UCLA could have used that advice yesterday.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex

What time's the game? Gameday isn't loading yet.

So I had to watch him play.

It took five years of intensive psychotherapy to recover from watching Jack Haley play center.

On a related note, does anyone have a feeling like Loney and/or Kemp could be potential triple crown threats in the near future?

TIE GAME!!!!

TIE GAME!!!!

TIE GAME!!!!

My sunday game is at 3 o'clock which is an awkward start for us, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna arrive a little late to my game.

Hope this doesn't deter him from finding the real killers.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/09/16/oj.simpson/index.html

I'm not sure that Loney will ever win a homerun title. But I've been a die-hard Dodgers fan since 1949. And in all those years Matt Kemp is the most talented position player to come up through the Dodgers system, IMHO. He has all five tools; power, avg, speed, arm and defensive ability that should improve with playing time. The only other Dodgers non-pitcher I can think of in all that time who might enter the HOF is Piazza and he only had two tools. I expect Kemp to be a 40/100 guy for years. But I'm just a fan, so who knows.

28 I'll buy everyone on this site a gold iPhone case if Loney ever leads the league in home runs. And while I think Kemp could someday lead the league in HR or BA, I don't think a Dodger will ever again lead the league in RBI. And if they do, it won't be while Juan Pierre is under contract.

28 - I'm in the group that believes Piazza is a first ballot hall of famer.

The Astros are ahead of Pittsburgh 13-2.

58% say power hitting third baseman. 19% each for starting pitcher and out fielder. the other 5% have not been following the team this year.

I voted for the 3rd baseman, if only because this last week has me worried about LaRoche's work ethic. Plus, I would really like to see A-Rod in Dodger Blue.

But why would a Dodger never again lead the league in RBI. We have some really talented youngsters. I expect Kemp to be the Dodgers cleanup hitter for years. And he could have both Martin and Loney hitting ahead of him.

And, as for Pierre, Ned says he gets on base an awful lot. :-)

Who the heck is Greg Dobbs?
Who the heck is Greg Dobbs?
Who the heck is Greg Dobbs?
Who the heck is Greg Dobbs?

Not a demanding schedule.

Only one Dodger has led the league in RBI since Dodger Stadium opened. And that guy did it with the league MVP batting in front of him.

I'm in that group also. The only catcher with better numbers than Piazza is Josh Gibson. Although most Josh's numbers didn't count.

Which of course has me wondering, if the Dodgers were to break ground on a new stadium this off season (purely hypothetically), what kind of team would you build it for? Obviously, Dodger Stadium was built with Koufax and Drysdale in mind (much as Yankee Stadium was built with Ruth and Gerhig in mind).

Then again, didn't expect the Dodgers to sweep the DBacks. Not that they've done so yet, but regardless, I didn't expect it.

To be honest I was pretty happy Ned semi acknowledged Pierre was having a disappointing season (on a radio station interview a few months back) Pierre's had a great Aug & Sept though, but still. I bet Ned deep down inside knows he made a mistake signing a SINGLES HITTING CF, but that's just me, for all I know he's probably patting him self in the back by signing him.

When I said we have some very talented youngsters I didn't mean just Kemp and Loney. I was considering the other talent we'd have out there in front of them.

>> Only one Dodger has led the league in RBI since Dodger Stadium opened. And that guy did it with the league MVP batting in front of him. <<

I see Loney and Martin as future MVP candidates and both could end up batting in front of Kemp.

Anyway, I'm not a big believer in building stadiums custom-made to the strengths of a particular player. The stadium ends up lasting a lot longer than the player, and then you're stuck with it. And really there's no precedent for this in baseball. Even the supposed "House that Ruth Built" was actually much worse suited for Babe Ruth's hitting than the Yankees' previous park.

Byrnes fly ball wasn't cool though.

!I Viva Mexico! some of the words the president of Mexico will be hollering tonight.

But it's a chicken-and-egg thing, I suppose.

I like stadiums suited for pitchers, as a fan I think you appreciate a well pitched game a lot more, but if your gonna hit a HOME RUN as a FAN you want them to be legit, don't get me wrong I like dingers as well but a well played game (looking at you Mets) is always a lot more appreciated.

Exactly. That same goes for "clutch". If you could truly hit better under "pressure" (presumably by changing your approach), why not just use the altered approach all the time?

he has back problems (disc I think) if he heals we should be o.k. with him, but I hear your what your saying.

How long before people call for Charlie Weis' head? And if this were Ty Willingham's team, wouldn't he be gone already?

But, if I've got a stadium first, say, I take over a franchise that is not doing well. I would absolutely look at how the stadium is built when building the team. If I've got a short porch in right, I'd want more left handers who pull the ball or right handers who can go the other way. As an example, let's say I had a team that played in a stadium built like the old Polo Grounds... there is no way I would even think of signing a center fielder like Juan Pierre.

Unfortunately, few teams have a lasting philosophy any more, changing GMs like I change my underwear. Also, I'd point out that the A's approach of late has worked in part because of they way their stadium is set up (ton of foul territory, 330 down the lines, etc)

C Martin/Liberthal
1B Loney/Sweeney
2B Kent/Abreu
SS Furcal/Martinez
3B Nomar/Hillenbrand
CF Pierre
RF Kemp/Ethier
LF Pasted Prime Veteran
SP Penny
SP Billingsley
SP Lowe
SP Loazia
SP Schmidt
CL Saito
SU Broxton
RP Proctor
RP Beimel
RP Seanez
RP Hendrickson

I should go for a jog or something.

C Martin/Leiberthal
1B Loney/Sweeney
2B Kent/Abreu
SS Furcal/Hu
3B LaRoche/Nomar
LF Ethier
CF Pierre
RF Kemp
OF Young
SP Penny
SP Lowe
SP Billingsley
SP Wolf (assuming he is healthy)
SP Kuo (assuming he is healthy)
CL Saito
SU Broxton
RP Meloan
RP Hull
RP Beimel
RP Proctor

That guy is NEVER gonna be 100% for a WHOLE season, I really hope we show case him & hopefully get some value for him, you can bank on that.

There's a good chance 3 runs won't be enough to win this game.

And all the stands there are metal.