Garsh, a loss tomorrow would put us at a tie in the standings with the Hated Ones.

Well, this has been a trying stretch, even for sunny me. General pitching malaise aside (and, yes, that's a lot to put aside), Kent's fizzle has been the most baffling and frustrating bit of all. Guess that's the flipside of getting revved up during his smokin' April.

Anyhow, new day today, game on TV back East, Go Blue!

OT Aside -- In what I consider a backhanded swipe at my grumbling about missing the Springsteen show last week, my wife has stated a desire to buy a Springsteen concert DVD so we can properly educate our children. Are there any good ones out there? Or must I just take an obnoxious "it's not the same as being there live" hardline, which would be sadly typical. (Note that my favorite album is Nebraska, so I really am pretty snobbish about the whole thing.)

Last year, we hit Tomko hard early in the season and then he shut us down. I can never figure that out.

Brett Tomko's career is somewhat mystifying.

Sam, if you don't mind bootlegs, I'd recommend buying a copy of the 1978 Largo show in Landover, MD. It's almost always for sale on eBay. The performance is great and the picture/sound quality are terrific for that era.

Among official releases, the Live in NYC DVD is pretty good.

I caught the recent show in Cleveland and it goes on the short list of best Springsteen shows I've seen. I like the solo acoustic shows without the band. He played six different instruments: acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, electric piano, banjo, and pump organ. Definitely catch a show on the second leg of the U.S. tour if you can.

In other news, Andy LaRoche continues his Barry Bonds impression by homering for the fifth consecutive game... he now has 18 to lead all of pro baseball.

Baseball trivia question for the day: What do the following players have in common?

Mike Lowell, J.T. Snow, Rafael Palmeiro, Matt Williams, Ray Durham, Robin Ventura, Eric Karros, Vinny Castilla, Matt Williams, and Delino DeShields.

(Yes, I know Williams is listed twice.)

Nothing but good news this morning after another terrible performance by a Dodger starter.
As Jon mentioned Werth has gone off in his last two games and was 4/5 and the power is back with two home runs in his last two games. We can't get him back in the lineup soon enough.
Chuck Tiffany made his 1st start since his minor back surgery and was effective if not as dominate has he had been.
Andy LaRoche shoots to number one on the Baseball America hot list with his 18th home run. Why he is still in high A ball is a mystery to me.

This is the 1st I've heard of Drew having wrist problems. Could someone elaborate?

last night, Vin dropped on us that Drew's wrist has been bothering him all season, that he has had an MRI, and they aren't sure what the problem is...

the problem for Drew is that being surrounded by Ledee, Choi, Repko is not quite as nice for him as being surrounded by Pujols, Rolen, Edmonds...although I could be wrong...

"last night, Vin dropped on us that Drew's wrist has been bothering him all season, that he has had an MRI, and they aren't sure what the problem is..."
---------------

Gee, I've never heard that type of diagnosis about a Dodger right fielder before. ;)

I think it's long since time for Steve Henson or somebody to do a long, in-depth article on the incompetence/untruthfulness (it's gotta be one or the other) of the Dodger medical staff.

Eric, you are correct...our medical staff might be our biggest problem

Well, I'd say the injuries themselves are still the primary problem.... but there is clearly something fishy going on with the medical staff, and it would be nice to find out exactly what it is.

I found this:

"Updating previous items, Janie McCauley, of the Associated Press, reports Los Angeles Dodgers OF J.D. Drew (wrist) received a precautionary MRI on his right wrist Monday, May 23. Fluid was observed in the area, but Drew remained cleared to play. "

so Vinnie was right....

Maybe all the clubs have the same issues, but I think it is as much conditioning as it is medical staff communication

I was surprised when I learned that Jayson Werth leads the 51s in SB (6, against 1 CS) in only 13 games.

I emailed Will Carroll at BP to ask if he thought the Dodgers' med staff was sketchy, forgetting that he explicitly refuses to answer such questions in the negative. He's about the closest thing to an expert on baseball med staffs as anyone I've found on the Internet.

