Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

I made up an imaginary history for myself against Randy Johnson: 6 for 39, three walks, a triple, and nine strikeouts.

He really is a tough pitcher. The imaginary numbers tell the story.

I guess that's why I'm not in today's lineup, even though I bat right-handed.

* * *

Today's 3:40 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Every summer, I take a few days with as little computer time as possible to recharge the batteries. So keep on coming by, even if you don't see me around much.

James Loney batting .500. I know there's other stuff to talk about (like Nomar Garciaparra being benched for today's game, according to the latest press reports), but James Loney batting .500. It's cool, man.

Stay cool, everyone. Even when things go bad, watch the anger.

This is what happens when I call the voicemail on my cellphone.

"You have one unheard message. The following message has not been heard. First unheard message."

It's a bit much, I dare say.

* * *

Tonight's 6:40 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Below is a chart of who brought in the players on the 2007 Dodger roster and how much those players have contributed to this year's success as hitters and pitchers, according to Baseball Prospectus and its Value Over Replacement Player statistic.

There are some major caveats that come with this chart:

Name		Bat	Pitch	Total
Penny		3.5	41.4	44.9
Lowe		2.2	25.1	27.3
Kent		11.9	---	11.9

Name		Bat	Pitch	Total
Martin		23.0	---	23.0
Loney		11.0	---	11.0
Broxton		---	8.5	8.5
Kemp		7.7	---	7.7
Billingsley	0.9	6.4	7.3
Abreu		2.1	---	2.1
LaRoche		0.7	---	0.7

Name		Bat	Pitch	Total
Gonzalez		21.1	---	21.1
Saito		---	14.8	14.8
Wolf		1.0	12.5	13.5
Seanez		-0.1	7.0	6.9
Ethier		5.5	---	5.5
Furcal		5.2	---	5.2
Tsao		---	5.1	5.1
Hendrickson	-1.8	5.5	3.7
Beimel		---	2.9	2.9
Betemit		2.7	---	2.7
Pierre		-0.3	---	-0.3
Anderson		-0.9	---	-0.9
Valdez		-1.8	---	-1.8
Clark		-3.1	---	-3.1
Lieberthal	-3.1	---	-3.1
Schmidt		0.9	-4.2	-3.3
Garciaparra	-5.7	---	-5.7
Tomko		-1.7	-4.2	-5.9
Martinez		-6.4	---	-6.4

Name		Bat	Pitch	Total
Saenz		2.9	---	2.9
Brazoban		---	-3.1	-3.1

Name		Bat	Pitch	Total
Kuo		1.5	-2.4	-0.9

As Nomar Garciaparra moves into third base sooner than expected (i.e., tonight) and down in the batting order, I find myself wondering why no major paper has done a "What's wrong with Nomar?" feature.

After all, the Times recently ran a piece dissecting the struggles of a certain Boston Red Sox outfielder - giving it the kind of huge headline that betrayed some sense of glee in doing so. Why wouldn't someone who toils in our own backyard be worthy of the same examination (if not the same glee)?

Maybe there's no explanation for Garciaparra's performance other than speculation about his age or health, but it doesn't mean there isn't a story to be done. I know Garciaparra isn't the talkative type, when it comes to talking about himself. But at a minimum, it seems like someone would want to delve into what's going on with him. Instead, silence.

Even for those who haven't given up on Garciaparra (I myself believe he could easily have some bounce left in him, though not enough to get him back to where he used to be), it's worth talking about why he isn't generating any strength on his swings, worth trying to figure out whether it's a fixable problem or not.

Right now, the Dodgers are committing to playing Garciaparra ahead of Wilson Betemit at third base, even though Betemit produces more offense (despite making less contact). Betemit's on-base percentage is 17 points higher; his slugging percentage is 106 points higher. (And I'm still waiting for someone to explain why we should discount Betemit's pinch-hit at-bats while talking about his ability.)

As we saw in the comments today, Garciaparra has a higher OPS with runners in scoring position, but Betemit is better with runners on base. I call that a wash.

So far this year, even factoring in all his strikeouts, Betemit has been the better hitter. Not an All-Star, not at all. Just better than the alternatives. And he's at an age where we'd expect improvement, not decline.

As I wrote Monday, I'm willing to believe that Garciaparra could still be the better hitter - he certainly has the pedigree - but I'd sure like to know why he hasn't been.

If the answer is that Garciaparra has been unlucky, or has been nursing an injury, or has been sleep-deprived with the twins, or is having problems with his batting mechanics, or whatever, that's something we can factor into the discussion. If the answer is just that Garciaparra is declining, that's another story.

But the questions should be asked.

* * *

Tonight's 6:40 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

We can still purchase a few more tickets for the group going to Dodger Thoughts day at Dodger Stadium on July 21. If you want to go, send me $24.50 via the Paypal link on the sidebar by Sunday night.

* * *

Juan Pierre scores surprisingly high on the defensive statistics published by The Hardball Times. Pierre is the No. 7 center fielder in THT's Zone Rating, which it obtains from Baseball Info Solutions. According to the numbers, Pierre has converted 144 of 158 balls in his zone into outs, while also grabbing 36 balls out of (his) zone, or OOZ. And that's good.

Surprised by this, I asked THT's Dave Studeman about how the numbers conflicted with how bad Pierre looks to my naked eye. Essentially, the statistical evidence is that too much has been made of Pierre's balltracking shortcomings.

Maybe Pierre was benefiting in the stats because left fielder Luis Gonzalez has little range himself?

"Pierre did well last year, too, in Wrigley," Studeman said. "I don't know how to explain it - he looks average to me, at best - but it wouldn't be because of the other fielders around him. He does well in straight zone rating, as well as in plays out of zone."

Andre Ethier also scores high in the rankings, coming in as the No. 3 right fielder. Rafael Furcal is the No. 7 shortstop. Jeff Kent, who was the worst fielding second baseman in baseball by another statistical format, falls in the middle of the pack at second base by this reckoning.

Nomar Garciaparra, now moving to third base (where Wilson Betemit scores poorly), was near the bottom at first base, as is Gonzalez in left field.

Update: THT says The Dodgers have a league average defense as of today: below average in the infield, above average in the outfield. (Note: none of this takes into account outfield throwing arms.)

* * *

Regarding Rafael Furcal's ongoing ankle troubles, Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus writes: "Furcal's ankle was "just" a sprain, (but) let's remember what a sprain is — it's a tearing of ligaments inside the ankle, which is a complex, weight-bearing joint. The LA Times is reporting that Furcal's left ankle is giving him problems going up the middle and batting right-handed. This is the opposite of what you might expect, and tells us that the problem is not with starting, but with stop-ping or increased weight-bearing. The longer-term concern and one that might already be in play is some arthritic changes in the ankle, a common side effect of chronic ankle problems such as the one Furcal is dealing with. That's bad for a speed player, though worse for a power guy, so Furcal is dealing with a bit of a double whammy. His PECOTA comps include a lot of guys who had precipitous drops after injuries, so that shorter contract might end up being one of Ned Colletti's smarter moves."

* * *

At Walteromalley.com, there's a new section offering a "Timeline of Baseball's Historic Expansion to the West Coast" with more than 100 entries and historic documents. Some fascinating primary source material is there, such as this 1958 flyer calling for support of Proposition B, which ratified the city's contract with the Dodgers. (First term of the contract: "Dodgers must transfer the most successful team in the National League to Los Angeles.)

Meanwhile, a new website, Dodgers-Giants.com, aims to catalogue the history of the rivalry between the two teams. Meanwhile, don't forget to stop by Baseball Nooz, which attempts to track baseball writing from mainstream news sites as well as blogs.

Finally, Dodger team historian Mark Langill has a new book out: Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Dodgers Baseball, in which people from Carl Erskine and Willie Davis to Vin Scully and Nancy Bea Hefley recall their favorite Dodger memories.

* * *

Almost forgot: Dodger Thoughts reader Brent Daniel passed along a June 7 Baseball Prospectus article that I missed. The article used the pitch analysis system in place in several ballparks to evaluate batter selectivity at the plate.

Notes Daniel:

Both (Andy) LaRoche and Betemit are top of the list (#2 and #3) of players in the sample who did not swing at pitches outside of the strike zone.

Nomar is sixth on the list of players who most frequently swing at pitches in the strike zone (excluding 3-0 counts).

It looks as if James Loney has won the Dodgers' first-base job and caused Grady Little to push Nomar Garciaparra to third base.

From Inside the Dodgers:

Grady just let the beat writers and other media know that Nomar is going to start taking some ground balls and working out at third base in the next few days, as there's a chance he'll start playing there. And as you can imagine, Nomar seems totally fine with it. He played there with the Cubs briefly and a little in high school and I truly believe him when he says "whatever's best for the team."

If that means more playing time for James Loney, great. In fact, this is something many people have been rooting for all year long. However, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that moving Garciaparra to third base will improve the Dodgers at that position, offensively or defensively. Wilson Betemit is still having a better season, if you include his pinch-hitting totals. And why wouldn't you?

But my support for Betemit shouldn't be mistaken for a firm belief that he can outperform Garciaparra over the course of the season. I suspect that Betemit can, but there's enough doubt that I'm willing to see what happens. The Dodgers are making room for the productive kids (like Loney), step by step. Is spot rest for Juan Pierre so far away?

I guess the nonsensical fears of Garciaparra injuring himself by playing third (as opposed to first) are out the window now.

Update: Garciaparra could be in a game at third as soon as Friday and isn't likely to be an experiment, according to Kevin Pearson of the Press-Enterprise:

Little said the move is likely permanent, as he would not move Garciaparra to third as simply a part-time thing. Nomar could also see time at first, but it appears this move is to stay.

"The primary factor is winning games," Little said.

Says Tony Jackson: "Grady said Nomar might still occasionally see some action at 1B, but he was VERY committed to Nomar becoming the primary 3B."

Update 2: So, does this qualify as a hybrid Wally Pipp moment for Garciaparra? Starting first baseman gets achy, gets well but loses his position? (Note: According to Snopes.com, Pipp really was benched, as opposed to losing his job over a headache.)

* * *

Tonight's 6:40 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Over at SI.com's Fungoes, I offer my midseason National League West All-Star team:

The pandering for All-Star Game votes has gotten a little out of control in parts of the country, don't you think? Just last week on the radio, Dodger announcers Rick Monday and Jerry Reuss let us know about an official organizational bribe to get people to vote for the local boys - coupons and discounts and such, with more of it coming your way the more you stuffed the ballot box. My current apathy toward voting (the opposite of how I felt a decade ago) is on the verge of turning into a boycott.

Nevertheless, I have been curious who the best players in the division closest to home have been this year. I thought it might be fun to see what an All-Star team just from the NL West would look like. Here's what I came up with ...

While so many people cursed Saturday night's left-on-base extravaganza, I felt energized. Of course, I wanted that one more hit that would have put the Dodgers to victory, but all the garment-rending after the game missed the point.

Clutch hitting comes and goes like good fortune. The real significance of Saturday's game was the Dodgers were pounding out baserunner after baserunner. Starting five players called up from the minors since May 2006, the Dodgers got 21 men on base against a worthy opponent, Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir. The Devil Rays needed to throw 173 pitches to get their win.

James Loney, in what could be called an emergency start, reached base three times and hit line-drive outs in his other two at-bats. For the second time this season, he had a huge extra-base hit against a name lefthander. After getting a single, a double and a walk, Andre Ethier is now OPSing .891 for the month.

