---

Man this rally is such a great idea! I wish it was on Saturday though, instead of Sunday. I won't be able to make the commute from SB with the work day tomorrow. Hope you all can represent!

Martin, Ardoin
Loney
DeWitt, Hu
Blake, Nomar
Berroa, Furcal
Manny, Pierre
Kemp
Ethier
Young
Billingsley, Lowe, Kershaw, Kuroda, Maddux
Park, Wade, Biemel, Elbert, Saito, Broxton

http://tinyurl.com/4xa78c

>>2. WE KNOW WE'RE FANTASY IRRELEVANT
"We don't rack up the stats that help fantasy teams, and that doesn't bother me. But it does make it funny when fans shout, 'You're on my fantasy team! Throw me a ball!' " It's like, c'mon. We both know I'm not on your team."<<

I dunno if that's such a good idea. I know it is bound to happen, but I loved DeWitt's defense this month. Ah well.

This is the flip side of making the playoffs with NedCo. Grr!

It's a slow day today...

in all seriousness, there's no way it's Lambo.

Remember, just because a team asked for the moon doesn't mean they will be given the moon or a different moon, even with NedCo at the helm. Otherwise, he'll be mooned.

That is what I am telling the cops.

Casey Blake was a starting 3rd baseman who could be traded anywhere and we paid the price to get him and not pay his contract.

Greg Maddux would only agree to be traded to us. We had a ton of leverage and if Ned did not use that leverage and it resulted in a top 5 pick getting traded for a 5 inning pitcher then I'd pitchfork Ned myself, but I'm comfortable with the idea that they will get two pitchers who we probably won't miss but if we do it will only because they are pitching in Petco.

Typical Dodgers fan talking to Jesus...like he cares about baseball. :-)

25 True, but don't you think White sees that Ramirez is in a different stratosphere of value than Maddux? And while I'm sure he liked LaRoche he probably had his own doubts about him at that point. I think he adores Lambo, from what I've read. Yes, I could be wrong.

Thus, the baseball bats.

Marlins 2 Mets 0 B1
Nationals 0 Phillies 3 B1
Cubs Brewers Later

I guess I was also wondering if Brad was asking for something that is not normal...to know before the season whether or not the option would be picked up. Who knows what happened behind closed doors, but he seems to be acting like a child about this.

http://tinyurl.com/4pm6gw

But, come to think of it, that was a big inning, and He kept it up for a few more too, huh? He deserved the Seventh Inning stretch.

Cubs or Phillies?

Marlins 2 Mets 0 T3
Nationals 1 Phillies 7 T3
Cubs Brewers Later

48 A lot of discussion on it in previous thread. He sounds like he's frustrated, with himself and with the team and despondent and not wanting to be around the playoff atmosphere. It's sounding like his big option won't be picked up due to his horrible year and he won't acknowledge that it's in large part his own fault for playing hurt long before saying anything. Either that or it's Eliza Dushku's fault.

For whom are we supposed to be rooting...?

I want this because I'm that kind of a guy.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN200807110.shtml

He reeled one off very like it against the Stros a couple starts ago.

Or is it some don't want to face them in a short series because you think Dempster, Harden and Zambrano can shut us down?

If the choice is Cubs or Phillies for the first round. Both are very good teams but I think we match up well with both of them. But, if we're going anywhere in October we're probably going to have to face both of them. That's why to me it doesn't matter. The question becomes who do you think the Dodgers can beat in a shorter series?

Short of that, the Mets, though I think they're gonna choke and miss the playoffs altogether.

Okay, off to get ready for the Dodgers-Giants game! Wish us luck. Will report back here late tonight.

Cheers.

Furcal, SS
Dewitt, 3B
Ramirez, LF
Kent, 2B
Ethier, LF
Loney, 1B
Pierre, CF
Ardoin, C
Lowe, P

Marlins 2 Mets 0 B5
Nationals 3 Phillies 7 B5
Cubs 1 Brewers 0 T2

Would Pierzynski be liked as a player for any team except the White Sox? I suppose Mets fans would like him.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

It is probably better than having him at second.

