...oh, it's no use. I will get excited! I will, will, will!

Walkin' Willy drew 2 more walks today. He probably didn't do anything scrappy so Little and Colletti won't notice.

Also, anyone interested in playing in a Plus League on Yahoo, let me know. I'm looking for folks that will stay, so we can keep a keeper league going. No Keepers this year, as too managers left last year. $10 fee offsets cost of league and trophy.

Here is League info: http://tinyurl.com/fdel9

Here is where to apply:
http://tinyurl.com/fbkfb

granted, power is more of jtd's game than jose's was, but still, i learned my lesson.

Killer Tomato with the bloop of all bloops for an RBI single.

in regards to guzman making the team out of ST, i dont like it. he needs more time. he needs to see AAA pitching. he still strikes out a ton and he really needs to work on that.

and loney needs to stop teasing me!

call my a commie, but i want cuba to win this thing.

USA's getting rocked by our neighbors to the north, I guess that's what happens when all your players get convinced not to play by their management. How good can you be when Al Leiter and Gary Majewski are on your roster?

I sort of wish Russ Martin and Gagne were both playing for Canada. I find the WBC more interesting than spring training.

You rang?

in yesterdays dodger.com notes, it said colletti was going to arizona to scout the WBC. who is worth scouting that isnt signed?

I'm an Aybar backer and am beginning to think he'd be better off with a different organization (of course, if he keeps hitting as badly as he has in winter ball and spring camp, it won't matter).

Walking Willy, as you called him, is pretty patient. At age 19, he went into high A ball and drew 69 walks in about 350 PA -- had more walks than strikeouts. I doubt Little/Colletti will be patient with him, especially with LaRoche in the wings. Aybar's not a big first impression kind of guy. He's pretty smooth at 3B, which can be deemed nonchalant. He's a pretty patient hitter, which can be deemed passive. He's not without flaws, but he's got some foundations skills. He does a lot of things fairly well.
I doubt the new regime will hang with him if he stinks it up this spring. Am glad to see him get two walks today -- if he starts hacking just to try to impress, he's toast.

The US doesn't deserve to win this game. Utley should be ashamed of himself for his little Barry Bonds impression after he thought he hit a HR. Good for Canada. I have relatives there too.

http://tinyurl.com/kwp9z

They must be stopped above the 48th parallel!

Tastes like butter. No one likes the taste of lobster, they all like the taste of butter. Dip anything in butter and it will taste decent. Bleh!

but in crappy news, culpepper demands a trade or his contract to be terminated. why must all my sports teams have offseason drama? dodgers, lakers, vikings, all kings of drama in thier respective sports.

No, I think that Mueller was signed just because he is the more established player, and is a better fielding 3B.
Also, Aybar would not get noticed for 3rd because Mueller is having a much better spring.

Also, not roids, just that Gagne was working out extremely hard, and is thinner.
That, and it is just the start of ST, he can get it up to about 94-95 by the start of the season.

Another little story on Dodgers.com about how much Grady likes Kemp. Since its possible that both Cruz and Ledee will about at least for another week, we should see a lot of Kemp and Guzman (Ethier too) in the OF.

I agree with Uncle Miltie. Let Jim Bowden or someone of his ilk pay handsomely for a Gagne that tops at out at 92mph.

Infielder Ramon Martinez...is considered to have a serious chance of making the club as a utilityman.

Versatile enough to play all four infield positions and a serious threat to take Oscar Robles' utility job. He spent time with general manager Ned Colletti in San Francisco, so he's got an edge there.

I agree. Plus, Boras isn't going to give the Dodgers any kind of discount. Au revoir, Eric.

63

I guess I'm in denial. Unless someone gets hurt, why keep Ramon Martinez? Robles gives you a better AB and is as good or better at SS-2B-3B.

To say Martinez has an edge on Robles because he played for the Giants with Ned may have some small nugget of truth there but I think the fact that he is veteran role player while Robles does not even have a full year makes more sense as an argument. However, it would also be true that Marinez will easily earn twice as much as Robles too.

If Gurnick is citing someone within the Dodger front office, I wish he would at least allude to that as opposed to just saying something to say something.

I only hope Plaschke rips into Flanders for the inevitable day Gagne is traded, considering one can argue he's a bit better than that LoDuca fellow...

