Was watching on DirecTV and thought -- wow, I wonder how badly Dodger Thoughts is going to lay into Erickson (and Tracy) tonight! And Jon already has a post up about it.

Let the flames begin. Erickson ought to be out now at least in favor of Mahomes ... never mind waiting for Dessens to come off the DL.

Question: Why would Tracy bring Erickson to pitch to I-Rod, who owns him?

Answer: Idiot!

That was Mr. Guerrero's last pitch as a Dodger!

Totally disgusted. Erickson vs. Rodriguez who has hit him hard. Why experiment in a winnable game. The Sanchez gives up 2 HRs and it's down the tubes. Going back to Jons analogy re:Tracy, a cheap hooker might be a better than our current relationship.

I dont know if Tracy does this to prove a point to DePo about cutting Erickson or if he really thought that pulling Derek Thompson after 5 innings (he deserved to be pulled) and replacing him with Erickson KNOWING he would have to bat and be replaced the next inning....that Erickson would be a good candidate for a 1 inning stint. Erickson is our LONG man, not a 1 inning pitcher and definitely not someone you bring in at that point unless you intend to keep him in for a few innings. Osaria was the better option from the get-go as was Sanchez. It made no sense and this is another game our manager has cost us.

I can't begin to express my frustration with Tracy. What was Erickson doing in the game? When he came out to pitch the sixth they showed a picture of poor Derek Thompson's face...he knew what was going to happen. Why? And, what's the deal with bringing Osaria in a situation like that? I know he did great, but I thought Tracy was all about putting guys in situations where they can succeed? Then, with two left handers leading off the 7th, why not Wunsch? Argh! Too upset...can't type properly...

To Clarify my point more....Thompson had thrown 5 innings and 86 pitches. The pitches were up in the zone and he was getting hit a bit but getting through the innings non-the-less. Since the pitchers spot was up the next inning he should have been allowed to at least start that inning rather than be pulled. If he gets into trouble then obviously you take him out and replace him. But why in the world you would choose our long man Scott Erickson is beyond me. With Houlton already in the rotation and Alvarez on the DL he is our only long reliever. What if Weaver struggles tomorrow and only goes 2 1/3 innings? Do you want to bring Erickson back for another 3 innings and use up Sanchez and Carrara for the millionth time just to get through it? Again, why Erickson was used I have no idea and it pisses me off to be honest.

Let's not let DePodesta off the hook here. He knows that Tracy plays Little League rules. He knows that if he leaves Erickson on the roster, Tracy is going to use him. This is all perfectly forseeable behavior. Tracy gets blame, yes (for heaven's sake, yes), but I, for one am not going to let DePo off the hook, when this is the roster management equivalent of JD Drew bunting -- it just shouldn't be happening.

Get rid of Erickson.
Then get rid of Carrara.
Then get rid of Dessens, Sanchez, and Wunsch.
Get rid of Choi, Robles, and Valentin.
Get rid of Grabowski, Repko, Bako, and Werth.
Don't re-sign Dreifort.
Don't re-sign Weaver.
Get rid of Jackson, Mahomes, Nakamura, Navarro, and Thurston.

Brian, according to Rick and Charlie, Thompson was on a stict pitch count and he had reach 86, and was only going to be allowed about 90. Since his spot was coming up, it made sense to pull him, once the strategy failed than they decided to burn Orsina's spot with Choi pinch hitting..I will not go into all of the Tracy decisions, but with the mounting injuries to the pitching staff, Alverez, Perez and Dessens, there has to be an additional pitcher who is stronger than Erickson or some pitch count books need to be tossed. Erickson just can't seem to get it done and at this point, I would rather lose whatever innings are planned for Erickson with either Mahomes or another pitcher. Orsina, while sadly not being able to prevent the tying run from scoring, kept the ball on the ground, not knowing when anybody comes back from the DL: Perez Alverez and Dessens, I think the Dodgers need to be a bit more agressive in finding someone to help. Mahomes can't be any worse than Erickson, and the sooner we do this the sooner we find out if Mahomes can be of any help.
Anyword how long Ledee is out for?

RIP:

My couch.

I think it's about 12 years old. Wooden frame snapped. I suppose having a knot in the wood right in the center where everybody sits isn't a good thing from a structural standpoint.

I was at the game. Erickson was roundly booed. There were chants of retire heard.

Bring back $2 Tuesdays. Watching carnage in the stands is more appealing than watching the tonight's action on the mound. You know the things are bad when Vin is talking about player-related terrorist incidents.

11,
Can we assume that someone drove you or did you have a car with an automatic transmission?

Wow. Erickson = struggling long man. Dodgers leading 4-2 after 5 innings. Obvious answer to just about everyone in the world except Jimy Tracy, of course. Absolutely inexplicable to pull Thompson and go with Erickson... Giovanni Carrara or Duaner Sanchez, or even Osoria would have been the logical option. But Erickson? Erickson???? And why not use Wunsch at all???/ Wow. Today it has been revealed that we do indeed have a Little League manager managing the Los Angeles Dodgers

Penny, Dodgers agree on extension
http://tinyurl.com/8rlqz

Penny for three years at $26 million plus a possible fourth year. I have mixed feelings about this deal.

Scottie Erickson you have seen your last days as a Dodger. I'm surprised you lasted this long. You must have been sucking off JT real well.

Well I'm sure the Dodger Brass will give you a one way first class Greyhound ticket to the destination of your choice. Granted, it must not be within 300 miles of Chavez Ravine. Oh, and by the way, you can take Gio and Robles with you.

Oh Scottie, one more thing, Dave Roberts said to stop wearing the pants he wore last year. Maybe if you pull your pants up a little higher it would help you pitch better.

