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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

The Boy Turns 3
2007-08-03 23:20
by Jon Weisman

You may remember him from such posts as "Tramps Like Us" and "Don't Drop the Boy." Right now, he couldn't name a ballplayer, but I still love him.

He's actually got a Rainman-like ability to call out just about any car on the street. Something passed directly to him from his grandfather, and the boy now knows more cars than I do. Driving down the road or looking at one of the car magazines Papa brings over: "There's a Porsche Boxter." "PT Cruiser." "BMW." "Volvo." "A Mitsubishi." "It's a Missan." (The first N doesn't quite make it.) "Acura." "It's a Saab." "Mini Cooper." "There's a Scion." (He taught me that one.) "There's a Honda Element." "A Mustang." "Mazda Miata." "Lamborghini." Quite the little parlor trickster.

Last weekend, we spent an hour at Pep Boys before he got tired of it.

Anyway, you're doin' well, pal. I love you.

Previously on Dodger Thoughts: "Three Is a Magic Number"

Comments (180)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2007-08-03 23:35:46
1.   bhsportsguy
Darn it Jon, don't you know the world is dark and crashing around us.

Happy B-day son of Jon.

I hope we all have as nice a weekend as Jon and Son.

2007-08-03 23:45:15
2.   Jon Weisman
LATed from last thread:

292. Jon Weisman
Chad pitched great. Offense will rally. ... Birthday party tomorrow.

2007-08-03 23:46:52
3.   Blaine
How do you LAT yourself?
2007-08-03 23:51:32
4.   Hallux Valgus
Happy birthday, Son of Dodger Thoughts.

The happiest moment of my life was when I saw the kid I own (my much younger brother, not my son) play center field. He dove to make a catch when his team was down 14-1, slammed into the ground, and broke his nose. The team was awful, the game was out of reach, but he worked as hard as he could and was going all out for as long as he could. I was honestly crying as I held a towel to his bloody face walking him off the field. It wasn't about sports, it was about effort, and about never giving up. My lessons had found a home.

That was just my brother. I can't possibly imagine the love anyone could feel for a child for which they're fully responsible.

So for that, Congratulations to Father of Dodger Thoughts. I'm sure you're that proud every single day.

2007-08-03 23:54:59
5.   LAT
3. I was wondering the same thing.

I remember Don't Drop the Boy. Brings a smile to any parent/Dodger/baseball fan.

Bigger kids. Bigger worries. Bigger rewards. Happy Birthday to the younger Weisman.

2007-08-04 00:03:20
6.   Bob Timmermann
I have had the honor of meeting the youngest Mr. Weisman.

But I avoided eye contact.

2007-08-04 00:04:35
7.   Bob Timmermann
I also will no longer work as hard researching commenter's idle and likely rhetorical questions.
2007-08-04 00:04:50
8.   Hallux Valgus
all that said- since then, he's turned 14 and found paintball, and I have no idea what to do with that. Now he spends most of his time shooting other people, but we accept it because "at least he's out of the house and not playing video games."

Paintball is an extremely expensive sport. And as soon as kids turn into teenagers, they become annoying.

2007-08-04 00:15:19
9.   Linkmeister
8 "they become annoying."

And, I've been told, remain so until they move out.

2007-08-04 00:16:12
10.   Linkmeister
Wait a minute. The youngster's 3? The blog is older than he is? I've been reading it for longer than he's been alive?

Need soup.

2007-08-04 00:17:49
11.   Greg Brock
Happy Birthday to Li'l Weisman.

Bob, I have a library question for you. Do you folks have age/grade appropriate reading lists on hand or in a database? If so, are they graded by their difficulty?

Thanks.

2007-08-04 00:21:34
12.   Bob Timmermann
11
Try:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/readinglist.asp

Or:
http://www.lapl.org/kidspath/books/grade/index.html

2007-08-04 00:24:48
13.   Greg Brock
12 Thanks. A pal has to get 25 grade 11/12 appropriate book, but they have to be assigned values of easy, average, or difficult. Having a tough time finding such ratings.
2007-08-04 00:31:32
14.   JoeyP
For the 1st time many many moons---The Dodgers XWL matches up exactly with the actual W/L. 58-51.

Dbax are trending an amazing 9 games ahead of their actual W/L.

2007-08-04 01:14:29
15.   Eric Enders
I missed most of the game thread tonight but I really have to respond to one comment late in the thread.

bhsportsguy: "One reason the kids are not hitting, good curve balls, face it they can hit any fastball but off-speed and curve balls are what separates the kids from the majors."

Completely false.

The curveball is always cited by rote as the reason whenever a young player struggles at the plate, regardless of whether it has any basis in fact and even when it completely flies in the face of reality -- as is the case here.

Kemp and Loney, especially the latter, have shown a surprisingly outstanding ability to hit breaking pitches this year. Loney at the plate seems almost to be waiting for the pitcher to throw a curveball so he can slap it into left field. Almost all of the pitches he has swung and missed on this year have been fastballs, usually up.

