Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
Will someone, somewhere please go on the record? No? Oh well. Here's the Hush Hush update on the Dodgers.
Ned Colletti: An anonymous source told Steve Henson of the Times that the Giants assistant general manager aced his interview with the Dodgers and has a strong possibility of being hired.
Henson includes in his story this quote from a 2003 interview Colletti gave Baseball Prospectus: "How a player approaches the game, how he approaches life, far outweighs what the stat line looks like." This would seem to show that Colletti has the blind spot of not realizing that the stat line includes most of the relevant parts of how a player approaches the game - that whatever effect this has will show up in his statistical performance. On the other hand, Colletti does work for the team that employs Barry Bonds, so perhaps the stat line carries more weight with Colletti than he is letting on. Update: With his usual detailed analysis, Rob McMillin has much more at 6-4-2.
Theo Epstein: Anonymous sources told Tony Jackson of the Daily News that the Dodgers offered the former Boston GM the Dodger GM job plus an ownership stake - though we haven't heard any confirmation that Dodger owner Frank McCourt has even interviewed Epstein, or whether they just had a casual phone call. Holding my breath I'm not.
As a side note, the entire idea of the at-play ownership stake confuses and intrigues me. Would the McCourts want Epstein that badly? Or would they just be giving a way a sliver of their future to keep their current executive salaries in line?
Kim Ng: No updates on the current Dodger assistant general manager, which probably means that she's the fallback option.
Personally, I often dislike the signings the Giants make - and I think the superhuman performance of Bonds has disguised many of their mistakes. Everyone's crying about the Dodgers, but it's not like the 75-87 Giants were impressive in 2005. While Colletti might be a diamond in the rough, it's hard for me to believe he is vastly superior to Ng, who has the advantage of being in-house and familiar with the organization. Of course, I don't really know.
Is Colletti in the running because Ng has not won over the multipartisan Dodger political machine? Or is Colletti window dressing to position Ng not only as the best available candidate within Los Angeles, but outside as well?
On the player side ...
Milton Bradley: Teams aren't jumping over themselves to acquire the troubled Dodger center fielder, whom Ng and fellow Dodger exec Roy Smith have apparently shopped around. While there may be interest, no one appears eager to overpay, prefering to wait things out and either get Bradley cheap or as a non-tendered free agent. Again, Bradley's health might be as big a reason for this as his temperament*. Still, I seriously doubt Bradley has reached the status of a don't-even-come-near-us John Rocker.
Already suckers for public opinion, the Dodgers might have been as curious as anyone else to know how valuable Bradley remained.
Given the gloom that currently hangs over the franchise, the Bradley angst seems to fit in somehow. Right now, it seems that Bradley remains just another option in the Dodgers' search to fill out their outfield.
Hideki Matsui: Working with an unusual contract, Matsui becomes a free agent after Tuesday if the Yankees don't re-sign him. Late last week, it looked more and more like the separation might happen, but over the weekend reports emerged that New York would satisfy Matsui's salary demands.
If the Dodgers hit Spring Training with a six-man outfield of J.D. Drew, Bradley, Jose Cruz, Jr., Ricky Ledee, Jayson Werth and a star acquisition, that might be the best outfield in the division, depending only on how Bonds does in 2006. And it would provide a great head start on the Dodger bench. The salaries of Bradley, Cruz, Ledee and Werth would only add up to about $8 million.
*I found out Friday that I have been misspelling this word all my life. Somehow I missed that "temperament" has an "a."
I think Kim Ng should get the job because her name is easier to misspell. I'm already having problems putting the proper sets of double letters into "Colletti".
The only book of Colletti's available in the library where I work is the one he helped write with Jack Brickhouse.
I won a second grade Cathlic school spelling bee on "transubstantiation". Not a hard word, but certainly appropriate.
If you won on the word "transubstantiation" at a Protestant school, then people would have looked at you funny.
As long as the Dodgers can find someone that they are turning down, as opposed to someone who is turning them down, they can probably move forward with Ng.
Sorry to raise your level of agitation Curtis but we had better be "Ready for Colletti"
He has been quoted as saying that how a player feels about life is more important than his stat line and also has a long track record in Public Relations. I don't see how Frank can resist.
The only other thing to do is buy out Tracy's contract and bring him back, and it will be one big happy family.
One note on Milton Bradley: I think Bill James once pointed out that teams tend to make bad trades when they focus on who they are giving up, rather than on who they get. Since the Dodgers have basically announced to the world that they are fed up with Milt, why would anyone be offering much? They can just wait for the inevitable non-tender. So the Dodgers have basically commited themselves to getting nothing for him, it seems to me.
Epstein is loved by ESPN.
He's seen as 'cool' than a geek.
