Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Jon's other site:
Screen Jam
TV and more ...
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
I've decided to go with the apostrophe in the headline this year, although it's legit with or without.
From September 25, 2005:
The last two Dodger games I have attended, a loss and now today's victory, have been the two most pleasant I've been to all season. Both came after the team's sub-.500 status was assured, a condition that seems to have weeded out the high expecters (expectants? expectationers?) who would only be satisfied by a victory. The best that people hope for now is that a baseball game be played. That's all. Throw the first pitch and we've already won. The Dodgers of September 2005 offer no other guarantees, and so we find ourselves at the major league equivalent of Little League, where it's a celebration when someone doesn't fall on his head and it's considered poor form to rain criticism or curb hope. Call it the Losers Dividend. It's a very relaxing, freeing payoff (abetted by the ease of ingress and egress to Dodger Stadium that the smaller crowds provide), enough to make one up and move to Kansas City or Tampa Bay so this can be reinvested and experienced permanently.I'll be at the game Saturday night, catching up with a friend visiting from out of town, a friend I spent a big chunk of the '90s going to Dodger Stadium with. For those three hours, I won't care what place the team is in. Take me out to the ballgame ...There were a couple of people who violated the spirit of the day. They both seem like nice enough people on the outside and seem to not lack for friends, but still they thumbed their portfolios at the Losers Dividend. One was the chap sitting two seats away from me, who couldn't find any redeeming aspect in what lay before him and almost from the opening pitch was trying to hurry the game along so he could get home to barbecue. For those who have criticized Jim Tracy for benching Hee Seop Choi and for those who have criticized Choi's acquisition, you might find it interesting that this fan had no kind words for either. Choi does "nothing" as a player, and Tracy is the worst manager in baseball, according to this fan. Again, his delivery was easygoing and he struck me as the first guy who would help you change a tire if you were stuck on the side of the road, but for today's game, he packed a full kit of contempt. And you just wanted him to let go a little bit like the rest of us, and take the opportunity to let baseball be baseball.
The other spurner was Tracy. With two on and two out in the sixth inning today in a 2-2 tie, Choi stood in the on-deck circle with Willy Aybar at the plate. As Aybar inched closer to a walk, it occured to myself and others that Choi could have the game's make-or-break at-bat. It also occured to us that with a lefthander on the mound, Tracy might pinch-hit for Choi, even though it would be the perfect opportunity in this meaningless game, during a part of the season that Tracy himself has said he's putting people like Brian Myrow in situations to gain information for 2006, to give Choi a key at-bat against a southpaw. A perfect Little League moment.
Aybar walked to load the bases, and Choi took a couple steps toward home plate. Sitting (thanks - seriously, thanks - to some generous seats from an anonymous Dodger Thoughts reader) in the lower part of the Field Level, I could see and hear Tracy yell at Choi to come back. Either Choi had not gotten an earlier message, or Tracy did not counsel Choi that he wouldn't bat against a lefty with the bases loaded. It added insult to insult. Either way, as Tracy sent Jason Phillips up to pinch-hit, it caused me to have my one bad moment of the game and yell at Tracy like I was the protective father of the 10-year-old Choi. This was not what the game was supposed to be about.
My reaction sprung from the assumption that this was a time for the kids, a time to get a glimpse of the future in the present. Upon reflection, I realized that maybe Tracy was Little Leaguing it after all, that he was trying to get as many guys in the game as possible and this was his best spot for Phillips, who in fact hasn't played much lately. No one thinks Phillips has much more of a future in Los Angeles, but of course, perhaps Choi doesn't either. So I'm going to grudgingly, very grudgingly, let Tracy off the hook on this one. And it has nothing to do with Phillips getting a single that keyed the Dodgers' six-run inning. I think it was objectively the wrong move for the organization and personally disappointing, but Phillips is a human being too. I'm not going to stay mad. That would be my waste of the Dividend.
* * *
Tonight's game:
No, it's not possible.
("Dusty Must Go" -- two years proactively -- would also suffice.)
Nah. How fun would the playoffs be with Colorado, Arizona, Chicago, and Philadelphia representing the NL? Definitely moreso (more so?) than with NY and/or SD getting in there.
its not the amount of innings in a season, its the amount of pitches per start. Baker was notorious for letting his pitchers rack up pitches counts of 120+ in starts.
That is what everyone is worried about.
I'd have no problem rooting for the Phils, Rox, D'backs or Brewers in the postseason. I wouldn't even be against seeing the Cubs get the monkey off their back.
