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Five Questions: Los Angeles Dodgers (2006) (Hardball Times)
Five Questions: Los Angeles Dodgers (2007) (Hardball Times)

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2008 Season

Dodger home record: 39-30 (.565)
When Jon attended: 5-3 (.625)
When Jon didn't: 34-27 (.557)

1991-2007

Dodgers at home: 745-600 (.554)
Jon attended: 293-233 (.557)*
Jon didn't: 457-374 (.550)
* includes road games attended

2008 Payroll Worksheet

Current Roster with Estimated 2008 Salaries
(updated March 28)

Most figures are estimates (some are wild estimates) but will be updated as information comes in. Corrections welcome.

More contract details here.

Starting Pitchers (5)
$12,300,000 Hiroki Kuroda
$10,000,000 Derek Lowe
$9,500,000 Brad Penny
$7,000,000 Esteban Loaiza
*$500,000 Chad Billingsley
Total: $39,300,000

Bullpen (6)
$2,000,000 Takashi Saito
$1,925,000 Joe Beimel
$1,125,000 Scott Proctor
*$500,000 Jonathan Broxton
$500,000 Chan Ho Park
*$400,000 Hong-Chih Kuo
Total: $6,450,000

Starting Lineup (8)
$14,100,000 Andruw Jones
$13,000,000 Rafael Furcal
$9,000,000 Jeff Kent
$8,500,000 Nomar Garciaparra
$8,000,000 Juan Pierre
$500,000 Russell Martin
*$400,000 James Loney
*$400,000 Matt Kemp
Total: $53,900,000

Bench (6)
$875,000 Gary Bennett
$600,000 Mark Sweeney
$424,500 Andre Ethier
$391,000 Delwyn Young
$390,000 Chin-Lung Hu
$390,000 Blake DeWitt
Total: $3,071,000

Disabled List
$12,000,000 Jason Schmidt
*$400,000 Tony Abreu
*$390,000 Andy LaRoche
Total: $12,790,000

Also Paying ...
$1,000,000 Brett Tomko
$750,000 Odalis Perez
$540,000 Yhency Brazoban
$500,000 Randy Wolf
$487,500 Jason Repko
$135,225 Rudy Seanez
$100,000 Mike Lieberthal
$50,000 Ramon Martinez
Total: $3,562,725

Working total: *$113,268,725

*Rough salary estimate

The 2008 Dodgers

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Selected Recent Ex-Dodgers

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Mattingly's Wife Arrested
2008-02-04 07:11
by Jon Weisman

A hint of the domestic issues that drew Don Mattingly away from his hitting coach position with the Dodgers revealed themselves this weekend when his estranged wife, Kim, was arrested on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct, according to Kate Braser of the Evansville Courier-Press. I wish each of them both the best in trying to recover from their troubles.

On a lighter note, there's something about Charley Kerfeld scouting Odalis Perez that just amuses me, for reasons I can't rightly explain.

* * *

Update: Daily News columnist Dennis McCarthy is borrowing Tony Jackson's blog to write about his trip to Dodger Fantasy Baseball Camp in Vero Beach.

The rookies — that would be me — were sent to the batting cages while the veterans — the 87 out of 117 guys and one woman attending this last scheduled Dodgers Fantasy Camp in Vero Beach, Fla. — stood around and had a good laugh grading us so we could be put on their teams.

I tanked it big time. In 20 pitches, I whiffed 15 times and hit five meek foul balls.

"Nice going, rook," said Bernie Silverman, a 71-year-old retired optometrist from Sherman Oaks. ...

* * *

A fun story comes from Al Doyle at Baseball Analysts on 19-game winners in baseball.

* * *

Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times learns that Bill James is launching a new website this month. In James' words:

The basic idea for the site is that I wanted to have a place where I could communicate directly with my readers, to publish articles and get feedback from the audience in real time. It isn't a blog, as I understand the term, because I think blogs are essentially opinion-driven, as opposed to research-driven. Not trying to limit what you can do in a blog; I'm sure there are blogs of all types. Anyway, what I do is, I find a question, I do research, I write it up, which is what I have always done; I don't really traffic in opinion very much. I do write some "columns," as opposed to articles, and columns are opinion pieces.

