Speaking of converting folks to catcher at the end of last thread, how about catcher to outfielder, then to pitcher--

"I started as a catcher," Brazoban said through a translator. "When they converted me from a catcher to an outfielder, I was having knee problems, and converting me from an outfielder to a pitcher was the best thing that ever happened to me, because I wouldn't be running as much."

Story also notes he was a solid hitter in the NYY organization.

http://www.lvrj.com/sports/7331426.html

Does that mean Hu has to stay in Jax because of that scrub?

Makes sense.

5 It's not like I'm just pulling these numbers out of thin air. The fact is that Hu does not make solid contact very often, and I don't see how that's debatable.

9 The only player[s] that he could be blocking is Abreu and Hu. Abreu is a better 2B and it looks like they wanted to play Hu in AA all year anyway.

11 Then can I use the same argument that based on the results thus far, Ned has not traded anyone of value as far as prospects. He has been absolutely correct in his judgment.

Jackson, Tiffany, Guzman, Pedroza, Blake, Julio, Justin, and Jhonny are all going further and further down the prospect hot list.

Now, someday I may be proven wrong and I will answer his critics then but right now if you are only going to use the economic costs to back up your argument, prove to me that economics has been issue with any moves.

Supposedly hoped to go to a NL East team. Story in the Vegas paper quoted him saying the Nationals, Yankees, and Orioles might have interest.

Ken Howell had good things to say about him, seemed to think he could help someone but wasn't going to crack the Dodger rotation.

Second part of that, at least, is accurate.

I've never really processed the fact that the Dodgers traded the most dominant right handed pitcher in history. I sort of pretend we never had Pedro Martinez. It just makes things easier.

Anyhoo, like I said, it was a great read.

SUBJECT: Head Games (apologies to Foreigner)

FROM: Dodger Thoughts, QBE Psychological Enhancement Division

Dear Mr. Colletti:

Following the recent splendid example of Mr. Mark Hendrickson, please have Messrs. Tomko and Betemit utilize the services of the same sports psychologist.

Mr. Hendrickson has commented about learning through this process to focus on things he can control--like his next pitch--and to shut out things he cannot--like an opposing batter getting a lucky hit, or, for that matter, hitting his very best pitch out of the park...or even a teammate making an error. Results obtained by Mr. Hendrickson, while of course not perfect, would appear to be an outstanding example of getting the most out of his talent.

Yes, Mr. Hendrickson still is the one making the pitches, but his physical ability did not increase from last year to this. Yet his results are markedly better, even allowing for recent outings which did not match his early season unsustainable pace The obvious conclusion is that the psychologist has helped make Mr. Hendrickson's mental game much better and in turn has benefitted the team through measurable positive outcomes.

It seems this process would be especially beneficial to Mr. Tomko, who has great "stuff" except when it comes to the "stuff" located north of his neck. Mr. Tomko seems to have exhibited on-field irritation at some small things which did not go his way, and a near-total meltdown after losing a no-hitter in the fifth inning of one contest. He barely survived that inning and was gone from the contest soon after. More recently, he seems not to have reacted well to news that he will be moved to the bullpen due to performance--or, rather, non-performance--issues. He may be, in lay terms, a "basket case."

It is likely that a pitcher who has no-hit potential should get far better and more consistent results than Mr. Tomko's history indicates he has, or is likely to achieve on his present course. It appears he soon may no longer be on the team, which would mean the Dodgers did not receive a very good return on their investment in him.

Likewise, the somewhat younger Mr. Betemit also seems to have mental issues hindering his performance. He has proven potential, as indicated by 18 home runs last season. Yet he has struggled mightily, except for recent exceptionally good results as a pinch-hitter. Lately he even seems to have allowed his struggles at the plate to affect his fielding, which previously had been a strong point.

Like Mr. Tomko, he seems to be overthinking, pressing, trying too hard, feeling he has to be absolutely perfect to perform satisfactorily, or otherwise placing mental obstacles in his own path.

Perhaps learning to focus only on the next pitch or next at-bat while relaxing, having "fun," and letting his talent take over--concepts likely to be put forth by the sports psychologist--would be at least part of the answer to his struggles and "streakiness." His performance as a lineup regular threatens to result in his considerable potential largely being wasted on the bench, where he in fact now seems to be spending most games.

It would appear there is little risked and much to be gained by following this course. Whatever the monetary cost, it probably is a relative bargain compared to some high-dollar Dodger contracts which shall go unnamed. It might help the players--and accordingly the team--a great deal. Who knows?

A challenge, Mr. Colletti: are you open to such new ideas, different ways of doing things or of evaluating players? Or are you locked into old and set ways, perhaps to the team's and maybe even your own detriment?