But, the Cubs have officially announced their rotation for the NLDS, in this order:

Dempster, Zambrano, Harden, and Lilly.

I connected it to baseball. I think that's ok.

I want to know if they are pro-Manny with long hair or anti.

And who I should take with the 8th pick in round 5 of my fantasy basketball draft. Turkoglu, Bynum, or Maggette?

Oh, right that doesn't matter anymore.

12-3 Yankees.

Hehehe.

hey ScareDuck so what's the scoop on the Cubs man, should we be scared?

Those monsters! We got more important things!

Travesty, I tells ya!

NLDS Opponent Watch:

Marlins 6 Mets 1 B9
Nationals 4 Phillies 8 Final
Cubs 1 Brewers 5 B7

ERA+ Dodger starters
D-Lowe - 135
Billingsley - 140
H.Kuroda - 116
Maddux - 93
Kershaw - 103

Dempster isn't a pushover. He had a great year.

College football question, anyone like Bama over Georgia?

woo!!!

This lineup is suddenly very very good.

Take that, Giants.

I got a Dodger debt card today too!

So the Dodgers win the 3 1/2 inning game 2-0.

- The Dodgers went on with their rookie hazing during the celebration last night, and among those players forced to partcipate was Blake DeWitt, who dressed up as Marilyn Monroe. The players landed in San Francisco at about 3 a.m. and were then dropped off a few blocks from the hotel. As the players paraded down the street, one San Franciscan seeing how some of the players were dressed as women expressed interest. "I took off running," DeWitt said.

http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/prosports/mlb/dodgers/

177 I will be possibly heading efforts for a meet up for the If-Necessary Game 4.

Damned straight! What's your connection?

As long as Vin gets to call the dramatic last innings, that's all I care about. I'll be trying to hunt down a solid AM radio to take to all if necessary games.

And if we get swept and I don't get to go, weep quietly in my room.

Penny
Furcal
Saito

You guys are welcomed to add more.

Ben Sheets!

Offer Furcal a base contract around $5 million with easily attainable incentive(plate appearances, etc.)

See if there's a trade market for Penny, and if there is, activate Penny's trade option and trade him, if not, just buy him out.

vero beach
Jax
51's

I think he will go after Furcal, depending in how he looks now and in fall league. Told we aren't the Yankess and could sign Manny and CC.

HR??? Really?

Also: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Based on this small sample, I think replay is yet another Bud Selig botch job.

you know what though, what IF it were a game that means something for our play off birth.

Classic Scully.

Will that plane never land?
Most eco-friendly roof in the city.

The pinch-hitting deal or instant replay altogether?

They have a legitimate beef. The only reason they brought in a pinch runner was to run for Molina if he was on base after the double. Since Molina's play was ruled a HR (i.e. the umpires went back in time and overruled a call) then the insertion of Burriss should have also been negated.

Not really debating the pinch runner decision, but the fact that they even bothered to challenge the HR in the first place. This is about as meaningless as a game gets.

I guess, in an odd way, this is a really good thing because it will set some ground rules for future, similar calls. In that respect, this was excellent timing for the controversy. Better this game than a WS game, right?

Wrigley is sort of easy as they have a basket all around.

1) his 26 career homers are the most by any player born in france.

2) "When he joined the Mets in 1982, they did not have a batting helmet that would fit him, and they had to send the ones he was using in the minors."

Bases loaded for DeWitt.

And Berroa takes one for the team.

DeWitt bases loaded!

I'm thinking it's Maddux.

That reminds me of when Robin Ventura hit a grand slam but only rounded 2nd & that was it.

it was a playoff game.

Jon along with many others I just want to thank you for the great job that you do.

Based on the traffic here, that must go for most of DT as well.

Agreed.

Torre said he won't allow sentiment to dictate his roster decisions.

