Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
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
Scott Proctor might need to rest for days, after throwing 45 pitches over three shutout innings (barely surviving the 12th).
On the other hand, look at what overwork has done for Russell Martin: a .942 OPS in August, including a double in the bottom of the 12th to send Jeff Kent (4 for 5) to third base and set up Shea Hillenbrand for the game-winning sacrifice fly (after Hillenbrand earlier hit a game-tying homer as the Dodgers rallied from five down). And Takashi Saito threw a shutout inning for the fourth day in a row. Thankfully, Thursday is an off day for Los Angeles.
Laurels also go to Matt Kemp, who has been unfairly lambasted in the press for making a few mistakes on the bases, as if this were an ongoing problem of his all season or as if veterans weren't also making bonehead plays. Kemp reminded everyone he's the best slugger on the team with his home run. And James Loney drove in four runs himself.
For pondering: Is the sacrifice fly becoming the symbol of this Dodger season?
Update: Following the lead of 6-4-2, here's how FanGraphs.com depicts the highs and lows of the Dodger game today.
vr, Xei
Where the Dodgers could be when the clock strikes 7 at Petco on Friday.
If the Padres win the remaining 2 games.
SD 74-59
AZ 74-61 1
LA 70-63 4
If the D-Backs win the remaining 2 games
AZ 76-59
SD 72-61 3
LA 70-63 5
If they split the last 2 games
AZ 75-60
SD 73-60 1
LA 70-63 4
Does Loaiza bump Wells?.....
vr, Xei
3 In terms of the Wild Card race, Philadelphia is the only other team that is in the picture for the moment, the Dodgers could either be behind them by one game, tied or ahead by a game depending on what happens between the Phillies and the Mets.
No he bumped Stults from what I understand.
3 GB the Dbacks
2 GB the Pads
3 GB the Pads
(The best the Phils can be is 72-62, if they beat the Mets today and tomorrow and the Marlins quickly on Friday.)
3 GB the Dbacks
2 GB the Pads
3 GB the Pads
(The best the Phils can be is 72-62, if they beat the Mets today and tomorrow and the Marlins quickly on Friday.)
vr, Xei
Just wondering, is it appropriate for grown adults to use "Tee Hee"?
I'm just sayin' ;-)
If the Dodgers get swept, see ya in '08.
And although I still have doubts about his long-term or even medium-term viability, kudos to Hillenbrand for a great couple of games.
I thought the windmill should have sent Kent on Martin's double, but it doesn't matter now.
If I ever meet Scott Proctor, I will buy him a beer. Well done, sir.
I'll buy that!
I'm waiting....
But not the boxscore.
Take that 'Zona.
That's higher than any Brooklyn total as well.
"This thing is a long, long way from being over."
Or should I just stick with calling him Mr. Short-Term Memory?
http://www.insidesocal.com/dodgers/archives/2007/08/dodgers_10_nats_1.html
Perhaps Tony was referring to his long-standing feud with the Dodger Stadium elevators.
"Oh we won two in a row, it's not over till it's over"
"Of if they lose tonight, it's definitely not over"
Harmless, knee-jerk overreactions!! Probably a little harsh to call him hypocritical.
At least for this homestand.
A baby faced man with a giant blue helmet on his head.
A man with a SF Giants hat, but the SF has been crossed out and replaced by LA.
A rotund, thick-moustached man going through the trash, picking up spare parts.
Bill Mueller.
An old man pushing down two kids with bats in their hands.
Don't you think most of us use more than one game before forming our reactions?
So what do you all think, is roster expansion a bad thing from a competitive standpoint?
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/MLB/National/West/Dodgers.html
Not so. Here is where we stand at this moment:
Team W L PCT GB
Arizona 74 59 .556 -
San Diego 72 59 .550 1.0
LA Dodgers 70 63 .526 4.0
If the two teams split while we don't play that's a wash. We'd still be three games back of San Diego on Friday.
