/Nerd

--
Oh, thanks Cajun (re: end of last thread advice on Nawlins)!

/dream

First off, per the last thread, Dusty Baker was there last night. Which could be the cause and or effect of the rumors.

I had a good conversation with the guy who works in the little gift shop right by the Dodger's dugout door. He said that Kemp, Loney and Ethier were the only guys who usually came out to sign autographs after the games. Kemp came out to see his family, and struck me as pretty arrogant. And then I thought, who cares? He's gonna hit 40 homeruns! A rather annoying lady standing next to me who said she went to 40 games a year in the dugout club said "Kemp has no heart". She seemd to have a sense of entitlement about the team and it's players (that they should all have a personal relationship with her because she sat in good seats) and she said she wanted Kemp to get traded because basically she didn't like him. She said she would rather see Jason Repko, and that she would rather see a player playing above his ability than a player like Kemp not playing to his ability. She then proceeded to call Olmedo "chunky" when he walked out. I left her general vacinity. It was a painful reminder of what a "fan" can be.

I also asked the guy that worked in the gift shop if he had read Plaschke's article on Kemp. He said he tried not to look at the press since he has to see the players everyday. He said that "everybody hates him. I don't even think he (Plashke) is allowed in the clubhouse anymore."

James Loney and Andre Ethier both seemed great. They both came out to sign balls and chatted with fans. Loney came out to sign balls and then went back inside to get his stuff. A nice gesture...

I approached Frank McCourt as he was leaving and shook hands with him. I knew I only had a chance to get in a quick comment so I said "I'm hope I get to watching Matt Kemp play for many years" and he responded "I hope so too." In retrospect, I should have gone with Logikreader's "sign Arod and I'll buy season tickets" but I couldn't think that fast on my feet. I also should have said "play FOR THE DODGERS" but I think it was assumed.

Matt Kemp's back right pocket was hanging out of his pants for his first two at bats. Does he do this often? Was it just an accident? When he got to third base, Rich Donnelly reached over and stuck it back in his pants. A meaningful gesture? Just helping a friend out?

Kent was nowhere in sight. Dugout or otherwise.

All in all it was an amazing experience. In a lot of ways I prefer the less insulated experience of sitting in other seats. I certainly feel like less of a crazy person when I shout "Bison!" from there. But it was a great treat and a chance to snoop...

Really, I don't get it.

My guess is that the point was that Kemp's behavior is so awful that anything he does merits a putdown from the Stonecutters. But to say that the anecdote was vaguely explained is an understatement.

And the fact of the matter is it's not (2001/2003/1999) anymore. ... It's 2007, and I think you have to live in the present.

And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past. It doesn't matter what somebody did in a (World Series/World Series/Saturday Night Live episode) (six/four/seven) years ago. Now is what matters, and that's what I think.

Although they are unintentionally funny.

We Heart Ross Newhan.

22 Darnit. And I'd already sent my invitation for her to join my team.

I still remember him from back when my Dad used to take me to Rams games in the late '50s, early '60s at the Coliseum. My favorite Ram was Jon Arnett, who was probably the 2nd greatest open-field runner ever, next to Gale Sayers.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/14099445/detail.html

And once at a game when I was wearing a UCLA sweatshirt, he tried to convince me that Walt Hazzard was one of the best basketball coaches UCLA had ever hired.

I am seriously considering changing my username to Matt Kemp's Moved Trash Can.

But as apologies go, would you consider hers entirely successful?

Her last line is "I hope... you can find the understanding needed to forgive me." That isn't an apology. I put it in the same boat as people who say "I'm sorry that you were offended by what I said," which also isn't an apology. Points against.

In the end, it's neither the worst nor the best apology I've ever read.

(Is Women's soccer/footbal a medal event next year?)

But I don't begrudge her sticking by her main criticism and I think her point that, how could be an athlete like this and not want to be on the field and think I'm best was well put.

But I'm biased in her favor because I think the coach is a real jerk for threatening to cut her from the team -- that really seems extreme at this point in time.

While it's true that he's still young, I'm usually suspicious of guys with high BAs and low IsoDs. Plus, his IsoP really isn't that high.

10 - I can understand the woman's frustration with Kemp "not playing up to his ability" and preferring guys that play beyond it. I've seen both kinds of athletes up close and personal, the guys playing above their level are generally better guys and more fun to root for. I'd say they win about an equal amount.

He'll move a Dumpster.

Then, in 2009, a 30-yarder.

Marta´s goal: http://tinyurl.com/yo5ma3

Me, too. To this day, whenever I look at a roster, I first check to see who's wearing Arnett's #26.

It's Luis Gonzalez. For three more games.

45 - IsoP, I assume is Isolated Patience... I have to admit, I've got a problem with this metric. Patience is not just drawing walks, it's working the count to get a good pitch to hit. I think I made this point a while back, but doesn't a guy who works more counts to 2-0, 3-1, 3-1 show more patience than a guy who swings at the first pitch every single time? As for IsoD, what is that?

53 No, a player can perform exactly the same way and see less of his balls in play fall in for hits, simply because it's entriely luck whether or not a ball just misses a fielder or it's caught. A "natural" .300 hitter could be hitting somewhere between .380 and .230 200 at bats into the season by things that are entirely out of his control.

Let me put it this way... there are a lot of athletes with natural talent, guys who make it look really easy. Then there are guys with less talent but more drive, they tend to be the guys who put in extra time at the gym, more time in the batting cages, etc. The guys with less talent are the ones who people say are playing above their level - it is, I think, the fascination that so many have with Eckstein. Relatively speaking, he's not very talented for a major league ball player, but the guy leaves everything on the field - a lot of fans can relate to those guys.

58 - huh, seems like Kemp hits more line drives than that.

Ok, I have to go to San Diego now. Y'all have a good weekend.

"Although this is a difficult market in which to operate a development camp, the long wait for a nucleus of the current caliber to emerge from what had become a fallow farm system at times justified the 2007 route and demands caution if the club is now thinking it should break up that nucleus."

It was a computer model, entirely random. If it had really happened, imagine the press.

Though I doubt any one who thinks Kemp is a problem would actually care about something like that.

In a recent LA Times article, it was stated:

"... if [Kent] accepts his $9-million option and returns for 2008, probably will split playing time with 22-year-old Tony Abreu."

I thought 2008 was automatic once Kent reached a certain number of PAs. Once he has reached this minimum, there is no way out for either party; he will be a Dodger in 2008.
OR is it really an option - Kent can decide to opt out and play elsewhere (?) Or is the only other option with this contract retirement?

But first someone has to explain soccer to him.

My source thinks that the Dodgers should stick with the youth movement.

I also hear the trash can has since been given an innocuous-looking coat of black enamel.

Any Brazilians planning on playing in the MLS, or does that just cause laughter?

79 I've read various reports of Ronaldo, Kaka, and Ronaldinho when they're ready for the pre retirement phase, but it seems like player movement speculation is soccer is worse than in any other sport.

I've always liked the name Sheffield Wednesday, even though they stink.

I never bought a single item from him.

That was pretty terrible. Thankfully, I did not bet on the game like I had planned.

http://tinyurl.com/2u2f4c

mellow? Dude lives in LA, you'd think he'd have made it to at least one Giants game