Don't call me lad.

"What do the call you back in Los Angeles, lad?"

Dodgers hit two three-run homers and I miss it.

"I can't believe it"

3 You are also missing Godfather II (your favorite) on AMC

I couldn't see Penny actually pitch; could only check in once in a while on GameDay. For those of you who did see him, how lights-out was he? (This being his first start of the second half against a pretty good hitting team, I'm naturally concerned.)

The last person to call me lad was Dennis DeYoung. Then me and Tommy Shaw kicked him out of the band.

I missed most of the game but got to hear Kemp's HR sail out of the park on radio.

I think May 10, 2006 was the last time the Dodgers had 2 3-run homers in a game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN200605100.shtml

5 - Some commenters at the start of the game were very nervous about how he looked, but by the end he seemed pretty sharp.

4 My AMC has Easy Rider on right now.

You know, Marty...We blew it.

In that 1998 game, Dave Mlicki allowed seven runs in 3 2/3 innings but escaped with a no-decision. The Dodgers rallied from an 8-3 deficit after five.

You must be back in that southern backwater. I still have GFII. ER is next.

Cromer's homer (hey - it rhymes) was his first and only hit that season.

Thanks Jon,

'Tis my first time on this board. Best Dodgers fanblog I've seen, and I'm looking forward to being a part of this fine community.

Almost all of the offensive improvement is due to an increase in batting average. I'm sure a lot has been luck, but perhaps they are seeing more pitches per PA (haven't seen the data) allowing them to get better pitches to hit.

They are averaging 3 more plate appearances a game than they were before.

The "Murray" Dodgers had a .305 BABIP. The "Mueller" Dodgers have a .362 BABIP

Yet he finished the season with a 113 OPS+.

Cromer's loners: In three different seasons, Cromer had exactly one hit.

13 - Welcome. And, good night.

So would you chalk up Penny's early-game struggles as rust (I don't count that 9 pitch perfect All-Star inning to be much of a workload)?

Penny definitely got better as the game wore on. He was shaky early but as Jon said he just got sharper and sharper.

I watched most of the game on fast forward after pausing MLBTV so I could watch some of "Factory Girl" on DVD (eh; mixed review) but sure were a lot of highlights in this game. Great to see the Bison continue to stampede.

16 So...He's like the Cowsills?

Cromer went on the DL that year when Eric Young was activated about a minute before a game with the Mets started. Wilton Guerrero was supposed to lead off, but he got traded. So Young batted in his place and Cromer was DLed.

It was really weird.

It's not often you see a Cowsills reference. Well done.

14 BH, where did you get the BABIP split data? Thanks for the info. I was only using BB-Ref gamelogs for the other data, and didn't have the BABIP data.

14 Last year, the Dodgers BABIP was .332 for the whole season.

Didn't Tripp Cromer go on to play for the Reds a bit? I had to root for a guy named Tripp.

22 Well, Marty. I knew
(I knew I knew I knew I knew)
It would make you happy
(happy happy)

Steve Phillips on Sportscenter thinks the Dodger should add Jermaine Dye at the trade deadline.

Sorry, not much of a sabermetric guy. What's BABIP? A sort of adjusted batting average?

13 Welcome NorCalDodger. Where are you in NorCal? I'm in Berkeley.

27 To paraphrase John Kruk, and in one of the few times I have agreed with him, "this is why [Steve Phillips] is {on Baseball Tonight] and not a GM anymore."

BABIP = Batting Average on Balls in Play

25
That was Tripp's brother D.T.

28 To expand, from Baseball-Reference.com:

"BAbip - Batting Average on balls in play: measures what happens when the player puts the ball in play on the field. This is typically consistent for pitchers, but will vary wildly between batters.: (H-HR)/ (AB - SO - HR + SF) "

27 Steve Phillips thinks Clemens gets poor run support because his teammates are in awe of him, and they try less because they don't need to score as much.

Baseball Tonight needs to be Ravitch, Hershiser, and Gammons. Maybe throw in a little Brian Kinney for the stathead crowd. But that show has become unwatchable.

Ah yes, David Thomas Cromer. Tripp - or Roy Bunyan (III) - Cromer played briefly for Houston afterwards. But that was about it.

Whose idea was it to cast Hayden Christensen as a Bob Dylan clone in this movie? Sheesh. Mistake.

34 I agree, although Ravitch gets on my nerves sometimes, too. But yeah, I can hardly watch BT when the other guys are on.

