That explains a lot.

Actually, 1-12 explains more, but I was looking for a quick new angle.

the links portion of the site is taking up over half of my screen. guessing it's just me?

Some guys here predicted a turn for the worst weeks ago when they demonstrated that the Dodgers' offense was overachieving due to a high BA w/ RISP and little power. Combined with what was already average pitching...

The Dodgers might be farther away from winning divisions than we think. We can't really count on Lowe being a #2 starter next year. We can assume Penny will be above average, but that's it. Looks like the team needs two more above average SPs along with improved hitting at 2B, 3B, and CF (and 1B if Nomar leaves). Guessing Kemp should be able to give us that increase at CF, but are there any free agent 3B to go get? LaRoche is unlikely to be a difference-maker right away correct? Or is he that good?

site looks normal now btw.

Dodgers have played better competition also. The BABIP was of course due to regress, but the competition also was improved.

7 against the Cards will hurt most teams.
4 road games at Arizona is tough bc they have gotten a boost from their youngsters, and are playing alot better.
3 at home vs the Padres- Padres have a better team than the Dodgers.

Its not totally unexpected. I think its just a combination of things that have made a probable 4-9 plunge turn into a 1-12 plunge.

I'm firmly into acceptance at this point. One of the frustrating things I find about Colletti's trade(s), though, is that we keep stockpiling mediocre (and older) talent. Their ceiling might be known, but it's also not high, and they're not even worth much as trade bait.

While I have no doubt that the Dodgers will pull out of this slump (and in the near future), at this point unless the rest of the division experiences an equally bad slump, I simply don't see them having nearly the sort of firepower to make up the ground.

On the plus side, Ethier and Martin and the rest of the kids are fun to watch, and a nice sign of 2007 and beyond.

It's all De Podesta's fault! Let's fire him!

Oh wait.

I think it's time to fire Buzzie Bavasi! Or Branch Rickey! Or Larry McPhail! Heck, I'm game for firing Wilbert Robinson.

Looks like the team needs two more above average SPs along with improved hitting at 2B, 3B, and CF (and 1B if Nomar leaves).

We have to get both zito and schmidt because everything revolves around starting pitching.
As for 2b, kent is perfectly fine when healthy.
As for 3b and cf, hopefully ned/grady/mccourt go with laroche and kemp.
As for 1b, hopefully we have enough money to sign nomar to 3 years or less, otherwise loney at 1b would be fine, but i'd rather have nomar and have loney getting spot starts in the outfield and 1b along with pinch hitting, he'd be the #1 guy on the bench.

The starting pitching is key, we have to get zito and schmidt, we have to get back to relying on pitching and not hitting.

Saito, broxton, dessens and a few cheapies can hold down the bullpen.

Guzman, saenz, aybar, repko and a backup catcher to fill out the bench.

It can be done, we have enough money, we just have to convince zito and schmidt to sign and convince nomar to accept 3 years max, better yet 2 years with an option.

Sign my just-trust-BP theory of defense might be faulty: Aybar's Rate2 at 2B climbed twenty points after last night's game.

You're with me, acceptance.

I'm back to my youth, when rooting for the Mets despite their lousy play was a test of character. Eventually, the good drafts and a couple of lucky trades blew in good fortune for a few years at Shea. Supposedly, that's going to happen here one of these days...

It is weird that the Los Angeles Dodgers, so successful in the 70s and 80s have evolved into one of baseball's doormats.

But who's to say we won't reel off a string of victories starting at lunch tomorrow and get right back in the thick of it? Who's to say indeed?

By the way, I assume everyone heard about Frank, Ned and Grady on the radio tomorrow at seven. This will no doubt be an unsatisfying bit of infotainment, unless the plan is to pluck one of Colletti's mustache hairs for every 2005 Devil Ray currently infecting the roster.

I was in acceptance mode in spring training.
Of course, that was more general apathy.

A lot of what to do next year depends on what we've got on the farm as far as starting pitching.

Who else is left? I know we've got Elbert and Orenduff. Anyone else in AA or AAA to consider?

I see Kuo making the 5th starter job next year.