If Dodger fans are fortunate enough to actually be in the position to complain about .435-hitting Matt Kemp swinging at a 2-0 pitch and hitting the ball hard, but right at the third baseman, for a double play, that's a great place to be. As Kemp showed with his eight-pitch, ninth-inning walk, it's not as if he's lacking for discipline.

Last year, the Dodgers made the playoffs despite tying a Los Angeles record for runners left on base: 1,223, or 7.5 per game. The LOB weren't a sign of some organizational failing - they were a sign that the Dodgers were getting opportunities to score. That's what matters. Of course you want to cash in every opportunity, but that's not possible. Sometimes, you're going to have games like Saturday's. But the point is for the Dodgers to get as many chances as you can - especially when they don't have much home-run power. Saturday was a good sign.

When the Dodger bullpen collapsed against the Padres in April 2006 and blew a huge lead, that was a moment of true despair. Eric Gagne was hurt; Takashi Saito hadn't emerged yet. Key members of the bullpen included Danys Baez, Lance Carter and Tim Hamulack. It was truly hard to know how the Dodgers were going to get through the season. Lucklily for the Dodgers, Saito was a gift from the gods - I still can't quite wrap my head around our good fortune when it comes to him.

So this year, when the Dodgers blew a big ninth-inning lead to San Diego, it was a different story. Saito couldn't pitch that night, but it was only temporary, and we knew he would come back soon to help. Jonathan Broxton had a bad outing, but by this time you could be confident it was an aberration. If anything, the loss raised concerns about the Dodger defense, which allowed three Padres to reach base on infield grounders, but we also knew that better defense was coming up through the minors.

Some bad losses are truly ominous. The collapse against San Diego was not. And the loss to Tampa Bay was not.

I have no trouble pointing out when the Dodgers look in bad shape. If the Dodgers weren't getting people on base and yet were stubborn about making changes that could help, that's the sign of a train going off the tracks. But Saturday night was more a case of the little engine that could - but just didn't quite happen to do so. Of course, Loney and Kemp aren't going to keep hitting .400, and when they each go 0 for 4, we can rue not getting the win Saturday. (On the other hand, we might just steal a victory that day. That's baseball.)

The offensive potential that the new blood represents remains exhilarating. I find it impossible to feel anything but excited about the Dodgers this morning.

* * *

Today's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Noteworthy from today's lineup: You can all exult: Russell Martin is the DH. Watch him steal five bases today. Jeff Kent is resting, which puts Wilson Betemit and Tony Abreu in the lineup. Nomar Garciaparra is still sick, according to Josh Rawitch, so Loney is back at first base, with Kemp in right field. But Ethier will shuttle out for Luis Gonzalez, because the Juan Pierre Rubicon still intimidates.

It's going to be hard for me to root against ex-Dodger Edwin Jackson, who starts for Tampa Bay today. My allegiance to the Dodgers comes first and I'll be rooting for them to get on base with each plate appearance, but it'll hurt if Jackson struggles. But you can't assume that he'll struggle, because, after all, doesn't it seem like the Dodgers would be the one team he would do well against?

Meanwhile, Hong-Chih Kuo will hopefully get back on the winning path.

If I weren't so lazy, I might have cut out and framed Friday's boxscore.

* * *

And now, to keep things in perspective ...

Guess who is the last National League West pitcher to throw four consecutive complete games.

It was Carlos Perez of the Dodgers, according to Baseball-Reference.com's Stat of the Day. Perez allowed three runs in 36 innings over four straight starts in September 1998, prompting the Dodgers to give him a three-year contract.

Four years ago, I wrote about what happened next.

1999: Carlos Perez
Previous season: 241 innings, 3.59 ERA
Spring Training: 28 1/3 innings, 5.72 ERA
April: 24 1/3 innings, 5.55 ERA
Regular season total: 89 2/3 innings, 7.43 ERA

Perez remains an interesting story to me. As you may recall, Perez pitched very well for the Dodgers when acquired in the summer of 1998, and was signed to a three-year contract extension by Kevin Malone. Among the reasons for the extension were the four complete games he threw in September 1998, including two shutouts.

I attended Perez's first start of 1999. It was against the Colorado Rockies, and Perez led, 1-0, after six innings. Perez gave up hits to Dante Bichette and Vinny Castilla in the seventh inning. Dodger manager Davey Johnson does not have anyone warm up in the bullpen. Keep in mind, we're just a week out of Spring Training.

Todd Helton then hits a three-run home run. Still, no one warms up. In fact, Perez would give up a fourth run - and though finally someone got up in the bullpen, no replacement entered the game that inning. Perez finished the seventh, and was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the inning.

I felt strongly, throughout the top of the seventh, that Johnson nonsensically was risking more than a game - he was risking a pitcher. Of course, the previous night, Ismael Valdes had gone 7 2/3 innings in a victory over Arizona. Perhaps Johnson thought the Dodger staff was bionic in 1999. On the other hand, Johnson certainly had a rested bullpen to use.

Perez gave up six earned runs in each of his next two starts. He recovered to throw seven innings of one-run ball in his fourth start, so maybe there isn't a connection. But Perez never got it together after that, finishing with that awful ERA you see above, and so that fourth start seems more like a fluke.

Maybe Perez was destined to implode that season - and I'm certainly not going to say that the huge contract Perez got could be justified. But you'd think with that contract, Johnson would have been more careful. I've always wondered whether he might have ruined Perez's career in that seventh inning on April 8.

"There's Always Carlos," October 20, 2004

"Carlos Perez and Bill Singer," December 20, 2004

* * *

The new Blogad on the side really is for bats. I checked.

* * *

Today's 4:10 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

The first momentous pitch of the eighth inning Thursday was the first intentional ball to Luis Gonzalez with the tying run on third base and the go-ahead run on second base. On a gut level, walking anyone to face Russell Martin just seemed wrong.

When you look at the stats, you see that Martin has marginally less effective than Gonzalez against righthanded pitchers like Toronto's Casey Janssen, and that Janssen has been marginally more effective against righthanded batters. So perhaps the stats justified the intentional walk. But was there any Dodger fan who wasn't happy to see it? Turns out we're not all automatons, because I think the answer is no.

The second momentous pitch of the eighth inning was a called strike to Martin on a 1-0 pitch. It was USDA choice fastball, chest high and down the middle, and Martin watched it go by. I nearly ran to grab a bat to swing at it myself. Surely, I thought, there couldn't be a better pitch to hit.

The third momentous pitch of the eighth inning was the next one, and it justified all my feelings about the first momentous pitch and assuaged all my fears about the second momentous pitch. It was on the outer half of the strike zone rather than down the middle, but Martin went with it and lashed it plenty fair down the right field line for a go-ahead double.

Martin isn't God. This was his only hit in five at-bats Thursday. But he is one righteous ballplayer, and I'm happy to have opponents intentionally walk someone ahead of him anytime.

The fourth momentous pitch of the eighth inning was a 3-0 fastball to Matt Kemp, which he had the green light to swing at. He missed it. But it only added to my fascination with how Kemp is being regarded by Dodger manager Grady Little. It's almost as if Grady the motorcycle rider has a sweet new bike he just isn't sure he can handle. Some days it just sits in the garage for fear of crashing it, other times he can't resist turning it loose. All I can tell you is that I'm a lot more scared of motorcycles than Matt Kemp getting playing time.

The fifth momentous pitch of the eighth inning was the next one. It might have had some break to it; I recall it being at the knees, but maybe it was just a fastball with no mojo. Kemp got his bat down and soared the ball to the base of the wall in center field, plating Martin to give the Dodgers a 6-3 lead.

It was Kemp's second hit of the day coming off the bench in place of Andre Ethier (who has reached base in five straight plate appearances, by the way – two singles, a homer, a walk and a hit-by-pitch). Kemp's first hit was a hard ground ball up the middle that was knocked down, but Kemp still reached on an infield single. Other players wouldn't have hit the ball as hard while being able to run as fast to beat it out.

But on momentous pitch No. 5, Kemp fueled my passion for him – whatever flaws are in his game, there is no way he isn't one of the three best outfield threats on the Dodgers.

The Dodgers won a game that relied entirely on members of last week's bullpen: Chad Billingsley, Mark Hendrickson, Rudy Seanez, Jonathan Broxton and Takashi Saito. They came from behind twice. It might not be a momentous victory, but there were moments to treasure.

* * *

It might be my imagination, but I think Dodger third-base coach Rich Donnelly has gotten more conservative and has been sending fewer baserunners to their doom. Good for him, if this is true. For every run that might be forestalled (temporarily or permanently) by his forbearance, he is certainly allowing for more runs to score overall. The Dodgers are not a team that can afford to make outs at the plate.

I have always been able to forgive Donnelly for sending a runner home late in the game and having a perfect throw get him. But there have been too many occasions in which Donnelly waved his arm when an outfielder didn't even need to make a perfect throw to get the out – or when the outfielder is so good that a perfect throw was very likely. If a runner is out on a bang-bang play, you can accept that. If a runner is out by 20 feet, perfect throw or not, that's coaching incompetence.

But I think things have been better.

* * *

Update: Good news on the Jason Schmidt front, relayed by True Blue L.A.:

I got an e-mail from Will Carroll explaining why his labrum article from 2004 is now obsolete.

* * *

Update 2: For the first time ever, I believe, the Dodgers have Kemp, Martin, Ethier, and James Loney in the same starting lineup. Oh, and Tony Abreu as well.

* * *

Today's 4:10 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

I took on the Dodgers' somewhat strange doings for my latest SI.com piece.

When the news finally came on Wednesday night that intended Los Angeles Dodgers staff ace Jason Schmidt was lost for the season, you couldn't feel the sting as much as the shrug.

Having only pitched 25 2/3 innings this season -- and allowing 18 earned runs in the process -- Schmidt barely dented the collective Los Angeles consciousness. That's because the Dodgers' unease with their current situation has to be so broad, it could hardly center on one player, no matter if that player's torn labrum and frayed bicep tendon represents $12.5 million in salary down the tubes for 2007.

There's a peculiar tension enveloping Los Angeles, where the Dodgers have simultaneously flirted with the NL's best record and disaster. At 40-31 the Dodgers are only 1 1/2 games behind league-leading San Diego, yet question marks have swarmed the team like the indefatigable paparazzi around Paris, Lindsay and Britney.

The daily announcement of the Dodgers' starting lineup has become imbued with the suspense of revealing the day's lotto numbers. The Dodgers have a bunch of younger talent that they don't seem sure what to do with, and under the guise of keeping people fresh, are really just trying to figure out what direction they want to go in. ...

* * *

Today's 4:07 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

In the first year of his free agent deal, Jason Schmidt is done for now. Surgery performed on his shoulder found a torn labrum and some other damage, which was repaired. The rest of his career is riding on how well the fix takes hold. The labrum was anchored back to bone, so that's the key point that will need to heal before his rehab starts. There's not much precedent for a return to level, though it's interesting to note that the article I did on labrums for Slate back in 2004 is now almost completely obsolete. This is far more extensive than the surgery that Schmidt had in 2000, so timeframes are a bit tougher to judge here, but a vague yet reasonable one has him returning in time for spring training next year. The same holds true for Yhency Brazoban, who will have his labrum repaired on Friday.

It's hard to say that these injuries were "preventable" - for Schmidt, it was years of pitching, though there has to be some question about the physical done before signing his three-year deal. When it comes to Brazoban, it's all too common to see shoulder injuries post-Tommy John surgery due to subtle alterations in mechanics. The Dodgers have some pitching depth, and for them to keep up in the NL West, guys like Chad Billingsley will have to come through.

