I've never seen Maddux so effusive on the mound. Several times, he hit his glove, swung his fist in anger, or kicked the dirt.

I wish my most frustrating performances were so productive.

That was my fourth Dodger game and they are 4-0 when I am there. If anybody wants to donate tix to the "Blaine going to the Dodger game" charity fund feel free.

That was a fun game. I took my son and a couple of Padre fans who I got to rib during the game. Great night.

Bonds has been playing nearly every game down the stretch for the Giants. He looks healthier than several Dodger starters.

3 The, uh, vitamins must be kicking in. ;)

Not too surprising news: Mueller doesn't plan to retire and Colletti wants Hendrickson back next year.

http://tinyurl.com/oz2yq

Tonight's game, and Maddux's OTHER 68-pitch effort, the one where Martin's 10th inning homer beat the Giants 1-0, were the two finest pitching performances I've seen live. What a treat this has been.

I don't believe I will ever again be able to read a bhsportsguy comment without thinking, "this is a guy who thinks Mary Landrieu is a looker." Xeifrank watches Susie Orman? Enders liked Lucky Louie?! Lots of dead heroes in the last thread. Very, very brutal. The whole discussion was perilously close to someone calling The John Larroquette Show a work of unappreciated genius. . .

Unsolicited musical advice: If you've got two ears, and thirty-six dollars you don't desperately need for something else, buy this now: http://tinyurl.com/j2msw

It's not new, but I've just found it, and I can't stop listening. The (previously unreleased?) first take of I'll Come Running Back to You, may be worth it all by itself. But there's more! Three discs worth of the sweetest voice there ever was.

Though, since the advice itself isn't musical, it's probably just music advice. Oops.

6 "Tonight's game, and Maddux's OTHER 68-pitch effort, the one where Martin's 10th inning homer beat the Giants 1-0, were the two finest pitching performances I've seen live. What a treat this has been."

This year has also produced the best pitching performance I've ever seen live -- the no-hit performance in Cincinnati.

Sigh, another round of emails this morning from the people I told the Maddux trade was "irrelevant."

That word is become the "inconceivable" of my baseball pals.

This is a fine Tom Boswell column on Nick Johnson, with a detailed description of his approach at the plate. It also does a very good job of introducing a somewhat more modern statistical approach -- OPS, PPA -- to the casual fan. Worth reading through.

http://tinyurl.com/q3gag

Sigh. The Stanford band is suspended temporarily because they destroyed a trailer. I have a love-hate relationship with the band. I like much of their humor and enjoy a non-traditional university marching band, but stunts like this are really disappointing.

Regarding Maddux, I know what it's like to be mentally tired from working 12 hours a day or after spending a couple hours reading highly technical material. At some point you just can't do it any more. I'm amazed that a ballplayer, after 60 odd pitches, can feel this way and take himself out. If it were anyone other than Maddux or a handful of other pitchers, I'm not sure I'd have the same ability to accept him at his word.

According to the Times, he mentioned having a lack of command in the same breath as the "mentally tired" quote. Watching the game I noticed that too. It's kind of weird... as good as the results were, I kept thinking to myself during the game how lousy he was pitching. He was up in the strike zone all game, which is what he usually tries to avoid. He hung so many breaking balls, not to mention slow fastballs down the middle, that by all rights he really should have lost that game. Baseball is a funny game sometimes.

5 It just gets better and better, doesn't it? (Sigh) Maybe you have to say things like that to bolster trade possibilities. What's Tanya Harding doing these days?

I was surprised Maddux wasn't mentioned in the discussion of Dodgers with the highest baseball IQ. Or if he was, I missed it.

In baseball Mensa, he would be the Grand Poobah.

What's Tanya Harding doing these days?

Admiring the work of one Northern Colorado backup punter, I suspect.

"It's sort of amazing when you think about it. What's it like inside that head?"

---------------
Great line, Jon. Sort of makes you want to ask the Frasier Crane question if you ever get to interview him. "Is the sky blue in your world?" Except now I can't remember who he was asking that of -- was it Cliff?

Actually, now that I think about it I did just interview Maddux recently. Unfortunately that question didn't occur to me at the time.

For some reason, the Japanese give pitchers credit for "holds" in tied games, but not to the last pitcher for each team if the game ends in a tie.
http://www.geocities.com/s_borisov/jb2006/box761.html

Nomar going out seems to mean that for the short-term we'll be seeing Lugo more at 2B, which is certainly a defensive improvement. The question is whether Kent can shift to 1B or if he's so banged-up we'll get some sort of Loney-Saenz platoon. I admire Kent's effort but I don't think he's helping the team at this point.

20 Kent's OPS is exactly where it was two months ago, .834. A second baseman OPSing .834 is helping the team.

Dan Uggla had his 25th home run last night, which I gather is the record for a rookie 2B. With the Marlins hanging in it this long, I think he's sewing up the NL ROY.

