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About Jon
Thank You For Not ...

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
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with

Call for Backup
2007-06-11 09:29
by Jon Weisman

For SI.com's Fungoes this week, inspired by the Giants' use of Pedro Feliz behind the plate Friday, I take a rather breezy look at the history of emergency catchers.

It was the once-a-decade event that haunts managers' psyches.

Save your backup catcher until the last possible moment, we're told, because you don't want to see him to get hurt and end up scrambling for an emergency backstop.

Friday night in San Francisco scrambled the Giants like their morning eggs. They took out their starting catcher in the fifth inning and lost their backup catcher to injury in the 10th, compounding the problem by having no position players left on the bench, thus forcing infielder Pedro Feliz behind the plate (along with outfielder Randy Winn to third base and pitcher Noah Lowry into the outfield).

Emergency catchers in major-league games are rarer than no-hitters, triple plays and cycles, but managers still manage in fear of them most of the time. It was almost as shocking to see Giants skipper Bruce Bochy throw caution to the wind as it was to see the wind blow it back in his face. …

There are some more NL West notes tacked to the end of the piece.

* * *

Please get send your money for the July 21 Dodger Thoughts gathering as soon as possible, so that we can get the ordering squared away. I'll set a deadline soon.

Comments (253)
Show/Hide Comments 1-50
2007-06-11 09:37:22
1.   D4P
Not that I care about PH, but this stuff is great.

Paris Hilton says she will no longer "act dumb."

"I used to act dumb. ... That act is no longer cute,"

Hilton has been saying that she is changed by her jailhouse experience, and she repeated that theme with Walters: "Now, I would like to make a difference. ... God has given me this new chance."

2007-06-11 09:40:55
2.   Greg Brock
BH and I were talking about this yesterday at the game. If Lieberthal and Martin both come out, who catches for the D's? DL'd Ramon Martinez?
2007-06-11 09:42:20
3.   Sac Town Dodger Fan
Who is our emergency catcher? I thought it was Ramon Martinez, but after that mysterious back injury placed him on the DL, I have no idea who it would be.
2007-06-11 09:42:52
4.   Sac Town Dodger Fan
Can they teach Matt Kemp how to catch?
2007-06-11 09:44:55
5.   Greg Brock
4 Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Do Not Want.

2007-06-11 09:51:43
6.   Sac Town Dodger Fan
5 Just trying to figure out how to get the best 8 guys out there if Martin cant play. I wasnt suggesting this.
2007-06-11 09:53:45
7.   Greg Brock
6 Just playing around. Brady Clark would be a good bet for emergency catcher, if he was still on the team.

Jeff Kent strapping up the tools of ignorance would be amusing.

2007-06-11 09:53:49
8.   bigcpa
I have 2 seats avail for tomorrow nite at face. KKKKKuo vs. Maine. Loge 138, Row K on the aisle plus preferred parking. bigcpa@gmail.com.
2007-06-11 09:55:03
9.   blue22
I've often wondered how "unique" a skill catching is. My assumption is that most major leaguers could run out to shortstop and field routine grounders fairly cleanly, but maybe not be able to, say, turn a double play.

But as for catching, would most major leaguers be able to squat behind the plate and actually catch the ball (especially one that is swung at)? Or would you be seeing a lot of passed balls and curveballs off one's chest protector?

2007-06-11 09:58:01
10.   Westernmost in Flavor
I remember a game where Trenidad Hubbard came in as an emergency catcher but I cannot seem to find it on Retrosheet. Any help?
2007-06-11 09:58:19
11.   D4P
Jeff Kent strapping up the tools of ignorance would be amusing

http://tinyurl.com/ysnnjk

2007-06-11 09:59:40
12.   D4P
9
Catchers also have to "call the game", including figuring out where the pitches should be thrown. Maybe that's easy, maybe it's not.
2007-06-11 10:01:28
13.   Westernmost in Flavor
10

Never mind I found it.

http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1999/B07110LAN1999.htm

2007-06-11 10:04:06
14.   Greg Brock
11 I think you're confused. You mean this, of course:

http://www.kutu.com/thai/splash.jpg

2007-06-11 10:05:17
15.   Bumsrap
I will guess Betemit to be the best option as emergency catcher.

I have been wondering if Schmidt would be the key if the Dodgers were to make a trade. If he is healthy and able to pitch well, they could add a pitcher to a trade and if they think Schmidt is a risk, they would be less likely to make such a trade.

The rotation without Schmidt could be Bills, Kuo, Penny, Wolf, and Lowe leaving Hoalton, Tomko, Hendrickson as emergency starters. Unless they agree to trade prospects I don't see a trade without Schmidt stepping up big time.

2007-06-11 10:05:33
16.   D4P
14
That looks dangerous...!
2007-06-11 10:08:26
17.   Bumsrap
Trade in 15 above means obtaining an impact bat at third. I still think they would try to trade Tomko and Pierre and maybe Kent but not with the idea of getting something really big in return.
2007-06-11 10:10:59
18.   Sac Town Dodger Fan
16- Not as dangerous as Juan Pierre in CF, batting leadoff.
2007-06-11 10:14:57
19.   blue22
17 - Trading Pierre means coupling him with a high-impact prospect (Pierre + Kershaw?) or paying the majority of his salary. Of course, that begs the question: would you rather pay Pierre $9M/year to play for your team or $7M/per year to take a hike?

And I simply refuse to believe Ned would admit to making such a huge mistake so quickly into the contract. Trading Pierre or absorbing his contract is much different than jettisoning the disappointing Jae Seo after a few months.

2007-06-11 10:20:50
20.   D4P
Assuming McCourt has enough money such that Pierre's contract doesn't prevent the signing of other players, the best thing to do with Pierre is arguably to either use him sparingly (e.g. as a pinch-runner) or, if there is someone else more worthy of the roster spot, to simply release him.
2007-06-11 10:27:50
21.   Bob Timmermann
I have been to three Dodger games in person this year.

Mike Lieberthal has played in all of them.

The Dodgers have been outscored 26-8 in the games.

Don't get your hopes up for June 30.

2007-06-11 10:32:56
22.   Marty
Please get send your money for the July 21 Dodger Thoughts gathering as soon as possible, so that we can get the ordering squared away. I'll set a deadline soon.

Doesn't PayPal forward you the money as soon as we click the button?

2007-06-11 10:41:00
23.   bluegold
Schmidt and Pierre are shaping up to be a colossal Colletti embarrassment that sends the 2007 season down the toilet. One might even say Colletti single-handedly pulled the flush handle.

Of course, it could all turn around if Pierre breaks out of his slump, and Schmidt reverts back to his form against the Padres two games ago.

I know, it only June.

2007-06-11 10:41:54
24.   Andrew Shimmin
So, Brock is a lolcat fan. Didn't see that coming.
2007-06-11 10:47:14
25.   underdog
Gack. This comes courtesy of Diamond Leung's blog:
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/223906

During Saturday night's contest between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Dodgers, a security guard attempted to confiscate a Canadian flag from a fan. That provoked an angry confrontation with about 100 local expats attending the game.

The flag waver was Lee Fraser, a 29-year-old native of Pembroke, Ont., who works in L.A. in the entertainment business. As he showed his national pride during the sixth inning, a single security staffer demanded he hand over his Maple Leaf. When Fraser refused, the guard found himself facing a pocket of Canadian indignation.

"The whole crew went crazy," Fraser said. "They sent down three or four security guards, the LAPD. Because, you know, Canadians are such a big threat."

2007-06-11 10:48:05
26.   Eric L
If the team ends up tanking this year like they did in '05 will McCourt pull the plug on the Ned experience?

When can we start calling a .300 OBP the Pierre line?

(and that was my version of diamond notes)

2007-06-11 10:50:26
27.   Bob Timmermann
25
The man was warned before the game that he couldn't wave a national flag. You aren't allowed to wave a US flag. The only flag you can wave is a Dodgers flag.