I'm not a big Ravetch fan. It seems to me he thinks every home run was hit off a mistake pitch. "Hang 'em and bang 'em."

23 Sorry my numbers were off, forgot to subtract HRs.

Murray's pupils: .288 BABIP
Mueller's pupils: .344 BABIP

2006 Dodgers (Murray's team): .310 BABIP

36 When EY is on with Vina, I just punch myself in the face for three minutes instead.

Fernando Vina:

That guy is a hitter
That guy can hit
That guy is a heck of a player
That guy can really swing the bat
That guy is a monster

Thanks, Fernando. That, my friends, is analysis.

39 For a long stretch of time, every BBTN Eric Young was on would show highlights of him against a current player during EY's "analysis". It got old real quick.

J.R. Henderson lives!

And he's now Japanese!

http://tinyurl.com/35apa5

fanerman, I'm in Berkeley as well.

Does anyone find it amusing that when we send out the third worst starter of ther series (Hendrickson), the Phillies throw out a pitcher with an ERA of almost twice that of our NBA pitcher?

I thought Penny looked OK at first, the strike zone was delayed by about 15 minutes at the airport.

And wow does Kent have a quick swing!

Juan Pierre! (I have to give him credit tonight and the last few games.) Juan Pierre?!? Juan Pierre!

Hey, an important question.

Why doesn't the KFWB 980 website broadcast the radio play-by-play?

44
Because MLB.com owns the exclusive rights to all online streaming broadcasts of baseball games.

I see. Anyway for an out-of-town fan like me to be able to follow a game without staring at GameDay?

46 Gameday audio has all the radio broadcasts via mlb.com. Its only $10 which aint bad. I pony up the money to listen to the games when Im at the office and during spring training when nothing is on TV. Its worth it.

Gurnick has edited his Q&A column. it doesn't say promoted to AA anymore.

48 BH was just telling me about the Minotaur rumors. I guess it hasn't happened.

I want The Minotaur in Jacksonville!

49- I want one start at San Bernardino. After that he can go to Jacksonville, but I want that start. What did I ever do to Flanders that he should deny me this?

TJ on the asking price of Dotel...

For now, though, the Royals probably are asking for either Russell Martin, Matt Kemp or James Loney,

what a joke.

I also have a radio question. I'm driving to St. George, Utah on Wednesday. Anyone know of a radio station in Nevada I might pick up for the day game? (I know, I'm dreaming.) Thanks!

For now, though, the Royals probably are asking for either Russell Martin, Matt Kemp or James Loney,

what a joke.

that reminds me of D.Wells for Kemp last year.......

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/royals/story/192744.html

more Dodgers/Dotel talk.

52 The Dodgers radio affiliate in Las Vegas is KSFN 1140 AM. Depending on which part of Utah you're going to, you might also be able to pick up games on the Gallup, NM affiliate (1230 AM).

When did the theory of bullpens become that one closer was insufficient? The Dodgers have two fantastic relief pitchers, and even that's not enough?

56
Of what was that apropos...?

Someone on another board I frequent that was at the game says that it looked like Penny intentionally did not get loose before the game. Just some tosses in the outfield but not the strenuous bullpen work. Speculated that this was so he would be able to go deeper in the game. The results on the field would match that theory, but that seems like an awfully risky thing to do, esp vs the Phillies. What do you think of that strategy?

Maybe it's just idle chatter, but just hearing about a pursuit of Dotel (I don't believe Colletti would entertain giving up Kemp or Loney or LaRoche for him, but even Young is too much for my taste) or Otsuka or Gagne is bizarre to me. I don't get trying to find a replacement seventh inning pitcher for Billingsley. I don't get it in principle, and I don't get it in practice, given that Billingsley came in to pitch just the seventh inning five times total. Can't we have a seventh inning by committee situation? Or, what's Elmer Dessens up to? This is about the time of the year when Colletti's thoughts turn to him. Something free or nothing at all.

How nice of ESPN to have their main photo be of the Yankees, with a caption letting me know that "The Yankees are 4-1 since the All-Star break. But just 46-44 overall."

I was at the game, and while the three-run homers were awesome and exciting (and it was pretty easy to call Kemp's even before he stepped up to the plate), what impressed me most was the Dodgers' singles hitting. Those little grandma flares into the outfield are no accident. Mueller has done something with these guys. They are GUIDING the balls. Other that the homers, and possibly Nomar's double, there were no hard hits. Pierre seems to be especially benefitting.

