Mighty fine Blernsball field you got there, Dodgers.

Future spring training home of Juan Pierre (and his White Sox mates).

Will Ned Colletti have his own designated "war room" there?

GA lawn seating in the outfield is urgent and key. Nothings better than sitting on the grass in the sun with some beers and watching a game.

Fry: Hey, I'm starting to get the hang of this game. The blerns are loaded, the count's three blerns and two anti-blerns and the infield blern rule is in effect, right?

Leela: Except for the word 'blern' that was complete gibberish.

2 The headline for the dodgers.com article on the groundbreaking is "Dodgers, White Sox break ground", which I first thought was going to be "break ground on trade talks". I forgot that the White Sox were the other team involved at Glendale. Wouldn't it be funny if JP were there in a White Sox uni?

Darn, I thought this was going to a post about, well, you know...
"Shut up friends. My internet browser heard us saying the word Fry and it found a movie about Philip J. Fry for us. It also opened my calendar to Friday and ordered me some french fries."

--
But seriously, that looks lovely. Should be a state of the art complex. The complete opposite of DodgerTown, for better and worse?

Darn slow server speed...

Hey, is that a swimming pool in the foreground or a little pond of some sort? Those Arizonans love pools at baseball stadiums...

7 Probably better in the long run, I think the key is access to the players which the Dodgers said they were aware of and had plans to deal with that part of ST.

What happens with all of these ST complexes the rest of the year? There aren't enough minor league teams to keep them all busy.

Kevin Love already has a double double against Maryland.

UCLA fans better cherish each game this season.

My wish: Angels replace the White Sox as joint tenant, long-term. Nothing better than a Dodgers-Angels doubleheader in the same stadium, with a break at a nice restaurant between games.

8 I was just about to ask why there was a vortex beyond center field.

10- Thye are used for various other baseball leagues. I play in a Men's Adult Baseball League here in AZ and played at the Giants, Brewers, A's complex this past season. I know that the Padres/Mariners open their complex for amateur leagues. All these stadiums also open their stadiums for various amateur tournaments as well for high school, college, and amateur. It was pretty cool to play at these complexes through out our season. The A's complex easily had the nicest fields. They laser level and looked like they were artificial turf...sure hope I get to play at the Dodgers complex when it's ready

12 Not into reliving the 59 World Series?

Your scenario sounds fine, except that in the outer Phoenix suburbs, "nice restaurant" probably translates into P.F. Changs or some similar chain, at best.

14 That's a great perk for the communities, but my mind just boggles at a $76 million spring training stadium. I suppose we're talking about a huge number of dates compared to an NFL stadium.

Juan Pierre in a PF Chang uniform might sound more contractually appetizing, as opposed to any other potential scenario (i.e., CF or LF in '08).

The posse of drunken rowdy folk wearing Dodger jerseys to Giants games that I see in Scottsdale will be very happy about this.

Wonderful essay on Mannix by Neely Tucker of the Post:

"Trapped in time, Mannix goes sprinting across a suspension bridge in Long Beach, tie flapping over his shoulder. His name spells out in rectangular boxes on the screen, M-A-N-N-I-X, over shots of him jumping out of a car, swimming, driving a race car or swirling a blonde around in the sunlight, her skirt twisting above her hips. Days were tough there at 17 Paseo Verde, what with gunfire, exploding cars and hit men trying to cancel your oxygen supply.

"But it also had Peggy's smile, the convertible out front, the .38 in the top right-hand desk drawer, the promise of a date for dinner. A man could take it in, tie loosened, Scotch in the crystal decanter, smokes in the soft pack.

"The rest of the 20th century hadn't happened yet."

http://tinyurl.com/2v8p2y

I think Mannix is still my father's all time favorite television program.

Well I can't wait to make a trip out there but I was really hoping to make the long trip to Vero Beach but it looks like destiny will not let me, it's all good, at least the Dodgers will be with in driving distance now. I wonder if Jon is considering a Zona DT gathering!? I'm game if it happens.

So, Greg can I get you to give up your Top 3-5 Chicago songs?