Unlike Choi, Martinez is consistent. :)

BROTheR!

http://shop.mlb.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2222807&cp=2194484.2194500

(Smite Martinez Off The Roster!)

The happy tastes like sad...

Is Trevor Hoffman then worthless? Chad Cordero? Last I checked, you don't need the 98 fastball all the time when you have the a change up, and curveball like Gagne.

Also, I think you also have to consider the mainstream fans. I mean, he has been the face of the franchize for a while now, and you know, he is one of the few dodgers that we will remember form the Post Piazza-2004 era.

Edit:

I mean, you have to think about a lot of fans that stay at dodger stadium the whole 9 innings for the chance of seeing Gagne in the 9th.

http://tinyurl.com/mowtt

Call me crazy, but I predict the Marlins finish with a better record. They may not be that bad, but the organization really has become a joke

Cuba Cap

Also, you have to realize, if he is just around 93, it is still an incredible change of speed to go from that to a 69 rainbow curve.

About a week ago, I decided to root for Cuba. After today's game, now I'm obsessed with Cuba winning.

Although while watching I though to myself a few times, "I wonder if any of the Cuban players would consider running out to play defense and just keep going. Cuban security wouldn't shot him, would they?" Wouldn't that have to be one of the craziest moments in baseball history?

His fly ball rate is high, which means he'll be worse as a Dodger, but he's certainly worth our backup shortstop.

Although, ultimately, it was a joke

Please tell me that's a typo. You want the Corey Patterson the outfield (who plays for Orioles)? I would hate to have a pitcher who strikeouts out about a batter an inning.

i know ST is a time to fluff up the prospects, but give me a break gurnick, kemp would get DESTROYED by major league pitching right now.

a couple days ago, i saw an article by gurnick saying kemp has a strong possibility of skipping AA and starting the season in AAA and i thought that wasnt going to happen. This is absolutely absurd.

Good to see the Dodgers are now being run like a corporation after all. Cronyism at its finest. Dusty Baker also loved Ramon Martinez.

So if Ramon Martinez, Lance Carter, and Jason Repko all make the team... Does Jon write a column about how DePo/Colletti really arent that much alike?

is he physically able to play this year?

Ok, I just failed to see the humor in 96.

Of course I would trade Izzy for Patterson faster than you can say Ned Colleti.

I think this is the sticking point. Keeping Choi/Saenz on the bench has a domino effect on the roster.

i would probably have to say the mets.

beltran, wright, delgado, floyd is a nice middle of the order.

I'd have to say the Reds are my pick, barring injury, and assuming Tony Womack doesn't play.

reyes (its inevitable)
beltran
wright
delgado
floyd
nady/diaz
lo duca
crap second basemen

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/060302wbccuba3b.html

I just found out that both robles and martinez have options and have contracts that allow them to leave if they don't make the team, so the utility infielder spot is wide open.

The reason i'm asking is because i think there are only 4 spot really undecided for the roster, utility infielder (robles martinez aybar) 2 lefties (wunsch kuo hamulak) and long reliever (a long list of guys).

And then of course there is guzman maybe making it over repko.

Options could prevent Repko from the 5th OF spot, as he has options and Cody Ross doesn't. Not sure if Ross would be that big of an upgrade, but at least he's shown consistent power, and his name isn't Jason Repko

I really cant see Cody Ross making it. He looked promising when we acquired him coming off his AAA Int'll league season, but I think injuries did him in. He had horrible luck that first year here, including breaking his hand in a car door or something. He's basically Repko without the appearance of scrap. So I dont think he much of a shot.

I'm also wondering if Ryan Ketchner has been resigned? I know the Dodgers took both he and Derek Thompson off the 40 man. Are they still technically with the team?

Guzman, Ledee, Lofton, Drew, and Cruz are the 5 OF'ers I hope they keep. When Werth comes back, hopefully Lofton will be on the DL by then. This is assuming that Werth has his power back when he returns.

He doesnt give up home runs, he doesnt walk people, and he still has good K rate (not great but good).

In fact, if you compare Ketchner's Jax numbers against Orenduff, Billingsley, Jackson...all the big name guys we've had there. Ketchner's are right up there with the best of them.

"Although his team scored 12 runs, Robinson didn't like the fact that his players were swinging at the first pitch."

http://tinyurl.com/zgequ