But a site, to be most useful to a reader, to really become a part of the reader's life, needs something new all the time, something happening every day. To create that "something happening all the time," we have created a lot of "information packages" that of course will be automatically updated.

How to do that? Well, obviously there is no point in telling the readers the things that they already know, so we have gone through a years-long process of trying to identify everything there is about baseball that we don't know, that the reader doesn't have any way of finding out. Then we created "profiles"—I guess there are 30 or 40 of them now, and will be more—which contain all kinds of information about the teams and the players that you don't have any other way of knowing, at least now; of course other people will rip us off, and the same information will be appearing on other sites in a matter of months.

We'll also do games, and I do hope to have 25 or 30 other writers writing there eventually. But it is hard to get that process moving before there is money coming in, and so far, it's all been money going out.

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Comments (55)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2008-02-04 07:19:04
1.   D4P
Woah. That's quite the mug shot. Looks like Don can probably use all the help he can get.
2008-02-04 07:28:03
2.   Alex Belth
Sad piece of news. A reminder of how difficult baseball marriages can be, in spite of the millions.
2008-02-04 07:29:43
3.   D4P
Non-baseball marriages are difficult too. I think you just mean that money can't buy you love, or happiness.
2008-02-04 07:50:44
5.   Xeifrank
y tu Padre fans?
http://www.gaslampball.com/story/2008/1/21/114241/735

vr, Xei

2008-02-04 08:09:40
6.   ToyCannon
5
Jayson Werth? I don't get it.

I like how we rate as their number one hated team but most Dodgers fans could care less about the Padres until Sept.

2008-02-04 08:32:25
7.   madmac
6 that's why they hate us.
2008-02-04 08:38:30
8.   Gen3Blue
I don't get Werth either.
2008-02-04 08:39:49
9.   madmac
clarification on 7 , they hate us because Dodgers fans could care less about the Padres until Sept.
2008-02-04 08:39:51
10.   regfairfield
6 Because when they were being jackasses to him at a game he actually responded instead of just taking it.

http://pfs76.blogspot.com/2005/03/why-i-dislike-jayson-werth.html

2008-02-04 08:44:20
11.   Jon Weisman
10 - Wow, that really does not reflect well on the writer.

And by the way, "the smell of Dodger Stadium"?

2008-02-04 08:48:13
12.   cargill06
what a game! glad to see the jerk bellicheck lose yesterday
2008-02-04 08:50:15
13.   Andrew Shimmin
Werth had a five for five game against SD last year. But it was in August, and against Stauffer, so it doesn't seem like something to get too upset about. Unless the guy really loves Stauffer.
2008-02-04 08:51:26
14.   madmac
10 ha, I like Jayson even more now.
2008-02-04 08:51:35
15.   Andrew Shimmin
Oh. Reg found the real answer.

I'm not sure it makes more sense than my guess.

2008-02-04 08:51:39
16.   ToyCannon
10
That is great, hats off to Werth.
2008-02-04 08:54:12
17.   ToyCannon
11
I was going to say something about the writer but I figured Jon wouldn't like me to do that. I guess if you felt the same way he really was a jerk.
Strange because I've been to a few Petco games and their crowds are churchlike. I guess I need to check out the bleachers so I can stir up some emotion.
2008-02-04 09:06:56
18.   Bob Timmermann
But what about me? I dislike the Padres. Don't I count?
2008-02-04 09:12:17
19.   underdog
Well, I think there's a rivalry with the Padres, and after reading that childish diatribe about the Dodgers, I will even more intensely hope LA puts the beatdown on them this year. If you want to "hate" other teams, at least cop to the irrationality of it instead of writing a seventh grade-level list of "reasons."