Very truly yours,
Sigmund Fraud

PS: If you prefer to use Foreigner's lyrics to get the point across to them===:

Head games, that's all I get from you
Head games, and I can't take it anymore
Head games, don't wanna play the...
Head games

So near, so far away
We pass each other by 'cause we don't know what to say
It's so clear, I'm sorry to say
But if you wanna win you gotta learn how to play

"Well, a switch hitting gold glove first baseman who absolutely rakes is on the trade block."

"No can do. We have Nomar at first."

Maybe even compare 2006's numbers.

I would greatly love to see them.

Nomar's projections were a .362 OBP and a .496 slugging. Nomar is not currently meeting those projections. At all. Remotely.

Major League Equivelants's of Loney's current numbers: .214/.280/.296

Then we can head down to Arclight to pay too much to see a movie.

It's the perfect date:
1) HMO pharmacy argument
2) Movie
3) Lunch

I am literally agonizing about this game.

I'm home by myself tonight watching the Dodgers game, then maybe some writing and/or a DVD and/or drooling and watching my cat cough up hairballs. Pretty sad. Rest of the weekend might involve soccer, going to Angel Island, a movie and more drooling and staring off into space. (It's been a long week.)

Re: Texeira, I thought his defense at 3rd was a concern? I mean, I love his bat, but if Nomar's staying, as others have mentioned (and with Loney next in line)... And I, too, heard that he wanted to go to Baltimore. If not now, then later.

The voice of the Cubs announcers are not quite as relaxing.

She just gets her way.

I remember I REALLY wanted Bergeron in LA.

Let's get that LOOGY down in the pen already.

If we made that trade today, I would not be a happy man. Albeit I'd me more unhappy about losing Bergeron than Lilly. Perez and Grudzielanek were massive examples of fools gold.

80 Congrats! What a feeling!

I had no idea the Cubbies were playing Jones in CF.... No more Felix Pie?

"Official Major League Baseball autographed by Luke Prokopec (Tornto Blue Jays star, Los Angeles Dodgers legend)"

Act now, before it's too late! Father's Day is just around the corner!

Our baby boy, now about 10 weeks old, just started consistently sleeping all night.

May your new one develop that habit much sooner.

I checked in at 9.5 lbs and 22".

I guess that didn't look too skinny to most people.

Congrats Papa, Mama, and 3upn3dwn Jr.!

I'd almost pay that much for Bob to send me a ball with his signature.

Well.... if he offered financing.

Jake was 7lb4oz, 21".

Yeesh, what is that, three POs for Lilly already?

Be nice if the Dodgers made him work a little bit more, but of course one of their slogans is "Pitch count? What pitch count?"

And most importantly... Congrats to 3up on the newly arrived Jacob! Many happy years and may the Dodgers someday draft him.

Nice - thank you once again Soriano!

7 1/4 lbs? In my family, we'd throw that one back! ;-)

My mom related to me once the story of looking at one of her newborn sons through the nursery window and another new mom saw one of us big babies sleeping and said, "I'd hate to be the woman who gave birth to that thing!"

That's far more logical.

Though he should do 20 for getting picked off.

I'm here watching my bad dog drooling on her Elizabethan collar and trying very hard to sit so she can squeeze some chicken out of us. (When that didn't work, she tried barking. No go, either.)

At this point, I couldn't be happier.

We learned today we might get another year with our good dog, and another two years with our bad dog, if everything breaks right.

They're worth every penny.

I doubt the Cubs have been as diligent. You know, that whole stinking for the better part of '99 years thing.

Kent and Martin are studs. Everybody else I can do without.

we need a new stat - batting average past second base.

The havoc being wrought is on out psyche as Dodger fans.

Brooklyn won 8-4.

Isn't it awesome yet devastating when you come up with an invention that already exists.

I did the same thing the other day with corrugated cardboard.

I decided to spare her any more trips in the cat carrier.

Except for one last one-way trip.

143 Even lamer is how they have the stadium lights explode every time. Such a pain to have to replace those after each home run, especially after they're already losing.

My cat was about 15-17 years old when she died. I got her from the pound, so I didn't know her exact age.

My new cat has been free of health problems so far although he still thinks it fun to take bites of my hand and claw the couch.

I had to do it once. Terrible. Just terrible.

a pitcher's best friend.

It's been so long since he's had to do it on the basepaths, I suppose.

And my girlfriend likes Cascada.

beer.

154 Aw, man. You guys are making me sad here. Who's pup? :-(

---

Lovely play by Abreu there.

betemit could have made that play.

The hard part about having my cat put to sleep is that I had to make an appointment for it. It made it very hard to look at her that morning.

With humans, we usually don't get death by appointment unless we're in prison.

