"We're not in the habit of continuing to repeat things that aren't working"

Unless those things are in center field.

Nice write-up, Jon. I'm on the fence about Betemit and would love for him to be the guy we need at third, but I'm curious - when you say "play Betemit" do you mean against lefties, too? Or would you platoon him?

I posted in a couple of threads back that I liked the way Pierre, Gonzo, and Betemit are playing. Well enough to win a decent percent of games, not well enough to lock up their places in the starting lineup.

Peirre has lowered the standard for CF defense to a point that Kemp can stay above it meaning if Ethier continues to hit with some power and play great defense, Kemp now only has to hit with power to be a better choice in CF.

Betemit is everything Loney could hope for.

2 - I would try him against lefties, but others could argue that Valdez has earned the right to play over Betemit against lefties.

Bumsrap you posted this lineup in the last thread.

ss Furcal
rf Ethier
cf Kemp
3b Garciaparra
2b Kent
1b Loney
c Martin
lf Pierre/Gonzo

I would flip flop Martin and Ethier, but one has to admit that it would be a nice change. However, Pierre is not a LF. That is the second easiest position on the defensive spectrum and below average hitting center fielder becomes a soul crushingly bad left fielder.

Good write up Jon. That is pretty much exactly how I feel.

All well said Jon. And I had the same reaction on that last out, my heart skipped a beat...

I wish rosters could be expanded by one. Then we could try out a Betemit/La Roche platoon. Or, yeah, bring up Loney, move Nomar. We'll see something happen in a month, I'd wager, if the production continues to not be there. I'd like the above line-up, too, but a Pierre Gonzo platoon is likely a pipe dream. As is my Kemp-Pierre platoon dream.

I wanted to put Martin in the 2 spot also but that would put 4 righties in a row and I would rather give Kemp as much protection as he can get for now.

By putting Gonzo and Peirre in left it allows them to play there until June when maybe Pierre can be traded. If Kemp is going to be the longer range solution in CF he should be playing there now and not wait for Pierre to be traded.

"The sustain, listen to it."
"I don't hear anything."
"Well you would though, if it were playing."

The theory was that once we actually saw what Pierre does in a game we would be infected by his infectiousness. In practice it's more like being infected by the flu. The "traditionalists" complain that SABR-heads make judgments based on nothing but numbers, but it's become clear that the decision on Pierre was made solely on the basis of batting average and counting stats. It's figure fixation on the wrong figures.

The industrial engineer in me says that it would be less expensive if the Dodgers assigned one of the field crew to roll a ball down the line to see where it might stay fair or roll foul than to use an employee making a much higher salary.

For all the Dodger Thoughts readers that like LaRoche I think there is a good chance he could be the left fielder in 2008, assuming Nomar is at third, Pierre is traded, and Gonzo retires after this year.

8 - That's it. I couldn't remember the exact wording.

Even a Spinal Tap guitar can't hold the sustain if you don't play it.

So far, Wilson Betemit goes to 1.

Here are Jonathan Meloan's #'s as of today,

ERA 1.46
W-L 3-1
SVS 2
IP 12.1
SO 18
League Avg. againt him .167

Not to shabby if you ask me. why am i posting this you ask? i just really wanna see him pitch at Dodger Stadium already!

So, is Trainwreck happy or suicidal this morning?

15 I think he's probably happy. He should be suicidal.

JaMarcus Russell has the worst decision making this side of George Armstrong Custer.

Of course, if the Raiders would have drafted Matt Leinart or Jay Cutler last year, or traded up to get Vince Young they wouldn't have this problem.

I watched quite a few LSU games last year. Russell is a physical god, be he scares the heck out of me.

16

I think Maurice Clarett has made worse decisions in his life.

I can't wait until JaMarcus' ability to throw the ball from his back 40 yards is actually utilized. I bet Chris Peterson could dream up some way to take advantage of that.

12

I cheated off IMDB to get it exactly correct.

18 Ha ha. I was thinking more along the lines of on the football field.

Plus, Len Bias beats Clarett. Mo gets out of prison in 4 years. Bias merged with the infinite.

Option Valdez or release Ramon.
Recall LaRoche.

Start LaRoche at 3b, and let Betemit be the utility player he always has been. I dont think Nomar should switch positions.