Mr. Carroll said the staff was qualified.

It could be true that the trainers and med staff are just fine, or even excellent. But if they are a problem and Will Carroll thinks so, he won't tell you.

OZ, thanks for the update?

5 -- Players over 35 Kevin Malone would have traded Andy LaRoche for?

why is Andy LaRoche still in A ball? cause he doesn't have wrist or shoulder problems yet...at that time, he makes the 40 man roster

re #8:

Drew put up his best season last year with the Jones boys (Chipper and Andrew) in the lineup. While they are good players, they are hardly Edmonds, Pujols, and Rolen.

I think the wrist has more to do with his production than the rest of the lineup.

#5 Trivia Answer:

None of these players ever allowed home runs on 0-2 counts to opposing pitchers.

I think the report about the wrist is a bunch of hogwash, used as a ploy to try to buy some sympathy from those fans that are starting to boo Drew at DS. But then again, I'm a ceaseless conspiracy theorist….

In all seriousness, even if he does have a sore wrist it is painfully obvious that there are bigger problems at play. His selectiveness at the plate has been getting him a lot of backwards K's, and when he does swing at a pitch early in the count he isn't doing any damage. It's great to look at what Beltre is doing and feel that Depo was brilliant with that non-committal, and then we have to deal with Mr. Drew. Let's just blame it all on Boras.

I agree that Drew takes a lot of strike 3s, but since his basic problem right now is a lack of power, and with the recent Dodger history of underdiagnosing health problems, a wrist problem seems a more than logical place to launch your consipracy investigations, Landonkk.

By the way, your name always makes me think you have strikeout problems of your own. :)

I think its more a matter of $11mm being a bad luck number for the Dodgers

I think Landonkk is just a good 2 strike hitter

ummmmm...Karl Ravech just said that Trevor Hoffman was the best closer in the NL West...

Obviously, the starting pitching is a huge issue.

But I think Kent is a big mystery. After campaigning to anyone that would listen that he should be an all-star, I am starting to have my doubts unless he turns this around soon.

Any thoughts on Dodger all-stars (I know it is still early, but we are voting right now)?

I think that Izturis, Bradley, Kent, and Phillips should be in.

Phillips??

Gagne for Bonderman and Inge, anybody?

With Jeff Kent doing his best 2003 Alex Cora imitation and Drew doing his best John Shelby imitation in May it is a wonder that we score at all since they are about 81% of our starting everyday salary. 19.5 million out of 24 million and in May they are a big zero. Good thing the minimum wage earners are making up for it.

Given that I haven't gotten to actually watch a game in quite some time, does anyone want to elaborate on how Drew looks at the plate? I've read plenty about how wrist injuries historically kill a players power, and I imagine more than a few people here have as well. (see e.g. James Loney) I've got to think that's the explanation for the lack of offense from Drew. Earlier in the year, (post 0 for 25 streak) it looked like Drew was almost toying with the ball at times. But at the same time, he still wasn't hitting for any power.

So if this was been going on since the start of the year, why the hell hasn't it been mentioned until now?

Ironically, that middle k stands for my middle name – Kasey. Thanks to Mr. Thayer, I've had a strikeout complex my whole life.

Oh, and as far as the All-Star game, I guarantee that Gagne will be the only Dodger representative. Nobody else on the team has the name recognition to get the votes, and there are 2 guys who are even remotely good enough to make the team as backups. (Lowe and Yhency)

Jeff Kent was an April All-Star, but I think you have to hit for 3 months to be an all-star.
Courtesy of Rotowire
Kent has cooled off of late as he is now hitless in his last 20 at-bats with five strikeouts and has only five hits in his last 44 at-bats (.114) with just one extra-base hit. He is hitting just .195-.238-.312 in May, and his season average has dropped to .267 after a hot April
At least when I vote for an all-star you do.
I'd vote for Izzy and Milton. Philips is doing very well but until he can put a slug% over 400 and throw out a runner once in a while I would hardly put him in the all-star discussion.