The guy played his guitar on Bronson Arroyo's CD.
He also has the WS ring to flash in everyone's faces.
I thought the Dodgers would get him. I just didnt think McCourt wanted him so badly he'd offer ownership of the team.
Thats the sweetest GM deal Epstein will ever be offered. He'd be a fool not to take it. Considering the talent coming up in LA, the market, and everything else that goes along with it.
In addition, he now has an excuse to use for leaving Boston. "I wanted to own a team. I couldnt do that in Boston. But I can do that in LA"
McCourt doesn't want another DePo. He wants someone in his mind who is better than DePo. If he can't get that, he'll go another direction to get someone better than DePo.
12, 13 - Doubtful the Dodgers would go all the way to arbitration with Bradley, if Bradley is staying. As they did last year, the parties would probably agree on a contract before a hearing.
Now as to why he would come work for an owner who has been so erratic, that's a different question. But I guess money + ownership stake + some sort of contract guarantee of "complete" control = who knows?
and I hope I didn't offend Mr. Klum with my "seel"
He might actually factor that in as a positive.
in a baseball related note, only a couple of minutes until the al mvp is announced. although i detest the dh, my dislike of arod is greater, so i hope david ortiz wins.
Chicago, Ill.: I was wondering what you think of columnists at supposed major newspapers who beat the drums to fire people? You've never struck me as the type to do that. I'm not even talking about say maybe one column saying that regretfully, maybe this isn't working out and maybe they should part ways amicably, but more along the lines of railing against the hire to begin with, coming up with derogatory nicknames for the person you want fired like "Google Boy," and basically never inviting the possbility that this person may have some qualifications.
Michael Wilbon: I don't like those columns. I don't read those columnists with great regularity. And I'm glad--even grateful--I work for a newspaper that does not endorse that and whose readers are more literate and sophisticated and discerning than that when it comes to reading habits. And thank you for a right-on-the-money observation.
Well, I guess being a rebel is your prerogative.
Thinking like that could find you in gaol.
I'd take him.
No, it wasn't Jose Lima. But Lima did make Baseball Prospectus' All-Hacking Mass team.
i am also jealous of his talent and paycheck.
i think that he is a guy that fans would love to have on their team (including possibly me), but hate when he is on another team.
karros sure could rake in coors field, couldn't he?
Is it that some people say "supposably"?
I doubt it, but I wouldn't misunderestimate the power of the nucular crowd.
True story: my first grade English class was promised a party by our teacher if everyone spelled every word correctly on our spelling test. Only one word was misspelled in the entire class, and the word was "a". The kid who misspelled it spelled it "ai."
I left out the first "a" the second time.
In first grade, I was eliminated on the word "cherry". I spelled it "cheery". In third grade, I was dinged on the word "balloon". I left out an "l".
I hated the school spelling bees because I was always the prohibitive favorite. It's not a lot of fun to get up in front of the whole school and have your classmates rooting for you to lose so someone else can win.
Oh well, time to go back to therapy after dredging up those formerly suppressed memories.
I had a happy childhood. I just got very nervous before spelling bees. Jon had it right. I was like the Yankees. Or USC football. Every year I was expected not to rebuild, but to reload.
Of course when I was in second grade, my mother told me that I worried too much and I would give myself an ulcer. So then I started worrying about giving myself an ulcer. She passed away before learning about the bacterial cause of ulcers!
there was a report on mpr (minnesota public radio) last year about a nuclear plant in a rural part of the state and the reporter consistenly said "nuculer". just like homer j simpson.
He just brought it up as an "evil thought". It's just a worst case scenario.
Just some quick notes from the Bill James Handbook 2006
Quick and dirty projections:
Choi - 17/258/361/462/824
Kent - 27/290/366/504/870
Izzy - 2/269/310/345/655
Robles 4/287/348/393/741
Aybar - 2/266/333/363/696
Navarro - 7/263/335/371/706
Drew - 25/293/409/525/933
MB - 17/279/362/458/820
J Cruz - 17/260/364/480/844
Werth - 10/255/347/433/780
Possible Free Agents
Giles - 24/412/492/904
Nomar - 18/307/359/506/865
Damon - 13/292/361/425/786
Mueller - 12/283/365/421/786
Randa - 18/271/327/435/762
Dodger Rookies:
Jdt - 10/262/318/440/758
Rumored Possible Trade Targets:
Abreu 25/294/415/498/913
Beltre 25/274/331/479/810
Blake 21/252/324/438/762
Branyan - 20/234/337/476/813
Glaus - 33/253/362/510/872
Kearns - 20/270/363/497/860
Thome - 32/261/396/534/930
Wilkerson - 16/256/371/409/780
HR/AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS
Long version: http://tinyurl.com/dazqm
"Tommy, you're a blowhard with a negative track record, having chased Paul Konerko and Pedro Martinez out of the house. Your insignificant contributions as permanent cheerleader don't begin to even equal the damage you've done as a GM and an "advisor" to Fred Claire before that. You're lucky we don't make you Vice President Of Saying "I Bleed Dodger Blue" In Countries Twelve Timezones Away; you've already made enough bad calls to merit firing and permanent exile to, say, Greece or some other baseball wonderland."
