I looked at Andy's Fangraphs stuff yesterday and the thing that definitely stood out was the BABIP. Everything else (BBs, Ks, Isos, etc.) looked really good.

It will be pretty crazy if Nadal beats Federer in straight sets at both the French and Wimbledon.

Just this morning I emailed Tony Jackson asking why Laroche isn't playing more. This after Torre said, when Laroche was called up, that he would play alot. He has 40 plate appearances since his June 10th call-up....40. Torre is not one to believe when he says something. Ridiculous.

It would be a shame if a twisted knee had an impact on the outcome.

Only a twisted knee can save Federer now.

We are all living in fear of a trade that will harm our team. Why don't we start advocating, pulling for, emailing everyone we can about a trade that will have positive effects on our team? And here it is: Let's trade Torre to the Yankees for Girardi! Torre would take it in a heartbeat because all he wants is to be on TV and in the papers every day, he knows he made a mistake coming here. And the Steinbrenners are just crazy enough to make the trade too. If they want to throw in GMs, well, anybody here going to complain? I know some of you here have Industry contacts, start pushing this...

Break point chances:

Federer 1/11
Nadal 3/4

This happens pretty much every time they play. Nadal is tougher on the "big points".

The grass is always greener. If we had Girardi, we'd find things to hate about him just as we did with Torre.

I dislike Torre's managerial moves as much as the next guy. But there are relatively few managers who the DT crowd would like better, once they got to know them. Manny Acta. Jim Leyland. Maybe Joe Maddon. That's about it.

7
Must ... not .... make .... banned ... statement

But there are relatively few managers who the DT crowd would like better, once they got to know them

Same could probably be said about general managers as well.

Must ... not .... make .... banned ... statement

Rule 8 (and her implicit variations) is a harsh mistress.

8
I think we'd all enjoy hanging out with Bobby Cox and Lou Piniella.

Ozzie Guillen would be the best.

Federer wins 5 games in a set...!

11
Yeah. Kicking back with Sweet Lou, knocking down a couple bottled waters...

OK, well let's get started. Is Druw sitting today, or is Torre going to wheel him out there until our eyes bleed?

Torre said on Friday that Nomar and Andruw wouldn't play today.

Torre has changed his mind before.

6 Are you kidding? Girardi would be just as maddening or even more maddening. Just ask our friends over at Bronx Banter, or my dad, or my friends who are Yankees fans. Seriously, I'd rather have Torre frankly. We could do better, we could do worse. As Eric says, the grass is greener...
Plus as we'd discussed here before when have the Dodgers had a manager everyone thought was perfect or close to it? Well, there was... Er, how about... Uh, well there was that guy... No, I can't think of anyone in my entire lifetime.

Anyway, hope for the best.

I'm hoping for the best today, will be driving back home so I'll have to wait til tonight to watch it. C'mon, boys, let's get 2 outta 3!

With Firefox 3, anyone found anything similar to linkification? That's what I miss most.

18 - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/190 ?

15 Andruw not playing today, heavens to murgatroid who will provide the offensive punch the Dodgers are missing...or not.

18 - I use 2.0 at home, but it says it works for 3.0 now. Sweet tool, especially for the comments here.

I put Linkification on my computer at work, but have yet to try it out.

My home computer hasn't had Firefox upgraded.

20 - With Pee Wee at .421 OBP as a pinch hitter (sorry, make that .344 BA), I am sure that Torre is tempted to sit him as well.

Maybe LaRoche can add catcher to his utilitiness.

23 Wouldn't that make him more valuable off the bench? Considering how bad his overall numbers are, he must be terrible as a starter.

OF course, as soon as I ask the linkification question, it shows that there is a new version on my add-ons list.

One of us needs to go undercover and find out what's going on. Like why do they hate Kemp and LaRoache so much?

27 - I think hate's too strong a word, but what's the mystery? It's been said over and over again that they don't like how certain Dodgers do the little things and heed instruction.

Kemp does play everyday, nonetheless.

Fact de LaRoche... Fact of Andy...

It's calling me and I don't know why. This voice in my head...

Anywho, count me in on those who think LaRoche should be a starter and the All-American kid who hustles and bustles should do so from the bench.

It would be nice for a Dodgers hitter to actually do the "big thing." You know, something like, hit a home run.

Even a triple is OK.

Our GM doesn't build a team around the "big thing".

For some reason, I have become extremely cynical and sarcastic in the month of July. I think the trip to Cleveland has had that effect on me.

It just seems like if you could perfect hitting a grounder to second, you'd have a long career in this league.

32
I had noticed that. I like it.

Much to strong, meant it more as "slang" than than actual hate. Forget I am writing sometimes! Kemp does play daily but others point out the smear campaign. And with Andy, your post says it all.

32 I love it when Bob (or Jon) get a little on edge. When you stoop down to our level some. LOL

33 LOL

I think it was the trip to Cleveland COMBINED with the Plaschke Angels/Dodgers column that have sent me down a dark path.

And I don't know if there's any turning back. There better be a catcher's interference call sometime soon or else I'm going to end up changing my handle to A4J.

Game on at Wimbledon.

Do Federer and Nadal BOTH need a swoosh on their headbands AND their shirts?

32 It might have something to to with the Dodger's July record in 2002, 03, 05, and 06- not just poor, but atrocious records four of the last seven years in July.

37 You need some rhubarb pie.

41
I hate rhubarb! Perhaps my grandma shouldn't have put the leaves into the pie.

There goes McEnroe again. Always dumping on the Balearic Islands.

Make that four of the last six years. Though granted July wasn't much worse than the rest of the season in 2005, but it was still the worst month for the spectacularly bad team.

As Shakespeare said, "July is the cruelest month."

Third set to Federer.

45 Which is why I attend the Cedar City Shakespeare Festival. I'll be seeing Othello and Taming of the Shrew next week. I highly recommend driving out to Cedar City sometime. It' only 6 1/2 hours away!

I've been to Cedar City before. My family and I tried to go to a Catholic Church there to go to Mass for the Feast of the Assumption.

The priest pretty much told us he could celebrate Mass whenever we were ready.

If McCourt does fire Colletti after this season, would Kim Ng be an improvement? Any idea what kind of GM she would be?

49
Any idea what kind of GM she would be?

Shorter.

The DT crowd would do backflips if Manny Acta was the manager.

51
Metaphorical backflips. If I tried to do a real one, I believe I would end up having back surgery.

Or become a ward of the state.

federer looks a little more locked in, a break would be huge because hes serving well now

Yeah, Federer's playing great, but it might be too late.

26 Marty, if you use Cool Iris previews to go along with Linkification, I've found in Firefox 3 Cool Iris only works with genuine links and not linkified ones.

Uh, did that make sense?

54 which is unfortunate because i really dont care for nadal

56
10 out of 10 women I've surveyed say they care for Nadal.

A lot.

I think the Dodgers should package LaRoche, Penny and Furcal for A-Rod.

Is this going to be the Complain About All-Star Selections live thread?

Or do we Easties have a "no spoilers" rule in effect?

I can set up a thread on the Griddle about it. But no one will go there.

The Dodgers fans will complain on their own and the Yankees fans will do the same.

I try to bring people together, but I often fail and just drive them further apart.

I've decided that I'm better off trying to like Nadal, since he's going to be winning a lot from here on out.

Ken Rosenthal has decided that we are out of the running for C.C Sabathia.

"The Los Angeles Dodgers are out of the running for C.C. Sabathia, according to a major-league source, an indication that the Milwaukee Brewers may be nearing a trade for the Indians' left hander."

Were we ever really in the running?

Oh ok Bob, I'll just complain about all of the Dodgers and Yankees that get selected here then!

62 I have come to absolutely loathe Ken Rosenthal.

I didn't hate him two years ago. It's been an evolution of sorts.

Absolutely loathe.

62
Adding C.C. Sabathia would have been the equivalent of trying to save a plummeting aircraft by bailing water.

62 Good.

47 I second that recommendation. My wife and I went 3 or 4 years ago and it was great.

A.L Starters:

Joe Mauer, C, Twins
Kevin Youkilis, 1B, Red Sox
Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
Derek Jeter, SS, Yankees
Alex Rodriguez, 3B, Yankees
Josh Hamilton, OF, Rangers
Manny Ramirez, OF, Red Sox
Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Mariners
David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox (will not play)

From the All Star selection show: Manny Rameriz is like Willie Mays, he has to be in there, everyone wants to see him.

67 - Youkilis doesn't seem to fit on that line up.

Funny how Eck called Youkilis a "grinder" considering he's pretty much the ideal stathead player.

See, nerdlingers and jockfaces can get along just dandy.

Ahhh Eckersley, still soooo '80s, don't you ever change!

/insert obligatory 1988 reference here

No Posada! No Matsui! No JD! I'm outraged! Who are these "Twins", Rangers" "Mariners"? I'm outraged!

Funny how Eck called Youkilis a "grinder" considering he's pretty much the ideal stathead player

That's just cause he's white.

yaaaa, its not over yet come on roger

73 It's a product of baseball's institutional preference toward Jewish athletes.

The "ballplayer" thing will never grow old. It's like a fine wine.

Will the Dodgers lone rep be Martin or Billingsley?

Joe Mauer! Representing the AL Central!

None of the division leaders in the AL has a starter. And the Rays may just end up with one selection, probably Kazmir.

The Angels will probably get Rodriguez and Saunders.

The White Sox will get Quentin and presumably someone else.

I'm a big fan of the new Bob. Did he find his black Spiderman suit in Cleveland, or something?

76
Let the record reflect that I had nothing to do with that ...

I'm just gonna say it now, no matter how good he is...i can not support a screaming man in gauchos who picks his wedgie before every return of serve...i just cant

so come on roger

Nadal picks his wedgie on his own serve as well.

oooooh what a point to start the breaker

Wow! Awesome point. This is great stuff. Both players at the top of their game.

The first point of the tiebreaker was worth the price of admission.

Has Nadal beat Federer anywhere other than the French?

I wonder who will play Josh Hamilton in the movie.

Chills on that first point.

Has Nadal beat Federer anywhere other than the French?

In non Grand Slams, yes. But not in a Grand Slam.

19 Great news on linkification being updated.

It also works with Interclue, so you can see and read what the link links to in a window that floats over the page you're on. Made my laptop's day.

I still have that intermittent problem with certain windows refusing to go to new URLs, though.