33:
Izzy has to be on your list of 'good enough!'

Drew has looked like a deer in the headlights. How many times can you get caught looking?

If no one else is on the All-Star team, Izturis will be...he became known by winning the Gold Glove last year.

#29

I like both of those Tigers and would love to have them on the Dodgers. Giving up Gagne at this point thought I think may be a little premature. I would like to see a little more from Brazoban before we give up the bset closer.

I like the idea, but maybe not just yet.

BC

But I think Bradley should be also, he has been solid offensively and defensively.

Eric, thx re the Boss.

#20. took the words right out of my fingers...

The only thing I am really worried about is the pitching. Everbody knows I've been repeating Werth will make a difference, and I think replacing Drew short term is fine. Kent will return to form, and I expect more from Bradley and Phillips. I am still worried about Choi... and now with Nakamura doing solidly well in LasVegas, I wonder when one decides to stop the Merry-Go-Round (if you even do)?

Platooning Saenz/Choi might make some sense, but when you are doing that AND Peres/Robles/Edwards you won't have time to concentrate on when to pull your mercurial starters.

And is Nakamura free for the pickings if another team wants him? For some reason, I was thinking he was, but I am not sure on that. I'd be willing to give up alot to get someone like Oswalt, but then he'd get SARS or something.

So I'm all for tweaking and tuning in April and May, but at some point I think you need to firm up your lineup/rotation and if there is any chance for trading Weaver and change + CASH, now seems a good time to try.

35- I think LaRussa will take Eckstein or Barmes over Izturis. Cesar is doing a great job this year, but he just won't get the votes, primarily because his name isn't Nomar. If he doesn't get the votes, it's out of our hands, now isn't it? If LaRussa wants to play to the St Louis fans, he'll take Eckstein. If Helton gets voted in, I think LaRussa will take Barmes.

La Russa wouldn't take a Coors Field rookie over Izturis - especially if Helton's on the team.

Edited down to a real question:

How many at-bats in the season till you decide on a position player? 30, 50, 100, or just keep switchin' 'em around?

Kent seems as likely to get voted on as anything -- fans never cared about stats before, why should they start now? If Kent's not voted on, then Milton or Izturis would need to make it as our representative. I agree with whoever said that Izturis' gold glove (and the fact that NL SS is not the deepest position in the world) probably gets him on the team, as long as he's still hitting somewhere in the vicinity of .300 at All-Star time. Milton will get hosed even if he's hitting .370.

It's not quite as bad as when Sharperson made the team that one year.

LaRussa is to David Eckstein is to Cesar Izturis as Bob Brenly is to Damian Miller is to Paul LoDuca?

Yeah, I could see that happening.

I know you guys are sick of hearing about the Nationals, but they're local, and pretty colorful right now, so what can I do. Anyhow, after leaving in stufless reliever Luis Ayala to give up the game winner to the rookie pitcher (his first ML hit) last night, Robinson has just yanked his starter Claudio Vargas with two outs in the bottom of the second. Vargas gave up 2 runs in the first, and has given up a double and a walk in the second. Might have something to do with the fact that Vargas threw 50 pitches, 20 of them balls before he was yanked. Not saying it's a bad decision, but Robinson's choices are just all over the map.

(Robinson also bunted his number two hitter in the first inning after Wilkerson opened the game with a double.)

The Nationals are facing contracted Go Go Matt Belisle, who is pitching well.

There's no way that Bradley makes the team. Again, he won't get the votes. The team isn't some infinitely-sized pool of players-- Bradley has to compete in an NL outfield that is filled with superstars. Take a look at the ballot, and pick 6 guys from that list. If I'm LaRussa, do I add Bradley, or do I add Beltran? Or Griffey? Or Pierre? Or Jason Bay (because he'll be the only Pirate on the roster)?

If Drew's wrist is a problem it hasn't affected his ability to kill righthanders, only lefties:

vs RHP - 111 ab
.270/.381/.459 (6 doubles, 5 HR)

vs. LHP - 38 ab
.184/.354/.211 (1 double, 0 HR)

Last year he pummeled lefties:
.287/.408/.521 (23 xbh in 167 ab)

Sam - I've found your Nationals stuff interesting - particularly the managerial stuff.