21 I read the statement as more of, "at this exact moment, trying to play hurt, he isn't helping the team." Which I do somewhat agree with. Not that Lugo would be any better.

23 How far back are we going? I didn't watch the game last night, so maybe there was something clearly wrong. However, we are paying Kent for his bat, not his glove, and Kent's hitting stats have been remarkable consistent after April, including last night.

24 I watched it, and I thought there was something clearly wrong. I assumed that's what regfairfield was referring to.

Also, I don't know if it's a sample size thing, or even something that exists only in my head, but it seems Kent has shown a spectacular inability to field the routine grounder since returning from the DL.

25 "...what BEN was talking about..."

I was pissed when I saw Saenz pinch hit. Nothing against Saenz; he was the best option off the bench in that circumstance, but Maddux had been dominating and I didn't want them to have to give the ball to an overworked Broxton. Come on, the dude had made 68 pitches. Is he a 70 pitch pitcher now? He might have been able to get a complete game in under 90. Is Little just be super cautious with him or is Maddux' endurance really that bad now?

Sorry, I hadn't RTFA.

"Probably, maybe, I don't know," Maddux said with a smile. "My arm was OK. I was mentally tired."

Maddux is the last guy who I'd think would get mentally tired.

18 Frasier was talking to Cliff, and asked him "What color is the sky in your world?" The audio clip is available here:

http://cheers.tvheaven.com/frasier.html

29 Ah, thanks. That was always one of the more memorable Cheers lines for me. (Although apparently not memorable enough to get the exact wording right.)

That might actually rank third on my list of memorable Cheers lines. First place being Cliff's kitchen and second place being "Hi Norm, what do you do?" "I sit THERE!"

I saw USC and Nebraska fans waiting to board buses to take to the Coliseum in Downtown L.A. this morning at 9 am.

Kickoff is at 5 pm.

There will be much red at the Coliseum this evening.

Loney looked real good on the last play of the game; he actually took the ball away from Lugo, so maybe he went too far out. Neither Kent nor Nomar will be making plays like that but it's probably just as well, some of our pitchers wouldn't have gotten over there quick enough to cover first like Saito did.

32 I don't know, I think Nomar can make plays like that. In fact, he did exactly that in the previous game, ranging too far over toward second base for a grounder, which resulted in an infield hit when Kuo couldn't cover the bag.

33 As an ex-shortstop he probably has that range but as yet he lacks the experience to know how wide he should go, and when.

28 I take nothing that Maddux says to the press at face value. Veterans like him often don't like talking to the press and if they do so out of obligation, they often say whatever they want to say to wind up the interview, without much regard for the truth. Maddux seems more this way than most.
"Probably, maybe, I don't know," Maddux said with a smile.
Perfect example. I think his number one thought is to not tip anything to his next opponent. If that were Billingsley, I thnk we'd be concearned. I'm not going to lose any sleep over Greg Maddux's mental game.

34 True nuff.

In ESPN breaking news, there is more evidence that Barry Bonds might have known that he was taking steroids! In other news, a dog bit a man.

37 "The disclosure comes to light amid reports that Patrick Arnold, the Illinois chemist who created the designer steroid THG, has made the same admission to a national media outlet."

Interesting. The use of the word "admission" instead of "claim" really provides a nice nutshell summary of the media coverage on the whole Bonds issue.

Red Sox/Yankees are on tv in Seattle. I was hoping that local FOX would show the A's/White Sox or Cardinals/Giants. I can listen to Cards/Giants on XM, but that means I have to put up with John Rooney and Mike Shannon. Oh for the days when Harry and Jack Buck broadcast on the radio for the Cardinals in the 60's.

Stan from Tacoma

It could be worse Stan, my "local FOX affiliate" for some reason is showing an ESPN feed of some useless college football game instead of the oh-so-critical Phils/Astros. Grr!!

Raffy's bunt last night caused Wells to sprain his ankle and Andreson's bunt led to Brocail getting a Grade 2 hamstring strain.

That has to be a first, 2 bunts and 2 injuries.

40 I just turned off the tv and switched on the Astros/Phillies on XM radio. I am actually hoping the Phillies win. Anything that makes it less likely the Giants will make the playoffs is good in my book. I don't want to see Bonds in October.

Stan from Tacoma

42 Clearly we want the Phillies to win because if they do we will probably get to play them in the first round instead of facing the Cardinals.

There's still the pesky problem of the Cardinals playing the Padres and Giants five times.

43 I'd rather not chance the Dodgers getting passed by both the Padres and the Phillies.

Your Saturday afternoon trivia: What do the following players have in common?

(Note: The correct answer does not include the word "kitchen.")

