The best part of a two-hour rain delay: sitting at home, then showing up just in time for the first inning (free parking, no less).

Worst part: losing on a wild pitch.

Maybe today it'll be a bit better.

[heckle, heckle]

Worst moment-when I turned my attention back to the game and thought for a moment it was Bonds w/ the HR for the first run.

"Penny was outstanding," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "Had he not gotten hit on the arm, I think you would've seen both of them go very deep into that game and not a whole lot of offense."

Okay, can somebody explain to me exactly how Penny's getting hit on the arm caused a 1-1 game through 8 innings (at which point even if he still was in the game almost certainly he would have been taken out anyway) to become a 'whole lot of offense'? Because I just don't see it.

Additionally, I wasn't around to watch the game - is there a reason Kuo started the 9th over Baez, with the 2-3-4 of the Giants lineup coming up?

Granted, this is an extremely small sample size, but this, coupled with a .357 .419 line a AA last year, makes me less than optimistic that Loney will improve much on these numbers at the major league level.

In fact, I was looking over Loney's stats this morning and I noticed that aside from 47 at bats in rookie league, Loney has failed to post an OPS above .800 at any level he's played at thus far. But he does have a sweet swing (for what that's worth) and he has put together some impressive performances during a couple of spring trainings. However I think he really shouldn't be anywhere near the major league roster at this point.

I didn't have a problem with Kuo coming out in the top of the ninth. He'd done well enough in the eighth, and the Giants had a switch hitter and two lefties due up.

Tracy again failed to get Craig Wilson's bat into the starting lineup with a young lefty on the mound, so at this point I'm going to have to assume that he's either really really stupid or he honestly makes every lineup up under gunpoint

Then this:

Jose Castillo flew out (and got congratulated in the dugout by Tracy for hitting a sac fly, you know, because making outs is the kind of thing we encourage here

http://whereisvanslyke.blogspot.com/

He also plays 1st base.

This is what the Dodgers have to look forward to for the next 2-3 years.

http://tinyurl.com/jwusf

Cesar Izturis is approximately two weeks from returning to the Dodgers, a miraculous recovery from Tommy John surgery. With Rafael Furcal and Jeff Kent in place in the middle of the diamond, the club has asked him to break back in as a super-utility player, which includes playing the outfield. Izturis has told friends he has no intention of risking reinjuring the elbow by trying to make a different throw from the outfield and eventually wants to be traded. Because he has a $5.5M option for next year, this is a distinct possibility. Izturis believes he will eventually end up in Boston with good friend Alex Cora.

The one that isn't completely useless. He's just mostly useless.

An .800 OPS in 2006 isnt the same as having an .800 OPS in 1976.

I hope thats a club option. If its a player option, DePo's deal with Izturis just went from an F to an F- (if there is such a thing).

If you take away Izturis contract and Gagne's deal, everything else is at least arguably thought out.

Given the Dodgers had no options at shortstop for the next few years, and Izturis seemed like he could breakout, securing him through arbitration wasn't a terrible idea. Not DePo's fault these players got hurt.

The first part is true, but what amongst Izturis prior numbers suggested he could 'breakout'? Nothing in Izturis career has suggested he'd be anything more than a utility level SS.

The Dodgers didnt have any options in the OF either at the time, similar to the SS situation. But at least those circumstances didnt prompt DePo to sign Dave Roberts to a 3yr deal. No, instead he upgraded the OF by trading for Werth and Bradley. What was stopping him from making a similar move at SS? Certainly, anything was better than buying out Izturis arbitration years. I think that was the worst possible decision that DePo could have made regarding Izturis. One, he essentially paid a premium (buying out one's arbitration years) for a replaceable asset.

As for Gagne, there was no need to sign him to a 2-year deal. He was still arbitration eligible. I'd have went to arbitration again with him mainly because it lowers risk on a risky asset (relief pitching)...

Signing Izturis was a gaffe in terms of talent evaluation and finances.

Signing Gagne was a gaffe just in terms of finances (paying more for something than need be).

Signing Gagne to a big contract was a sign of Respect.