Kemp, who has long had the reputation of being unable to hit the curveball (even though there has never really been any evidence that this is true), has hit at least half of his home runs this year on breaking pitches. Both of his long triples in the series at San Francisco came on curveballs. The breaking pitches he can't hit are the ones that are off the outer half of the plate and near the dirt, but -- news flash here -- those are the same breaking balls that Jeff Kent misses, and that Luis Gonzalez misses, and that Albert Pujols misses. Nobody hits that low, outside breaking ball. Nobody.

Kemp's big problem, to the extent that a .338 hitter can be said to have a big problem, is learning to lay off those pitches. That is a problem of pitch recognition, not of being able to hit the curveball. The one has nothing to do with the other. The curveballs that are physically hittable, Kemp hits. Hard.

Sometimes I feel like we're all a bunch of rumormongering kids in a school cafeteria, each whispering in the next kid's ear, "psst... Kemp can't hit the curveball!" Pretty soon everybody has heard the news and everybody accepts it as true. Except it's not.

This post operates under the assumption that Kemp and Loney are the slumping young players you were talking about, because they and Ethier are the only ones playing regularly, and Ethier's not slumping. If you were talking about someone other than Kemp and Ethier, well, I guess, ignore this post.

2007-08-04 01:15:30
16.   Eric Enders
Oh, and happy birthday, Little Weisman. May you build a ladder to the stars...
2007-08-04 01:26:24
17.   Eric Enders
Going back to post 15, about a month ago someone posted a link to a site that had scouting reports of every MLB player. I can't find the site anymore, but the stats there showed that Kemp's batting average on curveballs was quite a bit higher than the MLB average on curveballs. If anybody has a pointer to that site, I'd appreciate it.

Sorry for the ranting at length about Kemp and curveballs. It really has little to do with bh's post, it's just that I get tired of reading everywhere that Kemp can't hit the curveball. It's something that's been a pet peeve of mine for a while now -- I hate to see such an obvious falsehood start becoming accepted as conventional wisdom. I guess I've reached my Peter Finch moment where I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

2007-08-04 01:35:46
18.   xaphor
Jon, that is awesome. I bypassed the usual mum and dad to utter car as my first word. My mother tells me of how I drove her nuts naming the cars from my pram as they past by. Besides for the Mini, the cars might have changed over the years, but we remain the same at heart. Happy birthday little guy.
2007-08-04 01:46:42
19.   xaphor
15. My grapevine is busted. I got, "Kemp, can't shot the gerbil."
2007-08-04 01:47:01
20.   Robert Daeley
17 If you're an ESPN insider you can view "Scouting" on players with vs pitch info, like this for Matt Kemp:

The numbers are AVG, AVG vs RHP, AVG vs LHP

Fastballs .343 .340 .350
Curves .158 .214 .000
Sliders .200 .212 --
Change Ups .346 .600 .286

2007-08-04 02:34:50
21.   Eric Enders
Hmmm.
2007-08-04 02:47:40
22.   natepurcell
meanwhile over in pirateland...

There was yet another heated exchange of words in the dugout involving pitching coach Jim Colborn, this between him and Snell…

I know hee's had a crappy second half but I still want him.
Penny
Lowe
Snell
Billingsley

drool

2007-08-04 03:08:08
23.   regfairfield
I generally frown on absurd trade ideas, but does anyone believe that Dave Littlefield wouldn't at least think long and hard about Snell for Nomar?
2007-08-04 03:16:05
24.   natepurcell
23

Nomar has a NTC.

2007-08-04 03:28:43
25.   regfairfield
24 Dang. Snell, for, uhh...Luis Gonzalez?
2007-08-04 06:55:50
26.   Vishal
i used to be able to do the same thing when i was a kid. cars are not just cars, they are specific makes and models. actually i can still do that with most cars on the road. and a good chunk of the commercial aircraft at the airport.
2007-08-04 07:01:15
27.   Vishal
[26] oh yeah! that was by way of saying, happy birthday to the little fella :)

it's amazing that it's been three years. i think i started coming here around the time he was just born.

2007-08-04 07:03:45
28.   Andrew Shimmin
26- Yeah. Jon acts like it's special, but if Vishal can do it, why should we be impressed?
2007-08-04 07:07:51
29.   D4P
On behalf of Andrew and myself:

Happy Birthday to The Boy.

2007-08-04 07:43:22
30.   Vishal
[28] cut him some slack, the kid's only three :)

i did up the ante a little bit with the planes, though. jon better take the little tyke on some trips if he's gonna be able be able to play in the big leagues with me.

2007-08-04 08:00:21
31.   Bob Timmermann
When I was three, my major accomplishments were:
1) knowing that I was three
2) appearing on a panel discussion among other 3-year olds discussing the impending presidency of Richard Nixon and the war in Vietnam
3) helping out on the Apollo 8 from the satellite dish I had built at home
4) translating the New Testament into Greek

It was a very good time.