22 LaRoche is .243/.308/.400 at Vegas. I'm very high on the kid, but I'd like to see him find his groove a little bit before calling him up.

21 - I feel like I have seen that before...

21 - so much for avoiding repetition. :-)

If Kemp is not a CF then (after last night) let's put Ethier there.

21

Thanks for that analysis. :)

Is it a rule 8 violation to make someone else's point over again?

First of all, the notion that Garciaparra is more likely to get hurt at third base is specious.

In fact, I'm pretty sure most of his injuries in recent years have occurred while he's either been hitting or running the bases. I don't think his position in the field has had anything to do with it.

The first rule of plagiarizing a blog entry is not to post it as a comment in the same blog.

29
Coincidentally, that is also the fourth rule of Fight Club.

Bumsrap, you want to explain 21?

I think it was a passive-aggressive way of trying to keep everybody on Jon's topic.

Great post Jon, and I couldn't agree more with that first paragraph. It was one of those instances where the final score wasn't at all indicative of how well we played. There were so many highlights and you could've picked any number of players (Ethier, Nomar, Martin) as "player of the game".

When they intentionally walked Gonzo in the ninth my immediate thought was, "bad move; Martin's gonna make 'em pay" and he did. What a player this kid's turning out to be. Still can't believe he's only got about a full season of service under his belt.

Watching Ethier make some outstanding plays on defense this past week makes me think of him as a baby Jim Edmonds.

As for Billingsley, the kid's clearly got good stuff and a mountain of potential, but man, that first inning of relief was brutal. He's already had a number of spotty outings so far and while I suppose he's still getting acclimated to his role as a reliever and we should all be patient as he adjusts, I can't help but hold my breath any time Little puts him into tie or 1 or 2 run games.

I still have faith that any day now Betemit's going to bust out of his funk. It's kind of exciting in way. He's like the Mount Rainier of ballplayers -- dormant now, but with the potential to explode at any moment.

NFL teams are given too much "on the clock" time. You have a list of the players you want to draft: just take the top remaining player from your list.

34 Agreed, I never understood why they always seem to take up the entire 15 minutes of alloted time. They've already had 3-4 months to figure things out. Whatever...

And the Brady Quinn free fall begins...

[34] they're often still negotiating depending who's on the board... but yeah, they get too much time.

i agree with much of jon's post too.

[36] and as they say at mcdonald's... i'm lovin' it.

Ted Ginn Jr. is so overrated it's not even funny. Good luck with that, Dolphins.

Somebody will rush up to grab Quinn in the next three or four picks.

i don't care about the red sox and yanks, but that was actually a good commercial with posada, ortiz, and wally.

Kornheiser is overstated the Quinn situation just a tad. "Disaster, tragedy, sad, car wreck."

Dude, the guy didn't get drafted as early as he thought he would. He didn't contract AIDS.

Sorry if this was mentioned in a previous thread, but Eric Neel has a nice article about Bonds and Dodger fans up on ESPN.com right now.

With Mark Teixeira being in a contract year, how difficult do you guys think it would be to get a sign and trade of some sort with the Rangers to bring him over? As much as Loney looks to be a solid player I doubt he projects to the numbers Mark puts up, and moving Nomar to 3rd with Teixeira at the bag would be a nice lineup boost.

Baseball doesn't do the "sign and trade" thing.

43

Sign and trades are basically unnecessary in MLB unlike the NBA because there is no salary cap restricting what a team can offer. If you mean a mid-season trade where he is signed to an extension, you can pretty much bet this won't happen. Scott Boras is his agent and will set up a bidding war in the off-season

I should say that in baseball, you have to trade, then hope to sign.

You can, however, work out extensions with players if the trading team agrees to it. The Dodgers worked out an extension with Shawn Green before he came over.

But Tex is a Boras guy, so extensions...Not so much.

Haha! They removed Brady Quinn from the green room.

The poll on the ESPN DraftCast asks the following question:

"Should the Dolphins have passed on Brady Quinn?"

Voters are given one response option: "Yes"

49

It must have been a good move then.

The Rams are on the clock.

Yellow alert for the cycle for Justin Morneau.

That is a yellow alert.

oh man. the bills?? sigh. i wanted him to go to green bay.