Jose Offerman
Rafael Bournigal
Darren Lewis
Glenn Murray
Jose Cruz Jr.
Jed Hansen
Rickey Henderson
Carlos Perez
Brian Schneider
Luis Terrero

Eric, I would like to see either the Marlins or Phillies take the wild card. The Marlins are a great story and I like some of the players with the Phillies, beginning with Jamie Moyer.

Two good young pitchers in the Astro/Phillies game. Wish it was on Fox tv so I did not have to listen to Milo.

Stan from Tacoma

47 There's a new worst announcer of all time, and it's Milo Hamilton!

Just kidding. Sort of. He's bad, but nothing's worse than Monday. As the Boomtown Rats could certainly tell you.

47 Both of those young pitchers are on my Roto team, so count me as another who wishes I could watch that game.

"Cole Hamels bunt pops out to catcher Brad Ausmus."

No! Bad! Even if Cole is the only pitcher on our team whose BA is still lower than Abe Nunez's!

47 - Is Jamie Moyer older than Bob?

Monday has actually gotten worse in the past few years in my opinion . When he took over after Drysdale died I actually thought he was ok.

I must say I am stumped by your trivia question.

Stan from Tacoma

46 Journeymen with a stop in LA?

52 Nope.

Jamie Moyer is THREE years older than me.

46
I will not answer since Eric has asked this question before.

I have a tough time reconciling my feelings about this penant race. I would really like to see the wild card coming out of the west, just because of all of the crap the division took before the year about being the worst in baseball. On the other hand, how do I root for the Padres to win the wild card but lose the division? Consequently, I just hope all the WC contenders lose.

Rafael Bournigal is one of the best fielding shortstops I have ever seen. What he has in common with Jed Hansen is beyond me.

Stan from Tacoma

Top 6TH B:3 S:0 O:2
Ryan Howard hits a ground-rule double (22) on a fly ball to left field, on fan interference.

Sounds like some Astro fan thought they had caught #57...

44 I guess I'm rooting for the Giants today, then.

55 I believe I previously asked it the other way around, if you know what I mean. With a list of 10 different players including Mike Lowell twice.

God thing Bob Brenly isn't at the game in Houston today:

- W. Taveras grounded bunt out to first

5 It makes perfect sense to hang onto Hendrickson through next Spring to see if he can come around and be useful. He can always be DFA'd later. The Kenny Rogers line is "know when to fold them."

My unscientific view is Hendrickson is just too tall. The potential for mechanical error is too great with all those enormous body parts flying around on each pitch. Maybe BALCO has a shrinking creme.

Mueller's wait for a miracle cure is kind of reminscent of Jeff Bagwell. Anything to avoid having to retire and give back the money. Who here would do anything different?

59 No Dodger fan should ever feel compelled to do that.

Stan from Tacoma

So how come Randy Johnson wasn't too tall?

59

Pacts with Satan are seldom good deals.

62 I agree with that. Well, not the Ed Jones part, but the part that says it doesn't make any sense to get rid of him right away. You know if we release him he will be gobbled up by somebody else, since his left appendage still moves. So we might as well see what we can get for him in the offseason, or have him compete for (and hopefully lose) a rotation spot with Kuo in the spring.

62 There's two problems with that:

Hendrickson has never been useful. His time in L.A. would count as one of his more successful seasons. (His ERAs prior to this season were 5.51, 4.81, and 5.90. It's 5.16 in LA).

It will cost three million plus to see if he can turn it around at 33.

64 Because Johnson has used his mullet to counterbalance himself aerodynamically. It's all very complicated to explain the physics equation but it's definitely the mullet. Hendrickson just needs to grow one. Or pitch from his knees.

Bob was not a big fan of this move.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8816392/

Maybe the answer to Eric's trivia question is that all those players eventually overstayed their welcome in the bigs? No, that's more subjective I suppose. They've all pinch-ran for Bob Brenly? I don't know.

68 Ludicrous as that theory is, it would certainly explain why Johnson stinks now.

I will give a vague clue and say that they are the last 10 major league players to do a certain thing.

I may be the only Dodger fan who has ever seen Hendrickson pitch well. I remember a game he pitched against the Mariners a few years ago where he was outstanding.

Stan from Tacoma

At what point does a pitcher become "too tall". Derek Lowe is 6'6" and he doesn't seem to totally useless like Hendrickson.

73 I saw Hendrickson have a decent game once. Of course, I was in a college basketball arena at the time.

75
The WSU Cougars were not a fearsome bunch when Hendrickson was there.

They usually aren't at any time in basketball.

76 Or in football, really, now that we've got their coach.

Hey Steve...

Top 7TH B:2 S:1 O:1
Jimmy Rollins doubles (40) on a fly ball to center fielder Willy Taveras. Chris Coste scores. Abraham Nunez to 3rd.