I think the Dodgers don't want a fight to start between some drunken yahoos waving U.S. and Mexican flags and arguing over immigration during the last few innings of a blowout.

It's a Dodgers game. It ain't the World Cup.

2007-06-11 10:51:44
28.   Eric L
25 Guess what Larry.. they don't let you have American flags at the stadium either!

I'm guessing security was called in because you were being a jerk.

(not addressed to underdog)

2007-06-11 10:52:23
29.   Disabled List
Jon, in the Fungoes piece you make a reference to the "4-1" game last September. I understood that you meant the 4+1 game, but I don't know if the casual non-DT readers of Fungoes are going to get the reference. They might think that was the score of a game.

And I'm not really an anal-retentive copy editor, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

2007-06-11 10:52:26
30.   D4P
Flag-waiving of all kinds should be banned for the same reason umbrellas are banned.
2007-06-11 10:53:50
31.   regfairfield
I thought flag waving fell under the same banner as sign holding at Dodger Stadium.
2007-06-11 10:55:12
32.   Westernmost in Flavor
30

Because it never rains at Autzen...err...Dodger Stadium?

2007-06-11 10:57:52
33.   D4P
30
There's no "i" in "wave"
2007-06-11 10:58:25
34.   Bob Timmermann
From the Dodgers website:
The following items are prohibited from entering the stadium:

* Weapons
* Umbrellas
* Glass bottles, cans and thermoses
* Broken factory sealed beverage containers
* Containers larger than 1 liter in size
* Alcoholic beverages
* Purses/Bags/Backpacks larger than 14 inches square
* Hard and soft sided coolers
* Brooms, poles and sticks
* Beachballs and inflatables
* Baseball bats
* Banners, signs and flags
* Use of laser pointers
* Noisemakers, musical instruments, whistles, air horns and boom boxes
* Fireworks/firecrackers
* Pets (Exception: Service animals for the disabled that are in service)
* Wrapped packages

2007-06-11 11:11:11
35.   Jon Weisman
22 - I've got the money that everyone has sent - I just am under the impression that people are procrastinating with clicking on Paypal to begin with.
2007-06-11 11:14:16
36.   FlatbushandAtlantic
Mets fans get in some advance scouting today from Jon "who writes one of the best blogs around"

www.metsblog.com

2007-06-11 11:18:53
37.   Jon Weisman
29 - I wrote 4+1 - I don't know why that got changed.
2007-06-11 11:20:03
38.   D4P
36
I like the "Oh-so-coy" comment.
2007-06-11 11:21:07
39.   blue22
26 - If the team ends up tanking this year like they did in '05 will McCourt pull the plug on the Ned experience?

Well, I do, but I don't. It would be nice to get a little stability from the McCourts, even if it's not for "my guy". Plus, for all his faults, Ned hasn't signed any long-term debilitating contracts (with the lone obvious exception) nor traded any young'n of any real consequence. But ask me again come August 1, if Loney and LaRoche have been traded in a desperate attempt to vault 5 teams and 8 games in the Wild Card hunt.

But the real reason is I'm just not sure I could stomach another off-season of Jim Bowden-to-LA rumors.

2007-06-11 11:21:32
40.   GMac In The 909
Backup?

http://tinyurl.com/29ny87

2007-06-11 11:23:00
41.   underdog
Y'all are correct about the flag rules. Rules is rules. It's also probably obnoxious to have to sit behind someone's huge flag when you're trying to watch the game. On the other hand, if it's yesterday's game, then maybe blocking your view is doing you a favor. At any rate, I've always known Canadians to be a fairly benign lot (and don't remember them being all that patriotic, although, yes, quite full of pride, too) so this all seems a little silly. Didn't I see this in a Kids in the Hall sketch once?
2007-06-11 11:24:15
42.   bhsportsguy
So Greg Brock and I are at the game and I am looking down on the field to look at which Dodgers are warming up to see who is playing. I notice Pierre and Betemit and Abreu and I say to GB something like it looks Kent isn't playing today. I see Russell tossing with Schmidt, Gonzalez, Furcal and Ethier so then I wonder where is Nomar.

I then see a Dodger signing autographs down the left field line, I look through my binoculars and I see the name "Loney" on the back.

I turn and say, Loney's here. So then the process of elimination begins. Again, no internet access and I was not listening to radio so we were trying to figure out what happened.

The first thing I did was look for Kemp in the dugout. After a few minutes I saw him and Nomar so we it came down to Kent or Clark being hurt. We briefly talked about the pitchers but I couldn't really see the Dodgers dropping down to 11 pitchers.

Ultimately, I think we thought Clark must have gotten "hurt" until I heard Steiner say that he had been designated for assignment.

My roster question of the day is what happens when Marlon is available to come off his rehab assignment? Does Ned trade him for some middling prospects? On the one hand, Loney probably has more value due to his defense at first, but all in all Anderson certainly has more experience pinch hitting.

The difference in salary isn't that much, by the name you trade Marlon, his prorated salaray is a little more than 250K, which certainly would be okay for any contender.

And one last note, both GB and I thought Betemit looked really comfortable at the plate so I hope he gets some more starts against the righty starters and Abreu gets to split time all around the infield.

2007-06-11 11:25:24
43.   underdog
40 While Dunn's power would be nice, he's such a terrible fielder and Ks so much I hardly think it's worth it. That's all the Dodgers need, is adding to their already porous defense. He should go to the AL.
2007-06-11 11:28:31
44.   bigcpa
40 With the "emergence" of Luis Gonzalez, I can't see Dunn coming to LA. It would have to be a fairytale-like Pierre for Dunn deal with Kemp taking over in CF.
2007-06-11 11:29:47
45.   D4P
The biggest concern I have with Dunn is his declining OBP. It has dropped every year now since 2004.
2007-06-11 11:30:31
46.   bhsportsguy
26 No way, McCourt and Ned are BFF, they text each other all the time and Frank has Ned in his circle after Jamie and the kids.

I actually think Ned has replaced Tommy as the "baseball guy" which all in all isn't the worse thing.

Also, did anyone see the notes about last night's hero for the Titans, Tim Wallach's kid. Lasorda made this noise on how he had to push the Dodgers to draft him (he compared the situation though not the result to how he pushed the Dodgers to draft Piazza). Hallgren said in the same article that no one pushed them to draft him, he said Wallach looked like a pretty good player and we selected him accordingly.

Sounds like the the current front office is trying to do everything possible to make sure the closest Tommy comes to being involved is announcing the picks on the conference call.

2007-06-11 11:31:35
47.   bhsportsguy
41 I could have squished Troy Glaus's head a lot from my seat on Friday and yesterday.
2007-06-11 11:32:47
48.   Marty
36 That Mets blogger also has a nice write-up on the Sopranos finale.
2007-06-11 11:33:15
49.   bigcpa
45 His walk rate has been essentially flat. This year could be a blip.

2003 15.8%
2004 15.9%
2005 17.0%
2006 16.4%
2007 12.2%

2007-06-11 11:34:51
50.   underdog
Interesting that Wallach was playing first base in that game. I thought he was supposed to be a good catcher but I guess he's flexible. He came through in the clutch.

(More on Dunn: He's also supposedly not even a good firstbaseman. There's nowhere to play him so fahgedaboutit.)

Show/Hide Comments 51-100
2007-06-11 11:36:51
51.   underdog
47 Heh. And released the Puppies of Purgatory on him.

I just remembered this KitH exchange:
Filipino kid: You are American?
Tourist: No, I'm a Canadian. It's like an American, but without the gun.

2007-06-11 11:40:41
52.   Jon Weisman
51 - There's also the NewsRadio episode where Dave was outed as a Canadian.
2007-06-11 11:46:13
53.   Eric Enders
It's pretty silly to ban flags, especially when the national baseball team of Canada is playing. Also, it seems like this rule is subject to selective enforcement, as I've seen plenty of American flags being waved at Dodger Stadium, particularly in the days shortly after 9/11.