Who has the highest "Bust" potential? Whoever it is, I hope the Lambs draft him.

12 years later, I'm still a bitter, bitter man.

54 That would be Branch. I hope they take Carriker, Hall or Revis. Amazing they have so many good players to choose from. Some poor choices earlier.

I'm still a bitter, bitter man

Kurt Warner ended my bitterness, but Mike Martz rekindled it a few years later.

im really happy about my vikes pick. we needed some explosiveness on offense and AD provides that. Now get an WR in the second round and i'll be giddy!

Last night watching the Yankees-Red Sox game, I had the NESN feed. The woman in the studio had a teaser, "Can the Patriots continue their aggressive pursuit of players in tomorrow's draft?"

I'm still trying to figure out what that meant? Do teams draft "unaggressively?" Do they say "We don't want a good player who has no leverage about joining us. We'll just take some third-string DB...."

In 4+ innings in Detroit, there have been two runners picked off (both Twins), three runners thrown out on the bases by outfielders (all Tigers), one player ejected, one manager ejected (Leyland), 18 total hits, and a pitcher being called for interference resulting in a TWO-base error.

25. If Kemp is not a CF then (after last night) let's put Ethier there.

I've been thinking along those lines ever since the day Kemp got hurt and was going to ask what this group thinks of Ethier in center. The thing I noticed about the play was that just before Kemp hit the wall the ball "clanged" off the heel of his glove. To me, a ball that hits the HEEL of an outfielders glove is a ball that has been misjudged and should have been caught. Granted, he hit the wall so hard that he most likely would have dropped it anyway. But my point is that he misjudged it in the first place. While Kemp is the faster of the two Ethier appears to be the better defensive outfielder. And after watching Lofton/Pierre I would consider Ethier a big improvement even though he doesn't have their speed.

33 "As for Billingsley, the kid's clearly got good stuff and a mountain of potential, but man, that first inning of relief was brutal."

That's because he's not really a reliever. If a starter came in and allowed three runs in the first inning, obviously it's not good, but he has time to recover, as Billingsley did in his second inning.

However, I don't disagree at all with having him in the pen. That's a good place for him to build up some experience with the hitters he's going to be facing for the next 10 years. There are going to be bumps along the way, but I'm glad Little is showing him some patience. His predecessor would not have done that.

The middle-relief role was a good discipine for Hendrickson in the reverse direction. When the bell rings now, he's ready, from the first pitch. That's where Billingsley has to get to. The way he pitched the 7th inning after such a bad 6th made me think things are going to be more than okay with him, but he has to get to that level of competitiveness from pitch one.

Regarding Kemp/Ethier in centerfield:

It's annoying that some folks will categorically deny this possibility and claim that Kemp/Ethier are "not centerfielders", while simultaneously taking Pierre's centerfielderness as given and not subjecting it to any kind of scrutiny.

Seems to me that the primary reason Pierre is considered a natural centerfielder is that there's really no other place on the field he can play, and if one thinks his offense is so important that a place on the field for him must be found, centerfield is the only place you can really reasonably put him.

The combination of his left-handedness and noodle-armedness pretty much rule out RF, 2B, SS, 3B, C, and P. That leaves 1B, CF, and LF. While he probably could be inserted at 1B or LF, the offensive opportunity costs would be enormous. That leaves CF, which he's not even very good at.

62

I think the Dodgers brass is in "Kemp/Ethier are not centerfielders" camp. How else can you explain giving Juan Pierre a 5-year contract? Based on actual defensive ability, Kemp and Ethier should have been given a chance to win the job but Pierre has essentially blocked that from being a possibility.

If the Dodgers thought either of those guys could have been the team's centerfielder as early as 2008, Juan Pierre should not have been signed.

[63] i wish they were in the "juan pierre is not a major leaguer" camp.

Every Juan Pierre thread here turns into a rule 8 violation, at least in my estimation. It just seems to me that the same people are saying the same gripes over and over again. It is very tiresome to me.

65 - I am one of those people, but I agree, we need to move on. Pierre is here for a long, long time. We could try to take it as a given that he is not great and constrict ourselves to criticizing him when he does something bad, which would cut down the negativity by at least 10%.

65 If the player was marginally successful, or wasn't reinforcing every single fear we all had, this wouldn't be happening.