Big - also interesting ... thanks. That's a huge decline against lefties. You'd think he'd be due to improve unless there's a physical problem. I always blindly wonder about eyesight in these situations (pun intended).

Jon - Barmes has the buzz around him, though. He qualifies for rookie of the year, no? That might be all that LaRussa needs to pick him.

Much Needed Comic Relief-

PTI for those of you who heard this, but we may have a new all-time bizarre sports injury:

Twins left-hander Terry Mulholland suffered a scratch on his right eye from the end of a feather sticking out of his pillow when he rolled over in bed at the team hotel Sunday night, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The feather scratched the white of his eye and caused excessive watering and irritation all day Monday. He was to have it examined by a doctor and could miss several games.

Mulholland is the third Twin to be injured in his hotel room this season, joining infielders Jason Bartlett, who tore a fingernail adjusting the TV in his room in Detroit last month, and Juan Castro, who woke up with a stiff neck in Detroit.

big - add to that, my back was a little stiff last time I was in a hotel

No, I think Coors Field is the buzzkill. I simply can't see LaRussa picking a rookie shortstop with park-inflated stats from a last-place team over Izturis. There could be other factors that drop Izturis - he could slump, for one thing - but if the picks were today, I don't see any reason he would pick Barmes over Izturis.

other than the general inclination toward Dodger bashing

#5 is looking like a stumper.

No, I got #5 right. Of course, my answer is probably not as interesting as the 'real' answer.

Great news for the Jason Romano "Marching and Chowder Society" as the scrappy utility man has been called up by the Reds from the minors!

Carry on with your previous discussion.

or maybe he has been demoted from the minors to the Reds

Joe Sheehan just picked Izturis for his May 25 All-Star team:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4065

Milton beats Pierre. (Weaver might beat Pierre.) But you're right -- Jason Bay is an automatic.

Somebody mentioned Phillips, and I don't see -- assuming he keeps his current pace of production, why that's a terrible idea. You have Piazza who will get the fan vote, then...?

Oh yeah. Matheny. La Russa. Never mind.

Now that I think about it, the only way Barmes doesn't make the team is if Helton does. And I don't think Helton makes the team. Here's my guess at a roster, accounting for people's poor taste in voting and LaRussa keeping the favoritism to a minimum:

Clemens Hou
Willis Fla
Hudson Atl
Martinez NYM
Mulder StL
Gagne LAD
Hoffman SD
Isringhausen StL
Lidge Hou
Wagner Phi
Piazza NYM
LoDuca Fla
Pujols StL
Delgado Fla
Lee ChC
Biggio Hou
(Counsell Ari? Kent LAD?)
Alfonzo SF
Castilla Was
Garciaparra ChC
Barmes Col
Beltran NYM
Gonzalez Ari
Klesko SD
Griffey Cin
Floyd NYM
Abreu Phi
Bay Pit
Clark Mil

I think only one Dodger makes it, and that its Izturis...Gagne was out too long, Kent has faded, and even tho Bradley deserves it as much as Izturis, he's in a crowded outfield of stars in the NL

I think only Izturis makes the team. Kent may have a shot as a backup and that's only if he starts hitting again.

I am on a campaign to get Jason Grabowski on the team as a write in candidate. Please visit mlb.com and vote (up to 25 times) for Grabowski as a write in candidate. As a DT group effort, we can get our hero onto the team.

vr

Xei

Over/Under on Wilson Alvarez has been lowered to 5 IPs. Please feel free to place your virtual bets at this time.

vr

Xei

4th place if we lose tonight. Hope Jim Tracy doesn't sac bunt when down by four and the third base coach gets his eyes checked. This would be one of the quickest from first to fourth falls I can ever remember. Let's hope it doesn't happen.

vr

Xei

While paying attention to stats after May has never been a strength of people who select the All Star team (see LoDuca's perpetual status on the team) Barmes' average has "plummeted" to .340. He was at .400 11 days ago.