The best baseball atmosphere I've ever been in was a playoff game at Fenway with Pedro pitching against the Yankees. Lots of people in the stands were waving Dominican flags around. It didn't detract from the experience; it made it more festive and exciting.

2007-06-11 11:50:41
54.   Bob Timmermann
53
LA fire marshals are very strict and they don't like signs or banners at all and that's pretty much been the way it's been since I was a wee lad.

But if the man was told that he couldn't bring in a flag, but then they allowed him to hold it up during "O Canada", but no other time and then he still held it up despite being told he couldn't do it, then he's breaking the rules.

2007-06-11 11:54:57
55.   Eric L
54 You can't really have flags or banners at the Staples (or the Forum in the old days) if I remember correctly. Isn't it a county fire ordinance Bob? I think I remember reading it a few years back.
2007-06-11 11:57:06
56.   underdog
53 etc. : At least they didn't ask Rick Monday to tackle the guy.
2007-06-11 12:05:55
57.   Doctor
Pretty rediculous left/right splits VS ElDuque, although Nomar has hit him well. Not even going to try to guess the line-up these days.
2007-06-11 12:17:52
58.   Eric Enders
ESPN is trumpeting the arrival of a new Player Rating System that they've come up with. Sort of a proprietary attempt at reinventing the wheel.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playerrating

It seems like a weird blend of sabermetric stats (OBP, DIPS) and stone-age stats (RBI, runs produced). Anyway, I guess I'm not particularly enthused by any system that rates Russell Martin the third-best player on the Dodgers.

2007-06-11 12:19:00
59.   bhsportsguy
Bryan Smith's opinion of the Dodger's draft, his opinion (outside of the Adkin's pick) seems pretty consistent of those on this board who follows this stuff.

" I think Adkins fits fine with what White has done before, a southpaw with plus stuff that hasn't turned the corner yet. Adkins has a lot to figure out, but he looked so good as a freshman in Omaha, I can't believe he has no value left. The Dodgers draft, for me, is dependent upon Kyle Blair signing. That pushes it from one of the better drafts to middle of the road."

2007-06-11 12:20:33
60.   D4P
58
It also ranks Pierre above Furcal.
2007-06-11 12:21:20
61.   LAT
40. The interesting part of that article was the second part; Gagne's availability. I suspect many others besides just Cleveland would be interested. He seems like a perfect fit for the Giants, among others.
2007-06-11 12:22:08
62.   Bob Timmermann
When I look at it, Martin is rated far and away better than any other Dodger.

34.3 for Martin
16.7 for Gonzo
15.1 for Kent

2007-06-11 12:22:35
63.   Eric Enders
Given the freaky left-right splits against El Duque, this is what our lineup tonight should probably look like:

Furcal SS
Abreu 2B
Gonzalez LF
Martin C
Betemit 3B
Loney 1B
Ethier RF
Pierre CF
Wolf P

However, I find it difficult to believe that Nomar and Kent would get two days off in a row.

2007-06-11 12:23:54
64.   Eric Enders
62
Penny 55.7
Saito 34.5
Martin 34.3
2007-06-11 12:24:13
65.   D4P
62
Penny and Lowe are ranked above Martin. You're probably just looking at hitting.
2007-06-11 12:24:33
66.   D4P
65cont.
Oops, I mean Penny and Saito.
2007-06-11 12:24:56
67.   Bob Timmermann
65
Yes, I was.
2007-06-11 12:27:51
68.   Greg Brock
I like the ESPN system because it has Miguel Cabrera as the fourth most valuable hitter.

Preferred Outcome > Quality methodology

2007-06-11 12:29:55
69.   Greg Brock
See guys? We have to get Cabrera...He's the fourth most valuable hitter, according to ESPN's Player Evaluation Ratings Assessment System Doohicky.

Fourth!

2007-06-11 12:32:12
70.   ToyCannon
Did Kershaw miss a turn?
2007-06-11 12:36:13
71.   bhsportsguy
70 Yes, the Dodgers instructed all their affiliates to skip a turn for each of their starters.
2007-06-11 12:36:40
72.   Eric Enders
70 Kershaw missed his turn on Friday because the Dodgers are having all their starting pitchers in the minors skip a turn at some point during the season to avoid overwork. Last week it was Kershaw's turn. He'll make his next scheduled start which should be either tomorrow or the next day (depending on how they have arranged the rotation to deal with today's doubleheader).
2007-06-11 12:36:55
73.   natepurcell
70

hes starting WED. he took a scheduled turn off.

2007-06-11 12:39:18
74.   underdog
70 Since other people keep asking about that, too, here's the scoop on Kershaw:
http://tinyurl.com/2e9gva
Kershaw is 6-2 with a 2.13 earned run average. He missed his scheduled start Friday because the Dodgers are having regular starting pitchers across the organization skip a start.
"I think more than anything, we're just trying to give some guys a blow," Parrish said. "We want guys to be fresh for the second half."
Kershaw will next take the mound Wednesday at home against the Lansing Lugnuts.
2007-06-11 12:39:54
75.   underdog
Darn, you guys are faster than me.

(...Lansing Lugnuts??)

2007-06-11 12:41:35
76.   nofatmike
Random Question, I noticed that Kent has a vesting option next year if he gets 550 PA's, does that mean if he does get 550 PA's that we have to keep him?
2007-06-11 12:42:02
77.   Eric Enders
76 Yes.
2007-06-11 12:42:35
78.   nofatmike
Darn...
2007-06-11 12:42:58
79.   underdog
Btw, a farm report from DeJon Watson is now up on ItD. Not super revelatory but worth a read. Good to hear about some progress with Dominican players.

---
"I had a chance to see Chin-lung Hu who is playing extremely well there and so is Xavier Paul. Some of the pitchers like Jonathan Meloan, who we saw in big league camp, pitched very well while I was there."

2007-06-11 12:43:29
80.   underdog
77 ...unless he retires?
2007-06-11 12:43:36
81.   Eric Enders
Kent's on pace for 570 PA right now. Hopefully Tony Abreu can spell him enough to where he doesn't reach 550.
2007-06-11 12:44:44
82.   weatherman
58 et al.

Martin is the highest ranked Dodger's hitter because of two factors from what I can tell: 1) Catcher is the "toughest" position and thusly weighted. 2) The ratings have something to do with positional ranking, and since Martin is the best catcher in the NL, his score goes up.

So, his position and his rank at that position make him our best positional player.

2007-06-11 12:45:24
83.   kevinarno
Good stuff, Jon.

So I finally found my old Bill James Baseball Abstracts 1982-1988 in my Mom's attic. They were mildewed from summers at Camp Sea Gull on the Carolina Coast but my name written inside the front cover in my mother's handwriting is still legible.

Needless to say, the books are even better reads now than they were 20-25 years ago. I thought I'd share a favorite passage that I stumbled across during the re-reading [since I think it has particular relevance for reasons that will be apparent]:

[From the 1983 Player Ratings by position. Enos Cabell is ranked 26 out 26 ML first basemen] James' comment:

"When Enos Cabell was hot early in the year, you'd ask Sparky Anderson about him and Sparky would say, 'Enos Cabell is a we ballplayer. You don't hear Enos Cabell saying "I did this" or "I did that."' I think that's what drives me nuts about Sparky Anderson, that he's so full of brown stuff that it just doesn't seem like he has any words left over for a basic, fundamental understanding of the game. I want to look at a player on the basis of what, specifically, he can and cannot do to help you win a baseball game, but Sparky's so full of 'winners' and 'discipline' and 'we ballplayers' and self-consciously asinine theories about baseball that he seems to have no concept of how it is, mechanically, that baseball games are won and lost. I mean, I would never say that it was not important to have a team with a good attitude, but Christ, Sparky, there are millions of people in this country who have good attitudes, but there are only about 200 who can play a major-league brand of baseball, so which are you going to take? Sparky is so focused on all that attitude stuff that he looks at Enos Cabell and he doesn't even see that the man can't play baseball. This we ballplayer, Sparky, can't play first, can't play third, can't hit, can't run and can't throw. So who cares what his attitude is?"

