Baseball Toaster Dodger Thoughts
Log in | Register | Help
Jon Weisman's outlet
for dealing psychologically
with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and baseball.
Hot from the Toaster
BlogAds
Search
Google Search
Web
Toaster
Dodger Thoughts
Archives

2008
11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2007
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2006
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2005
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2004
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2003
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2002
09  08  07 
About Jon
Support Dodger Thoughts

Dodger Thoughts T-Shirts
On sale through February 16, 2008
DT Blue on WhiteDT-WhiteonBLue
Click here to order.

* * *

Cover 11.25 jpeg

The Best of Dodger Thoughts
A 325-page book featuring the top selections from this website from 2002-2005.

Click here for more information.

On Sale Now at Lulu.com

Support independent publishing: buy this book on Lulu.

* * *

Or, just make a donation to support the site. Many thanks.

"Dodger Thoughts, like TiVo, is one of those things you can completely do without until you start using it."

- Fanerman

Dodger Sites
Dodger Resources
Non-Partisan Baseball Sites
Partisan Baseball Sites
Baseball, Among Other Things
Invaluable Resources
Less Dodgers, More L.A.
All in the Family
Other Writing by Jon on the Web

SI.com
NL West Preview
Evaluating Defense
Colletti and Depo
World Baseball Classic
Minor League Broadcasters
Slow Starts
Eric Gagne
Groundball Pitchers
Dodger Prospects
Albert Pujols
Humbled Angels
You Be the Manager
Eric Gagne II
Unreliable Relievers
Revived Angels
It's Okay To Sell
Dodger Turnaround
Andre Ethier
Padres-Dodgers Showdown
NL Final Weekend
Mets-Dodgers NLDS
Postseason ratings
NL Wish Lists
Manny vs. J.D.
McGwire Controversy
Dodger Offense
Trainers Matter

Variety
Will Arnett
John C. McGinley
Laura Dern
Imelda Staunton
SAG Awards
Ellen Pompeo
Grey's Anatomy
2004-05 Rookie Dramas
Anthony Hopkins
NATPE
Scrubs
Award Shows
Topher Grace
Ashton Kutcher
Writing on Improv Shows
Rainn Wilson
T.R. Knight
Guest Actors
Animation Guests
Joey Carson and Tennis
Donald Trump and Golf
2006 Emmys Nominees*
*Comedy Series
*Comedy Director
*Comedy Writer
*Comedy Actor
*Comedy Supporting Actor
Blue's Clues
Lizzy Caplan
Ann Donahue
CMT: Giants
CMA Awards
Little Miss Sunshine
Actor-Directors
Freshman Series
Clint Eastwood
Showrunners vs. Censors
Little Children
Breaking and Entering
Tartikoff Legacy Awards
Jackie Earle Haley
Knights of Prosperity
Office Online
2007 Screenplay Noms
Friday Night Lights
Robert Benton
ABC Fridays
Rookie Actors
Global Casting
2007 Pilot Casting
Sublime Slime

Also ...
A Season in Savannah (Stanford Magazine)
Five Questions: Los Angeles Dodgers (2005) (Hardball Times)
Rick Monday (Baseball Analysts)
Baseball's Odd Couple (Baseball Prospectus)
Five Questions: Los Angeles Dodgers (2006) (Hardball Times)
Five Questions: Los Angeles Dodgers (2007) (Hardball Times)

More Shameless Self-Promotion
2008 Season

Dodger home record: 50-35 (.588)
When Jon attended: 9-5 (.643)
When Jon didn't: 41-30 (.577)

1991-2008

Dodgers at home: 795-635 (.556)
Jon attended: 302-238 (.559)*
Jon didn't: 498-404 (.552)
* includes road games attended

2009 Payroll Worksheet

Current Roster with Estimated 2009 Salaries
(updated November 14)

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)
$10,000,000 Hiroki Kuroda
*$475,000 Chad Billingsley
*$415,000 Clayton Kershaw
*$405,000 Eric Stults
*$400,000 James McDonald
*Total: $11,695,000

Bullpen (7)
*$2,500,000 Takashi Saito
*$1,300,000 Scott Proctor
*$1,500,000 Jonathan Broxton
*$425,000 Hong-Chih Kuo
*$420,000 Cory Wade
*$410,000 Ramon Troncoso
*$400,000 Scott Elbert
Total: $6,955,000