2007-08-04 08:03:41
32.   Jonny6
Happy Birthday to the junior Weisman. I've got two girls around the same age, and it's quite a ride, never relaxing but the rewards are amazing. In fact, I'm solo parenting this weekend as mom had to go out of town, so I may be sleep deprived and just overly paranoid but I had some problems with Grady's decisions last night (and I am not usually a big second guesser). Here's my post from last night that got LAT'd.

"And speaking of Grady, didn't he used to love the double-switch like Olmedo loves double-cheeseburgers? If you don't double-switch in the 8th with Broxton, then when would you? There were two outs in the inning already, and the pitcher's spot was due up 3rd. So you have Broxton warm up and bring him in for all of 5 or 6 pitches? That made no sense to me."

Am I reaching here or what? This incident combined with the unbalanced line-up that left no right-handed batters in the dugout and his insistence on throwing Martin out there everyday regardless of the season long repercussions is starting to worry me a bit.

2007-08-04 08:04:01
33.   D4P
The main thing I remember about being 3 was going up in a hot air balloon with my uncle, who committed suicide later that year.

I don't think I ever blamed myself.

2007-08-04 08:29:35
34.   A Dodger expatriate in Pennsylvania
17, 20 This may not avert your having a Peter Finch moment, but at least you were right about Loney vs. the curve ball. Incredibly, though, he's not faced a curve ball from a southpaw. Here are his stats from ESPN Insider:
AVE; vs LHP; vs RHP
Fastballs .254 .255 .250
Curves .667 .600 --
Sliders .353 .250 .600
Change Ups .313 .286
2007-08-04 08:30:38
35.   A Dodger expatriate in Pennsylvania
34 I mislabeled. That should read
AVE; vs RHP; vs LHP
2007-08-04 08:32:50
36.   Bob Timmermann
JD Drew is back with the Red Sox. His young son had surgery to correct hip dysplasia.

http://tinyurl.com/3yeac8

2007-08-04 08:34:24
37.   Bob Timmermann
34
I think Loney has faced curveballs from lefties. He's just never put one into play.
2007-08-04 08:35:06
38.   D4P
He's just never put one into play

Or struck out on one.

2007-08-04 08:46:17
39.   LAT
32. Jonny6 Happy Birthday to the junior Weisman. I've got two girls around the same age, and it's quite a ride, never relaxing but the rewards are amazing.

Mine are 11 and 13. Here's the future:

Barbie turns into American Girl which turns in to Star Girls which turns into Sims.

Gap turns into Limited Too which turns into Hollister which turns into Abercrombie which turns into something else I don't want to think about.

Crayons turn into pens which turn into cell phones which turn into Sidekicks and Envys.

Telling their parents everything turns into telling their parents nothing.

Sweet little girls who would never say a cross word to their mother turn into, well let's leave that one alone.

But the rewards a Dad gets never change. A daughter loves her Dad their whole life and while sometimes I lament I don't have a boy to play catch with or laugh at fart jokes with, having daughters is great.

I keep waiting for my 13 year old to tell me she would rather go to the mall than Dodger Stadium but as of tonight she still wants to go to the game. Its all good. (Now if only the Dodger offense would want to go to Dodger Stadium.)

2007-08-04 08:49:30
40.   Vishal
[39] your girls can't play catch? even the one who likes going to dodger games?
2007-08-04 08:51:27
41.   D4P
Professional golfer Robert Allenby had an interesting 18th hole today:

Shot 1 314 yds to right rough, 167 yds to hole
Shot 2 64 yds to left fairway, 103 yds to hole
Shot 3 73 yds to front left green side bunker, 30 yds to hole
Shot 4 21 yds to left rough, 10 yds to hole
Shot 5 3 in. to left rough, 10 yds to hole
Shot 6 5 in. to left rough, 10 yds to hole
Shot 7 11 in. to left rough, 29 ft to hole
Shot 8 28 ft to green, 2 ft to hole
Shot 9 in the hole

2007-08-04 09:03:48
42.   Jonny6
Re 39
When we hang out with friends that have boys the same age, I'm always amazed at how much easier our girls are. If we were living in the 50's I suppose I might have a little regret about not having boys, but not in this day and age. The four year old is already "a good hitter" as she calls it, although they're still working on the throwing thing since neither can seem to decide if they are right or left handed. I'm just enjoying the ride for now, and trying not to think about the impending teen years.
2007-08-04 09:06:45
43.   Marty
Happy birthday young Mr. Weisman.

Someday, this will all be yours.

2007-08-04 09:06:49
44.   gpellamjr
7 Bob I know you love the apostrophe, but please contain yourself long enough to put it in the right place.

Unless there's someone around here named "commenter".

