ESPN shows Jason Werth's HR and his Mom is cheering in the stands and your only response is "Hey, she's pretty good looking."

http://tinyurl.com/4brusc

Does he officially exist now?

Overall, I like the green aspect as the current parking lot just seems like such an environmental wasteland and such anti-public place for such a huge centrally located place. Not sure how they will encourage people to get up there on non-game days.

As I have said before, all that needs to be built for a public transit link is a ramp from the Chinatown Gold Line station (with an escalator or moving sidewalk). It is only about a quarter mile from stadium to the station, although it is quite steep and has to go over the freeway. Seems like the City, the MTA and the Dodgers could work together on the funding for this (the Dodgers could avoid building a parking garage or two. If it isn't done now, it never will be. This is the only way to really connect the stadium to Downtown as well as address the poor access of the stadium. With this plan it may be more important for the McCourts to get people to the site rather than just maximize parking revenue

PA: 2 AB: 2 H: 0 W: 0 RBI: 0

... Billingsley has allowed a .367 average with runners on base this season BEFORE this game started, and he had trouble with runners on tonight. I think it's as simple as that.

Two reasons for optimism that he'll bounce back are: 1) any stats from 2008 represent a small sample size, and 2) his career numbers with runners on before this season are very good (.234 average, .337 slugging).

There might be a problem with concentration thus far in the young season; he's still young and learning. He'll be OK.

Several other players are 0 for 4 with the bases loaded.

I'd like to see Kershaw as much as anyone, but I am hesitant to rush a pitcher before he might be ready. He hasn't even pitched in AA more than a few starts and Plaschke wants him up already. Last year he was practically begging the Dodgers to trade their young potential stars. Can we not get a decent sportswriter at the LA Times. Plaschke is an idiot.

And, he faced some good hitters tonight.

The highest K/9 in LA Dodger history (minimum 100 IP) is Hideo Nomo's 11.10 in his rookie year of 1995. Most of the rest of the spots (8 out the top 13) are taken by Koufax.

http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/3n2W

Billingsley's 8.63 K/9 last year has him 15th on the list. In 2007, the NL K/9 was 6.70, giving Chad a K/9+ rating (I just made that up) of 129 (100 being average).

For comparison, Koufax's best K/9 season was 10.55 in 1962. The league-wide K/9 in 1962 was 5.61, giving Koufax a K/9+ of 188.

Just for kicks, the early season 2008 NL K/9 is also 6.70 (same as 2007), so Chad's K/9+ rate stands right now at 208.

But still, if his job is to concentate in throwing certain pitches to certain spots, and he did that successfully tonight, and bad results occurred anyways, how can we fault his concentration?

Billingsley might have won the game tonight if not for his right fielder creating a "double" and a runner beating out a DP ball by a whisker. It's a game of inches and right now the other guys have the inches.

He'll be OK.

There's about a 99.99998% chance that Abrams comes back. He just declared because kids get one free draft declaration which they can use during their careers (and then still return to school), and he hasn't used his yet. I think he just wants to find out what the NBA scouts think of him. Once they tell him that 5-foot-7 midgets who can't play defense don't make it in the NBA, then he'll be back in school for sure. He's not a pro prospect by any stretch of the imagination.

Alas, if DJ had stayed, Texas would be an easy pick for preseason #1. I think they'll still be pretty good as it is, though.

1 Eric Gagne 14.98 82.1 2003 27
2 Billy Wagner 14.95 74.2 1999 27
3 Brad Lidge 14.93 94.2 2004 27
4 Armando Benitez 14.77 78 1999 26
5 Billy Wagner 14.55 60 1998 26
6 Billy Wagner 14.38 66.1 1997 25
7 Byung-Hyun Kim 14.14 70.2 2000 21
8 Rob Dibble 14.08 70.1 1992 28
9 Chad Billingsley 13.94 21.7 2008 23
10 Matt Mantei 13.64 65.1 1999 25

Texas will be fine, because Damion James has stayed and Rick Barnes continues to do a fabulous job of recruiting at a football school.

With all of this said, Augustin has a place on any NBA team (not named Dallas, N.O., or Utah) because his skills as a point guard are, in my opinion, unmatched. I get chills thinking of a Lakers team with D.J. serving Kobe and Gasol.

I had hope that Augustin was going to stay, but it was biased, why would he ever want to leave Austin type of hope. He is also supposedly very interested in his studies so I thought that play in favor of him staying. You are right, he should have a solid NBA career.

I feel bad for all the seniors from this year who thought they might have had a chance at getting drafted. They should extend this year's draft an extra round, because its that deep.

Barnes' recruiting class this year isn't up to its usual standard, but he'd better get a good one for '09, because Abrams, Atchley, and almost certainly James will be gone after the 08-09 season.

I'm still very bullish on Chad.

Jon, I don't know if this was aimed at my comments a few days ago regarding the comparison of Chad to Bobby Witt, but if so, I feel the need to respond.
I did NOT say Chad had a million dollar arm and ten-cent head. I did say that was a description used at one time on Witt. Please re-read the post if you feel differently. I personally don't even think that was the case with Witt, but he never came close to fulfilling his potential (142-157 lifetime record, ERA of 4.83 and led the entire major leagues in walks 3 times)given the arm that he had.
What I tried to say in that post was Billz to this point is as maddeningly inconsistent as Witt was, and I questioned whether he will ever overcome that inconsistency. Last night was just another example- twelve strikeouts but five earned runs. I want Billz to be our next great right-hander in the mold of the Suttons and Welchs and Hershisers as much as anyone, but right now he makes us hold our breath every inning.