2007-06-11 12:46:01
84.   nofatmike
77. If someone offered you 9 million dollars for another year of underperformance, would you retire?
2007-06-11 12:46:03
85.   Eric Enders
79 Watson's blog entry got me wondering, isn't it a little awkward to have a farm director who lives in Arizona full-time? I mean, I guess that's good for the AFL, and we'll soon have spring training there, but it seems like being located so far away from the braintrust and all the farm teams would pose some problems.
2007-06-11 12:46:40
86.   bigcpa
76 If you're concerned about Kent, you might want to get used to the idea of a Luis Gonzalez extension which is due any day.
2007-06-11 12:48:32
87.   Jon Weisman
The Times replaces Adande:

http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2007/06/new_sports_columnist_in_t.php#more

2007-06-11 12:48:47
88.   Eric Enders
86 Well, he is kinda going bald.
2007-06-11 12:49:30
89.   nofatmike
I'm hoping Colletti pulls a Comiskey (ala Eddie Cicotte) and benches Kent before he reaches 550 PA's to "prepare him for the post-season."
2007-06-11 12:49:57
90.   Bob Timmermann
85
Whitey Herzog was GM of the Angels and lived in Missouri almost the whole time.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is governor of California and hardly ever goes to Sacramento.

2007-06-11 12:50:36
91.   kevinarno
87 --

"Kurt came to the paper as a METPRO fellow in 1998 and followed that with a year spent covering inner-city Baltimore for The Sun before returning to The Times."

What? They couldn't get David Simon??

2007-06-11 12:51:07
92.   Eric Enders
89 It would be a little less obvious to do it earlier in the season, say, right now. Maybe we could find an excuse to give him a two-week rest on the DL.

That famed Cicotte story, by the way, has pretty much been debunked. Never happened.

2007-06-11 12:53:25
93.   Eric Enders
91 Simon's too busy making an HBO miniseries with Ed Burns about the Iraq war. That should be pretty interesting, to say the least.
2007-06-11 12:54:29
94.   nofatmike
92. That's the last time I'll ever trust John Sayles.
2007-06-11 12:55:46
95.   bigcpa
93 Ed Burns should stick to romantic comedies. Touche!
2007-06-11 12:56:35
96.   Eric Enders
92 Sayles' movie was an extraordinarily faithful adaptation of Asinof's book. Unfortunately the book has proven to be, shall we say, less truthful than was previously thought.
2007-06-11 12:56:51
97.   Bob Timmermann
92
Cicotte had a chance to win #30 on the final day of the year, but lost to the Tigers.

Cicotte started 35 games in a 140-game season. He finished 30 of them and also relieved five times. He threw 306 2/3 innings in 1919.

Then he kept on "throwing."

2007-06-11 12:57:48
98.   Eric Enders
95 I don't know about that. "Five Towns" was a pretty big hit.
2007-06-11 12:58:59
99.   Frip
DSFan: "Does Brady create an environment that is supportive of the young players?"

There's always alot of talk in business and elsewhere about "creating an environment". Tell me, just how would a manager go about creating an environment for young players? And how does it differ from creating an environment for older players? How many "environments" must he create before all is well?

Or maybe I'm just not into pretentious sounding phrases when every-day language is clearer, such as, simply, "is Brady giving the young guys a chance?"

2007-06-11 12:59:14
100.   bhsportsguy
96 Was there a kid who said "Say it ain't so Joe, say it ain't so"
Show/Hide Comments 101-150
2007-06-11 12:59:14
101.   underdog
Eh, still a good movie though. I never took it as gospel truth anyway. A more accurate depiction of Shoeless Joe Jackson than, say, Field of Dreams, anyway? At least it gave us David Straithairn as Cicotte.
2007-06-11 12:59:16
102.   Jon Weisman
93 - I edited an article on that for Variety this week ...

95 - ... whereby I had to confirm that it wasn't that Ed Burns.

96 - I do love that movie.

2007-06-11 13:01:05
103.   bhsportsguy
99 Well I think one bathroom for six kids, including 3 girls entering teendom did not create an environment supporting youngsters?

Oh, I guess you mean Grady not Brady?

2007-06-11 13:02:10
104.   underdog
Y'all are confusing Ed Burns (co-conspirator with David Simon for The Wire) with actor Edward Burns...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122654/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122653/
(Hm, they look kinda similar... are they related?)
2007-06-11 13:03:57
105.   Eric Enders
104 I think everybody was aware of the distinction between the real Ed Burns and the director of "She's the One." We were just joking around.
2007-06-11 13:04:41
106.   Bob Timmermann
What about Edd "Kooky" Byrnes?
2007-06-11 13:04:57
107.   Marty
I just looked up Streeters picture in our intra-web. I realized I was next to him in the cafeteria this morning.
2007-06-11 13:05:24
108.   Xeifrank
Just noticed that El-Duque has only allowed something like 29 hits in 51 innings. It's not like he has struck out alot of batters to have a hits allowed total so low. Is something wierd going on with his BABIP allowed? Seems kind of extreme.
vr, Xei
2007-06-11 13:05:26
109.   Eric Enders
106 Kooky Byrnes? The Arizona outfielder?
2007-06-11 13:05:50
110.   nofatmike
97. I wonder why Cicotte felt robbed then.
2007-06-11 13:06:39
111.   Jon Weisman
106 - Fans of "Grease" should recognize him!
2007-06-11 13:07:13
112.   bigcpa
102 It doesn't help that the 61 year-old Ed Burns is depicted on IMDB strolling the red carpet with Christy Turlington. I think the Ed Burnses need to do like the Chris Youngs and get a middle initial involved.
2007-06-11 13:07:35
113.   underdog
105 Ah, sorry, well, boo-urns to me then. I was kinda surprised to see how similiar the two of them look though, when I just looked up the IMDB urls.
2007-06-11 13:07:42
114.   Frip
103 Thanks for the correction. Yes, Grady, not Brady. I skipped lunch and am a bit light headed.

My parents were going to move into Mr. Brady's (the actor) house when they moved to Pasadena. I wish they had. I think he was the greatest tv dad of all time, next to Brian Keith in Family Affair. (I'm choosing to disregard his hair perm years.)

2007-06-11 13:07:44
115.   Ricardo
59. Do you think that Blair will sign with the Dodgers? And how much it will take? Something around 1 million?
2007-06-11 13:08:49
116.   Greg Brock
106
Kookie
Kookie
Lend me your comb!

Most of you kids are too young too remember that. Or 77 Sunset Strip.

Whippersnappers.

2007-06-11 13:08:50
117.   underdog
Meanwhile, this star of silent Westerns feels left out.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122655/
2007-06-11 13:09:01
118.   Bob Timmermann
110
All the players felt robbed then. Also the White Sox had deep divisions between factions on the team.

And, in general, American sports were very corrupt then. Gambling was prevalent throughout the sport.

2007-06-11 13:11:37
119.   Eric Enders
117 As does this former Phillie
http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/burnsed01.shtml
2007-06-11 13:12:50
120.   nofatmike
118. Thank God for free agency...
2007-06-11 13:15:10
121.   bhsportsguy
115 If he thinks he is a first round pick, then $1 million at least, though everything I have seen so far indicates that he has strong committment to go to school.
2007-06-11 13:16:10
122.   bhsportsguy
114 I always thought the Brady house was in the SFV (Sherman Oaks).

Bob, do you know?