Very early day for Southern California baseball fans.

The Angels game starts at 9:15 am.

There's just one late West Coast game. Toronto at Seattle at 7:05 pm

strength of schedule has really affected both the Dodgers slide and Angels rise of late. Would be nice if MLB was like the NFL in that the teams finishing lower in the standings got cakewalk schedules the next year. Would be nice to see alot of Jim Tracy, Dusty Baker and Odalis Perez next year.
vr, Xei

I picture this Ned/Grady/Frank show as somewhat akin to Condoleeza Rice's trip to Lebanon. Yes, it's gruesome out there and we're doing everything we can. No, we really can't talk about it, but trust me when I say we're doing everything we can, we're doing everything we can.

3.

I think LaRoche will make a difference, monster year so far in the minors.

17 - Not to mention all the Dodger/Devil Ray alumni golf scrambles

18 - I'm guessing whenever they planned the KFWB summit, they weren't quite planning on this.

15 Both the Vegas and Jacksonville rotations consist of AAAA type players (Eckert, Nall, Lundberg, Totten, Stults). Hanrahan and Houlton could be around as well, but neither deserves a rotation spot. Vero has some interesting starters (Megrew, Meloan, Bastardo), but after Elbert and Orenduff, we don't have much starting pitching that could help next year.

19

I dont think Laroche will make a big difference NEXT year. But the following year I would expect a pretty big/nice year.

22.

Well, when you compare what he would do compared to our "production" out of third this year, I think a .270/.360/.440-.450 line would be nice.

23

Thats more then what I would expect out of him next year.

something along the 260/330/430 line.

Alberto Bastardo is Colletti's single great acquisition.

I know this sounds like crazy talk, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Clayton Kershaw make an appearance in the majors next year as well. He's that good.

I think the Dodgers will make a run for either Zito or Schmidt, most likely the former, and not very likely to get both. But if they get one, and have Penny, and Billingsley, and Lowe (gulp?), and either Hendrickson, Orenduff, or some wild card, I think can have a more solid rotation. Right now my worry is offensive depth with too many injuries and inconsistency they've just hit the skids more than pitching has during the streak. To win, obviously it would help if both the pitching and hitting (and defense!) were aligned together at the same time. But as for the future, I see brighter times ahead.

If we haven't all switched allegiances by then.

Assuming no moves regarding starters happen in the offseason, here's who we've got:

Penny
Lowe
Billz
Tomko
Hendy

Tomko, might be effective and stay in the bullpen, though. If that happens, the fifth starter is down to Kuo, Houlton, or a random journeyman. As for FA's, I think Zito will be a Yankee. That leaves Buerhle, Schmidt, Maddux, and Chan Ho Park as the best options out there. They might hold onto Sele because of his record at Dodger Stadium.

Still no Times article explaining the financial terms of the trade, but Plaschke's piece is up. A link is not a recommendation, it's just a link.

http://tinyurl.com/me7hp

Hendrickson will be non-tendered, and I will celebrate that day, because it will be a day that we will be serious about winning something.

The Greg Maddux reference just proves how out of it Plaschke is. He has no clue.

So, I'm projecting

Penny
Lowe
Billingsley
Sele
Kuo

with Alberto Bastardo as my long shot for the rotation. Next year: just as soon as the names are on the back of the uniforms.

24.

I'd understand low expectations, but I think while he may hit that for the first couple weeks or so, once he makes the adjustment he should be great. I mean, he's really had a good couple years in the minor's don't you think? And maybe he will hit my line if he comes up for a while this year (please!).

26.
ok, please don't get too ahead of youself now..

I don't know if he intended it, but I have a lot of confidence in Colletti after reading Plaschke's ramblings.

If the season starts on the road, Sele is held out of the rotation the first time around and re-inserted at Dodger Stadium.

does anyone want to make an absolutely reckless prediciton on when Kershaw makes it to the show?

The Dodgers will pay Perez a $4.5-million signing bonus due in November and give the Royals between $7.5 and $9 million, depending on whether Perez remains in Kansas City through next season.

