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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
An MRI revealed that Nomar Garciaparra has a microfracture in his wrist, reports Tony Jackson of the Daily News. While this doesn't rule Garciaparra out for Opening Day, it does add to the uncertainty.
For all the attention that the outfield has gotten this spring, third base is a bigger issue for the Dodgers, and with nagging injuries to Garciaparra and Tony Abreu to go with Andy LaRoche's more severe malady - not to mention second baseman Jeff Kent's tenuous health - it's unclear how the Dodgers will respond.
The fourth option at third base is to move Chin-Lung Hu there, which in some ways recalls the Cesar Izturis venture of 2006. The difference is that Hu would be more of a short-term stopgap at that position. Furthermore, the alternatives inside and outside the organization to Hu are so, so meager.
Blake DeWitt has also been mentioned by some, but considering how recently the guy was in A ball, it just strikes me as too huge a leap for him to make. Consider that the Dodgers are hesitant to do the same thing with Clayton Kershaw, then ask yourself whether it makes sense to throw DeWitt to the major-league wolves at this stage.
Ramon Martinez? We're past the expiration date.
I hate to bring up the outfield dilemma again, but I have to say I'd be more comfortable sticking Hu at third base and batting him eighth if Andre Ethier were playing instead of Juan Pierre - but that's also assuming Kent or even Abreu plays second. An infield that's half James Loney and Rafael Furcal, and half Hu and DeWitt, is a bit scary.
Basically, if the Dodgers want to try to sneak through the first month or so of the season with a combination of Garciaparra, Abreu and Hu, I won't object. But is it too early to wonder if bad health is going to sink the Dodgers in 2008? They haven't yet gotten a serious pitching injury beyond Jason Schmidt, but something is inevitable on that front.
That injury to LaRoche was just critical, simply critical.
Update: From The Associated Press:
"Blake DeWitt's got a hell of an opportunity to hang out with the big boys," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Wednesday.
Asked whether DeWitt is ready to play in the majors, Torre replied: "Some people are saying yes, some people are saying maybe. Nobody says for sure that he's not ready."
Update 2: Andrew Grant at True Blue L.A. wonders if Esteban German is a viable option.
He lacks power, but has great discipline, and would fit very well into the spot of utility guy off the bench. He's also cheap, just entering his first year of arbitration, and can be easily abandoned once we no longer need him. Only problem is that with all of these pluses, he might actually require giving someone up to get him, instead of just eating his salary like we could with any of the other options.
Update 3: Some more roster notes from Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:
With the Florida and China squads reunited on Wednesday, the Dodgers trimmed two pitchers, optioning left-handers Eric Stults and Greg Miller.
The Dodgers did not officially make a move with reliever Yhency Brazoban, but they did leave him in Vero Beach, Fla., when they headed to Phoenix, where they resume their exhibition schedule this week. Brazoban needs innings to build arm strength after shoulder surgery, and the club wants him to shed about 25 pounds.
The same article talks nicely about limiting Clayton Kershaw's innings this season to protect his arm.
Inland Empire: .247/.277/.375
Jacksonville: .253/.277/.406
Unless he suddenly figured it all out, the guy has absolutely no buisness on a big league roster right now.
1 That's semi-hopeful but yeah sounds too optimistic. I never thought I'd root so hard for Nomar to be healthy and starting.
Sometimes we live in a sick, sick universe.
There's room for Pierre in the Royals' outfield. Throw some moolah their way.
I hope Kent & Abreu are healthy enough to allow Hu to come up and play some 3B, rather than some of the untenable options outside the organization.
Bonds will make a good DH for someone.
Anyway, good thing there's still almost two weeks before the season starts.
If Abreu is no go, then all those outside trade rumors will start again. Especially since the White Sox are already in Arizona (see you tomorrow).
Then Betemit can be the modern day Rickey Henderson, going up to Joe Torre in the clubhouse and say, "Joe, the way you wear your hat kind of funny--you know, on top of your head so it sits real high--that reminds me of a manager I had the second half of last season."
Pierre for anyone...including Crede or Inge. If Crede or Inge underperform, they still have more value than Juan off the bench. If they hit a few home runs, someone will take them in a trade. Repko is a very good 4th outfield candidate. Does everything, just not everything at a high level.
Of course same goes for our leader, I hope your little one doesn't hear "Mitch" or "Johnson."
https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/924803.html
Start at comment 86.
I believe the highlight of the day was Ethier cutting in front of Pierre to make a catch and then throwing out a guy trying to advance to 3rd.
The next question is why was I looking at her shoes.
And the University of Florida! That's even worse!
That's an unpardonable sin akin to being a barrator.
Bob, I'm going to sue you for sullying the good name of one Erin Andrews!
