Who in the Dodgers organization turned on Chad Billingsley? So far, we have Amy Nelson creating a badly written article out of thin air, and an accident that everyone assumes will be fine by Spring training. Its not as if anyone is trying to push him out the door.

Members of 500 HR club: 24
Members of 22,000 Pt club: 22 (NBA only; 27 if ABA included)

So 44 points in basketball equals 1 homerun in baseball?

Tony Jackson falls for the 20% salary thing.

But I'll defer to Eric "Nelson's a Ninny" Stephen on this.

Without looking, I am guessing that at that time, Chamberlain, Baylor, Pettit, Robertson and maybe Arizin were ahead of him.

West joined his fellow 1960's NBA-All Pro team members, Chamberlain, Baylor, Pettit and Robertson as 20,000 point club members.

Four players? For Javier Vazquez?!?! With Flowers and Lillibridge thrown in? Kevin Towers and the Padres want to know what the hell happened.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

But one thing that occurred to me tonight is that I would perhaps like to gamble on one of the big 2 or 3 FAs this year and fill the rest with young guys. Just a current whim.

Wed
2pm, ESPN Classic: 1996: UCLA 48, USC 41 (Cade McNown 4th qtr comeback and 2 OT victory)

Thu
2pm, ESPN Classic: 1992, UCLA 38, USC 37 (The John Barnes Game) - for some reason I distinctly remember picking up Kenny Rogers Roasters chicken before watching the conclusion of this game
5pm, Prime Ticket: 1992 game

Fri
11am, Prime Ticket: 2001, USC 27, UCLA 0 (Carroll's first UCLA game)
2pm, ESPN Classic: 1990, USC 45, UCLA 42 (Marinovich v. Maddox)

Thanks to Tom Hoffarth for this info. Links to clips from the Peete measles game and OJ game below:

http://tinyurl.com/6m85wu

I remember about this game:
1) I was very sick with bronchitis and had coughed so much that week that my ribs hurt. But only when I breathed.
2) I was going to stay home because my mom, who was terminally ill with colon cancer, told me that I shouldn't pass up a game because I didn't know what could happen in a game like that
3) My father, who never fully understood the rules of football in his life, was apparently transfixed by the game and wanted to talk to me about it when I called back home.

It really should be the J.J. Stokes game instead of the John Barnes game. Stokes went through the USC secondary like euphemism through a goose, as George Patton would have said if you watched the movie on an airplane.

He is picking the pockets of the Pacers.

Now back to studying for finals.

I guess you can call the Kenny Rogers Roasters chicken Stokesesque then. :)

17-0 Laker run to end the 3rd.

1992 game, I was listening to it on the radio while attending a family dinner in the OC. 14 years later I met John Barnes at Touchdown Club breakfast, the next day was 13-9.

It also didn't help that Matt Koffler was the QB at the end of the game for USC.

The 2001 game is worth watching strictly for Antuan Simmons pick-6, plus it was my final game in the student section. Now I actually get to sit down (what a concept).

Just an absolute killing there. I made fun of Ken Williams before, but maybe he really is a better GM than most. Even with the dumb trade he made earlier in the year with the Yankees and Swisher.

8:02pm: MLB.com's Chris Haft says the Giants accelerated their pursuit of Bob Howry now that the Cubs chose not to offer him arbitration.

And... it looks like we don't have to worry about the Giants being contenders next year. ;P

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

At least his parents gave him a real first name. But I suppose Georgians preferred a guy with two last names, Saxby Chambliss, to a guy with two first names, Jim Martin.

I did not remember that Chris Chambliss retired after the 1986 season, but came back in 1988 and was active for two days with the Yankees, struck out once as a pinch hitter, and retired again.

That interception was amazing. The 27-0 result was certainly unexpected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVNrgD2F3Bo

Then UCLA would have lost 27-7.

There was still the matter of Cory Paus too.

Indiana will either ride this win to a great back to back tomorrow in Boston or more than likely, get blown out.

If the Lakers think they'll skate by blowing leads in the 4th quarter (they practically did the same in New Orleans) they have another thing coming.

Overall their defense has given up about 95 points a game in the last 4 games. That's just not gonna win you any championships.

Sorry guys, I have to have my "I Love LA" moment. I can't believe they blew this game.

Wooooo

Until proven otherwise, the Celtics are still the team to beat.

I don't think that's ever been in question. Even if the Celtics were 8-8, they'd still be the defending champs with virtually the same roster as last year.

Hear, hear! Even now, the Celtics allow the fewest points per game.

Thugs.

It says something when Kurt Rambis is perhaps your all-time thuggiest player. I don't know what, but something.

And lead in Dallas.

71
Jacob, we're now even for the 2000 Finals. :)

Before tonight's game, the Lakers were actually better than Boston by one in points per 100 possessions. That is likely not the case now.

You've just given me the inspiration for my roto team name next year:

Steve Saxby Chambliss

MSTI moved to the MVN network, and had a site design change.