34 Maybe Colletti's statements in the Plaschke piece is what they'll be saying tomorrow night.

Ah, Plaschke. You can always count on him to be on the upside of the see-saw. Play for this year, he says. Then next year it would be "you mortgaged the future for two months of Carlos Lee!"

Colletti's PR background might serve him well. A healthy contempt for reporters is needed to do anything in this town.

There's more:

The Royals will pay the remainder of Dessens' $1.7-million salary this season and the $1.7 million he's owed in 2007.

I already made my reckless prediction above ;-) (btw I just meant he'd pitch in the majors, not be up for awhile or make the rotation or anything - and of course even that is, as I said, crazy talk... Still, I had to say, that guy's good.)

As for Elbert, I hope he can contribute next year, but guess that could be too soon for him, too. (More likely than Kershaw, though.)

I was out at the game tonight. The first 6 or so innings were actually quite entertaining, and the fans were getting into it. The worst part, and probably the momentum shifter, was watching Cameron gun down Toby Hall. Man, that was ugly.

Still, I was impressed with the overall effort I was seeing, even if the level of concentration wasn't where it needed to be. The "Annie" song they play at the end of losses was quite appropriate tonight.

34 Maybe Colletti's statements in the Plaschke piece is what they'll be saying tomorrow night.

Ah, Plaschke. You can always count on him to be on the upside of the see-saw. Play for this year, he says. Then next year it would be "you mortgaged the future for two months of Carlos Lee!"

Colletti's PR background might serve him well. A healthy contempt for reporters is needed to do anything in this town.

Kershaw in the majors next year?

I could possibly see Elbert. But they'd really have to fast track Kershaw. I think it would be a good step if Kershaw had mastered AA next season.

I'd also advocate promoting all prospects from AA from now on.

I hate Vegas, both for hitters and pitchers.

so the Royals owe Dessens about $700 K or so, plus $1.7 mil nexty year?

That makes for $2.4 million incoming, and $12-$13.5 million outgoing, costing anywhere from $9.5 to $11 million net.

It ends up that it does save about $3 million over DFAing Perez. So reframe this as DFA Perez and then take $5.4 Million and Dessens for the two prospects.

44 - The Braves seem to do that a lot.

I cant see Kershaw in the Majors next year at the age of 19.

I can see it end of 2008 though.

Kershaw will likely start off next year at low A with a move to high A if he proves himself overwhelming there. I would expect him to go no higher than high A. In 2008 I would suspect starting in high A and then AA. I think 2009 is the earliest we will probably see Kersh in a Dodger uni. He'll still only be 21 in 2009 but I think that is the fast track for Kershaw not a jump from to the majors without a full season in A ball at least.

46. So do the Marlins. D-Train, Cabrera, Johnson all skipped AAA.

I hate Bill Plaschke. My God this is ridiculous. I hope Mccourt/Colletti realize that Plachske does not speak for all of us. Jon, you need to counteract. we need to a launch a counterattack!

argh I meant not a jump from Rookie ball to the majors without a full season in High A ball at least.

As the no-longer-honeymooning general manager surely knows, that sign beyond the left-field pavilion is Think Blue.

It is not Think White.

Is that a shot at Logan White?

I hate how Plaschke even has a writing job. He and Simers are some of the worst I have seen. They don't even try to debate any points. They just go for the easy targets and instigate things to prove their points. None of it is based on merit or proven with facts. It's just writing for the sake of stating an opinion. I don't think they know how to research before writing an article.

"52" they should just change the sign for Ned to just Think. He doesn't seem to think all that much.

And I read the Red Sox need a SP. I wonder if Lowe and Izturis can get us Jon Lester and some AA, high A prospects.

When Plaschke mentions Greg Maddux, Brett Tomko losing his "confidence", and wanting to acquire a Carlos Lee without giving up Russell-Martin-Andre-Ethier-Jonathan-Broxton-Matt-Kemp kind of kids, I've already read far too much.

Maybe Plaschke should stick with golf.
Afterall, he did pick Colin Montgomerie to win the British Open.

Monty missed the cut.

You know, Hawai'i fans are frontrunners, but our sportswriters are fairly levelheaded. Plaschke is obviously of the "Do something! Anything!" school.

