Where the Dodgers could be when the clock strikes 7 at Petco on Friday.

If the Padres win the remaining 2 games.

SD 74-59
AZ 74-61 1
LA 70-63 4

If the D-Backs win the remaining 2 games

AZ 76-59
SD 72-61 3
LA 70-63 5

If they split the last 2 games

AZ 75-60
SD 73-60 1
LA 70-63 4

Does Loaiza bump Wells?.....

3 In terms of the Wild Card race, Philadelphia is the only other team that is in the picture for the moment, the Dodgers could either be behind them by one game, tied or ahead by a game depending on what happens between the Phillies and the Mets.

No he bumped Stults from what I understand.

3 GB the Dbacks
2 GB the Pads
3 GB the Pads

(The best the Phils can be is 72-62, if they beat the Mets today and tomorrow and the Marlins quickly on Friday.)

3 GB the Dbacks
2 GB the Pads
3 GB the Pads

(The best the Phils can be is 72-62, if they beat the Mets today and tomorrow and the Marlins quickly on Friday.)

I'm just sayin' ;-)

If the Dodgers get swept, see ya in '08.

And although I still have doubts about his long-term or even medium-term viability, kudos to Hillenbrand for a great couple of games.

I thought the windmill should have sent Kent on Martin's double, but it doesn't matter now.

If I ever meet Scott Proctor, I will buy him a beer. Well done, sir.

I'm waiting....

But not the boxscore.

Take that 'Zona.

That's higher than any Brooklyn total as well.

"This thing is a long, long way from being over."

Or should I just stick with calling him Mr. Short-Term Memory?

http://www.insidesocal.com/dodgers/archives/2007/08/dodgers_10_nats_1.html

"Oh we won two in a row, it's not over till it's over"

"Of if they lose tonight, it's definitely not over"

Harmless, knee-jerk overreactions!! Probably a little harsh to call him hypocritical.

At least for this homestand.

A baby faced man with a giant blue helmet on his head.

A man with a SF Giants hat, but the SF has been crossed out and replaced by LA.

A rotund, thick-moustached man going through the trash, picking up spare parts.

Bill Mueller.

An old man pushing down two kids with bats in their hands.

Don't you think most of us use more than one game before forming our reactions?

So what do you all think, is roster expansion a bad thing from a competitive standpoint?

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/MLB/National/West/Dodgers.html

Not so. Here is where we stand at this moment:

Team W L PCT GB
Arizona 74 59 .556 -
San Diego 72 59 .550 1.0
LA Dodgers 70 63 .526 4.0

If the two teams split while we don't play that's a wash. We'd still be three games back of San Diego on Friday.

See: Brett Tomko, Luis Gonzales, Roberto Hernandez, Mark Hendrickson.

C - Martin - $1m*
1B - Loney - $400k*
2B - Kent - $9m
3B - LaRoche - $390k*
SS - Furcal - $13m
LF - Ethier - $425k*
CF - Pierre - $8m
RF - Kemp - $400k*
Bench - Lieberthal - $1.4m (option picked up)
Bench - Nomar - $8.5m
Bench - Lucille II - $1m (option picked up)
Bench - D.Young - $390k*
Bench - Abreu - $395k*
Bench - Sweeney - $1m*
SP - Penny - $9.5m
SP - Lowe - $10m
SP - Billingsley - $400k
SP - Schmidt - $13m
SP - Loaiza - $7m
CL - Saito - $2m*
RP - Broxton - $425k*
RP - Proctor - $1m*
RP - Meloan - $390k*
RP - Beimel - $1.25m*
RP - Tsao - $700k*
other - Wolf option buyout - $500k
other - Tomko option buyout - $1m

Total payroll - $83.465m

Some notes
1) minimum salary in 2008 in $390k
2) Martin is under team control but I expect 2008 to be year 1 of a 4+ year contract buying out his arbitration years (signing bonus included)
3) Sweeney is a FA
4) Saito is technically under team control, but is a special case since he has leverage to return to Japan
5) Proctor and Beimel are arbitration-eligible and figure to be back
6) Tsao is arbitration eligible, as are Brazoban and Hendrickson (and Repko). I expect all to be non-tendered if a contract cannot be agreed upon before the December arb deadline (and in Hendy's case, he's gone no matter what)

There is definitely room for a big splash, if they are interested in making a play for A-Rod. Playing devil's advocate, the Dodgers could sign A-Rod, have him play 3rd in 2008, then slide him back to SS in 2009 as LaRoche takes over 3B (after his 1B/3B/OF utility year in 2007).

What, he's annoyed at the existence of the list? For five full innings?

Oh, wrong rule.

Bob what is the ruling there? The Phils get the second out with Iguchi tagging second, but Marlon obstructed the third out at first?

Micah Owings ain't afraid of no man.

(Billy: There's something out there. And it ain't no man.)

I am very happy they called the batter-runner out for that interference. In my opinion that was the definition of interference, and those type of plays seem to be getting worse and worse.

I can't believe how provincial San Diego commercials are.

Kuo is a wildcard, too.

There's been talk that Wolf--if healthy--is one of the best starters available in the offseason. He'd be relatively expensive given the health risk, but with Ned's MO of having backups for backups for backups combined with the way pitchers dropped like flies this year, I wouldn't be surprised if Ned signs him if it appears he's OK medically.

Ned might also sign Wolf to try to build a surplus of starters as trade chips, like the strategy supposedly was this year. Funny how that worked out...

I don't think he could sign and trade Wolf before something like June '08 at the earliest, but signing Wolf might afford SP depth to deal others...maybe Stultz, Houlton.

Depending on the demand, he might give us a hometown discount too. If he sees himself healthy and having a shot to make the rotation. He still hasn't thrown and might need surgery again. He could be out until mid-season next year, nobody can tell at this point.

One thing is clear to me though, we'll buy out that option before we give him 9 mil guaranteed after a season like this and his previous injuries.

So essentially this offseason is about finding a swing man in the pen and a pinch hitter / 5th OF.

Are numbers assigned by roster spot or something?

I believe volleyball is the same way on the international level and international hockey limits numbers too.