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About Jon
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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
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Dodgers Fire Two Trainers
2006-11-22 09:14
by Jon Weisman

I almost missed this tidbit in the Times today - it was buried in Newswire. Steve Henson writes that "the Dodgers fired trainer Matt Wilson and assistant trainer Jason Mahnke, the latest moves in an overhaul of the training and medical staffs that began with the hiring of Stan Conte as director of medical services and head athletic trainer."

As before, I have no idea if these are the right moves; I just know there was room for improvement as far as how the Dodgers responded to injuries over the past few years - most notably how players were rushed back onto the field only to reaggravate those injuries.

Comments
2006-11-22 09:37:21
1.   JoeyP
Is Stan Conte related to Victor Conte and Balco?
2006-11-22 09:40:31
2.   Jon Weisman
No.
2006-11-22 09:49:50
3.   ToyCannon
This I can get behind. I have a feeling our training staff was still in the 20th century.
2006-11-22 09:58:21
4.   twerp
Haven't been able to follow very closely lately, so don't know if this has been posted.

But this Dodger fan probably was in need of some kind of trainer==

http://tinyurl.com/ylpmbo

First comment following the item good, too.

2006-11-22 10:09:33
5.   dagwich
I guess this is good news,or perhaps just a break even changing of some of the medical staff. What are the rate stats on these guys?

I don't know jack about Pierre but the discussion here, though informative, has served to bum me out. Unless YP can channel his inner Willie Davis, this signing seems dreadful.

And it may be that Willie Davis' stats don't justify his reputation. I don't think I want to find that out.

So I'm off to DC for what promises to be the perfect antidote -- family, friends, too much wine and too much food. Everybody have a great Thanksgiving.

2006-11-22 10:14:25
6.   twerp
4 Should have made clear you have to page down a bit to the referenced comment. To me, best part is about the grandmother and if a Dodgers hat is a religious symbol.
2006-11-22 10:55:52
7.   Eric Enders
3 Sometimes I had a feeling they were still in the 19th.

Recent injured Dodgers who took significantly longer than expected to recover:
Eric Gagne
Brad Penny
Jayson Werth
Jason Repko
Milton Bradley
Ricky Ledee
many others I'm probably forgetting

Recent injured Dodgers who recovered sooner than expected:
Cesar Izturis
um....
uh....

2006-11-22 11:00:49
8.   Jon Weisman
7 - I've always wondered how much of this "longer than expected" was the fault of the PR department giving false hope.
2006-11-22 11:02:13
9.   Bob Timmermann
I'll Griddle later, but Matthews signed with the Angels for 5 yrs/$50 mil according to MLB.com
2006-11-22 11:11:27
10.   Eric Enders
9 The Times has it too, with quotes from Matthews already. I can't say I wholly endorse that deal, but I like it a heck of a lot better than Juan F. Pierre.

8 I too have wondered how much of that might be the PR department's wishful thinking, but I tend to doubt that they would just fabricate timetables and throw them out there. Somewhere down the line, that info has to originate with the training staff, doesn't it?

Whenever I lament the Dodgers' medical staff, though, at least I can take comfort in one thing: We ain't the Cubs.

2006-11-22 11:24:08
11.   jdm025
9-
Not necessarily the thread we are discussing, but dear God why are the Dodgers (and Angels) spending 100 Mil on Pierre/Matthews when Vernon Wells, Andruw Jones, and Torii Hunter are all available next year?

Would Repko/Kemp really be that bad for a single season?

2006-11-22 11:27:25
12.   Greg Brock
11 See: Comments 1 thru 1 zillion
2006-11-22 11:29:35
13.   saltcreek
9 That is insanity....the guy .263/.336/.419 career hitter who had one good season in a hitters ballpark. plus hes already 32. I would almost rather have Pierre....and I really hate that signing to. At least hes 3 years younger.
2006-11-22 11:33:53
14.   Steve
Rosenthal is hinting strongly that the hack caucus is voting no. This is like putting Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and Jeff Fastow on Enron's Audit Committee, then having them vote against off-balance sheet budgeting.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6198342

2006-11-22 11:37:09
15.   Greg Brock
Andy Fastow would never sign Juan Pierre.
2006-11-22 11:37:53
16.   CharlieBrown
(13) I had the same initial reaction, but a closer look revealed that GM Jr. the last three years has put up a 285/349/468 line. And his home/road production is almost identical, despite playing in Texas. I mean, is that really much different from a Johnny Damon type season?