19 20 Mannix! Great theme. I remember watching Mannix on Saturday nights with my dad - we didn't worry about the violence in those days - around 1970 or so. Tough, hard-boiled, and hard-nosed, the way men my father's age liked it. Ah, Mannix, The F.B.I. (with periods), The Name of the Game, Medical Center (my mom's favorite) - those were the days.

Nice rip at L.A. at the end, "Los Angeles is a land of lies", published from Washington D.C. no less!

23 add The Wild, Wild West.

22
25 or six to four
Does anybody really know what time it is
Beginnings
If you leave me know

Pretty much most of the non-Cetera stuff. But he even sneaks in to a few favorites, because the songs are outstanding.

Woah, I didn't realize (after reading Sarah's take) that Brett Butler had a LIFETIME OB% OF .377. It got me thinking, I really wouldn't mind having a guy like Butler manning CF if he was getting on base that often, decent arm & good glove, I wouldn't mind at all. Besides, you could get your power from the other outfield positions.

Is it just me, or are the Yankees having a TERRIBLE offseason? They will be paying a lot more for the same 3B, catcher, and closer they had last year, but at least 2 of the three are very likely to be worse this year (and A-rod is probably also going to drop off a bit).

Each of those guys is a better option next year than anyone else available, but to have to give out contracts that will take all three into their respective 40s? Each of those guys will be the highest paid player at their position well after their performance falls off.

My family never watched Mannix nor Hawaii Five-O. But we did watch Mod Squad and Wild Wild West.

Brock, how did the tourney go?

My dad like Cannon the best -- social justice and all.

Actually, he liked the Nero Wolfe books best of all. Ah, dames, orchids, beer. Nero Wolfe had it all going on.

I forgot about Cannon. We never watched that one either. I guess my parents weren't big PI show fans.

29 I won back my buy-in, but got smoked.

Beats losin. That means you finished about 10th, right? Nothing wrong with that.

27 Is it just me, or are the Yankees having a TERRIBLE offseason?
I'd say it's generally a good idea to bring back the same offense that scored 968 runs the year before.

With the Yankees, they can certainly absorb many a high-salaried player, so I wouldn't worry too much about them breaking budget.

Their question will be what kind of pitching staff they can put together. Unless they can persuade Pettitte to return, they need to compile a rotation from the following pitchers:

Wang
Hughes
Mussina
Kennedy
Chamberlain (or bullpen of course)
Igawa

Also, and speaking of deadweight contracts the Yanks can afford to absorb, Carl Pavano is also on the squad. Will he be healthy? That might be the $11 million question.

I don't think the Yankees are done, but even if they don't make another move I wouldn't classify their offseason as "terrible".

25
This is probably a bad time to mention I actually like Peter Cetera, albeit from afar. I'm a sucker for the rock ballads, from Cetera, Steve Perry, et al.

That sound you hear is my credibility flying out the window.

Amusing quote from McCourt in the Times' Dodger Report:

"Quite frankly, that's something that the Dodgers have lacked over the last couple of decades, having a long-term plan, a long-term strategy," McCourt said.

Heh.

36 See comment #337 from the last thread.

Heroes had about 5 "cliffhanger" moments tonight, but most of them I already knew before they happened. That show has really fallen off. Chuck is really good though.

The new Star Trek movie has the most random casting.

More random than Denise Richards as nuclear disarmament specialist Dr. Christmas Jones?

while poking around for loney comps, i stumbled upon this blog post. i figured i might as well close the loop:

http://ty4.blogspot.com/2007/11/why-baseball-prospectus-should-be.html

btw, where's a good site to get a player's comparables?

40 I expect ridiculously hot women to be nuclear physicists in the Bond universe.

I don't expect Winona Rider to be Spock's mother. Or for Shaun of the Dead to play Montgomery Scott.

Nice throwback reference to Joe Mannix, was a favorite of mine, also loved the original Secret Agent with Patrick MacGowen (sp).

On topic with the Dodgers ending their relationship with Vero Beach in 2008 and with Vinny being the real last rep from Brooklyn-don't consider Lasorda in that camp, wondering if his journey to Glendale AZ today is an indication that he is going to continue after his contract expires at the end of 2008?