Or as an outsider, was he likely to say, "thanks for your input and I'll take it under consideration"?
Yeah. Plan B.
And a 904 SLG!
That puts us firmly into Jason Johnson, Bill Mueller, Joe Randa territory. Not good at all.
If Colletti is hired and Payroll is cut to 75 mil then I honestly think I'll have to take a few days off from work due to being physicly i'll. However I would be easily pleased with Kim Ng getting the position and a slight payroll cut to 90 mil. Though the only outcome that could get me to go dancing in the streets would be Theo getting the job and having full access to the promised 100mil.
Giles - 24/291/412/492/904
In fifth grade, in the school finals, I misspelled "annual." There was a poster in the back of the room that said "Vista Grande Elementary Annual Spelling Bee." I knew that poster was there. Had I not known, I might have taken a gander to my friends who were wildly gesticulating in the direction of the poster. I consciously decided to not look, in the interest of fair play. Suitably distracted, I threw in an extra "l" at the end. Game over.
The moral of this story is, of course, that honesty never pays off in the long run.
Looks like it didn't pay off in the short run, either.
but then i also pronounce the month february with the R, and hearing "feb-yoo-airy" grates on my ears.
my spelling bee story: when i was a 4th grader i lost (well, i got 2nd place) to a 6th grader in the district spelling bee on the word "bureaucracy". the thing is, i knew how to spell bureau, i just didn't realize that the words were related. bureaucracy has been the bane of my existence ever since. and now i aspire to work in government.
Depo's imperative to win now and rebuild at the same time was just too difficult, and set him up for a fall, unfortunately.
As for Colletti saying that he's more interested in a player's approach to life than to what shows up in the stat line, he's really saying he's not interested in a team's wins and losses, only in their approach to life. That's fine by me, as long as he stays with the Giants.
"I choose not to spell" was not an option in Catholic school.
Options about anything in Catholic school were not options.
How about "believing in God"? Was that optional?
Robles- .287/.348/.393
Aybar- .266/.333/.363
And then a bounce back year for Beltre:
Beltre- .274/.331/.479
Has Beltre ever come close to slugging .479 aside from 2004?
Everything else seems alright except those are real generous projections for Nomar. I dont think he can SLG .506
Why do you say this? Had the Dodgers not lost three of their four best players, they would have won the division easily. While it's doubtful they could have won the whole thing, they could always get some 2002 Angels esque magic and take a championship.
Assuming DePo's plans worked out, the key positions for our prospects were going to be vacated by 2007/2008, while weaker positions were wrapped up long term. It was a very solid plan.
6. Ned Colletti, assistant GM, Giants
Under GM Brian Sabean, the Giants have been known for staying below the radar. Similarly, two key members of Sabean's inner circle--Colletti and director of player personnel Dick Tidrow-- have quietly emerged as GM candidates. Colletti, 48, negotiates all contracts for the Giants and "knows the rules inside and out," according to another baseball official, while Tidrow oversees both scouting and player development and might be one of the game's most underrated talent evaluators.
Kim Ng got an honorable mention as one of the new wave.
Of the 2003 list only 2 have become general managers. Depodesta and Tim Purpura.
Here is the complete link:
http://tinyurl.com/boyp4
I went to Catholic school in the mid 1970s. At that time, the Catholic Church was a lot more liberal. Jesus was hip. Things were groovy. We sang songs from "Godspell" in church. We even sang "One Tin Soldier" as a hymn.
For those of you too young to catch on to those references, you can use Google.
The actor who plays Jennifer Garner's father in "Alias", Victor Garber, played Jesus in the film version of "Godspell".
I don't think James uses the complex methodology of the Pecota system like BP. I know that HQ uses historical history and park effects and health and everything else to figure out their projections. I have no idea what James does to come up with his results and I would take them with a grain of salt but it is still fun to look at the 1st projections for 2006. Later we will be able to compare them to Pecota and HQ and see how they stack up. Maybe tonight I'll compare the three projections systems for 2005 and see who did the better job on the Dodgers. I'm betting on HQ as they didn't expect much and we didn't produce much.
Proven by the Doobie Brothers' "Jesus is Just Alright With Me."