89 - thanks, tennis is like golf, in that I only pay attention to grand slam events, and usually just the final

that return should be the back breaker

N.L Starters:

Geovany Soto, C, Cubs
Lance Berkman, 1B, Astros
Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies
Hanley Ramirez, SS, Marlins
Chipper Jones, 3B, Braves
Ryan Braun, OF, Brewers
Alfonso Soriano, OF, Cubs (injured, may not play)
Kosuke Fukudome, OF, Cubs

93 - is Jones going to be back in time to play?

This Federer guy is pretty good.

wow

Chipper Jones is playing again.

94 - Chipper never left.

Alfonso Soriano: overrated or massively overrated?

3, maybe others

"...after Torre said, when Laroche was called up, that he would play a lot. He has 40 plate appearances since his June 10th call-up....40. Torre is not one to believe when he says something."

Torre seems to have a style of talking. A lot. And changing his mind, or whatever. A lot.

What happened to the six-man rotation he announced a while back (beyond the obvious injuries since)? And Ethier won an outfield job in the spring, Torre said. Then what happened? There seem to be quite a few things like that.

Maybe it's a style of something for everyone. Talk a lot, say a lot about a lot of things, and maybe everyone's happy...sorta

Kind of like many politicians, which managers are to a degree...

Championship point for Nadal.

That passing shot was ridiculous.

What a shot by Nadal!

well he certainly deserved it with a shot like that

Amazing.

So was that one.

25 - "Wouldn't that make him more valuable off the bench? Considering how bad his overall numbers are, he must be terrible as a starter".

And yet, Pee Wee is still hitting better overall than those that have (JP) and will (AJ) start in front of him.

Now set point for Federer. Incredible tennis.

oh my he never ceases to amaze

Five. We go to five.

That double fault sealed the deal.

I think Federer will steamroll Nadal in the fifth. Book it.

5th set wow

For a second I thought Nadal was wearing capris.

FYI: There's no tiebreaker in the final set at Wimbledon, which on paper should favor Nadal.

man, a fifth set should be good to watch, but i wanted it to end there in the 4th.

There are no NL West All-Star starters. How can this be? It's the most competitive division in baseball!

here we go, i feel like this may be an emotional roller coaster

It looks like Federer is playing against Johnny Drama.

This is insanely good tennis being played.

116 - east coast bias

N.L Pitching:

Aaron Cook, Rockies
Tim Lincecum, Giants
Dan Haren, Diamondbacks
Ben Sheets, Brewers
Carlos Zambrano, Cubs
Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
Ryan Dempster, Cubs
Brian Wilson, Giants
Edinson Volquez, Reds
Kerry Wood, Cubs
Brad Lidge, Phillies
Billy Wagner, Mets

Little too clever by half, Roger.

116

The NL West is having its own All-Star game in Buffalo. It's like sitting at the kids table.

good idea, poor execution.

121 - Saito and/or Billingsly should be on that list, no?

N.L Reserves:

Brian McCann, C, Braves
Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Cubs
Matt Holliday, OF, Rockies
Dan Uggla, 2B, Marlins
Miguel Tejada, SS, Astros
Russell Martin, C, Dodgers
Nate McLouth, OF, Pirates
Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
Ryan Ludwick, OF, Cardinals
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Padres
Cristian Guzman, SS, Nationals

Funny how we have the lowest team ERA in the NL with no All Stars.

!!!! Cristian Guzman, NL All Star!

We don't hit enough for our pitching to be recognized.

I guess it's like the Gold Glove.

how is russ not the starting NL catcher??!

Christian Guzman is this year's Al Pedrique.

Saito and Billingsley both have far superior numbers to Brian Wilson, except for his meaningless saves.

ryan dempster is an all-star and chad billingsley is not? i hate the east.

131

So he's going to be starting for the NL Stars on RBI Baseball?

Um....Dave Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, all NOT All-Stars.

Clint Hurdle, you are awesome!!

beautiful play from nadal on that ad point

134
Batting 8th!

I hate to channel McEnroe, but Nadal would be a maestro with a wood racket.

Federer breaks here!

I'm rooting for the guy who doesn't grunt.

138 no he doesn't!

A.L Pitching:

Scott Kazmir, Rays
George Sherrill, Orioles
Roy Halladay, Blue Jays
Mariano Rivera, Yankees
Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox
Justin Duchscherer, A's
Joe Nathan, Twins
Joakim Soria, Royals
Cliff Lee, Indians
Francisco Rodriguez, Angels
Ervin Santana, Angels
Joe Saunders, Angels

No, he doesn't.

I'm fairly confident that Roger Federer will break a sweat one day.

!!! dioner navarro, all-star!

A.L Reserves:

J.D Drew, OF, Red Sox
Jason Varitek, C, Red Sox
Joe Crede, 3B, White Sox
Carlos Quentin, OF, White Sox
Grady Sizemore, OF, Indians
Carlos Guillen, 1B, Tigers
Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins
Milton Bradley, OF, Rangers
Ian Kinsler, 2B, Rangers
Michael Young, SS, Rangers
Dioner Navarro, C, Rays

137

Then I'm replacing him with Dale Murphy.

Varitek was voted on by the players and not Francona.

Too bad there's no dome.

Looks like Nadal/Federer will have to wait until tomorrow morning to conclude.

So we traded an All-Star for two All-Stars.

That's a feather in the cap for our erstwhile leader.

145
I think I used to put Murphy in for Santiago at #3, Guerrero for Galarraga at #7, and Kruk for Pedrique.

Soto was picked over Martin because the Cubs are a much better team than the Dodgers. And Soto is no doubt idolized by the Chicago fans and media, while Martin is criticized by the front office for his pitch-calling through the good offices of Ken Rosenthal.

A.L Final Vote: Only one can be an All-Star:

Jermaine Dye, OF, White Sox
Jason Giambi, 1B, Yankees
Jose Guillen, OF, Royals
Evan Longoria, 3B, Rays
Brian Roberts, 2B, Orioles

i'd love it if roger could come out tomorrow and just put a couple of good serves in and jump in front 3-2

I feel like that would be good psychologically, but you never knwo with these guys

Hard to complain about all-star representation when the front office makes a habit of dumping on all their players at every turn.

N.L Final Vote: Only one can be an All-Star:

Pat Burrell, OF, Phillies
Corey Hart, OF, Brewers
Carlos Lee, OF, Astros
Aaron Rowand, OF, Giants
David Wright, 3B, Mets

Sorry, not all the players.

Just the good ones.

150

I used to use Gwynn over Kruk, but that was before I understood the value of SLG.

157
We've come a long way, baby.

AL catchers with a higher EQA than Jason Varitek:
Joe Mauer
Dioner Navarro
A.J. Pierzynski
Gerald Laird
Kelly Shoppach
Kurt Suzuki
Ivan Rodriguez
Gregg Zaun
Rod Barajas
Mike Napoli
Jorge Posada
Miguel Olivo
Shawn Riggans
Ramon Hernandez
John Buck
Victor Martinez
Mike Redmond
Chad Moeller
Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Normally I don't care too much about All-Star selections, but Varitek's selection seems to be of the "historically bad" variety.

152 - Jose Guillen has really been putting up the numbers.

.219/.301.360

Varitek will undoubtedly exhibit his exemplary leadership and decline the invitation.

159
But how many of those AL catchers are bigger "stars" than Varitek? It's not called the "Having the best season thus far Game"...

The American Beauty music for the Jimmy Roberts montage? Really?

And wither Dick Enberg?

163
Ivan Rodriguez is a bigger star. And people know he stinks this year.

But he doesn't have a "C" on his uniform.

Oops. Whither.

Sorry, Enberg. Don't shrivel up.

164
I guess you missed it when Enberg signed with CBS.

You know what Wimbledon needs?

A really awful Jim Huber montage/essay.

Sorry, Enberg. Don't shrivel up

I saw him in the airport last Thanksgiving and he looked really old, much older than on TV.

I miss the days when Greg Rusedski was England's best hope.

Worst. Best Hope. Ever.

This is a very long essay.

168
Jimmy's not really awful enough for you?

165 he's also not worshiped by a bunch of ruddy-faced new englanders.

Nadal and Federer are warming up. Sunset is an hour away in London.

Tennis!

Not free, though.

Kemp, CF
Ethier, RF
Martin, C
Loney, 1B
DeWitt, 3B
Young, LF
LaRoche, 2B
Berroa, SS
Stults, P

Danks didn't make the All Star team? I think he's taking it out on the A's..

2 aces? Not a bad way to start for Fed.

Kemp CF
Ethier RF
Martin C
Loney 1B
DeWitt 3B
Young LF
LaRoche 2B
Berroa SS
Stults P

And there was much joy in Mudville

wow. and federer's facial expression is all business.

172
I gave up and took a shower during Jimmy's essay.

173
Red Sox message boards are full of disenchantment with Varitek. People think he should be hit for in crucial situations by Sean Casey.

today's starting line up is about 88% of what we've wanted all year.

177
The dank! You're not going to get rid of the dank, Moe!

169

The magic of makeup.

183 - wow, that's the first Simpsons reference I've seen around here in a while

179

!!

I'm very surprised A-Jones is not in there.

pleasantly surprised.

185
I tend to keep them on The Griddle now since Jon fears outbreaks of them.

Seven homegrown players, an Ethier and a Berroa.

179 wow, you can could me as a joyful resident

Come on, Roger. Break Capri Pants McGee and his silly grunting self.

You can do it!

*count me

189

7.5 homegrown players!

An Ethier is a Sandra Lee creation.

191 what's with this ridiculous DT anti-grunting bias?

The only grunter I ever liked was Monica Seles.

195 I'm an anti-gruntite.

i liked seles too. there's nothing wrong with grunting.

When the spin class dude got thrown through a wall, I cried tears of joy.

so, when they say there's no fifth set tie breaker at the all England Club, what exactly does that mean?

200 They keep playing until somebody goes up two games. 8-6, 12-10, etc.

201 - ah, well, that makes sense

200
It means they don't do that thingie that makes the set score end up at 7-6. They keep playing until someone wins at least 6 games in the set and leads by at least 2 games.

200

win by 2 games.

at this rate, they'll be playing until Friday

Is there such a thing as free tennis?

197
Maria Sharapova knocks on Greg Brock's door and asks him to accompany him on a night on the town and access to a private jet to take him wherever he wants.

He declines.

He just doesn't like grunting and is a man of principle.

I consider Ethier to be home grown as he did come up from the Dodgers minor league organization. He never played a MLB game for another.

Also from Rosenthal:

The Marlins need help in the bullpen, at catcher, and particularly centerfield. They could pursue Willy Taveras, Scott Podsednik, or potentially free agent Kenny Lofton, 41, who has generated interest but not signed anywhere.