- Will Carroll at Baseball Prospectus

And from a live chat today:

It was, from what I understand, an extensive SLAP tear of the labrum, but he came back from a significantly less significant tear once before. (God that's a terrible sentence, but I can't figure out how to say it better.) The real answer is that the Dodgers should have a much better handle on how Schmidt is coming back early in the rehab. The timeframe to "know" is sometime in the season, maybe the early post-season, so there's plenty of time to figure out Plan B or call the insurance company (oops, there's not one.)

In news that caught me off guard, Oakland designated ex-Dodger Milton Bradley for assignment.

Bradley was activated from the disabled list Wednesday and went 0 for 3 with a walk. He was 19 for 65 with two homers and eight walks (120 OPS+) for the A's this season.

Here's what beat writer Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle had to say in the immediate aftermath:

There is no further information yet; GM Billy Beane is expected to talk to reporters later today. One possibility is that the A's believe that Bradley will clear waivers (very possible, considering his injury history); another is that they have a possible deal in place to trade Bradley; or perhaps, with some roster crunches looming, the team has just decided to part ways early with a player who has spent much time on the DL and who will be a free agent next season.

There are any number of possible reasons, really. It's tough to speculate. The one thing that has been the case during Bradley's A's tenure: He repeatedly has said how comfortable he feels in the clubhouse and how much he enjoys playing for the A's. If this is a situation in which he does move on, for whatever reason, he cannot be too happy about it. Oakland has been a nice spot for Bradley.

But Joe Stiglich and Eric Gilmore of the San Jose Mercury News reported the following:

He took a called third strike in his final at-bat and appeared to have some heated words for home plate umpire Tim Timmons until Geren came out to pick up the discussion.

Bradley was still upset about something as he left the A's clubhouse after the game. As he climbed the stairs just outside the clubhouse, Bradley threw a couple of plastic chairs down the stairs and shouted expletives.
General Manager Billy Beane said he and Bradley had a discussion but described it as a "private thing."

"He wasn't that upset when he left (the meeting)," Beane said. "You just never know. We'll check on him (today)."

More at The Griddle and Catfish Stew. Twice. Baseball Toaster is all over this story!

Jason Schmidt has fallen under the Dreaded Dodger Labrum Curse, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com (and everyone else):

Dodgers right-hander Jason Schmidt is out for the season after surgery Wednesday to repair three separate areas of damage in his right shoulder.

Conte said the bursa inflammation is the only one of the injuries that showed up conclusively on an MRI done in April, but the belief is that the combination caused Schmidt's dramatic loss of velocity from last year.

Schmidt can now check the Dodger Thoughts archives for previous labrum discussions.

"The Shawn Green of Old Will Not Return," October 19, 2003

"LaRoche Labrum Lamentably Lame," June 17, 2006

As far as Ned Colletti doing due dilligence before signing Schmidt, Gurnick reported him saying that Schmidt passed a battery of physical exams. "You look at the MRIs," Colletti said, "and they're almost identical if you go back a few years."

Update: Here's what I wrote on January 9:

On the pitching side, Jason Schmidt makes me a little uneasy because I feel he's a guy with wear and tear, but if he's on the mound he should be good, and he (along with Randy Wolf) adds to this depth equation. I don't know what the starting rotation will be or how much it will fluctuate, but I think that the odds are that the Dodgers will have five good starting pitchers.

I also consider as an offseason move the new hirings in the medical staff. I have no idea how this will play out, but the team's recent history this decade of rushing people back onto the field, only to see them get hurt again, has nowhere to go but up. So I'm hoping change is for the better. But again, we wait and see. If you've been reading this site for a while, you know that "maybe good, maybe not" is considered a better answer than being sure about something you can't really be sure of. Just consider it burnishing the cat. (You do the math.)

Update 2: Eric Enders reminds us of this 2004 Will Carroll article in Slate:

The leading minds in baseball medicine are flummoxed by the labrum. Doctors can't agree on how to detect a tear, don't know the best way to fix one, and aren't sure why, almost without fail, a torn labrum will destroy a pitcher's career.

Pitchers with torn labrums will have to wait a while longer for their Tommy John surgery. So far, the message from the nation's orthopedic surgeons is: We can't rebuild them. Dr. Anthony Tropiano, a top baseball arm doc, says the best available treatment option today is to do nothing. "We call it conservative treatment," he says, "but that's just a euphemism for a little rehab and a lot of prayer."

In other words, short of a breakthrough, the Jason Schmidt of old will not return. Just as was the case with Green, there's a difference between being done and being diminished. We don't know that Schmidt is done, but barring a breakthrough, he may well be diminished.

Matt Kemp, who has an OPS of .964 this season, who has an OPS of .980 since his June return to the Dodgers, who is 7 for 13 with a walk and a home run in his last four starts, rides the pine for the second day in a row.

* * *

Today's 4:07 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

If I'm not mistaken, Russell Martin's current pace would just about make him the National League's first 20-20 catcher (in home runs and stolen bases, that is).

Ivan Rodriguez had 35 homers and 25 steals for Texas in 1999, but that's the only example, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

With eight home runs and 11 stolen bases in the Dodgers' first 70 games, Martin is on pace to finish with 19 home runs and 25 stolen bases. Summer heat and more rest could slow down his production, but there's still more than a fighting chance.

* * *

Ideally, Chad Billingsley will be so efficient in his first start of the season Thursday that he throws 65 pitches spread evenly over six innings, hardly taxing himself before handing the game over to the Dodgers' late-inning relief.

But even a nice outing from Billingsley might force the Dodgers to rely on their bullpen for four or more innings Thursday. And that's without knowing how the exciting but still-developing Hong-Chih Kuo will do in his start tonight.

So, with no off days remaning until the All-Star Break, the Dodgers might need to replace a position player with a pitcher over the next 24 hours.

Who could come?

Though the possibilities aren't limited to the following, here are three principal candidates:

Mostly bad news from the Dodger medical ward, courtesy of Diamond Leung of the Press-Enterprise.

Jason Schmidt will have exploratory arthroscopic on his right shoulder tomorrow in Los Angeles, as doctors try to find out what exactly is wrong with it. Chad Billingsley will return to the rotation and take Schmidt's previously scheduled start on Thursday. Not only is his velocity down, but also he reported pain after his last start.

Chin-hui Tsao will throw again off a mound tomorrow and is nearing a return.

Schmidt wins this year's Eric Gagne Award for fooling everyone and no one all at once. Yes, Dr. House - everybody lies.

On the bright side, the Dodgers knocked out Toronto's Dustin McGowan, who allowed six runs on 65 pitches in 1 2/3 innings.

And Billingsley is in the rotation ... exciting.

Update: "Randy Johnson has a herniated disk in his surgically repaired back, raising questions about when he'll return to the Arizona Diamondbacks' rotation," reports The Associated Press. Not to mention the fact that "Red Sox starter Curt Schilling was sent back to Boston on Tuesday to get an MRI exam on his right shoulder."

Alex Belth rules.

* * *

Today's 4:07 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

The horrors of the Dodgers' 1-20 run in interleague road games get relived today by Ben Bolch in the Times:

It started two years ago in the modern mecca of baseball futility, with an unexpected twist.

Tonight the Dodgers open a series against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre having lost 20 of their last 21 interleague games on the road while being outscored, 123-42. How could a team that has been a relatively respectable 11-10 against AL teams at home since 2005 have stumbled so dramatically on the road? ...

* * *

At SI.com's Fungoes, a quick glance at the Diamondbacks' Randy Johnson and the improvement of the Colorado Rockies:

Thanks to injuries and ineffectiveness, Randy Johnson had only one quality start in his return to Arizona through the Diamondbacks' first 35 games of the season. Coming off a 2006 season in which he had a 5.00 ERA, it would have been reasonable to wonder whether the 43-year-old Johnson would ever dominate again.

But then over a 4 1/2-week period, Johnson knocked out six consecutive knockout starts, allowing eight runs over 35 2/3 innings (2.02 ERA) while striking out 51 and walking five -- a ratio few achieve at any point in their careers. According to Baseball-Reference.com, opponents had an on-base percentage of .222 against Johnson and a slugging percentage of .233 in that span. ...

Colorado has furthered its attempt to go from pretender to contender. Since May 21, the Rockies are 17-7, even including Sunday's 7-4 loss to Tampa Bay. However, in that time Colorado has only gone from being seven games out of first place to 5 1/2 games out, because San Diego (which was in second place May 21) has gone 16-8.

On May 14, I wrote that "the Rockies' main problem this year is that their pitching isn't as deep as they might have hoped, at home or on the road. .... The Rockies are hardly dead and buried, but they have got to get their pitching turned around to stay in the competitive division race." In the 31 games since, Colorado's team ERA, 5.10 prior to the article, has been 3.67, according to Baseball-Reference.com. ...

Major leaguers with six hits in a game for Southern California teams:

Willie Davis, Dodgers (vs. Mets), May 24, 1973, 19 innings
Gene Richards, Padres (vs. Expos), July 26, 1977, 15 innings
Garret Anderson, Angels (at Rangers), September 27, 1996, 15 innings
Paul Lo Duca, Dodgers (vs. Rockies - I was there), May 28, 2001, 11 innings
Shawn Green, Dodgers (vs. Brewers - four-homer day), May 23, 2002, 9 innings
Chone Figgins, Angels (vs. Astros), June 18, 2007, 9 innings

Did I miss anyone?

Look, the outfield walls should be as safe as they can be. No one should have to point this out. That's all there is to say about that.

As for whether James Loney should have been in right field to begin with, here are my thoughts, nursed overnight:

Should Loney play first ahead of Nomar (Garciaparra)? Maybe. But given that Nomar is playing first, should an agile fielder and superb athlete be prevented from trying another position? It doesn't make sense. Loney isn't a crystal doll.

Loney's collision with the wall Sunday was a fluke. The impact of that collision might not have been a fluke, but the collision itself was. Loney is a good athlete who has been practicing in the outfield for some time now, and he stumbled in the wrong place.

For his part, Garciaparra picked the right day to have three hits - otherwise the anger and the calls to bench him would be even greater. That being said, I have to admit I'm impressed that no one blamed Loney's injury on Brett Tomko.

Meanwhile, given the plight of the Dodgers against the Angels over the weekend, Bill Plunkett of the Register had the lead of the day, topping his Dodger-Angel gamer with: "As an outfielder, James Loney made a better metaphor."

The good news, though, is that after Sunday's game and his hard collision with the wall, Loney was walking around the Dodger clubhouse "unaided," according to Gregg Patton of the Press-Enterprise:

Part-timer Loney saw another reason besides statistics to look forward to the road trip: The designated hitter.

A few minutes later, he walked out of the clubhouse, pretty much wrapping up the good news portion of the day for the Dodgers.

Patton said that Loney's injury "was being described as a bruise, pending an X-ray later Sunday."

* * *

The stat no one can stop quoting: Heading to Toronto, the Dodgers have lost 20 of their past 21 interleague road games.

* * *

Bill Shaikin of the Times pushed for Chad Billingsley to take Jason Schmidt's rotation spot.

In the late innings, (Billingsley) cranked up his arm and dominated. In his last 25 innings, he has 30 strikeouts, seven walks and a 1.07 ERA.

It is.

