First thought after seeing the title of the post:

Hmm. But is he going to burnish it?

The way the weather is now if I tried to chase my cat, it would make the LAPD-OJ Simpson pursuit look like something from the Bonneville Salt Flats.

1 - Excellent question. I think there should be some burnishing this week.

I will have to beg Jon's indulgence given his last post below, but I am curious. The divisions here and in Dodger-fandom generally are well-known. My question: is there anyone here who would rather acquire Aaron Boone than play Cesar Izturis at third? I find it hard to believe that there is.

If you had a dog, you wouldn't have to chase it. All you have to do is turn on a fan, and within minutes, he'll be laying in front of it.

Jon, love all these 70s silky soul references.

Here's one for the first place Padres:

They're smilin' in your face/all the time they wanna take your place/the backstabbers (backstabbers!)

4 - I certainly don't want him. Maybe we can all chip in and send him a gift certificate for a basketball camp that has to be used immediately.

4 - I don't mind talking about how no one should be interested in acquiring Aaron Boone. I just don't want everyone's dander gets up because a newspaper prints that a team wants to unload him.

Aaron Boone would be handy to keep around for extra inning games when Tim Wakefield is pitching.

Aye aye.

4 Not me. Aaron Boone is worthless. I wouldn't want him on the Dodgers if we had to give up literally nothing for him, and didn't have to pay him. He's not worth the space on the 40 man roster.

To blame the Dodgers' current problems on Izturis playing third is part of why I tune out when the Izzy-bashing gets going.

Teams that finish a little above .500, like this one will, are bound to go on a four-game losing streak, or longer, now and again. Especially on the road. Especially to a team that has better players. I don't keep a VORP list around, but I'll just bet if you started and the top and worked your way down, you'd hit at least three Cardinals before you'd get to one Dodger.

Just cool out, Izzy bashers. He's not the long-term answer and no one in Dodger management has ever said he is. The job is LaRoche's. But it would be stupid to bring him up before he's ready. So Izzy will handle it til then.

Izzy is living in an existential moment. Things he couldn't foresee got him to third base in the first place. Things no one can foresee will bring him to his next destination soon enough.

2006 OPS:

Izzy - .679
Boone - .654

Now if you want to talk Casey Blake being an option at 3rd, I'd listen.

Just cool out, Izzy bashers. He's not the long-term answer

I'm assuming the Izzy bashers don't consider him the short-term answer either, and would rather see some combo of Aybar/Saenz/maybe even Nomar playing 3B instead.

Izzy bashing is so 2005. But Nate's favorite band is the Izzy Bashers.

In case it hasn't already been mentioned, there's an excerpt from a book about the Red Sox on ESPN.com (yes, I too am shocked, SHOCKED that ESPN.com would run a long piece about the Sox) detailing Nomar's exit from Boston. It's worth a read if you're looking for some escapism from work, but I thought this sentence was odd:

"Garciaparra packed his stuff, left Minnesota, and got on a plane to Chicago."

So, does that mean he took a taxi from the visitors' clubhouse at the Metrodome to the nearest airport in Iowa or Wisconsin, then flew to Chicago? As if being traded wasn't tough enough on the guy, they made him travel to another state just to catch his flight? Or maybe it's just a weird sentence.

Slight tangent: I just love watching Izturis play defense. It's just so graceful the way he fields the ball. I've seen plenty of shortstops (and now, thirdbasemen) who make flashier plays, but I've never seen someone collect the ball with such ease as Izturis.

It's really fun to watch.

Re: the short-term answer at third...

Like Jon said in passing a couple of days ago, I think there is some possibility that Nomar's resurgence is due, in part, to the fact that he is playing first base.

I am glad that I'm not the one who has to decide whether to mess around with that.

Sheesh, I linked the Nomar piece on the Griddle last week.
You're so pre-searing 100 degree temperatures in Los Angeles there.

How will the Dodgers score any runs without Drew?

Drew has been our run producer? Really?

And Drew has an 892 OPS in July huh? So, his occasional bases empty double is making him look like he's having a decent July? No he's not having a good year, or July.