The Cardinals decided to sit Edmonds today, so they batted Encarnacion 5th, which has led to Rolen being walked 3 times and Encarnacion going 0-3

Say Izturis repeats his 2004 in 2005, how much does he get from arbitration? Probably about what he's getting this year. Seeing as Izturis is still only 25, it's entirely possible that he would improve. Also, what kind of trade could DePo have made to improve at short, without increasing payroll? The Dodgers were pretty much out of tradeable assets at that point. Yes, Izturis made some big improvements in 2004, but he was still developing. Was it a pump the fist, A+ signing? No, but it was certainly a decent deal considering Orlando Cabrera got a massive contract. (A fact which I'm sure Cesar could have taken to arbitration.)

Anyway, I'd just as soon never see him in a Dodger uniform again, but I hope he does well for his next team. This super utility crap seems to ignore the minor issue of his not being able to hit.

And as little as I like the idea of moving Kent to 1B to open up a spot for Cesar at 2nd, that would seem a better option than Cesar in the OF.

My guess is that this will resolve itself through injury. Can we really imagine that Kent, Furcal, and Mueller will all stay healthy all season?

There is still pitcher and catcher.

This will be Bradly all over again. Every other GM knows we have to move him and we will get signifiagnatly diminished value in return.

When I read 18, I thought the same thing. That would be so cool.

Any type of money/multi year contract for a utility level player like Izturis is a bad deal. Using Cabrera as an example of what not to pay is like saying signing Brett Tomko wasnt that bad because Jeff Weaver makes twice as much.

The bottomline is that you should never committ any type of money/years to bad players (especially when you dont HAVE to to begin with). Izturis is a replaceable player. Always has been going back throughout his career.

Say Izturis repeats his 2004 in 2005, how much does he get from arbitration? Probably about what he's getting this year.

So what was gained by giving him that contract? Nothing. But what if he regresses, which he did. What is lost by giving him the deal? Alot, since most MLB teams dont spend 3-5mils on utility players.

Also, what kind of trade could DePo have made to improve at short, without increasing payroll?

Antonio Perez for one. But after DePo gave Izzy that contract, that pretty much eliminated AP from consideration of playing SS, since there's no way you make Izzy a bench player after buying out his arbitration years.

The Izturis contract will go down as one of the biggest blunders bc it set into motion a series of events: #1. It gave the appearance that Izturis was a starting caliber player. #2. It prevented other SS's from being able to take his place #3. It gave a dumb manager even more of a reason to play him as if he were a leadoff hitter (since he was paid as such).

If players are paid as if they are starting caliber, everyday players, then they'll be treated as such. Unfortunately, in Izturis case he was paid and treated like a regular, when in reality he never should have been. Its just a shame that a sabermetric guy could fall for Izturis. But of course Erickson, Grabowski, and Jim Tracy were kept on the roster far too long so DePo was not perfect.

Returning to the Inane Ideas Index (or "I-cubed"), I suppose that waiving Choi then trading Izturis for him a month later is even inaner than moving Izturis to the outfield.

Are you related to Shanto Iyengar? I knew him at UCLA, before he moved to Stanford. When you mentioned Palo Alto, my suspicions of a relationship grew.

None of my business, really, so if you'd rather not say, then no worries.

Hey GoBears, I didn't see you ask before, so I'm sorry for not answering, but yeah, he's my dad. How do you know him?

So all we have to do to make him useful again is call Billy Crystal?

Nizam was once a great restaurant, but I've also heard that it has deteriorated quite a bit. Rumor has it that this is due to the owner divorcing his wife, who had been the cook. We used to go there all the time with guys like Frank Gilliam and other Poli Sci/Comm types.

It's been a while, but I don't remember there being m/any other good Indian restaurants in West L.A., at least around Rancho Park.

If you want to try a toothpaste without sugar, get some of the Tom's of Maine toothpaste. You will notice a big difference.

Utility infielder Mike Edwards was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to replace Casey on the 25-man active roster. The former Dodger batted .316 (6-for-19) with one home run and three RBIs in six games with the Indians.

Yes, indeed, Crest Vanilla Mint is a terrific product, one that should become the official dentifrice of Dodger Thoughts. I am waiting for this fine product to inspire a line of other vanilla mint products. Crest Vanilla Mint Ice Cream would be my first choice for my next birthday.

Here is a more comprehensive resource for the toothpaste community: http://a1-toothpaste.info/

Do you buy that at Whole Food?

http://www.dodgermath.com

Of course, you can't find plain ol' toothpaste anymore because nobody makes it. I always look for it at the store, but alas, it's never there.