If Colletti can get through this trading deadline without dealing laroche, kemp, guzman, miller, elbert, loney and dewitt, then he can grow his mustache out as long as he wants and I wont utter a single word.

*The 25 and under group on the big league team are impied.

He and Simers are some of the worst I have seen.

Simers at least doesnt take himself seriously. He is writing tongue firmly in cheek with many of his columns.

Plaschke actually believes he's a serious sports journalist, that represents "Average LA Fan".

Plaschke knows nothing about sports.

Sorry for the repeated posting. My computer is hanging up like crazy lately.

I find myself wondering if Firefox is the problem. I've been thrilled with it, but lately, I've noticed it seems to run out of gas after a while, and everything on the laptop freezes. Since it was many DT posters who got me interested in trying Firefox, I wonder if anyone else has noticed this.

And Nomar to the Yankees sounds good too. Package him with Hendrickson and Baez and we may get Philip Hughes! Stock up on pitching Flanders!! Pitching and Defense are the fundamentals of Dodger baseball!! So is homegrown talent but I would make an exception for Jon Lester, Philip Hughes, and even Joe Saunders from the Halos. Yanks are also looking for bench help. Send them Saenz and Ledee for all I care. 2007 looks much better already. Loney, Guzman, Aybar, LaRoche, Bills, possibly Elbert and Orenduff is somewhat exciting. Rebuilding year BUT re-tooling for the future too. And we can still get a high end pitcher and a bat if we unload some salary now.

I dont think the Red Sox would deal Lester. He's been pitching really well for them.

I don't see the Red Sox parting with Lester, as good as he's been already. I wonder if the Reds would give up Homer Bailey for a win now Lowe.

any word on Baez's injury?

But they want a good SP to compliment Wakefield, Beckett, Schilling and what better than one of their WS heroes? Besides that would be a solid 1-4 and if Wells ever gets healthy thats a very formidable starting 5. Plus Lowe's contract is pretty reasonable now-a-days at only $8mill. Lester's a stud though. And they wanted Izzy for a while to sure up their defense. Would we take back Lowell to make it happen? I would!

Id offer Nomar and Hendrickson for Hughes. And then I would offer Baez to the astros and see if they want to give up Hirsch or Pence.

The quotes from Ned are encouraging.

Kids, journeymen and J.D. Ghost.
Plaschke's childish name calling continues....

"64" i hope he's well enough to get traded. But if not, trade Saito. He's 36 and next year will end up like the Sub Zero guy in Chicago.....very hittable! Same type of pitchers with soft stuff but people haven't seen them enough. Trade him while his value has peaked.

64. Just a case of the flu:

Danys Baez left the mound with flu-like symptoms after recording just one out in the ninth.

Toby Hall, on why the team is struggling:
"Everybody's pressing, trying to hit three-run home runs,"

The 240-pound Hall -- the potential tying run -- rounded third on the hit, but the throw by Cameron beat him to the plate.

"He made a perfect throw," Hall said of the inning-ending play. "You can't always pick who's on second."

66 I think we would have to give up more than Nomar and Hendy for Hughes BUT how much more is the question. I would give them Saenz too for Hughes straight up if I could. Maybe they'll want Toby Hall?

Yankees won't trade Hughes, but we can get Tabata and Clippard.

any word on Baez's injury?
"Baez left the game with flu-like symptoms."
Daily News

71. How about Hensen, Tabata, and Clippard?

Apparently, trying to hit homers is the source of the futility. IF the Dodgers would just go back to not trying to hit homers, everything would be alright.

Maybe the team needs Matt Kemp's clubhouse chemistry:

Dodgers- 1-11 since demoting Kemp.

73

Hensons playing football for the Dallas Cowboys.

Duncan, tabata and clippard and its a deal.

Possible roster with nothing drastic

Outfield
LF - Ethier
CF - Kemp
RF - Drew
4th - Repko

As for the infield
1B - Loney
2B - Kent
SS - Furcal
3B - Laroche

C - Martin

Bench
Guzman
Olmedo
lefty PH
Catcher
Aybar

Guzman might be a prime candidate for a super-utility role a la Ty Wiggington.