Also on 40-man roster
Mario Alvarez
Yhency Brazoban
Greg Miller
Justin Orenduff

Starting Lineup (8)
$17,100,000 Andruw Jones
*$3,000,000 Russell Martin
*$2,500,000 Andre Ethier
*$600,000 Matt Kemp
*$600,000 James Loney
*$500,000 Angel Berroa
*$410,000 Blake DeWitt
*$400,000 Tony Abreu
Total: $25,110,000

Bench (5)
$10,000,000 Juan Pierre
*$600,000 Jason Repko
*$410,000 Delwyn Young
*$400,000 Danny Ardoin
*$400,000 Chin-Lung Hu
Total: $11,810,000
Note: Team can buy out Ozuna's 2009 option for $200,000

Also on 40-man roster
A.J. Ellis
Lucas May
Xavier Paul

Disabled List
$12,000,000 Jason Schmidt

Also Paying ...
$2,000,000 Brad Penny (buyout of $9,000,000 option)
$50,000 Gary Bennett (buyout of $900,000 option)
Note: Kansas City is responsible for $500,000 buyout of Angel Berroa's $5,500,000 option for 2009.

Working total: *$68,020,000

The 2008 Dodgers

ESPN BR BP Cube Alvarez
ESPN BR BP Cube Abreu
ESPN BR BP Cube Beimel
ESPN BR BP Cube Bennett
ESPN BR BP Cube Billingsley
ESPN BR BP Cube Brazoban
ESPN BR BP Cube Broxton
ESPN BR BP Cube DeWitt
ESPN BR BP Cube Ethier
ESPN BR BP Cube Furcal
ESPN BR BP Cube Garciaparra
ESPN BR BP Cube Hu
ESPN BR BP Cube Jones
ESPN BR BP Cube Kemp
ESPN BR BP Cube Kent
ESPN BR BP Cube Kuo
ESPN BR BP Cube Kuroda
ESPN BR BP Cube LaRoche
ESPN BR BP Cube Loaiza
ESPN BR BP Cube Loney
ESPN BR BP Cube Lowe
ESPN BR BP Cube Martin
ESPN BR BP Cube May
ESPN BR BP Cube McDonald
ESPN BR BP Cube Meloan
ESPN BR BP Cube Miller
ESPN BR BP Cube Orenduff
ESPN BR BP Cube Park
ESPN BR BP Cube Paul
ESPN BR BP Cube Penny
ESPN BR BP Cube Pierre
ESPN BR BP Cube Proctor
ESPN BR BP Cube Repko
ESPN BR BP Cube Saito
ESPN BR BP Cube Schmidt
ESPN BR BP Cube Stults
ESPN BR BP Cube Sweeney
ESPN BR BP Cube Troncoso
ESPN BR BP Cube Wade
ESPN BR BP Cube Young