Does it help EA that she predated Joakim Noah's time as a Gator?
What if I accused Erin Andrews of simony?
Really--we are very deep with prospects at third base, and while most are not close yet, it would be incredably unintelligent to take on any long term contracts there.
SOSG piece on college bands almost made me reveal what I think of certain sports using colleges as a minor league, and no one wants or needs to hear that.
It's a perfect short attention span theater book.
Sometimes justice can only be accomplished when you use guilt by association.
Well, that's different. It's illegal, under (Toy)Cannon law.
You know, Ned did well in that Milton Bradley trade.
Sure its $3 a month but that is less than a Diet Coke at Dodger Stadium or Petco.
But a Diet Coke at either stadium adds to my rotation of cups I use at home!
I hope Furcal is as recovered as he seems.
It's called Simony & Simony.
Ha!
Yeah, I saw the Ben Howland press conference. Or I should say, the one minute that ESPN showed of it.
"Blake DeWitt's got a hell of an opportunity to hang out with the big boys," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said Wednesday.
Asked whether DeWitt is ready to play in the majors, Torre replied: "Some people are saying yes, some people are saying maybe. Nobody says for sure that he's not ready."
http://www.theledger.com/article/20080319/APS/803190923
ESPNU gets announcers I've never heard of. But they seem fine to me.
UCSB vs Ole Miss seems like quite the cultural clash. I'm sure the Ole Miss announcers have made about 25 surfing jokes about UCSB.
Everybody knows that you're supposed to make jokes about everyone at UCSB being drunk instead.
UCSB has been executing their offense a lot better than Ole Miss has, but UCSB just does not have the players to take advantage of their opportunities. Ole Miss cannot shoot at all.
66 Hah hah. That reminds me of the old Monty Python sketch called "The Bishop" - about, yes, a crime-solving Bishop.
--
San Diego State seems to be in the NIT every year.
At least till Nomar gets a hangnail.
Wait. Are you saying that Nomar is embellishing his broken hand to get out of spring training? Don't you think he has enough goodwill and stature to take a few days off without resorting to that?
Acts 8:9-24
http://tinyurl.com/2g3dfu
for those of you not scripturing at home.
Abreu worries me, too. What, it's like a year he's had this hernia problem, right? And it suddenly goes away two days ago? The day after some paper questioned his heart?
I was very impressed by DeWitt in Vero (small sample size alert). I say give him a shot.
And not that it needs saying again but Ethier in person looks awesome. A very complete ballplayer who seems ready to break out. Nice guy, always smiling, friendly to fans. That counts for something in my book. I'll be rooting for him.
Congrats to Jon and Lex!
Will the UCSB fans commemorate the event by getting drunk? Or do they just do that after wins?
As a UCSB alum and current employee, the student support for basketball is horrible. Men's Soccer on the other hand is a different story.
His big chance as usual. But I was surpised Nomar was gone so long until this news. I guess this would make sense, as he always seems to get bone injuries from getting hit.
I'd love to get DeWitt a month or so as he's done nothing to show he can't handle it.
Which department do you work for?
Also, if DeWitt ends up being ML ready and takes over at third, what do we do with LaRoche?
And has there been any hint of what Young's role will be this year?
Sorry for the series of questions... I'm still recovering from turning 30 and St Patty's day. Plus, haven't seen much spring training ball
http://tinyurl.com/yo74qh
I'm down with trying Ensberg as a stop gap. German has his uses, a starting 3rd baseman is probably not one of them.
Willie Aybar might also be available as well as Felipe Lopez.
In my world we take Brandon Wood off the Angels hand and test Andrew's theory about minor league strike out rates.
Using DeWitt should be sheer fantasy.
>> Torre said the only disadvantage he foresees this year is that the team's minor leaguers are still training in Florida, so the Dodgers won't have the option of sending players over to minor league camp to get enough at-bats or innings. Therefore, the Dodgers will simulate at least one start, for Chad Billingsley, and might use other simulations as they try to evaluate every player before making roster decisions. >>
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23716526/
Related to the more meaningful I would agree that after many years of experience I consider March 20 a great day for a birthday. Good Luck.
>> The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres were hardly paid at all for their trip to China last week to play two historic exhibition games. Each player received $3,000, while coaches and trainers were stiffed completely. <<
## "The Red Sox and A's are playing regular-season games, so I understand they should get more," one Dodgers employee said. "But going to China was just as disruptive to your sleep schedule and your preparations for the season as going to Japan. The difference should have been more like, $30,000 and $10,000, and support people and coaches should have gotten something." ##
%% The China series lost money. Wukesong Stadium seated 12,500 and many tickets were given to government officials. The Dodgers spent nearly $1 million on the trip and don't expect to be reimbursed. %%
http://tinyurl.com/28kbw6
Didn't Utah put up 54 in the Finals in 1997 or 1998?
gpellamjr and Daniel Zappala would tell you that March 22 is better.
