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
Why does the best Dodger 18-game run in 107 years and best National League run in 20 years feel so unreal?
It's the dissonance with the overall season winning percentage, for one thing. A .533 team playing .944 ball after an .071 stretch is hard to wrap the brain around. It's easier to digest this stuff earlier in the season or when your team was playing better beforehand. When you're a freshman, you can dream of getting a date with the head cheerleader. When you're a senior with not much to show for it, what are you supposed to do when the head cheerleader suddenly knows your name?
My feelings toward the Dodgers' run also reflect that I probably spend a little too much time thinking about when the Dodger run will end and what will happen when it ends.
Don't get me wrong: I'm happy. It has been one lovely walk among the clouds. But I guess I've taken the "not getting too high during the highs" philosophy to heart.
The suddenly smokin' starting rotation of Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Chad Billingsley and (cough) Mark Hendrickson could easily have a succession of bad outings. None of them is so consistently dominant that a five-game losing streak couldn't return as fast as a trail of ants in your kitchen.
"If everyone is doing real good, you don't want to be the guy that sticks out," Derek Lowe told Bill Plunkett of the Register Tuesday night. "If everyone is saying, 'They're pitching great but ...' You don't want to be the 'but ...' guy."
Assuming no pun intended, the question for the Dodgers will be how quickly they can find a "but" guy when others start doing poorly. That will depend on players digging even deeper within themselves, focusing more, executing with more precision, than they have already.
The best part of the Dodgers' current situation might be that they can truly taste the postseason, but at the same time, they have no reason not to be humble. Last place was so recent, second place is still so near, and recent victories have come so late in the game, often by thin margins. There's no reason for the Dodgers to think they can coast – yet winning has given them this glorious second wind.
The Dodgers will slump again before the season's over. Bank on it. We know how bad they can be. But the comfort will be in knowing how how good they can be, too. We know how dramatically they can turn things around if they just keep trying.
What did I do when the head cheerleader suddenly learned my name? My answer was: Get a crash course in learning to drive a stick shift so that I could take her to a Dodger game in my brother's Scirocco. There was some grinding of gears, and we were both soon looking for something new, but I'm still happy it happened.
* * *
Awesome.
It was not nearly as much fun as it sounded.
Another stellar piece, Jon. I too have been focusing too much on what will happen when this streak ends and not enough on how great the team has been. I was at the game last night and when I noted Billz growing pitch count in the third my friends made me promise to make only positive comments for the rest of the game. It worked! And also made the game a lot of tun. These same friends refer to me as a "Red Sox Dodgers fan" because I can be such a worrier. That said, there's been plenty of reason to worry in the last decade or so.
I'm rambling now but my point was just to say great article and it's nice to see people around here being a little more positive. Things could change quickly on our coming road trip (there I go again...) but I feel pretty darn good on this Wednesday morning. And this team has been an absolute joy to watch for the past 18 games.
Go Blue!
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B05310LAN1989.htm
Why, oh why, can I never ditch work anymore? Stupid career progression.
Sadly, I think Jon was not being metaphorical there.
There's gotta be a Carolyn Hughes joke in there somewhere...
12 - That would have been too perfect.
From Inside the Dodgers:
Since the start of the 2005 season, only two players in baseball have a better average than Kenny Lofton among big leaguers with 600 or more plate appearances. Albert Pujols (.331) and Miguel Cabrera (.328) are just above Lofton (.326). During that span, Lofton has stolen 43 bases and has been caught just six times for an 88 percent success rate. He also has a .381 on-base percentage since the start of last year.
Was your high school co-ed when you were there?
Regarding Lofton's surge at the plate: does it seem like he gets every hit lately by slapping a soft liner between the 3B and SS? It's like he's looking to take a pitch that way everytime he swings. It's obviously working, if true.
1. Date the head cheerleader.
2. Go on a date to a baseball game.
3. Stand foot in Bob's kitchen.
vr, Xei
The question to ask is: How many second dates did you go on?
By the time senior year rolled around, pretty much the entire squad (at least all of the attractive ones) quit because they hated their coach.
Because of this, all of the dorky and kinda ugly girls who always wanted to be cheerleaders but never could be suddenly were.
Nice for them.
vr, Xei
Now, I would do the research myself but I'm at work, so my connection to the Internet tubes is awful. (Pipes break all the time, plumbers are called, wet vacs are needed...)
Going off memory, the early-season streak involved average pitching offset by an offense simply bludgeoning foes into submission. The current run is far more driven by pitching, with an offense that does just enough to get the job done. If I could, I'd research how few times the Dodgers held a lead going into the late innings.
That's basically how I remember it.
There's a great chapter about fans (specifically Tiger fans) in Angell's "Five Seasons." One of the guys' wives would read books under the cover of the scorecard/program when she went along with him, so he admitted she just wasn't as devoted as he was and excused her from attending future games.
During the run in May, the Dodgers were blowing out the Angels and Rockies, scoring 6-7 runs a game, the pitching was good but it wasn't the focal point of why the team was winning.