Selected Recent Ex-Dodgers

ESPN BR BP Cube Alomar
ESPN BR BP Cube Alvarez
ESPN BR BP Cube Aybar
ESPN BR BP Cube Baez
ESPN BR BP Cube Bako
ESPN BR BP Cube Beltre
ESPN BR BP Cube Bradley
ESPN BR BP Cube Cabrera
ESPN BR BP Cube Carrara
ESPN BR BP Cube Carter
ESPN BR BP Cube Chen
ESPN BR BP Cube Choi
ESPN BR BP Cube Cora
ESPN BR BP Cube Crosby
ESPN BR BP Cube Cruz
ESPN BR BP Cube Dessens
ESPN BR BP Cube Dreifort
ESPN BR BP Cube Drew
ESPN BR BP Cube Encarnacion
ESPN BR BP Cube Edwards
ESPN BR BP Cube Erickson
ESPN BR BP Cube Falkenborg
ESPN BR BP Cube Finley
ESPN BR BP Cube Flores
ESPN BR BP Cube Gagne
ESPN BR BP Cube Grabowski
ESPN BR BP Cube Green
ESPN BR BP Cube Guzman
ESPN BR BP Cube Hanrahan
ESPN BR BP Cube Hernandez
ESPN BR BP Cube Hundley
ESPN BR BP Cube Ishii
ESPN BR BP Cube Izturis
ESPN BR BP Cube Jackson
ESPN BR BP Cube Karros
ESPN BR BP Cube Ketchner
ESPN BR BP Cube Ledee
ESPN BR BP Cube Lima
ESPN BR BP Cube Lo Duca
ESPN BR BP Cube Lofton
ESPN BR BP Cube T. Martin
ESPN BR BP Cube Mayne
ESPN BR BP Cube G. Mota
ESPN BR BP Cube Mueller
ESPN BR BP Cube Myrow
ESPN BR BP Cube Nakamura
ESPN BR BP Cube Navarro
ESPN BR BP Cube Nomo
ESPN BR BP Cube Osoria
ESPN BR BP Cube A. Perez
ESPN BR BP Cube O. Perez
ESPN BR BP Cube Phillips
ESPN BR BP Cube Proctor
ESPN BR BP Cube Roberts
ESPN BR BP Cube Robles
ESPN BR BP Cube Romano
ESPN BR BP Cube C. Ross
ESPN BR BP Cube D. Ross
ESPN BR BP Cube Sanchez
ESPN BR BP Cube Schmoll
ESPN BR BP Cube Sele
ESPN BR BP Cube Seo
ESPN BR BP Cube Shuey
ESPN BR BP Cube Stanley
ESPN BR BP Cube S. Stewart
ESPN BR BP Cube Thompson
ESPN BR BP Cube Thurston
ESPN BR BP Cube Valentin
ESPN BR BP Cube Venafro
ESPN BR BP Cube Ventura
ESPN BR BP Cube Weaver
ESPN BR BP Cube Werth
ESPN BR BP Cube Wilson
ESPN BR BP Cube Wunsch

Dodger Thoughts Land
Thank You For Not ...

1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with

Syndication

rss2.0

Add to My Yahoo!
Matt Kemp at the Natural History Museum
2008-03-04 12:59
by Jon Weisman

Kemp is on the left.

Cellphonetograph by Jon Weisman. Some rights reserved.

Comments (240)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2008-03-04 13:03:17
1.   bhsportsguy
But do they run with their heads down or up?
2008-03-04 13:03:49
2.   Eric Enders
I would have expected to see Luis Gonzalez at the Natural History Museum. Matt Kemp's a little more surprising.
2008-03-04 13:04:33
3.   ToyCannon
Was Luis Natural?
2008-03-04 13:04:49
4.   fanerman
What an accurate rendition!

Hey ibleedbloo and others at Vero, did you get to tell Kemp how awesome of a nickname he has? Is he even aware of it?

2008-03-04 13:09:42
5.   fawnkyj
In an interview last week on Joe Mcdonell show(ugh) Kemp was told of his nickname. He knew and he was amused by it.
2008-03-04 13:10:56
6.   Jon Weisman
5 - Really? That's cool.
2008-03-04 13:12:32
7.   GMac In The 909
5 Do you think Old Yeller would be amused by his new nicknames?
2008-03-04 13:12:42
8.   68elcamino427
1 They run any way they like. Just don't get in the way.
2008-03-04 13:14:16
9.   Bob Timmermann
Bill Plaschke has already posted a mash note to Brett Favre.

Favre, of course, is one of the most important sports figures in Southern California history.

There are 23 one-sentence paragraphs in the column.

I need 19 more to catch up.

Some have more than one sentence. They are similar to this one.

2008-03-04 13:14:37
10.   natepurcell
haha, i just laughed out loud in lecture.
2008-03-04 13:14:52
11.   underdog
7 I wonder, if that nickname sticks, if Larry Bowa will meet the same fate as the dog in that film.
2008-03-04 13:16:33
12.   MC Safety
Penarol have you have you seen Milan's form this season? They are 16 points behind Inter! Arsenal is playing some superb football injuries and all. They are one of the most dangerous clubs in Europe.
2008-03-04 13:18:33
13.   fawnkyj
6- Yeah they podcast there interviews on their site. Im sure you can find it.
2008-03-04 13:19:06
14.   underdog
From Tony Jax:
>>James Adkins, the Dodgers' first-round sandwich pick in last year's draft who was borrowed from minor-league camp for today's game, was four batters into his first career Grapefruit League game when he was hit in the left leg by a line drive comebacker. He limped to the ball and threw to first, too late to get the batter, then collapsed onto the turf, writhing in pain. He eventually was able to walk off under his own power, which was a good sign. Adkins, whom the Dodgers drafted out of the University of Tennessee, went straight to low Single-A Great Lakes last summer, bypassing Rookie level Ogden, and held opposing hitters to a .181 average in 11 starts.<<

Sounds like he'll be okay.