We were all crushed when we signed the player. He's been a disaster. I tried, for the first few weeks, to not say anything. But it just keeps getting worse, and we're all still so bitter. I agree that it's repetitive...But that's a reflection of how we feel.

trivia question: what do the following gentlemen have in common?
Carson Bigbee
Whitey Witt
Jack McCarthy
Ducky Holmes
Gene Richards
Orator Shaffer
George Browne
Joe Stripp
Debs Garms
Patsy Dougherty

I'll add that I will lay off the player for awhile. It bothers people, so I'll stop.

The player is pretty much Fredo to me anyways.

67 I've been sent here by Bronx Banter--we'll give you Mientkiewicz for Pierre, straight up, good old fashioned challenge trade-

[68] that i've never heard of any of them?

68 What they all have in common is that I've never heard of any of them

70 - We'll take it! We don't need Mientkiewicz, but that has to be a cheap solution.

Why would the Yankees want Juan Pierre?

68 here's a big clue: all these men are "similar" to a current Dodger!

[75] and it seems they all played in the dead ball era.

okay, most of 'em.

[75] to pinch-run for giambi?

Does Betemit have any minor league options left?

I do not see Garciaparra moving to 3rd unless Betemit got hurt for the season. Even then, I think that LaRoche would be given the chance if he picks it up in the minors.

74 We want to get rid of Minky...

We want to get rid of Minky...

I understand that, but trading him for Mr. Repetitive isn't the way to go.

BTW: Does anyone here remember the Eddie Rabbitt song from the 80s entitled "Repetitive Regret"? Just asking.

And the Cleveland Browns have an absolutely brilliant draft.

Huzzah!

Brady Quinn gets to keep throwing to Michigan players!

68 - I'm guessing they are the players with the closest similarity scores to Juan Pierre.

I'm so happy for Ron Jaworski. He finally gets to run all that game film on Quinn.

31 See 32
And my clumsy passive agressive thing worked really well.

79
Betemit does not have any options left, I believe the article was in the LA Times the other day.

Not to harp on Pierre, but I believe the signing was done as much as a competive block (our GM's opinion not mine) so SF or the Angels couldn't get him.

As a way to solve the 3rd base and centerfield problem in a real world practical sense-and that means Nomar won't be moved to 3rd, would there be any possibility to get either Blalock from the Rangers or Zimmerman from the Nats. I doubt it, but would be worth exploring.

I am unsure about LaRoche this year, might even consider seeing if we could get Beltre back

87

Zimmerman isn't moving. The Nationals are building around him. I really don't see the Dodgers making a move for a 3B just because LaRoche should be a full-time player next year (or possibly by mid-season).

Also how do either of those trade possibilities solve the CF problem? I do believe there is a problem but Pierre is here to stay so we might as well just get accustomed to him.

87 - The explanation that signing Pierre was to block our competition is the cruelest cut of all.

What are the odds that we can trade Pierre to the SFG for a bucket of used balls and $10 million?

Kemp and/or Ethier could not possibly be worse than Pierre defensively in CF.

Martinez/Anderson/Seanez are the best candidates for a DFA when Kemp comes back.

With the Dodgers light hitting offense the team goes as the starting pitching goes. If the SP is on then the team has a chance. If the SP is having a bad day the odds are very long for a win. The bullpen can only prevent runs, not score them.

86 Xeifrank is the only DT poster allowed to tell people what to talk about.

Why? No idea.

69 Fredo. . . that could be such a great nickname. I'd start calling Pierre that but I'm not sure he deserves to have such a great nickname wasted on him, derogatory though it is.

I do believe there is a problem but Pierre is here to stay so we might as well just get accustomed to him.

jujibee mentioned we might have to sweeten the deal & throw in a good prospect so a team could budge.

87 Have you seen what Blalock has done lately? He can't hit outside of Texas, and he can't hit lefties. He's a guy who overperformed a couple years in a row, then got expectations placed on him that he couldn't meet.

91
Xeifrank has the moral authority to tell us what to do because he always signs off with a "vr".

And his handle starts with an X which is really cool.

And I think he doesn't like Jimmy Clausen, but I might be mistaken.

84 bingo...