The only thing that keeps me respecting you is your efforts at translating the bible back into Greek. What would have been awesome is if you translated it into Attic or Mycenaean rather than the original Koine.

2007-08-04 09:08:33
45.   A Dodger expatriate in Pennsylvania
37, 38 Yes, a dumb mistake on my part.
2007-08-04 09:11:15
46.   PlayTwo
The crazy thing is, this kid who will grow to know a Belvedere from a Pacer, and will recognize that in an old photo that Willie Davis is sitting in a '65 convertible Caddy, will one day stand and take a full measure of your life. Spend the day with the tike.
2007-08-04 09:11:47
47.   PlayTwo
The crazy thing is, this kid who will grow to know a Belvedere from a Pacer, and will recognize that in an old photo that Willie Davis is sitting in a '65 convertible Caddy, will one day stand and take a full measure of your life. Spend the day with the tike.
2007-08-04 09:11:49
48.   Vishal
[42] encourage them to throw lefty or capably with both hands :)
2007-08-04 09:25:21
49.   Bob Timmermann
44
(slumps shoulders down)
(hides head in shame)
(puts on sackcloth and ashes)
2007-08-04 09:26:56
50.   underdog
Happy birthday young Weisman! May you some day look back into these DT archives to enjoy our bday greetings, and to laugh at our angst.
----
Just in case you missed a few tidbits in the Times this morning: "Jeff Kent was out of the lineup for the fourth consecutive game because of a strained left hamstring. He remains day-to-day. . . . Relief pitcher Chin-hui Tsao will travel with the Dodgers to Cincinnati and St. Louis next week and will start a throwing program, trainer Stan Conte said. The strength in Tsao's ailing right shoulder is back to almost 100%. . . . Randy Wolf will skip the upcoming trip and will start physical therapy to rehabilitate his sore left shoulder next week..."
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2007-08-04 09:27:23
51.   D4P
49
Don't forget the flagellate yourself.
2007-08-04 09:28:10
52.   underdog
Oh yeah, and the Times' Blue Notes bloggers posted this: "If you're thinking way outside the box for creative solutions, Andy LaRoche ain't your guy, at least not right this sec. He apparently tweaked his back on a check swing during a game in Vegas. No immediate word as to his condition, but we'll let you know if we hear anything."
2007-08-04 09:28:56
53.   Icaros
Happy birthday little kid I've never met, whose dad I really like.

By three, I had already committed violation #1, F-version, in front of my dad's entire side of the family after I spilled a glass of Coke.

One of my uncles was quoted: "I knew he knew how to say it, but I didn't know he knew when to say it."

2007-08-04 09:31:47
54.   Bob Timmermann
51
Eddie Bauer is having a special on hair shirts. They have them in tall size!
2007-08-04 09:34:08
55.   D4P
54
Are they still running their "Free locusts and wild honey with purchase of hair shirt" promotion...?
2007-08-04 09:36:41
56.   Bob Timmermann
55
You're confusing St. John the Baptist with Sir Thomas More.
2007-08-04 09:39:41
57.   Bumsrap
Last weekend, we spent an hour at Pep Boys before he got tired of it

Jon, you might want to submit that to the Guiness Book of Records. It may be a record and not just for a three year old.

Happy Birthday to Little Jon and Happy Day to all of you.

2007-08-04 09:40:27
58.   D4P
56
JtB did wear clothes made from camel hair...I don't know whether they were purposefully uncomfortable or not.
2007-08-04 09:49:59
59.   Vishal
[57] there are indeed some utterly ridiculous records kept: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNG3sgk02Lc

sport STACKING. yes.

2007-08-04 09:57:22
60.   D4P
Betemit at 1B for the Yanks today.
2007-08-04 09:59:54
61.   blue22
Happy Birthday to the boy, Jon. My oldest has been 3 for about 2 months now. It's really an awesome age - he's like a real person now!
2007-08-04 10:02:02
62.   D4P
he's like a real person now

Kids are people too!

2007-08-04 10:02:10
63.   underdog
Don't think anyone pointed this out before so just in case... Thought this was kinda cool: (pointed out in the Dodgers.com notes article)

>>Loney and Tony Abreu were named best defensive first and second basemen in the Pcific Coast League in the "Best Tools" edition of Baseball America. Double-A Jacksonville right-hander Jon Meloan was rated as the best reliever in the Southern League, where Chin-lung Hu took home best defensive shortstop honors and John Shoemaker was named the best managerial prospect. Class A Inland Empire skipper Dave Collins took home the same honors in the California League and right-hander James McDonald was rated as having the best breaking ball in the Cal League. Finally, left-hander Clayton Kershaw of the Class A Great Lakes Loons was named the best pitching prospect and owner of the best fastball in the Midwest League.<<

2007-08-04 10:04:05
64.   underdog
(I like that Shoemaker is best manager "prospect" - hasn't he been with the Suns forever?)
2007-08-04 10:27:45
65.   D4P
#500 for ARod
2007-08-04 10:29:22
66.   Vishal
[65] cool.
2007-08-04 10:29:25
67.   D4P
Yankee fans like ARod all of a sudden. Maybe someday he'll even be a True Yankee™.
2007-08-04 10:30:20
68.   Bob Timmermann
There still is no "Yankeeography" for Alex Rodriguez on YES.