"It's tough being sentimental when it comes down to this," he said. "Not when it's a five-game or seven-game postseason series. I admit I like to think I'm loyal to my players, but when it comes to something as immediate as a short series, I have to be loyal to the 25."

http://tinyurl.com/43dr6k

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-angels27-2008sep27,0,3222601.story

Joe Torre wonders if Loney got the memo to not care about this game.

That's very encouraging.

Bison cameo!

And Broxton's up to close the game. I assume Martin stays in to catch him.

Very cool that the team is so excited. This team is peaking at the right time.

JP in left, Young in Right, Kemp in center.

Don't think the infield changed.

"rare"

397 could refer to Chad Billingsley, however

K 'em I guess.

When he wonders how he lost his role as a starting major leaguer, this play ought to be on the DVD.

LOL!

Wow, some genuine unbridled Pierre hate there.

He really didn't score the runs for the Giants himself...

So, I would say no one is immune.

Remember Dennis Eckersley.

JJJ, good job.

Still not that impressed with Broxton in the ninth. Not that Russell Martin helped any, but it seems like Broxton just comes unglued the second his defense can't back him up. The walk to quadruple-A players Scott McLean was a Grabowski Principle moment if ever there was one.

Some things just don't make sense. Let them eat cake! Remember how we used to have such a hard time beating the Padres, either at home or at Petco? That certainly turned around this year, especially since July.

No way you can be the Mets. We don't loathe your existence! :)

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-spw-dodside27-2008sep27,0,4669320.story

New Simers article.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-dodgers27-2008sep27,0,7726513.story

Dylan Hernandez writes an review of the Dodgers season.

5 days until Game 1.

"It's extremely late. I'm extremely tired. And this game meant extremely nothing. I promise to blog more tomorrow. If you care, Dodgers fall to 83-77, their first two-game losing streak since their eight-game losing streak."

Went to the game with Icaros, and met up with Louis later, and I know Archivist was there because he sent me both happy and sad text messages during the game. ;-)

I enjoyed reading everyone's comments here, especially those during that ludicrous home run replay mess. We (and even the Giants fans seated near us) were shocked that was called a home run. It didn't look even close. Apparently it was close, but it still didn't look like a home run, and we had a straight on view of it. Then we thought the PA announcer misspoke when she said the Giants were playing under protest. But as noted here it made sense because the pinch runner call was wrong too. They botched everything there and it's a shame.

Whatever, the game was meaningless, although between the overzealous Giants fans throwing it in our face after the game ended and the Giants celebrating on the field as if they won the WS (which was an embarrassing display if you ask me), it was still a bit maddening.

But a crazy game. Seeing Loney's blast into the fog in the 9th, a rocket shot that got out in a hurry, and then Martin come up, and then smash stupid, overrated Brian Wilson's FB into the left field seats, was the highest of highs.

We should've left then.

Broxton looked fine to me in that inning except for a little wildness. His velocity was great. He got no help from his defense. Between Ozuna -- who Icaros and I both decided is completely WORTHLESS and should be nowhere near the roster (he has no range, can't hit, what can he do again?) -- and then Pierre's noodle-armed throw. (To be fair, he did make a nice t hrow earlier in the game). But that one was so terrible it made the Giants fans behind us go, "Who was that? I could've made that throw!" to which we responded, yes, any of us could have, and that's why we wish your stupid GM had signed him instead of ours and one reason why he's on the bench. Whatever his faults, if Repko was still in there he would've nailed that throw.

Lowe looked really sharp. I wish he could've gone one more inning but I understood pulling him. McDonald looked okay but they hit him pretty hard. His balls have some snap to them and I saw him break off at least two lovely curves.

Oh, and as you probably noticed, Furcal looks GREAT, both in the field and at the plate, so that is something to cheer about. Kent ripped that home run ball, and looks good, too. Honestly all the guys who are our regular starters, whether they played early in this game or those who came in late look playoff ready. Giants fans probably don't care but if this game meant something you would've seen a different result. Lowe would have gone deeper, the line-up would've been solid from the get go and no scrubs like Ozuna coming in early and so on.