2008-03-04 13:20:33
15.   GMac In The 909
11 First, we should test him for rabies.
2008-03-04 13:24:57
16.   68elcamino427
15 That is hilarious. I'm still laughing. There's a picture of him in the gallery on the Dodger website sitting in the dugout holding his new helmet. He really does look scruffy.
2008-03-04 13:25:48
17.   Disabled List
For a while, I was thinking about putting up a website with a Plaschke "sentence vs. paragraph" meter, to see how far over 1:1 it could get.

Then I realized that to do so would require me to read every Bill Plaschke column. I quickly shelved the idea.

2008-03-04 13:26:37
18.   bhsportsguy
5 I don't recall this but Joe McDonnell asked Matt Kemp (at the end of the interview) if he was aware of a nickname that Don Sutton came up for him a few years ago, "The Bison?"

Kemp laughed about it, said whatever you want to call him is fine with him.

Kemp also said all those things that about learing from guys who have played the game for a long time, says the team has moved on and also seems to indicate that Torre is all business.

2008-03-04 13:27:43
19.   bhsportsguy
7 I think its a disservice to one of the great dogs in movie and literature history.
2008-03-04 13:29:20
20.   MC Safety
Arsenal scored 84th minute in the San Siro!!!!! Cesc Fabregas!!! Milan need two goals in 5 minutes!
2008-03-04 13:30:14
21.   Jon Weisman
17 - Since he has said he seeks to write that way, I'm not sure what the point would be.
2008-03-04 13:31:15
22.   Jacob L
Great shot, Jon. I love the Natural History Museum, even though my wife works for their arch-rivals.

Re- the discussion in the last thread on Torre's inclinations for LF (briefly restated, that JP will start the year, but won't keep the job), I agree, and have said so a couple of times. It just gets frustrating when we have to go through this somewhere on the diamond every year. If it takes until June, that's still roughly 60 regulation games - games that count - in which we don't play our best lineup. It'd be nice if some year we didn't spot the competition 2 months.

2008-03-04 13:31:21
23.   Penarol1916
12. What does that have to do with a so-called corrupt ref not giving Arsenal a free-kick and giving a card for diving?
2008-03-04 13:31:52
24.   Disabled List
18 Aaargh! Didn't Sutton call him a buffalo or something? We've been robbed!

The DT Subcommittee on Nomenclature has just been called into an emergency session.

2008-03-04 13:33:00
25.   Xeifrank
22. it's because we are a big-market team. SSN (So Says Ned).
vr, Xei
2008-03-04 13:33:39
26.   Andrew Shimmin
Brian Myrow is in came with the Padres. And he just took a Jonathon Sanchez fastball off the bicep.
2008-03-04 13:33:45
27.   bhsportsguy
22 What would be their arch-rival?

Is it the zoo? Or is it their neighbor, the Science and Tech museum?

Just wondering, not that we have give the work locations for our families on DT.

2008-03-04 13:34:20
28.   regfairfield
25 The Twins do it too, so that doesn't work.
2008-03-04 13:34:48
29.   GMac In The 909
16 That photo of Old Yeller is awesome. He looks like he's guarding the yard, doesn't he?
2008-03-04 13:35:26
30.   Andrew Shimmin
24- The conference room is yours. I was over-ruled on my shunning bhsportsguy plan, but I reserve the right to attach that to some later bill.
2008-03-04 13:40:08
31.   Jacob L
27 The California Sciencenter (formerly California Museum of Science and Industry for you old-timers).

24 30 - Are there going to be any snacks at this meeting? My lunch was a bit unsatisfactory.

2008-03-04 13:40:27
32.   MC Safety
23 Come on now, this is a crumbling and fading Milan team grasping desperately to a Champions League spot. As I'm typing another Arsenal goal in the 92nd minute! Adebayor!

What a monumental day for Arsenal and English football. This one was for Eduardo. Final score Arsenal 2 AC Milan 0.