Izzy bashing is so 2005

Why isn't there more Furcal bashing this year? The guy has been horrendous on defense, and only marginally better on offense than Izturis. Not to mention the fact that he's making nearly 3 times as much money, AND he gets the most PAs on the team.

Well, continuing my efforts to stir up trouble at Dodger Thoughts, two comments on the AP obit of Hooters founder Robert Brooks.

1. That's some first paragraph: "Robert Brooks, the chairman of Hooters of America, Inc. who made his fortune selling chicken wings served by scantily clad waitresses, was found dead at his home Sunday, officials said. He was 69."

2. But an unimpressive last paragraph: "He also shared his wealth, giving $2 million to Coastal Carolina University for its first football stadium, which was named Brooks Stadium in 2003." Glad for CCU to get a new football stadium and name it after Brooks, but giving $2m for such a thing doesn't really show me that he "shared his wealth" at all. Kind of the opposite, though he may well have been generous and charitable in other ways not reported in the obit.

We have Loney at Las vegas. He is at least doing a good job of looking like a major league quality first baseman. We have Nomar, whom we all like blocking him while doing a very good job at first base. But it's going to cost us $10M a year for 3 to 5 years to sign him next year and Loney gets traded away for another one of Ned's failures. I'd pay Nomar $10M to hit like he is at third base and bring up Loney. He won't play third here, I'd let him go, his cost at first base is too high. How many teams will pay him $10M to play first with his lack of power (although he'll probably end up leading the club in homers unless Kemp is quickly recalled and played everyday. In short, Nomar at third, resign him; if he won't play third, let him walk. His replacement is at hand.

Rob is saying that Greg Miller went on the DL. Anyone have any details?

14 What does it mean about me that a sentence like that reduces me to helpless laughter, like my brain is being tickled? I am the cheapest date in the world for the absurd results of mangled syntax.

19
I believe that everyone has been bashed this year.

Except Russell Martin.

We all love Russell.

Looking back at the obit, I guess he wasn't the founder of Hooters but rather the promoter/expander. Like a lesser, racier Ray Kroc.

Who is Furcal? I am familiar only with Fur-kel.

24
"Russell of Spring": Our love for him is ever new.

26
I can never remember whether it's "kel" or "kle."

Let me just say that I can't stand Russ Martin. I can't decide why, but it seems very edgy and fresh to hate him, so, that's the way I've decided to go.

Is that "Fur-kel" as in Urkel, that annoying "Did I do thaaaat" guy?

Or Fur-kel, with the emphasis on the 2nd syllable (think JtD or Superman's father)?

30 - You mean like "Furk-el?" That's an interesting twist.

29 - That Andrew Shimmin - he's so fresh! I want to be like him!

The question is, who is it edgy and fresh to start liking?

The question is, who is it edgy and fresh to start liking?

Jose Cruz, Jr.

I'm such a square.

29
Always trying to be on the cutting edge aren't we?

Andrew is the Faith Popcorn of Dodger Thoughts.

21

I'd agree that we sign Nomar under the premise that he also gets prepared to play at least some third base and/or signs with a hometown discount, which I think is a possibility as he is established here in LA.

Jose Cruz may be the answer and he's like four and a half times better than Ethier (19 vs. 3.5). But I think that's really just boring, not edgy or fresh. The E&F candidate has to be Odalis. Which, if hating Russ Martin weren't evidence enough, makes me wonder whether it's worth being E&F.

I had to google Faith Popcorn, which convinces me that she's yesterday's news.

As for Cruz, I think he may get cut or traded if someone wants him when Repko is ready. It is a tossup between him and Ledee, but we need a left handed bat much more and Cruz is awful from the left side. I could probably see them cutting loose Ledee though as his power is limited and I don't really think he is much of a left handed power pinch hitter that we need. I assume Repko will be ready in a week or so, so we should see shortly. I don't hate Cruz as does walk a lot and can play all 3 outfield positions, but we don't need Repko, Ledee, and Cruz on the same team. No way Eithier will go down at this point.

