Baseball Toaster Dodger Thoughts
Help
Jon Weisman's outlet
for dealing psychologically
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and baseball.
Frozen Toast
Search
Google Search
Web
Toaster
Dodger Thoughts
Archives

2009
02  01 

2008
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2007
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2006
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2005
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2004
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2003
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2002
09  08  07 
About Jon
Thank You For Not ...

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

Voices Carry
2007-04-02 15:37
by Jon Weisman

You can hear me tonight on Warren Olney's "Which Way, L.A.?" on KCRW and at KCRW.com. I'll mostly be saying things out loud that you've already heard as an interior monologue while reading Dodger Thoughts.

As far as today's game goes: Stuff happens. One game. I do wonder, however, whether the outfield play of Luis Gonzalez and Juan Pierre will start to eat at Grady Little if it continues to be erratic.

I guess Little did leave Kenny Lofton down there, after all. But Lofton had that on-base percentage thing going ...

Comments (80)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2007-04-02 15:58:26
1.   bhsportsguy
He did have Manny in LF though 150 RBI tends to overshadow his Misadventures in the field.
2007-04-02 16:02:30
2.   underdog
I do think Grady won't hesitate to pull those guys (though more likely LuGo than Pierre) if they are proving themselves consistently incapable out there. And yeah, 150 RBIs would alleviate that a little, but since that won't happen with either of them, expect to see Kemp and Clark get more looks. Repko on crutches might have done better than either of those guys today, but again, it really is one game. I sure hope they improve play out there.
2007-04-02 16:03:03
3.   Eric Stephen
Jon, if it's OK with you I'm going to wait 'Til Tuesday to listen to your radio interview.
2007-04-02 16:04:18
4.   underdog
2 I should amend that to mean "...to pull those guys on occasion." I can't see either being benched for good (but again, more likely LuGo if that were to happen) - but they'll be on the bench more often, or relieved more often, if they continued to field that poorly.
2007-04-02 16:07:14
5.   Jon Weisman
3 - Hush, hush. Keep it down now.
2007-04-02 16:25:17
6.   Humma Kavula
Stuff happens. One game.

I can only speak for myself, but listening to this game I felt like I imagine Plaschke must have felt watching JD Drew walk with two out and guys on second and third: this one game epitomizes all the fears and concerns I have for the season (forget anything else that these guys can/will do during this season and never mind the fact that Sheets was dealing bullets). It isn't rational; it just feeds into the prejudices I have toward the season.

It was a very difficult game to follow for me. Nobody likes to be right like that, never mind the fact that this game didn't really prove anything.

2007-04-02 16:27:17
7.   bhsportsguy
I have to believe that all those people predicting the D-Backs to be better than the Dodgers this year, did not foresee Orlando Hudson batting third in their lineup.
2007-04-02 16:36:50
8.   Bob Timmermann
NL West standings
Arizona 1 0
S.F. 0 0
S.D. 0 0
L.A. 0 1
Col. 0 1
2007-04-02 16:42:00
9.   Humma Kavula
8 I know you posted without comment. I'm also guessing that your post wasn't directed at me.

But I would like to reinforce again that I know I'm not being rational.

Thanks.

2007-04-02 16:44:36
10.   underdog
Royals 7, Red Sox 1. <-- another sign it's just 1 of 162. (Though the Royals do seem to have the Sox' number.)
2007-04-02 16:48:37
11.   Bob Timmermann
Actually 8 was directed at 7.
2007-04-02 17:00:26
12.   bhsportsguy
11 My point was the D-Backs are getting a lot of early love from folks due to their abundance of position player prospects but they are still banking on the Eric Byrnes and the Orlando Hudsons to also contribute to their run at the division.

It is not as if they are just writing out a lineup of their 2006 AAA team to start the 2007 season.

Now are they making more room for their prospects than the Dodgers are, for right now, yes.

So that was my point and again I am sure their plans for today did not include a short outing by Webb but they won the game and least for a few hours are one of two NL West teams that can go wire to wire.

