt wants a team that the media wont rag on, a GM that the media wont rag on, and players that wont generate negative publicity from the media. Winning is irrelevant. Talent is irrelevant.
The McCourts arent in baseball to compete. They are in baseball to make money. Big difference.
I'm fairly certain the best sports organizations are owned by people whom actually make their revenue apart from the sport they are participating in. Ex. Bob Kraft, Mark Cuban, Jerry Buss etc...
The Dodgers need an owner that doesnt actually depend on the team in order for themselves to be better off. Because if they do depend on the team, they are going to do what any good businessman does....Minimize risk ("Lets ax Bradley, the unpopular GM,lets bring in "name" vets)...which in turns minimizes rewards.
If attendance/revenue were correlated with winning %, there wouldnt be this problem. But unfortunately in LA, it isnt. Anything will draw. Anyone can make money. Its a shame.
It makes me an apathetic fan. Sort of like how Cubs fans feel.
How is the fumblerooski not a football play, given that it is a play in a football game? How is it different from any kind of fake?
Would you ban the hidden ball trick in baseball?
Besides, Tomko is a big boy. It isn't like he is some fresh faced rookie (ala DJ Houlton last year). If he doesn't like the pitches Alomar is calling, he can shake them off. He knows his game better than his catcher.
I believe that Earl Weaver said in his book that his pitchers (not catchers) better be in control of their own games.
Football has pretty much banned every other gimmick play that is out of the ordinary, such as the "sleeper" play (having a player standing just in bounds as an eligible receiver so the defense wouldn't notice). Getting rid of the fumblerooski is like that.
If you want be deceptive, try a play action pass or a fake punt.
Comparing football and baseball rules is a classic case of comparing apples to zucchinis.
At least Alomar is speaking like a coach...Hopefully he transitions completely.
I, Bob (the name does not mean twin), needs more evidence!
I think Lofton might need a rehab assignment in Emmaus.
I, Bob, should use better subject/verb agreement.
I was surprised to learn from the SF Chronice that the Giants have not had two consecutive home games in the regular season rained out since 1961.
Day game after a nite game. Saenz playing both..? 3 in 4 days.
Also, though, I found it so (so, so, so) frustrating listening to Tomko giving up the first bomb in the 5th yesterday - then the pirates announcers talking about how the dodgers were frantically trying to call down the the bullpen to get someone up, but there's mechanical difficulties so they can't communicate with the bullpen, and next thing you know, HR number 2 and tie game. I don't think they could have got someone warmed up that quickly, regardless, but it became so apparent so quickly that Tomko just had nothing in the 5th - even the outs were hit hard.
Which brings me to the most frustrating part for me - it was all well and good watching Tomko get bombed when he was with the Giants (I live in the Bay area). I frankly sort of relished them trotting him out so I could watch him go through his high wire acts. However, it's really difficult watching that same guy now do it for my Dodgers. So, I guess I'm on the "not loving Tomko" list, too.
Wow, kind of long post for first one. I'll try to temper it.
The bans are in place, in part, because they are very hard for the officials to monitor also. Usually if you were going to run a fumblerooski, a coach had to tell the referee before the game that they were going to do so.
Football players also can't wear uniforms with pictures of footballs on them. Those are considered potentially deceptive.
It's a philospophical thing with football. They want teams to win by either running completely around one team or running over them.
I'm not buying this. As Karl said to Homer's tailor, it's not Homer's job to hold in his stomach. It's up to the tailor to make Homer look good.
Some deception is clearly permitted in football. The fumblerooski is nothing more than a misdirection play.
"That ain't football. That's $&! )&^%! schoolyard %(#)!###!"
The Dodgers might still have good attendance during losing seasons (hypothetical side question: would we still be setting attendance records after several consecutive losing season?), but a lot of things like tv rights and licensed apparel have a very strong correlation to winning percentage (and playoff appearances), and that's definitely a huge part of how teams make money.
It may not be an argument against the play, but I think it explains why the rulemakers got rid of it.
With Jose CruzJr. batting, Jason Repko picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, pitcher Oliver Perez to first baseman Craig Wilson to shortstop Jack Wilson.
Just how ugly was this?
Sure, you run all kinds of risks by putting the ball on the ground, but the intent of the play is the same as handing it off to an ineligible player.
I didn't see it, but I can't imagine that it was much different than any other play where a runner gets picked off and breaks for second.
Thats true. Expect the McCourts to start caring about winning when the next local TV rights come up for bid. IIRC, Fox still owns those rights and wont be giving them up for at least 10 more years though.