Maybe Matthews is a late bloomer. But with even slightly below average D in center, that might be worth 10 million a year. I'm not saying 5 years is a good contract, but it's not as bad as it might seem at first. I think he's a better player than Juan Pierre.

2006-11-22 11:42:03
17.   CharlieBrown
Hell, would anybody be shocked if Little Sarge had a better year next year than Soriano?
2006-11-22 11:48:08
18.   Disabled List
For $9 million a year, I figure the best we can hope for from the Out Machine are lines similar to these recent Dodger leadoff hitter vintages:

1999 Eric Young .281/.371/.355, 51 SB in 73 attempts
2002 Dave Roberts .277/.353/.365, 45 SB in 55 attempts
2004 Cesar Izturis .288/.330/.381, 25 SB in 34 attempts

Roberts and Izturis made the league minimum for those years, while Young made $4.5 million during the bloat of the Kevin Malone era.

2006-11-22 11:48:51
19.   Greg Brock
Maybe Juan Pierre is a late bloomer...
2006-11-22 11:49:25
20.   Steve
Andy...I meant Andy.
2006-11-22 11:52:57
21.   Greg Brock
21 Sure ya did Steve.

Sure ya did.

2006-11-22 12:08:12
22.   Xeifrank
Any guesses on the type of contract JD Drew will end up getting. Based on what we've seen from Matthews jr and Pierre one would think in the 6 years $85mil range. Thoughts?
vr, Xei
2006-11-22 12:09:58
23.   Greg Brock
Good heavens, we should have signed Drew...
2006-11-22 12:44:26
24.   Gold Star for Robot Boy
I've beat the drum over the team's training staff before, so I'll keep this short: At least someone is paying attention to what's happening to the players' (lack of) health.
2006-11-22 12:58:50
25.   StolenMonkey86
1- Not related to victor is Stan's middle name.

Anyone notice in the press release that Pierre was his HS Valedictorian?

2006-11-22 13:02:03
26.   greenchris
It's official, see Dodgers website
2006-11-22 13:04:11
27.   dagwich
This may be redundant, but required reading about the Pierre signing is at http://baseballanalysts.com/

On the Drew matter: Unlike Rich at baseball analysts, I'm not super upset about the JD opting out issue. I've always approached it as a 2yr/$22 Million deal. If the opt out was what it took to have him for 2 years, then so be it. Since when does Dodgers=Cost Certainty? It was a disaster with Brown and Dreifort, and most of us seemed happy about Furcal's contract being limited to 3 years.

2006-11-22 13:25:52
28.   Bob Timmermann
25

Juan Pierre and I share something in common then!

But I win the tiebreaker on the basis of my 7 5/8 hat size.

2006-11-22 13:30:34
29.   Greg Brock
28 You were Valedictorian at Juan Pierre's high school?

Six degrees, indeed.

2006-11-22 13:47:01
30.   Bob Timmermann
I was the validectorian at Gary Matthews Jr's archrival high school.
2006-11-22 13:48:03
31.   micktissue
So, as it stands, someting like ...

Pierre
Furcal / Ethier
Garciaparra / Furcal
Kent
Garciaparra / Betemit
Betemit / Ethier
Loney
Martin

?? Maybe toss Kemp / LaRoache / Werth in there along the way ...

I dunno. If Ned can get Zito and a lights out bullpen (come on Gags!) I'd be a bit less frustrated about not getting a big bat to help this lot.

2006-11-22 13:49:34
32.   Greg Brock
30 I finished 5th in the running at Frank Catalanotto's high school.
2006-11-22 14:08:55
33.   Greg Brock
The tag at ESPN regarding the Pierre signing: "Huh?"

Says it all, really.

2006-11-22 14:12:50
34.   ToyCannon
ESPN reports that Gagne is "only" seeking a one year 10Mill deal. What's the opinion on this? In today's market is that worth a gamble for the most popular Dodger if it doesn't keep you from signing one top of the rotation starter?
2006-11-22 14:17:31
35.   Jon Weisman
New catch-all thread up top
2006-11-22 14:21:15
36.   saltcreek
33. I pray this is the worst move Ned ever makes.
2006-11-22 14:21:42
37.   Andrew Shimmin
34- I think it is, today. It's got to be worth the chance of letting some sucker make that bid, before matching it.

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