It's now 3-0 Phils after DT favorite Shane Victorino singled in Nunez, and Cole has kept it interesting so far...

I would take the Cougars in a matchup against the Miners on a neutral field.

The two schools have never faced each other in football.

62 Actually, Mr. Mueller will have no obligation to give back a dime. He doesn't have to officially "retire", he'll just be on the DL all next year too. As long as the Dodgers feel that he can't play. The Bagwell situation just had to do with insurance. He said he was capable of playing which meant the insurance company wouldn't pay. So there was no doubt Bagwell would get paid; only question was if the Astros would get reimbursed.

Find at least two inconsitencies in this note from Dodgers.com:

Dodger Dream Foundation opens seventh field: On Saturday at 11 a.m. PT, closer Takashi Saito and starter Hong-Chih Kuo will be on hand to celebrate the grand opening of the seventh Dodgers Dream Field.

The field is located in San Marino at the Seoul International Recreation Center. The Dodgers Dream Foundation seeks to help disadvantaged youth, and Dodgers Dream Fields is the signature program.

Phils are up 4-0. Cole Hammels is pitching an interesting game. I would turn on the tape recorder, but the Astro broadcasters are not exactly Vin Scully circa 1965.

Stan from Tacoma

80 You sure about that? I thought dzzrtrat had it right. You don't get the money if you officially retire. You have to make a good faith effort to play, or at least say the right things and let people read in between the lines, which is exactly what Mueller did yesterday. This is why Albert Belle did not officially retire until 3 years after playing his last game, isn't it?

Are you really saying A-Rod could sign a $170 million deal, then retire a couple of months later and keep all the money? I find that extremely hard to believe.

71 Exactly. Further proving my thesis. Please have my nobel prize mailed to my work address. Thanks.

---
"I will give a vague clue and say that they are the last 10 major league players to do a certain thing."

I was going to guess something about switch-hitting - tho hitting home runs from both sides of the plate has obviously been done by someone more recently, and Carlos Perez's existence on that list seems to ruin that. And I guess "made many baseball fans very sad and frustrated at some point" is too vague.

83 As long as he has a guaranteed contract (and almost all are) than it is just that, guaranteed. I suppose if you voluntarily retire you would have to give back the money but I don't think the PA would smile on this behavior.

81 That center is in L.A. on San Marino street, for one.

I don't believe you have to pay out if the player retires, which is why we aren't paying Wilson Alvarez this year.

86
Well, that explains a lot now.

I say that in a non-sarcastic way.

85 I realize that it's guaranteed. What I'm arguing is that it's only guaranteed if you try to play; that is, if you live up to your end of the contract. I'm almost positive this is the case. I think this is why Darren Dreifort had to hang around the club a little bit last year and make cursory comments about a comeback.

86

Thanks for clearing that one up. I actually thought that it was in the city of San Marino.

81 Also they can't get the name of their foundation straight.

Didn't Wilson Alvarez retire a year before his contract was up, and wasn't that considered a selfless act b/c he was giving up a guaranteed year of salary?

I think if Bagwell had formally retired last winter, he would have forfeited his $18 million salary for '06. And then his wife and kids would have drowned him in a well.

92 Exactly.

92
Drowing in a well?

Is this bringing us back to San Marino now?

I really, really hope Ned doesn't mean what he said. He is so wrong on so many levels its unbelievable. I believe that there's any way ANYONE could be that stupid. I mean, Hendrickson has always been this bad, and hard to find lefties? Look at the dodger organization, there's Kuo, Stults, Elbert, and in a couple years, there'll be Kershaw.

Eric, does the trivia quiz have something to do with triple plays?

Stan from Tacoma

Grr and Cole loses it. Oh well, now the game gets fun, time for a battle of the bullpens!

80 Mr. Mueller will have no obligation to give back a dime. Please insert legal between no and obligation. Some of us have moral considerations.

96 Nope.

6-1 Phillies.

Stan from Tacoma

I really wouldn't get too bent out of shape about whatever semi-positive comments Colletti gave about Hendrickson. They've already made the smart move in pulling him out of the rotation with Kuo/Stults. Next year is next year. He's on the team now, baseball management almost never want to say anything specific, decisive and critical about a player during the season when there's negotiations to be made in the off season. Giving him a shot to redeem himself isn't so terrible and they've proven that they're not locked into any player at the expense of the younger players if the latter are the ones who are performing better. I really wouldn't get too upset about it at all.

Why $3,000,000? Why would Hendrickson figure to get a million dollar raise after a year like this? If anybody signs him, I would think they'd inflict the maximum 20% pay cut on his $1,950,000 salary of this year?

102 It would be hard to justify a pay cut given that Hendrickson is having by far the best season of his career.

101 Totally agree with that. Limiting your options is basically a good way of shooting yourself in the foot. The desire to release Hendrickson immediately or send him to the guillotine or whatever is more an outgrowth of spite and emotion than rational thought.