"Je-suuuuuuuus, he's my friend..."
Problem is what are we getting back? Not young stud pitching, unless the Cubs are dumb enough to give us Zambrano. I'm not taking Kerry Wood. Farm system depth doesnt' interest me terribly, and the Yanks and Cubs aint got that anyway. Don't want the Yankees surplus of aging, overpaid pitchers. So anyway, where is the good young pitching and/or major league outfielder that I can get for Kent?
This also raises the question, if we're not in "win now" mode, what mode are we in? Given the turmoil in the organization, and the circling buzzards, we ought to at least be in "win pretty soon" mode. That translates to getting a return on Kent that contributes in 2007, at the latest.
You grew up in Davis? Groovy. I've been in town for the last 13 years (and somehow, I'm STILL not a Giants fan!)
If theo accepts, he brings a championship ring, a smart and savvy personality and most importantly, stability. With the ownership stake thing, we know theos going to be here for a long time, which is good news for us dodger fans because we could use a little stability.
i hope this happens, but im not holding my breath.
in the mean time, i am going over past dodger drafts and come to the conclusion that in about 6 years from now, we are going to look back at the 2003 dodger draft and fall to our knees and thank the big blue dodger in the sky and logan white for how they helped this franchise.
2003 dodger draftees:
chad billingsley
chuck tiffany
matt kemp
russ martin
andy laroche
travis denker
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/draftday/search.jsp?sc=team&sp=lan
scouting videos on billingsley, tiffany, and kemp.
That is my only visual contat of kemp. He sure is an athlete, and his bat speed is pretty quick. I imagine hes filled out his 6'4 frame now.
Of course, if our players all magically get better...
darn, well, now that just makes 2003 oboslete now doesnt it?
I always make it a point to stop by any local slaughterhouse when I go to new towns.
-----------------------------------------------
With McCourt, Lasorda and possibly Coletti running the ship I'd rather be in the
"win when they leave mode"
A "win now mode" with those goons = "Not winning now and severly disabled for the future" mode.
they now say his stuff is average and yada yada yada. but in the scouting video on the mlb draft page, tiffanys stuff was electric. all his fbs were in the 91-94 range, consistently sitting at 93 with a sharp, hard biting curveball.
now, has he lost fb velocity since being drafted? or whats the deal? i dont get it.
The worst he was able to do was make us go to a cheese factory in Oregon. And a lumber mill.
So who knows who will be left to mind the store.
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2005/11/scheer_lat_going_bland_an_1.html
Personally, I dont see how Tiffany could put up such good k/9 and h/9 with "average" stuff. I dont think his fb velocity means much for Tiffany. Oddly, when he was drafted everyone was talking about his great circle-change, but then last year all we heard about was his curve. He seems to have two plus secondary pitches, so like Zito, he can get away with a 88 mph fastball.
what do you think of Paul, he was supposed to be the big outfielder from that draft, but Kemp has supplanted him? I still think he can have a good career.
Quid pro quo
The Dodgers GM will be picked by a group of people in a smoke-filled room.
Letter to the editor in Sunday's LA Times regarding the dismissal of Robert Scheer:
Did Dodger owner Frank McCourt buy The Times?
MICHAEL HELWIG
Canoga Park
Matthew Pouliot had some fun analyzing trade bait and predicting trades over at Rotoworld. It seemed fairly useless, but I find these things somewhat fun. Possible trades involving the Dodgers that he thought up were Bradley to the Yanks for Melky Cabrera (blah) and then Lowe and Laroche for Abreu (what?). He also thinks Choi is 100% gone
Comparing him to Plaschke seems unfair. Plaschke is a poser. He stands for nothing and everything, and he's totally unaccountable for anything he's said previously. Plaschke is more like John Kerry: "I was for Garry Sheffield, before I was against him."
Thus supporting our contention that nobody knows anything about baseball at the LA Times.
Ned Colletti attended Northern Illinois University.
http://tinyurl.com/bquz4
So did TJ Simers.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-bio-simers-b,1,406173.blurb?coll=la-news-columns
Sigh....
That leaves the known candidates to replace Paul DePodesta as Dodgers GM to be current Dodgers vice president and assistant general manager Kim Ng, San Francisco Giants vice president and assistant general manager Ned Colletti and former Boston general manager Theo Epstein."
It may be that the Dodgers had internally decided not to hire him, but that press release re Hart did not look terribly mutual to me. And how exatly is Epstein a "known" candidate? Because Tony Jackson wrote a gossamer-sourced article about him? Have the Dodgers ever acknowledged him as a candidate?
The giggle factor of "General Manager Bill Plaschke" alone is worth it, indeed.