Eric had a very good point there.
Also, if you want to draw a comparison to the hidden ball trick in baseball, even that play has limitations. It can't be done if the pitcher is standing on the mound. If so, it's a balk.
Baseball players used to get away with all sorts of stuff in the 19th century and early 20th century. Eventually, it was decided to crack down on nearly all of it.
Except PEDs.
Your approach is sort of like saying that the intent of a double-reverse flea-flicker is to have as many players touch the ball as possible. That's not the case. It's a means to an end.
The goal of the fumblerooski isn't to give an ineligible player the ball. The goal of the play is to use an eligible player to advance the ball.
he was supposed to be a defensive upgrade over Izzy?
The Dodgers World Series championships are not distributed evenly throughout time.
Marty would tell you that the number should be higher.
And then there was Game 6 of the 2002 World Series.
It's clear. God does not want the Giants to win the World Series.
Also, did you notice the opening sentence had a typo. I think this pitching is upsetting us all. I think I noticed a few typos in Jons offering and our mentor is usually about the smoothest writer around.
If you read my posts you know I'm no typist and not much for spelling or grammar.
"Bradley also isn't getting a lot of calls lately. One scout who saw the A's series at Seattle believes that Bradley has been getting squeezed and another said that umpires seem to be out to get the outfielder because of his temperamental reputation. Bradley struck out seven times this year, and the last six have been looking. Like Thomas, though, Bradley has not complained, though he did fire his bat in frustration after one strikeout." http://tinyurl.com/ogzfj
Just wondering if you meant you had to actually be following the team as opposed to just being born.
Best times to be a Dodger fan in my lifetime - 1977-1988, 2 WC, 4 pennants, 6 divisions, 1 division playoff and 1 division lost on last day.
Best time to be a Laker fan - 1979-1991 (also the Magic "Showtime era") 5 WC, 9 Finals appearances, 12 out of 12 playoff appearances.
"it's fair that they could have been were higher than this" and
"one wonders whether Tomko has been having this debates all his career" and
"There are four answers on this quiz"
I was using the same math that I used in calculating when Jon's grandmother was born.
I think each game we should submit nominees for that day's "Monday Moment."
2002 against the Twins.
Punctuation question, once and for all, where do you put puncuation marks when you are using quotation marks?
The way you did it was wrong in my style guide.
Arthur said the situation was "deplorable". (The full stop [period] is not part of the quotation.)
Arthur said, "The situation is deplorable." (The full sentence is quoted; the period is part of the quotation.)
Arthur said that the situation "was the most deplorable he had seen in years." (Although the full sentence is not quoted, the sense of finality conveyed by the period is part of the quotation.)
Martha asked, "Are you coming?" (Inside when quoting a question.)
Did Martha say, "Come with me"? (Outside when there is a non-interrogative quotation at the end of a question.)
Today, the Mets have responded by hitting 4 HRs in the first three innings. Ouch.
Long long year coming for the Nationals if Livan and John Patterson can't seriously sharpen up.
http://tinyurl.com/fsenc (if you're tinyurl impaired, this is just the nationals game story at washingtonpost.com.
Arthur said the situation was "deplorable". (The full stop [period] is not part of the quotation.)
I weep not for the Nats. I laugh. I look at the team and realize that schadenfreude is a German concept best served with schnitzel.
So Steve is really Carolyn Hughes?
Lowe's WP with the pitcher up...
Jim Tracy letting the pitcher hit with the bases loaded...
Tracy is such a moron.
Of course, my kid is most definitely a big Nationals fan, so that brings me along quite a bit.
I think he did this exact same thing in Oliver Perez first start. He let Perez hit with the bases loaded, then pulled him the next inning.
Cody Ross yes!
Congratulations Cody Ross.
How do you solve a problem like Cody Ross?
Okay, Lowe, don't blow it.
That might be the worst managing I've seen since like, eh the last time Jim Tracy managed the Dodgers.
Oooh, Perez is losing his temper. That's always a treat.
I fear a trade for a middling middle reliever.
The best thing for everyone is for Ross to build up some trade value during his second life in Blue.
Classic.
This early in the season, are teams really in need of 4th/5th OF'ers?
"Tracy was leery of Perez's pitch count of 95 and, with the Pirates ahead, 2-1, and cleanup man Carlos Lee stepping in, he summoned Torres an inning earlier than hoped."
Today:
O. Perez Pitch Count -- 106
The only reason that Tracy shouldn't have pinch-hit for Perez with him at a high pitch count and the bases loaded with Pirates in the bottom of the fourth is if his bullpen were burnt out. I don't know offhand if that was the case.