44 'roldy is sulu? that's awesome.

38 Why even mention that? What's the point? Especially for us we haven't watched the episode yet since it hasn't turned 9pm? I know you didn't blow any endings (thankfully), but it's still annoying.

I don't think the show has "fallen off" at all. I thought the episode where Matt Parkman confronted his father (nightmare man) was one of the best. Each episode has been really good and I think the large following proves it.

Now the "The Office" I thought was beginning to fall off. Last season was overly-peppered with Michael Scott involved in spine cringing moments - I wasn't laughing as much as I was being shocked. This season is way better. I'm laughing and enjoying it a lot more.

I posted this below before seeing there was a new thread, so apologies for double posting.

Is Kemp the center of a PR hit job?

It certainly sounds like Kemp's supposed "attitude" is being played up within the local media (where stories of him "moving a trash can" have been lapped up by the Plaschkes of SoCal) and the national media (whenever Kemp's name comes up in trade talk).

Is this a concerted effort to justify moving him to the fans who want to see more homegrown talent and want the Dodgers to keep and play the younger guys? It really does nothing to deflate his potential value to trade suitors, who would gladly take on any supposed "attitude" issues for the tremendous upside and talent Kemp brings. If he does have an attitude, does it derail a team like the Marlins from winning the 73-75 games they can reasonably be expected to tally this year?

If/when he is moved, the "Well, he could have been the next Milton Bradley or Raul Mondesi" feeling is supposed to be enough to take the sting out of the deal. Sure, it will be a temporary elixir, as Kemp will go on to blossom elsewhere in 2 to 3 years. But since when were PR moves designed to make people feel good for the long term? Short-term, feel good fixes are the MO of the McCourt regime, so it certainly wouldn't be out of character and it would certainly show the veterans that Colletti desperately wants to attract to L.A. that this organization doesn't allow the young punks to run the show.

Anyway, it seemed the drumbeat about Matt Kemp's attitude is designed to turn him into an afterthought in any deal the team makes, as if the Dodgers HAVE to include a Kershaw to make a team swallow Kemp. Welcome to San Francisco South folks.

From Gurnick's mailbag

If they insist on hoarding every top young prospect, they won't make any significant trades and, aside from free-agent signings, they'll go to Spring Training with roughly the same roster that finished fourth.

In a literal sense, that is true but COME ON, that statement is as littered with as many holes as the "who's to say" argument.

I'm going to defend Ned Colletti here, and say that if he was willing to trade LaRoche, Kemp, and The Minotaur for Cabrera, he'd have done it by now. And Florida would have taken it.

So I'm going through the dodgers video top plays archive from this past year....

just reaffirms my belief that all the young major league players should be off limits in trade talks.

Heck, the only player who should be involved in trade talks is Pierre.

1. Trade Juan
2. Sign Druw

This team would be SO much better and its so simple!

This is my first week since I dropped "Heroes" for good, and I feel much the better for it.

I gave Chuck a fourth try last weekend, and still can't get on board.

It's 9 p.m. on a Monday, and I'm free!

50 now this is a plan i can get behind. i would be down with subbing andruw for juan. that would give us the "big bat", and we could give laroche a fair shake at winning the 3rd base job away from nomar over the course of the season (which he should do by say, may), and maybe in the meantime he can even spell kent at 2nd base from time to time.

we could toss out kemp and ethier at the corners, with d. young rotating in for some starts, maybe. hu can be another utility guy and furcal insurance, or else get him more regular at-bats in vegas. i like it.

50-This is so patently the correct plan, the only plan that makes sense.

Needless to say, it won't occur to Colletti. Or it will, but he won't allow himself an offseason that admits quite so transparently that Pierre was a mistake. I believe he will, or would, try to move Pierre if he could, but I also think he'll shuffle some more deck chairs if possible so the Pierre transaction isn't as exposed.

God, we would be a good team with Jones and without Pierre, period. And with McDonald/Kershaw/Kuo ready to plug whatever leaks there are in the rotation. Pity we'll never do anything quite so straightforward.