Izturis will be traded in the offseason, going to someone who needs a boost in defense at short (and wouldn't mind a guy in a contract year), and likely for a prospect.

opening day lineup
Furcal
Drew
Ethier
Kent
Kemp
Loney
Laroche
Martin

Grady will fiddle with this and settle on something by the end of April

74

Matt Kemp is playing pretty well in AAA, although its only been 40 ABs.

Also I think Hughes is available for the right price. I just don't think Nomar is enough of a centerpiece to consider it. Maybe play the BoSox and Yanks against eachother for Lowe and Nomar? Then I think we could get Hughes or Lester

Why is Frank going on the radio at all? Get out of the way Frank, you have nothing to add. You hired a GM, presumably a knowledgable baseball man, let him do his job. Put down the publicity crackpipe and check yourself into rehab.

Flu-like symptoms...

I call bullcrap.

76

I dont really have a problem with that lineup but I dont think the average LA fan is patient enough to stick through the rookies' struggles.

When Matt Kemp's mom drove from Oklahoma to St. Louis to see her son play, and the Dodgers demoted him...the bad karma started.

The Yankees need an OF'er anyways. I dont think they'd want Nomar. I think Drew is the guy they'd take.

Hahaha oh yeah, I meant Eric Duncan not Drew Hensen. Ooooops. Duncan is actually starting to hit now in AA now that he is out of AAA. He's still young too so he has a future if not with us then he's a great bargaining chip. At the very least we should be retooling on good prospects for a shot at Miggy Cabrera. Lester or Hughes, Eric Duncan, Tabata, and JtD would be a nice opening of negotiations for a 23yr old All-Star 3B/LF.

that lineup can afford Nomar. I'm not sure Kent will be good enough again to be a cleanup hitter.

74 - God wants to see Matt Kemp play. Right now, Kemp is in Vegas, a city that God doesn't associate with all that much. Thus the Dodgers are being punished by God for demoting Kemp. The Bison would have had 2 HR against the homer-prone Marquis if he started the first game back from the All star break.

83. Yeah but Nomar can always shift back to LF and learn that on the fly and then move back to 1B when Sheff and Matsui get back and send Giambi to DH rather than Bernie. Plus they need pitching in a bad way. Hendy, Lowe, whatever they need it. And Drew's contract is so bad for the production he gives I don't think even the Yanks would take it. Then again, he would most likely opt out of it but there is always that chance the greed takes over. He would probably have to agree to reject it first.

Marquis did manage to hold the Dodgers to 2 runs over 16 innings, while allowing 12 runs in a game against the Braves between those two starts.

Marquis I think did have some divine intervention when facing the Dodgers.

That guy is horrible.

I think it would be exciting if Colletti decides to sell and really sell. I mean, put Drew, Nomar, Kent and Lowe on the block and see what the offers are. Who knows, maybe we can get someone to overpay for once. It would do alot to help clear up payroll to let him chase whoever he wants in the offseason.

That is definately unrealistic but I think that would be excting for me because since ive been a Dodger fan, we havent really been full blown sellers.

86. Hey now, I live in Vegas! But seriously, Kemp needs to learn to hit breaking pitches but how good are the breaking pitches in AAA really? Especially in the thick desert air that consumes Vegas.

89. I think we should have done that for the past 5 offseasons. But seriously, McCourt would never allow it because he doesnt want the "fans" to think he gave up on the team and lose revenue and possibly not top 4 million fans this year. You do know he owns the stadium and everything in it plus the infamous parking lot that Simers loves to write about so much.

85 - yes it can, but after our pitching staff has gone away, we can use another first round draft pick. Besides, I want Loney in there, and he's got the defense for first, not the outfield.

If Ned sells big time, I would take back every bad thing I have said about him. I would heap mass amounts of praise on him and will stop wishing he was Paul DePodesta.

90

AAA is filled with junkballing failed mlb starters who rely on breaking pitches.

Being a peaceable Canadian, I am required to deplore violence, but why haven't one of you Angelenos done something about Plaschke? If he and I lived in the same city, I tell you I couldn't be responsible for my actions.