That stunk. Plus, how soft is a grown man crying over a cat? Pretty soft.

There were multiple playings of Randy Newman film themes that inning.

This whole conversation made me want to hug my cat. I felt like Elmyra from Tiny Toons.

I did the same thing. I didn't think I would and my cat had been nothing but trouble the last couple of years of her life. She gave my apartment a certain aroma.

Seriously -- but just for a second -- not weeping over a lost pet would be a sin. That's the kind of "soft" we could use more of.

The other guy made no points at all and acted like Rogan had stolen his girlfriend or something.

...and I don't particularly like MMA or Rogan.

Yep ever since they shut Dr Jack and his machine down.

Now, to lighten the mood, I'll listen to the Team America soundtrack.

1. Juan Pierre
2. Alfonso Soriano

I'm going with Soriano.

I have no children.

At least that I know of....

I will be taking my nephew on an outing to Wrigley Field a week from Sunday though. That will probably tell me that I chose correctly.

It got attacked and had to be put down. It came out of nowhere.

Great, now I'm depressed. On a three day weekend.

Be back in a jiff.

Hahah, the Joe Morgan response. I love it. If I ever see Joe Morgan I want to shove a copy of MoneyBall in his face.

READ THE FRIGGIN BOOK JOE.

Boxing PPVs still actually do quite well. The heavyweight division is just garbage.

Juan Pierre once hit a home run off Dave Bush. Boxscore here:

http://tinyurl.com/2dxemf

218 There's no crying in baseball!
But there definitely is when it comes to our pets.

Just not at Wright/Reyes money.

Total $25 million. If they each kicked in 5% they could buy him a nice house and they wouldn't even miss the money.

(Translation: Signing such a contract, with the Dodgers' luck in such matters, would result in Martin suffering a career-threatening injury.)

I'll get back to you.

Plus, it's not like he's going to get Kendall money.

One of these days Larouche will be right!

When I drove up to the top of Mt. Washington (the one in New Hampshire, not L.A.), I could see Bretton Woods from the top! I was so excited!

Very fascinating.

Down with the letter u!

"Well it's a well known fact there sonny Jim..."

Don't forget the King. I think he was spotted at a McDonalds in Des Moines.

Good night for Kent. But as of now RM drove in the winning run.

Start...?

I have an arrow.

How was that last pitch not a strike?

:)fair enough ...

my rule is :
Less than four: LuGo can score
Up by more: its 0 for 4

And then he walks into the shower, fully clothed, screams, and throws the bats in the shower.

also, 302, 303, see my 296.

Text your answer to ...

In the not too distant future
Next Friday night A.D.
There was a guy named Ned
Not too different from you or me
He worked for the owner, Frank McCourt
One of the worst owners in the sport
He once was the Giants' AGM
But Sabean said "Congratulations,
Now you're gonna work for them."

320 Hah hah. Welcome to the Satellite of Love, everyone.

You should change your handle to Mr. B Natural.

the four pitch at bat?

I think we were too offensive.

Wow, Pierre actually made an even better throw to secnd there - and the runner (gasp!) didn't advance.

High 90s, 5 batters, 4 Ks, 14 strikes to 4 balls.

http://tinyurl.com/yqgum3

Brain dead heaver no more, I guess.

agreed , he was walking at a high rate before Laroche came up . it means nothing really just seemed Laroche got a lot of quick (four strait balls in a row) at bats ..

He sends us vetruhn players
Who still can sorta play
(La la la)
We have to sit and watch them all
With the kids in triple-A
(La la la)
Now keep in mind Ned can't control
Juan Pierre's fielding flubs
(La la la)
Because he picked that "special" team
That came without their gloves...

Come on Yhency, K DeRosa

Eaten by the monster of love?

Yeah, I didn't like the choice of throwing two straight breaking pitches to Soriano, after he just missed the first one.

But playing the percentages has nothing to do with numbers.

"They send him cheesy pitches, the fattest he can find. {la la la}..."

Can anyone think of a manager who did a worse job strategically during a World Series and still win other than Brenly?

Rox get out of it. Still tied.

Bob Brenly is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Hit. Parade.

{break rule #1 several times}

Sheesh, what is going on here? Did the Cubs just become murderers row?

But he can buy $36 million worth of other stuff. I doubt he's too shaken up over it.

This is unacepptable.

And hey, we have Seanez down there, ready to shut things down.

Um, we may need to go back to the sad pet conversation from earlier just to cheer us up. At least the game was going well back then.

Tag the base, MEAT.

Then Abreu made a rookie play, instead of getting the runner going to third he threw the ball in the dirt to Nomar. This is such a dumb inning.

He's not a pinch hitter now. He's not a position player. He's a ronin.

Eegah!