93

That might be an option in 2009 if we cover some salary too. But, Pierre's here to stay (my guess) at least through the first 2 years of his deal.

97 By the way, in case I haven't mentioned it, Westernmost in Flavor is an awesome handle. Ridiculous.

98

Thanks!

Yours is pretty good too. Or perhaps your real name is a hilarious coincidence.

100
"Greg" is ashamed of his real name

100
As one of the few people privy to Greg Brock's real name, I can tell you that if you ever find it out, you will be greatly let down.

No offense to Mr. Brock.

In the meantime, I will enjoy my status as Alfred, the only person who knows Greg Brock's secret identity.

jujibee makes me feel happy every time i say his handle, so for me his handle is the coolest.

I thought Greg told us his real name was David. Or Daniel. Or something like that.

Greg Brock's real name is Joey Jojo Shabadoo.

and you said we would be greatly let down...

Just an FYI but if your bored with the Yankee/RedSox game you can watch two of the best HS players( in the country on LA TV Channel 36 on Time Warner in the West Valley(Chatsworth vs Cleveland), starting at 03:30.

A quick Bio of they boys in question.
11 Mike Moustakas

Height / Weight 6-0 / 195
Position Shortstop
Bats / Throws Left / Right
Class Senior
JUNIOR (2006): Batted .427 with a school-record 14 home runs and had a team-high 47 RBIs ... Batted .452 with runners in scoring position ... Had a team-best .979 slugging percentage ... Hit a grand slam to beat Cleveland, 5-3, on March 21 ... Hit five home runs in five games, including two against Las Vegas Centennial on April 12, in the Las Vegas Durango tournament ... Hit two home runs, one a two-run shot, and a double against Cleveland on May 2 ... All-American ... Junior of the year in California by Cal-Hi Sports ... City Section co-player of the year ... Co-player of the year in WVL ... Led U.S. junior national team in runs scored with nine and had a home run and seven RBIs at world championships in Cuba.

Matt Dominguez

Height / Weight 6-2 / 190
Position Third Baseman
Bats / Throws Right / Right
Class Senior
JUNIOR (2006): Batted .370 with 10 home runs and 32 RBIs ... Led the team with 24 walks ... Led the team with 72 assists ... Hit a walk-off grand slam in the eighth inning to beat El Camino Real, 9-5, on April 20 and earned the victory in relief ... Hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning to beat Cleveland, 5-2, on March 23 ... Hit a home run against Kennedy in the City Section final at Dodger Stadium, his second at the venue ... All-American ... First-team All-City and All-WVL, second-team All-State ... Led U.S. junior national team with two home runs and 11 RBIs at world championships in Cuba, where team won silver medal.

SOPHOMORE (2005): Second on the team in batting at .416, home runs with 10 and RBIs with 49 ... Led the team with 21 walks ... Started the season with seven consecutive hits ... Hit a run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat Sylmar, 6-5, March 23 in the title game of the Las Vegas Durango tournament ... Hit three three-run home runs in a span of four games in early May ... Hit a home run against El Camino Real in the City Section final at Dodger Stadium ... All-American ... First-team All-State, All-City and All-WVL ... Selected to play on the U.S. youth national team.

im a huge fan of Moustakas' bat and swing. Matt Dominguez, not so much.

It's a pretty boring first name, but an unusual last name. I do share a last name with a WWII general. No, not Rommel.

My first name is Zoroaster.

107

they sound like really good players. ToyCannon so when are you gonna head out to Lancaster? are you sure Kershaw is pitching the day you go?

I haven't kept up on Kershaw and Elbert. Which one is the higher rated prospect, and which on is likely to reach the Dodgers first?

McGeary's video is up at milb.com

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/events/draft_report/y2007/index.jsp?mc=mcgeary

really smooth, effortless delivery.

111

1. kershaw

2. probably elbert

113 So Kershaw is the one about whom I keep hearing Kazmir comparisons.

After a while all these lefty prospects seem to melt together.

114

not really. Elbert is more like a poor mans kazmir. Kershaw doesnt really compare to kazmir except that they are both left handed and from the houston area.

you can watch two of the best HS players( in the country on LA TV Channel 36 on Time Warner in the West Valley(Chatsworth vs Cleveland), starting at 03:30.

what gives there showing a concert of classical music?