207 Negative, ghostrider.

Situational grunting is okay. Big fan, actually.

Just stop doing it on the tennis court. And at my gym. Ugh.

Keep an eye on the clock 9:18 is sunset. It's 8:40 in London. They should be ok. But someone has to break to win.

209 it would've been funnier if you simply said, "i'm not a man of principle".

211 I think we all know that's a given.

208 - hmmm, we have a need for a short stop, and we have an extra outfielder. Might I be so bold as to propose Pierre for Rameriz?

213 - I'm even willing to throw in Nomar to fill their hole at short

211
I am a man of situational ethics.

Aces. He has them.

federer's emergency serve is something to behold.

Among the many impressive things about Federer and Nadal is that they almost never choke.

214 I'd swap Pierre for Andino, and throw in Bennett if the Fish would pick up JP's salary.

Federer imposes his will on every player I've ever seen in almost every match.

That he cannot do it to Nadal is a credit to Nadal. I'm not a fan, but he is a sight to see.

I impose my will on Greg Brock on a daily basis.

He just doesn't realize it.

221 I'm sufficiently cowed.

Especially the New Bob.

New Bob is not somebody I want to cross in a dark alley.

22 Or in the pavilion at Dodger Stadium, either.

222
What do you call those big hoofed animals that run around Yellowstone Park?

Rats. That referred to 222 .

220 i have tons of respect for federer, and i think he's the most amazing tennis player i've ever seen. but he's much more fun to root against than for.

224 Tourists from Wisconsin.

M Kemp CF
A Ethier RF
R Martin C
J Loney 1B
B DeWitt 3B
D Young LF
A LaRoche 2B
A Berroa SS
E Stults P

looking at Cains splits he has been good all month long, here are Dodgers who have had success against him.

Ethier - .563/.571/.1.134
Martin - .375/.429/.804
Kent - .500/1.091/.1.591

Whoa.

it's a double whammy actually with La Roche playing for Kent. La Roche hasn't faced Cain.

Can they delay the Dodger game due to greatness. This match is incredible.

This is my boom stick.

Nadal certainly seems more likely to break than Federer.

that serve, geez.

Vin seems to think Ethier played in Oakland.

BREAK!!!!

Nadal gets the break!

Saying somebody has earned a victory is stupid.

But I'm saying it anyway. Nadal has earned this.

serious question. If you guys were the manager & KNEW Ethier had good #'s against Cain wouldnt you place him lower middle in the lineup, I know I would.

Scott Hairston lead off home run 1-0 Padres.

wow, I thought Loney missed that one.

man, Ethier has zero speed.

same with Loney.

Loney RBI double puts the Dodgers up 1-0.

Dodgers on the board in the first 1-0 on a two out double by Loney... unfortunately, he got hung up between second and third when the throw was cut off.

Championship point for Nadal

Crazy Legs.

240

My logic is a traditional one in that I'd rather have my best hitter (against a particular pitcher) have runners on when he comes up to bat, makes sense right.

Oh come on.

That was a fairly decent backhand.

Looks like the lefties can really get around on Cain so far.

Doesn't Hairston have three homers in the last two games?

Repeat 246.

240 Sure, but I don't have a cardboard throne or a ring in a box.

Nadal wins.

Look at the flashes! Incredible moment.

That point kept Radar from having to ask for a bunch of jeeps to come by the court and turn their lights on so they player could see.

hanging off-speed pitch by Stultsy, the Giants batter makes him pay with an easy double.

You, sir, are not Pat Cash.

Well, I'm sad to see Federer lose. It was inevitable that Nadal would supplant him, but I was hoping Fed could stave him off until next year.

It will be interesting to see what happens at the US Open, where Nadal has only made it to the quarterfinals once.

Throwing around "changing of the guard" rather cavalierly.

258 The Giants batter has a name.

Stults isn't looking to win a gold glove this year.

nice recovery by Stults even if he didn't get the out, with a runner at 2nd he could have easily scored if the ball would have gone up the middle.

I like Molina for a Dodger Double Play (tm)

A ground ball will be an easy double play with Molina.

266
Unless Molina hits the ground ball wide of third and the runner on first got a good break.

So of course he hits a high chopper to third to tie it up.

I'm watching the Giants telecast (can't be avoided), and one of the guys in the booth just agreed that Bengie Molina not making the All-Star Game was "the most ridiculous thing I've heard in my entire life."

The other guy readily agreed.

Both SF announcers just said that Bengie Molina (hitting .296/.322/.424) not making the AS team over Soto/McCann/Martin is "the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life."

Wow, all three of us with the same experience at once!

Krukow and Kuiper have both just said that Bengie Molina not making the All-Star team is the most ridiculous thing they have ever heard in their lives.

3 seconds! I feel just like Bob.

The 150:1s routed KC 9-2.

Nadal has a good head on his shoulders when the lady asked him if he had any big plans for tonight or something to that affect he said "No no big plans for tonight"

The expression "butter and egg man", when applied to Molina, seems not so esoteric...

I've heard many things more ridiculous than Bengie Molina not making the All-Star team in my life. For example: every Plashcke column written in the last four years.

Shouldn't the Giants feel better that they got Brian Wilson on the All-Star team?

Some Dodger had to make the All-Star team.

269 -271

That, my friends, is the rare triple-jinx of quotable stupidity.

all 3 of you guys are in sync.

Dodger Sync.

Brian Wilson making the All-Star team should offset any sort of ridiculousness of Molina's 'snub'. Lincecum is the only Giant deserving to go.

Did Jack Wilson™ make the squad...?

276 Or Beltre not being selected in 2004.

281
MCCLOUTH!!! is the only Buc All-Star.

283
Phew. Then Ned won't have to throw in Kershaw with Kemp and LaRoche.

Since Juan Pierre was put on the DL, the Dodgers have scored in the 1st inning 5 out of 7 games.

Coincidence?

I like the Cain versus La Roche match-up only if Cain throws La Roche inside fastballs

Matt Cain is an Abel pitcher.

285
To be honest, it could be coincidence.

I don't know the numbers but La Roche seems to be a dead pull hitter EARLY IN HIS CAREER.

Huh. Something I thought would happen, didn't. Are you feeling okay, D4P?

285 Probably.

289 - That 4-6-3 DP says you are incorrect.

all-day, that little slider is gonna kill La Roche if he keeps on chasing it, I don't blame Cain for throwing it.

260 nadal beating federer now i think is better because it's not an age thing. it makes the victory that much better because federer is still at the top of his game, but nadal beat him anyway. i mean, federer is good enough to come back and beat nadal the next time they play. that's what makes it great. i don't think it's a sign that there are now two guards, rather than a changing.

288 - yes, but because we need a meaningful sample size, I propose that Juan Pierre not be in the starting line up for the next three years. Just so we can be sure.

Pulling that slider would have been an impossibility.

Of the first inning runs scored by the Dodgers since Kemp moved into the leadoff spot, only one was scored by Kemp and that was last night.

288 sure, anything COULD be. but do you think it actually is?

that dude in the back ground looks like Rob did you guys see that??

Yeah, only one guard never seemed to make much sense, from a security perspective.

294 that last line shouldn't have a "don't" in it.

I was hoping Emannuel Burris would be a Reggie Cleveland all-star.

He is not.

come on Stultsy it isn't like your pitching to murders row here!

oh o.

Juan Pierre is jealous of Matt Cain's home runs.

This guy's going to the All Star game over Molina? Pff.

That's just a foul ball.

Never hit Martin. Foul ball!

302 Reggie Cleveland never made the all-star team.

That's a lot of english on that bunt.

yeah, good move he didn't touch it.

it didn't look like he touched it.

That was the first time I saw Martin's mohawk.

All I can say is....LOL

this is a big, big break for the Dodgers. Huge.

I think the home plate umpire assumed Martin touched the ball because it had such a funny spin.

What the hell is up with Martin's do?

312 - you got to love the mohawk coupled with the old Elvis side burns and goatee.

309 Google is your friend on that one.

315

Its what all the kids are doing these days.

310
I think the bunt should have had more hochmude on it.

317

He could still be a Bingo Long Traveling All-Star and Motor King.

Great pitch by Stults.

316

I was telling my friend the other day, Martin has a hybrid thing going with his hair.

Mohawk meets sideburns, very different.

Sit down Durham!

that is how you get out of a jam, K-K

Another great pitch.

Nice K for Eric!

Stults is imposing his will on the Gints, good job!

I'd love to see a mohawk going from ear to ear.

Huh. Something I thought would happen, didn't. Are you feeling okay, D4P?

I was doing the dishes. What did I miss?

329

You still have to clean your room and mow the lawn if you expect to eat dinner tonight.

330
I thought doing the dishes would at least get me the steamed broccoli medley...

Bradley, Drew, & Navarro all made the AL All-Star team.

c'mon Joe, let him swing away

Wow! It worked...kind of.

WOOO! time to take advantage of the mistake!

see, good things happen when you swing the bat

Marty certainly shouldn't be taken aback by a mohawk. This guy hung out with The Germs at recess when he was a kid.

Stults placed that ball perfectly, of course that bad throw also helped.

Nice job by Stults on the hit and run.

338 - they gave Stults a hit.

They would be foolish to pitch to Ethier if Kemp K's here.

Wow, bad D.

Um...okay.

That's a situation where a strikeout would have been really, really bad.

Instead, we get that!

In field RBI single!

Sweet!

Matt Kemp = ballplayer

Bison Speed.

evidently the baseball gods are giving us some breaks.

Nice situational hitting by Kemp!

Nice hitting for the Dodgers!

I'll take the productive out there.

Situational hitting.

Kemp can do everything Pierre can. See?

Now the Giants guy referred to Andre Ethier as the "hottest guy on the planet."

Ethier is so hot even when he doesn't hit he Olneys.

Kemp with a Pierre

Golden God speed.

HAHAHA 3 infield hits! NICES!

Death by a thousand paper cuts.

this is a defensive clinic by the Giants in the third. The only thing missing is a dropped fly ball.

3 infield singles and an error.

356

He is handsome.

There are three former Mariners on the All-Star team as well:
Alex Rodriguez
Carlos Guillen
George Sherrill

Dang it Loney!

Ha. I was wondering how a comment on Martin could be posted before I saw the play when I remembered I had rewound the game a bit.

I need to come up with fresh material for Blake DeWitt. I'll get my team of writers on it.

Kemp displays his athletic ability.

Nice double steal! Lead by Bison!

double steal and a hitters count for the Solution

I love double steals, but not right there.