See: Brett Tomko, Luis Gonzales, Roberto Hernandez, Mark Hendrickson.
C - Martin - $1m*
1B - Loney - $400k*
2B - Kent - $9m
3B - LaRoche - $390k*
SS - Furcal - $13m
LF - Ethier - $425k*
CF - Pierre - $8m
RF - Kemp - $400k*
Bench - Lieberthal - $1.4m (option picked up)
Bench - Nomar - $8.5m
Bench - Lucille II - $1m (option picked up)
Bench - D.Young - $390k*
Bench - Abreu - $395k*
Bench - Sweeney - $1m*
SP - Penny - $9.5m
SP - Lowe - $10m
SP - Billingsley - $400k
SP - Schmidt - $13m
SP - Loaiza - $7m
CL - Saito - $2m*
RP - Broxton - $425k*
RP - Proctor - $1m*
RP - Meloan - $390k*
RP - Beimel - $1.25m*
RP - Tsao - $700k*
other - Wolf option buyout - $500k
other - Tomko option buyout - $1m
Total payroll - $83.465m
Some notes
1) minimum salary in 2008 in $390k
2) Martin is under team control but I expect 2008 to be year 1 of a 4+ year contract buying out his arbitration years (signing bonus included)
3) Sweeney is a FA
4) Saito is technically under team control, but is a special case since he has leverage to return to Japan
5) Proctor and Beimel are arbitration-eligible and figure to be back
6) Tsao is arbitration eligible, as are Brazoban and Hendrickson (and Repko). I expect all to be non-tendered if a contract cannot be agreed upon before the December arb deadline (and in Hendy's case, he's gone no matter what)
There is definitely room for a big splash, if they are interested in making a play for A-Rod. Playing devil's advocate, the Dodgers could sign A-Rod, have him play 3rd in 2008, then slide him back to SS in 2009 as LaRoche takes over 3B (after his 1B/3B/OF utility year in 2007).
What, he's annoyed at the existence of the list? For five full innings?
Oh, wrong rule.
Bob what is the ruling there? The Phils get the second out with Iguchi tagging second, but Marlon obstructed the third out at first?
Anderson interfered with Iguchi and pretty much tackled him. Since Anderson was already out, you have to call Green out. And Chavez's run didn't count. Even if there had been none out, Chavez would have had to have gone back to third.
The batter is out when -
(m)A preceding runner shall, in the umpire's judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play:
Rule 6.05(m) Comment: The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously this is an umpire's judgment play.
Micah Owings ain't afraid of no man.
(Billy: There's something out there. And it ain't no man.)
I am very happy they called the batter-runner out for that interference. In my opinion that was the definition of interference, and those type of plays seem to be getting worse and worse.
I can't believe how provincial San Diego commercials are.
Kuo is a wildcard, too.
There's been talk that Wolf--if healthy--is one of the best starters available in the offseason. He'd be relatively expensive given the health risk, but with Ned's MO of having backups for backups for backups combined with the way pitchers dropped like flies this year, I wouldn't be surprised if Ned signs him if it appears he's OK medically.
Ned might also sign Wolf to try to build a surplus of starters as trade chips, like the strategy supposedly was this year. Funny how that worked out...
I don't think he could sign and trade Wolf before something like June '08 at the earliest, but signing Wolf might afford SP depth to deal others...maybe Stultz, Houlton.
Depending on the demand, he might give us a hometown discount too. If he sees himself healthy and having a shot to make the rotation. He still hasn't thrown and might need surgery again. He could be out until mid-season next year, nobody can tell at this point.
One thing is clear to me though, we'll buy out that option before we give him 9 mil guaranteed after a season like this and his previous injuries.
So essentially this offseason is about finding a swing man in the pen and a pinch hitter / 5th OF.
Are numbers assigned by roster spot or something?
I believe volleyball is the same way on the international level and international hockey limits numbers too.