2008-03-04 13:43:03
33.   Daniel Zappala
Jon, I call your bison:

http://ilab.cs.byu.edu/zappala/photos/antelope-island-bison.jpg

and raise you a herd:

http://ilab.cs.byu.edu/zappala/photos/yellowstone-bison.jpg

2008-03-04 13:43:56
34.   Brent is a Dodger Fan
Matt Kemp is being watched in San Francisco, too: http://www.bwfly.com/watchbison/

I take note when I run by him on Saturday mornings, weekly group run through the park.

2008-03-04 13:44:54
35.   Bob Timmermann
31
We couldn't agree on a contractor for the snacks, so everyone is brown bagging it.
2008-03-04 13:45:49
36.   Penarol1916
32. Again, what does that have to do with ESPN calling a ref corrupt for not giving Arsenal a free kick and booking the Arsenal player for diving and being disgusted by the American futball media's overt anglophilia.
2008-03-04 13:46:06
37.   Brent is a Dodger Fan
33 , 34 What timing!
2008-03-04 13:46:18
38.   Jon Weisman
33 - Everyone knows it's much easier to get a photo of living bison walking down a street than non-ambulatory bison in a museum setting.
2008-03-04 13:48:05
39.   ssjames
22 Jacob does that mean your wife works for the artificial history museum?
2008-03-04 13:48:27
40.   silverwidow
Is Matt Kemp a Buffalo Bills fan?
2008-03-04 13:51:05
41.   Jacob L
39 Pretty much.
2008-03-04 13:53:52
42.   Daniel Zappala
38 That may be true, but the bison from the top of Frary Peak on Antelope Island required a 6 mile hike, and 2000 feet in elevation.
2008-03-04 13:54:19
43.   Eric Enders
At the risk of violating Rule 5, I think this t-shirt could become a DT favorite:
http://tinyurl.com/32awhn
2008-03-04 14:05:21
44.   bhsportsguy
41 Last time I was there was before an USC football game, good location for setting up a small barbeque.
2008-03-04 14:07:53
45.   ImprobableImpossible
The trash can at the Natural History Museum is just out of frame to the left.
2008-03-04 14:09:22
46.   MC Safety
36 Hah, that's hilarious. I called the ref corrupt. From all accounts it was a pretty obvious foul. You are pretty stubborn to dismiss Milan being favored by the refs at home. Eleven English clubs have gone there and all lost. Hleb is pure class, and will make many men look silly dribbling. It was just a ridiculous booking bottom line. The Italians and specifically a few Milan players are well known actors, and they excel at diving. The refs tried to make a statement very early, and it didn't work. Arsenal are hard to stop, as evidenced by all the chances and ridiculous possesion. The only way they have been stopped lately is by an injury or a whistle.
2008-03-04 14:10:06
47.   bhsportsguy
Pistol Pete checks in at No. 5 on ESPN's 25 Greatest College Players list.

So in some order, it will come down to Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Bill Walton, Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell.

At least I think Bill Russell will be there, certainly the other 3 will be for sure.

2008-03-04 14:18:34
48.   Penarol1916
46. Yes, teams tend to do better at home, shocker, I guess that means that anyone undefeated at home versus clubs of a certain nationality has the refs in the bag. Honestly, unless your accounts are not principally English or American, I trust them about as much as you trust a ref in San Siro. Funny, since Milan is my least favorite team in Italy, that I'm defending them.
2008-03-04 14:20:16
49.   bhsportsguy
47 Russell's credentials, back to back NCAA championships, 55 game winning streak, average 20 pts/20 rebounds a game in college. NCAA changed lane size and made goaltending illegal (hitting the shot on its downward flight)

Robertson won 3 straight national scoring titles, 3-time All-American, 2-time National Player of the Year (now named the "Oscar Robertson Award")

Walton and Alcindor's accomplishments are well known, my hunch is that the No. 1 guy will be Alcindor.

