Will be fun to see Abreu in there. (I agree, he's partially in there for some added defense behind Lowe.)

Marquis' one of those pitchers who always seems so hittable and yet the Dodgers seem to have had some struggles against him, at least in my own memory they do...

That play was ridiculous. The ball had clearly begun its journey into foul territory.

It's a real dilemma.

OK, but that play showed an utter lack of judgement by Hillenbrand; so I guess he is stupid as well as being talentless.

This play just really got my goat.

Does this mean we can't complain about, well, pretty much anything Pierre does...?

channeling my sisters, "How Cute!"

I'd love to see him go against Jason Marquis, Ethier looks like the type of hitter that can do something against Marquis style of pitching, oh well, maybe Luis Gonzalez can also do something against Marquis.

I wonder what one must do in order to get fired from Class A baseball.

Let's hope everyone got it out of their systems last night.

A win today means taking 3 out of 4 in a division leaders park. Nothing wrong with that.

Martin is back in the line up. What great news. Abreu is starting today and I just love watching Matt Kemp play. He looks like a thoroughbred going around the bases. This is a fun team to watch.

Step back and look at the forest, fellow DTers! It looks a whole lot nicer than ripping on individual trees every game ;)

With Loney, Kemp, LaRoche, Martin and Ethier competing with Gonzalez, Pierre and a questionable Garciaparra... I was seriously all but counting on it.

Today's lineup...substitute Ethier for Gonzo...is that next year's regular lineup?

But will Ned be able to resist the urge to tinker?

If does anything but add a reliever or a bat off the bench, the team probably gets worse and more expensive, but he'll look like he's doing something. Should be very interesting.

Garciaparra/LaRoche could replace Garicaparra/Loney as next year's frustration.

I'm only disappointed that it's not 6.

Booo.

as for pitching, a lot depends on saito's possible return. even if he does come back, i'd like to see us spend some $ on a quality reliever. they always seem expensive in the offseason, but then, when they're good, they're irreplaceable.

personally, i'd love to see a quiet offseason. i can see a stealth move on a japanese player or two; i could also see a few low-risk gambles on injured players. to me, the best thing that could happen this offseason wuld be long-term contracts given to martin and billingsley.

https://griddle.baseballtoaster.com/archives/781413.html

Stone fruits and Oregon are no Frank Robinson

I just assumed you had a problem with Oregon and stone fruits.

I don't think I've seen Mt. Hood without the snow.

http://tinyurl.com/yvgmdr

Mmmmmmm... white peaches.

The one thing I'd be in favor of would be adding another starting pitcher. Lowe, Penny, Bills, Loaiza is good, but Schmidt can't be counted on being able to go at this point and I'd rather have Stults/Holten as the emergency starters than part of the set rotation.

53 - Hendrickson hasn't done anything lately to make me retract my confidence that he will not return next season. Did you know his second-half ERA is 7.97?

Not to mention that Bob hasn't seen a game at Mac Court. I can't imagine a better experience for him than seeing UCLA play Oregon there.

He's running out of opportunities as we speak.

No need to turn this into a racial thing...Just Kidding

Nectarines for me, white ones.

Because it tends to result in ideas like "let's sign Juan Pierre" ?

"The one thing I'd be in favor of would be adding another starting pitcher. Lowe, Penny, Bills, Loaiza is good, but Schmidt can't be counted on"

Enter future Dodgers Starter Livan Hernandez. I wish it'd be someone else, but the PVL factor will be off the charts!

Amen to that. Hurry and do that this season because it is a fantastic experience. I had the pleasure of watching Luke Ridnour there.

I don't think either ARod or his agent would care one iota about such things.

I had the pleasure of watching Luke Ridnour there

Me too. In fact, I go back to the Blair Rasmussen days. I got his autograph at Valley River way back when. He was with a girl who was about half as tall as he was.

DT offseason road trip!

If someone could guarantee my tickets for a game, preferably a conference game, I will do my darnedest to get up to Eugene this winter.

I'd be willing to chip in for UCLA tickets off eBay. At the very least, I'd give you back your dimes.

But if Kent goes, then I think he will not feel comfortable.

83 - There are two Ernie Kent eras at Oregon, aren't there?

As I watch this game more and more, the whole idea of lead-off, third place hitter, clean up hitter types just makes less sense, just put out your best lineup and let them do their thing.

Just practicing for game time posting and the overreaction to each and every pitch. I think I'm ready.

Next year
Furcal
Martin
Kemp
Kent
LaRoche
Loney
Ethier
Pierre

It was either move Pierre down or have Martin bat 8th.

Or Charlie Sitton.

He'll sign a power-hitting outfielder, then deal Ethier. That's my fear. He and LaRoche seem like possible trade-bait to me, the latter because of injury concerns.

Really, what makes me worry is Colletti's belief that more is better. We'll bring in the power bat but he'll replace someone who can actually hit, not--ahem--a short, nameless slap-hitter who can't. We'll let Hendrickson go and bring in another pitcher, but will that pitcher be better than Hendrickson or just another roadblock for McDonald? It's not that I think we should presume the latter is ready, but Ned seems to like expensive solutions that hang around too long. They must make him feel secure. But consider the long presence of Tomko and then imagine if we'd simply swapped him out for Houlton or Stults at the beginning of the season. Neither would've been spectacular, yet that's the likely difference between October baseball and Russ Martin's well-earned vacation, right there.

Now there will be no money changing hands right?