DeWitt's OPS is .698.

I'll get my team of writers on it

I'm busy right now, but I'll try to get on it ASAP.

Make them pay PeeWee.

375.

.700

364
Berroa did not have an infield single.

PeeWee! awful at bat.

That was inside but what can you do?

381 well, he took good swings at the first two pitches, he just missed. he should've swung at the third though, obviously.

377
You're neither Bruce Vilanch or Carrie Fisher.

brutal, swings at missed at a belt high fastball right down the middle, swings and misses at a ball over thats eye level, then takes a called 3rd strike.

380.
Eric Stults.

The Kemp/Martin double steal is fantastic for my fantasy team. More pls.

There are also three former A's on the All-Star team in Tejada, Haren, and Bradley.

389 - and given where Giambi plays, you can figure on adding a fourth.

The D-Rays are 55-32.
Lesson learned: Dont trade with them.

Nice rollover Winn.

I wanna see La Roche make a play over there.

2nd base.

389 Tejada is on the All-Star team? Why?

Walking one left handed hitter(DeWitt) for another tells you what the Giants think of DeWitt.

390
Not after I start my big campaign to get Jose Guillen elected.

I've got buttons and posters ready to go.

I love Jose Guillen. I love Jose Guillen more than any other player in baseball.

Rule 6 is making me stop.

You can't hit that ball hard, LaRoche. Figure it out.

Curveballs away all day.

Wow, Vin just kind of ragged Berroa.

Love it.

Why can't I escape Steve Lavin?!!

He's on Giants broadcast.

396 But Guillen would also be a fourth former Athletic.

Apparently we've traded Andy LaRoche for Adam LaRoche--Giants announcers keep talking about Adam anyway.

400

Yeah, admitting to being a Giants fan, no less.

380--Martin, Kemp, Stults all had infield singles in that inning.

What am i missing?

Let's get a double play & get out of this inning Stults what do you say.

after Vin, who is the longest serving play-by-play man in baseball, for a specific team?

407 Harry Kalas, maybe?

401
Guillen would also be a fourth former Mariner.

Guillen and Bradley help out in the "former" department for a lot of people.

Nice play Andy!

nice play by LaRoche there at second.

nice presence of mind by D-young.

3-2 we must score more runs.

Guillen and Bradley help out in the "former" department for a lot of people

But not the "old friend" department...?

Dodgers just got bailed out. Pee Wee Young was made for the DH. That's being nice.

in all fairness Geovani Soto IS deserving of the all-star game but for me I'd rather have Russell Martin as my everyday catcher.

Kalas started with the Phillies in 1971. Jerry Coleman started with the Padres in 1972, but took a year off to manage. Bob Uecker started with the Brewers in 1971.

Leadoff walk for Kemp.

Don't make the last out at third lol.

413 That's the spirit!

Brian Wilson has a lot of saves and a terrible everything else.

The Lance Carter of this year.

Upton hits a bomb to tie it at 1 in AZ.

Denny Matthews appears to be second in tenure to Vin. He started with the Royals at their inception in 1969.

Kemp can do anything Pierre can do.

Bison Speed.

Way to run on that garbage arm, Bison.

That was ridiculous. Winn had the ball before Kemp even rounded the bag.

Kemp's uniform is super dirty. His value just went up.

I can see why Matt Kemp would be so disliked.

I mean, everybody can do what he does.

413 Giving up hope on the season already? only a half game out of first place.

I haven't really looked at the schedule, so I don't know who the Dodgers have left to play, but with 74 games to go after today, what would be the highest (realistic) winning percentage we could expect from them in their remaining game? .560?

The Giants are basically a bunch or mediocre guys who will keep scoring one here and there unless our pitching is really sharp. Some Dodger is going to have to get a significant hit with men on base or we are in trouble. I admit to getting tired of this, but I don't blame the younger guys or even Kent. I guess I just need to reduce my expectations, but I'm so disappointed about Furcal, Jones and maybe Nomar. If just one of those guys had a good year--------

407 - That would be Jaime, no?

428 He's a gamer.

MARTIN! come on man!

Brian Wilson does have more Ks than innings pitched, which is good. Plus he wrote Pet Sounds.

Wow, Martin might punch himself after that awful swing.

415 - By all means, be nice.

Rare poor Ab by Russ.
He chased ball 4.

429 Kemp's talented, but he just doesn't listen.

McCourt and Colletti know fans want to root for a player who knows how to listen. We demand that baseball to be more like Catholic school. That's why we go to the games.

2-1 AZ on an RBI single by Drew.

LONEY SO CLUTCH!

WILD BIRDDDD!

Loney comes up with the big hit.

The Giants catcher looks like a ladybug.

Loney!

Big Game James.

Beautiful hitting by J-Lo.

Man, that was a beautiful piece of hitting by Loney. At the same time the Diamondbacks take the lead 2-1.

436 Awesome.

Great job James Loney.

440- Be sarcastic if you want to be, but there's little in this world I would not give to see a nun smack Gary Bennett with a ruler over and over again.

There should be a cable channel dedicated to that.

Kemp should have told Ethier to slide instead of standing up.

440
If baseball games were like attending Catholic school:
1) we'd all have to stay until the end of the game and if anybody misbehaved, we'd have to stay a certain number of minutes depending upon the infraction.
2) if someone forgot to bring some food with them, we'd all have to figure out who "stole" the food. And nobody could eat until we knew the truth
3) altar boys would get to leave the games early if they had to serve Mass at a funeral
4) all the fans would know a lot about grammar and spelling, but would have very little knowledge of math or science
5) we could wear whatever we want to the games if they fell on the First Friday of the month
6) we'd get screwball days off during the season. Like the Feast of the Assumption (August 15)

The more I see Kemp, and the more I hear people crack on him, the more convinced I am that he is the reincarnation of Dave Winfield. Which would be weird, since Dave Winfield is, at present, not dead.

452 - More than yourself, you bad boy?

The Feast of the Assumption is the day when you can give a pitcher an earned run if the pivot man on a DP attempt makes a bad throw.

454 - yes, but we'd also get free wine at the seventh inning stretch. and there would be no booing.

455

Did Winfield get cracked on in San Diego? I know Steinbrenner used to call him out often.

455 His major league career is though.

Get Kuo up.

My sister's vollyball team at Catholic school were taught to make the sign of the cross before returning the ball.

Falkenborg better have a cather's mitt.

462 - it's a three run lead, give Stults some rope.

and instead, we get the Borg warming up.

Or catcher's mitt. Whatever.

460 I don't think so. I had my eye toward the decrepit human being to which you referred.

The Borg is up!

460
San Diego fans generally don't criticize their players as much as New Yorkers.

Winfield knew where the big bucks were.

Oh boy. Stults look done.

467

The Owner?

There would always be a resurrection by the losing team in the 9th inning.

Stults! Get through 5!

Stults was done in the 4th.

If Falkenborg gets into this game I am going to set Torre's house on fire.

uh oh, the Borg

Wow, the hook already. NOOO NOT BORG! I want Kuo!

The Borg is the old Proctor.

I'm going to start referring to San Francisco as Wolf 359.

That might be showing that I'm a bit too much of a Star Trek geek though, huh?

Kuo needs more time. But Stults is very much done.

I guess we'll just have to watch Joe learn the hard way about Falkenborg.

Matt Kemp, who is the best young Dodger prospect I have seen in the last 10 years, is on pace to go 20(hr)-40(sb) this season.

The following players had 20-40 seasons last year:

1. Hanley Ramirez
2. Eric Byrnes
3. Jimmy Rollins

That's the entire list, folks. In fairness, David Wright did go 30-30. But recognize that Matt Kemp is probably the best young talent the Dodgers have seen in a long, long time.

Respect him.

I saw Torre touch his right arm before the break. Could it be? Well, I'll be rooting for him.

471 And his toadies/minions. And the fans.

The eighties were a weird time in Yankeeland. I miss those times.

Thankfully, I'm pretty sure we're well on our way to those days again.

470 Yeah but a starting pitcher with a lead is generally given a chance to get through 5 for the win. Hopefully, he can get out of this mess.

Here comes Proctorborg again.
OK - I'm holding my breath - (inhale)

Oh no! what are we doing.

484

I was trying to offer up a generic name for him a la your favorite little outfielder.

I don't know if it's me being moody or Torre's moves just getting to me.

I usually could care less about Torre's moves, but these past few games...

482

Kemp isnt on pace for 20 hr or 40 sbs, but i agree witht he premise of the post.

As for bringing in theBorg, i will not comment on it and just hope he does well.

Molina missed his pitch.

479 Except that Wolf 359 got crushed by the Borg, not the other way around.

I am not currently a fan of Falkenborg.

Stults CG shutout fooled me into thinking he was for real.

He's not. Bring back Kershaw.

Ethier showing off his arm.

Ethier would have nailed him.

492 - I was thinking of the Dodgers being the Federation and the Borg destroying them. Not the best analogy, I suppose.

488 Yeah, I figured that out late. My bad.

The Player no longer exists. He has been de-existed to me.

Beyond Fredo.

This is the big moment right here.

490 Yeah, but just about -- 8 and 19 at present, I believe. That's impressive.

OK thats enough Falkingberg around--is the next batter a lefty--get Biemel.

Holding at third--there is something that wouldn't have happened with Pierre in left.

3-1 AZ.

493 Falkenborg has always been terrible at the MLB level.

Wow, Cy...Borg doing good! Now lets see him get the Dodgers out of Stults mess.

I'll be the first in line to give kudos to Folkenborg...

No need for Beimel in the fifth.

502

rats!

498

You'll be sad about him in Part III, if you count Part III.

500

7 and 19, but more than halfway through the year. On pace for like 13 and 36 or so. Either way, I'm one of his biggest fans so i totally agree with you.

The Falkenborg Redemption!

BORG I'm SO SORRY! I'll never doubt you!

97mph cheese! The Borg machine is re-calibrated to "Destroy"!

ok, scratch the Wolf 359 analogy. At least for today.

... Some bad at bats for the Giants, but a nice job by Falkenborg.

Nice move by Torre.

I don't know how to feel about this though (long term) Torre probably thinks he is really good.

(exhale) Grrreat job #49 -Great job!

Great job Borg. The only downside is that now he'll be used in more high leverage situations.

That was a great job by Falkenborg. And Torre only gets Kuo up if he's going to use him. Kuo will be pitching the 6th inning for sure.

503 Though he did get the job done today. That is for sure. And now he is in line for the win.

Nice inning.