2008-03-04 14:20:53
50.   Penarol1916
47. The fact that Patrick Ewing is #16 on that list makes it the stupidest thing every created in the history of time. Oh, are my biases showing?
Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2008-03-04 14:22:11
51.   fiddlestick
Andre Ethier continued his impressive run of form today with a brace of hits including a very well taken home run. Ethier also threw out a runner at the plate with a simply sublime toss that exuded class.
2008-03-04 14:24:39
52.   Jon Weisman
Tony Jackson: "Ethier wound up 2 for 4with a home run and also gunned down a runner trying to score from second on a single in the fifth inning. This RF battle is starting to heat up."
2008-03-04 14:25:32
53.   Marty
52 Kill me now.
2008-03-04 14:26:13
54.   Jon Weisman
I thought this was amusing. SFW:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z25t-PQDn5A

2008-03-04 14:27:07
55.   Xeifrank
From the previous thread I like the "Old Yeller" nickname for Bowa too. For fun I entered his name into the Automated Brazilian Athelete Name Generator and it spat out "Boweca". For Matt Kemp it came up with "Kinho Santos". Juan Pierre was "Juildo". Ok I better stop, this can get addicting.
vr, Xei
2008-03-04 14:27:16
56.   bhsportsguy
52 RF???????????????????
2008-03-04 14:30:02
57.   Jon Weisman
56 - Wow, getting an alarmed reaction from bhsportsguy is pretty ... well, alarming.
2008-03-04 14:31:52
58.   scareduck
54 - LOL!
2008-03-04 14:33:43
59.   ibleedbloo
From the last thread, yes I did get a picture with the Home run ball, I also think I will soon have a bruise as proof as well. Unfortunately I had to go and did not get a chance to have big John sign his handy work. Perhaps he and I will meet in AZ and I can get his John "lindsy" hancock then.

Also, I was sittng behind torre (except for the inning when I was checking out the bull pen; good timing for me) and he heard from me often on the awesomeness off andre.

p.s. I left the game early so I wouldn't miss my flight and, you guessed it, 30 minute delay.

2008-03-04 14:34:08
60.   bhsportsguy
57 Now, I know Tony J. just wrote a few hunderd words on why Juan Pierre is going to be the LF but really, I just can't see anyway that Ethier and Kemp split time in RF.
2008-03-04 14:34:09
61.   Eric Enders
Ethier wasn't 2 for 4. He had at least 3 hits while I was watching.
2008-03-04 14:34:20
62.   Jon Weisman
59 - So now we know we can blame you when the Bison is benched :)
2008-03-04 14:34:36
63.   Jon Weisman
61 - Tony said one hit got changed to an error.
2008-03-04 14:34:44
64.   Xeifrank
52. If Joe Torre said "RF" then I'd be in the "shoot me now" camp. But it's just Tony Jackson. Nonetheless, it's still a troubling comment.
vr, Xei
2008-03-04 14:34:47
65.   ToyCannon
57
When he pops we don't want to be around. You know what they say when you get the mild mannered ones dander up.
2008-03-04 14:35:38
66.   MC Safety
48 It was your choice to defend them. They were being bossed around from the first minute. To dismiss my opinion as anglophilia is ridiculous. If you haven't noticed Arsenal has one English player btw. I'm not really connecting your dots so I will not go into this discussion any further. It is a monumental day for Arsenal, I can't be bothered by such nonsense. Celebration resumed.
2008-03-04 14:36:09
67.   Eric Enders
54 That was outstanding.
2008-03-04 14:37:15
68.   MC Safety
53 I'm picturing Arnold in Predator.
2008-03-04 14:39:24
69.   Eric Enders
63 In that case, I think today's scorer got an early start on the mint juleps. He called a routine fly ball that was flubbed a hit, and Ethier's smoking liner that the second baseman had to lunge for an error.

Good thing these games don't matter. Except for Ethier and LaRoche, I guess, whose spring training stats may end up mattering a great deal.

2008-03-04 14:39:44
70.   Linkmeister
54 Oh wow. How did you come across that? It's wonderful!
2008-03-04 14:42:48
71.   JoeyP
52--I thought that was a joke. Turns out, Tony Jackson did in fact write that. RF???

Oh my.

2008-03-04 14:43:18
72.   trainwreck
Maybe we are playing recreational softball rules and we can have 4 outfielders.
2008-03-04 14:44:12
73.   Jon Weisman
http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-dodrep5mar05,1,1194933.story

Esteban Loaiza isn't buying what Rick Honeycutt is selling. (That's not explicit in the article; that's my interpretation.)