Words cannot describe the rage which has set up camp in my soul.
I have to admit, I dated one near-model-quality woman in my life, and it didn't quite work out; she had a short attention span.
And then I dated a cheerleader, but that, too, was shortlived.
I consider myself fortunate to have a wife who knows what the infield fly rule is, and why we have it.
I just woke up on the "sexual innuendo" side of the bed this morning.
I'll stop now, I promise.
I've dated Westlake girls. Be glad it was only one date and not two.
Unless you're referring to Harvard/Westlake?
Honestly, Sele needs to be starting over Hendrickson. One hit, 3 runs?
Honestly, Sele needs to be starting over Hendrickson. One hit, 3 runs?
In the A's current streak, they lost one game 14-0.
Today might be that game for the Dodgers.
He was taken in Round 4 of the 2002 Draft. The Dodgers took Delwyn Young several picks later, with Mike Nixon in Rd 3 and Zach Hammes in Rd 2. Loney was teh Dodgers' first-round pick and Greg Miller a sandwich pick.
(hey, it's a cheerleader)
I'm referring of course to Dummy Hoy, who has 594 career steals
Johnson is the type of pitcher that the Dodgers have good luck with, from what I can tell a classic fastball, off speed guy, this team has real problems with guys who change speeds unless they are facing someone like Schmidt who is on.
If Hendrickson can keep it together, which is a big if, we will get our shots to win this game.
1-2-3 on 7 pitches
Pikers.
And yet we reply with 2 runs.
That's the problem. We're at a point where we have to make excuses for the reason he's pitched well.
The fact of the matter is that he hasn't, three starts ago he walked 7 men and gave up six hits in six innings. That's awful. In his last start he gave up ten hits and 4 walks in seven innings. Again, that's not good.
He walks too many batters, he gives up too many hits, (his BAA is .306) and he doesn't strike anyone out. Usually the only way to win with this guy on the mound is through pure luck...I'd rather have someone else out there...heck, even Sele.
"Uggla" is also an anagram for "Gulag".
To me it is really funny.
who cares what old school philosophy says? The ultimate goal is to give your team the best chance at winning and Hendrickson doesn't do that. I'm starting to wonder if a AAA guy would perform better. Heck, give Sele his job back.
I guess I just don't get why people defend Hendrickson. The guy has almost no redeeming qualities as a player and it's unreal that he still gets tossed out there every five days.
Prior to the 1878 season, the batter leading off an inning was the guy who came after the last player to make an out. Since Betemit was picked off to end the inning, the player after him would have led off the next inning, i.e., Hall.
Now sele is warming up...and he's the one who should have been starting in the first place.
Who's been in Pawtucket ever since.
Actually, back then, he was #1 and Jered Weaver was #2.
It's just frustrating because I try to rationalize these things, and I really can't come up with any reasonable thought process where one would still start him.
Time for Sele to come in and hopefully get someone to GIDP.
vr, Xei
Things you never thought you would hear when the season started.
I don't think Hendrickson can hear anything Maddux says because he's too busy slapping away the annoying airplanes flying around his head.
Does he still wear his hat crooked?
vr, Xei
I literally blinked and missed it.
The Cubs lead 1-0.
Does Baker send him out for the Cubs first complete game of the season?
Lugo's got that nine iron shot zoned in.
I forgot about the eye thing.
It seems like crooked hat has become a style, though. Did Dontrelle start the fad?
The only option in AAA was Houlton and even that move would mean you had to get rid of Seo because you would not be able to option him. And Houlton was not exactly blowing it by them in AAA.
So while they hoped that Hendrickson would win some games, I think it was really to make sure that the Dodgers burned up the bullpen every 5th day. That may be a lousy reason to get a guy but I think that was it.
Also, O'Malley is not pitching the 9th, the Cubs remain CG-less. I'm amazed Dusty is allowing a rookie to throw less than 120 pitches before being removed.
At least this game is in the middle of the day and no one's watching.
Cody up with men on.
We just don't want to start a trend.
yay
Betemit with a really nice single.
Am I in time for the comeback?
I remember when Peter Gammons used to rave about him....
Somebody flush the tubes!
7-4 with only one out, men at 2nd & 1st with only one out!!
Cody up with men on.
We just don't want to start a trend
Ohh, that collision was ugly. Feel bad for Cody.
I like to see him succeed, just not against us...but I sure as hell don't want to see him hurt again.
Check BTF. They had a thread recently on players who doubled to the catcher.
Old friend Ross & Uggla got hurt with a texas leaguer by Toby Hall. Ross looked really hurt. (I hope he's o.k.)
Hall and Lugo haven't hit one yet for us.
Does anyone know how many pop outs or really shallow flies we've had today? Seems like an abnormal amount.
Ebbets Field was an influence for Tropicana Field in two ways - one by coincidence, the other by design. Tropicana Field's asymmetrical outfield dimensions closely follow those of the Brooklyn Dodgers' old home; a fact that became evident only after those measurements had been determined. Conversely, Tropicana Field's grand, eight-story-high rotunda entrance is designed from the very blueprints used for the rotunda at Ebbets Field, built in 1913.