52

Furcal
Kemp
Loney
Kent
Druw
Ethier
Martin
Laroche

That lineup wins games.

and as as aside, how can anybody even read the sentence "pierre in left field" with a straight face, let alone bandy it about as a serious potentiality? what kind of world are we living in.

I'm feeling good about life after an uplifting trip to see "No Country for Old Men."

Makes me want to go to a slaughterhouse.

55
I lived in a world where Al Oliver played left field for the Dodgers.

And I even remember Al Oliver playing center field.

I don't believe the Marlins when they are asking for the deal they are asking. When they traded Beckett, did they get back any proven major league talent? No they didn't. I don't see that as a sticking point in the deal. We have just as much talent in our system now as the Red Sox did when they made the trade.

51 Jon, I am betting you have already expressed you views, but why just drop it cold?

Too many unresolved story lines? Was the dialogue shoddy? I'm just very curious.

I was a big "Lost" fan until season 2 hit. I was working every Wednesday night and with out owning a tvo, I just got too far behind and never bothered to catch up.

56 So do you recommend it? I've been very anxious to see the movie and will probably do so before the week's end.

I agree wholeheartedly. Does Colletti have the sack to own up to the Pierre mistake? If he takes an ego hit for the good of the organization, they will sign Andruw, and -- in doing so -- they kill three birds with one stone. (1) Add power, (2) Retain all of our young studs, and (3) Discard Pierre from the equation. Assuming no trade is possible to get rid of him, can you live with paying Pierre to sit on the bench and fetch Torre some green tea?

Sad sad day. Venus Flytrap shows up as a police officer in That's so Raven.

26 ,54
How about this one?

Furcal
Laroche
Kemp
Kent
Loney
Druw
Ethier
Martin

that or have Laroche lead off.

could we trade Pierre for Pavano?

56 Just make sure you don't shoot a steer. It might fight back.

Not sure if anyone has posted this yet but Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Dodgers are currently the front-runners to land Miguel Cabrera...if they include Kemp, LaRoche, and Kershaw in a deal. :-(

http://tinyurl.com/3x666g

I seriously hope Sabean deals Lincicum for Cabrera. They will lose a great pitcher for a fat, Jeff Kent range 3B when they could have re-signed Pedro Feliz. Feliz is the best defensive 3B in the N.L. and still gives you 20-25 HRs. Granted his OBS sucks but if you re-sign him you have a servicable 3B without giving up one of the most promising young arms in baseball. In addition, when you have to extend Cabrera it will hamstring you for years when combined with Zito. $40M to two players. Ha Ha. The Giants have so many holes they would have been way better off re-signing Feliz. I will be pissed when Cabrera beats the Dodgers a couple of times a year but overall it will kill the Giants for the long term. Go Sabes!!!

67 Robothal's musings have been a great source of angst today. I don't buy it.

This is the new, positive me. Colletti wouldn't do that deal.

50 58 Nate, you've been reading what I've been writing, lately, haven't you? :-)

I guess I'm still working off of yesterday's news. I thought SF was the front runner. I don't want Caberara if it involves Kemp, Bills or Loney. Kershaw or LaRoche maybe but that's not possibly enought for Fla.

63 - No way Martin bats 8th, even 6th or 7th. I think he should bat 2nd next year with or without Pierre.

72 - He makes for a decent Kevin Youkilis, less OBP, but more SLG, AVG and even a nice bit of speed so everyone should be happy.

Why would Ned pay $11 Mil for Cabrera to hit 35 HR & play 3B, instead of keeping Kemp & LaRoche for less than $1 Mil to combine for 45 HR? Makes little sense to me without even considering Kershaw in the mix. I realize you must give value to get value, but I wouldn't give more than LaRoche, McDonald, & Repko. If that doesn't make them happy then we can walk away and keep our guys. I'd actually prefer to see LaRoche grow into the position for us anyway,

I've never posted here before, but I have been reading the posts for quite some time and always enjoy the insight of knowledgeable baseball/Dodger followers. Anyway, The Chicago Sun Times is reporting the White Sox are close to a deal with Torii Hunter, from sources on both sides. Their plan is to follow that up by focusing on a proven lead-off hitter to play left field.