508 I like Part III!

I just really missed Tom Hagen. That's my boy.

It would be perfect if after strike 3 Falkenborg melted into T2 liquid metal and oozed back into the dugout.

Pretty sure Vin's tie was purchased in 1978.

522

Yeah, I think Part III is good overall, but I do miss Tom Hagen, and I wish Jar Jar Binks hadn't been cast in such a prominent role.

522
You like Godfather III AND The Two Jakes?

I really need to impose more of my will on you. The next thing you will tell me is that Wes Anderson is a cinematic genius on a level with Orson Welles.

One day the Flying Molina Brothers will take their show on the road.

Great, you mentioned The Two Jakes.

Now Marty is going to kill me all over again.

526

He already said he likes Wes Anderson. Now close it up, bub.

525 I've long said that CGI killed Godfather Part III.

CGI is my pet name for Sofia Coppola.

523

that would be cool.

529 Well, his movies are getting progressively worse.

Torre double-switched to move the pitcher UP in the batting order?

Is Maza that good of a second baseman compared to LaRoche?

And LaRoche has been dismissed for the rest of the day.

513 Actually, remember when the Enterprise first ecnountered the Borg (in Q Who?)? The phasers did like uber damage, shut down the power supply. By the time they'd repaired though, the Borg had adapted to Federation weapons. When the Borg decided to mount an attack on the Federation not even an entire fleet at Wolf 359 could match up against a single cube. So, the point is you could say here that the Borg adapted the Giant's weapons. (Of course, once Voyager came along the Borg decided to suck)

that seems like a strange defensive substitution, moving the pitcher's spot up in the line up in the process.

532
On my deathbead, I will be begging God to let me live long enough to recoup the time I spent watching "The Life Aquatic."

I wanted to start a riot during that film. Sort of like when "The Rules of the Game" had its premiere.

I'm always afraid of Kuo's breaking stuff he just doesn't sell the pitches well & he slows down way to much, batters can see those things.

some times.

Travis Denker alert.

512 His fastball is as straight as a laser.

532

I would agree that he has plateaued with everything post Tenenbaums.

Mmmh, Kuo just pitched a couple of days ago, no? Unusual for Torre.

Balk??? Nooo!

Travis Denker? For an NL west team, the Giants have a lot of guys I've never heard of.

Bill Murray sucks.

If this Star Trek chatter keeps up, there's going to be a round of arbitrary and vicious wedgies inflicted as a warning sign to the rest of you.

Although not a Wes Anderson film, I also want my life extended for the same amount of time it took to watch "I Heart Huckabees."

544 - he's the guy the Dodgers traded to get Sweeney.

547 Another director who is going backwards.

I didn't know they still called balks.

547

Yes, that was horrible. Please don't associate it with people who like Wes Anderson.

549 Strange choice of vowels then.

filthy

KUO! KUO! KUO!

Wicked Kuo.

You may sit down Mr. Lewis

551
This is July and I'm wielding a very broad brush.

Kuo is just soo much fun to watch when he throws strikes, man!!

Can't Kuo just pitch every inning of every game? It's so easy with him.

I can only hope you all hated "Lost in Translation", the Jason Varitek of movies.

557

Will the men be coming to pick me up soon?

560
One of my favorite movies!

Hah!

Ethier is on fire.

561
The men I hired don't "pick people up."

One day, you'll just not be around anymore. Watch out for a Bulgarian guy with an umbrella.

562

To me, the fiasco of 2005 was the changing of GMs.

562 I thought it was a lost season regardless?

This is not Martin day.

Bad game for Martin.

565

That's weird because when I first moved to SF, a man asked me if I needed to borrow an umbrella. I think he meant something else, though.

Either way, it'll be good to get away. I'm excited.

Thankfully when Martin has a bad day it's a big deal.

Finally, somebody named crunchy whose behavior makes me want to bite him.

537 - You're probably not a fan of Bowie huh?

Bison Power! lol

This is one of the very few games that Torre has put Kuo into where the game was not out of hand or the Ds were not up more than 3 runs.

Just another mental mistake from Matt Kemp.

Matt Kemp needs a new uniform.

Bison on the loose!

541 Torre went on record on Friday that Kuo was the one who turned the game around (See Gurnick.) He's noticed him now, and likes him. He'll be using Kuo a lot more now. It takes him a while to see what we've usually seen a couple months earlier.

Bison actually seems to read the ball better in CF, although that could just be from him playing there so much recently.

Kuo should pitch the eighth.

Why isn't Kuo starting?

Matt Kemp - My favorite player.

Kuo is so good! Now lets hope Broxton recover from the first game of the series!

577 Bison will never have his uni washed again. It makes him look like a gamer, and the name of the game in Torreworld is appearances.

571
Martin would benefit from a true day off.

582 - I actually love him coming out of the pen. If he's used like this every 2 to 3 days he's extremely valuable. Plus if you start him you rely more on Falkenborg etc... I actually don't mind it either way because the arguments are strong on both ends.

Being left-handed and hitting against this guy is probably not a pleasurable experience.

There we go Andruw.

Clutch hitting for Jones.

I was hoping our 3rd baseman would hit a home run but he couldnot DeWitt. (lol!!)

Andruw Jones-Late inning defensive replacement.

I'd Like to see Kuo pitch the 8th but it's not to be.

we needed that yesterday Mr. Jones.

Molina has to be the laziest catcher in the world.

Why does the TV think I want to see ugly Giants-fan children with food smeared all over their faces?

591 - huh?

582 I don't think Kuo really has the endurance to be a full time starter. Even when he was pitching well his starts would often only be 5 innings, 6 at most. He has had a lot of arm troubles in the past and I think he's better suited to three inning appearences.

We've lost power again in Santa Barbara. I'm listening now on my battery radio, and typing on my iPhone. I missed some of the 3rd and all of the 4th.

Hey, Jones just got hit!

I'm glad I got to see all of Wimbledon before the power went.

596 - because you're in the bay area and the heros from the south are winning?

592 It's not the worst way to use him right now, actually. Let him get an at-bat or two later in the game.

Something is happening here, but you don't know what it is. Do you, Mr. Jones?

Dru looks svelte out there on second.

Jones and Nomar on the bases.

We are seeing quite a bit of managing here.

Although I am sure that Andruw is not Dylan's subject, since the song is titled "Ballad of a Thin Man."

597

just goofing around man that's all.

605 - I hate that, why can't they just let them play the game?

608
I think pitching changes should be like 20-second time outs in the NBA.

Those last about five minutes don't they?

mow them down Brox.

609 - only on the national broadcasts.

Broxton is looking like he's got his good stuff back today.

Throw high heat right here please Mr Broxton!

Brox throwing 100 MPH on SF's juiced gun.

Broxton is SITTING at 100 MPH, LOL.

614. It fun to watch though. LOL

I think broxton can hit 97-98 & once in a BIG (no pun) while hit 99 but that's about it.

617. I think he consistently hitting around 97.

I remember one gun clocked the blue Ox (tm) at 101, I don't know about that.

When it had Kuo throwing 97 you had to know it was juiced. The gun has Broxton throwing 100 MPH on four consecutive pitches. "And I'm sorry I don't believe it" - Vin

Colletti would probably love to have Rich Aurilia.

I see this happening at some point.

Broxton is putting up 100s as if they are going out of style.

I doubt he's throwing 100 but he appears to be throwing pretty hard.

Mongo throw gas.

Broxton looking like Broxton.

623. He always throw hard.

621
No doubt. Aurilia's only 36, so there's still plenty of time.

627 Ha ha ha.

Sigh

It's funny how Broxton is this enormous freak of nature to all of these opposing announcer teams, when he's really only the same size as Charles Barkley.

The Phillies and Mets have been in a rain delay for close to three hours.

Mets up 1-0 in the 8th, but the Phils have two on and none out and Ryan Howard at the plate.

3-2 AZ with the tying run on third and no one out for the Padres.

If only Aurilia were LHed, he could platoon with Nomar.

Padres score a run and have a runner at third with NOBODY out. 3-2 AZ.

I'm competing with Bob and a dish. I have no chance.

I've got a digital cable box so it's close.

Could this be the beginnig of another modest three game win streak?

By the way, Berroa's now got the 18th most RBI-less PA (72) for any player season since 1901. The record for players 30+ years old is Danny O'Connell with 66 in 1959.

One out as Headley Ks.

some blogger on cbs sportsline said the Dodgers were sniffing around Miguel Tejada.

Bah fool strike out. 2 more chances.

I don't think there is any way to gauge the veterany goodness of Rich Aurilia.

It's got to be like three Mark Sweeneys.

Ground out to second doesn't score a run either. Two outs.

o.k. we need a double play here.

Saito in for the 96% WE save!
vr, Xei

Brian Giles is the last hope for the Padres.

Unless he walks and then it's somebody else.

Giles was useless.

DBacks win 3-2.

Padres picture perfect pathetic

SATIO!!! Come on now! Sigh.. Saito and Broxton rarely sync.

It's all on you Sammy bring it home.

Bad News: Tying run at the dish

Good News: It's Fred Lewis*

*Who actually is a Reggie Cleveland All Star

K!

That was ball 4

See ya. Killer pitch.

million dollar pitch by Saito.

great pitch.

Wow what a call..

that could have gone either way....

A food stuff obtained at the butchers shop has been told to go return to his team's dugout.

657 Should he remain standing upon reaching said dugout?

Wow, I almost pee in my pants.

658
No, no he should not.

why is saito throwing all fastballs?

Thought that nine iron from Durham would fall in.

So, is it Falkenborg ftw?
Or is it Kuo ftw?

SAITO!!!!!!!!!

Game over. Series victory.

Saito FTS!

663 - the Borg gets the win

If I were the official scorer, I would give the win to Falkenborg.

Sammy threw 22 pitches today. 21 of them were fastballs. The one curveball was the Durham sac fly.

No Juan.
No problems.

Falkenborg's other major league win came with the Dodgers in 2004 thanks to a big bullpen disaster in Pittsburgh.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT200405090.shtml

I like the match ups against the Braves, especially since they are still playing in Atlanta right now and have to fly to LA after the game.

ok, I need food and then to focus on some writing projects. Have a good rest of the day, all.

667 668 Yup. Falkenborg gets the win.

669. The reason for all the fastball was that Sammy didn't know SF speed gun was juice.

671 - I remember that game well.
Check out the Dodgers bullpen in the 8th: four bases-loaded walks. And all five runs coming after two out.

Anyone have runs/game and record with and w/o JP starting and leading off? pretty curious.