And Icaros did call it -- JJJ facing Roberts, "base hit game will be over in a second."

This was just one of those games, between the blown replay mess and the player shifts and some bad luck and some bad defense that would very easily have gone different had it meant anything.

Which didn't stop Giants fans from harassing Dodger fans on the way out, of course. This is their sad little world series. My retorts of, "Enjoy watching us in the playoffs!" didn't do much good, so I gave up.

It was basically another crazy Dodgers-Giants game, fun, irritating, highs, lows, and ultimately meaningless but I'm fine not attending the last two.

I won't be crushed if Kent starts in the playoffs. He, along with Loney and Betemit, were the only bright spots during the playoffs in 2006.

So that's what happened...

Ozuna is so worthless that I think Jim Tracy could do his job.

I was planning on paying for standing room tickets, but my friend had another friend who was apparently in the ticket-brokering business, and so I let him handle things, though I was somewhat skeptical. I should not have been. The ticket-broker (who turned out to be a real interesting guy) took us into the field level entrance, through an extensive restaurant that served delicious sandwiches, and through the door leading to the section. I was already impressed - I usually sit in loge, and never behind the plate, so I was thrilled. What I didn't know was how far down we'd be sitting - I kept getting more and more excited as he led us down row and after row after row, eventually ending up on the very front row, slightly on the third base side of home plate. Had I been a bit to the right, I could have been one of those jerks who wave to the cameras while talking on my cell phone.

The game itself was a bit of a mixed bag. I'm starting to come to grips with the fact that Chan Ho Park is on a decade long mission to disappoint me, and I'm afraid that if he comes to the mound in a tight spot during the playoffs, he'll have another day like today - nothing catastrophic, but enough to dig us a hole that will be difficult to claw our way out of. He was throwing smoke, but didn't seem like he was locating. I also got very defensive to a few of the catcalls people were making - the gliterrati, it seems, is only slightly more civilized than the bleacher bums.

That home run replay was an absolute disaster. First off, it didn't to me like it was indisputable visual evidence that it was a homerun, but whatever, I'm a homer, who cares. I could not believe how long it went on -- that was exactly the wrong way to handle it, and I'm still baffled as to why the umpires held the game up for so long after they signaled it a four bagger.

During that string of regulars-turned-pinch-hitters during the ninth inning, I kept getting chills watching star after star come to bat. Nomar still gets me excited like no other player other than Manny in the ninth - I must say, I'm quite attached to him, despite his shaky performance. That he got a solid single early in the count delighted me. I leaned over to my friend and told him that I had a sinking feeling that Kemp would whiff when he got called for that 2nd strike (which was not a strike, I maintain). Martin's homer was incredible -- I delighted in how it silenced the crowd. The best part was during the middle of the ninth, when the park tried to pump up the crowd by playing intense music and exhorting them to "MAKE SOME NOIIIIIISE!" only to be met with grumbling silence. Too bad it didn't last.

Boy, these Giants fans sure cherish small victories, don't they? They celebrated like they had just walked off with the pennant, not just a slim victory over a team that played its best players for only a fraction of the game. They got a bit too big for their britches after that Roberts walk-off, if you ask me.

My favorite moment of the night was Manny's second at bat, hearing the boos rain on him and seeing him promptly bang out a hit. When he turned for second and saw that he was out by a mile, I was charmed to see him grin with chagrin when he got tagged out, even though it was a pretty boneheaded decision. Then Kent heard those same boos and hit an absolute laser, which pleased me immensely. Think he can do better than Sweeney in the designated veteran pinch hitting role?

Actor Paul Newman, who became as famous for his charitable work and race car driving died this morning at 83.

My advice, take the weekend off from Dodger baseball and watch "The Hustler."

Ha ha. That's so cold. Good but, cold.

The key point is that it's NOT protected (if we sign Sabathia, the pick is gone). It's important to finish 15th, where we get to keep it.