Used to be you had to go to Trader Joe's.

Wha-huh?! Look, small samples are small samples. I don't believe Kent's bad April any more than I believed Drew's last year, or any more than I believe Mueller will hit .400.

I too expect Kent to produce less than last season. But it's a bit premature to declare him "done." And I thought we'd cleared up the "Kent is a horrible defensive 2bman" meme last year. He's average or slightly below average. Not terrible.

Sheesh.

Off to the game with about 14 nieces.

http://tinyurl.com/pgd7v

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/multimedia/video.jsp

Is that the weatherman from KCAL or Steve Lyons?

"You're wondering why we're showing hockey aren't you?"
"Yes, I am."
"Well, MLB has to share the channels with the NHL."
"But you're showing the same NHL games on two different channels. And I didn't pay for any of them."
"That's interesting."
"But hockey is not baseball."
"I know."
"So when will this end?"
"I don't know. Maybe when baseball season gets started."
"Baseball season has started."
"Maybe when hockey season ends."
"Hockey season goes until June."
"That's a problem I guess."

Hockey is supposed to be 821-830
Baseball is supposed to be 831-840

Tonight hockey is 821-839.

Washington has taken a 1-0 lead in the shootout against Florida!

I guess I have to root for the Yankees.
Yuck.

Then Morneau hits a broken bat looper past Cano to win the game.

<ducks>

http://tinyurl.com/dzrfy

Stupid Dodger fans, booing Steve Finley. He's as essential to the team's success as he was two years ago!

Perhaps I will go out fishing and Kenny Lofton will appear to me on the other side of the lake and tell me to fish on the other side of the boat so I will catch more.

Lofton will be gone by May 25.

Failing to get one of those jobs is one of my most bitter disappointments.

Well, not really, although I do think I would be pretty good at the job.

http://6-4-2.blogspot.com/2004/10/rally-monkey-in-blue-dodgers-7-giants.html

Stults gets out of the inning on a GIDP and a groundout, but gives up a run. 4-3 Sacto.

For now, you'll have to settle for scoring at home.

For those who may have been confused about my remark about Lofton and May 25, I was using the date of Ascension Thursday to keep the Easter/Resurrection/Doubting Thomas gag going.

When I was a lad, we had to go to church on that day, but that holy day of obligation is no longer obligatory on the West Coast for Catholics.

And he won that game!

That can't be a good thing.

OT: What's the deal with Randy Winn? Did he get a magic hat when he moved to SF? At some point he's going to remember that he's Randy Winn, not Ted Williams, yes? It's crazy enough that Jose Cruz is doing what he's doing, but Winn is other-worldly (over 68 games).

Randy Winn is a changeling.

This is almost certainly not a normal condition.

Not a rhetorical question. I don't know.

He's possessed by a demon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factorials#Non-integer_factorials

But can't you have non-integers as exponents?

Any suggestions?

What do you know about that?

Usually it's just something like 5!

And it means 1 X 2 X 3 X 4 X 5 = 120

As for ¡, just hit Option + 1

But I did mean it isn't fair to the dog.

The numbers add up pretty fast. Which is why the chances of hitting the lottery are so remote.

Perez was solid tonight, but I'm worried about his lack of velocity. His hardest fastball was 86 MPH. Saito wasn't a very good pitcher in Japan, so I don't think he'll continue to be this successful. Furcal is looking pretty good. J.D. Drew looks awful. He's been unusually aggressive this year.

212 - Is that why we haven't broken Tinyurl yet?

http://www.idaholottery.com/faqs.html

Ha, good one. Unfortunately, I have an uncle by that name. He'd probably get offended/

218, good one but I have an uncle by that name. he'd probably get offended.

216 I agree about Drew, but I find Furcal a slight dissapointment after defense like Isturiz.( I admit Furcal is a slight up on offense but what was that inning killing double play about.) Period in right place?

http://tinyurl.com/fbm57

Well, Drew and Kent haven't got their power swings going yet. Also, if you wan't to talk about disturbing lack of power, talk to the giants, who have only hit 5 home runs all season.

Also, on Drew, he struggled the first part of last season, so I think he'll come around like last year.

On Saito, who cares about Japan if he can pitch here. He has looked very good so far, I really like the deception, and his ability to change speeds. If we can just get one good year from him, I'm fine.

Does anyone know the most men that were left on base in a 9 inning shut out?