But there is one for Scott Brosius.

2007-08-04 10:31:14
69.   D4P
68
What about Aaron Boone...?
2007-08-04 10:37:36
70.   underdog
I wish the Dodgers got to play the Royals that often - or at all.

Betemit strikes out to end that inning.

2007-08-04 10:38:53
71.   D4P
Betemit's PAs consist only of homers, walks, and Ks thus far.
2007-08-04 10:39:49
72.   Vishal
[70] i think all four of betemit's plate appearances so far have been of the "true outcome" variety.... 2 strikeouts, a walk, and a homer.
2007-08-04 10:40:05
73.   Vishal
[71] [shakes fist]
2007-08-04 11:15:05
74.   Daniel Zappala
Another perfectly good thread killed by the threat of violence.
2007-08-04 11:17:10
75.   Bob Timmermann
70
If I recall 2005 correctly, the Dodgers didn't benefit too much from playing the Royals.

And they just dropped 2 of 3 to the Royals of the NL.

2007-08-04 11:18:22
76.   Vishal
[74] i know, i didn't realize i was so intimidating!! it was purely meant in jest... come back, people!
2007-08-04 11:19:14
77.   blue22
62 - Kids are people too!

Only once they hit a certain age. Up until then, they're closer to being pets - mostly non-verbal communication, unpredictable bathroom habits, uncontrollable drooling, eats from a bowl on the floor, sleeps outside at nights.

Hmm...perhaps I've said too much.

2007-08-04 11:24:07
78.   Daniel Zappala
77 But pets don't make that funny grimace/smile face as they are pooping their diaper.
2007-08-04 11:27:01
79.   Bob Timmermann
77
Kids before age 3 are always unemployed, frequently incontinent, mostly unable to feed themselves, and usually covered in drool.
2007-08-04 11:28:59
80.   blue22
78 - You know, that is really hilarious. The first time I saw my kid make that face, I was like a little kid hearing my first fart joke. A whole new subset of bathroom humor unfolding before my very eyes!
2007-08-04 11:29:41
81.   D4P
RBI-single for Mit, breaking his Veritable Results streak.
2007-08-04 11:30:07
82.   Icaros
79

So are kids after the age of 80.

2007-08-04 11:38:54
83.   Vishal
[82] careful, you're talking about my dad in another 8 months, and he is none of those things.
2007-08-04 11:39:41
84.   blue22
Any news on Russell's foot or ankle problem from last night?
2007-08-04 11:56:13
85.   D4P
news on Russell's foot or ankle problem

A "footnote"...?

2007-08-04 12:05:41
86.   blue22
85 - Ooh, a pun well-done. Which one of us gets credit for killing the thread now?
2007-08-04 12:10:49
87.   Eric L
I taught my nephew to say "Go Dodgers" whenever he sees the LA logo or the Dodgers script. He isn't 2 yet, so I'm fairly impressed with his abilities. I've been working on "Boo Giants" lately, but it isn't the same.
2007-08-04 12:10:56
88.   D4P
86
Whichever one of us gets the last word...
2007-08-04 12:15:47
89.   blue22
88 - Well, I'm not falling for that one. Wait, d'oh!
2007-08-04 12:22:10
90.   Vishal
betemit doing it all for the yankees. a right-handed base hit up the middle puts runners at first and third, and then wilson's hard slide into 2nd base knocks grudzielanek's throw off line allowing cano to score.
2007-08-04 12:27:23
91.   Bob Timmermann
You're really putting a damper on my membership drive for the Scott Proctor Marching and Chowder Society.

I'm offering premiums.

If you start a $40 membership, you can get a Scott Proctor tote bag that comes with lighter fluid and matches, so you can reenact famous moments in Scott Proctor's career.

2007-08-04 12:38:54
92.   gibsonhobbs88
A last minute opportunity to see the game tonight. I have two tickets that went unsold among the 50 offered to my church group. We are on the 3rd base side of the reserved level-section 31 - Row C - seats 5 and 6 seats next to me and the Mrs. If interested please email me at sportnut19882003@yahoo.com. I will then confer as to where and time to meet. First come, first serve. Sell for face value as money gets reimbursed back to the church. Hope we can find a way to score some runs tonight, wasted a great effort by Bills last night. Our boys couldn't have hit the "Sisters of Mercy" last night!
2007-08-04 12:43:26
93.   Bob Timmermann
92
The Magdalene Sisters are even tougher to hit.
2007-08-04 12:46:57
94.   Andrew Shimmin
Fox pre-game crew says the D'backs have filed a waiver claim for Joe Kennedy. Didn't say what the deal is.
2007-08-04 12:53:04
95.   D4P
Yellow alert for Cano.
2007-08-04 12:54:53
96.   underdog
Aw man, I wanted the Dodgers to do that. Not that Kennedy is all that, but he'd be better than Tomko.