Update: Schmidt is going on the disabled list, according to Inside the Dodgers, and Marlon Anderson is being activated.

* * *

The Times has made the savvy step of hiring a trilingual beat writer to cover the Dodgers next season, reports Kevin Roderick of L.A. Observed.

Dylan Hernandez of the San Jose Mercury News (yet another import from Ned Colletti's old turf ... although he actually grew up down here) is fluent in Spanish, Japanese, and, although it isn't mentioned specifically, I'm guessing English.

Hernandez graduated from UCLA only five years ago, but like I've said, language skills are the No. 1 thing I'd pursue if I were still trying to be a baseball writer.

You'll see Hernandez's name in the paper in a few weeks, but he'll take over the beat full-time after the 2007 season.

* * *

Ken Landreaux, "This is your life!"

Dodger outfielder James Loney lost his footing on the warning track chasing a long fly ball to right field in the eighth inning today, collided his right knee with the wall and crumpled at the base of it, not far from where Matt Kemp injured himself in April, sending a shiver through a crowd already dehydrated by the Angels' 8-3 lead over the Dodgers.

Gary Matthews, Jr. scored an inside-the-park home run on the play.

The training staff checked on the right knee of Loney, who was sitting up on the dirt looking not unlike a garage mechanic or a member of Our Gang. He smiled, but he was lifted onto a cart and did not leave the field under his own power.

Happy Father's Day to my kids, without whom, this would be just another ordinary day. And to my dad. And to all of you dads.

* * *

Today's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

From my main middleman, commenter BHSportsguy:

We are good for the 21st (of July). I was able to get Infield Reserve Section 3, Rows U and V, in the shade and near the top.

I will get the tickets in about 10 days, I will probably be able to distribute them by the end of the month if not sooner.

Derek Lowe, now ninth in the National League in ERA+ according to Baseball-Reference.com, has just been a pleasure to watch of late. Is it a case of the Dodgers getting what they paid for, or has be become a bargain?

Since I'm heading out the door, it is for you to decide.

* * *

James Loney is at first base, batting third, according to Inside the Dodgers. Andre Ethier is in right field and Tony Abreu is at second base.

* * *

Today's 12:55 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

You were there for me, when no one else was
You were there for me, in my darkest hours

When my family was born, we stuck together
You have screened the kiddie shows, shown the home videos

When we got our first house, you filled the space
The space that only a certain type of TV would fit
It was meant to be

You fell ill last year; your recovery was a marathon
For so long
You defied diagnosis
You tested our faith
But we passed
We all passed

You are low definition, fat screen
You are the tortoise as the hares broadcast by

Today I come home
And it's all gone wrong
And I face the unfathomable
Pull the plug? Zounds!
How will I replace you?
What will fill that space?
What will be so cheap?
What will we do?

I would rend my garments in agony
But no new clothes for Jonny
Jonny has a mission
Jonny needs a new television

* * *

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Wednesday night, I found myself in the unexpected but amusing position of having to convince my 4-year-old daughter that Honus Wagner and Billy Wagner weren't related.

Almost as unexpected and amusing, I was forced to concede I was wrong.

The chat arose from an illustrated kids baseball primer that I bought over the weekend. Though my daughter doesn't have any hostility toward baseball and knows the Dodgers are her team, though she can even name Dodgers and on occasion wax rhapsodically about them, I can't say she shows much interest in watching a game - which is something of an inconvenience if not a disappointment for me, as you can imagine.

So, I bought the book - not intending to force it on her, but hoping it might click with her. To my pleasant surprise - it actually did. We read it Monday night and again Wednesday night. I've taken her to a few baseball games each year, but only now does she know where the bases are and where the fielders stand.

The 16-page book has a smattering of pictures from all eras - Christy Matthewson, Jackie Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Ozzie Smith and even Raul Mondesi trying to beat out an infield hit in a Toronto Blue Jay uniform. To tell you something about the time in which it was published, large pictures of Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds appear with no misgivings. Two pages each are devoted to the overall game, then catcher, pitcher, first base, second base, shortstop, third base and outfield. The book closes with Kenny Lofton chasing a fly ball on the final page, Cleveland Indians-style.

It was my daughter who noticed that two of the players in the book had the same last name, and as far as she was concerned, this meant they were related. Four-year-olds present you with a peculiar brand of intelligence but a firm set of convictions. I tried to explain the concept that people with the same last name weren't necessarily related, but she wasn't buying it.

And for all I knew, maybe the two Wagners, born 97 years apart, share some blood. Given the number of disagreements we face each day, mainly centered on wanting to have such-and-such then-and-there, was I going to make their disparate family trees my last stand? No.

So just so you know, Honus Wagner and Billy Wagner are related.

By coincidence, Wagner the Younger pitched against the Dodgers the night this conversation was taking place, and thanks to TiVo, I had the opportunity to show him to her Thursday. I told her I had a surprise for her, and she got excited.

Then when I showed it to her, she said with a smile of recognition, "Billy Wagner." And then: "That's not a surprise," as in, "That's not a good enough surprise."

Back to the books ...

It's happening.

And you might say, "What took so long?" but with four months of baseball left, it's probably happening more quickly than we expected.

The kids are getting their chances. Nine players on the 25-man roster are 25 years old or younger. All nine are playing significant roles for this Dodger team.

While the Dodgers aren't completely turning over the keys to guys that would have some trouble legally renting a car, the vets look like they'll get more rest (or "rest") than ever.

Here's a rundown of the team, position-by-position:

Catcher: It's Russell Martin's world; we just live in it. That being said, this past stretch of games was the first in which I felt Martin didn't get enough rest. He has started 11 days in a row, playing 95 innings in that time. With the Dodgers losing frequently last week and no one producing, Dodger manager Grady Little probably felt he needed every inch of Martin until the cavalry arrived. Well, as we'll see below, the cavalry has arrived. The Dodgers have two off days in the next five - after that, it's straight baseball from June 19 to July 8. Martin should get at least one day off a week.

First base: Despite James Loney's 3-for-9, one-homer season debut, we still shouldn't get too excited about production from this position, relative to the rest of the league. Not yet, anyway. Nevertheless, just to have an option beyond the slumping Nomar Garciaparra (who is struggling defensively as well, according to today's Hardball Times) is a relief. A recent article quoted Little as saying Loney would get a couple of starts per week. That's a fairly huge committment given Garciaparra's reputation. If Loney produces, he'll get more of a presence (and maybe the added rest will help Garciaparra). If he doesn't, the Dodgers aren't worse off than they were before. A huge slump from Loney would probably send him back to Las Vegas once Marlon Anderson is ready to be activated from the disabled list, but if Loney could even just OPS 800 or so, that's gonna help.

Second base: More rest for the weary (and cranky). With Wilson Betemit re-emerging at third base, especially as a power threat, the Dodgers can afford to play Tony Abreu at second a bit more often and rest Jeff Kent as they just did. Kent isn't ready to ride off into the sunset - this Times interview with T.J. Simers indicates Kent will probably play next year if the Dodgers don't win the World Series - but Kent's OPS+ has been sliding toward 100 of late. He's still productive, but it's nice that he doesn't have to be the cleanup hitter every day.

Shortstop: Rafael Furcal's power-outage, probably a result of his bum ankle, may plague the Dodgers for a while - though he's still an asset at shorstop. Though no one has voiced explicit plans for it, perhaps all the added bench strength should be manipulated to give Furcal more time off. Let Abreu play some shortstop too.

Third base: I get several things wrong, but I think I might have gotten Wilson Betemit right. No, he's never going to be Miguel Cabrera, but there was too much ability in him to give up on. He continues to produce mainly against right-handed pitching (which is fine - that's mostly what the Dodgers face), and though I'd be willing to let him develop against lefties as well, there's a slam-dunk platoon here to be had with Abreu, minor leaguer Andy LaRoche or, hello, Olmedo Saenz. A start against lefties every two weeks isn't going to crush the Tomato. But for all the revolving-door talk at this position, it has actually been producing.

Outfield: Four outfielders, all demanding playing time, but some deserving that playing time more than others. Luis Gonzalez has been a success story this season, though the Hardball Times reminds us in that article linked above about his poor defense. Meanwhile, since being recalled from the minors, Matt Kemp has displayed simply astonishing ability. The Bison's power and speed are such that I think I feel the earth rumbling every time he's up. On some tailing pitches, he lays off; on others, he swings and still manages to put more force on the ball, even when he doesn't hit it square, than Juan Pierre does at his finest. Kemp will have his strikeouts, and he might not play every day, but I think he's established himself as a starter here at least until free agency. His mere presence is the game-changer that Pierre's was touted to be.

Though I've been adamant that Pierre should be benched, the fact that Kemp is now in the lineup has taken some of the edge off. There's still no doubt in my mind that Andre Ethier deserves to play more than Pierre. Even though Ethier's season has been something of a disappointment - .311 on-base percentage, 88 OPS+, .251 EQA - Ethier is still an superior all-around player to Pierre (.310, 71, .244). And as we've said before, I'll take my chances on Kemp's defense in center if he only has to live up to Pierre's. (Kemp's arm alone should make up for any Pierre-like miscues.)

I pushed for a Kemp callup, and I'll push for Ethier over Pierre. Pierre's ironic stature in this game should keep him in the lineup for a while, but at the same time, I don't think Little could look at this team and think that only Gonzalez and Kemp are deserving of rest. One of these days, Pierre won't start. And then another. And then one day, there won't be a sensible opportunity for him to enter as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement, and the consecutive-game streak will end, and then if nothing else, the spell will be broken. Pierre will join Ethier in limbo, perhaps as not a true fourth outfielder, but a 3.5. (Or, okay, a 3.25) It is possible, and that's perhaps the most astonishing news of 2007.

Pitching: The current starting five is Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Randy Wolf, Jason Schmidt and Hong-Chih Kuo. Of those five, only Lowe escapes questions about whether he'll pitch the second half of the season much like he pitched the first. So while Chad Billingsley has had to bide his time in the bullpen (and how has he bided! 130 ERA+, 40 baserunners, one homer allowed against 39 strikeouts in 33 innings), if the worst thing that happens is that the starting five pitches so well that they don't need him in the rotation, we should thank our lucky stars. Little's eagerness to get Kuo in the rotation and his quick trigger (yes, it's true) on yanking Brett Tomko and Mark Hendrickson strongly hint that if Billingsley is needed, he will get the call. Little has never said that Billingsley would be in the bullpen all season.

Coming off the worst week of the season, the Dodgers are halfway through what could be their best week. In fact, this could be the week that trivia buffs turn to years from now - the week that James Loney and Matt Kemp first homered on consecutive days, playing with Russell Martin, playing with Hong-Chih Kuo, playing with Tony Abreu, Wilson Betemit, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton and Andre Ethier. Some of us have been demanding it with a great sense of entitlement or desperation or even arrogance, but as I sit in the middle of it, it still feels a bit like a gift.

Now, let's just try not to get swept by the Angels.

"We feel like there's a lot of the season left and the offense can be a lot better than it is."

- Dodger general manager Ned Colletti (via The Associated Press)

* * *

Tell me if you disagree with this assessment of the Dodger offense:

C - above expectations (We knew Russell Martin was good, but I don't know that we knew he'd be this good, this fast.)