90 - If it's any consolation, I go to school in the greater DC area, home of congressmen and lobbyists.

Kemp went 4-5 (3dbles)1bb, and Vegas won 20-8.

I know Plaschke plays hockey with people in LA (my friend played with him and of course he said he sucks). Can anyone skate?

He also had 2SB's and an OF assist.

Very active game for Matt Kemp.

95, 98- Why did I just think of the line form Happy Gilmore about how he was the only guy who ever took of his skate and tried to stab someone with it?

96- also home of the highest murder rate in the country

100

Because you want to stab Bill Plaschke with sharp ice skates just like the restof us.

I seriously dont see why we wouldnt sell other than McCourt and Flanders ego. Our kids in AAA are ready or almost ready. Playing up here is only going to help. Even the Marlins aren't horrible and they have kids playing nearly every position other than 3B where the golden one plays. I mean Mike Jacobs? Dan Uggla? Hanley Ramirez? Reggie Abercrombie? Josh Willingham? Jeremy Hermida was in AA for the better part of last year before being called up! Abercrombie was in A ball. They just stocked up on pitchers like Nolasco, Johnson, Petit, Anibal Sanchez, etc to compliment Dontrelle and they have done admirably. Not fabulous but pretty good. Uggla has been great. Ramirez had a great 1B and plays solid D. Half of these players were/are nowhere near as highly touted as Loney, Tony Abreu, Matt Kemp, C-Billz, LaRoche, Guzman, etc. Let the kids learn up here and SELL SELL SELL

101 - yep. I'm from the Richmond, VA, area, which was #1 for murder in 1994

TJ Simers wishes he was Dodger Blues

Sorry to get back to my point. We could do a little of what the Marlins are doing but we have the financial backing to compliment our youngsters next year with a Barry Zito, Jason Schmidt, Carlos Lee, Alfonso Soriano, etc IF we purge ourselves of these big contracts.

Does that mean that the LA Times won't take anymore advertising from the Dodgers if they don't make a deal by July 31.

Plaschke just gushed up the Angels by saying how they did it without making a move, I think what bugs writers like Plaschke is the lack of influence newspaper writers have here in LA.

Back east, you can get the fans to boo A-Rod, but here 50,000 show up to get trading cards, 50,000 will show up on Friday to get a bobblehead, Kobe gets cheered at Staples, so all Plascke can do is pretend to stick up for the fans.

Actually I stopped reading before the crack against Logan White. What a nerd.

Whenever I think of Plaschke, I think of these lines by W.S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan):

"As some day it may happen that a victim must be found,

I've got a little list, I've got a little list,

Of society offenders who might well be underground,

And who never would be missed, who never would be missed."

Boy, is Plaschke ever on my list, and Simers too.

I just don't think we have the combination of player/contract that makes us a seller.

I would not want Soriano if we had Drew.

If Drew left, though, give Soriano a 4-5 year deal with a no trade clause (he wants it because he's sick of moving around, and he's not an injury risk), and stick him in left field. From what I've read, he has a heckuva work ethic, and he seems like he'd be a good clubhouse character (he's getting along fine, and is actually happy in LF). He'd also be a good influence for Joel Guzman. So if, and only if Drew goes, sign him up.

109. I think Penny, Lowe, Garciaparra, Hendrickson, Toby Hall, Baez, Saito, Izturis, Lofton, Saenz, and possibly Ledee are all valuable to teams out there. I would venture to guess that some teams would probably also like to take flyers out on Dessens and Beimel as well.

"At least I won't have to face the Detroit Tigers anymore," Dessens said in a light moment as he cleaned out his Kauffman Stadium locker.

52, 107- It wasn't a crack at Logan White. It was part of his riff about the pennant Flanders is chasing is a white flag. Not funny, but also not a shot at Logan White.

Plaschke isn't as bad as Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times, but he's still dumb

Tony Jackson gets a good headline

"A Royal flush for Perez"

10--

Thank you, thank you for this post. The intellectual honesty of it is sincerely welcomed.