The life of a trendspotter is a tough one.

37 - You automatically assume Repko stays with the big club.

If it's a choice between stashing Repko in Vegas, and outright releasing Cruz or Ledee, I'd expect Repko to hang around in AAA.

37
It's true: Cruz has huge split differentials.

vs. LH: .323/.430/.538/.969
vs. RH: .191/.321/.294/.615

When there's that much difference, one starts to wonder if the whole "switch-hitting experiment" ought not be abandoned.

Chasing the cat, Brandishing the cat, Admonishing the bishop, I don't care what people do as long as the Dodgers start winning again this week.

37 I agree, I think Cruz is most likely to go when Repko comes back. Ledee is more valuable as pinch hitter. I don't dislike Cruz either, he just doesn't add much to the team at this point. Maybe another team out there will be looking desperately for OF help.

40 On that topic, Inside the Dodgers (presumably Josh?) addressed it - maybe this was remarked up on here already but just in case:

"Also, to the fan who asked about Jose Cruz Jr. just hitting right handed, I mentioned it to Grady this morning who said that it is something that Jose would have to do on his own but that the suggestion has probably been brought up in the past. With younger switch-hitters, it is easier to have them abandon hitting both ways and have them focus on one side of the plate. But we're talking about a guy who ranks 19th all-time in baseball history among switch-hitters in homers. The majority have been hit left-handed and granted, it's in far more at-bats, that's not something you can take lightly."

21 Kinda agree.
22 No details, but I did notice vegas DLed Greg Miller.

36 "I had to google Faith Popcorn, which convinces me that she's yesterday's news."

If that's not a kiss of death to a psychic, I don't know what is.

we're talking about a guy who ranks 19th all-time in baseball history among switch-hitters in homers

Again: not something to include on the CV.

Two new posts up top.

44 OK, so looking more closely, I gues she's not technically a psychic, but a "futurist". Still a kiss of death, no?

I must admit I was as mad at Grady as anytime this season when I saw Cruz starting in center against a righty when Ledee was already back on the team on Sat I believe. It just didn't make any sense to me, except maybe they thought Ledee wasn't ready for center field yet (why bring him back already if that was the case). Cruz and his sub 200 batting average on the left side only disappointed me more when he went 0 for 5 in the second spot. I'd be disappointed if Repko was sent to AAA, although I agree it is a possibility. I am a Repko fan, despite him being erratic. He brings more to the table than Cruz or Ledee (pinch run ability, better arm, and overall better upside). He has looked pretty good at the plate this year and much more disciplined than in 05 when I agree he was overmatched.

45
Since D4P has an infringed upon my implied copyright, although not a registered one, I can only sue him for actual damages incurred by the infringement.

I'm expecting him to transit to my PayPal account the amount of 1/1,000,000th of a mill.

Faith Popcorn's last book was published in 2001. I guess she's gotten out of the future business.

Or maybe she invested in futures.

30 - So every time Furcal makes an error, he'll snort and say, "Did I do that?"

Jon,
A favorite book around my house is, "101 Uses For A Dead Cat."

I went to it often this weekend. I admire St. Louis, but I hate them. Do you know what I mean?

I always admired the class of the Cardinal organization and their fans. The Dodgers were mostly to blame for the debacle in the new "Busch" this weekend. They could not get the key hit or even a "productive out" in the two extra inning games they had a chance to win. A flyball out could have scored a run in Thursday's 10th inning with 1st and 3rd and 0 outs and in Saturday's 8th inning with the bases loaded and 1 out just for some examples. Poor situational hitting prevented the Blue from getting a manageable split in the series. I guess the Blue left their bats at the All-star break.

53 That's exactly what I mean. I like the Cardinals, but then I heard just how much the cardinals and their fans really loathe the Dodgers, well then it sort of hits you right where it counts...

54 - much the cardinals and their fans really loathe the Dodgers

Charlie Steiner said it best when reviewing StL's upcoming schedule - "another series, another arch rival".