They will remind you of this.
Frequently.
Not only do I believe in guilt by association, I also like to paint with a broad brush.
I haven't dug up anything on microfractures, either.
I agree.
>> So much for the claim that the Oakland A's are the model franchise for small budget teams. <<
http://tinyurl.com/23fa98
That was not much of column at all. Let's just rip Billy Beane so we can feel superior.
http://tinyurl.com/28offf
Stan from Tacoma
http://tinyurl.com/2sjk46
Wow, I bet that smarts.
How many games/at bats will Kent be able to contribute this year?
I thought that maybe Kent was just coasting through ST. That does not seem to be the case.
Hoping that Nomar would somehow no longer be brittle. So much for that wishful thinking.
What to do? What to do?
What's the payroll, $110 - $120 mil.?
I'm glad that I'm not in Ned's shoes right now.
Getting ready for the final phase of ST and your 2b and 3b positions are very unsettled.
Even with it being Spring Training, where numbers can be deceiving, can Joe Torre seriously ignore Andre Ethier's statistics compared to Juan Pierre's?
-- Jake N., Raleigh, N.C.
When you put it that way, I guess the answer is yes. Not that he's ignoring Ethier's stats, but having spoken with Torre, I believe that Pierre's eight years in the Major Leagues carry more weight with Torre than this Spring Training. That said, if Pierre is in the lineup Opening Day, it doesn't mean that he'll be in the lineup every day, or even most days, or even after a couple of weeks.
I believe that Torre would rather start the season with the veteran and transition to the younger player, than do it the other way around. There are important reasons to do it that way, particularly in the management of clubhouse politics. On the other hand, if Torre really believes Ethier deserves to play ahead of Pierre from the start, he'll do what he did when he benched Bernie Williams with the Yankees. Torre will do what's best to win. He's built a pretty solid reputation doing that.
http://tinyurl.com/ysvhao
Last year there were 106 entries.
I was 63rd last year, although I assume there was a tie involved there.
http://tinyurl.com/2kh4aq
Someone used the word "gumption?"
Plato and Socrates discuss removing children to be raised by the state. From which city-state did they borrow this idea?
Student answer: Texas
142 - because when someone says something like, "he's a five tool player", he gets grief, so you need things like "gumption"
Ron Belliard has some pop in his bat and hits for a decent average. He has ten years mlb experience.
He plays most at 2b, but also played at ss and 3b (2 games) last year.
His name was mentioned in rumors earlier this spring.
What are the drawbacks with this guy, if he is available?
"The China series lost money. Wukesong Stadium seated 12,500 and many tickets were given to government officials. The Dodgers spent nearly $1 million on the trip and don't expect to be reimbursed.
" 'The trip was about introducing Major League baseball to a new population,' Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said. 'It was about goodwill, not profit.'"
McCourt won't defy the pretend slotting system, and he'll pay out of his own pocket for MLB's let's market the game to China theory. He, allegedly, promised Selig he wouldn't go after Vlad Guerrero. What kind of deal with the devil did he make to get this team and when does it expire?
If the Brew brothers do indeed sign to play at UCSB and a couple of the other hot recruits come in, that could re-energize the crowd. Otherwise, I don't know what they should do - close the beach? Ban pot and beer?
Ah well, too bad games are two halves, not just one.
>> With Garciaparra and LaRoche sidelined, Torre said that the majority of the playing time at third base in the Dodgers' six Cactus League games would go to Blake DeWitt, a 22-year-old prospect who has never played above double A. <<
http://tinyurl.com/2spsws
UCSB is rising in the academic world and I think a lot of the students just do not care about athletics. So priorities are studying and of course drinking. I did not meet another student that was really into college athletics there. Like students would go to games just because it was place to be and you got some stupid T-shirt. No longer place to be, so they do not care.
Most students do not really know any of the history of the Thunderdome or how the crowds were.
Its an oldie but a goodie.
His instincts are amazing -- sometimes it's like he senses things happening before anybody else does -- but I'm not sure he's got the arm for it. Also, his voice is "pimply" at times, I've heard.
When you have two injuries hit the same position, but you expect those players back after 1-2 months, you don't make a trade for that position. You fill in with whoever was going to be at AAA.
I could see trading for German if the team feels it needs a better utility player. Abreu has been injured and Martinez isn't good. But I wouldn't do it just to fill in the hole at 3B for a month.
NPUT
This is not a drill.
A lefty would take too long on plays to his right, thats why they don't play 3rd. They also would take longer turning double plays.
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