104 Again, I would agree with that except that he's 33, and we're already seeing as good as it gets from him.

Possible pitchers in 2007:
Penny
Lowe
Maddux
Billingsly
Kuo
Saito
Broxton
Brazoban
Biemel
Tomko
Dessens
Hendrickson
Gagne (Very doubtful)
Sele
Assuming Gagbe doesn't play here, I'd personally like to lose everyone south of Biemel and sign a couple of better pitchers.

I've always thought that the Gold Gloves were the most subjective of all of the MLB awards. The players were typically "discovered" as a great fielder about three years after they had an amazing defensive season and kept receiving Gold Gloves about three years after they actually deserved it. Since I don't watch many non-Dodger games, I had probably only seen Maddux pitch 4 or 5 times over the past decade before he came to LA a couple of months ago. I always just assumed his countless Gold Glove awards from the pitcher's spot was because he had won some in the past and they couldn't bother finding another pitcher that deserved the award.

After watching each Maddux start with the Dodgers, I have completely changed my mind. The guy really is the best fielding pitcher that I've ever seen, and, for me, his defensive ability, especially now that he's forty years old, has been even more impressive than the fact that the guy gets batters out without ever breaking the 85 mph mark. It's rather cliche, but with Maddux on the mound it really is like having a 5th infielder on the field. Now, if he could only handle throwing more than 70 pitches in an outing we might really have something for this stretch run, especially when he pitches at home.

105 He'll be 32 for much of next season, but OK, whatever.

I'm not saying he's great, or that I want him relied on for 2007, or that I want him in the rotation. I'm saying it would be stupid to release him for nothing when clearly he has significant value, if not to us, then to another team. Either we can get something for him, or we can have him as our 8th starter in case disaster strikes, or whatever. But there is no defensible rationale -- none -- for summarily releasing him.

Trivia answer: All are victims of the hidden ball trick?

109 Ding ding ding. Those are the last 10 major league players to be victimized by the hidden ball trick.

[104} Can't disagree with that philosophy. As I inferred in my original post, what he said about Hendrickson was probably said in the spirit of keeping his trade value intact. But if we don't trade him by opening day, then I vote for the guillotine.

Hendrickson should be non tendered and, preferably, shot. Ned knows this and is simply answering a stupid question in the middle of a pennant race in a very polite way. There is nothing to worry about.

Another, significantly easier, trivia question. What do the following 10 players have in common?

Mark Lemke
Devon White
Mark Sweeney
Keith Lockhart
Mike Piazza
Jay Bell
Kenny Lofton
Jorge Posada
Edgar Renteria
Orlando Palmeiro

108 Fair enough, I was just looking at the ages listed on BP.

I suppose the issue is what we would do with the three million dollars or so that it would cost to give him a try out. If there's nothing better to spend it on, sure, why not, as long as it doesn't encourage you to actually stick him in the rotation.

114 If we decide he's not worth the 3 mil then it would be very easy to just trade him for a middling prospect. I mean, have you seen the pitchers the Yankees have tried in their rotation the last few years?

113 All played in a WS? Of course, I'm not sure about several of them.

116 While not incorrect, it's not quite the exact answer the judges were looking for.

By the way, the North County Times reports Khalil is done for the year after feeling pain in a BP session last night.

Ahhh, it's nice to see the Giants picking up where they left off yesterday - or picking down where they left off... If the score holds, maybe I'll even root for them tomorrow to knock off the Cards. Whee!

118 on a homer by old friend Juan Encarnacion, no less!

I noticed that Matt Morris walked Encarnacion intentionally in the next inning.

Albert Pujols was heard to remark: "What am I, chopped chorizo?"

Kvetch all you want about Hendrickson; he deserves it. But at least Colletti didn't sign Matt Morris to a big contract like his old boss did.

It sure has been fun to have Maddux pitching for us after rooting against him for all these years.

I'm forever amazed at how many fans will call a GM an idiot for what he says and not for what he does. A big part of his job is PR and a smart GM would do doing nothing to ever alienate a player or agent as it serves no purpose. Hendrickson has stunk it up in LA but many GM's will still remember his 1st half for TB. As Erik said has anyone taken a look at the rotations of the Yankee's and RedSox and really believe that there is no market for Hendrickson?

My favorite GM moment is Ned putting Kuo back in the rotation to get more repetitions to better harness his control only to find he has a super sleeper lefty on his hands as many here at DT advocated all spring.

120 "I'm forever amazed at how many fans will call a GM an idiot for what he says and not for what he does."

Me too. Same goes for managers. I mean, does anybody really think Grady believes all that stuff about Ethier being mentally tired? I doubt it -- it just ruffles a lot fewer feathers than saying "The way he's swinging the bat right now, we have a better chance to win with him on the bench."