2008-03-04 14:44:34
74.   Jon Weisman
70 - A colleague forwarded it.
2008-03-04 14:45:14
75.   Penarol1916
66. Frankly, I didn't even realize Arsenal had even one English player on the club. It's more about the American media's pushing the EPL as the best of European futball that bothers me, plus, it seemed in your first post that you were posing ESPN's gamecast opinion of what was happening, not your own, and that is what bothered me.
2008-03-04 14:45:47
76.   Sam DC
This is the wrong thread for this Ethier to Right Field business.

Grazing rights for that grass are taken!

2008-03-04 14:46:19
77.   Andrew Shimmin
Justin Upton will be playing RF for my Diamondbacks. Chris Young in center, and Eric Byrnes in LF. There'll be a couple outfielders on the bench, I'm sure, but you'll be able to figure out who they are by picking which two of the five are not as good at baseball.
2008-03-04 14:46:39
78.   Jon Weisman
66, 75 - I have absolutely no idea what you guys are debating, but you don't need me to step in and mediate, do you?
2008-03-04 14:47:44
79.   fanerman
52 But Pierre plays... LF? Does... not... compute... unless... unspeakable... Kemp... lose... at-bats... Pi.. erre... plays... eve... ry... da... y... (head explodes)
2008-03-04 14:48:08
80.   Penarol1916
78. No, I don't think there is anything personal going on, just some confusion over what was MC's opinion on what he saw versus what E(PL)SPN was reporting.
2008-03-04 14:50:56
81.   silverwidow
It would be cool if Kershaw pitched in a cloak tonight.
2008-03-04 14:51:04
82.   kinbote
If we're really thinking of playing Pierre everyday, why did we sign Andruw Jones? I tell you, Colletti's habit of chasing his own tail is getting real old. Roster construction--which should be his entire job pretty much--seems to be a concept beyond his grasp. I know this is just another tired rant, but it seems clear that he hired Torre to clean up the mess that he made. I'm almost rooting for the team to tank so Colletti can get canned.
2008-03-04 14:51:13
83.   Humma Kavula
I have officially put Tony Jackson on my ignore list.

The ignore list so far:

Bill Plaschke
Tony Jackson
Several Rule Five violators

2008-03-04 14:51:27
84.   oklahomadodger
The funny thing is that in downtown Oklahoma City (which is about 10 minutes away from where Kemp grew up), there are decorated bison everywhere. Corporations, restaraunts, children's orgainzations (boy & girl scouts), etc. sponsor them and the money goes to the city. Earlier in the year I wrote a letter to the Daily Oklahoman saying that considering the circumstances, we needed a Matt Kemp "bison" in downtown OKC, I'm still waiting on the response.
2008-03-04 14:53:19
85.   ImprobableImpossible
You think Tony Jackson actually thinks the team is better off with Pierre playing everyday?

Or is he just wise enough to know it's going to happen regardless?

2008-03-04 14:55:06
86.   Andrew Shimmin
85- Jackson's a stone cold Pierre lover, so, there's an element of wishcasting to what he's saying (just like with Gurnick and Nomar). Doesn't necessarily mean he's wrong, but it's important to note.
2008-03-04 14:55:13
87.   Eric Enders
It could be a typo. And since it's in his blog and not an actual article, it could also be a little attempt to needle those crazy internet fans.
2008-03-04 14:56:01
88.   Eric Enders
86 I don't think you could call Jackson a Pierre lover. He's expressed exasperation with his play in the past.
2008-03-04 15:00:45
89.   natepurcell
52

We will never win this war.

2008-03-04 15:01:21
90.   natepurcell
89

Unless the enemy is eliminated.

I nominate Andrew for the operation. I don't need to know details.

2008-03-04 15:03:09
91.   ImprobableImpossible
87
It's not a typo. He references Kemp right after that statement.
2008-03-04 15:03:56
92.   MC Safety
78 80 No problem at all, just a little disagreement. I am not a EPL fanboy by any means. I support Karlsruhe in the Bundesliga as well.
2008-03-04 15:04:12
93.   Andrew Shimmin
88- It's like anybody to the left of me is a communist, to the right of me a fascist. Relative to me (the only person in the history of the world who's ever been right about anything), Jackson is a Pierre lover. Period.

Also, I heard a rumor that Tony Jackson asked Pierre to marry him, last year on a late night flight.