Continuing the quest for a new GM until after the best players are off the board is an excellent tactic for suppressing payroll while keeping the media off your back. Disgusting, yet effective.
Theo seems like a man of integrity. He wouldn't be unemployed if that weren't true. If he thinks the McCourts would be a bad fit before they tried to bribe him with a piece of the action, I doubt he'd come around with the ante increased. In any case, I agree with whoever said this offer is likely not a "sweetened" counteroffer, it's McCourt's clumsy attempt to convince Epstein that a 50 percent pay cut wouldn't really be a pay cut because, hey look, you get to be an owner!
Olypmic champion, lettermen in multiple sports, student body president, Johnson was the ultimate BMOC.
And I've sat behind him at a football game. He's a big guy. And he still looks to be in good shape.
The next GM needs to survive 2006, which should be another sub-optimal year for the Dodgers. In 2007 and beyond, the "youth movement" hits the big club and the GM will get a pass (from the media) for a couple of seasons.
The next GM comes in, the minor league class of 2007 comes up and the team ends the season with a winning record. The new GM gets the credit for rescuing the franchise from consecutive losing seasons, when in reality the credit should go to Logan White (with a tip o' the cap to Dan Evans).
Meanwhile, Ng can't get hired on above AGM status anywhere else in baseball for the better part of a decade. And that would suck.
Well, if recent rumors are true, Depo's firing had less to do with the team's performance than with his personality and relationship with Dodger employees.
If that's true, then Ng's job might not be in jeopardy if she's hired as GM and the Dodgers don't contend in 2006. (Assuming of course that she passes Jamie's personality test)
Actually, these recent rumors also help make sense of the McCourt's apparent interest in Epstein. When his name first surfaced, it confused me because I had assumed that Depo was fired because Tommy and convinced the McCourts that Depo's sabremetric philosophy didn't work, and that they should hire a GM who would reinstate "the Dodger way." But now it appears as if the McCourts are not necessarily opposed to Sabremetrics, but rather just Depo.
By "same team" I assume you don't mean Phillips, Edwards, Myrow, etc.
What was it Lasorda said about Pedro/Konerko? It's not my fault, talk to Campanis? She'll get any blame and Lasorda will try and hog any benefits.
This is the second notch on Steve's belt now. First Jim Tracy, then "The Night Stalker".
NL West 2005 Starter ERA
LA 4.36
SD 4.49
SF 4.52
AZ 4.58
COL 5.30
And that was actually down from 4.53 in 2004. The bullpen was the problemo and next year looks a lot brighter.
168 - Despite the perception that the McCourts hire people to be fired, I don't think the McCourts themselves consciously plan that way.
Lasorda's?
(Wouldn't that be convenient?)
Once again, some credit goes to Camille Johnston. She was so stuck on this idiotic notion you could describe the press conference as "announcing the search for a new GM," she didn't prepare McCourt for the fact that the media wouldn't just passively buy into this spin.
1. I don't know, but if I ever find out, that notched belt will be wrapped around its owner's neck.
2. Michael: I'm amazed Dad hasn't strangled himself with his belt yet.
Lucille: Oh, we're into all kinds of freaky stuff.
Mrs. Peacock was a man?
(slap) (slap)
You can trim the last two words from that sentence and it makes even more sense.
The Konerko trade was a bad move going in. He matched Karros in 1999 for the league minimum and had the credentials to take off from there. To think Lasorda has a few more of these up his sleeve gives me the willies.
Hideki Matsui's agent and the New York Yankees neared agreement Monday on a four-year contract worth about $50 million.
Godzilla off the board and adjust Mr. Giles' price tag accordingly. 3/$33M sounds about right.
I remember hearing near the end of the season that Giles really wanted to stay near his home in San Diego.
To think Lasorda has a few more of these up his sleeve gives me the willies.
I think that it gives him the willies too. That is why he is not being mentioned for GM.
No offense, but it will be a sad day for Dodger fans if "being better than the Padres" is our standard. I know that's not what you mean, but still...
Speaking of the Lakers, they trail Memphis by a mere 25 points in the 3rd quarter.
Anyway--the reality is, 2007 will be a rebuilding year, as will 2008. These young Suns will not arrive in the majors ready to contend for a World Championship. There will be a shakedown and a shakeout. The key strategic goal for these youngsters would be to manage this resource appropriately to allow the 2006 team to contend (i.e. being willing to trade off one or two for the right pieces), while maintaining the core of the future.
I think the 2006 team is a potential contender if we are moderately aggressive in the offseason. The chances for that to be true diminish the longer the GM search continues. McCourt's kneejerk firing of DePodesta could, alone, account for a bad season next year, but the stupidity of that act can be overcome with a good decision being made quickly.