CC deal done per Milwaukee newspaper

Unfortunately we have 2 of the Braves best pitchers in the next series - Jurrjens and Hudson. Hopefully we win 2.

Good for the Brewers. And good for us.

Brewers, Indians agree on Sabathia
By Tom Haudricourt
Sunday, Jul 6 2008, 05:46 PM

I just was told by a reliable club source that the Brewers have a deal in place with Cleveland for left-hander C.C. Sabathia, contingent on the paperwork being done and medical records exchanged.

But believe me, folks, that's a deal. All that other stuff is formality.

All I know so far is that top prospect Matt LaPorta is in the deal. I was told two lower-level minor leaguers also are included. The Brewers refused to include another top prospect such as Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel.

Look for Sabathia to make his debut for the Brewers Tuesday night at Miller Park against Colorado.

I'll post more details as I get them.

Good deal for the Brewers. With the probability of them losing Sheets next year, this is the year to go for it.

I'm just glad we didn't get involved.

La Porta can rake. If the Brewers don't make the playoffs and can't sign Sabathia, it might be a tough pill to swallow in a year or two.

But at least the Brewers are trying to win this thing.

684

Where does he rake?

Is he going to rake more than Fielder or Braun? Is he a better all around player than Hart?

with the way it's been spun, the Brewers didn't think they'd have a place to put him. I'm not even sure the Brewers will try to sign CC.

I was out for most of the day but I was having drinks with frieds when Borg was brought in and I could imagine what was happening, here.

But then, the wonderment that is baseball, he makes some solid pitches and he does the job today.

686

I think the Brewers view CC as strictly a rental.

685 He was certainly expendable.

It's a good deal for the Brewers. Just food for thought.

Brewers fans are over the moon, I'd imagine.

I'm curious to what the Brewers are planning to do in 2009 for starting pitching.

I know Gallardo comes back, but they are going to have to (most likely) replace both CC and Sheets.

679 Jurrjens?

691 Trade Prince Fielder.

I wonder where CC ends up in 09?

693

Fielder for Matt Cain!

694 - Well, the Dodgers do have a ton of salary coming off the books, plus CC is a California guy.

no chance of a Padre pitcher blowing the All Star game this year.

694 In Anaheim of Los Angeles of Anaheim.

The Brewers have tons of hitting and some down on the farm as well.

CC
Billingsley
Kuroda
Kershaw
Penny/Schmidt/someone who isn't injured.

yum. expensive, but yum.

696 - and he apparently wants to go to the NL. Or stay at this point.

Does anyone else think Martin has an ego problem, he tries to do more than he is capable of doing correctly? The popular baseball term is "staying within yourself."

699 - trading Penny may make that a bit more realistic; he'd probably need a strong 2nd half to get good value for him though.

702 - Penny's contract has a team option for '09.
http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/los-angeles-dodgers.html

I wonder how much Sheets is going to get, and for how long.

Man, talk about a great pitcher I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

2 out, 2 strike, 2 run HR by Werth to tie the game in Philadelphia.

Ja(y)son Werth is worth nothing.

Juan Pierre is worth $9 million a year.

Atlanta can feel free to keep on playing today

We have three extra inning games going on right now, including two that are in the top of the 14th.

When the Brewers drafted LaPorta it was a huge surprise to draft observers. The Brewers used a Top 10 pick on a guy instantly blocked. If ever there was a prospect destined to be a trade chip, it was LaPorta.

If Joba is throwing 99 I am the king of Siam.

710 - That would require some dancing you know.

706 Werth only hits lefties this year if you look at his splits. And his value around the league was very low when the Dodgers let him go because of his brittle wrist. I'd much rather have Ethier and Kemp as my corner outfielders.

It is kind of worrisome to have Nomar, Drew, and Werth as a team's 3, 4, and 5 hitters. Keeping one player super prone to injury is more than enough for me. I like Werth and wish he were a Dodger but at the time the Dodgers needed to build a team with fewer injury prone players. Unfortunately, that might have been part of the Pierre reasoning.

712 - Werth can play CF and so can Kemp.

Werth only hits lefties this year if you look at his splits

Which handed pitcher does Pierre hit...?

Brian McCann catching his 8th inning. Today was his day off. Hopefully this game goes 30.

When will Elbert be MLB ready?

Between Elbert, Kershaw, Miller, Kuo, McDonald, Stultz, and Meloan the Dodgers seem to be loaded with depth for 2009 and the final month of 2008.

When might the Dodgers trade one or more of Penny, Lowe, Schmidt?

A-Rod with an unclutch home run.

Atlanta, Houston, middle of the 16th. Another couple innings and they'll be completely spent. Arizona doesn't play tomorrow - the 1/2 will get rounded out one way or the other.

Joba looks pretty good.

715 I'd rather have Werth now than Pierre. But that is not how the Dodgers and many other teams saw it when they let Werth go. Werth was injury prone. It is easy now to say that the Dodgers should have held on to Werth. I don't remember anyone complaining when he was let go.

17th inning in Atlanta.

721
Now someone is going to dig up their comment about how they wanted to keep Werth and then post it repeatedly.

Steiner made a facetious comment during the broadcast about Houston and Atlanta going 16-17. Turns out it was foreshadowing.

723
I'm gonna dig up the comment in which I called Werth a "ballplayer".

723 I thought that might happen. It's kind of like the people who all of sudden think the Dodgers should have received more value for Navarro. Where where these comments last year after the horrible first half Navarro had?

725 If Plaschke called him that, then you win this discussion and I apologize.

Letting go of Werth was not an unforgivable sin. He was made of glass. It's certainly not top ten in the unforgivable list of this current front office.

The trades with Tampa are an entirely different kettle of fish.

726
I think with Navarro, it's just one person who misses Navarro in particular. Others just objected to the trade in the abstract.

This is revisionism. Lots of people didn't want Werth non-tendered. The only argument I ever saw offered in favor of the Navarro trade was that it didn't matter, since Martin was better.

JD Drew made the all star team.

But we showed him.

i never wanted to see werth go. he should've been pretty cheap to keep. glass or not, he's proven worth it in philly. same with the flyin' hawaiian

Orange alert for Chipper Jones in Atlanta.

This is an orange alert.

Of course, the bases are loaded with no outs, so this alert may not last long.

Five man infield for the Astros with Carlos Lee playing third.

726 Are you kidding? There were a bunch of people here who were against both the Werth non-tendering and the Navarro trade. I don't understand what you're saying here.

Cycle alert canceled in Atlanta.

Stand down.

This was the thread about Werth's release.

https://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/569443.html

Gilbert---> You probably didnt read this blog, bc plenty of people here complained about Werth being non-tendered, Cody Ross being non-tendered, and the Navarro trade.

All 3 were no-upside idiotic deals.

Cody Ross= .266/.317/.537
Werth--.277/.360/.495

The problem wasnt getting rid of them, it was who Ned replaced them with that was the problem. If you dont want Ross/Werth on your roster---> ok, but choosing Pierre/Repko was asinine.

And Navarro is an AL All-Star.
Ned got rid of him just to get rid of him. Unnecessary.

Counting Drew/Bradley, the DePo guys are having good years.

Its amazing Ned could walk into a situation and not win (given the kids in the farm and uptick in salaries)---> but trading away or letting go value, and poor free agency signings/PVL blockers has killed this team.

726
I warned you!

Werth has still never cracked 350 AB's in a season, and has only cracked 300 once.

740
Greg Brock remains a True Non-believer.

741 People really liked Jayson Werth.

He's good, but his release was not a hanging offense.

742- I agree with ever word of that. The hanging offense was the CF brought in, not the one let go. The one let go was just an irritation. And a pointless one; he was free. He still had an option left (right?). What was the problem?

I can't believe the Red Sox gave Lugo all that money.

I'm looking forward to see how the Dodgers match up with the Marlins next weekend in the 4 game series. Jacobs/Willingham are back healthy (they missed the first series), and their guys are just bashing homers everywhere:

Uggla-23
Hanley-21
Jacobs-18
Ross-15
Cantu-15

Consideringn they play in a tough home run park, thats amazing.

Dodgers will face tough Atlanta pitching 1st 3 games, then a tough Marlins lineup the last 4 games before the break.

Now that CC is in Milwaukee, can we expect the young players to stay intact?

I still fear a stupid trade getting a SS. If the Dodgers do trade a young player and it happens to be Kemp (which I hope it's not) would something like Kemp & Hu return Bay & Wilson?

744- Bill James must have some rogue defensive stat that proves Lugo has worth. He's pretty much the anti-Red Sox player, and was really bizarre they picked him up.
He's like the one move that made no sense.

Epstein has made a clunker or two, like all GM's.

Signing Matt Clement and trading Cla Meredith come to mind. Both dumb.

Trading Arroyo for Pena wasn't the best move in the world, either.

Carlos Santana hits another homerun. 13 on the year.

I don't care if its the CAL League, His OPS is is 240+ points above the league average and 220+ pts above the team average.

Stats that may be salient, although I'm afraid the sample size may be too small to be very significant. What is the Dodgers record when both Pierre and Jones are missing? It might be interesting.

Nate: What's the word, if any, on Santana's defense?

To add on, Santana is 2nd in the league in double and tied for 2nd in walks. He is mashing and is unreal right now.

I know he has a really strong arm and is athletic. I don't know how those tools are helping him in transitioning into becoming a good defensive catcher though.

754

How might those tools translate to playing LF?

754 -- Thanks.

755

He's played left field before. I think he will be perfectly fine there.

I really want to see him promoted to AA. He has to be close to going up there, his bat needs a new challenge.

755

Or, he can add to our stable of 3b prospects...

Girardi gets ejected for arguing balls and strikes.

759
We need a manager like that to get us fired up.

That was only Santana's 4th homer at home; 9 have been hit on the road. San Berdoo is a relative pitcher's park. It is the rest of the CAL league parks that are hitter friendly. Santana's batting average is way higher at home than on the road, and he has 18 doubles at home compared to 10 away. What lessons do we derive? That Santana really can hit, but his power is more doubles power than true HR power. The league's road parks are simply turning a lot of Santana's doubles into homers.

Santana's got a .384 BABIP off of a 6.7% LD rate, at home.

And a .341 BABIP off of an 8% LD rate, overall.

Gammons says Bonds wouldn't fit in Boston because the "Nature of the city."

That's certainly one way of putting it.

764 - saw that. interesting choice of words from Gammons.