Agreed, Pierre can't play center. Agreed, Betemit can't hit. Worst thing is Pierre is not only here for five years, but he'll play every stinking day because of his streak. How about putting Pierre at third? He can always use the pitcher as the cut-off man on those long throws to first.

116
Don't know, I'm watching the game right now but it started much earlier then the TV guide said. This is a replay and Chatsworth is a head 17-3 with Dominguez going 4/4 with 2 home runs.
Nate I've seen Matt hit a home run as a Sophmore at Dodger stadium in the title game and then he did it again last year as a Junior. I know Moustakas is the better prospect I just find it amazing that they have been playing side by side for two years.

118

what do you think of dominguez's swing? the videos ive seen of him arent very attrractive to me. He seems to lunge at the ball and doesnt look fluid.

118
I'm assuming that the mercy rule is not on the books now. They keep changing their mind on that rule in California.

102 Bob Timmermann
I can tell you that if you ever find it out, you will be greatly let down.

Juan Pierre?

118

it took 2,3 minutes but it came on.

You guys think you're soooooo funny.

I'm no scout but everytime I see him, he hits a home run. The game on TV was a replay of the game on Monday. Chatsworth High is on the way home from my new job so I plan on catching a few more games. I haven't been able to see Moustakas pitch yet so I'm going to make sure that happens the next time I go. I hear those games are just loaded with scouts so maybe I'll get someone to talk to me. Some scouts are very talky as long as you pretend they are the smartest people in the world and you are in awe of them.

123

Umm...This might get awkward...

Nate, what do you think of HS righty Jarrod Parker? His fastball is sitting at 94-97, he has reached 98 this spring, he has good fastball command, and his delivery is effortless. BA projects him going around #20 right now. I want the Dodgers to draft him. If we pass him up, or a few other guys, to take McGeary, I'm going to be mad. The last report I read on McGeary says his fastball is sitting at 86-90 this spring.

Hey all, posting from the Omni Hotel, about 150 yards from home plate at Petco. Went to the game last night and it was terrible until it was awesome. They gave away a "Trevor Time" clock with a little statue of Hoffman to all fans in attendance. Big ceremony before the game with the fans going crazy in appreciation. When Hoffman came in in the 9th it definitely rivaled Gagne frenzy territory. Very tough to watch. When they walked Gonzo to get to Martin, the Dodger fans around me (I was in a section that had a lot) all said "they're waling Gonzo to get to our best hitter?". I kept thinking about DT and was entertained to read back on the comments. Anyway, we won that game with defense. Not just Ethier's two great catches but Furcal's had a great play early as did Kent and Russ threw out a runner. As long as they keep the ball out of left or center, we have a pretty good defensive team.
Going back tonight and tomorrow and hope Maddux looks the same as the last time we say him pitch for us.
Last thought, Marlon Anderson had a lot to do with our win last night as well. Props!

so dwayne jarrett is probably going to be available when the vikes pick, would you pick him?

adrian peterson and dwayne jarrett goes a long way to start up an offense.

126

from whatve ive read, i like parker but i want to see some video on him.

but i would still take Mcgeary over Parker. I just love his delivery and polish. hes like a rich man's brett anderson.

121 123
You guys made me laugh. Thank you.

123, 125, LOL

what do you think of dominguez's swing?

i ain't no scout either but allot of scounts look at how they do against the elite pitchers of the league & they take it from there/try to project there celling (sp?)

ps Logan White seems to be very good in that depart, thank god. :o)

132

err, i mean department

Maddux is gonna make it tough for us today, hopefully the Dodgers took notes last year on how to approach him (hitting)

Tonight's decision:
1) Stay home and watch Dodgers-Padres game on TV
2) Go to Disney Hall to hear Salif Keita in concert.

I defer to the will of the majority.

Salif Keita is overrated. A product of marketing, and not very good.

Who is Salif Keita?

Salif Keita

http://tinyurl.com/2urwsl

That ranks right up there with the Tuvan throat singing concert I went to my Senior year at UCLA.

If you you see only one throat singing group this year, make it Tuvan throat singing.

I'd kill my own mother to get free Tuvan throat singing tickets.

Fortunately, in this case, she's already dead.