2007-06-11 13:16:25
123.   D4P
Is something wierd going on with his BABIP allowed? Seems kind of extreme

I'd say this qualifies as extreme:

http://tinyurl.com/2uzqfn

2007-06-11 13:17:59
124.   Bob Timmermann
122
The LA Times story about it said it was in Studio City.
2007-06-11 13:24:15
125.   Ricardo
I don´t know if anyone posted it but Gallagher signed with the Dodgers. Any news on other guys?

Gallagher wouldn't release signing bonus figures last night, but he gave hints. Asked if it was between $300,000 and $500,000, he agreed it was.

"That and $150,000 for my full (college) education," he said.

Link: http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/205410

2007-06-11 13:25:30
126.   D4P
125
Don't let that guy near the watermelons...!
2007-06-11 13:25:49
127.   ToyCannon
More good stuff over at Soul of Baseball blog.
http://thesoulofbaseball.blogspot.com/
2007-06-11 13:26:17
128.   Marty
126 Hey, I made a joke like that two days ago!
2007-06-11 13:26:41
129.   underdog
126 At least they didn't draft Carrot Top, too.
2007-06-11 13:27:23
130.   Xeifrank
123. is it SFW?
vr, Xei
2007-06-11 13:29:45
131.   D4P
128
I must have been sick that day.

130
About as safe for work as you can get.

2007-06-11 13:29:56
132.   bhsportsguy
Baseball Prospectus's Nate Silver sums up his feelings over the new ESPN rating system in one sentence.

I should be a bigger man than to get annoyed by this stuff, but the problem with the new ESPN player ratings is that they're exactly the sort of thing that give statheads a bad name.

2007-06-11 13:34:33
133.   D4P
Regarding the ESPN rating system: are their ratings constructed so as to correlate with something important (e.g. runs scored, runs prevented), or are they just some relatively arbitrary amalgamation of various stats with relatively arbitrary weights placed upon each?
2007-06-11 13:39:30
134.   Greg Brock
or are they just some relatively arbitrary amalgamation of various stats with relatively arbitrary weights placed upon each?

Ding Ding Ding...Correct.

I think my favorite aspect is the point value assigned based on a team's winning percentage. Yikes.

2007-06-11 13:50:43
135.   bhsportsguy
134 Why are there so many Packers, Steelers, Celtics, Lakers and Yankees in their respective Hall of Fames. Because they all won multiple championships. Was Bart Starr or Terry Bradshaw the best QBs on an objective statistical basis, probably not. Sure Bill Russell, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are all-time greats but were Tommy Heinson, Sam Jones, Gail Goodrich or even beloved Big Game James among the best ever in the NBA.

Robert Horry is about to become one of the few players to play for more than 6 NBA champions as he goes for number 7 with the Spurs, he will become the only player to play for three teams with multiple titles. Does that make him a great player, no, but he becomes one of those players whose true value may never be something that is easily calculated.

2007-06-11 13:54:36
136.   chazmac138
120
NoFx fan?
2007-06-11 13:55:50
137.   Greg Brock
135 I agree that some value may never be reflected in statistical analysis. Which is why you shouldn't try to place arbitrary values on them.

If you assign positive values on winning, then you have to punish great players for being on bad teams. I'm not comfortable with that.

2007-06-11 13:57:51
138.   ToyCannon
Bob Lanier isn't comfortable with it either.
2007-06-11 13:58:22
139.   ToyCannon
Or Ernie Banks
2007-06-11 13:58:54
140.   Frip
RE: Robert Reed / "Mike Brady"

From TV Guide, April 4 1970:

For instance, Reed lives in Pasadena. Now
Actors don't live in Pasadena. They live in
Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Pacific Palisades, at Malibu--and a few even live in Hollywood. Which is the principal reason Robert Reed lives in Pasadena. "I love the business," he says, "but isn't it nice to get away from it? Maybe one of my neighbors knows I'm an actor, but otherwise I'm just somebody that lives there and we discuss our roses."

2007-06-11 14:00:52
141.   Greg Brock
John Salley, on the other hand, thinks it's great.
2007-06-11 14:04:28
142.   ToyCannon
I could be wrong but it is my recollection that BP has never given out the algorithm for VORP. Is this still true or is my memory wrong on this?
Bill James spent 1/2 a book and to many hours of my life explaining the numbers behind win shares. ESPN would have done us all a huge favor if they had just paid James for the right to use WS as their new stat. It makes life so much easier to say Joe Blow won trade A because after the trade he had 153 win shares compared to John Doe who had 97. Sure it may not be perfect, who cares, it makes life easy and who doesn't want that.
Crap, to many people raised their hands.
2007-06-11 14:05:41
143.   NPB
Adam Dunn trade rumors have begun to swirl. The Dodgers could use a 40-plus HR hitter. Who would you trade? This is the Reds we're talking about, so we might actually be able to rook them.
2007-06-11 14:06:24
144.   D4P
No matter how you slice it, assigning credit/blame to a single player for his team's performance will confound that player's contribution with the contribution of other players. In my view, this is a bigger mistake than failing to consider a player's team performance. Ideally, team performance would be considered. But our measurements are too crude to make it worthwhile. We're better off sticking as closely as we can to the things a player does that are as independent of other players as possible.
2007-06-11 14:07:50
145.   MJW101
Ned could trade JP and Nomar to the LAAAAA for Chone Figgins. Of course, the LAD would have to pay some $10M over the next 5 years to defray the excessive cost of JP's contract.

Figgins could play/backup CF/3B for the Dodgers, while Nomar could be used as a popular sports figure on billboards advertising the Angels in S.Cal.

Now in reality we all know Ned would never trade JP or Nomar, but we can dream.

2007-06-11 14:09:15
146.   bhsportsguy
140 The Brady house I refer to and the one Bob is talking about was the one used in the exterior shot of the Brady family home used throughout the series.

I think the Pasadena the Robert Reed lived in '70s is a lot different than the one that exists now.

2007-06-11 14:12:14
147.   bhsportsguy
143 Would you trade a package like Delwyn Young and Jon Meloan? I don't see the Reds wanting anyone on the 25 man roster (outside of Broxton or Billingsly) so they would want someone who could be plugged in the pen plus another guy who could hit for extrabases and whose strikeouts wouldn't bother them.
2007-06-11 14:13:56
148.   bhsportsguy
145 The issue isn't whether Ned would deal them but who would take them. Pierre might be the next Russ Ortiz/Kevin Appier. Maybe not today or even this year but soon.
2007-06-11 14:14:12
149.   D4P
Where would Dunn play for the Dodgers?
2007-06-11 14:18:41
150.   underdog
This conversation is so over-Dunn. See comments 40 and 43 and so on. ;-)
Show/Hide Comments 151-200
2007-06-11 14:19:16
151.   bigcpa
143 This was discussed in the 43 to 50 range. Dunn has an '08 team option that is void if he's traded. That could bring the price down. Seems like Ethier or Kemp would have to be in there to open up RF. And then you have the worst fielding OF in baseball.
2007-06-11 14:20:47
152.   trainwreck
Yeah, let's not make our defense even worse.
2007-06-11 14:22:17
153.   Dark Horse
143-Adam Dunn trade talk has been swirling on this site since time immemorial (or at least, since '04). For better or worse--in this instance, I happen to think for better--Ned Colletti doesn't seem like the sort of guy who'd be interested in Dunn.
2007-06-11 14:28:53
154.   blue22
I wouldn't mind upgrading to Dunn from Ethier, but so many other roster moves would need to happen to make that even feasible. For instance, Pierre and Gonzo out; Kemp and a real CFer in (Baldelli?) just to give Dunn some protection in the OF.
2007-06-11 14:30:54
155.   Marty
Icaros and I (and others) scouted Adam Dunn back in aught 5. It turned into a Ryan Freel track meet.
2007-06-11 14:36:09
156.   Disabled List
I gonna stake some contrarian ground here. An outfield of Dunn, Pierre and Gonzalez would actually make the pitching staff better. The pitchers would be so afraid of letting any batted ball go to the outfield, their K and GB rates would have to improve.