For comparison, from 2006-2008:
Penny - 5 IP in 67 of 71 (94%), 6 IP in 49 of 71 (69%)
Lowe - 5 IP in 61 of 71 (86%), 6 IP in 50 of 71 (70%)

I think Chad is on the verge of a nice run, though. Some better luck will help, offsetting maybe a decrease in K/9 to only 12 :), and he'll be right on track.

As long as he keeps the ball in the yard, his ERA will come down rather rapidly.
The 2-run homer to Salazar just shouldnt happen.

I had heard on another messageboard that Wade was getting called up bc one of the commenters knew Wade personally.
Is the team down on Troncoso?
Confident that Nomar can play everday?
Or confident that Hu will be the super utility guy that spells 2b, SS, and 3b?

The Dodgers just needed to not get swept by the Dbax and they at least accomplished that.

I will be at the much anticipated Penny/Redman matchup Saturday.

Well, as of yesterday, it hadn't been 10 days since he was optioned (mandatory waiting period).

it was a shame that bills got the loss, really only made 1 mistake, than made a great pitch on a 1-2 to count to C.Y. and he shattered his bat for a single than gave up another run to shaky defense.

One of these things don't belong with the others. And that's as close to a TV/Song analogy as you'll get from me. :)
vr, Xei

Seems to me that his K rate is the only peripheral that's good. WHIP, BBs, K/BB, all not good.

It looks like for the most part, when Chad gets pulled, it's because he's done, not because he's being conserved.

http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/Fadx

I'm not sure that 2.46:1 is "almost 3:1".

Its amazing he's 0-4 with a 6.53 ERA with those type of peripherals.

If he has that high of K rate, and only gives up 1HR every 10 innings all season----he'll be the best pitcher on the staff IMO.

If Penny can keep up not give up home runs (0HRs in 30.1 IP), he'll be pretty goo too. But his substandard K rate is really bothersome.

66abs
21ks
3bbs
1 HR

Is Kemp in danger of being optioned?
I dont think he should be, but I'm wondering if there's a certain level of play he must maintain until he gets sent to Vegas to "work out the kinks"...

Interesting insight. Thanks.

Is there something mechanical where he just doesn't pitch as effectively out of the stretch?

Billingsley has 13 games of 100+ pitches.

His career high in pitches is 116 (in only 5 IP last August). He also has games of 114 pitches (in only 4.1 IP!), 111 and 110 (the latter in the masterpiece in Houston).

Career
None on: .264/.343/.410
Men on: .246/.359/.357

He'll be the only one laughing.

"Rich Aurilia's home run last night accounted for the only run in the game. Good for him. That was Aurilia's first home run of the season. It was also his first run of the season, which is pretty amazing considering last night's game was Aurilia's 21st of the season. What's even more amazing is that Aurilia is the closest thing the Giants have to an everyday first baseman. That's not cool."

Juan Pierre

Is Jimmy Fallon really going to replace Conan? I thought that was a joke at first. I guess Chris Kattan wasn't available. Couldn't they have taken one of the Talk Soup guys? That's worked before.

He has 7 BB and 4 Ks thus far, with a 113 ERA+.

In LA Dodger history, there have only been 16 men to sport a K/BB ratio under 1 (in 30 or more IP). Roger McDowell (in 1993) is the only one of that group with an ERA+ over 100 (with a 173!).

http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/p7yR

I have a feeling Chan Ho has hit the click in the roller coaster, and the fall is about to get fast and steep.

Probably not surprising.

That opening line makes me very uncomfortable.

Not a great baseball movie (and not in the same league as `Bronx is Burning'), but at least it was no `The Slugger's Wife'.

"Torre remains undecided on a starter for Sunday but said he's leaning heavily toward keeping left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo in the bullpen and filling out the rotation with either Esteban Loaiza or Chan Ho Park."

That's a neat trick.

Apr 7: Park leaves with bases juiced, Beimel leaves 3
Apr 23: Park leaves with 2 on, Beimel strands them.

"I thought about all the changes I've made," he said. "I've accepted not drinking. I'm able to wake up and do things instead of staying in my hotel room recuperating all morning."'

http://tinyurl.com/4f3lne

Measures how many more or fewer of the bequeathed baserunners subsequent relievers allowed to score than would be expected from league average performance in those situations. I.e., a positive figure means the following relievers kept more of the bequeathed runners from scoring than expected, negative means more of the runners scored than expected.

For those who wish to be forewarned, I'm going to Saturday night's game against the Rockies.

One interesting thing was that as I entered the stadium down the left field line, McCourt was standing there just finishing up talking to someone. I shook his hand, and told him, "Frank, you're doing a great job." He said "thanks", and smiled.

Doesn't leverage look at these stats to? Pitchers receive plus and minus points based on the situation (runner on 1st, two outs) factoring in the likelihood of the run coming in and the actual outcome.

I could be way off on what this is called. I loved the first 10 pages I read about it, but then I was lost.

http://tinyurl.com/3v6zou

Along these lines, we might expect "setup men" to benefit from typically being relieved by "closers". On the other hand, middle relievers probably don't benefit from being relieved by each other.

Sophomore slumps that will not last.
New big-name Manager.
China trip.
Hang over from last years end.
Eagerness to make a statement.
Eagerness to nail down a starting position.
Desire to prove to themselves they are very good MLB players.
Chad's rainout.
Chad maybe trying to save himself during warmup to pitch longer into game.
Trying to force success instead of letting success come to them.
Kuo not yet stretched out enough for starting.
Veteran bats not producing or not available.
Too many hitters starting off the season similarly to how Wright did last year.