I can never remember all the names of the Big East schools.

Probably because they are not all in the east nor that big.

That said, this year Time has a pretty obvious answer.

Oops, sorry, wrong publication.

Frank McCourt?

I am very dissapointed in the Lakers tonight, their defense is vastly overrated. The Media has fell in love with them all year and pretty much declared them the champs while Boston is quietly flying under the radar.

The Clippers just blew a 15 pt lead in similar fashion, but the Clippers aren't my concern.

Gary Burghoff says hello!

BTW, Frank McCourt was my teacher for a few English courses during my years at Stuyvesant. He was a marvelous story-teller then .... still is.

Yeah, I was expecting better things a few years back when I learned that a famous novelist was buying the Dodgers.

I should have stressed .... "Frank McCourt ... East Coast version" :-)

small sample size (166 AB's) but here are his #'s:

.271 BA
.309 OBP
80 OPS+
& 2 dingers

I'm a big believer in freedom of speech; but I don't blame the NHL for not being willing to take what was shaping up to be a firestorm of political correctness . ( Especially not for a player nobody--not even his teammates--can stand.)
Even his team's owner said he (the owner) would've suspended Avery if the NHL had not...

No kidding, I had no idea until I saw the comments here. He didn't even curse.

Ned Coletti gets profiled. Credit goes to Diamond Lueng for posting it on his blog.

They're not clearly the best team in the league, and I worry about early overconfidence, too, but I still like their chances all the same.

Now, time to waste yet more time on Sporcle. That Shakespeare's plays one nearly killed me, especially since I couldn't spell Troilus and Cressida.

http://www.profootballtalk.com/category/rumor-mill/

The one being accused of plagiarism is claiming that his mother illness is keeping him out of the loop.

And why would the previous Kings coach let Avery get away with DOING that?

Kevin Baxter and the L.A. Times has Winter League updates.

From above article.

Basketball recruit from Oregon named Stephen Holt.

The date keeps moving. First it was Dec. 3rd. Then it was Dec. 8th. Now it's Dec. 10th. If he continues to stall it could be Feb. 1st. :-)

I'm more mad that the Kings blew a lead in the 3rd period to lose... AGAIN!

So strange that Avery gets the NHL the most pub its had in months. Avery?

I was trying, with less clarity, to make a related point about a month ago.

Boras' demand for a six-year deal for Manny essentially leaves the NL out. Why do that? Figure Manny can play the field for three more years -- so get him a big-ass three-year deal. Then go out for one more round of free-agency and get another big-ass three-year deal, with prospects that time limited to the AL.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-simers3-2008dec03,0,5650062.column?page=2

119 The NHL needs a return to the catchy tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnlRh02Nap8

The suspended players were running back Deuce McAllister and defensive linemen Charles Grant and Will Smith of New Orleans; defensive linemen Kevin and Pat Williams of Minnesota; and long snapper Bryan Pittman of Houston.

That was a stupid suspension!

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3741113&name=olney_buster

Second, keep in mind that the shorter the deal Manny gets now, the higher the average annual salary. So he can take a pay cut in the second contract and still come out ahead.

If he gets $80 million over three years from the Dodgers, for example, I think it's easy to imagine an AL team paying him $30 million over two in a better economy to be a DH. That gives him $110 over five years.

Of course, Manny would need to make an effort in the third year of his Dodger contract.

"You'll forgive me, Benjamin, if I don't shake hands with you."

Careful: Bob might be lurking...

What do others think about retaining Blake? I'm not offended by the move, but nor does it thrill me.

AKA "the race to the bottom"

But maybe his VORBeard makes it worth the price tag, I dunno.

A true sign that I should spend my time elsewhere: I was thinking about that last spot in the shower this morning.

It may be that a three year offer from us is the best he will get in this economy. But, I also wonder if Manny is concerned about his long term health. He could be playing through quite a bit of pain, and if he accepts a shorter contract with a higher annual salary, his knees may be broken down by the time he is ready for the next contract.

I would love to see him in LF for 3 years (well mostly his bat), but I can see the reasoning for him to want an AL team. So, maybe they are just holding out for a 4 year contract from some AL team?

.251 .313 .460 .773 so he has Coletti written all over him. He is a perfect way to waste money but keep dumb fans happy.

That seems far-fetched. Aren't the Twins rumored to be offering 3 years? I hope we are not close to being equal there.

Ned would prefer that you add 50 points to the BA and subtract 50 from the SLG.

I guessing that the team that offered an option with a fairly high buy out(two million?) for that 3rd year will be able to sign Blake.

It also reminded me of "13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird" and "32 Short Films About Glenn Gould."

Blake is adequate as a #6 or #7 hitter (I'm assuming Loney will be batting #5); the problem remains: Who bats clean-up?