Rather than overpay for Giles--I'd love to have him, but the auction's going to be nuts--I'd rather target a powerhitting outfielder and a #2 or 3 level starting pitcher with teams that might be tempted by one or two of our prime prospects to give up someone younger, cheaper and enduring.
(Don't worry -- not the Destroyer)
(and for the record, despite this comment, and for no good reason at all, I actually like Jason Repko and hope he sticks with the big club)
Just replacing Phillips and Valentin/Edwards with Navarro and Aybar would net the Dodgers almost 5 wins, and that projecting Navarro and Aybar conservatively.
I can only hope that the Dodgers go for a member of the Pirates lefty quintet (or Wells). Would acquiring a 4th/5th starter (be it Hill, Redman, Wells, etc) for Bradley be a success? The A's may have something for us, but I'd be afraid of being ripped off. The Nats and Tigers don't have much that interests me personally (unless Bowden is willing to give up players he doesn't like, such as Wilkerson, Hernandez, or if he's really nice, Patterson)
Hes very graceful in the field and has a really nice swing. Hes probably a more athletic shawn green. The same type of personality as well.
Nate - Would you rather have Loney or Choi?
whether he will hit like him, remains to be seen. Remember, justice didnt develop his power until age 23 or so. so loney still has time.
choi for the next 3 years then loney from age 24 and onward :)
how about it? perez is going to get expensive, he sucked last year and tracy likes bradley.
i really dont know. hes played some outfield, but not extensive time there. Loney is pretty athletic, and he does have a very strong arm. Its possible, im sure the dodgers will explore it.
A contender for the division? Maybe. A contender for the pennant? Can I have some of what you're smoking?
- Mediocre starting pitching (and remember, they're letting a lot of those innings walk in the form of Jeff Weaver)
- Pretty good offense if they keep Bradley around, but remember even if they do he's an injury magnet, and so are Jayson Werth (who's questionable as a starter) and J.D. Drew. Offense at the corners is still unsettled -- there's still a random platoon of nobodies at third, and Hee Seop Choi plus another helping of a 35-year-old Olmedo Saenz at first. Shortstop will be a series of stopgaps until the slumpalicious, somewhat overrated-by-the-average-Dodger-fan Izturis can make it back.
Outside the NL West, the Dodgers are looking at a lot of losses.
Oliver Perez has an amazing 2004, so we begin our scene in the 2004 offseason with Perez entering Dave Littlefield's office.
Perez: Hi Dave, I'm 24 years old and I just lead the majors in K/9. Pay Oliver.
Littlefield: You know, I rather enjoy getting that kind of production for 300 thousand dollars, so I'm going to say no.
Perez then proceeded to do nothing in the offseason but sit on the couch and eat Fritos. (I just made this part up, it could have very well been Pringles.) Oliver then proceeds to put up a six ERA in the next season.
End scene.
one talented malcontent for another. each team addresses each others needs.
yay happy ending!
"End scene."
Nice Tobias reference.
Doesn't trading Bradley create another need for the Dodgers?
i am foolishly assuming we are signing giles :)
Malcontents that don't hurt the performance of the team don't effect my opinion of them. Perez's Frito eating session cost the Pirates their best pitcher.
...and that Drew won't get hurt again:)
Thanks. I could never tell whether he was saying "end" or "and".
Monopoly on left handed O. Perez's = Marvin Gardens
Monopoly on (s)crappy Ja(y)sons = Baltic Avenue
what does OBE mean again?
AD Season I
Michael Scott makes me laugh in everything he's in.
Oh. Well, Scrubs is a pretty good show. My wife and I had never seen it until this summer, when we watched all 4 seasons in about a month.
or hes waiting for Theos answer?
for anyone watching MNF, roy williams just ended philadelphia's season
Marvin Gardens isn't a great paying property in Monopoly because people don't land on it as often as other squares. The best investments are the oranges and reds. If you control the oranges and reds, you will win almost all the time.
It's sort of a Moneyball approach to Monopoly. Go after the undervalued properties that pay off more than you think while others are taken in by the gaudy numbers of Boardwalk and Park Place.
okay i get it now. I think im going to wait until at least the fire is put out and see where we are when the smoke settles. But i did send it in to Mccourt along with my resume and i havent gotten a reply.
i only assume its because i dont have "real" baseball experience.
Dave Roberts = Just visiting
At least when I played, anyone who tried to count it out got dice hurled at them.
It's been a while since I've played. My nephews aren't old enough to grasp the rules. Maybe I should buy it for them for Christmas and then wax them.