103

Adding to your interesting post, the most important aspect of the Marlins youth movement is the phenomenal amount of attractive pitching they have stockpiled from the minors through the majors. Not all of it will pan out, of course, but Florida quite possibly has the most overall pitching talent, top to bottom, of any organization.

My guess is that the Dodgers would rank nowhere better than in the middle in that area, contrary to what outlets such as BP, BA and ESPN have reported (more than once in these place one has read of the stupendous depth of arms in L.A.'s system.

Ideally, Colletti would do all he can to pursue an advaned pitching prospect along the lines of Lester or McCarthy, something I recommended they do last winter by shopping Kent to teams such as the pitching-rich Angels.

Yes but the most important part about their stockpiling is the fact they acquired much of the very good pitching from other teams. Ricky Nolasco, Yusmeiro Petit, Anibal Sanchez, Travis Bowyer, Sergio Mitre, etc were all pitchers acquired for Luis Castillo, Paul LoDuca, Mike Lowell, Josh Beckett, and Juan Pierre. Not to mention what they got in the other half of those trades in Hanley Ramirez, Mike Jacobs, etc. And looking at the 5 players they gave up it looks like they made a killing on players that supposedly weren't that marketable other than Beckett of course. LoDuca is a consistant 1st half wonder and 2nd half disaster, Lowell and Pierre are beyond worthless in my estimation though Lowell has had a resurgence of sorts in Boston, and Castillo is overrated (again) in my opinion. If we could score a few players like a Joe Saunders, Philip Hughes, or Jon Lester then I'm all for dealing whomever. The Fish had more prospects in the way of pitching we have more in the way of position players.

NATE!!! Guess who has joined the evil empire?!?!?

http://tinyurl.com/nu2n7

117, 118 - Wasn't most of the Marlins current rebuilding fueled by the selloff of their all-free-agent 1997 WS Champion team? Just off the top of my head, they picked up Lee, Burnett, Dempster (spun into Juan E), Looper, and PWilson (by way of Piazza) out of that '97 team...and won another World Series in the deal...

Want Plaschke to go away? Ignore him.

Loving and hating him means you're reading him. Stop reading him, and eventually you'll stop loving or hating him.

60
I find myself wondering if Firefox is the problem. I've been thrilled with it, but lately, I've noticed it seems to run out of gas after a while, and everything on the laptop freezes

Firefox has an annoying habit of eating up progressively more memory, particularly when you refresh often (as I'm sure most of us do on DT and other similar sites). You can observe this phenomenon by hitting "Control-Alt-Delete" and then going to the "Processes" tab. At some point, after Firefox has been open for a "long" time and I've refreshed a lot, the "Mem Usage" will be over 200,000 K. At that point, it's best to terminate Firefox and start it again.

116- Now, now; don't sound too shocked. I think even most legitimate stat-heads aren't too sure about defense metrics. I'm just a statistical hanger-on, looking for an argument better than the best one I've heard yet.

Anyone know our pythageron record over the same 13 game stretch?
vr, Xei

We have to get both zito and schmidt because everything revolves around starting pitching.

I don't know if you're joking here, but I agree with that.

121- It's caching your tabs. Non-developers call that a memory leak, but Team Firefox insists it's a feature, not a bug. Doesn't usually crash the system, though. My first guess, for that, is conflicting extensions, since it seems like a lot of them don't play well with others. Have you (by you, I mean dzzrtRatt) installed any new extensions recently?

If not, it never hurts to delete the thing and run a fresh installation. Wipe out the hidden user files, too, for the full new browser smell. Backup your bookmarks, first. That's not as scary as it might sound. Alternately, you could post your question in a Firefox user forum, where somebody might be able to give you a real answer. Although, my answer isn't completely stupid. I rate it a 4 out of 10. It'd probably solve your problem, but also probably be more trouble than necessary. The browser did used to be called Phoenix, so burning it down and starting over, every once in a while, isn't completely crazy.

We have to get both zito and schmidt because everything revolves around starting pitching.

I don't know if you're joking here, but I agree with that.

121, 125 - Or you could buy a Mac. A neccessity for those of us not smart enough to grasp the instructions above.