i hate previewing my posts but my typos are becoming chronic. tsk, tsk.

Some here are made the following observations:

#1. Jeff Kent has lost a step defensively at 2nd base.
#2. James Loney is not ready for MLB pitching.
#3. Willy Aybar is destroying AAA, after a great last month in the MLB last year.

Question:

Would it be best for the team (while Nomar is hurt or if he's going to be hurt), to move Kent to 1st base and play Aybar at 2nd?

I think there's a very strong possibility Aybar can outproduce Loney at this point.

It just seems Aybar and even Joel Guzman should be on the MLB club ahead of James Loney.

However, I've got no problem with Aybar over Martinez, except for the potential problem of backing up Furcal at short (assuming Garciaparra can't).

Part of me is ready for the Dodgers to just go with the young talent right now, if just to get it over with. At the rate injuries are hitting, that might happen any way.

The D-Backs have started toi bring up their prospects and while some may want to see Drew and Upton, neither has even half a full season in professional ball so it would be doubtful that they would bring them up.

And the Devil Rays, we will have to see if they make any moves to free up some space for their players, I think Upton is out of options after this year so something has to be decided, saw a note where he already has 7 errors at shortstop, all on throws. He like Soriano and even Guzman recognize the value of their bat in a middle infield position but unless you can play a decent second or short, a major league club can't afford mediocre defense, especially at shortstop.

The Angels probably belong in this discussion too but their moves are predicated by getting rid of their current middle infielders and Erstad, so we probably won't see Howie and the rest until 2007.

http://www.ibras.dk/montypython/episode02.htm#3

If thats the case, one has to wonder what the Dodgers are evaluating their players on. I'm hoping they have Aybar at AAA bc they want him playing everyday. If its bc they think he has no future and that Ramon Martinez actually is better, something is terribly wrong.

Bob, inquiring minds want (nay, need) to know!

The problem with the Lofton signing is the money combined with his veteran-ness. Its not the money in the sense that his millions (4 of them) brought the team to its budget limits. Its the money (and his veteran-ness) in the sense that he's been annointed. We're stuck with him even if the better option comes a-knocking down our door.

Say Ethier just destroys AAA pitching, or Repko or Ross keep swinging the hot bat. Are any of them going to start in centerfield as long as Kenny Lofton is around? Is Lofton even tradable? I remember the Yankees tried to limit his role 2 years ago, and it was a disaster.

I hope I get some chuckles out of 28 because thats probably the most clever thing I've ever said here at Dodgerthoughts.

29 provided a nice finishing touch. Rimshots all around.

That said, the way the NL West is shaping up, hard to believe a team will need more than 85 wins to take the division.

25. I agree in regards to Hu. The joke possibilites alone make him exciting. My guess is that he spends a year+ at AA, about a year at AAA, and then apprenticing with Furcal in the last year of Raffy's contract. It's a pipe dream, but I hope he can keep up the walk rate he's shown so far this season.

But does NOT explain what Orel Hershiser is doing on Baseball Tonight. I caught a bit of it yesterday, and he seemed so... out of place....

How about this for a trade the Dodgers should make: Monday and Lyons to ESPN for Hershiser. A lopsided deal in the Dodgers' favor, but it would suit the character of both teams well.

colletti needs to pull some sort of jim hendry type trade. I think hendry is a underpar GM for the most part, but you cant deny his trades for derrek lee and aramis ramirez. those were amazing trades.

See, I did read "3 Nights in August" even after everyone tried to talk me out of it.

I've never been a Lofton fan and don't like him on my team. Sort of the way some people think about Kent on the team after years of hatred. I've always heard he was a clubhouse cancer, his alleged motivational skills notwithstanding.

39 - According to minorleaguebaseball.com, the first game starts at 5:05 PDT.

Unless I'm mistaken, s/he hasn't followed up on this story yet this season.

Im watcing the angels game. What does it say that even recent former Dodgers are sucking it up? Maybe all our good baseball karma is being focused on the minor leaguers.

even bringing in hershiser for some sort of management position would be welcomed by me.

What about Drew? He can play there, and wants to play there. Since Cruz is comfortable in either corner spot that would have left us in need of one corner outfielder. I just feel like we could have gotten a Reggie Sanders, or someone like that who would outproduce Lofton and give us that bat in the middle that we need.

Just can't understand why we spent what we did on Lofton when Drew could have done the job fine...and the money to Lofton could have gone to another corner outfielder that will have better all around numbers...

41 - The key to those trades was the fact that both the Marlins and the Pirates did not want to pay Lee and Ramirez and they were willing to trade them for prospects, albeit not great ones as none of them are no longer in Florida's plans. In fact the only player that had any value was Hee Sop Choi who of course helped them get LoDuca and Mota who they then used (after signing them to multi-million contracts) in last off season's trades with the Red Sox and the Mets.