Izturis currently has a higher average and OBP than Barmes, a better glove, and doesn't play at Coors Field. Izturis deserves the selection, and there is room on the team for Helton, since Thome isn't going to make it this year.

#5.

Trivia answer: Who are 10 baseball players who've never been in my kitchen.
:)

vr

Xei

Scrappy utility man Jason Romano just pinch-grounded-out-to-third for the Reds.

....that you know of....

actually name 10 ballplayers who have been in your kitchen

The only reason I thought of Phillips was looking at the alternatives. But I forgot that Piazza would get voted in. Lo Duca is the only one having a better year (hitting).

But if the Dodgers keep losing, then it would hard to find more than I or two guys selected. Winning breeds all stars.

#5 -- Tim Brown's recommended options for the Dodgers 3B job.

I don't get the arguments being made here. Barmes, batting .339/.531 won't be Colorado's representative to the All-Star team because he has thin-air-inflated stats, but Helton, batting .291/.483 will make the team because...why?

Some amusing takes on #5, but nobody's in the vicinity yet... I'll give it a while longer.

because he is Helton and he has a history

re: #5 - all were drafted by the Dodgers?

Why are we having an all-star discussion on May 25th?

because we can???

#5: They all got the beaten up by Nolan Ryan?

#77: Because for some reason voting started the second week of the season.

77 -- Because it's impossible not to think of All-Stars after a Jeff Weaver start.

#5: well, they're all infielders, and all but lowell have played in the NL or AL west. all but desheilds are corner infielders.

is any of this relevant?

the fact that williams is on there twice makes me think that each of them led the league among infielders in a particular category between, say, 1995 and 2004.

okay, here's my guess:

who are 10 guys who have never been in xeifrank's kitchen?

er, all but desheilds and durham are corner infielders.

#5

Which Bush judicial appointees were confirmed by the Senate?

Name 10 people who will not be slapped by Burt Reynolds?

wait!

each of those guys' last names either are or contain a noun!

(that is, if we count kar, as in "baby you can drive my...")

eric? did i nail it? i nailed it, didn't i?

Terry Adams was designated for assignment by Philadelphia today. Perhaps he can make a triumphant return to L.A.

Jon, excellent post and the comment about Fernando although partly with tounge in cheek I suspect, considering he will be pitching in the Mexican League next year again (see recent Daily News) we could do worse.
No#64, I know it is fashionable by many on this site to blame Tracy for every fault, but the bunt by Izturus last night was done on his own-see the Tony Jackson story in the Daily News. He thought Alfonso was playing too deep.
Finaly, I still don't understand the Pat Mahomes situation, if he is doing well in Las Vegas, was a starting pitcher, something tells me he could be doing more up here then pitching well in Las Vegas.

Any word on who is starting this Saturday? DJ would be the guess at this point, right?

Dodgers.com quotes Tracy as saying that Carlyle is the likeliest candidate to start Saturday.

Hide the kids.

Buddy Carlyle? Come on... I'm available to pitch Saturday.

Finaly, I still don't understand the Pat Mahomes situation, if he is doing well in Las Vegas, was a starting pitcher, something tells me he could be doing more up here then pitching well in Las Vegas.

In 11 years he only has 66 starts and never more then 7 in the last 10 years with a lifetime ERA of 5.47. Not that Buddy Carlyle is a better answer.

Like the baseball game on ice, I ain't making it up:

From Dodgers.com
Manager Jim Tracy said Carlyle becomes a logical candidate to start Saturday in Arizona. That's the spot previously filled by Scott Erickson, who is now in the bullpen. Rule 5 Draft pick D.J. Houlton is another candidate.

"We'll have to see how the next couple [of] days go," said Tracy, who said he will decide by Thursday. "That will give the pitcher ample time to prepare, and doesn't infringe on our running of the game."

That blows my mind. Carlyle was not successful when he was up earlier this year. Why is this any different?