126 I wish I knew more about these things. At what point in life does a guy usually reach his peak velocity? Is a HS pitcher throwing 86-90 throwing as hard as he ever will?

139 I don't know why that's fortunate. Now you can't get tickets.

The Yankees lost another starting pitcher today. Can Cano play 3rd? If so, are they willing to part with him for some pitching?

139 Tuvan throat music is the equivalent of those picture that become other pictures if you stare long enough.

I know it's supposed to sound like an instrument, but I just hear gutteral moaning.

It seems Lincecum's ERA is now at .36. I keep telling myself that Kershaw was the better pick, but it's getting more difficult to believe me.

I'm still torn over the concert. I need to work on Random Record of the Week, although I've done most of the groundwork for that.

What if Juan Pierre hits a home run? What if Wilson Betemit turns an unassisted triple play at third base (it would be really cool to see that!)? What if Brett Tomko throws a very interesting game? What if Luis Gonzalez throws a seed from the warning track all the way to home on the fly?

140 -- It depends. As a high school pitcher, Greg Maddux could get his fastball over 90 MPH. As a high school pitcher, Roger Clemens could only dream of reaching 90 MPH with his fastball.

How exactly does one "turn" an unassisted triple play?

146. How exactly does one "turn" an unassisted triple play?

One possibility:

Runners on 1st and 2nd, no outs. A double steal attempt. Batter hits a line drive towards 2nd base. Shortstop is running to cover 2nd, catches the line drive for out #1, steps on 2nd base for out #2, tags the runner arriving at 2nd base from first for out #3.

I guess "turn" isn't a good verb. How about "record" an unassisted triple play?

For a third baseman to do it, you would need to have second and third and a liner to the third baseman and a really stupid runner on second who wouldn't bother to stop running after the ball was caught.

All the UTPs in the majors have been by first basemen, second basemen, or shortstops.

Speaking of concerts, anyone want to go see The Walkmen tonight at the Echo? I've got one extra ticket...

UCLA beat Arizona again today, 11-4. The Bruins are now 10-1 in the Pac-10 in baseball.

As someone who has seen a lot of mediocre baseball played by his alma mater, this is pretty freaky.

The Bruins are just 24-17 overall with a nonconference record of 14-16.

150 Savage is not Adams.

Savage is a winner. Adams has character. His players were good people. He had a bunch of successful pros.

Blah blah blah.

147, 148

Yeah, I was poking fun at the word "turn" because a turn implies a throw, which would negate the unassisted-ness of the triple play.

For a 3rd baseman to record one my guess is it would need to be on some kind of botched squeeze or double steal of 3rd and home.

I have come to the conclusion that I will pass on the concert on grounds of fatigue and not wanting to go by myself. I'm going to Disney Hall next week for Roseanne Cash.

I remember (and still listen to) the following Roseanne Cash songs from the early 80s:

1. Seven Year Ache
2. I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me

Betemit out of the line-up again today - official demotion or temporary head-clearing?

Hey guys, I was just thinking about the mid-90s Dodger teams and I was wondering if it's possible to find somewhere taped games from those teams? Does anybody know how I could do this?

I'd also be interested to see games from 01 and 02, the two seasons I missed when I succumbed to some terrible ideological convictions.

Please email me if you have any relevant information: pellam.1@osu.edu

155

Tony Jackson says Betemit is sick

152. For a 3rd baseman to record one my guess is it would need to be on some kind of botched squeeze or double steal of 3rd and home.

Right, I can see that happening now. :-) Juan Pierre pops up the squeeze bunt, the 3rd baseman catches it and tags Either then runs over and tags J.D Drew who is sliding into 3rd base. Wait an minute... didn't J.D. opt out. :-)

Tonight's lineup according to Gameday:

Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Nomar, 1B
Kent, 2B
Gonzo, LF
Martin, C
Ethier, RF
Valdez, 3B
Tomko, P

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I had no idea that Rosanne Cash was going to be playing at the Disney Hall. I'm on my way to Ebay/Stubhub right now. No sarcasm, she was one of my favorites during a time when I listened to very very little country music.

New post up top.

148 How on earth does a first baseman record an unassisted triple play?

Catch a line drive for one, double up or tag the runner at first for two, and then...?

153

Hopefully the Dodgers won't disappoint you Bob.