1B - below expectations (Nomar Garciaparra underperforming his career norms, even with age factored in)

2B - at expectations (Jeff Kent showing age-expected decline)

SS - below expectations (Rafael Furcal slightly underperforming his career norms, unless you factor in injury)

3B - below expectations (though not as far below as people might think)

LF - above expectations (Aging Luis Gonzalez has shown improvement compared to 2006)

CF - below expectations (Juan Pierre underperforming his career norms, even with age factored in)

RF - below expectations (Andre Ethier in something of a sophomore slump, though not entirely unexpected. Kemp is above expectations in limited play.)

P/PH - above expectations (pitchers have .217 on-base percentage, two homers; pinch-hitters have .843 OPS, five homers)

The idea that the offense is underperforming by "a lot" makes me wonder if Colletti really knows what he had a right to expect.

I see five slots where the Dodgers are underperforming - three slots held by veterans, two by relative youngsters (Ethier and Betemit). Those are countered by three slots where the Dodgers are over expectations (one vet, one youngster and one conglomerate).

If the score is Expectations 5, Dodgers 3, that's a defeat, but by a pretty narrow margin.

As I wrote this morning, I don't have a problem with the idea that the Dodgers might be able to do better than Eddie Murray as hitting coach. At the same time, it's very doubtful that the Dodger offense can be "a lot" better, as Colletti put it. Not without different players in the lineup, either via the recent callups or via trade. In other words, not without changes that have nothing to do with Murray. Taking the quotes at face value (which perhaps is a mistake), the expectations for Murray seem unfair.

After all, who's to blame for the problems in center field and first base this season? Colletti or Murray? If Colletti gets credit for Luis Gonzalez (credit that I'm willing to give him right now), then Colletti has to take the blame for Pierre and Garciaparra. (Is Murray supposed to solve Garciaparra, at this point in the first baseman's career?) Colletti can't have it both ways.

Now, deep down, I don't really think Colletti would abdicate responsibility. I'm not ready to put him in that disreputable class. "No one person is responsible for the results we've had this season," Dodger manager Grady Little said in the original press release this morning, and it's not a stretch to suggest Colletti believes the same thing. And I understand that it's not practical for Colletti to come out today and say, "I may have made some mistakes with my offseason contracts." That's not likely to do much for morale.

So Colletti fires Murray, because change has to start somewhere, and hitting coaches don't have longterm, eight-figure contracts. Because, not that the day is coming anytime soon, but if things went sour enough, Frank McCourt could fire Colletti.

It should be clear that I don't come here today to condemn Colletti. It should also be clear that when it comes to the Dodger offense, even given the real difficulties that come with acquiring a power hitter, Colletti's positive or negative impact is dimensionally greater than Murray's could ever be. Whatever did or did not work about Murray's coaching style, and whatever Colletti has gotten right, Murray is taking the fall for what in part is Colletti's stumble.

Update: I'm not happy with this post. I may have overreached.

All I really wanted to say is that it's unreasonable to expect the hitting coach, whoever he is, to improve the offense "a lot."

The Dodgers have fired Eddie Murray as hitting coach and replaced him on an interim basis with last year's Opening Day third baseman, Bill Mueller.

"Change is never easy but sometimes it is necessary and we feel that this is the best thing right now to help the team win," Dodger manager Grady Little said in a press release this morning. "Our offense hasn't lived up to our expectations and no one person is responsible for the results we've had this season. I have the utmost respect for Eddie Murray as a person and as a professional and I wish him nothing but the best."

Said Dodger general manager Ned Colletti in the release: "Bill Mueller will serve as a very solid bridge as we look for our next hitting coach. He already has a great reputation within the clubhouse and he has a very deep knowledge of our team and the rest of the league."

I used to write frequently about hitting coaches in the early days of Dodger Thoughts, motivated by my lack of faith in Jack Clark. Here are some samples:

Fire Jack Clark? (June 12, 2003)

The Clark Bar (July 11, 2003)

Look Out, Vinny - You're Next (August 5, 2003)

Talk to Floyd (August 5, 2003)

Cry Us a River, Jack (August 24, 2003)

Hmm. Coaching Can Help (September 25, 2003)

Jesse James and Jack Clark (July 14, 2004)

Despite being a great believer that batting coaches wouldn't exist if they couldn't help - that if hitting were something players were supposed to master on their own, natural selection would have done away with hitting instructors - I'm surprised by today's move. I'm not saying the Dodgers can't do better than Murray, but I'm still surprised. And they might do worse. Either way, the timing catches me off guard.

The kids have mostly met expectations this year, especially with Wilson Betemit's resurgence. Was Murray expected to wring more power out of Juan Pierre? Is he to take the blame for Nomar Garciaparra's struggles? It has been stipulated that the Dodgers are an offense-challenged team by construction. Though there are reasons we could speculate about, I don't have any great insight into the decision.

Update: Tony Jackson of the Daily News is less surprised:

I had a sense this was coming. Explains why Ned went straight into Grady's office as soon as the media cleared out last night. I'm told it was done shortly thereafter. And before you ask, I have no idea what "interim" means in this case, but it's the first thing I will ask when we have our conference call at noon. I really thought when they decided to do this that they would replace him with either Bill Robinson or Mike Easler, so I'm not sure if Mueller will be the guy for the rest of the year or not. Interesting that they waited until after they scored 18 runs in a three-game series to do this. That could mean they made the decision a few days ago and waited until the "right time" to act on it.

Comments can continue in the thread below.

It's happening.

And you might say, "What took so long?" but with four months of baseball left, it's probably happening more quickly than we expected.

The kids are getting their chances. Nine players on the 25-man roster are 25 years old or younger. All nine are playing significant roles for this Dodger team.

While the Dodgers aren't completely turning over the keys to guys that would have some trouble legally renting a car, the vets look like they'll get more rest (or "rest") than ever.

Here's a rundown of the team, position-by-position:

Catcher: It's Russell Martin's world; we just live in it. That being said, this past stretch of games was the first in which I felt Martin didn't get enough rest. He has started 11 days in a row, playing 95 innings in that time. With the Dodgers losing frequently last week and no one producing, Dodger manager Grady Little probably felt he needed every inch of Martin until the cavalry arrived. Well, as we'll see below, the cavalry has arrived. The Dodgers have two off days in the next five - after that, it's straight baseball from June 19 to July 8. Martin should get at least one day off a week.

First base: Despite James Loney's 3-for-9, one-homer season debut, we still shouldn't get too excited about production from this position, relative to the rest of the league. Not yet, anyway. Nevertheless, just to have an option beyond the slumping Nomar Garciaparra (who is struggling defensively as well, according to today's Hardball Times) is a relief. A recent article quoted Little as saying Loney would get a couple of starts per week. That's a fairly huge committment given Garciaparra's reputation. If Loney produces, he'll get more of a presence (and maybe the added rest will help Garciaparra). If he doesn't, the Dodgers aren't worse off than they were before. A huge slump from Loney would probably send him back to Las Vegas once Marlon Anderson is ready to be activated from the disabled list, but if Loney could even just OPS 800 or so, that's gonna help.

Second base: More rest for the weary (and cranky). With Wilson Betemit re-emerging at third base, especially as a power threat, the Dodgers can afford to play Tony Abreu at second a bit more often and rest Jeff Kent as they just did. Kent isn't ready to ride off into the sunset - this Times interview with T.J. Simers indicates Kent will probably play next year if the Dodgers don't win the World Series - but Kent's OPS+ has been sliding toward 100 of late. He's still productive, but it's nice that he doesn't have to be the cleanup hitter every day.

Shortstop: Rafael Furcal's power-outage, probably a result of his bum ankle, may plague the Dodgers for a while - though he's still an asset at shorstop. Though no one has voiced explicit plans for it, perhaps all the added bench strength should be manipulated to give Furcal more time off. Let Abreu play some shortstop too.

Third base: I get several things wrong, but I think I might have gotten Wilson Betemit right. No, he's never going to be Miguel Cabrera, but there was too much ability in him to give up on. He continues to produce mainly against right-handed pitching (which is fine - that's mostly what the Dodgers face), and though I'd be willing to let him develop against lefties as well, there's a slam-dunk platoon here to be had with Abreu, minor leaguer Andy LaRoche or, hello, Olmedo Saenz. A start against lefties every two weeks isn't going to crush the Tomato. But for all the revolving-door talk at this position, it has actually been producing.

Outfield: Four outfielders, all demanding playing time, but some deserving that playing time more than others. Luis Gonzalez has been a success story this season, though the Hardball Times reminds us in that article linked above about his poor defense. Meanwhile, since being recalled from the minors, Matt Kemp has displayed simply astonishing ability. The Bison's power and speed are such that I think I feel the earth rumbling every time he's up. On some tailing pitches, he lays off; on others, he swings and still manages to put more force on the ball, even when he doesn't hit it square, than Juan Pierre does at his finest. Kemp will have his strikeouts, and he might not play every day, but I think he's established himself as a starter here at least until free agency. His mere presence is the game-changer that Pierre's was touted to be.

Though I've been adamant that Pierre should be benched, the fact that Kemp is now in the lineup has taken some of the edge off. There's still no doubt in my mind that Andre Ethier deserves to play more than Pierre. Even though Ethier's season has been something of a disappointment - .311 on-base percentage, 88 OPS+, .251 EQA - Ethier is still an superior all-around player to Pierre (.310, 71, .244). And as we've said before, I'll take my chances on Kemp's defense in center if he only has to live up to Pierre's. (Kemp's arm alone should make up for any Pierre-like miscues.)

I pushed for a Kemp callup, and I'll push for Ethier over Pierre. Pierre's ironic stature in this game should keep him in the lineup for a while, but at the same time, I don't think Little could look at this team and think that only Gonzalez and Kemp are deserving of rest. One of these days, Pierre won't start. And then another. And then one day, there won't be a sensible opportunity for him to enter as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement, and the consecutive-game streak will end, and then if nothing else, the spell will be broken. Pierre will join Ethier in limbo, perhaps as not a true fourth outfielder, but a 3.5. (Or, okay, a 3.25) It is possible, and that's perhaps the most astonishing news of 2007.

Pitching: The current starting five is Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Randy Wolf, Jason Schmidt and Hong-Chih Kuo. Of those five, only Lowe escapes questions about whether he'll pitch the second half of the season much like he pitched the first. So while Chad Billingsley has had to bide his time in the bullpen (and how has he bided! 130 ERA+, 40 baserunners, one homer allowed against 39 strikeouts in 33 innings), if the worst thing that happens is that the starting five pitches so well that they don't need him in the rotation, we should thank our lucky stars. Little's eagerness to get Kuo in the rotation and his quick trigger (yes, it's true) on yanking Brett Tomko and Mark Hendrickson strongly hint that if Billingsley is needed, he will get the call. Little has never said that Billingsley would be in the bullpen all season.

Coming off the worst week of the season, the Dodgers are halfway through what could be their best week. In fact, this could be the week that trivia buffs turn to years from now - the week that James Loney and Matt Kemp first homered on consecutive days, playing with Russell Martin, playing with Hong-Chih Kuo, playing with Tony Abreu, Wilson Betemit, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton and Andre Ethier. Some of us have been demanding it with a great sense of entitlement or desperation or even arrogance, but as I sit in the middle of it, it still feels a bit like a gift.

Now, let's just try not to get swept by the Angels.

* * *

Because people have had some trouble with Paypal, I'm extending signups for the July 21 Dodger Thoughts Day to 8 p.m. tonight. If you want to go but are having Internet trouble with the payment, e-mail me, and we'll hold a spot for you. Otherwise, I hope to get the ticket-purchasing process going starting Friday.