It does appear that the dumping salary type trades (unless the other team is Florida) is not something that is being done much these days so for the Dodgers to acquire someone like Lee or Ramirez, a combination of prospects and taking on some significant salary may be what it takes to get someone to fill the middle of the lineup.

http://tinyurl.com/zyh9l

so lame of the white sox.

Dear Dave,

"Suns vs. Birmingham
Family Faith Night! Enjoy a night of fun, faith and fellowship with a special post-game concert with national recording artist BarlowGirl! Sponsored by The Promise. After the game and before the concert, NAPA Friday Family Fireworks!"

No comment, just thought it was interesting the types of promotions they do down in the minors.

Don Sutton would be great in the Dodgers broadcast booth. I agree with nate on that one.

Another weird, weird move. I know other teams were interested in Cody...we couldn't have gotten something? anything?

I dont really care about losing Ross, but the love for Repko is disturbing.

I dont really care about losing Ross, but the love for Repko is disturbing.*

I'm asking the same thing.

Please can anyone post a link directly to gameday for the las vegas game.
Like what jon does for the dodgers, but i want the vegas game.
I'm having problems with accessing minorleaguebaseball.com

And the elephant is white

What about gameday? i'm trying to get it but its not working for me.

Can you please post a link to gameday.

The surprise is that, as a broadcaster, he not only never has anything interesting to say, he's lost all his charisma. Nevertheless, its that reputation from his playing days that keeps him employed.

Thanks for the link.

I'm still having problems tho, the screen just comes up blank, it must be my computer.

But thanks for the link tho, thanks for trying.

A's Nation thinks Suzuki is currently their top catching prospect (.556 OBP as of Sunday). I haven't heard much about Brown lately. Made for a cool character though in the book.

http://www.athleticsnation.com/story/2006/4/17/92943/5768

Thats true the A's have been hyping Suzuki for a long time, but Jeremy Brown has had a few good years lately so I hope they give him a shot.

Of course only 13 ABs. :-)

The Dodgers arent doing that "Oakland thing" anymore.

Or, perhaps it reflects another of the closet Oldbear attackers.

Either way, despite the parts I agree with, it reflects a complete misunderstanding of this audience - grand generalizations and inappropriate language presented as major revelations.

I don't want to make bad assumptions, but something about this post made me uncomfortable.

Pittsburg!

man this is a really dumb move, i would at least like to have seen Aybar at 2nd.

tonights game should be fun! robles, loney, lofton? cruz bunting! yessssss

cant wait to see broxton and billingsley in l.a.

Meanwhile, in NY, Duaner comes in to relieve Pedro and gets a big K of Marcus Giles to end the top of the 7th w/a runner at second in a 4-3 game (Mets up). The runner was only at second because he stole it off the Duaner/LoDuca battery.

The only theme that I see is that he might be consistently choosing the one he perceives as the better defensive player (and maybe the faster player). Most of us would argue that he's wrong on the Ross/Repko defensive comparison, and maybe even on the Robles/Aybar comparison (and certainly on the Alomar Jr./anyone choice). But by reputation alone, he does seem to have chosen perceived defense over offense every time. Remember, he did say that he would emphasize speed and defense. He apparently meant it.

Still, not good when you have the wrong decision rule, and then can't even apply it correctly.

Wow. This Ross for Robles swap is unbelievable, unless there's a trade in the works (and probably, even then). Colletti really does seem to make the worst choice possible every chance he gets. Most of these decisions have been of minor importance, but they do not bode well for the bigger decisions down the line. Lofton over any decent corner OFer with power, Repko over Ross, Robles over Aybar, Loney (at this stage) over Choi. The evidence is really piling up.

The only theme that I see is that he might be consistently choosing the one he perceives as the better defensive player (and maybe the faster player). Most of us would argue that he's wrong on the Ross/Repko defensive comparison, and maybe even on the Robles/Aybar comparison (and certainly on the Alomar Jr./anyone choice). But by reputation alone, he does seem to have chosen perceived defense over offense every time. Remember, he did say that he would emphasize speed and defense. He apparently meant it.

Still, not good when you have the wrong decision rule, and then can't even apply it correctly.

I'm also thrilled that tonight he is batting leadoff. That's the spot most conducive to preparing him for the majors. Mini rant: In spring training, Aybar's best game came in the No. 1 spot, but from there Grittle pretty much ignored him. I understand that Grittle had to prepare the 25-man roster. But a smarter franchise would've alternated Willy in the No. 1 spot. The Dodgers and Mr. Pirate, Roy Smith, really don't appreciate or teach Aybar's kind of patient approach that the No. 1 spot accentuates, even develops. As an aside, the Rockies are batting SS prospect Tulowitzki leadoff to improve his plate discipline. Smart!

Back to topic: Aybar is better defensively at 3B, iffy at 2B. I know many people look at his stats and say put him at 2B, because his offensive game fits better there. But the stats don't show his defensive actions, and those actions put Willy at 3B.

Keep Willy at 3B unless Mueller gets hurt. And keep him at leadoff. Robles is a better fit to spell Kent a few games.