And why not Pat Mahomes as stated in #87

Just did my vote at MLB.COM and it was easy to vote for Kent and Izzy since Kent has no competition even if he has been putrid in May. Izzy is also the best choice with Rollins and Furcal having subpar years. Outfield was a little harder but I squeezed Milton onto the ballot along with Abreu and Cabrerra.
I don't normally vote as a homer but this year it was fairly easy to vote for 3 Dodgers.
Ramon Hernandez is clearly better then Jason Philips.

I'm really not comfortable with Carlyle starting. In fact, I'm not comfortable with a grown man named Buddy.
I love the 'write in Grabowski' campaign. It would be the biggest All Star coup since Ron Coomer made the team in 1999.

"doesn't infringe on our running of the game"

WTF?

5- 10+ years of service and have switched leagues. That's the only thing I can find that they have in common.

Trivia answer: The players in #5 are the last 10 major leaguers to successfully execute the hidden ball trick.

Of the nine players they caught (Durham and Ventura teamed up for theirs), three played for the Dodgers at the time: Brian Schneider, Carlos Perez, Rickey Henderson, Jed Hansen, Jose Cruz Jr., Glenn Murray, Darren Lewis, Rafael Bournigal, and Jose Offerman.

Karros pulled off the play 5/30/96 vs the Rockies and Lewis. Prior to that, the last Dodger to do it was Billy Moran on 7/16/1961.

Info from Retrosheet
http://www.retrosheet.org/hidden.htm

I was at the game last night and on three seperate occasions I remarked to myself how incredibly slow MB looked (both on the bases and in the field). I couldn't tell if he wasn't running hard or is just really THAT slow. Thoughts?

98. That was gonna be my next guess...

Apparently, Gene Michael was a master at it. He did it 5 times.

Frank Crosetti did it SIX times. Must be a Yankee tradition.

I hate the All-Star Game. I hate the voting, I hate the actual game. It's idiotic. I hope that someday we get a repeat of 1957, when the entire starting lineup of the Reds was voted in, just to further expose the ridiculousness of the voting.

The whole thing should be replaced with a one-week tournament between all the teams, a la the FA Cup.

Why am I not surprised to find Carlos Perez on that list? Just more to hate (I don't remember it myself).

Would it kill Tracy to hold a team meeting in which he says "Hey, you guys who get your own wacky ideas about bunting? Don't do that."

"I hope that someday we get a repeat of 1957, when the entire starting lineup of the Reds was voted in"
-------

We should try it this year -- voting for all the Reds on the ballot would mean electing at least one player who's already been released.

98 - NOW we know why Dusty loves the Giants so much!

I love the fact that Ozzie Guillen was caught twice in a matter of weeks in 1989...

He was caught again in 1991.

Has any one man been caught by the trick more than Ozzie?

In 1957, only 7 Reds were elected. First baseman George Crowe lost out to Stan Musial.

Thanks Molokai for the explanation on Mahomes..I think if we don't take 4 out of the remaining 5 games between the Giants and the D'Backs are season will be on life support. One can't be losing series to teams that right now are potentially playoff bound except the Giants and then expect to win..Having to go with Wilson and Buddy in two crucial games of a 4 game set is an indication that management doesn't feel the same way I do.

Rather than write-in Grabowski, let's try to pack the voting for the Reds in 2005. Nothing will warm the heart more to see a resurrected Danny Graves representing the Texas Rangers striking out Joe Randa to preserve a one-run AL victory.

We can't vote for Graves, but we can vote for D'Angelo Jimenez.

Graves doesn't need our votes. Doesn't Dusty Baker have a vote?

Why would Dusty Baker get a say? It's not 2003.

If a WS manager switches to the other league during the offseason (this will almost certainly never happen), is he replaced by someone else from his old league? Because it would be funny if, say, Tony LaRussa had become the Orioles' manager this offseason but would be managing the NL All-Star team.

That's when you'd see Danny Graves, Joe Kennedy, Paul Wilson, D'Angelo Jimenez and Jason Grabowski on the NL roster as captain's picks, ensuring the AL home-filed advantage in the WS.