2007-04-02 17:01:10
13.   DXMachina
10 - I watched the end of the Sox-KC game on NESN. Old friend Julio Lugo struck out in each of his first three Red Sox at bats, and somebody named Joel Peralta struck out Youkalis, Ortiz, Manny, and Wily Mo all in a row to end the eighth and start the ninth.
2007-04-02 17:04:05
14.   bigcpa
6 Totally agree with this. A few more of these jobbies and I will switch from privately to openly rooting for failure from a few guys (initials LG,JP).
2007-04-02 17:07:00
15.   Humma Kavula
14 I don't root for failure; I merely track it.
2007-04-02 17:15:13
16.   bigcpa
15 Well it's not a sin if I only use their initials.
2007-04-02 17:17:59
17.   Icaros
I'd trade our GM for Arizona's in a heartbeat. And Orlando Hudson's 2006 was very close to that of Rafael Furcal (.808 vs .814 OPS--both hit 15 HRs). Nothing to make fun of, certainly.
2007-04-02 17:18:54
18.   Jon Weisman
Steve Henson's notebook is up at the Times site, FYI.
2007-04-02 17:26:46
19.   Eric Enders
Going back to the last thread, no love for Wright-Beltran-Delgado as the best 2-3-4?
2007-04-02 17:31:36
20.   trainwreck
19
Lo Duca is the Mets second hitter.
2007-04-02 17:36:06
21.   Greg S
The earlier mentioned new features on DirectTV are actually kind of cool. During any game you're watching, you can pull up stats including all the game stats of the pitcher or any batter, box scores, standings, league leaders... basically any game stats you can find on Gameday but maybe even easier and on your TV while watching the game. I like it.
2007-04-02 17:40:20
22.   Eric Enders
20 Well, that explains it. The two spring training games I saw went Wright-Beltran-Delgado so I just assumed that was their regular lineup.
2007-04-02 17:45:14
23.   Jon Weisman
19 - How did that relate to the last thread? Did I miss something?
2007-04-02 17:45:27
24.   bhsportsguy
I read in BP or somewhere where baseball has really adopted the Billy Beane approach (and others) to the season, see how the first two months goes, make adjusmtments during the second two months for the stretch drive in the last two months because winning 100 game or winning 88 doesn't matter if you still end up getting into the playoffs.

Last year, the Cardinals got a couple breaks which allowed them to set up their rotation so Carpenter could pitch twice against the Padres thus eliminating their starting pitching depth weakness that they had against San Diego. In the other 3 playoff series, St. Louis would not have been able to do that the way those series was scheduled.

Postseason baseball is so different than the regular season, things like pitching depth are overshadowed by that 4th or 5th outfielder who may come in for defense or that backup catcher who may be forced to pinch hit in a game. Your 4th and 5th starters are asked to be long men or maybe even pitch unknown innings in an extra inning game.

There is no remedy for this and it is certainly more relevant given the wild card and smaller divisions where as we have seen a team just barely over .500 can not only qualify but win the division and maybe the World Series.

2007-04-02 17:46:30
25.   bhsportsguy
23 I believe there was a discussion on the best 3-4-5 with the Manny, Ortiz, and Drew being offered as the best.
2007-04-02 17:47:19
26.   DXMachina
22 Randolph went with Wright at #2 for about two weeks straight, leading to all sorts of speculation that he was going to go that way, but then he went back to having Paulie there for the last couple of spring games.
2007-04-02 17:53:35
27.   underdog
Not to make excuses or anything, but Tony Jackson's latest is on the quirks of Miller Park and how the field was wet today. Which may have had something to do with the miscues in the OF today (though some incompetence or poor play could also have had something to do with it). Sounds like an odd ballpark, though. I actually like Kent's quote. Curmudgeonly or not, you have to give him some props for usually being blunt.
2007-04-02 17:54:06
28.   Vishal
[26] tsk tsk, lo duca should bat 7th or 8th.
2007-04-02 18:02:28
29.   bhsportsguy
27 While I give Jon props for sticking to his guns (so to speak) on his Matt Kemp prediction, I like reading the "unfiltered" talk via Tony Jackson.

I am biased on this so take it or leave it, because while I think Tony and Brian Dohn do a good job with their blogs (being responsible and not too much idle gossip.), should you have alumni cover their school?