Last I saw Broxton was mowing down hitters in AAA. It may hurt the 51s chances of staying unbeaten, but Brazo should be closing there.
Meanwhile... Lowe just made a mistake. I hope he can go another inning or two ((sweat))
what a cruel joke the baseball gods play on us.
haha that was amazing. i was laughing so loud my housemate had to come in to see what was wrong with me.I wasnt expecting that but i know i should have been. if you dont know whats southpark is going to do, always guess feces and you will probably never go wrong.
Last year's bench was Bako, Repko, Saenz, Perez, Ledee when everyone is 'healthy'.
I fail to see any tangible difference.
The Dodgers have a stronger bench this year
No they dont.
is he seriously the scrappiest player in the majors now?
I wonder if they will hold off on Nomar for a couple more weeks since the Olmedo/Loney combo is doing okay but for PR reasons I could see them try to get him out there during the nine game homestand.
Both of those guys could be trade bait but they would have to play in order to establish their value.
By far the best episode in a while. I loved the subtitles for Bin Laden and Zawahiri.
That looks like a bad wrist. What luck.
*not a racing fan, just found the reason for IRL not having a race in CA the week after Indy was a little silly. Just for thought, the Nascar people also have a race in CA the week after a race in TN.
Mueller does seem to be a good acquisition.
Break up Cody Ross!
Break up Cody Ross indeed! But small samples- I believe Ross only has an RBI in one game this year.
Ross- "In your face Jim Tracy!"
Alright today has to be the most exciting game of the season.
Wang?
That darn power and patience thing...
Does anyone else have this sinking Deja Vu? This year, the team just started out with crappy pitching instead of waiting till May.
I agree Alomar was a bad decision, and I am starting to wonder about Honeycutt. A catcher should never be doing that in the press, maybe during a game, you go out and tell the pitcher how it is, but not like that. Also, that was bad about Little not going straight out to the plate and calling time or something so that he could communicate with the bullpen.
Did anyone else think the guy behind the plate night before last was calling "Sieg Hiel" for strikes?! After awhile I started really trying to hear it and I swear that's what it sounded like. Freaky.
NOTE: Not a word-for-word transcript.
Btw, Jon's right, it was Ron Cey with 8 RBI in a game in 1974. All time franchise record is Gil Hodges with 9.
Now who was griping about letting pitchers bat with the bases loaded?
...and sorry for the automotive interlude during the Cody Ross-a-thon.
Note to Tracy, I think he just kills Pittsburgh pitching
Wow, I bet the Dodgers could get both Wilsons from Pittsburgh if they offered Saenz to Tracy, given the way he's hitting in that stadium. Amazing.
Hope Cody gets us some insurance here.
Something wrong with Rafeal?
Gaim Over?
Now we just need a pitching improvement.
I guess Bonds without roids means warning track power.
Alou just hit a HR. The announcers seemed more excited about Bonds' deep flyball though.
By hitting the bases-loaded homer, Ross became one of the few major leaguers in history to hit grand slams for each of his first two career homers. That homer was Ross' first since his only previous career shot, a grand slam for the Tigers on Sept. 2, 2003, against the Indians.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the only other active major leaguer to begin his career by hitting grand slams for each of his first two homers was Craig Counsell for the Marlins in 1997-98.
It's time for Curtis Granderson to impersonate Cody Ross.
He was hitting 6th today for Detroit.
The San Francisco Chronicle quotes two anonymous scouts who say that umpires seem to be intentionally calling more strikes against Milton Bradley.
The newspaper reports that "one scout who saw the A's series at Seattle believes that Bradley has been getting squeezed and another said that umpires seem to be out to get the outfielder because of his temperamental reputation."
Which is great news for Kenny Lofton, maybe not so great for Cody Ross.
Did any of you guys catch this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Southparkseason10opening.png
Some interesting (not nonpartisan but both sides are there) commentary and lots of good links here:
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/004982.htm
Back to baseball...why is the Cody Ross Explosion not one of the MLB.com top stories??
Pirates manager Jim Tracy said any major league hitter would have liked the two pitches Ross homered on.
"The grand slam was a split-finger pitch by Oliver that sat in the middle of the plate," Tracy said. "The homer off Marte was a first-pitch fastball that was right down the middle. Cody, or anybody else, is going to hit pitches like that."
The only way that game would have gotten a lot of press is if Jim Tracy had gone to the pitcher's mound and instead of changing pitchers, he just went and cold-cocked Humberto Cota.
Or vice-versa, which would be more amusing and satisfying.
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