The Dodgers need to find someone on waivers, just to do what all the cool kids are doing. Any position players worth taking a chance on?

2007-08-04 12:56:23
97.   D4P
2-run single for Mit.
2007-08-04 12:57:48
98.   SoSG Orel
93 That's not what I heard.
2007-08-04 12:59:30
99.   gibsonhobbs88
93 - Very funny. I hear one of their Nuns has a nasty sinker called the "tunnel to Hades" sinker!
2007-08-04 13:03:48
100.   RIYank
Love that Betemit. Thanks, and enjoy Proctology!
Show/Hide Comments 101-150
2007-08-04 13:05:09
101.   King of the Hobos
With all the tinkering that the Padres and DBacks are doing, I'd be surprised if Ned didn't do something. Not that I see all those little deals really helping either team much, it's just I don't see Ned sitting idly.
2007-08-04 13:05:24
102.   Andrew Shimmin
100- We have a young outfielder who apparently can't hit curveballs, if you're interested. Kemp for Farnsworth. . . what do you say?
2007-08-04 13:05:35
103.   RIYank
Was Wilson B. ever removed for a LIDR in LA? Andy Phillips just replaced him for defense.
2007-08-04 13:06:00
104.   underdog
I love Betemit too, but I'll be more impressed with him when he's facing pitching other than that of the Royals'. But still, I wish him well. Hope he does well, but not so much that I want to cry. I guess y'all think Proctor was a Gamble, {sorry} but I like the guy.

Anyway, enjoy the 'mit!

2007-08-04 13:06:35
105.   RIYank
102 We'd take a bowl of chocolate pudding for Farns, thanks.

There, that's what I'm talking about (one batter, one hit off Farns).

2007-08-04 13:07:50
106.   underdog
103 He never played first in LA, so that might be part of it. He sometimes was a LIDR at 3rd, and a few times was subbed for, too.
2007-08-04 13:08:07
107.   RIYank
I like Proctor. I think it's about a fair trade, and good for the Yankees because it will (eventually) force Torre to use some younger relievers.
2007-08-04 13:09:33
108.   RIYank
106 Yep, and he looked shaky in the sixth when he didn't make a play on a wide throw to first.

Wow, Farns getting the sarcasm treatment.

2007-08-04 13:17:32
109.   underdog
108 Yeah, honestly that was my own question about the move from the Yankees standpoint - Betemit hadn't played first in LA but he was obviously going to be used there. How much playing time will he get there, is the question? But first is obviously easier to pick up than most other positions.

Oh yeah, we know all about Farns here.

2007-08-04 13:20:50
110.   trainwreck
If we add Farnsworth to Seanez and Broxton, our bullpen probably could beat up all the other bullpens.
2007-08-04 13:23:18
111.   underdog
110 Or eat them.
2007-08-04 13:23:51
112.   Sam DC
Belated Happy Birthday to the boy. May three be thrilling.
2007-08-04 13:26:09
113.   trainwreck
111
That should be helpful coming down the stretch.
2007-08-04 13:27:04
114.   D4P
In case the Yankees are considering a Phillips-Betemit platoon at 1B, it's worth noting that both players appear to hit better vs. RH.
2007-08-04 14:18:48
115.   D4P
Take that, thread! And that!
2007-08-04 14:25:53
116.   Bluebleeder87
happy birthday, I hope you've already bought him a mini-glove & a mini-bat may he be a slugger at what ever he ends up doing in life.
2007-08-04 14:26:46
117.   Robert Daeley
Or as Daffy put it:

"HO! HA HA! GUARD! TURN! PARRY! DODGE! SPIN! HA! THRUST!"

WHACK

2007-08-04 14:29:07
118.   D4P
117
Wipe that smirk off your face, Porky.
2007-08-04 14:32:24
119.   Robert Daeley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e31jMSB7rW8
2007-08-04 14:43:58
120.   Gen3Blue
110 Well, maybe in a tug of war!
2007-08-04 14:45:15
121.   D4P
119
Porky's insufferable.
2007-08-04 14:45:37
122.   Bluebleeder87
well it's nice to see Derek Lowe back on the mound today, he wasn't out that long he only missed what? 2 starts.
2007-08-04 15:05:25
123.   ToyCannon
Happy Birthday to you Son.

Gotta love the LA/Oak game. 9 walks, 2 strikeouts and the game is 1 - 1 in the 7th.

2007-08-04 15:08:39
124.   ToyCannon
Oops, make that "your".

Off for my 2nd attempt to watch Justin Upton get his 1st hit on the way to 3000. Arizona just might have the best outfield to watch play in the league.