And Seanez comes in and outpitches the three B's completely. What sort of rabbit hole did we climb down tonight?

I hate that song!

yes, because it wasnt a force out.

Since Jones had stopped running, I think Barrett's run would have come first.

Darn, Kent gave that a ride, but the wrong part of the park at the wrong time of night. Sigh.

That inning messed me up something fierce.

Seeing as it would have been a tag out of a non-batting runner, then there is no reason in to think it wouldn't have counted.

Beltre held on to the ball and then tagged the runner coming in to third.

No run was counted, so I assume that the "no run on a third out force out" also applies to tag plays in similar situations.

Not that the seventh inning was that situation. I just want to confuse people.

"EXCEPTION: A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made."

During is the key word.

Therefore, we shall come back and win.

Could the pitchers leave more balls up tonight? Can we bring Lowe back in?

Nice throw, Martin! sweet

It happens

(hat tip, Bob)

Cherry
Pie

I'm not even listening to him now and I hate him.

That's how insidious he is.

Goodnight everyone.

yep. a 5-1 with 9 outs left to seal up the win. cant happen.

Does Yhency have brown eyes?

from a guy who doesn't hit those.

Well played, Mr. Howry.

Well played.

Sorry, friend, but the man has never been able to manage a pitching staff. His down home charm and friendliness have always prevented some from seeing the rather gross defect in his management of a pitching staff. And it isn't just tonight and it isn't just tonight and Pedro. It's also having Kuo and Brazoban available for call up, and he calls up Kuo, who pitches three innings only to be sent down to "stretch out" so he can start. Why not simply call up Brazoban so that Kuo would be just that much farther ahead in "stretching out" and just that much closer to recall as a starter? We wasted a week or so with Kuo.

Then again I'm a Dodger fan.

I learned my lesson long ago.

For now, I'm just gonna hope the Cubs bullpen implodes the same way so Cubbies fans can also debate it. :)

im still here.

PS. your welcome Dodger Thoughts:)

Olmedo le gusta la pelota rapida

Olmedo did not add to this list of notable L.A. Dodger feats.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/shareit/CSSD

I'll leave you two alone now....

Esa tambien

Lou Pinella has that look.

Oh, ye of little faith.

(Disregard any previous post which stated otherwise.)

Lou Piniella looks like he wants to quit now. His mouth is open like he expects a fly to enter it.

(Ok just for a second)

Maybe he could join the 25-man roster and start making some outs.

Since they scored four runs when I turned the game back on, I claim credit.

What happened? Lowe blow up, or Beimel, or who?

They way this game has gone Sammy's no sure thing.

We win!

Relatively speaking.

BZZZZZ

Yeah we'd have hit 4 HRs :-)

yes:)

It's a nice win. I'll take it.

But it didn't take long to find three. I would assume the record would be 4 or possibly 5.

Okay, I'm gonna feign productivity for a half hour and then dream of imploding bullpens. Night all!

In 2004, the Tigers scored 8 in one inning against Texas and lost. Mainly because the Tigers went and gave up 10 in the bottom half of the inning.

So far, they're the only two real hitters on the team. They can't sit together.

I fully expect Billingsley to play third base on Sunday and LaRoche handling tickets at the gate.

http://xkcd.com/c166.html

Oh, the title calls itself a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. So. A few of my favorite things! These are good, too (all of them are safe for work, or anywhere else).

http://xkcd.com/c203.html
http://xkcd.com/c228.html
http://xkcd.com/c251.html

SS Rafael Furcal
CF Juan Pierre
1B Nomar Garciaparra
3B Wilson Betemit
C Russell Martin
LF Luis Gonzalez
2B Tony Abreu
RF Andre Ethier

When you guys look at win expectancy, do you use the Bill James Pythagorean expectation, Davenport's, or Smyth's.

Just curious. Silly mental exercise on a lazy Saturday.

Thanks.

Pierre, CF
Furcal, SS
Nomar, 1B
Martin, C
Gonzo, LF
Betemit, 3B
Ethier, RF
Abreu, 2B
Hendrickson, P

OK, now someone explain how the kid with the most power (Betemit) and is struggling but is a good hitter from what we've seen in his PH appearances isn't hitting in front of our best hitter (Martin) to possibly get him jump started? And why the heck is Pierre batting in front of Furcal????

http://www.ferretnews.org/

Betemit's head was cut off and LaRoche and Abreu spawned in its place.

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/info/faq.jsp?mc=milb_info

This answer is out of date, since it gives the maximum first year salary as $850 a month, but may be worth reading, anyway. Looks like AAA players should be making at least $2150 a month in their first season, and more than that every year after. And, since the bottom number went up, I'd be surprised if that figure isn't higher, now.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=305241