My main argument against re-signing Manny--aside from the whole Boras angle--is that we already have Jones & Pierre making tons of money in the outfield. As much as it pains me to say, I can really see Ned dangling Kemp or Ethier for a pitcher to help ease the logjam IF we land Manny.

[OT: I recently started recording the American "The Office" after boycotting it on general principle for years. Dwight's Mussolini-esque speech at the sales conference was laugh-out-loud funny.]

I'd say 2y/$20 mil should be absolute tops:

2009 $8 mil
2010 $10 mil
2011 $12 mil or $2 mil team buyout

Total value of contract could be 3y/$30 mil. Basically, we'd be buying him for this year, realizing next year we lose some heavy salaries. 2011 would be almost a courtesy pay-out.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081201&content_id=3696880&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la

Oh man, that episode is awesome. My wife is a huge fan of the Booze Cruise too/

Does he feel slighted?

149 Down Ned! Just go win the lottery and sign CC. Please? Please?

I really would not be that upset if we sign a few low risk stop gaps and play it safe. Not happy at all, but not that upset. But if we do a couple more Ned signings, I don't know what to feel. I'm just happy the Braves appear to be offering Burnett the world.

I was reminded of this ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/22_Short_Films_About_Springfield

Jon my friend, this is genius. Still chuckling, so very funny and deeply insightful too. How easily we all resent those we root for yet we don't hold ourselves at least equally responsible for bringing the effort of greatness into our own lives.

Here it is Tuesday morning and I am on Dodger Thoughts rather than editing the contract in my inbox. How pissed off I would be at Russel Martin if I spied him reading about my industry while in the dugout in between at bats or heard about him playing electronic Scrabble (what I did before checking DT this AM) instead of working out during spring training...

Wasn't there some hokey hippie phrase about being the change you want to see in the world or some other flower power utopian nonsense to that effect?

Well that's it, I don't expect it to last but I will do my best to try, for the rest of the day I am going to do each task I do as well as I possibly can do it. I am not going to place the value in the task, but rather that it is my time and effort spent, and why spend it if not in the pursuit of greater greatness (ha!).

Hopefully Mr. Martin and the rest of the blue will follow my lead.

You my friends are free to wallow in mediocrity or step up to the challenge. I will delight in your company either way

HJ

Blake is light years better than Durham on defense, and Blake ain't a Gold Glover. I would not want RD behind Clayton Kershaw next year. And speaking of ex-Giants, I would rather just bring Nomar back as a role player than bring in Rich Aurilia. Ugh.

The Pacers have 7 wins. All but one of them are against teams over .500 .

The Pacers beat the Celtics, Nets (twice!), Rockets, Hawks, and Lakers. That's three division leaders, plus two other good teams.

Wow.

Has there been any talk about Nomar coming back as a utility guy?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Wow, that seems really low for me. The Red Sox got a great deal.

1. Guarantees that Joe Crede will not be in Dodger Blue

2. Assuming a 2-year deal, he can slide into a super sub role at the infield corners and in the corner outfield spots if/when DeWitt's bat can be justified at 3B

3. With almost zero options for third base on the FA market, this is better than trading prospects for someone like Ty Wigginton or Garret Atkins

4. A two year $18 million deal actually frees up money because 2/3 of the infield situation is now fixed.

5. Keeps us in the game for both Ramirez and CC since we do not have to commit long term dollars for Hudson.

I was this close to drafting him in fantasy basketball. I didn't know he'd be this good. I blew it.

Excellent points. Especially when we consider the cost of signing Blake and the fact that it would put Dewitt at 2B. I am liking this possibility more and more, as long as it is not too long of a deal.

2/14 or just no raise and 2/12?

This is one of those instances where an extra million or two spent to get him here prevents Ned from panicking and making a bad move elsewhere.

Yep. The Rams played in Super Bowl XIV during the 1979 season.

That game was played in the Rose Bowl, but it was basically a home game. That was an interesting year. The NFC Championship was between the Rams and Bucs.

20 years later, the Rams and Bucs played a rematch for the NFC Championship... and this time the Rams won that game and the Super Bowl.

For St Louis.

However, it is still low compared to other deals. Look at Hanley Ramirez's contract (total 6/70):

Arb 1: $5.5m
Arb 2: $7m
Arb 3: $11m
FA 1: $15m
FA 2: $15.5m

That is $54m for the same 5 years that would cover the final 5 of Pedroia's contract. Add in $500k for year 1, plus say a $2m buyout for the option year (on Pedroia's contract), and it seems Pedroia's deal is remarkably low.

Or, he needs a new agent?

As an example, Furcal just came off a 3 year contract where he performed to expectations about 50% of the time. He will probably get a contract of at least equal length and money.

Lowell is on a 3-year $37.5M deal for his age 34,35,36 seasons. Granted his deal had some World Champion bonus in it, but this is a great comp. 3 yrs $20M would be a bargain. They both have 20 HR pop and 8% BB rates. Lowell is a better defender. Blake has the beard.

Think of the sale possibilities for fake beards!