Santana is 5'11 170 pounds of pure man love (kidding) I think he can still develop some more power, if all else fails throw him at 2nd base see how he does.

he was born 04/08/1986

Or keep Santana at catcher, and move Russ Martin to 2nd base.

766

I wonder if the 170lbs is outdated.

767

We don't really know how Santana is defensively. It could be an idea down the road (3-4 years). But right now, I really don't want anyone else our starting catcher besides Russ.

Braves relievers threw 11 innings today.
They are also 12-29 on the Rd, losing a bunch of 1 run games.

XWL is 47-42.
They are 42-47.

Kemp
Ethier
Martin
Loney

Today's top of the order drives in all of the team's runs today.

The hot stove league's wishes coming true:)

Dayn Perry not liking Brian Wilson getting the nod over Hong Chi Kuo on the NL team. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8319502/Stage-set-for-very-important-All-Star-Game

I would find it really amusing if Kuo made the all star team.

Posada missed the bag.

Good luck getting the ump to call him out on appeal.

773

He got it with his heel.

772 Yeah, long relievers generally aren't selected as all-stars.

Manny Ramirez is a nice bat off the bench.

748

Epstein's decision to re-sign Jason Varitek looks really bad as well. Guy looks awful.

748

Epstein's decision to re-sign Jason Varitek looks really bad as well. Guy looks awful.

Just passing this along, from our friend, the Fifth Outfielder:

http://fifthoutfielder.blogspot.com/2008/07/lets-compete-with-bp.html

*

Someone up thread talked about the Navarro trade and where were all the people complaining about it when he had a bad first half last year. I know several people, including me, maintained it was a bad trade regardless of his performance last year.

Anyway, as I've expressed before, I'm just happy for him on a personal level.

776 Not if he doesn't swing.

Brian Wilson really shouldn't have made the team. There are proabably 5 more deserving closer/setup guys (Kuo, Saito, Cordero, Rauch, Lyon), but i guess the fact that he leads the league in saves was just too much to pass up.

So in time, will the 2007 World Series be seen as the lesser of two evils, the other being a Red Sox lineup that features Hanley Ramirez batting alongside Pedroia and Youkilis for much of the next decade?

781

To add on, relievers with a 1.4 WHIP should not be let anywhere near an AS game. And Carlos Marmol deserves to be there over Wilson also. Thats all.

The Red Sox got their money's worth from Varitek. He's not having much of a year, this year, but he was good last year and in 2005, and average in 2006. Two good years and one decent one from a four year free agent contract isn't too shabby.

78 Well...Yeah.

Three pitches right down the you know what.

Sorry, that was in response to Indiana Jon.

Its getting close to the point where Dewitt needs to be demoted to AAA to play everyday between 2b and 3b and let Andy do his thing for 300 straight PAs in the second half.

787 - i think it's at that point.

In Rosenthal's latest, he says the Dodgers SHOULD pursue a "blockbuster" trade for Rich Harden and Bubba Crosby. Drop dead, Rosenthal.

Maybe Ken Rosenthal is using Arneson's old random diamond notes generator.

789

Like I just said in BTF's robothal thread, he is a trade addict. It doesn't matter which team makes the trades, they just need to make trades.

Trades fuels the Robothal.

790 - To me, Rosenthal is like the National Enquirer division of ESPN. I know it's his job to hype up the trade rumors, but I pay little attention to what he writes and I hope the Dodgers do too.

The Dodgers are in the move mode, shopping Chin-Lung Hu, Hong-Chih Kuo, Ramon Troncoso, et al. But teams like the Mariners, the Yankees, and the Angels have passed on them thus far because they're all so studious, and nobody likes that, not even Bill Bavasi, and he's a shirt.

Random Generator > Rosenthal

If I could proclaim every move Ned made is stupid can we stop finally the constant going back in time, to me its a pointless exercise that causes me to go back and wonder why I bother coming here.

And when one of these guys turns out to Pedro Martinez or Mike Piazza, wake me.

I've been gone for a few days, but kept some tabs on the discussion here as the Dodgers have crept oh so close to first place (and .500!).

Some All-Star thoughts:

NL Leaders, FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching)
1) Lincecum - 2.71, All-Star
2) Haren - 3.04, All-Star
3) Volquez - 3.06, All-Star
4) Webb - 3.22, All-Star
5) Billingsley - 3.35, 3 days off
6t) Sheets - 3.44, All-Star
6t) Lowe - 3.44, 3 days off
13) Zambrano - 3.70, All-Star
22) Dempster - 4.00, All-Star
23) Cook - 4.01, All-Star

I have no problem with those first few guys making the NL All-Star team over Chad, but he has a case -- despite his pedestrian 8-7 record -- over the last three.

Since 2007 All-Star break
Billingsley: 15-12, 196.1 IP, 3.12 ERA, 4.03 BB/9, 8.71 K/9, 2.16 K/BB
Zambrano: 17-9, 203.2 IP, 3.36 ERA, 3.76 BB/9, 6.32 K/9, , 1.68 K/BB
Cook: 14-6, 166.1 IP, 3.14 ERA, 2.06 BB/9, 4.49 K/9, 2.18 K/BB
Dempster: 10-7, 12 saves, 143 IP, 3.90 ERA, 3.71 BB/9, 7.24 K/9, 1.95 K/BB

Bubba Crosby? The Bubba Crosby?

You mean, Scott Proctor and Bubba Crosby could be Dodger teammates at last? Two ships that collide in the night?

I'm guessing it would be Bobby Crosby, but Bubba would be cool.

Getting (Bobby) Crosby and Harden would certainly not reduce the club's injury risk.

794 I defended Colletti!

Man, Federer was pretty crushed after the match today.

794 I couldn't agree more...there are a few subjects along with the Coletti trades that come under the heading of "beating a dead horse"

it's why I disappear for days at a time...there just isn't any point in joining some of the discussions that keep on and on ad nauseum...

On talent alone, I guess I wouldn't be opposed to Harden, but Beane would always fleece Ned. Acquiring Crosby would be beyond pointless. I don't see why they need to make any moves, as someone said last night, I wouldn't be opposed to dealing say Kemp in a deal for an All Star bat, but I'm opposed to Ned being the one to do any of the dealing.

799 - I'll defend Ned on a move, trading Izzy for Maddux was a good move.

I had always figured that Crosby was a great, young SS having never put the effort into looking at his stats. However, after a very quick glance, I would conclude that Crosby is a terrible baseball player with a penchant for getting hurt. Is there more to him than I am seeing? Right now I can't figure out why anyone would want that guy.

803

That's about right.

794
It's July. There are more Last Angry Men here than a Paul Muni Fan Club meeting.

797 -- Sorry, I meant BOBBY Crosby. A non-verbal Freudian slip because I would probably prefer Bubba if we had to have one of the two, because, well, he's named Bubba.

Bobby Crosby just went on the DL.

Which is quite unusual for him. Being on the DL.

806 - No apology necessary. You seriously could have fooled me - it just seemed so perfect.

"July 31, 2003: Scott Proctor traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers with Bubba Crosby to the New York Yankees for Robin Ventura."

794 795 Once again, I let my keyboard speak before I thought it about it. I have no right to shut down any discussions here. I am apologize for making those statements.

809
I really just wanted someone to appreciate my Paul Muni joke.

Dodger Thoughts needs more Paul Muni discussion!

Does anyone have a non 800 # for the KABC Dodger talk show which is airing right now. I live in SF and can't get through.

By the way anyone look at the CBS sportsline story which says we were willing to trade Kemp for CC. Would love to know the MLB sources they quote has having confirmed that?

BTW - If the going price for a rent an ace is one very good prospect and some maybe guys, why would the Dodgers need to deal anyone on the 40-man roster for an overpriced/underperforming shortstop?

Elbert tody

3.2IP 2H 1ER 2bb 4k

season:

22IP 12H 2hr 10bb 19k 2.86era

He is suppressing hits very well but he isn't showing the k rates he was having pre-surgery. Haven't read/heard any reports of how his stuff has been since coming back though.

Have you people been having secret Jayson Werth flame wars somewhere, without telling me? This is the first time I can remember seeing his name since that three home run game in May.

I've got some quotes up on what Deric McKamey thinks about Carlos Santana and who might be cracking his top 100 this winter.
http://tinyurl.com/5empt3

The Sabathia thread on Primer has turned into a LaRoche/DeWitt melee.

It's infectious!

811

The Sabathia sweepstakes came down to the Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers, as CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler reported earlier Sunday. It is believed that the Indians spoke with the Dodgers about a package that would have included outfielder Matt Kemp, but the Dodgers also are looking for a shortstop (Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson? Toronto's David Eckstein?) and Milwaukee clinched the deal for Sabathia by offering a package centered on LaPorta, the highly touted outfield prospect the Brewers selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2007 draft.

hmm.

810 Google experiences a surge in traffic every time Bob makes a comment like that.

815

Awesome! I'll check it out.

816

Partly my fault, oops!

819 124 comments and still going.

And DT was envoked.

Don't give up on Jamie Hoffman. OK, he's a huge longshot, but what he's done is incredible for a guy who was basically a hockey player until age 18. Two home runs today for Jacksonsville, knows a ball from a strike, good athlete, runs pretty well.

I read that Elbert is now pitching exclusively out of the stretch. This could be significant. Broxton, Kuo, Wade, Wesley Wright. I have gotten the sense that the Dodgers train their minor league relievers to get rid of wind-ups. Does Troncoso pitch out of the stretch all the time? Anyway, maybe the Dodgers are thinking of Elbert as a reliever material now.

If you were the Dodgers GM and the McCourts were above you, it would behoove you to make it at least seem like you have shown interest in every signicant trade scenario on the planet. Maybe I'm giving Ned too much credit here, but I think it could be a factor in why the Dodgers are linked so many trade rumors that never come to fruition.

811
If true what does it say that the Indians preferred a DH over Kemp when they already have a DH on the team? What are they going to do with Hafner and LaPorta in 2009?

A healthy Harden and Crosby would certainly be nice to have on this team. As usual the caveat is the price but is there a better pitcher then Harden when he's healthy? If Rosenthal wants us to bid on Harden/Crosby, they might as well throw in Chavez so we can have all of their expensive brittle players to go along with Furcal/Schmidt/Pierre/Jones/Nomar/Penny.

I was just thinking of Hoffmann. His brutal April numbers make his total season numbers misleading. He has been fine since the start of May. The problem is, even excluding April performance, he doesn't show enough HR power for a 23-year-old AA right fielder. If he were a CF, that would be a different story.

Re: 810

Top Paul Muni Movies -- ?