Dont let the door knob hit ya in the * on the way out the door.

Say hi to Lisa for me.

#15

If Penny stays healthy, I think $26 million for three is a good deal and reasonable value. I thought it was going to be significantly higher... though the numbers I was seeing was for a fourth year.

But, of course, only time will tell if it will be a great value or he'll turn into another Dreifort/Brown perpetual injury candidate. My hunch is that he'll be pretty healthy.

Hey Scottie, here's a new job for you. You have been designated to wash Gagne's jockstrap for him after games. Maybe if your lucky you can even carry his golf bags for him.

Scottie get the hell out, your breathing up good oxygen other players could be breathing.

All right, Saxy. We get it. Enough. Tone it down, please.

I know we're all ired with JT and Erickson at the moment, but I thought the pivitol FJT-ism was leaving Duaner in way too long. I sat in disbelief as it was obvious he was going to continue to get creamed. You just don't let a guy who gives up back-to-backs hang around in that situation. You could almost see Duaner's eyes pleading for him to be pulled. As I recall, nobody got up until it was 8 - 4.

Anyway, it was the 7th inning of what WAS a close game... I see no reason why Yhency could not have been ready right behind Sanchez; pull Sanchez after the second knock... it's still a reasonably close game at that point.

Sorry Jon, I'm just so fed up and frustrated right now. As I'm sure everyone on this thread is. We could have picked up a game on the D-smacks and Padres last night. I'm just venting.

Thanks again Scottie

I can forgive Duaner. He's been pretty good this year, and he was just flat. The whole inning kinda exploded quickly. Erickson is not forgiveable. How fitting that what should be Erickson last outing, he doesn't record an out. I really think that Thompson should've pitched the 6th. I don't think we'd really be stretching him to go into the 6th.

Caveat to that though - I did notice that it was 3 tough righties that Erickson faced, so that most likely figured into Thompson being pulled.

But Erickson is our best option there? We need someone else for the pen. Farnsworth looked good last night. Does a team like the Tigers really need Percival, Urbina, and Farnsworth in the pen? Maybe we could "relieve" them of an extra arm in the pen?

Saxy - serenity now, buddy.

And as we were anticipating "sweep" when Thompson left with a two run lead in the 5th, we are now faced with the realization that the only thing standing between the Tigers and taking 2 of 3 from LA at home, is one Mr. Jeff Weaver. If we get behind early, this could get ugly today.

Sigh.

If Weaver had gotten the first four Brewers out in his last start, he would have two straight good ones.

Then again if Lincoln had ducked in Ford's Theater, there might not have been Reconstruction.

If the Dodgers woulda started 7-7 instead of 12-2...well, we'd be the Giants.

25 -

"Other than that, how was the game, Mrs. Erickson?"

The only Tiger who should play tonight (assuming Guilen is out) who has good numbers in a ridiculously small sample size against Weaver is Dmitri Young. He's 5 fo 9 with a HR.

As for Jason Johnson,
Choi is 1 for 2
Drew is 1 for 5
Izturis is 3 for 7
Kent is 4 for 6 with a homer
Phillips is 1 for 3
Saenz is 2 for 3

I realize that the save stat may be overrated and I haven't thought much about the blown save stat, but when I checked the boxscore this morning I saw that Osario was pegged with a blown save. I realize he gave up the grown ball to allow the tying run to score, but it seems like if I guy comes in and doesn't give up any hits, he shouldn't be pegged with a blown save, while Erickson who put him in that situation gets nothing. Just a little venting this morning.

#29 - Actually it was worse than that. Erickson got credited with a hold.

But, rules are rules.

Erickson got credited with a hold by some people.

Since it's not an official stat, the various people who record holds disagree on how to define them. According to one definition you must record at least one out to get a hold, so Erickson wouldn't get one. Under the competing definition, all you have to do is enter the game in a save situation and leave with your team still in the lead (so Erickson would get one in that case).

One of the problems with a pitching statistic like wins, losses, saves, holds, or blown saves is that you have to set up criteria for them in order to make them easier to compute.

Or else they would turn into assists in basketball and become subjective and not necessarily indicative of what is happening.

But there are going to be games when everything seems askew.

Gary Lucas would have gotten a hold in Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS.
I think Jason Christensen would have gotten a hold in Game 161 against the Dodgers last year.
He came in when it was 3-1 with the bases loaded and had a run score on an error and then left with the score 3-2.

Let's face it, the hold is an arbitrary stat made up so that middle relievers can get more money when it comes to arbitration time. Sort of like the save, now that I think about it.

I think saves and holds should all be grouped into one category as the same stat... let's be honest, it doesn't really matter whether you're pitching the 8th or the 9th.

For one thing, this would solve the problem of inaccurate "blown save" totals for middle relievers.

Eric, the idea I had was "The Rolaid". A successful Rolaid is where, upon entering the game, the reliever successfully ends an inning without an earned run, or exits the game without allowing the runners to advance (in the case of coming in situationally, to get one guy out). Additionally, the team must win in order to receive credit for a successful Rolaid.

A blown Rolaid (hmm, maybe I should rethink the title) is when the reliever gives up a run on the way to a team loss. Giving up a run on the way to a win gives you a No-Help-Rolaid.

If Erickson is the long man;isn't the purpose of the long man to eat innings while the team tries to make up a deficit?This didn't qualify as Dodgers led.
He can't be considered a plausible long man anyway bacause he can only get out people if they hit hard shots right at some one.The law of averages always catches up to him in an inning or two.By the time Tracy comes to the mound the game is gone.
He can't be a short man as he can't punch out anyone.There is no rational reason to keep him so adios Scott.