Saito has quickly become one of my favorite Dodgers. Hard to believe we got this lucky.

How many at bats does Marlon Anderson have to get before his contributions are no longer considered dumb luck? It would be embarrasing to me to start an outfield of Anderson/Lofton/Drew in a playoff game but then I looked at the possible starting outfields of the contenders and it appears that there is a great shortage of quality outfielders these days:
Cards - Spezio/Encarnacion/Duncan
Giants-Alou/Winn/Bonds
Phillies-Burrel/Victorino/Delucci
Marlins - Willingham/Almezaga/C Ross
Padres-Roberts/Cameron/Giles
Houston-Scott/Taveras/Huff

Where have all the great outfielders gone?

122 I've never thought Anderson was dumb luck and I don't know why people have been so down on him. Guy's a capable hitter and exactly the kind of player you want on your bench if you're building a team for the playoffs. And we didn't give up anything for him, so I'm failing to see the downside.

123

you cant please everyone. there will always be detractors.

I hope Billingsley can maintain his command before he got injured. It seems that the injury was a catch 22; it did save his arm from throwing about 12-15 more innings but it came right at a time where he was just getting his command, control and release point together. he has walked only 3 in his last 3 starts (19ip)

122 To shortstop, and also to the American League.

If people like Jeter and A-Rod had grown up in the 1950s, there's no question they'd have become outfielders or corner infielders instead of shortstops.

125 Unfortunately, he was quoted as saying he had problems with the release point during the simulated game in Chicago.

The Giants are starting the 40+ outfield today with Finley in center. I suppose Randy Winn is no longer the God of September, like he was in 2005.

Since Bob is back, he can probably answer the trivia question off the top of his head.

Who thought picking up Anderson was a bad move?

130 Maybe nobody complained about picking him up. But people have sure been complaining about actually playing him.

131 It was an honest question. I couldn't remember if the move was criticized or not. Personally, picking up a left handed utility guy is always a good thing for the stretch drive.

Just got back... on the retirement issue, I think it's just semantics. If the team wants him to try and make a comeback and he chooses to insetead retire, then yes, he forefits the money. But I believe that in practice, if both the team and the player agree he ain't coming back, he just goes home. He really has no obligation (not even a moral one-I believe) to officialy retire and give the money back. Just like the Dodgers don't have a moral obligation to pay Ethier what he's be worth on the open market next year. That's just how the system works. I don't know of examples of players choosing to retire when they are forced out by injury. As for Bagwell, the issue was not if the Astros should pay him. It was that he was saying he was not disabled, simply bad. This meant no insurance reimbusement. Astros never asked him to go on the retired list.

133 Should have ended that thought with..
they wanted him on the DL so they could get paid too.

133 I believe we now agree on this.

129
What is the question on the floor? I move the question!

136: 113

135 Well that's no fun. =)

130-

I recall saying he was a redundant piece, but I don't think anybody was terribly worked up over it.

The problem with bringing back hendrickson is not just the fact that we have to actually pay him. There's also the "Nice Guy Manager" rule, where the manager will find a way to play his crappy veteran players.

For further evidence, see last year with Jason Phillips and Scott Erickson, the Cincinatti Reds this year with Royce Clayton, and the many moronic teams that play Neifi perez. (Detroit actually hit him leadoff!)

Hey Nate, if you're still around, have you tried Takamatsu on Speedway? All you can eat Sushi for $20 and it's not too bad.

130 "Who thought picking up Anderson was a bad move?"

Deciding to actually answer the question...
https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/494313.html#comments

See posts 28, 29, 45, 46, 50, 57, 70... OK, I'm getting tired now.

Hey Nate, if you're still around, have you tried Takamatsu on Speedway? All you can eat Sushi for $20 and it's not too bad.

Ive never been in there but i should definately now. Is that deal at anytime?

141 Gotcha. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Let's find those commenters, and smite them.

142 I'm almost certain it's good any night of the week. Also good for Teppan (at least as good as Sakura) but that's a bit pricey so maybe only if you have a hot date.

143-

I don't see why any of that desrves "smiting".

Am I allowed to be happy that Notre Dame is being systematically disassembled by Michigan?

Yes.

Did Charlie Weis have the crushing interceptions thrown by Brady Quinn planned six months in advance?

Did you know Charlie Weis is the single most brilliant football coach WHO HAS EVER BREATHED?

144

is it just nigiri sushi or also maki rolls? I assume its covers everything. thats a pretty good deal.

81 Bob, if no one has answered.
1. Kuo is Taiwanese, Saito is Japanese, Seuol is in South Korea and
2. San Marino is probably among the top 5 incorporated cities with the highest income per capita in L.A.County.

Also I would believe that there are more people of Chinese hertiage in San Marino than Korean.