Lugo was a little selfish there.imo.
The team really isnt building anything for the future by playing him. Its not like he's going to suddenly learn how to hit, when he never has at the minor league level.
a three run dinger no?
Never mind.
Miggy Cabrera- future Dodger does sound good.
228 I do think you are right that our "game plan" has not looked smart, and this goes beyond the breaks.
239 That was bad karma when he did that. Came back to bite him in the...
Lugo hit 5 of his 7 Tropicana hoemrs to left, one to left-center, and one to center. His 5 road homers were to left/left-center (Kauffman, Comerica, 2 at Citizen's Bank, and Dolphins).
It seems both benefitted from the short distance to left at Tropicana, and neither has any opposite field power.
Carrara's spot is in blow out mop up work. Thats just what this situation is.
I hope there's more HRs left in Lugo's and Hall's bats before end of this season.
Many of the balls called by today's ump were strikes for Billz last night. Time for the Dodgers to make this work in their favor when hitting.
That's what BJ's job should be. How many mopup men do we need?
Their next series is 3 this weekend at SF.
the Padres? I think it's the Giants.
I think we'll see Beimel get another inning of work.
If the Dodgers had relievers to use, why not use them? It was the sixth inning, the game was close to out of reach, but not entirely out of reach. Clearly Carrara did not have anything today.
So what's the point in keeping him out there unless you just want to embarrass him?
Repko in for Drew.
Lucille in for Kent.
Loney in for Nomar.
No need to risk injury in a game like this.
That makes me happy.
BC by using the mop up pitcher (Carrara), it limits potential injuries and overwork to the other more reliable relievers.
agreed.
Which is good since those haven't been welcoming places this year.
So you would have left Carrara out for something like 80 pitches and watch him give up 10 runs just because you didn't want anyone else to pitch?
That works in Strat-O-Matic but sadly real human beings don't like that.
At least Kent is out.
Ned's other acquisitions have been workout out reasonably well but this one stinks like rotten eggs!! The only Devil Ray worth trading for is Kazmir, otherwise the old dump heap with the rest of them!! Phew!!
So?
Lots of people hate aspects of their jobs.
For Gio Carrara, its either be a mop up guy and make 500K a year, or go back to the minors. Or retire.
I think the feelings of the mop up pitcher should be the last thing on the minds of a competive baseball team/manager/general manager.
So, Carrara throws 80 pitches and then he's not available for 3-4 days and you have even fewer relievers left to use. Or he hurts himself. But what the heck, he's just road kill isn't he?
Can't you also say that Little thought that by taking out Carrara he was trying to keep the scoring down and give his team an even slight chance of winning?
I realize you'd be happy to blow out Carrara's arm, but that's just not a realistic course of action.
In any event, the points have been made, Carrara is out of the game, let's move on.
These umpires are pretty pathetic
I have very little confidence in Hendrickson and agree with the others here who think his rotation spot should be in as much jeopardy (at least) as Billz' was. Personally, I think the spot should go to Sele. I know he's not popular 'round here, but I like his smarts.
Unfortunately, there really are no options in Vegas, on the 40 man roster, the only ones who are starting are Houlton and Kuo and neither of them are guaranteed to do much better.
Projected starts for Hendrickson in the next few weeks,
August 22nd - Tuesday night in San Diego
August 28th Monday night in LA against the Reds
September 3rd Sunday afternoon in LA against the Rockies
I would think he will start in San Diego, than perhaps given Sele's success at Dodger Stadium, maybe Sele would sub in for those games.
I wouldn't be surprised if he did. It's that time of year.
Maybe Hendrickson will be 2006's Ishii. The guy everybody wanted out of the rotation, but he always found his way back in.
Ah, the dreaded Angel Pena ambush.
Since I'm three plus hours from LA, I don't make it to many games, and after the incredible run we've had lately, I kept feeling like I was missing out on the excitement. I'm planning on going to a couple of games in September, but since work has been pretty slow lately I nearly headed down this morning for the midweek day game. What a disappointing trip that would have been. Glad I chose to come to work instead of going to the game, which is not a statement I remember using ever before.
If it's a mental hiccup like being too aggressive, it should subside once he realizes he's attacking a lot of balls in the dirt.
I kinda wish we were either way ahead or way behind, because as nice as it is watch Grid find at bats for all Ned's trades, we actually have several players who might profit nicely from ML at bats these last two months. Think Loney, Ethier ,Laroche, and Kemp, who actually could be long term assets
I would give Kuo more time in the minors first. Honestly, I think Hendrickson does not benefit from the Dodger Stadium mound, and that Sele should start the home games and Hendrickson should start away. Hendy could be a spot lefty at home, and Sele could do short or long relief on the road. In the off-season, non-tender Hendrickson and give Kuo a shot at the 5th starter spot.
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