Really? The DOD sponsors a team? Is there a PX at PETCO?
The players have to wear 4 through 15.
"We're looking at hopefully starting a throwing program soon, but we're running into a calendar problem," said trainer Stan Conte. "He's pain-free, but there are a certain amount of throws he'd have to do to get back to pitch up here, and you can't put a timetable on it. While we'd like to get him back into a competitive situation, we can't rush it. Structurally, we're confident the shoulder is clean. But with the inflammatory response, it's taken longer than we thought it would take."
If Wolf can at the very least work up to throwing well off a mound: If Colletti thought Wolf was worth this contract last off-season (and the market was thought to be higher; lots of hometown discount talk), why not $8.5 million ($9 million minus the $0.5 million buyout) with no option or anything for next year via a simple option exercise? I'm not saying it will happen, or it's certainly a great idea, but I don't think the buyout is clearly obvious either.
So how will the Dodgers score their next run?
A) home run
B) RBI single
C) RBI double
D) RBI triple
E) sac fly
F) squeeze play
G) error
H) bases loaded walk
I) bases loaded HBP
J) bases loaded CI (separate from G)
K) double play
L) balk
M) UN decree
N) League of Nations mandate
O) Private law passed by Congress
P) Emergency order from Supreme Court justice
Q) Scoreboard operator error
At least you didn't call me old bear.
as for 8-8, I didn't post anything that day... I may have been on temporary hiatus then.
But under today's rules, you can't score from second on that play. You would only get one base.
R) Executive Order
I just wanted realistic options then!
When tomorrow night's game concludes, no matter who wins, the Dodgers will:
1). Trail somebody in the West by 4 games (either SD or AZ), and
2). Trail somebody in the Wild Card by 3 games (either SD ro AZ).
>>Robert Fick just hit a home run!
Why the exclamation point? Because Fick hadn't hit a home run all season.
And because, and I say this with all due respect, Fick just might be the worst player in the major leagues. Entering this afternoon's game, Fick had played in 157 games with the Nationals -- 60 last season, 97 this season -- often as a pinch-hitter. In those 157 games, encompassing roughly 300 plate appearances, Fick has batted .232 with a .300 on-base percentage and a .294 slugging percentage. Mind you, we're talking about a guy with essentially zero defensive value. <<
There are only two more lines after that.
I could tell you what they were, but then I'd have to kill you.
:-/
140 Good to know, thanks. This response will self-destruct in 30 seconds.
Let's say that if they're going to acquire Loaiza, the Dodgers say they need him now, not just next season. But they couldn't acquire him before the July 31st deadline because his health was still too uncertain. And let's say the A's and Dodgers agreed on a package deal (for Loiaza and another A's player/prospect) that would land the A's a player we'd really like them to acquire--such as Andy LaRoche--but who is too good to clear waivers.
An off-season trade doesn't serve the Dodgers' needs as well because they need Loaiza now. And a deal for a prospect not on the 40-man roster doesn't serve the A's as well because they want more than that for an affordably priced, middle-of-the-rotation starter . So Loiaza is sent to the Dodgers now, and in the off-season another A's player/prospect is sent to the Dodgers for LaRoche (or whomever).
All needs are served. Doesn't this make sense, more than Beane giving away a valuable trade chip without getting a player in return--when clearly he could deal Loiaza, and his salary, to any number of 29 teams in the off-season and get some talent in return?
Wow, the Royals beat the Tigers again. Greinke and company shut out Detroit.
Okay, I need to turn the computer off, turn the TV off, and meditate. Tomorrow's a day off, hooray!
Laroche went 1-4, Young 2-3, and Hu 1-4, all singles.
Down in Jacksonville, Miller struggled, but Cory Wade, who's going to the AFL after a very impressive season, really shined in relief:
Miller 4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 7 K, 1 HR
Wade 3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Abreu is a doubles machine. If only he would walk more, he would be an extremely valuable middle infielder.
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