I'm a big believer in psychological motivation.

2007-06-11 14:41:50
157.   underdog
Just for fun, read the comments on that Metsblog posting interviewing Jon:
http://tinyurl.com/yplzzv

Darn those cocky Mets fans. ;-) Now they want to trade for Russell Martin. (Can't argue that the Dodgers have been pretty punchless though.)

2007-06-11 14:41:51
158.   blue22
156 - Considering LA's right side of the infield, I'm not sure more groundballs is a good thing either.
2007-06-11 14:48:41
159.   chazmac138
Bold Prediction of the day:

Dodgers 8 Mets -6

2007-06-11 14:50:56
160.   nofatmike
136. That's like the 100th time I've been asked that. I made that name up back when I was a kid because I was really skinny so I called myself "nofatmike" as a take-off of "nofatmilk." I actually hate punk and can't stand bands like NOFX.
2007-06-11 14:53:35
161.   chazmac138
160

To quote Seinfeld, "That's a shame......"

2007-06-11 14:54:11
162.   nofatmike
What about using Dunn as a potential first baseman?
2007-06-11 14:56:47
163.   underdog
162 From that same Heyman article:
-- He's a poor and indifferent outfielder, and a few teams are now considering whether to try to acquire Dunn as a first baseman, though one scout warned, "He's terrible there. I wouldn't use him at first base."

Added one general manager, "I see him as more of an American League player and a DH." --

2007-06-11 14:57:51
164.   natepurcell
kyle blair must sign.
2007-06-11 14:59:22
165.   bhsportsguy
A more serious, okay not so serious but certainly interesting considering this forum.

Newspaper blogger ejected from NCAA baseball game

Manager of broadcasting said blogs are considered a "live representation of the game" and those containing action photos or game reports are prohibited until the game is over.

http://tinyurl.com/38lzdj

2007-06-11 14:59:55
166.   bhsportsguy
164 How much, a million and two cents?
2007-06-11 15:00:17
167.   bigcpa
163 Fielding Rate as 1b Per BP:

Nomar 91 (177 gms)
Dunn  95 (108 gms)

The problem is convincing Nomar he needs to spend more time with the twins.

2007-06-11 15:00:59
168.   natepurcell
166

ill throw in a buck.

2007-06-11 15:01:44
169.   nofatmike
167. Can't Nomar be traded?
2007-06-11 15:02:14
170.   natepurcell
in all seriouness though, goldstein said blair was in talks with the dodgers at their 20th pick and the scouting consensus had him as a supp pick. I assume supp 1st money is fair. somewhere betweek 900k-1mil
2007-06-11 15:04:10
171.   blue22
169 - Not without his blessing. He has a full no-trade.
2007-06-11 15:04:59
172.   StolenMonkey86
169 - he has "no-trade protection"
2007-06-11 15:06:31
173.   nofatmike
Still doesn't rule out the possibility though, right?
2007-06-11 15:06:45
174.   ToyCannon
170
Nate did you see the note where our NC boy might be the 1st pitcher taken next year. We may not sign em but we sure do pick em.
2007-06-11 15:07:09
175.   StolenMonkey86
btw, ItD reports Martin is in first. Max out every email address you have and keep voting for him to sustain the lead.
2007-06-11 15:07:53
176.   trainwreck
Did White pitch for North Carolina this weekend? I know he did not pitch the first game.
2007-06-11 15:08:58
177.   Eric Enders
175 I don't care about the all-star game, but for some reason I care that Martin starts. Awesome.
2007-06-11 15:09:32
178.   blue22
I'd be interested, though, in what would happen if the FO sat him down and told him they were going with Loney. The Yankees have a pretty large hole at 1st, and Nomar did almost sign with them in '05. Maybe he'll want to try to go to stick it to the Sox, and he would certainly come cheaper than Teixeira.

Of course, the Yanks have a little work to do before it gets to that point, but I suspect they'll get it together and make their run at the playoffs.

2007-06-11 15:10:40
179.   ToyCannon
Got a kick out of Tony Jackson making it sound like were facing Seaver/Matlack/Koosman when El Duque, John Maine and Jorge Sosa come into town. Good time for us to puncture their balloons.
2007-06-11 15:11:41
180.   bhsportsguy
174 You mean in 2009 (unless he is sophomore eligible)
2007-06-11 15:11:49
181.   ToyCannon
178
I think they already started their run. We should be so lucky to be as hot as they are.
2007-06-11 15:11:53
182.   nofatmike
178. I wouldn't mind, at this point, if Nomar got traded to the Yankees for, say, Colter Bean with the Yanks footing most of the bill of course.
2007-06-11 15:12:44
183.   Eric Enders
182 At this point, I wouldn't mind if Nomar got traded to the Yankees for a lima bean.
2007-06-11 15:15:04
184.   underdog
That's great news about Russell!
Now I only hope other Dodger fans who are still intending to vote will think twice before voting for a couple of other Dodgers...
http://tinyurl.com/28xstf
Kent's up to #2, Furcal's up to 3, Garciaparra is 3rd, all that's tolerable but Pierre goes up to 11(th).

Apparently we're being partially credited or blamed for Bonds dropping to 4th, too.

Awesome about Martin.

2007-06-11 15:15:16
185.   kngoworld
I thought the majority of this site's readers would rather rest Martin. He deserves to be the starter, but he deserves a little vacation.
2007-06-11 15:16:34
186.   D4P
I thought the majority of this site's readers would rather rest Martin

I guess I'm a majority of one

2007-06-11 15:16:52
187.   underdog
I still think Nomar will end up helping this year's Dodgers, though I realize that's hard to picture right now. If he just gets more of a rest, more breaks with Loney up, he can contribute, and I think he will.
2007-06-11 15:17:02
188.   ToyCannon
180
I was wondering about that, but it was either Goldstein or B Smith from BP that made the comment when asked who might be the 2008 Number one pick in a chat right after the 1st day of the draft.
2007-06-11 15:19:36
189.   Eric Enders
157 That is the first baseball blog I've seen that requires Ticketmaster verification.
2007-06-11 15:21:45
190.   bhsportsguy
185 He flys up from L.A. to the SF on Sunday night or Monday morning, has a "workout" at AT&T, plays about 1/2 the game, he would probably fly back Tuesday night after the game, relax on Wednesday, fly back up to SF on Thursday and then plays on Friday. So the difference between playing half a game in 4 days or not playing at all doesn't seem like much especially since for the first time in recent memory the Dodgers don't start their second half until Friday.
2007-06-11 15:22:24
191.   Gagne55
183 Lima Time!
2007-06-11 15:26:03
192.   goofus
Serious question: I get "No Trade Contract", no way we can trade someone without his permission; BUT do we have to keep him on our 25 or 40 man roster? Can we tell Pierre, Nomar, Kent, whomever,"OK, we'll pay you, but don't bother coming to the park, you're not on our roster"?
2007-06-11 15:26:29
193.   Ricardo
I wonder if the Mets would put Lastings Miledge in a deal , if the asnwer is yes I´d try a trade for him.But maybe that´s why I´m not a GM!
Another good and young player that I always wanted to see wearind dodger blue is Rocco Baldellli, the problem is that he´s always injured.
2007-06-11 15:28:00
194.   trainwreck
I have been saying to trade Kent to the Mets for Milledge and a pitcher for a long time.
2007-06-11 15:28:52
195.   Ricardo
183. Colletti would be a genius if traded Nomar for Melky Cabrera or Robinson Cano.
In the videogame I traded Nomar for Vernon Wells!
2007-06-11 15:29:13
196.   regfairfield
192 No, you can DFA anyone at any time. However, DFAing a guy who you owe 18 million dollars over two years because of two bad months seems like a very bad idea.
2007-06-11 15:29:33
197.   blue22
183 - I'd take Brett Gardner (CFer, Brett Butler-type) off their hands. Not sure the esteem he's held in within the Yankees organization, but he'd fit nicely in LA's.
2007-06-11 15:30:01
198.   Eric Enders
Will Carroll has posted his take on Jason Schmidt. He speculates that Schmidt may require more rest between starts than most pitchers. He also says: "Jason Schmidt was in the low 90's in his first start, but only cracked the mid-80's in his second."