148 Obviously Charlie does better coaching Michigan quarterbacks than playing against them.

145 Hey, can't a guy just be in the mood to smite every now and again?

150
Also, as Eric pointed out, the location wasn't in San Marino, but rather in Koreatown on San Marino Street.

149 It includes rolls but not all rolls. They have a special menu that excludes a few which would normally be like $10 each. But most things are included in that. I've done it a couple of times and have been shocked the place isn't packed with hungry UofA students.

153 Hey! I want credit for 91.

152-

Sure, I guess. Now that I think about it, a bit of smiting sounds pretty good right now.

154

sounds like a great deal. lol i'll probably get some friends and do it tomorrow night in celebration for being 3-3 in wins (dodgers, vikings, ff).

152 Sure. I'd start with Woody Williams instead of DT commenters, but that's just me.

i cant believe how horrible ND is getting torched. wow.

Anyone else here going tonight? I'm heading out there tonight and Monday and am definitely looking forward to it as much as any game in recent memory.

148-

Those interceptions? Charlie Weis wants his team to know the crushing frustration of throwing multiple interceptions. He planned for those to happen, so that Brady Quinn never throws an interception again in his life. It's a moral victory.

the tigers game is like every other SEC game where both teams score less then 10 points and somehow one team wins.

160 I'll be there on Monday night, getting my free fleece blanket.

Bob, I join you in your happiness in seeing Notre Dame drawn and quartered by Michigan.

164 Have you figured out where to park?

I don't know how they do it, trailing 4-2 in the 6th, now the A's have gone ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the 7th.

Now, 6-4, two bases loaded walks.

165 No. I'm still not decided. I used to go early and park next to the Pasadena freeway exit, but I don't think I can get there that early tonight. I may just park by the Shortstop and make the long walk.

162 Maybe if you start drinking on Wednesday, it seems like they score more points.

I don't know how they do it

Volume

168 I got there pretty early last night, around 6:00 for the 7:40 game, I had parking already but I noticed some street parking just outside the gate as you drive in from the entrance off the 5.

166 Today is "Mask Day" at the Oakland Coliseum.

If the Dodgers ever have one of those, I guess it goes without saying who the starting pitcher is.

172 Good one. They had the Fly II on tv last night and I thought, what punch line could I come up with that.

172
Took me a while but I finally got it:)

Nice to see Rolen wake up against the Giants. I'd prefer to see them 3 games back before the final series.

174 I can't figure it out.

154 Back when I was a hungry UofA student the hot place was Bob's Big Boy on Speedway, but that was because they served a dynamite strawberry pie.

All my favorite places seemed to have died when I was last there in 1992. The Big A on Speedway and Campbell (or maybe Cherry) used to serve great burgers and pints of beer in Mason jars. Gentle Ben's on 4th right outside the main gate was an old 3-story building with outdoor tables; the top floor had pool tables, I think.

Man. That was a long time ago.

Furcal, SS
Lofton, CF
Lugo, 2B
Kent, 1B
Drew, RF
Betemit, 3B
Ethier, LF
Martin, C
Billingsley, P

176 Try this, http://tinyurl.com/o8cyq

Just turned the channel and there was "Casablanca."

I love the line where Louie says when answering the German officer about whose side he is on, he says "I go where the wind blows." Just a perfect line for that character.

And again Rick says a line that Jon would repeat here, either lay off the politics or get out.

179 The plot summary sentence on that page is so great.

"A boy with a massive facial skull deformity and biker gang mother attempts to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances."

Oh, to be a fly on the wall when the studio honchos were pitched that story and said "Sure, sounds great!"

Oregon, after a blown call, has a chance to beat Oklahoma.

182 Go Ducks!

Somebody from the lousy Pac-10 please beat Oklahoma.

Btw, SF Chron columnist Bruce Jenkins stated that the "Dodgers pitching is a joke" in their Giants blog, so I felt I had to respond. Bruce Jenkins is basically a joke, too, but I tried to respond rationally.

http://tinyurl.com/oahh3

I think I am just going keep putting up lines from the movie.

Honest as the day is long.
Well a couple thousand less than I thought we would do.
I'll be there at ten.
You crazy Russian.
I'll be in tomorrow with a breathtaking blonde and I'll be very happy if she loses.

148 Maybe in the college realm, but Brian Billick is an offensive GENIUS.

Oregon, after two blown calls (both reviewed), tie it up, with a chance to go ahead on the extra point.

Alfonso Soriano your newest member of the 40-40 club.

A SB in the first against Milwaukee, got a huge jump on a 2-0 pitch. No throw.

188
Sam knows why I am a very big Brewers fan tonight.

Let's just say this is the night I've been looking forward to all year in the baseball season.

183 I'll ignore the fact that I was there when UCLA beat Oklahoma last year.

What a play for the Ducks.