I put in my 50 write in votes for Jason Grabowski today, don't forget to do the same.

vr

Xei

If a WS manager switches to the other league during the offseason (this will almost certainly never happen)
--------

It has happened.

The Yankees faced the Cardinals in the 1964 World Series. By the time the 1965 All-Star Game rolled around, the Yankee manager had been fired and the Cardinals manager was in charge of the Yankees.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/keanejo99.shtml

The 1965 all-star teams were managed by the 1964 second-place managers from each league, Gene Mauch and Al Lopez.

Has any manager been fired after winning the World Series?

I guess my question looks pretty stupid now.

Even without EE's answer, my question was a bad one. I should have asked, what's the quickest a manager has been fired after winning the World Series? Has it ever happened before the next season started?

Fired after a World Series win? Rogers Hornsby was in a sense. After he was the player/manager of the 1926 Cardinals, Branch Rickey got irritated with him (most people did him) and traded him to the Giants before the 1927 season.

Keane also left the Cardinals on his own because he was unsure of his contract status.

The 1964 Cardinals were an odd bunch.

Dick Williams quit the A's after the 1973 season before Charlie Finley invetibaly fired him or forced him to commit an unspeakable crime against humanity.

I thought it was a little-known rider on the resolution giving the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series: Dusty Baker always gets to pick the All-Star team reserves.

Maybe MLB should change the game so you can vote for celebrities or past players.

VOTE!
1B: George Clooney, Tom Cruise, or Geena Davis...

or

1B: Steve Garvey, Eddie Murray, or Greg Brock

This would honestly be just as entertaining as watching the current All-Star Game.

That reminds me that I have tickets for Hollywood Stars Night. Which I think is on June 11 or June 4. The Dodgers switched dates.

I hate Hollywood Stars Night. I don't want to come to Dodger Stadium to watch Tony Danza play softball. I don't want to watch Tony Danza period!

Just view it as a positive - this is your big chance to tell Tony Danza how much he sucks.

Wasn't there an Elton John song about Tony Danza?

But, Bob, didn't you hear Lasorda say in his HOF induction speech that "Tony Danza is one of America's great actors?"

[Cut to Bob's house during Lasorda's speech]

Lasorda: Tony Danza is one of ...
Bob (head over toilet): wrrreeeeeeeeeetcch
Lasorda: America's greatest actors
Bob (grabbing forks): My eyes! My eyes!

Aah, Tony Danza. On the top of the list of people with no apparent talent yet somehow successful.

#127 - Hi-larious.

Speaking of Greg Brock, a Greg Brock signed baseball card can be had for only $29 --
http://www.grandstandsports.com/gsm/p_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_1.asp

Actually a better bargain is probably Billy Ashley at a mere $19.

Billy Ashley? (Actually I always liked watching Billy Ashley hit.)

129. Do you mean you liked watching him swing? I don't know if I ever saw him hit anything :-)

Greg Brock was the first player ever to give me a baseball at a game -- around 1981 or so. Whenever he played for San Antonio.

I also have a postcard from 1985 that's signed "to Eric, a future Dodger. Greg Brock."

Nostradamus he ain't.

I packed all my all star votes for Dodger Thoughts. Who wants to see a friggin soccer blog (All Quiet Along the Western Front) at the damn all-stars?

OTOH, Geena Davis' archery skills would make her highly effective against beachballs.

post by levski at BTF that I thought Bob would appreciate:

"Just to make this thread a real thread, I'd try pawning off Russ Ortiz to the Dodgers, but I think the only way they'd take him is if DePo has 16 really hungry boars that haven't been fed for a few months, and AZ is willing to deliver Ortiz in black trash bags."