Anyone else scared by Furcal's limping?

I have until April to save up for the beer.

I'll agree that he's struggling this year. It's unfortunate, I've always liked him (even when he was a starter). But his struggling could make his return to LA more plausible, no? Or is there another team out there that will gamble and drop a large amount of money on him?

Keep it down lowe.

I wonder how many more runs the Cubs would average if Soriano batted somewhere other than leadoff?

My WGN is showing the White Sox.

And while I'm asking about Hu, barring any unforeseen disasters, can we expect him to start at shortstop in AAA next year?

That's what it looks like on TV. I realize it's probably mere perspiration. Maybe he's having flop sweat.

from what I understand he should be a great glove guy & above average bat.

scooplew--I certainly hope your intuition that the Dodger offense is primed to explode is an accurate one.

You make it sound like it's something bad bro!

See comment 99

At least Abreu gave that one a ride. Hope this game doesn't turn out too "interesting."

Apparently Tal Smith really likes Ed Wade. I agree, he's a far better GM candidate than Logan White. White stinks, Ed Wade all the way!

Two Ks in one inning for Lowe? Hope he keeps this up.

I've asked that before. The answer is "Yes".

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggghhh.

My last Mac Court appearance was also Reggie Millers last game there. I think UCLA beat Oregon by almost 40 and Reggie hit everything he threw up. Shortly after that I moved to CA.

Anyone going to the Ore/Stanford football game?

Dodger hitter could however learn how to foul off a few and make him throw a ball.

"Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! ... Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput." (Nonsensical German translation of joke.)

John McEnroe (former Stanford attendee), reacting to Appalachian State's defeat of Michigan last weekend, said "What's next? Stanford's going to have a good year?"

(I'm reminded of Ervin Santana's bitter remark after yet another crappy performance back in June or July in which he asked, "What kind of a question is that?" in response to Mike DiGiovanna asking him if he was concerned about being demoted to AAA.)

Loney says, Interesting THIS!

Loney's swing looked beautiful too.

Yay, Loney!

Right now, I don't see much that impresses me.

Andy La Roche gave it a ride but it curved foul.

I see were your going with that & I would agree with you BUT from what he's shown now I'd have him step in a little closer (He tries to pull everything) ironically the 2 hits he has were to right field so go figure, I see your point though.

You mean like Alex Gordon?

Or did someone steal something from him?

His dimes, perhaps?

It would be Shea Time!

Maybe it's the Lieberthal factor.

another great at bat by Loney.

What excellent hustle!!

If Martin's the Golden God, then what should we call James?

{sarcasm}

>>My WGN is showing the White Sox<<

I was reading through the comments and this one 139 made look to see if Dish Network had made a mistake in their menu. No. The White Sox were on.

we need a shorter name then that.

the visual just makes you LOL.

I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if Lowe got through two more scoreless innings, and just one isn't enough to justify keeping him in. I think you have to hit for him there.

Right?

It seems to me that they are looking for only one inning more.

I really can't understand giving up a near sure out with two runners on for one more potential inning. Even if Lowe had done well it was a poor decision, especially since Beimel, Broxton, and Saito all had yesterday off.

It just didn't make sense, just like Jon said, ugh.

So much for reverse jinxing it!

{sob}

Yeah. You can throw Soriano a pitch in the dirt, but you can't make him not swing.

Grady is really showing his true colors here.

Jon said as much I think too.

He has that look of "damn it!" it was my fault. But maybe he's thinking something else, I like giving people the benefit of the doubt I guess.

Disappointed in Grady (I've been a supporter of his and still like him more than Tracy).

Its so ridiculous, that its fruitless to comment on.

Everytime I watch something like that happen--a three-run jack, the very thing our offense is built to seldom produce--I think this sits on Colletti's shoulders. About all I can console myself with is the recognition that McCourt might've felt in June like Ned was a brilliant hire, but it would only take one more season like this one to change his mind, I'm sure.

Umpires: Home - Ed Rapuano, First Base - Ed Hickox, Second Base - C.B. Bucknor, Third Base - Joe West

all you need is angel hernandez.

New post up top.

He went with Derek Lowe, who is the pitcher who generally goes 7 innings, he presumely wanted to just use Lowe, Broxton and Saito today.

Sometimes players make bad pitches or players come through, Soriano came through.

Feh.

Gameday is still stuck on Soriano's homer. There must be some metaphysical reason for this.

Especially with a 40man roster.

I thought they weren't allowed to cuss on the airwaves.

Tracy would have bunted.

444 Furcal has spent so much time playing with injuries, That the effect is that he is diminished to that point much of the time.

Hitting for LaRoche was exactly the right thing to do. Ethier is having a superb season and should be playing every day. Having him on the bench is a luxury, and I'm glad Little didn't shy away from using it.

And I am enthused as anyone that LaRoche is playing. But he's a kid, he's pressing, and this at-bat was a big deal. Looking at the post-HR video of LaRoche and Ethier on the bench, Andy looked relieved and pleased.

Yeah, Ethier hitting a homer is great.
But pinch hitting for LaRoche, when Ethier could have hit for Abreu or for Beimel would have been a smarter move.

Unless of course you dont think LaRoche is as good as Abreu/Sweeney.

Little made a goof in the 7th with the letting Lowe bat, and then taking him right out in the bottom. It happens. Those are bad decisions. Sometimes teams win despite bad decisions, but usually they dont.

What a great game! And the most enjoyable day of teaching I have had in awhile!