2007-08-04 15:11:24
125.   ToyCannon
One last thing. Watch Chris Young when he gets a single, he bolts out of the batters box and if the outfielders make one mistake he's at 2nd. Can't say I see the same effort from our equally gifted RF.
2007-08-04 15:21:29
126.   D4P
Can't say I see the same effort from our equally gifted RF

He did tweak a hamstring running to first earlier this year, didn't he...?

2007-08-04 15:30:19
127.   Vishal
[125] whose side are you on, man?
2007-08-04 15:32:44
128.   Reddog
I've got a good trade for the Dodgers. How about trading Olmedo Saenz for Wilson Betemit.
2007-08-04 15:35:30
129.   D4P
whose side are you on, man?

Andrew's.

2007-08-04 15:38:17
130.   D4P
128
It would take a lot more than Olmedo to score Betemit. Guys with patience and power who can play multiple infield positions at least reasonably well don't grow on trees. Plus, he's only in his mid-20s and makes a nominal salary.

You'd have to put a pretty decent package together to pry Betemit away from the Yankees.

2007-08-04 15:52:16
131.   Reddog
Okay, how about we trade Olmedo Saenz and Jason Schmidt for Wilson Betemit.
2007-08-04 15:53:34
132.   Vishal
[129] well, not that you need any help, but i got your back.
2007-08-04 15:54:42
133.   D4P
131
Hmmm...A potentially washed-up former Ace who makes a lot of money? Now that's something the Yankees might be interested in...
2007-08-04 16:03:11
134.   Bob Timmermann
Old friend Franquelis Osoria called up by the Pirates today.
2007-08-04 16:04:28
135.   Bob Timmermann
The Cardinals are batting their starting pitcher, Joel Pineiro, eighth tonight.

And Pujols is out.

Should be a fun night in DC.

2007-08-04 16:08:58
136.   Sam DC
Friend of mine tends bar near the Capitol (Tune Inn). He told me that, when the Dodgers were here in May, Derek Lowe was in drinking. My pal is a major Soxaholic and was psyched. He said Lowe was with a real gorgeous blond who was "not Trinka.". I brought him up to speed.

Joel Hanrahan about to make his sophomore start at RFK.

And no Pujols!

2007-08-04 16:10:33
137.   D4P
132
Thanks. To clarify, I wasn't referring to the Andrew vs. D4P thing, but rather Andrew's recent quasi-defection to the D'backs.
2007-08-04 16:12:02
138.   D4P
135
Rats. I just looked to see who was batting 9th, hoping it was Eckstein. But it's not. Turns out Eckstein will be given the most PAs for the Cardinals, not the least.
2007-08-04 16:13:25
139.   Bob Timmermann
The Cardinals appear not to be benefitting from "the Timmermann Bump" like the Cubs did.
2007-08-04 16:14:19
140.   Bob Timmermann
138
Kennedy has been downright Neifi Perez-like this season.

Without the amphetamines.

2007-08-04 16:14:43
141.   Michael D
So La Russa is back to the pitcher batting 8th experiment? I think La Russa only has two rings because if you manage as long he has you're bound to have a few good teams under you.
2007-08-04 16:17:19
142.   JoeyP
Adam Kennedy of the .221/.286/.287 over 258Abs.

Cardinals offense has just left this year.
They've gotten nothing out of Edmonds/Rolen, Kennedy's been terrible, and Pujols hasnt been his normal self.

2007-08-04 16:18:26
143.   Bob Timmermann
Adam Kennedy has an OPS+ of 53 starting tonight.

Juan Pierre is at 69. Eckstein is at 88.

2007-08-04 16:22:09
144.   Bob Timmermann
I think 29 other teams would be quite satisfied with Albert Pujols' "off" season he's having.
2007-08-04 16:32:44
145.   Dodgers49
When It Comes to Bonds, It's Buyer Beware

>> The San Diego Padres were looking for a power-hitting left fielder. The greatest power-hitting left fielder in baseball history was looking for a team.

From the first day of the free-agent signing period last off-season, they were a fit. The Padres could not afford a long-term contract, but the player was not expecting one. The Padres could not get into a bidding war, but the player did not have many suitors.

For the Padres, there was only one catch: The player was Barry Bonds. <<

http://tinyurl.com/2qtbv3

2007-08-04 16:39:30
146.   Bob Timmermann
Home run Adam Kennedy!
2007-08-04 16:40:14
147.   Sam DC
What's Kennedy's OPS+ after that home run?
2007-08-04 16:43:18
148.   D4P
139
Whomever purchased your business class ticket will want a refund, I'm sure.
2007-08-04 16:48:33
149.   D4P
Kennedy has been downright Neifi Perez-like this season

"Neifi-like" would certainly have sufficed.