Now, that's technically correct, sort of. Schmidt maxed out at 91 against the Padres and 88 against Toronto. Still, the difference is not as big as Carroll is trying to make it seem. For the second time in a week, he's exaggerated or falsified the status of a Dodger pitcher in order to bolster the point he's trying to make. The more I read Carroll these days, the less impressed I am by him. And I was never all that impressed to begin with.

2007-06-11 15:30:40
199.   Ricardo
194 Tomko has some value as a reliever, so what about: Tomko + Miller + Kent for Miledge and Heilman?
2007-06-11 15:33:40
200.   Humma Kavula
196 I understand your point. Question: at what point do the dollars owed to the player become irrelevant? If he's bad, he's bad, and should be DFA'd at some point, yes?
Show/Hide Comments 201-250
2007-06-11 15:34:15
201.   goofus
I understand DFA. That is giving up rights to the player and any other team can sign him but you pay all but the minimum of his salary. I mean to keep the player in a deep freeze, keep him from other teams (unless they want to trade for him) but just keep him off the active roster. Few players would go that route, they'd OK trades to any other team first.
2007-06-11 15:36:21
202.   D4P
DFAing a guy who you owe 18 million dollars over two years because of two bad months seems like a very bad idea

To be fair, Nomar has had more than 2 bad months. That doesn't necessarily change your point, but still.

2007-06-11 15:36:37
203.   regfairfield
201 If you dump someone without options of the 25 man roster, you have to DFA him.

200 Quite true, but I don't think that time has come just yet. Especially when his replacement is James Loney, who seems to have almost the exact same upside this year.

2007-06-11 15:36:47
204.   blue22
201 - but just keep him off the active roster.

That's kinda what DFA means.

2007-06-11 15:38:45
205.   regfairfield
202 I'm actually writing something about that right now. I consider the end of last season more of a regression to the mean type of thing, since he was still hitting for power, just bouncing back from his unreasonably high .365 average.

What he's doing right now, just hitting for decent average with zero power, seems like an entirely different thing. I'm far more concerned about what's happening now than the last two months of 2006.

2007-06-11 15:39:08
206.   Eric Enders
Loney rides again. Unfortunately, so does Pierre.

Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Martin, C
Kent, 2B
Gonzalez, LF
Ethier, RF
Loney, 1B
Abreu, 3B
Wolf, P

2007-06-11 15:39:23
207.   goofus
I was just curious, it isn't going to happen anyway.
2007-06-11 15:39:37
208.   bhsportsguy
201 No, that is why they created the 25 man roster/40 man roster to prevent that exact situation.

The only variable is when a player is an injured and you place that player on the 60-day disabled list which allows you the option to add another player to the 40 man roster but then you have to square all that by November.

2007-06-11 15:39:52
209.   underdog
Milledge? You mean the Mets Joel Guzman? No thanks. (Though a Tomko for Milledge type trade I wouldn't be averse to.)

Milledge's defense isn't all that good either, if I recall correctly.

2007-06-11 15:41:30
210.   nofatmike
I wonder if Jim Bowden would be interested in giving up Nick Johnson after seeing Young's performance so far.
2007-06-11 15:42:48
211.   D4P
206
I guess Pierre's .400/.400/.400/.800 performance in the #8 spot was enough to get him his #2 spot back.
2007-06-11 15:42:50
212.   bhsportsguy
206 That's awfully curious, Nomar sitting two days in a row. I am not sure Pierre did anything in three days to convince anyone he should be moved up.
2007-06-11 15:45:31
213.   underdog
If you switch Pierre and Loney in that line-up I'm happy. Oh well, can't have it all I guess.
2007-06-11 15:45:54
214.   neuroboy002
I don't get it. I remember reading in the Times Grady saying Pierre would have to increase his OBP to move back up in the line up. What warrants Pierre sliding into the #2 slot again? Haven't been paying a whole lot of attention to Abreu's at bats, but has his hitting regressed the past week or so? I liked seeing Abreu at #2
2007-06-11 15:48:33
215.   regfairfield
214 Abreu now has a lower on base percentage than Juan Pierre.

Sample size issues apply.

2007-06-11 15:49:53
216.   Uncle Miltie
http://tinyurl.com/3ajk7n

All star voting
Martin- 1st (with a slim lead)
Kent- 2nd
Furcal- 3rd
Nomar- 3rd (disgusting that he's here)
Pierre- 11th (see above)
Gonzalez- 12th

I don't remember the Dodgers ever having so many guys near the top. Are the Dodgers forcing every person to cast 50 ballots before thye enter the stadium? Maybe they have their PR people sitting at their computers voting nonstop. I really don't think that Dodgers fans just decided this year to start voting.

2007-06-11 15:50:43
217.   kngoworld
212 Very curious. Hmmmm.
2007-06-11 15:51:46
218.   jasonungar07
Nomar is his last 125 games:
.247avg
.658 OPS
2007-06-11 15:52:48
219.   bhsportsguy
Pierre is 2 for 2 (singles) and 2 stolen bases.
2007-06-11 15:54:01
220.   bhsportsguy
219 Lifetime against El Duque
2007-06-11 15:55:15
221.   Humma Kavula
219 220 and 2 stolen bases

Takes a long time to lift that leg.

2007-06-11 15:55:46
222.   SG6
211 - no. It was Grady Little using ESPN's new fangled stat that put Pierre back in the 2-slot.
2007-06-11 15:56:11
223.   underdog
216 meet 184 and friends.

I do think the Dodgers.com and ItD campaign for Russell has a had a trickle-down effect on the other categories. Myself, I try to vote for guys from other teams too, who, you know, may deserve it more than, say, Juan Pierre.

2007-06-11 15:58:52
224.   Eric Enders
I've voted about 15 times so far. I haven't been taking the trouble to fill out the whole ballot -- I just check Martin's name and then hit submit.
2007-06-11 15:59:39
225.   Ricardo
223. Maybe Alyssa Milano´s blog helped Russel too.
2007-06-11 16:01:02
226.   ToyCannon
Abreu 279/302
Pierre 271/296

Neither should be hitting 2nd. If we do an external upgrade it will be at 3b.

2007-06-11 16:02:05
227.   trainwreck
I don't get why anyone thinks Melky Cabrera is any good. He was never much of a prospect. He has not put up good numbers in the majors. He seems like another overrated Yankee young player to me.
2007-06-11 16:06:46
228.   Bluebleeder87
Maybe Alyssa Milano´s blog helped Russel too.

it also helps that he's a pretty darn good player & that people are finally noticing (east coast also?) i've noticed that his #'s are regressing but the fact that he's a catcher & contributes the way he does is huge.

2007-06-11 16:08:43
229.   Uncle Miltie
223- didn't see that, thanks.

It would be especially gratifying to see Martin starting since he's a homegrown kid.

I'll do everything in my power to keep Nomar and Pierre out of the game.

2007-06-11 16:09:34
230.   regfairfield
226 I have slightly different numbers (.299 Pierre, .297 Abreu). Where did you get those from?
2007-06-11 16:22:13
231.   D4P
I'll do everything in my power to keep Nomar and Pierre out of the game

I understand your sentiment, but at the same time, the voting system is such a joke that the game almost deserves players like Nomar and Pierre. I don't watch American Idol, but I was made aware of the attempts by an ornery subset of voters to make sure the worst singers stay on the show. I kinda liked that.