Wilson Betemit now has the highest OPS+ and EQA among Dodger infielders except Olmedo Saenz. He has the highest on-base percentage among Dodger infielders except for Andy LaRoche. His slugging percentage is third among Dodger infielders behind Jeff Kent and Saenz.

He still does have a massive platoon split, I will admit.

* * *

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

The idea that Hong-Chih Kuo was consciously showing up the Mets in any way with his post-homer bat-toss is preposterous. It was all in one motion, and I'm sure Kuo was as shocked as anyone that he hit the ball so well. If Mets pitcher John Maine had done the same thing and tossed his bat, I wouldn't have thought twice about it.

I can't believe some of the reaction I'm seeing out of New York. And I thought I was sensitive ...

* * *

Great stop-the-presses post from Sons of Steve Garvey today:

When Jonathan Broxton briefly assumed the Dodgers' closer role earlier this season, he was such an enormous bust that even Dolly Parton was jealous. But bringing Saito back meant more than just save-situation stability - it meant Broxton could continue his quest to become the All-Time Single-Season Holds King.

So if you're looking for a meaningful pursuit of history this season, look no further. … Immortality awaits.

Betemit!

Kemp!!

Kuo!!!

Matt Kemp's homer was crushed so hard, he deserves an encore.

Kemp!!!!

And Kuo pitched sublimely. Another encore!

Kuo!!!!

* * *

National League Leaders
36-27 New York
36-27 San Diego
37-28 Arizona
37-28 Los Angeles

Jim Murray is brought back to life in a new book by veteran Times editor John Scheibe, On the Road With Jim Murray: Baseball and the Summer of '79. Scheibe was a copy boy when he got to know Murray and came to his aid at the end of the legend's career, which continued even after Murray went blind.

This is not a review – just passing along the news - but I've taken just enough time to browse random pages here and there, and the book does promise to be a worthwhile piece of Los Angeles sportswriting history, with plenty of excerpts of Murray's greatness as well as his late-in-life struggle.

"If I could just see the words on the paper," Jim said as I drove into Anaheim Stadium's parking lot. And, in frustration, he added, "You know, with the way things are now, it isn't easy being funny."

It was one of the few times he complained about his predicament. And it was more of a statement of fact than a complaint. I parked the Mustang and we walked into the Yankees locker room. Jim knew the way better than I did. …

* * *

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

For those who follow such things closely, the 2007 Dodger draft had suspense and intrigue - if not a little bit of horror. But will there be a happy ending? To put last week's draft into perspective, I asked two of the most astute draft commenters on Dodger Thoughts, CanuckDodger and Nate Purcell, to give us their thoughts.
Continue reading...

To make sure we get the best seats possible, I'm setting a deadline of Wednesday for signups to the July 21 Dodger Thoughts gathering at Dodger Stadium.

To get a ticket, send me the $24.50 via the Paypal link on the sidebar. If for some reason the event gets called off, I will refund your money.

If you have any questions, ask them in the comments below or e-mail me.

* * *

Baseball Prospectus reader Dan Graulich proposes a starting rotation for the Dodgers that would give Jason Schmidt extra rest while taking advantage of Derek Lowe's ability to work on short rest.

* * *

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

For SI.com's Fungoes this week, inspired by the Giants' use of Pedro Feliz behind the plate Friday, I take a rather breezy look at the history of emergency catchers.

It was the once-a-decade event that haunts managers' psyches.

Save your backup catcher until the last possible moment, we're told, because you don't want to see him to get hurt and end up scrambling for an emergency backstop.

Friday night in San Francisco scrambled the Giants like their morning eggs. They took out their starting catcher in the fifth inning and lost their backup catcher to injury in the 10th, compounding the problem by having no position players left on the bench, thus forcing infielder Pedro Feliz behind the plate (along with outfielder Randy Winn to third base and pitcher Noah Lowry into the outfield).

Emergency catchers in major-league games are rarer than no-hitters, triple plays and cycles, but managers still manage in fear of them most of the time. It was almost as shocking to see Giants skipper Bruce Bochy throw caution to the wind as it was to see the wind blow it back in his face. …

* * *

Please get send your money for the July 21 Dodger Thoughts gathering as soon as possible, so that we can get the ordering squared away. I'll set a deadline soon.

I never give up. I'm sitting here watching the ninth inning with the Dodgers down, 11-3, and I haven't given up. Not that I expect to be rewarded for my faith, but I really don't give up until the final out. And I'm not sure that's even my nature in other aspects of my life.

It is interesting that the lowest point of the Dodger season - five losses in six games - comes in transition to some new blood. I'm sure the Dodgers are feeling down, but I'm eager to see what comes. And it's not even that I expect problems to be solved overnight - the kids need all of our patience. It's just that the guys with potential are here, and I'm not one who believes that potential is a dirty word.

Welcome to Lineup Rotation City:

James Loney is in the starting lineup today for the Dodgers. Brady Clark has been designated for assignment, according to Tony Jackson.

Furcal, SS
Abreu, 2B
Martin, C
Gonzalez, LF
Betemit, 3B
Loney, 1B
Ethier, RF
Pierre, CF
Schmidt, P

* * *

Today's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

* * *

Here's a Jon SooHoo photo of Les Deux Ethiers:

A Hollywood Stars Night at Dodger Stadium without Alyssa Milano? This should've been her year.

* * *

Andre sings; Andre sits.

Gameday

Retro Gameday

That's better!

Whatever you think of Jonathan Broxton's role in Thursday's defeat - and keep in mind that he essentially got four outs in that ninth inning with three infield grounders and a strikeout - could it really be possible that, as at least two journalists wrote after the game, Broxton was booed last night? The guy has been gold virtually his entire Dodger career, and he was booed.

Even if the boos weren't as strong as the media reports suggested, booing players for inexplicable reasons has become a growing problem at Dodger Stadium. I'm the last guy to advocate unconditional support, but if need be, I'll be the first guy to advocate reducing the hostility. It's just embarrassing.

I said earlier this week that it would be peculiar if a bad performance in the Padres series became a watershed moment for the season. Only one win in the three games was expected given that the series was on the road against a top NL team (yes, San Diego now has the NL's best record), and the Dodgers came within an inning of that. And despite what others have written, yes, even good teams can collapse once in 162 games.

This weekend, though, against a sub-.500 Toronto Blue Jays team that can only pitch Roy Halladay once, two out of three would be nice, and another embarrasing sweep would be cause for concern.

Of course, I'm told they only play them one game at a time.

* * *

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

The Bison is back!

The Dodgers recalled Matt Kemp today, gingerly placing .413-OPSing Ramon Martinez (he of the one hit and three walks since May 1) on the disabled list with back problems.

No word yet on whether Kemp will be in the starting lineup. Juan Pierre was promised a return tonight and Luis Gonzalez homered Thursday. Kemp could play in Ethier's spot, but perhaps we won't see Kemp until Saturday or Sunday.

Update: According to Inside the Dodgers, Kemp is not starting tonight.

Gone went Hong-Chih Kuo's resilient performance.

Gone went the Dodgers' four-run burst off Jake Peavy.

Gone as Jeff Kent threw wide on a grounder and then Nomar Garciaparra botched another grounder and then inexplicably wouldn't feed Jonathan Broxton covering first base on a third grounder.

Gone as Broxton, with his back suddenly to the wall, couldn't get enough batters to miss the ball.

Gone went an inspiring end to a road-trip. School in Borneo tomorrow.

I'm disappointed. But I guess I've been through so many of these things that I don't get as angry anymore.

This happened to the Dodgers in San Diego last year, and they came back. Things will even out, or my name isn't Jerry Seinfeld.

Dodger Thoughts will celebrate its fifth anniversary July 21, and the celebration will take place at Dodger Stadium while the Dodgers host the New York Mets. And you have the opportunity to pay to be a part of it all!

Each ticket to the game will cost $24.50, including fee for e-mailing the ticket to you. No, we are not sitting in the bleachers for the Saturday afternoon game. Per my request, Dodger Thoughts commenter Bhsportsguy is doing his best to get our group tickets in the shade.

To get a ticket, send me the $24.50 via the Paypal link on the sidebar. I'll then forward the money to Bhsportsguy, who will handle purchase and distribution.

The event depends on having at least 30 people attend, which looked likely based upon the interest that was expressed earlier this year. If for some reason the event gets called off, I will refund your money.

Questions? Comments? The floor is yours.

* * *

Tonight's game (remember, it's just one game):

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Twenty-five years ago today, Steve Garvey played in his 1000th consecutive game.

It was the trials of former Dodger Joel Guzman that inspired me to do my latest column for SI.com, even though the column ended up having next to nothing to do with Guzman and he isn't even mentioned in it. But it was Guzman who made me wonder why some hitting prospects can get rated so highly, only to have all sorts of doubts questions appear in hindsight.

Guzman's career is hardly over, and as down as people have gotten on him, he still might carve out some kind of career. But certainly inside of two years ago, most people had higher hopes for him, and I got to wondering how those people could be wrong.

But like I said, Guzman (now in the Tampa Bay organization) isn't part of today's story, which is keyed into the MLB draft, the 2007 version of which takes place today.

Any time a pitcher's name gets called in the annual MLB draft, the drafting team gets a twinge of nervousness -- mainly because of the twinge of pain that so often can crop up in a pitcher's elbow or shoulder.

But when it comes to scouting and selecting amateur players, choosing the right hitter can be even more nerve-wracking than choosing the right hurler.

"I ask guys the hardest things to scout," Baseball America executive editor Jim Callis said. "The hardest thing to scout is whether a guy can hit."

"Pitchers are probably riskier than hitters as a whole, but that's more because of the injury factor. A lot of times it's easier to project a pitcher. You can see how much arm speed a guy has, how much life there is on the fastball and if he can throw strikes. ... It's not like you're going to take a high school kid who has a bad curveball and give him a plus curveball through instruction."

Meanwhile, there is no way, particularly at the colleges and high schools that supply the players for the MLB draft, to test for how well batting prospects will overcome the greatest hurdle they will face: adjusting to major-league breaking pitches.

"We usually can predict guys who can hit the fastball -- that's bat speed," Los Angeles Dodgers assistant general manager and scouting guru Logan White said, while watching a pre-draft workout at Dodger Stadium shortly before midnight Monday. "Where I see kids having trouble making the transition to the big leagues, they can't hit offspeed pitches. They get out in front, they can't stay back, they try to hook balls. And that's a tough one to predict, how well they're going to adjust to 98 and then an 87 mile-per-hour changeup and then (other pitches). ..."

I'm sorry I won't be around to blog about today's draft live, but there will be plenty in the comments and around the web.

Tony Jackson of the Daily News confirms the fears: "Left-hander Scott Elbert, arguably the Dodgers' top pitching prospect, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder Tuesday."

Clayton Kershaw might be the top prospect, but still, this is sad. Here's hoping for a full recovery.

Dodger Thoughts will celebrate its fifth anniversary July 21, and the celebration will take place at Dodger Stadium while the Dodgers host the New York Mets. And you have the opportunity to pay to be a part of it all!

Each ticket to the game will cost $24.50, including fee for e-mailing the ticket to you. No, we are not sitting in the bleachers for the Saturday afternoon game. Per my request, Dodger Thoughts commenter Bhsportsguy is doing his best to get our group tickets in the shade.

To get a ticket, send me the $24.50 via the Paypal link on the sidebar. I'll then forward the money to Bhsportsguy, who will handle purchase and distribution.