# 130 LOL
I remember to well when he replaced Garvey and he hit two home runs against the Expo's and Vinny declaring that Brock had arrived. To bad that would be the high point of his career. I was shocked that he failed and thought the Dodgers had made the right decision to replace the aging Garvey with the new blood. All these years later I wonder if the BP folk would have predicted his failure?
I also went to one game where I was behind the Dodger wives and back then before I become older and civilized I used to razz the players who weren't producing but couldn't bring myself to boo Brock with his wife two rows in front of me. I do remember watching a fat little Fernando baby who is now tearing it up in the Padre's farm system. Time flies

#130 -- Now that I think about it and remember, what I mean is that I was at this game:

http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B08020LAN1996.htm

I remember thinking to myself, "pinch-hitting with Ashley against Smoltz...guar-on-teed strikeout."

I may have already told this on some older thread. In 1974, I was down in San Diego to watch the Dodgers clinch the pennant. We had good seats, close to the field. My circle of friends hated Billy Russell at the time. So, he makes an error and we are all over him for the next couple innings. We then realize that we are sitting right behind the wives and Russell's wife is in tears. We were silent for the rest of the game.

Moreover, that game (in #135) was on my birthday. Now I definitely remember that game. Summer before my last year of college, someone gave me free tickets that they couldn't use, which just happened to be on my birthday. It was last minute, and no one else could go, so I went by myself. Kinda sad at the time, but it was a great game. I'm glad I went back and looked at this.

If it's any consolation, I am 90% certain that Bill Russell isn't married to that woman anymore.

Sat behind Terry Mulholland's wife one time when he was pitching. She and the others she was with were so damn nice it would have been tough to criticize him in their presence. Kind of a grin an bear it situation...

Marty, I think she was in tears cause he had broken the news that he was leaving her prior to that game.

mccrawford, alone on your birthday, let me wipe away the tears...

Speaking of birthdays, today is the 35th birthday of former Dodger Joey Eischen.

And, I'm sure someone will here get this, today would have been the 80th birthday of Don Liddle.

And Liddle's claim to fame is...

*Liddle was the pitcher for the Giants during Game One of the 1954 World Series when teammate Willie Mays made his over-the-shoulder catch. Vic Wertz of Cleveland connected on a pitch from Liddle, but Mays ran it down, catching the 460-foot fly ball.

Liddle had entered the game in relief of Giants starter Sal Maglie to face Wertz.

Marv Grissom was called in to replace Liddle after the out and Liddle is reported to have told Grissom, "I got my man." *

Marv Grissom-Marquis Grissom

Not to pile on about our sorry starting pitching, but I was shocked when I read that the Dodgers have allowed the fewest walks in the NL (121; Median = 150).

The pitchers have also allowed the same number of HRs as the Rockies(!).

I don't know what to make of this - it could be good news or bad. The good news is that if the guys get HRs under control, the ERA should come waaay down. The bad news is, if the walk totals go up, the ERA could go even higher.

I found this interesting as well - our pitchers have allowed 3HR to #9 hitters, only one fewer than the 4HR they've allowed to #7 hitters.

molokai---showoff!

I like Retrosheet's description of the event:

INDIANS 8TH: Doby walked; Rosen singled [Doby to second]; LIDDLE REPLACED MAGLIE (PITCHING); Wertz flied to center [Doby to third];

Sometimes writing "8" in the scorebook doesn't quite cut it.

Don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet, but...

9-0 Devil Rays over the A's in the bottom of the first with one out.

How soon do you think Beane will willing to write off the season and trade Zito? I watched him pitch against the A's last Sunday and he looked pretty sharp.

re 147: I think Beane would already have traded Zito if he could have found a better player in exchange. Zito is overpaid for his talent, which is rare for Oakland, and due to his sudden and steep decline. He won't give the guy away, but I don't think he cares if he loses him either. I am NOT a Zito fan. To me, he's worse than a left-handed Weaver (occasionally very good, but mostly mediocre). I don't see how he'd help.

Google has replaced my memory.

How about Nakamura at Las Vegas. In 50 at bats he has 44 total bases and 8 home runs!!
I don't think he got anywhere near enough AB's to judge that he can't hit in the Bigs.
In spring training he looked to hit about 30 homers a year and far outfield anyone I've seen at third!