Would like to see Billingsley join the group if Sao stinks up the joint on Sunday.

Here's hoping that Seo doesn't stink it up though.

I'd wait on Bills. He's coming off a bad game. Let's see how he reacts.

But Seo's stuff is down from last summer. WBC hangover? Injury? Hard to know. Another bad one and maybe he swaps spots with Dullis.

The kids' OPSs are nice.

The cool thing is Aybar, Ethier and Martin all have a good approach at the plate. They know balls from strikes.

It's no fluke. Throughout their minor-league careers, they put up pretty good K/W ratios. That's no guarantee of major league success. You have to make yourself into something of a slugging threat (something that's likely beyond Robles). And pitchers are going to come after Martin to see if he can hurt them.

But the overall trend is encouraging. It's hard to recall the last time the LAD promoted three young hitters who had good approaches. And all three can be defensive assets as well.

And the ball really seems to jump off Aybar's bat, I mean, the double-while wind aided, was hit off the ground.

Gee, I wonder when those kids are going to produce something?

2

WHAT?? I'm about to get cunfy (& watch Goodgellas on HBO) & you come up with that?

One of the many things to like about Aybar: He's only 23 but has played a ton of pro ball. More than 2,800 plate appearances in the minors, plus hundreds more in winter ball.

I don't mean any disrespect to Hamulack but when is he going down?

A. MARTINEZ RULES!

Robert Timm rules!!!!!

I'm drunk!

whoo hoo!!

well I'm out peeps, great game today I love coming to this sight & talking baseball with TRUE DODGER FANS!

See you all tomorrow, "GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY"

Posted in the other thread:
The alcohol has worn off and now I'm even more depressed since the Clippers lost. Well, at least Kent went 0 for 4.

By the way, my Aybar prediction was right on the money 1-3 BB (except he didn't steal a base)

Ethier is starting to heat up. I really like his approach at the plate. Too bad he has no power. I'd probably start him in CF, he can't be much worse than K Loft defensively.

Russ Martin is here to stay. I like him batting 8th because it doesn't put pressure on him to hit and it adds a little balance to our lineup.

Wilber is Wilber

I haven't really seen Broxton pitch this year, but it seems like he is still having control problems. We need to let him figure it out in the majors because he has nothing left to prove at Vegas.

Russ Martin, defensively, is here to say.
But these pitchers are going to come after him and it's very possible he doesn't have the pop to put them off. I just hope it happens down the road and that Alomar can effectively spot him.

Two more errors from Furcal. This isn't going away folks. I know I'm the resident crackpot (or crackhead) on this subject but I've been pretty consistent on this score. The warning signs were there in the winter. These likely are chronic issues. And this isn't just a case of someone working through an injury. At best, he'll be sort of decent on defense, and the risk for arm injury remains pretty high (He still can be above average for SS/Leadoff offense).

And there's more: Little will have to try to mitigate the physical problems by using Ramon Martinez to freshen Furcal and reduce the risk of further physical degradation. This pitching staff needs all of the run supression it can get, and Furcal is adding stress on the margin (and it goes beyond the errors). Martinez, of course, will add more.

Best-case scenarario: Furcal can be sort of OK on D, pretty good on O and stay reasonable healthy until July, and Izturis makes a comeback and is able to spot him here and there and also spot Kent.

I am up in SF and the people calling in are saying Kent dropped the Bonds pop up purposely?..One of the good things about this year's team as compared to last year is the players being called up to replace the injured older players are now ready to play. While Either doesn't have Home Run power, he has doubles power and a great approach, Aybar definitely has a great approach and a good eye. Broxton I think is not near his peak. As far as Billingsley goes I wish I knew when he would be ready. Ironically as incomplete as the bullpen has been this year, I think what we really need is one more stud starting pitcher who could go 7 innings. If you could trade Perez and a resonable prospect could we get one good pitcher, don't know who is out there who we could get

Kent and Drew went a combined 0 for 9 and the Dodgers still score 6. That's the young guys doing their thing. This team is deeper than (fill in the blank)

...A three-foot pool.

20
Giant fan.

Giants are shallower than a kiddie pool.

I'm just not sold on the depth of the club. Our pitching staff is not all that deep in terms of quality. I'm skeptical about Izturis coming back. And I'm a little worried about the performance of Martin, Ethier, etc... down the stretch.

That said, I really enjoy watching Nomar hit the snot out of the ball along with the rookies.

Don't call me a giants fan.

Much as I like Aybar, he'll need some sensible managing. His DP risk is strong. The hit-and-run could be in order more than for most young players. Contact ratios are good there at least. Defensively, he's OK -- but it would be nice if Furcal was able to play elite defense.
As for Ethier, good approach. The nice thing is Cruz/Lofton can help get Ethier less daunting mathchups. They're onna really start trying to pound him inside.