2007-04-02 18:02:55
30.   D4P
The As have Nick Swisher batting #6. That seems too low...
2007-04-02 18:06:42
31.   natepurcell
i left for class...what happened with gonzalez in the field?
2007-04-02 18:09:12
32.   natepurcell
30

speaking of the As, they bowed down to king felix today.

2007-04-02 18:09:49
33.   Doug N
So I had the opportunity to leave work early, which does not happen often, so I took a few hours of vacation and came home to watch the game. I fell asleep on the couch in the third inning, but I don't feel so bad because it's just one game. A daytime road game against a non-division opponent... It's no big deal as long I don't sleep through the rest of the season and the dodgers don't play like they're all just one game.

Personal story: I learned baseball math when I was 11 reading Tommy Lasorda's "auto"-biography. Tommy said (and I'm paraphrasing) 'every team wins a third, every team loses a third. it's what your team does with the other third that matters.' I remind myself of that when the Dodgers are .500 through May. They're just getting those losses out of the way early. Apologies for the long winded comment.

2007-04-02 18:12:01
34.   Eric Enders
31 He let a catchable fly ball go for a double. I had to stop watching after that... was there anything else?
2007-04-02 18:13:55
35.   natepurcell
34

catchable as if...he misplayed it or because of his speed and lack of age, he couldnt catch up to it?

2007-04-02 18:14:57
36.   Eric L
Tony Jackson's post on his blog today was interesting. I think Vin mentioned something about it during the game today.

Tony did go for the easy (and cheap) Corey Hart joke, though.

2007-04-02 18:16:13
37.   natepurcell
looking back on trades last year, man how bad is that beckett trade for the red sox looking out to be. Redsox fans are going to feel that one for a while.
2007-04-02 18:25:59
38.   bigcpa
37 Indeed- although Kevin Towers should get GM of the decade for netting Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young, Josh Bard and Cla Meredith for essentially Otsuka.
2007-04-02 18:26:10
39.   goofus
Questions:
1. Which outfielder played well in the foeld today?
2. Which outfielder hit the ball hard and looked much better than his cohorts?
3. Which outfielder will ride the pine tomorrow?
The answer to all three questions is Andre Ethier. No, Little won
t bench Gonzales no matter how bad he is.
2007-04-02 18:27:54
40.   natepurcell
38

it seems like the young mr. daniels hasnt been a positive net gain for the rangers.

2007-04-02 18:41:34
41.   jasbo
Hate to say it, but I don't believe the Dodgers have a single good outfielder. In all the analyses I've read, that hasn't been highlighted. Not one of these guys could be considered an anchor defensively. In fact, Bigbie might have been better than the guys who made the team. Ethier and Kemp will be good eventually, but not yet. Pierre and Gonzales are worse than average and heading downhill. I've heard so much about this team being well-balanced. The outfield is out of balance.
2007-04-02 18:42:20
42.   das411
Again, for anybody who missed it in the last post, FJM's stathead-speak glossary:

http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2005/04/glossary-of-terms.html

Does anyone know who's starting for the LAAoA tonight?

2007-04-02 18:43:35
43.   Bob Timmermann
Lackey is pitching for the Angels against Millwood.
2007-04-02 19:18:42
44.   underdog
Jon should be on KCRW coming up in next few minutes...
2007-04-02 19:34:22
45.   preacherroe
from the last thread,the guy who claimed he was talking to Wes Parker.Did Little really say,"It would be hard not to trade Loney because he is who all the other teams ask for"Gee,wouldn't that indicate we ought to hang onto him.Just a thought.
I wonder how much clamor there is for Gonzo or Pierre or Valdez,etc.Maybe the poster actually was talking to Smush Parker.
2007-04-02 19:41:02
46.   nick
Kenny Lofton! did he tip that one over the wall in center?.....yes he did--
2007-04-02 19:44:05
47.   nick
47--perhaps you DT folks cd consider that a good omen of sorts?
2007-04-02 19:44:40
48.   nick
48--for 47 in 47 read 46
2007-04-02 19:50:55
49.   Bob Timmermann
We've run out of omens.

A new law passed by Congress limits every baseball game to just four omens.

2007-04-02 19:54:49
50.   underdog
If today was an omen for the Dodgers, it was called "Damien."

Or maybe it was Exorcist II: The Heretic.