The best relief pitcher for the Royals has been Joakim Soria who at the age of 18 was Dodger property in 2002. He didn't pitch again in the minors until last year when he shows up 4 years later as property of the Padres who lost him to the Royals in the Rule 5 draft last year.

Just listened to Vin's call of Kemp's HR:

"Whoops! Matt Kemp LOWERS the boom!"

63, yeah I was watching that and Kent. I get where I'm kind of focusing on one or two guys, Martin (and Pierre) and then Kent does that and I realize I'd forgotten how good his swing is. Ethier, too.

So, if Hendrickson has a great night tonight (say, 2 ER over 7) does that mean he's better? I'm thinking he has it in him and that maybe he IS improving... but like Pierre and Tomko it's hard to have much confidence.

64
When someone hasn't been very good for most/all of their career, I don't interpret a sudden hot streak to mean that they've suddenly "figured it out". Most players (good and bad) have relative hot and cold streaks, and it's incumbent upon Management to understand that and act accordingly.

I'm not convinced that our Management possesses such understanding.

65 How do you feel about Beimel then? Has he just been lucky for a season and a half? Im not being critical, I'm just curious. His numbers aren't amazing, but his move to first and his uncanny ability to induce comebackers seems to have added something to his recent success at an old(er) age.

66
Funny you should ask. I just looked at Beimel's stats, and the biggest change in recent years seems to be that he's not walking as many batters as he used to. Coincidentally, there's an article on Dodgers.com about how he's more confident now and challenges hitters more than in the past.

"...and his uncanny ability to induce comebackers"

Steiner???

64, I'm with you, I'm glad we had Hendrickson, though, because he's done a decent job where Schmidt, Wolf and Kuo have been injured and not so great. Only Bills has done better with at least 60 IP. And it's hard to believe but Seanez is right there with Billingsley. (Shuddders)

52 The Dodgers radio affiliate in Las Vegas is KSFN 1140 AM.

Great. Thanks!

Like I have said before, I don't think we should be looking to bring in another player, or players, through trade. And the notion that we need another "name" reliever is just silly. But I am starting to warm to the idea of a Dotel-for-Delwyn trade, just as long as we give up ONLY Delwyn Young. And really, it has nothing to do with what we would be getting.

Ever since Young was moved from 2B to an outfield corner, I have known that Delwyn has no chance of ever being a starter in a Dodger line-up. And yet, I think Delwyn is exactly the kind of minor league sleeper that a non-contending team should allow 500 AB's (at league minimum) just to see what he can do. As far as Young being a bench player for the Dodgers, I don't think that would work. He is too streaky a hitter to be effective in a pinch hitting role, and he is no defensive specialist. No, Young has to start, and it won't be with us, so I want him to get a shot on a sad sack team without much in the way of better options. The Royals would fit the bill perfectly.

Sorry, That's based on ERA+ at Baseball Reference.com . . . So . . . take that for what it's worth.

Hello fellow Berkeleyites!

We should really have a designated Dodgers bar in Berkeley/the East Bay. The way red sox fans tend to take over a bar in every city west of Denver.

Ah well, 2007 so far:
Pitcher / IP / ERA+

Penny / 123.7 / 188
Lowe / 133 / 144
Billingsley / 60.7 / 134
Hendrickson / 80.3 / 112
Wolf / 102.7 / 93
Tomko / 72 / 75

Broxton / 47 / 163
Seanez / 42.3 / 147

courtesy baseball-reference.com
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/2007.shtml

Not that that tells us much other than to maybe worry about Seanez being signed for 3 years. :-)

73 Are San Franciscan Dodger fans invited? ;-)

63 I was laughing too hard during that call to type anything here about it. Vin was telling an off topic anecdote, had lost his place, was recovering right when Kemp lowered the boom. And Vin said, "Whooops!" That's all. Priceless.

I wouldn't mind acquiring Dotel, because I think the Dodgers could use a little more depth in the pen (but couldn't Meloan provide that? I guess they want "veteran-ness"...) But agree, they shouldn't give up much to get him. I guess teams figure, it can't hurt to ask for the moon, but really... Kemp? Loney? C'mon. Too bad we can't still trade them Mitch Jones.

61 - But if they're not hitting the ball hard, does that necessarily bode well for the future? To me, the best indicator for continued hitting success is line drive %. Bloopers and "ground balls with eyes" tend to become outs more often than not.

13 Ok...originality with your blog screen name....but I'm glad I've 'dashed' to it first.

;-)

Could KC use another centerfielder...?

73

Are Berkeley alums who are residing in the South Bay invited too?