This Dodger team strikes me as very layered. The ex-All Stars (Nomar, Kent, Lowe, Lofton, etc.) represent one layer. The veteran subs (Saenz, Cruz) are another layer. And the AAA kids (Martin, Broxton) represent a third layer. All year, the ex-All Stars' layer has been productive but brittle, but the veteran subs and the AAA kids combined have bailed them out. But toward the end of the season, perhaps, the ex-All Stars will have healed up and will rise to the occasion, teaching the AAA kids how to win.

24 So the Dodgers are like onions?

24. I think that some of the younger guys have already won more than the "veterans". Either way, "teaching the AAA kids how to win" is kind of a bizarre idea anyway. They know how to hit and they know how to play defense, experience will help, but there is no such thing as "knowing how to win".

25 They do make me cry more often than not.

I'm just relishing the thought of Bonds muttering "We'd have done it, too, if it hadn't been for those dratted kids," as he limped back to the clubhouse after the game.

28

I think it's "meddling kids" if that's a reference to Scooby Doo. But I could be wrong.

Speaking of Billingsley, is he known to be a head case? I ask because I know someone who talks to Sele often, and in a recent conversation Sele told him Colletti wanted to keep Sele at AAA to mentor Billingsley. He also said Bills has such a wild streak that they're worried he'll end up with the Doc Gooden career path.

I had no idea we were dealing with Nuke Laloosh here.

I'm not sure I'd worry much if pitchers come after Martin to see if he can hurt them. In AAA you get gas and wildness,and Martin can handle that(maybe by taking a walk). However if he knows its gonna be near the plate, I think he can already do just fine.

Grady, time to shake up the lineup. Baring injury, we should have these guys for the next 2-3 weeks. No need to keep place holders for guys on an off day.

Against RHP:
Furcal
Lofton
Garciaparra
Drew
Kent
Aybar
Martin
Ethier

Against LHP:
Furcal
Lofton
Garciaparra
Drew
Kent
Saenz (3b)
Martin
Cruz Jr.

I don't see an easy out anywhere in there.

Bradley who?

32 I don't see an easy out anywhere in there.

Including any ball hit to Saenz at 3b...

32 - Is keeping six of nine lineup slots the same a shakeup?

This was probably posted by Nate somewhere but two pitchers acquired in the Green trade threw shutouts last night. Juarez isn't really considered a prospect and seems to have no dominance but he's pitching very well right now and he was the guy who was our best pitcher in the AA playoffs last year. Only 3 position players worth watching in AAA now with all the callups. D Young is heating up, Guzman is holding his own but not banging his way to a job, and Loney is hitting but still with little power.
Other then Billingsly and Kuo not much excitement at the pitching level right now. Oh, I forgot about Carter. I'm sure a lot of us are considering the drive/flight to watch Carter do his closing thing:)

Muegge threw the shutout in AA.

22
Sorry, that was overboard.

I'd like to pose a question: Let's say that Izturis proves himself healthy with a minor league stint and a week or so in the majors to show he's himself. We won't have anywhere to put him and as much as I hate to say it, isn't he likely worth something on the open market? And if so, what might we be able to get for him? Who has starting pitching and needs a gold golve shotstop?

I think blogs should have a breathalyzer attachment. Hee.

Anyway, the thing about Billingsley is the Dodgers are being smart not to rush him to the bigs. Besides Edwin Jackson, all you bave to do is look at Matt Cain, Felix in Seattle, and some of the other young phenom pitchers who have slumped in their second go rounds so far this year. They'll probably all pull out of it, but no need to take a chance on ruining someone's confidence either. I think Bills will bounce back just fine from his last outing, and I think he'll be up with the Dodgers this year before September, but I don't see the need to rush him either. If Odalis/Seo/Sele all equally stink up the joint, however, that could change.

I'm enjoying the "kids" contributions so far.

I'd say retooling 3 out of the 8 spots in the order is a shakeup given Grady's shown no sign of hitting Martin anywhere other than 8th.

But you are the wordsmith. I'll let you substitute the wording to one of your liking.

36 Kuo and Carter havent missed a beat from the 5 run lead they gave up. They didnt give up a run, but it sure was ugly out there. Kuo commited 2 bad plays. The first one he didnt yield to the 3rd baseman on a bunt that went down the 3rd baseline, decided when he was on the ball to let the third baseman have it, and by then was obstructing the 3rd basemans ability to throw and Truby threw it away trying to make the tough play. The second one was rushing at a bunt and sliding on his behind.

Carter walked the first guy to load the bases. Then he finally got a fly out.

Loneys play in RF was totally uneventful. Guzman looked a little discouraged at the plate and was booed a little after striking out in i think his 2nd at bat. It looked like he:d gotten a piece of it to many fans and they booed him for not attempting to run to first.

Saw Pat Borders for the very first time, heh.