56
I am kinda of a Director Snob. I go to see Coen brothers movies and Michael Mann movies despite the critics musings.

Never been disappointed by Mann, but Intolerable Cruelty and Ladykillers nearly marked the brothers off my list. I hope that that movie is as good as everyone says. I am going to the Laemelle (sp) in Pasadena on Wednesday to see it while the wife and the mini-Cajun are at Disneyland.

On a scale of 1-10 how good was it?

Mets mailbag coveting Ethier:

I know the Mets aren't interested in trading unless it's for a pitcher, but I think they should go for Andre Ethier. I think he is exactly what we need for right field; he's young, a good hitter, good glove and he bats left-handed. He put up great numbers in his first two seasons with the Dodgers. I think they can make a simple trade such as Lastings Millege straight up for him.
-- Jack R., East Meadow, N.Y.

If Ethier had produced "great numbers," as you said, why would you expect the Dodgers to trade him for a player who hasn't? Ethier would be a terrific fit. His numbers have been, well, encouraging -- 24 home runs and 119 RBIs and a .295 batting average in 843 at-bats over two seasons. But because he bats left-handed and has power, he has more value to the Dodgers than Milledge has to the Mets or the Dodgers. More than Milledge would have to be included, and the Mets don't have a lot of excess players with value.

75
If "proven" means lots of hits, steals, and bunt singles then we got a guy for you...

I realize politics are off-limits, but this is one of the best campaign ads I have ever seen.

If this violates Rule 5, please delete it. I only wanted to mention the ad, however, not the politics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUQW8LUMs8

Their plan is to follow that up by focusing on a proven lead-off hitter to play left field.

Stop teasing us.

From the Sun Times

"The next step for Williams if he does land Hunter this week, is adding a proven leadoff hitter/left fielder, which could be accomplished in shipping third baseman Joe Crede out in a trade. The bullpen will then be the focus for the remainder of the offseason."

Coletti can assist in their goals.

80 It's almost too perfect.

What's his face for a ham sandwich and a side of rice pilaf! Make the deal, Ned!

81

Colletti can assist only if Kenny doesn't insist on Colletti taking Crede back.

81
He better not.

Prospects come and go. Maybe Kemp succeeds, hits .310 with 20 HR. Maybe LaRoche breaks his back and never amounts to anything. Maybe. Who really knows?

We're making a big mistake not upgrading via trade. By not spending 20 million on someone legit like Cabrera or Johan, we're empowering Ned to spend 12 million on someone average like Rowand.

You want to watch the kids develop into average-to-above-average, low-cost major leaguers? Fine. But expect average-to-above-average results from the Dodgers. And don't expect a World Series for another 20 years.

83

Agreed.

85 If these players were projected to be average, you'd be right. If Kemp was average, you'd be right. If Kershaw wasn't a left handed pitcher that throws 95 with a hammer curve, you'd be right.

I can understand wanting Cabrera, as I've wanted him on the Dodgers for years. But not getting him means 20 years without a World Series? A bit much.

And don't expect a World Series for another 20 years.

Since the last 20 years all those big trades and high price free agents worked.

We get it, you want a star. Seems like other teams are DROOLING over the possibility of raiding our young talent cupboard, yet they know not to ask for OUR young star...you know, that 24 yr old catcher who was just recently an all star.

83
Not true. The words "non-tender" come to mind as do the words "Crede traded for a whole bunch of sunflower seeds and an infield rake."

85 -- Maybe Miguel Cabrera eats himself into being a DH, maybe he gets hit by a bus. Maybe. Your posts are not making any sense. Anybody can play the "maybe" game. And Kemp is not a prospect. And Florida doesn't just want one highly talented guy. And I could go on and on with the "And..." statements tearing your position apart but everybody gets the point.

85 that sounds like somewhat of a false dichotomy to me.

why can't we have the kids as average-to-above-average major leaguers and if necessary you can supplement them with legit stars acquired through free agency? the money we save by using young players in the positions where we have them in the next few years can land us the likes andruw jones and johan santana, AND we wouldn't have to give up the farm.

88 I want a winner. I want to spend as much as it takes. I don't care about "watching players develop". I want to win. It is all that matters.

What big name trades and free agents?