The event depends on having at least 30 people attend, which looked likely based upon the interest that was expressed earlier this year. If for some reason the event gets called off, I will refund your money.

Questions? Comments? The floor is yours.

* * *

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Well, the story tonight is Jason Schmidt, no matter the final score. Great to see him have such success in his first game back.

But what a shame it was that Russell Martin, after working so hard to get to second base, lost his footing in between second and third just when the Dodgers were poised to take the lead.

The Dodgers have won enough one-run games - including their most recent game against San Diego, in 17 innings - that they were due to give one back.

* * *

In a huge decline from his 2006 season, Nomar Garciaparra is almost on pace to have a historically bad year for a Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman, while Juan Pierre is in almost as deep in center field.

OPS+ by Principal Starters at First Base, 1958-2007

1990	Murray		159
1995	Karros		145
1978	Garvey		137
1975	Garvey		133
1976	Garvey		133
1970	Parker		132
1999	Karros		131
1974	Garvey		130
1979	Garvey		130
1959	Hodges		126
1980	Garvey		126
1969	Parker		125
1962	Fairly		124
1998	Karros		123
1977	Garvey		121
2006	Garciaparra	120
1963	Fairly		119
1985	Brock		117
1964	Fairly		114
1989	Murray		114
1996	Karros		114
1960	Larker		113
1966	Parker		113
2004	Green		113
1981	Garvey		111
1997	Karros		111
1967	Parker		110
2005	Choi		110
1972	Parker		108
1992	Karros		107
1971	Parker		106
1983	Brock		106
1986	Brock		106
1991	Murray		105
1984	Brock		103
1982	Garvey		101
2000	Karros		101
1965	Parker		100
2003	McGriff		100
1958	Hodges		98
2002	Karros		97
1968	Parker		96
1994	Karros		96
1988	Stubbs		92
1993	Karros		88
1987	Stubbs		87
2001	Karros		85
1973	Buckner		83
2007	Garciaparra	79
1961	Hodges		75

I used EQA for the centerfielders because it incorporates stolen bases:

EQA by Principal Starters in Center Field, 1958-2007

1974	Wynn		.317
1992	Butler		.311
1994	Butler		.310
1975	Wynn		.309
1969	Davis		.302
1958	Snider		.299
1990	Javier		.298
1991	Butler		.291
2005	Bradley		.290
1962	Davis		.290
1964	Davis		.288
1972	Davis		.287
1971	Davis		.286
1982	Landreaux	.285
1983	Landreaux	.285
1993	Butler		.284
1970	Davis		.282
1995	Butler		.281
1997	Cedeno		.281
1973	Davis		.279
1987	Shelby		.279
1988	Shelby		.279
2006	Lofton		.278
1998	Mondesi		.277
2002	Roberts		.276
2004	Bradley		.273
1966	Davis		.271
1960	Demeter		.271
1968	Davis		.270
1985	Landreaux	.270
1986	Williams	.270
1967	Davis		.267
1978	North		.267
1961	Davis		.263
1963	Davis		.261
1999	White		.261
1979	Thomas		.259
1981	Landreaux	.256
1977	Monday		.254
1984	Landreaux	.250
1959	Demeter		.249
1996	Cedeno		.247
1965	Davis		.245
1980	Law		.245
2003	Roberts		.245
2000	Hollandsworth	.241
2007	Pierre		.240
1976	Baker		.230
2001	Grissom		.225
1989	Shelby		.185

Update: James Loney is heating up at the plate - 16 for his last 46 (.348) - with three doubles (.413 slugging) but still no homers and only one walk.

In the recent three-game series at Memphis, Loney went 8 for 14 with two doubles (.571/.571/.714).

In the same period, Matt Kemp is 22 for 48 (.458/.469/.689) with six doubles, a triple, a homer, one walk, four strikeouts, and three steals in four attempts. For the season, Kemps OPS is .931

Interesting discussion of pitch counts as they relate to young Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum by Tom Verducci at SI.com today.

Lincecum had thrown 100 pitches through six innings against the Mets before the Giants tied the game at 3 in the top of the seventh. Lincecum had just pitched virtually the entire sixth inning out of the stretch, allowing one run. The conservative move was to lift the rookie. Bochy, however, never considered it.

Lincecum hasn't been running pitch counts nearly that high, but in today's game he makes for an interesting case study. The 110-pitch games don't seem outrageous to me. But as durable as his arm might seem, I believe the Giants are asking for trouble if they allow him to throw more than 200 pro innings this year. They should manage his innings in the second half by skipping his start occasionally or sending him to the bullpen for periods. But hey, who really knows for sure? All we really know is that we will be watching, and counting, every pitch.

One thing you notice at this time of year is college pitchers throwing tons of pitches. Tim Murphy of UCLA, for example, threw 140 pitches on Sunday. College pitchers don't usually pitch every fifth day, but still it's good to monitor these things.

* * *

Tonight's game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

Today's 4:05 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

No, the Dodgers aren't the only team in the National League West with big-name underachievers. Here is one from each team in my latest post at SI.com's Fungoes.

Some of them are more likely to rescue their seasons than others, of course.

* * *

Be well, Takashi. Be well.

* * *

"Just when I thought that I was out, they keep pulling me back in."

- Kelly Stinnett

If you didn't see the first inning of Hong-Chih Kuo's first start of the year Saturday, I wish you had. He got burned on three of the more softly hit singles you'll see: two soft loopers sandwiching a slow grounder up the middle that showcased Jeff Kent's lack of range.

That doesn't let Kuo off the hook for the rough first inning. But before you go with the story that only the good luck of the Pirates' poor baserunning helped Kuo escape by only allowing two runs, know that he got plenty of bad luck in that inning as well.

Al Balderas of the Register and Grady Little of the Dodgers noticed:

"I'm just glad he didn't buy my Powerball numbers," Little said. "If he had, I probably wouldn't have to check my tickets (today).

"He was jamming the guys and they were hitting the ball off the end of the bat. They didn't hit the ball good in the inning and they still ended up with two runs."

Dodger pitchers are striking out batters at a high rate this year - and they need to. That defense is just not very exceptional.

Unfortunately for Kuo, who allowed two hits and one walk in his final 3 2/3 innings, his next start is Thursday ... against leading NL Cy Young candidate Jake Peavy (1.68 ERA) of San Diego. At least the game is in San Diego, an environment that might help Kuo if he can throw strikes - but even though Peavy didn't get a victory in his last start in Washington, it'll be almost a no-win situation for Kuo and the Dodgers.

In the meantime, a different big matchup today at 10:35 a.m.: Brad Penny (2.06 ERA) vs. Tom Gorzelanny (2.39 ERA).

Gameday

Retro Gameday

As you read this review of the Dodgers at the one-third point of the 2007 season, keep reminding yourself that they're in first place.

Legend
PA: plate appearances
EQA: According to Baseball Prospectus, EQA is "a measure of total offensive value per out, with corrections for league offensive level, home park, and team pitching. EQA considers batting as well as baserunning, but not the value of a position player's defense." The average is .260.
OPS+: on-base percentage plus slugging percentage relative to the league, with 100 being average, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
RC: According to the Hardball Times, "Invented by Bill James, RC is a very good measure of the number of runs a batter truly contributed to his team's offense. The basic formula for RC is OBP*TB, but it has evolved into over 14 different versions. We use the most complicated version, which includes the impact of hitting well with runners in scoring position, and is adjusted for ballpark impact."
IP: innings pitched
H/9: hits allowed per nine innings, translated by Baseball Prospectus to accommodate park factors
BB/9: walks allowed per nine innings, translated by Baseball Prospectus to accommodate park factors
SO/9: strikeouts per nine innings, translated by Baseball Prospectus to accommodate park factors
HR/9: home runs allowed per nine innings, translated by Baseball Prospectus to accommodate park factors
FIP: According to the Hardball Times, "a measure of all those things for which a pitcher is specifically responsible. The formula is (HR*13+(BB+HBP)*3-K*2)/IP, plus a league-specific factor (usually around 3.2) to round out the number to an equivalent ERA number. FIP helps you understand how well a pitcher pitched, regardless of how well his fielders fielded."
ERA: earned run average
ERA+: According to the Hardball Times, "ERA measured against the league average, and adjusted for ballpark factors. An ERA+ over 100 is better than average, less than 100 is below average."
PRC: According to the Hardball Times, "The notion behind Pitching Runs Created is that a run saved is worth more than a run scored, and PRC puts runs saved on the same scale as runs scored. You can directly compare PRC to a batter's Runs Created to gauge each player's relative value to his team."
Statistics courtesy of Hardball Times, Baseball Prospectus and Baseball-Reference.com.

Catcher	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Russell Martin	211	132	.314	20.7	40
Mike Lieberthal	25	52	.205	-0.7	1

All hail Martin. After homering in this third consecutive game, Martin boosted his OPS to .879. The idea that this second-year catcher has become the Dodgers' most vital offensive cog is mind-boggling. Martin's OPS+ is only 18 behind that of Mike Piazza at the same point in his career (both were 24 years old in their second years in the majors) - and Martin's defense is superior by acclamation.

Martin's performance has Dodger fans on edge, wary of exploiting too much of a good thing. But little of the paranoia has been justified: Martin showed this week that he's not tiring yet, and Lieberthal today will give Martin his third day off inside of the past 10. Let's worry about Martin getting enough rest when he hasn't been. Lieberthal has yet to get untracked and certainly, the team will need more out of him later in the season. But for now, Martin has been the team MVP, mitts down.

First Base	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Nomar Garciaparra	215	83	.253	0.3	34
Olmedo Saenz	57	100	.275	1.2	7
Marlon Anderson	20	42	.213	-0.6	1

Dodger fans might as well think of Martin as their first baseman and Garciaparra as their catcher, considering the respective offense they have provided. Garciaparra has been the equivalent of replacement value at first base, which means that while he hasn't been wholly unproductive as a hitter, he's been far below what you expect for a guy whose face is plastered on the side of a van in Dodger commercials.

It's maddening, then, that James Loney, who has a .336 on-base percentage and a .367 slugging percentage (a slugging percentage lower than his 2006 batting average) with AAA Las Vegas, hasn't made us feel worse about Garciaparra stealing his playing time. I asked 51s play-by-play announcer Russ Langer if he had any insight into Loney's struggles.

"The Vegas staff - manager Lorenzo Bundy in particular - thinks Loney is a better hitter than he's shown this season, but probably not quite as good as he showed last year," Langer said. "He says he doesn't buy the theory that Loney is bothered by the position change. He isn't playing as much outfield in recent games as he did earlier in the season anyway.

"Loney is a very level-headed young man. At the same time, it's entirely possible that there was some degree of letdown when he followed up his terrific '06 by hitting over .400 for the big club in the spring, and yet still did not make making the team. For his own part, Loney told me (Friday) that he feels good at the plate and is seeing the ball well, but has swung at more bad pitches than he would like."

As long as third base remains a revolving door for the Dodgers and Juan Pierre remains Juan Pierre, Garciaparra probably will continue churning at-bats at first base, especially if he gets the periodic RBI hit. Still, it gets easier to envision him dropping down in the batting order if the Dodgers fall out of first place.

Saenz continues to chip in - a 100 OPS+ is nothing for this team to sneeze at - though his use against right-handed pitchers (.504 OPS in 36 plate apperances) appears to be depressing his stats. His OPS against lefties in 21 plate appearances is 1.226. The differential is no doubt more than it will be by season's end, however.