2008-03-04 15:04:37
94.   Gen3Blue
re 53 Kill me after Marty. They don't get it!
Now I better read the intervening 40 or so comments.
2008-03-04 15:05:43
95.   TheBigGrabowski
BISON
2008-03-04 15:06:42
96.   ToyCannon
For every JP you eliminate a Nook Logan will replace him. To win the war the head must be removed not the limbs.
2008-03-04 15:10:01
97.   ToyCannon
Isn't it time for Canuck to go off on TJ? I haven't seen a good Canuck rant for a while. Should I mention that Greg Miller looks cooked or is that a number 3 violation?
2008-03-04 15:11:24
98.   natepurcell
97

Miller's stuff looked fine, in terms of velocity and movement on his pitches.

everything else was hard to watch.

2008-03-04 15:17:14
99.   scareduck
93 - everybody has a little Captain in him.
2008-03-04 15:17:17
100.   Eric Enders
Miller's problem was location, like always. He looked like a guy who could be really good if he ever figures out where the ball's going. They didn't hit him hard at all -- a groundball single here, a well-placed fly ball there.
Show/Hide Comments 101-150
2008-03-04 15:18:12
101.   Jacob L
How about we put Kemp in RF, Ethier in the other RF, and Pierre on the bench.
2008-03-04 15:19:54
102.   ToyCannon
JP looks great in terms of speed and effort.

everything else is hard to watch.

2008-03-04 15:20:16
103.   Daniel Zappala
During the regular season, every week that JP plays more than one game in LF, I will sacrifice one of my kids.
2008-03-04 15:20:50
104.   paranoidandroid
Delwyn's zero for five is concerning. He played the whole game.

Perhaps Tony Jackson was somehow mentioning that Andre played RF today and it got mixed up in the context of saying that he is making his case to be playing? Regardless, it's too soon to tell what Torre will do in four weeks.

Nomar had a couple hits. Now it's turn Andy!

2008-03-04 15:22:18
105.   natepurcell
102

I think there's a difference between Miller and JP....Miller use to be really good and still has the physical tools to be good if he can ever get the mental aspect right.

JP was never good nor has the tools/skillset to be any good.

2008-03-04 15:22:34
106.   bhsportsguy
103 So you have 30 or so kids now? I just figure you want to end up with a few at season's end.
2008-03-04 15:22:55
107.   Daniel Zappala
73 When I originally saw that Honeycutt was trying to get Loaiza to change his delivery, I wondered to myself (a) why he would think Loaiza could suddenly be successful by changing how he's always pitched, (b) why he would think Loaiza could suddenly be successful.
2008-03-04 15:24:10
108.   Daniel Zappala
106 Oh, I can always make more! But I would hope the foolishness would end before I ran out.
2008-03-04 15:25:04
109.   fanerman
103 Wasn't there an idea put forth somewhere (by a reporter or something), within the last month or so, that the competition for an outfield spot was actually between Kemp and Ethier?
2008-03-04 15:25:07
110.   bhsportsguy
104 I think Delwyn just needs to show enthusiam, bring 3 or 4 gloves to park, do those little things well, take 500 groundballs a day followed by 300 fly balls.

And finally, volunteer to try on the catcher's gear to be the emergency catcher.

In all seriousness, I think they are least concerned about his hitting and more concerned if he can play multiple positions at the MLB level.

2008-03-04 15:26:17
111.   bhsportsguy
109 Its been mentioned before but there is group denial of that ever being the actual contest.
2008-03-04 15:26:18
112.   ToyCannon
105
Really, thanks for the inside info. I'm kind of new to this baseball stuff.
2008-03-04 15:27:24
113.   Eric Enders
"And finally, volunteer to try on the catcher's gear to be the emergency catcher."

You know, that's actually not the worst idea I've ever heard. We know he's got a gun, and he has the reputation of having good hands but poor range. He's also got the build for it.

2008-03-04 15:30:36
114.   underdog
It was hard not to think of Greg Miller when reading this piece today on Noah Lowry, who has suddenly become Nook LaLoosh and no breathing through his eyelids can save him. (Though now it's been revealed that he also has tendinitis.)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/04/SP9KVCRET.DTL

Here's to hoping Greg M can put it together.