2007-08-04 16:58:55
150.   D4P
Lineup:

Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Martin, C
Gonzo, LF
Nomar, 3B
Loney, 1B
Martinez, 2B
Ethier, RF
Lowe, P

Look at all that speed at the top...! The 1-4 players are 80 for 98 in SBs this year. If that doesn't produce runs, I don't know what will.

Show/Hide Comments 151-200
2007-08-04 17:14:23
151.   gpellamjr
148 Just don't bother using "whomever".

150 Good hitting?

2007-08-04 17:15:42
152.   Bob Timmermann
I shall miss tonight's game.

I will ask someone to tell me that they hate Juan Pierre so I don't feel left out.

2007-08-04 17:17:15
153.   D4P
Good hitting?

Good pieces of hitting, that is...

2007-08-04 17:17:52
154.   Bob Timmermann
147
More than 53.
2007-08-04 17:19:11
155.   Bob Timmermann
Old friend Elmer Dessens was DFAed today.
2007-08-04 17:21:31
156.   scooplew
286 287 288 -- From last night. Regarding my question about when was the last time we had someone starting in the clean-up spot and hitting under .200 this late in the season, such as Olmedo Saenz, you cited three players, only one of whom, Todd Hundley, had appreciable at bats when he was hitting .219 on August 4, 1999. That's what I had in mind. The other two had few, if any, at bats. Thanks for your rapid response.
2007-08-04 17:22:01
157.   Bob Timmermann
Or perhaps I should say that Dessens was DedFA?
2007-08-04 17:23:12
158.   D4P
Just don't bother using "whomever"

Speaking of "don't bother": There's a song I've been hearing at the gym for over a year now that I can't stand. For one thing, I could never understand what the singer was saying, which always bugs me. I finally made out that she says "Don't bother, I'll be fine" at one point in the song. I just looked up those lyrics on The Google, and to my surprise found that the singer is "Shakira". I've heard of her, and hadn't to my knowledge heard any of her songs. I didn't think that that was what she sounded like.

2007-08-04 17:24:10
159.   Sam DC
2 Rbi 2 out 2ble for Joel Hanrahan.

He's going halfway to the season cycle!

2007-08-04 17:26:04
160.   dkminnick
I haven't been following Dessens with the Brewers, but wouldn't he be better than Hernandez? Or Tomko? Or Gio Carrera?
2007-08-04 17:26:54
161.   Sam DC
(Ignore that "going".)
2007-08-04 17:27:50
162.   Sam DC
(Ignore that "going".)
2007-08-04 17:29:34
163.   Sam DC
Um, now what do I say?
2007-08-04 17:33:34
164.   das411
Hi Sam!
2007-08-04 17:33:50
165.   das411
(also happy bday to Lil' Jon!)
2007-08-04 17:34:11
166.   Bob Timmermann
156
Franklin Stubbs and Greg Brock (the real one) had some pretty putrid batting average while batting cleanup in August. They were in the .230s.

Richie Sexson has batted cleanup most of the year for Seattle and he's rarely been above .200.

2007-08-04 17:41:10
167.   Bob Timmermann
Matt Morris making his Pirate debut tonight!

I hope the media glare isn't too bad for him.

2007-08-04 17:44:28
168.   Linkmeister
158 I'm not entirely sure you're supposed to pay attention to Shakira's voice, judging from the miniscule quantity of clothing she wears on stage.
2007-08-04 18:00:30
169.   D4P
It will surprise no one (but delight most) to know that Cesar Izturis is batting leadoff for the Pirates.
2007-08-04 18:03:28
170.   Sam DC
Hanrahan another solid outing plus the RBIs.

He got a HUGE ovation from the crowd when he was pulled (in the sixth - he still throws a ton of pitches per inning). Must feel good.

2007-08-04 18:19:34
171.   alexx
I see that Eric Hull just struck out four in one inning for Las Vegas today.
2007-08-04 18:20:19
172.   D4P
172
Proctor would have struck out five.
2007-08-04 18:27:00
173.   das411
Prince Fielder is a BEAST.

(...or Tom Gordon should not be a setup man anymore...)

2007-08-04 18:33:47
174.   trainwreck
173
I heard about his shot and then what Corey Hart did.
2007-08-04 19:14:44
175.   Gen3Blue
Ahhh settling in with Vin. Now, please Derek, don't put us way down, your looking OK.
2007-08-04 19:15:13
176.   Gen3Blue
Sorry I said that.
2007-08-04 19:21:39
177.   Gen3Blue
Martinez again! We're done for. What's so wrong with Abrue? Besides being in Las Vegas.
2007-08-04 19:46:39
178.   Marty
Bonds hits 755
2007-08-04 20:02:54
179.   immouch
just wanted to go on record to note it's my boy's b-day today too. he turns 8. happy b-day little man!
2007-08-06 08:04:31
180.   25yrssince81
First baseball player mentioned by our daughter who turned three in July:

"Jackie Robinson".

Essentially, to her "Jackie Robinson", means daddy is watching the Dodger game, i.e. baseball.

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