Anderson has had seven innings in the field this season - we'll see if he has any impact after returning from injury.

Second Base	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Jeff Kent	211	115	.287	10.6	28

Kent looked solid at the plate and is on pace to match last season's home-run total of 14 by August. Overall, however, his offensive numbers are declining further from 2006, mainly in batting average, and the revelation in one defensive study this week that he is the most harmful defensive player relative to his position in the major leagues isn't soothing. Someday, we'll look back in amazement that this will-he-get-20-homers hitter was our cleanup man for two seasons, but from an offensive standpoint, he's just not near the top of the Dodgers' concerns.

Shortstop	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Rafael Furcal	206	97	.273	8.2	27
Wilson Valdez	57	52	.209	-1.6	6

The recent hitting spree by Furcal boosted his stats meaningfully. If the power kicks in at any point - he hasn't had a slugging percentage as low as his current .370 since 2001 - so much the better.

Third Base	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Wilson Betemit	109	95	.270	1.2	13
Andy LaRoche	55	92	.290	0.8	5
Ramon Martinez	65	15	.164	-5.7	3
Tony Abreu	27	89	.258	0.6	4

Betemit has hit himself into a corner - and not the hot one. His production as a pinch-hitter (2.128 OPS) has so outshone his production as a starter (.549 OPS) that he has made it easy for the Dodgers to strand him on the bench. He's like the counter-evidence against the idea that more reps equals better hitting. But if Abreu slumps with the bat - and his stats are very batting-average dependent - Betemit may get another shot. As long as Abreu keeps his batting average near .300 with the occasional double and doesn't hurt the team defensively, we're looking at the status quo, barring a trade.

Valuing his walks, the Baseball Prospectus stats love LaRoche. But it's fine to let him be in Las Vegas, even though Martinez has reached base only 26 times since last year's All-Star break. At some point Martinez will get a meaningful hit, but his value is purely defensive now. LaRoche could fill his pinch-hitting shoes easily, with Abreu serving as the de facto backup middle infielder, but maybe it's worth keeping Martinez around if it allows LaRoche to continue his development. I don't know - I'm just trying to rationalize it all.

Left Field	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Luis Gonzalez	201	122	.303	12.2	29
Brady Clark	55	68	.223	-2.3	3

Right now, the Gonzalez signing has to be called a success. For the first two months, he has been the team's second-best hitter. His giving back some of that production defensively, but he has been a net positive. His 25-to-12 walk-to-strikeout ratio is something the Dodgers need more of. He sure doesn't look good to me on the field, and it doesn't really feel like he's in the thick of the Dodger victories, and maybe by season's end, we won't be thrilled at all. But he must be doing something right. It's hard to argue convincingly that Matt Kemp or James Loney would have had a better April and May.

The question for the Dodgers will be, if Gonzalez pulls a Garciaparra, will they respond appropriately - in terms of decreased playing time as well as making sure not to offer a 2008 contract. No doubt, the Gonzalez signing has run rings around the Boston Red Sox' J.D. Drew contract so far, but let's hope the Dodgers don't go double-or-nothing on Gonzalez like they did with Nomar.

After a decent start, Clark is 3 for 19 with one walk since May 1. He can do better than he has, but he has dissolved into a caddy - though a more useful one than Elmer Dessens.

Center Field	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Juan Pierre	248	69	.243	0.0	22

Wow, that's one poetic VORP for Pierre. Even allowing for a revival in the second two-thirds of the season, there's just no mistaking how uncomfortable the little guy's massive presence on the team is.

Right Field	PA	OPS+	EQA	VORP	RC
Andre Ethier	183	91	.255	1.3	21
Matt Kemp	16	149	.341	2.0	3

The lack of walks by Ethier have made him a borderline player, and the name "Todd Hollandsworth" is coming to mind for some. Ethier had an enormous batting average on balls in play for most of 2006, and nothing since September 1 has indicated that he wasn't benefiting from good luck during that period. He certainly wouldn't be the guy I would bench to make room for Kemp, but it's not as if Ethier's VORP is that much higher than Pierre's.

There's no greater urgency I feel with the Dodgers than to get Kemp in the lineup. Now OPSing .897 in Vegas, Kemp surely will look bad in some at-bats if he is recalled, but that will put him in good company on this team. In the meantime, he would provide the Dodgers with the one thing they truly seem to lack - a scary hitter. He will make a pitcher work, even if it's a strikeout. You have to be careful with him. Kemp needs to be given a chance to succeed.

Starting Pitching	IP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	FIP	ERA	ER2+	PRC
Derek Lowe	78 2/3	9.9	0.5	2.8	5.7	3.30	3.32	121	31
Randy Wolf	71	9.1	1.0	2.2	8.7	3.48	3.68	119	31
Brad Penny	70	10.4	0.4	2.5	5.4	2.94	2.06	196	42
Mark Hendrickson	54	8.6	0.2	2.1	6.2	4.35	4.17	97	17
Brett Tomko	47 2/3	10.2	1.0	3.2	7.0	4.13	5.66	71	12
Jason Schmidt	11	11.8	2.0	3.5	9.8	5.69	7.36	55	2

It isn't 2003 all over again, but this team is absolutely pitching-dependent. Which doesn't mean it doesn't feel a little bit like the team's on the edge of a cliff. Lowe might stay within shouting distance of that ERA all year, but can Wolf keep it going? We've already seen Hendrickson and Tomko fall back to earth, but can Penny continue to walk among the clouds? Stranger things have happened than a pitcher having his first Cy Young-caliber year at age 29, but counting on Penny sort of has that vibe of hitting on 16 - it doesn't feel safe or secure, but what choice do you have when the dealer's showing strength.

In the Dodgers' favor is the fact that they have held first place with three potential above-average starting pitchers - Schmidt, Hong-Chih Kuo and Chad Billingsley - having gone untapped. In June, Kuo and Schmidt will step in (Tony Jackson just reported that Schmidt's recovery has gone so well, he will be activated in time to start Tuesday - fingers-crossed that the Dodgers didn't rush him), but consistency and durability concerns remain. The key down the stretch might be Billingsley, whose strikeout-to-walk ratio has improved from 1.02 in 2006 to 3.27 this season. You'll know (or hope) things have gone well if the Dodgers don't need to move Billingsley into the rotation.

I maintain that the Dodgers have the personnel to keep the pitching excellence going, but it's going to be a high-maintenance staff.

Relief Pitching	IP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	FIP	ERA	ERA+	PRC
Takashi Saito	23 2/3	6.8	1.2	0.5	10.1	2.85	1.52	265	22
Jonathan Broxton	28	9.0	0.4	3.3	9.5	2.04	2.89	139	15
Joe Beimel	24	8.5	0.3	3.2	3.9	3.31	3.75	108	9
Chad Billingsley	29 1/3	9.2	0.6	2.9	10.1	2.26	3.68	110	13
Rudy Seanez	26 1/3	11.7	1.3	2.0	7.1	3.75	3.08	131	13
Chin-hui Tsao	18	7.3	0.3	2.6	7.1	2.48	3.00	134	9
Hong-Chih Kuo	2 1/3	21.4	0.0	3.4	0.0	4.43	15.43	26	0
Yhency Brazoban	1 2/3	13.5	0.0	15.2	23.6	0.74	16.20	25	0

Love 'em. Love 'em to death. They won't preserve a victory every time, but there is much less nervousness with this bullpen than most other fans have with theirs. Saito continues to be impeccable beyond my understanding and enjoyable beyond my deserving. Broxton has gotten hit hard a couple of times lately, but overall there's little to worry about. Beimel has escaped the left-handers-only trap, which isn't always the right thing to do, but it does increase the bullpen's overall depth. Seanez has exceeded my expectations to the point where I'm almost ready to admit a complete error about him, but I still think he's a timebomb. I'm eager to see Tsao get healthy - and Brazoban too, since he clearly has talent - just not his health. I feel that the Dodgers are deep enough organizationally in relievers that they don't need to hesitate to move Billingsley into the rotation.

Looking ahead

This team feels like my car. It's running, running smoothly at times, but there's this feeling that a breakdown will come, and you're just hoping it doesn't happen at the worst possible time. I truly think this team has the talent to play ball in October, but I don't know if that talent is going to be in the starting lineup or rotation.

Defense is also a major concern. Think how much lower this team's ERA would be if the players could field the ball. At certain positions, you just have to keep asking whether the Dodgers are getting the offense to justify the defense. (For example, a potential double-play ball in the first inning to benefit Kuo eluded Kent's reach for a single. Kent to first base, Nomar to the bench, anyone?)

In one respect, it's very appropriate that Kuo kicks off the second third of the season today with his first 2007 start. The Dodgers need a rookie to step up and say, "Yes, you can trust us." They need the players with the high-ceiling potential to establish themselves as, if nothing else, the lesser of two evils. I'm willing to believe that Gonzalez can have a 2004 Steve Finley-like positive impact on the team's fortunes. But it's just not fair for the Dodgers to only have faith in veterans, to only allow veterans to fail. If Kemp and Kuo and Billingsley and even Loney fail, let the (rested) veterans ride in to save the day. But these young players are too promising to be treated as a last resort.

* * *

Today's 4:05 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday

The Dodgers finally pulled the expected trigger, calling up Hong-Chih Kuo and sending down Andy LaRoche, according to Diamond Leung of the Press-Enterprise.

Update: It continues to depress me to see batting average used as the sole statistic in talking about ballplayers. Everywhere you look, writers are talking about how Tony Abreu's batting average is higher than Andy LaRoche's, without mentioning the more important news that LaRoche's on-base percentage is higher than Abreu's.

Remember how LaRoche was getting all those so-called gift walks by batting low in the order (only they weren't really all gifts)? Abreu has none this season. Still, LaRoche gets no credit.

It's nothing personal against Abreu, who has a higher slugging percentage than LaRoche in their short MLB experiences this year, to ask that if you're going to talk about batting average, talk about it in context. I understand that a single can be more valuable than a walk. Nevertheless, the fact remains that LaRoche has a higher OPS+ and EQA than Abreu. The way LaRoche's walks have been relentlessly dismissed by so many is troublesome; there is a very strong case to be made that LaRoche has been the more productive player. (Abreu is a short three-game slump away from having the same batting average as LaRoche, without the walks. Hopefully, Abreu can avoid that.)

LaRoche, frankly, may be better off playing full-time in Las Vegas than part-time in Los Angeles, and I was never certain he deserved his May callup to begin with. But to say that LaRoche was sent down because he had a lower batting average justifies the Dodgers' decision in over-simplistic terms. If that's the reason being given, it's not enough.

Yhency Brazoban has gone back to the disabled list, and Eric Hull is the surprise callup to replace him, reports Tony Jackson of the Daily News.

Hull has a 3.67 ERA in 27 1/3 innings with AAA Las Vegas this year, striking out 27 and allowing only one home run but allowing 24 hits and 15 walks.

Hull had similar numbers in 73 innings with the 51s last season (78 strikeouts, 97 baserunners, six homers allowed.)

* * *

Update: Steve Yeager talked to The Associated Press about the second life-threatening accident in his life.

Now a coach for the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers of the California League, Yeager was on a freeway headed home following a night game May 4 when another vehicle hit the center divider, went airborne and came down on top of his car.

"How do you describe pain? I started moving my fingers to make sure everything was still attached, and figured, 'We'll go from there,"' he said.

* * *

Today's 4:05 p.m. game:

Gameday

Retro Gameday