2007-06-11 16:26:20
232.   Dodgers49
Why is it that the Dodgers seem to have such trouble signing power-hitting prospects?
-- Lionel B., Chesapeake, Va.

>>> Because they rarely draft them. The recently concluded First-Year Player Draft is an excellent answer to your question. Six of the first eight players the Dodgers took are pitchers. That's a trend not only followed by Logan White, who currently oversees the club's scouting, but it's been the Dodger way for decades. <<<

http://tinyurl.com/ynrmy8

2007-06-11 16:31:39
233.   ToyCannon
230
BaseballHQ
2007-06-11 16:39:06
234.   Branch Rickey
Very encouraging trend in Dodger television. What was a once or twice a month smattering of games in HD is quickly turning into an almost nighty occurrence. Most upcoming games that are on Prime Ticket are on PT-HD as well. The KCAL games are on KCAL HD. I don't know if anyone has both (KCAL appears to be only cable while PTHD seems to only be satellite). But I'm hopefully by next year, all games will be available in glorious HD clarity!
2007-06-11 16:42:42
235.   twerp
Gagne might not be the same pitcher he was with the Dodgers, but his Ranger numbers may be good enough to convince some teams he is...highly effective, at least.

Six of six saves, 0.56 ERA, 16 IP, 8 H, 7 BB (?), 16 SO. His one run allowed was a HR. Small sample size and all that, and when does he go on the DL again? He's already been there for Texas once.

In other Ranger news, a June 10 video highlight shows Kenny Lofton throwing out a runner at home. Announcer describes it as maybe the throw of Lofton's life, with the game on the line.

Chances are not real good for anything like this to happen for the Dodgers from CF this year...

http://tinyurl.com/yvwlja

2007-06-11 16:44:23
236.   bhsportsguy
232 I am not sure its that easy. Certainly they have had their share of guys who hit a lot of homers in the minors.

While thre is certainly a current philosophy of drafting pitchers (again going to Logan White said in Jon's piece about projecting pitchers versus hitters), I don't think they would intentionally not draft a home run hitter.

I think we are heading back to a period where there are just fewer guys available that will hit with consistent power. I guess for about 7-8 years, teams had all kind of guys who hit 25 or more homers but now that number will regress. There are many reasons for that but you cannot ignore the biggest one.

2007-06-11 16:48:17
237.   SG6
234 - FYI Time Warner includes KCAL 9 in HD (channel 409), and many of the upcoming Fox broadcast in HD will be on #413. I think 80% of the next two weeks games are broadcast in HD - good times for me. It's very hard to look at non-HD when used to HD. For Fox Prime Ticket, they have the one HD channel with which to rotate all their programming (the aforementioned #413), so may be a Dodger game one night, then an Angel game the other, and something else the following...
2007-06-11 16:50:24
238.   still bevens
234 With KCAL and Fox there's about 2-3 games a week on in HD. The only thing that infuriates me is when the Angels and Dodgers both have 700 games and the Angels broadcast is in HD and the Dodgers is not.
2007-06-11 16:51:15
239.   Bob Timmermann
Does KCOP have an HD feed that any cable system regularly picks up? Time Warner doesn't, hence 413 is the "extra" station.

The non-HD Dodger broadcasts now make me sad. I'm so spoiled.

2007-06-11 17:06:01
240.   SG6
239 - If you have Time Warner, channel 409 is KCAL HD (and all Dodger games are in HD on Channel 9).

Channel 413 is Fox HD (which may carry Prime Ticket broadcasts, and may not).

Time Warner uses the 400's for HD, so that 402 is Channel 2 CBS in HD; 404 is Channel 4 NBC, etc.

2007-06-11 17:11:29
241.   Sammy Maudlin
The Dodger fielder of center has 28 career assists and only 25 perrors.(sic)
2007-06-11 17:12:52
242.   Sam DC
I think Jim Bowden would be interested in trading Young more than Nick Johnson, but would listen to offers for either.

Of course, Johnson hasn't played since a brutal leg break last September and isn't due back until maybe the AS break and maybe later.

2007-06-11 17:15:55
243.   Humma Kavula
241 How do those numbers compare to an average CF with the same number of innings played as Pierre?
2007-06-11 17:23:57
244.   Sam DC
Another random Nationals related sidebar -- My understanding is that the Elias rankings used to classify Free Agents for compensation purposes are based on a two year cycle. Given his troubles and short service last year, anyone know if there is any chance Dmitri Young could end up a compensable FA after this year?
2007-06-11 17:26:01
245.   Sammy Maudlin
(243) Not good . Hardy Richardson once had 45 outfield assists in one season.
2007-06-11 17:30:31
246.   Bob Timmermann
245
Yeah, but that was in 1881. He was likely playing center field by standing right behind second base like in Little League.
2007-06-11 17:30:37
247.   Humma Kavula
245 For what it's worth, Jim Edmonds has played 1416 games in CF (unable to get exact innings total), with 96 assists and 42 errors.

Ken Griffey, Jr. has 1234 games in CF, 74 assists, and 45 errors.

Juan Pierre has 1061 games in CF.

Are Edmonds and Griffey "average CFs?" Probably above average, at least by reputation, huh?

2007-06-11 17:32:18
248.   Telemachos
Since Pierre has yet to be given an error this season, I'm dubious about whether his 25 career errors have any meaning at all.
2007-06-11 17:35:10
249.   bigcpa
248 He made his 3rd error yesterday.
2007-06-11 17:36:13
250.   Jon Weisman
NPUT.
Show/Hide Comments 251-300
2007-06-11 17:37:55
251.   Humma Kavula
248 That's what I was trying to get at. Pierre's crimes in CF are, I think:

(1) He takes odd, banana-shaped routes to fly balls, which negates his greatest asset (his speed); and
(2) On some base hits that would otherwise be singles, Pierre's arm is so poor that above-average runners can stretch them into doubles.

Of the above, (2) will almost never be scored an error unless Pierre clearly slips or something. (1) could be scored an error if Pierre fumbles the catch, but even then, I doubt it. The scorer would see Pierre hauling all out -- making extraordinary effort -- and simply not making the catch... and score it a base hit.

This is what makes the traditional fielding stats so poor.

2007-06-11 19:14:37
252.   Casilda
178 Anything's possible. I think this one's fairly unlikely though. If Nomar wanted to play for the Yankees, either to get a ring or to "stick it to the Sox", he could have done so anytime. The Yankees were begging him to sign with them during the '06 offseason. I think Giambi, Torre, and Jeter all made calls to him asking him to come. He didn't. And mind you, he would have gotten more money and more years from the Yankees (especially after the 06 season). To be blunt, his chances of making it to the post-season would be better in NY than in LA (except for this year. Ha!) Taken together, to me this says he turns down a trade to the Yankees.

And there's also this: 'One of Garciaparra's ex-teammates in Boston said the Dodgers and Yankees made the same offer [after '05], but Garciaparra chose LA because, ''He always considers himself a Red Sox. That's one thing people don't understand about Nomar. He would have never signed with the Yankees because he always thought of himself as a Red Sox player.'" (from a May 14,2006 Boston Globe article from Nick Carfado.) Take it
for what it's worth. I'm sure Nomar wouldn't piss on Theo and the trio if they were on fire, but it's not unreasonable to say it's different with the Boston fans, who still love him. Weigh that for what it might be worth.

(Although you know who could use Nomar just as much? Baltimore. Hell, they're only 2 games behind the Yankees. Sure it's AL East, but it's very different to go to Toronto or Baltimore than it is to go to NY. And Nomar's close friends with Jay Payton, one of the Baltimore outfielders. Nomar's also very close with Jason Varitek.)

Anyway, too soon to say what will happen.

210 That would be a no. I won't promise that Bowden isn't that stupid, but I can assure you - Kasten is not.

2007-06-11 20:28:16
253.   neuroboy002
LuGo's bat has been pretty good for us. Now, can someone send him some flaxseed for his arm?

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