1) Scarface, Shame of a Nation
2) I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
3) The Story of Louis Pasteur
4) The Life of Emile Zola
5) Juarez

(Haven't seen Black Fury, but it sounds promising.)

La Porta will play left field.

He can also play first if necessary.

You have to figure that sooner or later Nomar will go down and the Dodgers need a SS. Do you go for quality or a fill-in? A quality SS is going to cost someone you don't want to give up. If you just get a fill-in then the season is just hoping to stay at .500.

(and lots of folks adore The Good Earth)

Love what Santana's doing, but I'm from Missouri when it comes to Cal League hitting stars. The Giants catching prospect Sandoval went berzerk there and has found Double-A considerably more challenging. Josh Barfield, same thing, and many others....Don't mean for that to come off harsh, just a POV.

Nomar is likely to outperform Crosby the rest of the year.

I tend to believe that the Dodgers are often used as setting the value for a deal, if the Indians could say, the Dodgers were willing to deal Kemp and a top minor league pitcher (McDonald) for C.C., than maybe the Brewers would add another top guy, but the Brewers knew that in the end, the Dodgers were not dealing Kemp anyway so they stuck by their original offer.

Does that mean that Ned doesn't take Mark Shapiro's calls but I doubt they ever got serious. But also, because the Dodgers have gone back and forth on dealing these guys and really, no matter what others here think, the Dodgers have not dealt a prospect or young player that was considered a top guy at that time, the confidence that they would do it now is probably not that high in the industry.

817 -- That says nothing about the Dodgers being willing to give up Kemp for Sabathia. This happens ALL the time. Really. Some other teams asks for a Dodger player or prospect, we say no, and then it is reported that the Dodgers and Team X "talked" about a trade for the Dodger player or prospect. Then another media organization looks at the first report, misinterprets it, and reports that the Dodgers OFFERED Team X the player or prospect. Happens over and over again.

827
Kind of like Adam Dunn.

I can understand the attraction to Harden if he were healthy, but Crosby??

In his one healthy season FOUR years ago he authored a line of .239/.319/.426. Yuck.

820 - I'm in.

817 What does that mean anyway that the Indians spoke to the Dodgers about a package that included Matt Kemp, isn't it possible that the Dodgers field calls on a daily basis about their players including Kemp?

Since the Dodgers operate like they won't release this type of information unless they use the Cone of Silence or speak in a foreign language, its hard for me to take this statement and decipher that Kemp was actually offered.

830

To everyone that is hesitant or believes Santana's numbers are a Cal League mirage, find something out for me please.

All the players cited as examples of why we should we be weary about Santana all have had K/bb ratios a lot worst than Santana's. Has there been a prospect who has done what Santana is doing with similar k/bb ratios, league average in age or younger, AND has completely failed when moved out of the Cal League?

825

I agree on the power. Big obstacle, probably insurmountable. One of the intriguing things is he's been a guy who seems to figure things out after appearing totally out of his depth. In the Cal League, some of the scouts gave him no chance, yet he's at least surviving in the Southern League, often in the middle of the lineup.

833
Seemed to happen every day for the last two winters. I guess now it will happen every day until the trading deadline.

834 Ha ha. Yeah.

836 I saw that! It's weird how this argument is popping up all over the place now.

Again, lot to like about Santana - the Barfield example is certainly not about total failure. Sandoval, not nearly as good, but pretty OK and a 1.019 OPS for a 21-year-old isn't shabby.

Again, lot to like about Santana - the Barfield example is certainly not about total failure. Sandoval, not nearly as good, but pretty OK and a 1.019 OPS for a 21-year-old isn't shabby.

It's only a matter of time before that discussion turns into a discussion about the Mets.

That's an ironclad rule of BBTF.

838
I find Carlos Santana an interesting package because of the power and patience. He has always had unusual patience for a Dominican player even when he was in his teens. It is what first made me interested in his game. As Canuck has noted the home run power may be more a factor of the league but the power in general has always been there. Offensively isn't he kind of like a light version of Martin at this point?

Anyone who takes trade rumors seriously only has himself to blame for any frustration they cause, in my opinion. It's like Deadwood out there. (Is that a good analogy?)

I forsee no impediments to this becoming the first 1,000-comment thread of the year.

Harden: too risky. Factoring in Dodgers ability to evaluate all things medical, way, way, way too risky.

I have to go to Millikan High School all next week. Any alumni here? Is it a nice school?

Poly and Wilson get all the pub.

847 Only by typing a certain four letter combination but as the person who types that, you do have, shall we say, hand at least on DT.

846
(Rule 1) (Rule 1) (Rule 1) Mr. Rosenthal!

I was going to say something pretty to him.

And can someone at KABC please invite Jon back to the Sunday night show, maybe even next week at ASB.

852 - Judging by the silence on my telephone, I do not appear to have wowed them.

853
You shouldn't have stolen Steve Lyons wallet.

I don't believe anyone reads 900 comments but since I haven't been on this blog for a while I think I'll make a contribution anyway.
I think if DeWitt's average slips enough it will give LaRoche a better chance to play more often.
You have to remember something, DeWitt did in practically no time what LaRoche fail to do in a major league uniform.

I sure enjoyed this weekend of baseball.

Almost a sweep but I can't say how much I enjoy a game when the starting lineups have a vague relationship to the players I'd like to see and Kuo showing up somewhere and doing his Wagner imitation.

Greg I told you that Kuo was better then Chad I just wasn't specific about it being the 5th/6th inning.

850 - Wow, I may have just jinxed myself.

853 Always remember "The Masses are mules."

Except not mules. The other word. That rhymes with masses.

853 I guess an evening of an intelligent Dodger-related conversation wasn't enough.

853
That was your fault for not kneeling on the alter of Juan Pierre. I'm certain that if you had mentioned that Juan Pierre is the prototypical leadoff hitter you would have been invited back. Until you do, you will not be one of them but an outside agitator up to no good.

856 I was just thinking about the Kuo/Billingsley rows I had with you and Icaros.

857 Maybe you can just link us to your annual post about not believing trade rumors.

858
Was that why Isacc Isimov's anti-hero was called the Mule? I didn't get that when I was 12.

Asimov. Yikes, I hope he didn't roll over in his grave.

861
I thought it was Xeifrank. I don't remember agreeing with Icaros much on anything.

863 That quote always gets attributed to Alexander Hamilton, which is a very Hamilton thing to say, but I don't know if that's true.

"Your 'People,' sir, is a great beast" is Hamilton.

Either way, he's right.

was just thinking about the Kuo/Billingsley rows I had with you and Icaros.

I think both of you guys won since the pro Kuo contingent can always argue that Kuo can do what Bills is doing in the rotation if Torre would ever put him there.

Both winning= good for the Dodgers.

Does this beat the blogger in the basement stereotype?

LA Times article on the upcoming ticket sale promotion exclusively on the internet.

Steve Shiffman, the Dodgers' vice president of ticket sales, said the method of distributing tickets wouldn't attract the kind of fans who misbehaved and prompted the cancellation of the once-popular promotion that included $2 right-field pavilion seats on Tuesday nights.

Because this promotion is Internet-based, Shiffman said, "You're targeting an affluent crowd, a computerized crowd."

Should I be upset that I have my season tickets in the same area that Bob paid less for including the service charge. All I know is that he better be expressing his affluent self at that game.

Looks like Gurnick and Dodgers.com have jumped on the young players' bandwagon. The headline up now:

Young players, bullpen lead Dodgers

And here's the lede and a few choice grafs:

Skeptics doubting whether Joe Torre could manage anything other than the Yankees' gazillion-dollar roster should note what he won with Sunday.

He sent out a Dodgers lineup with four rookies, a lineup with only two players who spent all of last season in the Major Leagues (All-Star Russell Martin and Andre Ethier) and with nobody earning more than $500,000 this year except for Kansas City castoff shortstop Angel Berroa, who was the graybeard at a listed age of 30.
...
Torre wouldn't say the team is jelling, but he agreed that there were signs on this trip that it might have turned a corner in playing the style of thoughtful baseball he demands.

"The personality is good," he said. "It seems like a loose bunch, but they're attentive. The guys are into the game. I sense, not that they weren't before, but they're really into it, not that they didn't care before. To me, it started on the road trip. After we beat the Angels two of three, maybe they took stock of the situation and realized maybe we're pretty good. I sense a change on this trip."

Give Torre credit for making the best with what he's given and making everybody feel important. Brian Falkenborg volunteers as a good example...

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(Sorry if this has already been cited. I can't hack through the few hundred comments I've missed since the game ended.)

865 To be fair, DeWitt does not have stone hands. Not now, anyway.

Man, I treat DeWitt like garbage.

Damn right he would.

869 LA Times has the same game story. My favorite quote is Falkenborg saying his wins are like Olympics (his first and only win before today was in 2004)

870
You do, it is not his fault that he performed well enough in April/May that his manager now has blinders on. Joe Torre is the problem not Blake DeWitt. He's a ballplayer and I mean that in a good way.

872

Speaking of the Borg, I don't mind he is in our bullpen (there could be worse), I just wish Torre doesn't use him in every high leverage situation.

The Borg throws gas, he's better than Lance Carter.

873 I didn't like it when he was drafted, and I can't back down now!

I have a friend that wouldn't watch The Hunt for Red October. It became a running joke that you would have to drug him and tie him up to make him watch it now. Just on principle. He can't turn back now.

Blake DeWitt is a Hunt for Red October situation for me.

I remember Falkenborg back in 2004. His name and size were unusual in the bullpen.

As usual I don't understand the disdain for a guy who is the last pitcher on totem pole. Is everyone supposed to be lights out?

868
I plan on arriving at the game wearing a top hat, tux, and shoes with spats.

I also plan on eating before I get to the park and spending no other money than the $15 for parking.

I'd park outside and walk in, but you know, the spats make it hard to do.

868 - Hey, you stole my thing! :)

NPUT

875
You didn't like it when we drafted the best high school hitter in the draft with a late first round pick? That was the scouting report I read. Did you just want us to concentrate on College players back then?

879 Remember, he was a third baseman with line drive stuff that I didn't think projected.

Bulletin: In an unexpected move today the Dodgers announced the signing of Barry Bonds. Ned Colletti, the Dodger general manager, said that they were in need of a power hitter and when he heard that Bonds had been playing shortstop he sent his scouts out to take a look. Apparently they liked what they saw.
Bonds, who had been desperate to get back into baseball, said that he saw a need in the Dodger organization and started working out at the position in the past couple months. His efforts have paid off and will report to his new team on Monday.