In light of the fact that one of my nephews will barely be able to speak English will make my victory all the sweeter!
my brother has both of those, along with the southparks and family guys. So im covered in that area (since i can always "borrow" them for months at a time).
he doesnt like british style humor shows, or "thinking man's humor" like AD, office, curb, etc so im usually the one that gets those.
what i do have though that i dont know why i love it so much and laugh at every single thing are both wild boys seasons 1 and 2. makes me laugh every single time.
Not so fast, Steve.
247 - Yup, and he did it last season too when he broke our best player's leg. Amazing how many breaks Dallas got on those horse-collar tackles, I must have seen half a dozen and they didn't call any. Grrr...
Neifi Perez - The worst hitter of the past decade. Has signed multiple contracts for five million dollars. This is the type of thing the Dodgers have to look forward to.
Looking at Jon's little counter, 8 players on the "current" roster are on the books for more than Neifi's $2.5m/yr.
Lowe, Penny, OPerez, Gagne, Drew, Kent, Cruz Jr, and Izturis. Just food for thought.
seems a little much dont you think?
I still wish we could get Hill. Lefties that average 12.5 K/9 in the minors are not real common (although I'd prefer Perez as he's more establisehed, and probably impossible to acquire)
Hell, we contended last season. Technically.
My real point was this. Around this site there's a feeling that next season is to be endured until the Suns start arriving en masse in 2007 to fill up the lineup and rotation with prodigious talent. I have no doubt they will start arriving by then, and that eventually some combination of them will make the Dodgers a lot better--eventually.
But a lineup full of kids, no matter how talented, is likely to finish near the bottom in 2007. So I guess what I was really trying to say is, our chances of contending next season are better than they are likely to be again for a few years.
It's also a roundabout way of arguing to keep Jeff Kent. Yeah, we could get "value" for him in a trade, but I doubt we could get equivalent value in the form of major league talent. No one's giving up Jake Peavey for one year of 38 year old Jeff Kent. It would have to be prospects and might-be's, and we've already got plenty of those. So, I say, let's keep him, and try to do something with him. Prudently.
I guess Ballou is real, and he actually does a sports show (that surprises me a bit)
If anyone thinks Frank and Jamie are going to give Theo or anyone else an equity stake in the Dodgers, ala Magic Johnson, you are out of your tree. Not even if the Babe himself arose from the grave.
(raises hand)
The spelling bee aspect of this thread reminds me of an issue that had been discussed here some time ago. Any chance of putting a spell check on the preview page for those of us who have never won a spelling bee, much less qualified for one. And no, I can't spell "chabatta."
-An annual salary of $2.5 million for 4 years, with an escape clause after year 3.
-No one would be above me except Frank McCourt
-Frank McCourt would not make any decisions regarding the team on the field (besides getting rid of Bradley), other members of the front office, and the coaching staff
-A 3 % stake in ownership
-A promise that the payroll will be around $90 million. If promise is not met (i.e. Frank decides he wants to cut the payroll to $75-80 million, and then an escape clause is added to Theo's contract after year 2).
-Will not work with a PR coach!
-Will have the authority to fire Tommy Lasorda or send him back to Japan
McCourt is desperate. He is going to have to give into Theo's demands if he really wants him and there are going to be plenty.
Key words: if he really wants him. Frank doesn't really want Theo. As you correctly note, Theo wants way too much money and control. The two things Frank can't/won't give up. In additon, Frank doesn't want a guy that just came from the second highest payroll in ML history. Finally Frank doesn't want someone who is going to show him up. Remember the "brand" is McCourt and the "product" is the Dodgers.
Theo: "What he said."
McCourt: "Ah...I don't have $90 million. I was just bluffing before about $100 million. I was hoping that would make the Giants spend $100 million, they'd go broke and I could pick up that nice ballpark of theirs for a song. Great site for condos."
Theo: "Oh, wait. There's been a cancellation at the Zen monastery. I can go on my retreat. Peace, man!"
If the McCourts are in as much financial trouble as some people think, is "winning now" not just a PR goal but a financial one as well? ie, another losing season and attendance starts going down and the McCourts can no longer afford to own the Dodgers?
Desperate Frank hires Theo as President of Baseball Operation and gives him free reign over players, coachs and front office. Then Theo hires Depo as his new GM.
First, the heat is off Depo and on Frank.
Two, Gillick says no fast leaving only second choices, of which Frank and Tommy had none.
Third, Bobby V. re-signs in Japan for $4 big ones. A bidding war Frank could not even begin to enter.
Tommy's advice could not have been more wrong. Frank has to see that now. Although Frank is laughing all the way to the bank, Tommy's bad counsel has shown Frank for the clueless ego maniac that he is. The way Frank fires people, I have to believe Tommy's seat in the owners box is not as secure as it was three weeks ago.
(BTW, Its getting mighty lonely in that owners box.)