>>1. Dodgers - Oh Dodgers, how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways. One, your smug dirtbag fans. Two, the smell of your ballpark. Three, your drunk violent fans. Four, Los Angeles. Five, beachballs. Six, forcing Jayson Werth on us. Seven, Eric Gagne. Eight, your "rivalry" with the Giants that forces your followers to remind Padres fans that there's no rivalry with the Padres, even though we've owned your team since the 90s and we don't want a rivalry with your consistently bottom half of the standings team anyway. Nine, the way your upper management sabotaged the Padres for the first 16 years of our existence. I could go on and on. <<

Oh, please do. Sigh.

2008-02-04 09:13:14
20.   Bob Timmermann
As a writer of a seventh-grade level slam against Cardinals fans, I will not cast the first stone here.
2008-02-04 09:14:57
21.   underdog
Eric Gagne? Jayson Werth? I had to doublecheck the date of that one, thinking it was written a couple of years ago. The smell of the ballpark? (I do hate the beachballs, too, though.) "Consistently bottom half of the standings team..." Again, sigh. Not really worth responding to on that blog, but I'll have to remember not to look there for any insightful commentary on the Pads in the future. At least I know Ducksnorts will do that, and be more playful about the rivalry.
2008-02-04 09:15:21
22.   underdog
20 But they started it!
2008-02-04 09:19:46
23.   regfairfield
21 I guess third doesn't actually count as the bottom half.
2008-02-04 09:22:44
24.   Gen3Blue
10 Ahh-I see!
2008-02-04 09:26:11
25.   berkowit28
With that ""Consistently bottom half of the standings team..." I think he may have been referring to the Giants, as our "preferred" rivals rather than the Padres. It's hard to figure out what he was trying to say.
2008-02-04 09:29:21
26.   ToyCannon
Hmm something doesn't smell right here:
Year Dodgers Padres
2001 3rd 4th
2002 3rd 5th
2003 2nd 5th
2004 1st 3rd
2005 4th 1st
2006 1st 1st
2007 4th 3rd

Both teams seem to be on the same level over the last 7 years. Luckily for the them the Giants will allow them to snag a few of those 4th place finishes while we fight for 1-3 with the Diamondbacks and Rockies as we end this decade.

2008-02-04 09:33:51
27.   cargill06
was at petco last year, the padres had runners on 1st and 3rd and i heard a padre fan being me say, "man, a grand slam would be huge here."
2008-02-04 09:43:42
28.   Jon Weisman
27 - Hey, he wasn't lyin'!
2008-02-04 09:54:12
29.   Jon Weisman
Some might enjoy the update to this post above.
2008-02-04 10:00:16
30.   bhsportsguy
Happiest People Today Outside of Those at Disneyland
1. 1972 Miami Dolphins - Darren Rovel of CNBC said that Mercury Morris makes about $50K at card shows and appearances due to his being a member of that team. Sure the coach and quarterback do okay and Larry Csonka has been visible for many years after his playing days but players like Morris are able to get a few bucks by schilling the fact that they play on the only undefeated team in NFL history.

2. Anti-Bill Simmons folks (or just those annoyed with Boston). Bill Simmons of ESPN.com has also done well hawking his Bostoness over the last 5-7 years but this loss probably halts the momentum of Boston going for all three major sports titles in the same year.

3. New Yorkers.

4. Anyone who heeded my advice of betting the Giants on moneyline (3.5-4 to 1) and parlaying with the under. (if only I made that bet myself).

5. Fox Network.

6. Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw who did not want to have Tom Brady join their club.

7. Raider fans who still think Brady fumbled.

2008-02-04 10:02:19
31.   D4P
8. Rams fans (or at least, fans of the Rams circa 2002 Super Bowl)
2008-02-04 10:06:35
32.   D4P
9. Human beings
2008-02-04 10:08:32
33.   bhsportsguy
30 MGM Sportsbook director estimates tickets were written on the Giants at a 2-to-1 ratio on the point spread and a 30-to-1 ratio on the money line. The Giants were about plus-350 to win outright, meaning a $100 wager paid off $350. Some large money-line bets were on the Patriots, he says, but the public money overwhelmed the professional play.
2008-02-04 10:10:17
34.   Kevin Lewis
my bro made out big on the game:

he had a parlay with the Giants +12 and the under, and he bet hard on the Giants to win the money line.