189 You've got 2-0 on your side.

184 Crap, I shouldn't have mentioned C-Bills in my post on that Chron blog. Darn, I hope I didn't jinx him tonight. You can blame me (and his not being 100%) if he bombs tonight.

Also, go Oregon! I always root for West coast teams and especially against semi-pro, football factories like Ok. and Ohio State.

189 So you don't think Frank and Tomo are going to dinner after the game?

Team Nike beats Team No-Show Job.

There hasn't been a better minute (on the clock, anyway) of college football this year. Wow! Oregon wins.

You realize you're rooting for Dave Bush over DT Saint Pedro Astacio?

184 Good job, underdog. I wonder if it is a coincidence that yours is the last post in that thread? Also, Giants fans are insane.

Rice has 4 total yards of offense in the first half against Texas.

Rice is not winning.

Seeing Autzen Stadium go nuts is reason #472 why college football just destroys the NFL.

what a game that was.

I hope Edwin Jackson is OK.

199 And, in an even bigger rout, college basketball destroys the NBA.

So what's college baseball's problem?

I'm the only cause I'm interested in.
What of it, I'm going to die in Casablanca, its a good spot for it.
Go ahead shoot, you'll be doing be a favor.
I tried to stay away, I thought I would never see you again.

PING!

204 Yeah, that's gotta be the answer.

202 That's a great question. Much of it probably has to do with the fact that the top 20% of high school baseball players don't go to college.

Very few marquee names to go and see in college.

College baseball needs better marketing. This marketing, in my opinion, should be tied to the draft.

College baseball is great, though. Especially when your college team is the national champion.

196
Sam,
The alternate scenario to make me happy is not one we want to go through. That involves the Padres winning.

My son has been moving buttons back and forth between a plate and a container for 45 minutes now, with commentary..

No, we're not in view of the TV.

It's fascinating in its sleep-inducing way.

208 Check.

5-3 Nationals on a Bernie Castro (rook 2B) triple that scored Brian Schneider from first.

Bob starting to sweat a little.

Scratch off the scabs dept., I guess==

But a few things about the two come-from-ahead losses to the Cubs...

1) A managerial tendency is to run a pitcher (Tomko, in this case) back out there after he gets torched, to show confidence, etc. But Tomko appears streaky and had just blown it twice in a row.

So why run him right back out there in a big series against a team LA should dominate? If a semi-informed fan (me) 2000 miles away notices that Tomko is streaky and struggling, then Grady has to be aware of it.

The flip side is that, yeah, you have to run that pitcher who's getting torched or that hitter who's currently clueless back out there sometime. When? Get that right and you're a winning manager. And I think Grady gets many more calls right than wrong. And, sure, if Tomko breezes his second time vs. the Cubs, nobody questions his use.

2) In Wrigley, where the wind often swirls out to one direction or other, would it not be good for your basic pitcher/reliever of choice to be a sinkerballer if possible? Isn't that pretty much what Sele is? He'd not likely have done worse than Tomko, even if he hasn't exactly thrived in relief or in the second half generally.

Of course, if your pitcher is a Penny and he toys with the Cubs, the sinkerballer question is moot.

3) Grady doesn't seem to like to change pitchers mid-inning. Kuo went the usual six in his start and was outta there, despite the Cubs showing no signs of doing much damage. Might it have been a good idea to see if Kuo could go 7 or maybe even 8, and have a reliever semi-ready if he couldn't? (I know, monitor pitch count closely, two TJs, yada, yada.)

Sure, you don't want relievers up and down umpteen times during a game. But, generally, in later innings, having one reliever throwing behind your still-strong starter and going a bit longer with the starter might be good. Your somewhat tiring starter might still be a better option than most in the pen.

Is it considered bad to warm up a middle reliever in, say, the seventh, but not really have him cut loose until the last few pitches (after--and if--the bullpen phone rings)? How would this be overuse?

Ouch - Pedro Astacio at bat with runners on first and third, no outs. HBP.

211
And I had some garlic fries at lunch, so that's some bad sweat....

Joe Ayoob in at QB for the Bears.

But don't worry. Cal is cruising and Nate Longshore is being rested.

212 We lost some games a while back? I don't remember that.

Very ugly injury to S.C.'s Powdrell. The part of his leg below his knee was pointing the wrong way, after a tackle. Carting him off, now.

After a loose start, Pedro Astacio has now retired 12 Brewers in a row.

216- Oh, it was just his ankle that dislocated. Well, that's got to be better than a knee, if not at all good.

Why does USC always feel compelled to go for it on 4th and 2?

The Oregon-Oklahoma game, incidentally, might have been the Game of the Year.

219
Because Pete Carroll knows that his team has a very good chance of making it.

Pedro gives up a run and exits in the sixth, ahead 5-4, runners at 1st and 3rd two outs.

Game thread is open.