317 - She can still be AGM. Theo only stays for 3 years, tops. Long enough for the Dodgers to win a WS. Then Theo goes to perform another miracle somewhere else. And Kim Ng takes the wheels.
http://tinyurl.com/aygeg
http://tinyurl.com/7s7ql
"Frank doesn't think that way . . . he isn't worried about putting a team together. In his mind right now, this GM job is first and foremost a statement of his ownership, which is why he wants to put a star in that position. This is more about show than substance"
How sad. Winning takes a back seat to PR.
I would laugh my ass off if Colletti were offered the job and then turned it down. How much more embarassing could this get for Frank.
Finally, can you believe this horse's ass has the nerve to say "we'll move as aggressively as is prudent." Didn't he tell us after he fired Depo that he was going to be aggressive. How stupid does he take us for. That is the offensive part of this. I realize its his right to destroy my team but to feed me such insulting drival. Ugh!
Its only a matter of time before someone, hopefully Simmers, does a piece with McCourt's words on one side and the truth on the other. Although the lies and empty promisies would take up too much space.
I don't know where McCourt's PR minions would go to gauge instant reaction. Maybe they read posts at Dodgers.com boards. Bob Timmerman might want to do call forwarding to ensure he doesn't miss the pollster's query.
"I'm certain they'll name one once they're ready to name one," Johnston said.
Yeah, that's probably the timetable.
"Former Boston GM Theo Epstein had preliminary conversations with McCourt last week, but after consulting with friends within baseball apparently came to a mutual decision with the Dodgers that the job wasn't for him."
http://tinyurl.com/aygeg
The Dodgers lack an ownership/management philosophy. The Dodgers have baseball players, but the McCourts don't know how to run a baseball organization. The only person that makes sense in this position is a first time GM that takes it for the experience with nothing to loose.
"Frank doesn't think that way," one source with Dodgers ties said. "He has given orders to Kim and Roy to move forward and negotiate. Under that concept, he isn't worried about putting a team together. In his mind right now, this GM job is first and foremost a statement of his ownership, which is why he wants to put a star in that position."
The reason he's not worried is that he's got Ng handling moves right now. You may fault him because these moves may not end up being what the new GM wants. But it obviously sends a signal that he is comfortable should Ng end up with the job. The real message is that he can let Ng work on putting the team together while at the same time he can then try to pursue his "star" GM. If he ends up with no "star", then Ng has the job anyway.
If Colletti is hired, and assuming Ng stays, then who does contract negtiations? They're both considered some of the best, and I don't think they'd be extremely willing to allow the other to do it
Someone above nailed this correctly, Tommy Lasorda seems to have suceeded in firing the sabermetric guys but his choices all left town. One wonders where Frank McCourt is on all of this. He is getting more bad press with everyone turning the GM job down than he got with DePo in town. Before the firing it was all about the Dodgers losing record, now the media is fixiated with McCourt's inability to hire a GM.
I think it was here that the two brilliant articles on McCourt's management style was linked. McCourt is not an idiot, he is just running the Dodgers the way he has run all of his real estate adventures. That is why PR is so important to him. That is why I think if things fall in place with the Nats, Theo Epstein will be the GM. McCourt needs a big score for his image that he wrongly thinks will enhance the value of his team.
Earth to McCourt: wins, not image enhances value in baseball. more value = more money.
McCourt is smarter than we think. I predict in a few years (or a nice berating from the Comish and other owners at the upcoming meetings for making baseball owners look like fools with his management problems) he will figure out that running a baseball team is different from a real estate adventure. Once he discovers the media is an annoyance that will not enhance the value of the Dodgers he will care less about is own image and make the Dodgers the brand.
Predictions? I guess it is more like my wishful thinking . . .
1) Since both Colletti and Ng excel in contract negotiations and neither is known for player analysis, does that leave two people doing the same job and Ng on her way out the door?
2) If Ng leaves, does that open the way for Orel to be the player analysis guy in the front office?
3) Is Ron Wotus the next Dodger Mgr?
4) Does the Dodger opening day lineup include J.T. Snow, Edgardo Alfonso and Marquis Grissom?
5) What kind of relationship do Colletti and Kent have?
6) When Kent met with McCourt just before DePo was fired, did the subject of Colletti come up?
Help us Obi Wan Kenobi your our only hope.
The inmates may be running the asylum
We're not in Kansas anymore and Houston we have a problem.
McCourt: You gotta be asking yourself one question, Did he fire 6 or fire 5? Well do you feel lucky? Well do ya Punk!
Anyone care to place a friendly wager? Dodgers GM vs. Iraq rollout plan?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jake-reiner/the-dodgers-need-to-do-so_b_10654.html
New post up top.
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