At any rate, let's hope it's not a horror film tomorrow.

Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2007-04-02 20:06:01
51.   Suffering Bruin
Anybody remember Al Oliver playing LF for the Dodgers? I know Bob does. I was trying to think of what Gonzo looked like in Left Field today and then it hit me: Al Oliver.

Actually, Al was much worse but I wonder if they'll share the same fate.

2007-04-02 20:14:46
52.   D4P
Torii Hunter hit a homerun today
2007-04-02 20:18:52
53.   Bob Timmermann
Two teams went 1 for 11 on 3s in a championship game loss.

Hint: they were part of all-around bad performances.

2007-04-02 20:19:44
54.   Bob Timmermann
Wrong thread

D'Oh!

But I remember Al Oliver!

2007-04-02 20:24:52
55.   Robert Fiore
It's hard to say which was more frightening: Watching Ancient Al Oliver trying to play left or Pedro Guerrero trying to play third.
2007-04-02 20:30:49
56.   StolenMonkey86
For those keeping track, Sammy Sosa took his first walk as a Texas Ranger tonight.
2007-04-02 20:33:09
57.   D4P
Is Sammy Sosa really the Rangers' starting rightfielder...?
2007-04-02 20:49:40
58.   Frip
33 Doug N: "So I had the opportunity to leave work early, which does not happen often, so I took a few hours of vacation and came home to watch the game. I fell asleep on the couch in the third inning..."

Awesome

2007-04-02 21:13:11
59.   KAYVMON
45- Its more "Its BEEN hard to not trade him" and everyone's got the same idea as you, which is that if everyone is asking for him he must be pretty good.

And if I was talking to Smush, Id tell him to stop airballing three pointers.

2007-04-02 21:48:11
60.   Bumsrap
Five innings into the first game of the season, the Washington Nationals lost Shortstop Cristian Guzman with a strained his left hamstring. "A hammy just doesn't heal overnight," Acta said.

Guzman, who missed all of 2006 after right shoulder surgery, was replaced in the game by Josh Wilson. Acta said that if Guzman is out for "a long period of time," then Felipe Lopez would shift back from second base to shortstop - his position until this season - and Ronnie Belliard would play second.

Maybe a future home for Valdez, Anderson, or Martinez.

2007-04-02 21:50:51
61.   Bumsrap
"Its BEEN hard to not trade him"

Sounds like the Giants won't let go of Aurilia.

2007-04-02 22:14:29
62.   Bob Timmermann
I don't think the Nats want Anderson back at his current price.
2007-04-02 22:14:29
63.   Eric Enders
60 Sounds like a break for Sloppy Joe Thurston, Washington's AAA second baseman.
2007-04-02 22:53:06
64.   natepurcell
plaschkes new article is kind of funny only because he yearns for jd drew back in the end (in a subtle way).
2007-04-03 00:06:37
65.   Eric L
I meant to post this one earlier...

As much as I dislike the Gonzo and Pierre signings, ripping on them for not playing well today reminds of Plaschke's article that he wrote 2 years ago. He jumped to conclusions based on one play by Jose Valentin and many of us jumped on ol' Bill for it.

2007-04-03 00:19:43
66.   Eric Enders
65 I don't recall anyone reaching any hard and fast conclusions based on today's game.

They played poorly today, very poorly. When someone plays poorly, we're allowed to say so, right?

2007-04-03 00:50:52
67.   Eric L
66 I agree.. we're allowed to say that they played like garbage today. JP and Gonzo were major contributors to the garbage dump today. I'm not trying to make excuses for them.

I still think the signings of JP and Pierre were unnecessary, but I don't want to pile on them either. I still think that Kemp in CF and Ethier and Loney at the corner OF spots would be better than what we have right now.

I personally don't want to say that since Pea Shooter Pierre and Old Man Gonzalez made a couple of bad plays that I was right all along. It would make me feel dirty.

2007-04-03 01:03:50
68.   dzzrtRatt
I, for one, miss J.D. Drew.

J.D. Drew could field. J.D. Drew could hit. J.D. Drew was a man of low character, I suppose, but he was a consistent offensive force.