79, 73
I'm actually a Berkeley alum, too. I'm just hanging around Berkeley awhile longer.

Some combo of Tomko, Hendrickson, Wolf, Kuo, and/or Houlton is going to have to fill two rotation spots for the rest of the year. That's more worrisome to me than who to add to the group of Saito, Broxton, Beimel, and Seanez coming out of the pen.

So we're trying to improve the one part of the team that doesn't have glaring flaws?

Actually I've been having some separation anxiety with Vin. Is there a way to be able to listen in on the games while being out of SoCal? What's the cheapest way?

83

Find a friend with an MLB.tv account. That's how I survived the last two years in Berkeley.

Well, time in the AMPM Pavilion was well spent. I don't think I would do it again, but it was worth the experience. I am concerned about the jumbo-tron giving James Loney the nickname "J-Lo". Someone needs to be fired over that one.

83
MLB audio is only 14.95 per season. The TV version is much more expensive. The drawback with audio is you only get Vin for the first 3 innings, then have to suffer through at least 5.5 innings of Steinday.

It's true, I think the Dodgers still need to be focused on figuring out the back end of the starting rotation more than the bullpen.

On the other hand, hey, now that they have Odalis Perez, maybe KC needs a Brett Tomko to round out their rotation.

82 - Are you saying the rotation doesn't have glaring flaws? Just trying to understand what you're saying there...

88
He's saying that

1. the bullpen is the only part of the team that doesn't have glaring flaws
2. we're trying to improve it
3. we're dumb for trying to improve it instead of improving the parts of the team with glaring flaws

89 - Thanks. I couldn't tell if he was responding to my post right above. It would be easier and cheaper to add an arm to the pen, but the overall impact to the team would be probably be minimal.

I was looking at Jose Contreras as a possible trade option, but he's still under contract until 2009 at $10M per. Probably wouldn't take a whole lot to get him, but he comes with a lot of baggage.

89 I put absolutely no faith in Rosenthal, but if the Dodgers want a reliever, I would hope they'd try out Meloan first.

90 No, that was just a general musing not directed at you.

There's been talk here--some by me--of maybe reacquiring Gagne if he'd agree to a role other than closer. He's not the force he was, but he's still effective and his experience and savvy would be very welcome. And talk about energizing the Dodger fan base, even though many of them wouldn't understand why he wasn't closing...

But it came to me--and should have earlier--that his contract has incentives that are bound to include things like number of saves. So he hardly can agree to nullify his contract and not close. (Even if he were amenable to something different--yeah, right--Boras wouldn't go for it.)

Duh. Double duh, maybe even triple. {dons dunce cap, takes spot in corner}

I'm almost done with a post about the bullpen ... stand by.

I don't think he's dumb for trying to improve it for the following reason. It will be easier to find a high quality RP then a starting pitcher. Other then Millwood/Bush I don't see one possible SP who is better then what we have for the price that is available. So we will have to live with the rotation options that we currently have, which means we will only be getting about 5 innings 2/5 of the time. Thus it would behoove us to make the bullpen bulletproof. If we can lock down games from the 6th inning on it can only help. Just because it is a strength today does not mean it will be a strength tomorrow if we leave it alone. Meloan could very well be the answer so I'm not advocating a trade but I am advocating getting bullpen help however necessary. Without Billingsley and Tsao and the drop in production due to the impending injury to Seanez I don't see the bullpen as that much of a strength for the middle inning work that is going to be needed as we hit Aug/Sept. Doesn't anyone remember last Sept when the bullpen was just completely worn down because the rotation couldn't pitch deep into games?

I don't get the fixation on the bullpen, either. I have to admit I'm surprised that Seanez has done so well, but the only guy out there that makes me cringe when he comes in is Tomko. And even he's better than a couple of the guys who were out there last year.

The problem with trying to find a decent starter is that everyone else is looking, too. Maybe the idea of looking for bullpen help is that it gives Grady extra options should one of the back end starters melt down early in a game. If that's the reasoning, and if Meloan is ready, why go outside the organization?

Or what ToyCannon said. :)

95 - Your comment would be perfect for my new post up top.

95 True, but this is the bullpen we're talking about. Unless we're getting a true lights out arm, how much of a difference can one pitcher make in 20 innings versus a guy like Eric Hull?

According to VORP, the difference between Saito and Seanez at this point is only six runs, I imagine the gap between Dotel and Hull would be even less over the course of two months, even without counting the general randomness of middle relief.