I just want to know why he didn't call me before he placed the bets

2008-02-04 10:12:49
35.   bhsportsguy
34 That was the value bet, obviously the Pats could have still won the game and if you were going to play safe you back up your money line bet with one with the points but sometimes you go with the value.

that said, i had no money on the game.

2008-02-04 10:13:55
36.   LogikReader
Bill Simmons: hawking his "Bostonness," and yet, living right here in LA.
2008-02-04 10:13:58
37.   Humma Kavula
10 If that really is Jayson Werth's father responding to this guy's post... that is regrettable.
2008-02-04 10:17:17
38.   Steve in Rochester
10 I could not have cared less about the remainder of J.Werth's career. I'll be rooting for him now.

30 #7 could not be more true!

2008-02-04 10:18:07
39.   Steve in Rochester
36 I had no idea Simmons lived in L.A. probably because I refuse to read his work.
2008-02-04 10:23:50
40.   ToyCannon
Think the NBA is starting to drool over the prospects of a Laker/Celtic championship game?
2008-02-04 10:25:13
41.   underdog
Speaking of the Super Bowl, here's a book that will now never get published:
http://tinyurl.com/3xkhhz
2008-02-04 10:25:40
42.   D4P
40
And isn't 2008 the 20th anniversary of the last Laker/Celtic finals...?
2008-02-04 10:26:07
43.   bhsportsguy
40 I think just the Lakers would be fine, Kobe v. LeBron would make for a nice marquee event.
2008-02-04 10:27:27
44.   LogikReader
42

Not quite. The last Lakers/Celtic finals was 1987, a year ago... Magic Hook shot... oh yea

2008-02-04 10:28:28
45.   LogikReader
ok...

I meant the 20th anniversary was a year ago

2008-02-04 10:31:14
46.   bhsportsguy
I was wondering if the Dodgers 1988 championship over the heavily favored A's would be similar to the Giants upset over the Pats.

Any thoughts out there, I'll chime in later.

2008-02-04 10:40:06
47.   ToyCannon
41
Wasn't able to make your live chat but did read the transcript. How did the test go in real time? Is it Oscar ready?
2008-02-04 10:43:39
48.   Andrew Shimmin
Scarlett Johansson just called me to ask that I vote for Obama. Big step up from the former senator who keeps calling to ask me to vote for Romney.
2008-02-04 10:46:12
49.   ToyCannon
Loved the SOSG breakdown on the Super Bowl.
2008-02-04 10:49:52
50.   ToyCannon
Did she use her Lost in Translation or her Girl with a Pearl Earring voice?
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2008-02-04 10:52:45
51.   Jon Weisman
New post coming up top.
2008-02-04 11:01:03
52.   underdog
47 Went pretty well for a first try, thanks! Still a few things we have to figure out but I think it should work well for the Oscars. We'll have a ton more people for that one so will have to be more prepared, too. May have some video content in addition. But yeah, it worked pretty well overall. Thanks again to all who helped out by dropping by to say hi.

I wish Scarlett Johansson would call me, and not in a recorded voice - directly.

2008-02-04 11:12:44
53.   Kevin Lewis
my bro made out big on the game:

he had a parlay with the Giants +12 and the under, and he bet hard on the Giants to win the money line.

I just want to know why he didn't call me before he placed the bets

2008-02-04 11:24:08
54.   fanerman
52 I wouldn't mind getting a call from Scarlett Johansson, even if it were a recorded voice.
2008-02-04 11:44:59
55.   madmac
Don't know if this is frowned on here, but I think everyone here enjoys a chuckle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2triiYXSY8
2008-02-04 13:07:41
56.   El Lay Dave
I'm a little guy; most small T's fit me, but some mediums do also. I bought the blue Gildan t-shirt last time and it seems to run a bit small also, as it was tight in the chest.
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