But the best reason to miss J.D. Drew is that if J.D. Drew were playing in the Dodgers' outfield, there would have been no reason for Colletti to sign either Pierre or Gonzalez. The other two outfield positions would have gone to Ethier and Repko, and when Repko came up lame, it would have been Kemp.

Who knows, maybe High Character Man Garciaparra would have decided he didn't want to slum it with Drew and signed somewhere else, leaving first base for Loney.

Wouldn't you rather have Drew-Loney-Kemp, over Garciaparra-Pierre-Gonzalez?

2007-04-03 01:29:16
69.   bhsportsguy
Jon, great job with Warren Olney today, did they brief beforehand that you would be grilled on the all-you-can eat pavillion, parking and leaving Vero Beach issues.

This is what happens when your staff gets their research from pulling up recent Dodger press releases.

Seriously, nice job and now Dodger Thoughts has two major media plugs in less than a week. And when we get those t-shirts, watch out.

2007-04-03 04:54:00
70.   paranoidandroid
Optomistic view of today:

1. I'd rather lose 7 to 1 than 2 to 1. Sheets was nasty and the breaks went to Mil on squibbers and potential hits that found gloves.
2. It was good to see number 38 throwing in the 90s and shutting them out for one inning late in the game. Gagne must have been hungry sitting on the bench for two years, he looked a bit chubby.
3. Brady Clark is hitting .500!

2007-04-03 06:30:00
71.   Terry A
More woes for Ned Colletti, Communicator At Large:

"Nobody has talked to me about anything," (Ethier) said. "I have no idea what the plan is."

(Quoted from Henson's notebook at the Times.)

Also, it sounds like Loney unloaded a bit on Little/Colletti after getting news of his demotion. Does this raise character issues that will allow Ned to deal him with a clean conscience?

2007-04-03 07:51:31
72.   Jon Weisman
69 - Thanks. Yes and no.

64 - He doesn't yearn for Drew. He admits that Drew is better, than still takes a puerile shot at him.

2007-04-03 07:55:25
73.   Bumsrap
71
Loney is 22. If Colletti were to trade Loney because of charactor issues related to Loney yelling the truth at Colletti, I would wonder about Colletti's character.

I just hope some of what Loney said stuck all over Colletti and no matter how often Colletti's tries to scrub it off he can't.

Here is to Nomar to third, Loney to first, Gonzo to left side pinch hitter, Kemp to right, Ethier to left and by June, Bigbie in and Pierre out.

2007-04-03 08:55:10
74.   Eric Enders
Another remarkable Cardboard Gods post today. I'm getting quite addicted.
2007-04-03 08:55:33
75.   Terry A
You don't think Colletti's character is already somewhat questionable?

Here is to Nomar to third, Loney to first, Gonzo to left side pinch hitter, Kemp to right, Ethier to left and by June, Bigbie in and Pierre out.

From your lips to Colletti's veteran-lovin' ears, my friend.

2007-04-03 09:06:59
76.   Benaiah
74 - It is a phenomenal blog. It plays with the medium a little and is almost a serial novel where you can read any chapter in any order. Today's was my favorite post yet.
2007-04-03 09:08:20
77.   underdog
So I see that Steve Sax will throw out the first pitch at the Dodgers' home opener.

{insert joke about aim here}

2007-04-03 09:08:39
78.   CajunDodger
71
If he did mouth off to Coletti, that could be considered a good thing. I know that I would have done the same thing. I think what Coletti will be watching is if he pouts or destroys the minor league pitchers he will be facing. As veteran-happy as Coletti is, he and Grady are also impatient. Loney will be up no later than the end of April (taking Marlon Anderson's spot) or he will be traded.

Here's hoping for the former...

2007-04-03 09:10:49
79.   Jon Weisman
I think too much is being made of Loney's reaction to being sent down. He was disappointed, but everyone will get over it. I think it's a non-issue.

74 - Yes, you reminded me I wanted to point over there. New post up top.

2007-04-03 10:15:26
80.   Izzy
71 and 73
Why Ethier in Left and Kemp in Right? I would put them the other way around.

I like Loney having some "attitude." I think you need a little of that. But, now he needs to take what he's been handed and MAKE them bring him back up by playing even better. Taking some extra outfield at LV might go along way, but he has a LONG way to go.

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.