Milwaukee's act has folded up its tent and gone home it appears.
The offense consists of waiting for Braun and Fielder to hit home runs and nothing else.
The Brewers bullpen is in really bad shape.
That was my recollection as well.
That's actually probably part of the answer. Nevertheless, even after we control for all these variables, Baker's pitchers still throw 3.68 more pitches per start than expected. That's maybe an extra start-and-a-fifth a year. It's about 5-10 extra innings.
So it seems that to claim that Baker ruins pitchers' careers is hyperbolic at the least. Even if we account for the fact that younger pitchers should probably be throwing less innings, Baker still isn't quite the monster people make him out to be. Nevertheless, if he is worth 5-6 extra pitches per outing for a young pitcher, that may indeed be significant. There's certainly no reason not to be on the cautious side, and Baker's lack of caution with high-pitch outings is certainly disconcerting.
But Dusty Baker is not a professional arm shredder; he only leaves his starters out there for about three-and-a-half more pitches than expected. Prior and Wood have had injury troubles, but so do many young pitchers. Perhaps it isn't Baker, but just bad luck. Perhaps the Cubs should have never pissed off that Billy Goat."
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/dusty-baker-and-pitch-counts/
And you get to see Chad pitch. I can't imagine a better game.
...is a fly out to center by Rollins. Still scoreless in Phila.
I feel confident she will.
4-1 Fish.
Go ahead. Be less obtuse than me!
And he hasn't been hurt.
122. Sometimes I wonder if it is even fair for Colletti to negotiate for A-Rod. Knife to a gunfight...
I regard this as the primary obstacle to us signing A-Rod. I'm in the camp with those who believe Boras will have A-Rod opt out despite the Yankees' advantage. But even if that happens I don't see Ned as being up to the task of negotiating with Scott Boras as an equal. What I suspect would happen is that Boras would simply use Ned to jack up the bid for others. I'd love for us to get A-Rod. But I'd be downright shocked if it actually happened.
How did Jim DeShaies strike out nine in a row?
Then singles to left.
Very convenient.
Pierre, CF
Valdez, 2B
Kemp, RF
Loney, 1B
LaRoche, 3B
Ethier, LF
Moeller, C
Hu, SS
Wells, P
Crowd chants M-V-P...
...and he singles, and two runs score. 2-0 Phils.
Not that it matters. I just feel like certain things are ruled out for no good reason.
...Don't forget about the Battle in Seattle!
Apparently, knowing is only half the battle.
.200/.224/.262/.485
As for RBI, from Tony Jackson:
James Loney tonight became just the fifth player in L.A. Dodgers history to drive in 31 runs in a single month. He joins Frank Howard, who had 41 RBI in August 1962; Mike Marshall, who had 37 in September 1985; Tommy Davis, who had 33 in June 1962; and Kal Daniels, who had 31 in September 1990. Strangely, Pete Guerrero only had 26 when he hit 15 home runs in June 1985.
Just goes to show: you can lead the league in outs if you hit like that.
Ryan Howard walks... 1st and 2nd, 2 outs for Rowand.
Please report to us if he says anything meaningful.
Valdez is #2 because he is quick.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196204120.shtml
The Rockies are just a game out of the wild card, so they would still be alive with a loss tonight.
The only team that can be eliminated tonight is Milwaukee.
That would be Mr. Misty May.
2-0 Brewers.
Dairy Queen, anyone?
Setting a record for repeating the usual platitudes:
"Grady's been put in a tough spot by 1 or 2 different people."
"I find it disappointing."
"As you look at the crux of the young players here, I think they're better than they were at the beginning of the season."
"Are we perfect? Far from it." Channeling Jim Tracy.
On whether we should be concerned about Schmidt: "We should be concerned about everybody."
"We're better off than a lot of clubs."
Barry as a hitter and Maddux as a pitcher are "as close to genius as I've seen."
Those were the high points.
Somebody's got to start. Wells is healthy and ready to go.
It's not like the Dodgers will be crushed if he gets hurt.
Same with me. Time to head home. I have found that driving and posting to DT and following five games simultaneously is hard to do behind the wheel.
Even with a Prius.
Don't want the truth. Just hope he doesn't survive the day. (As GM, I mean. I don't wish the man dead unless there's no other alternative.)
## Los Angeles Dodgers
Ideally, the Dodgers will make regulars out of James Loney, Matt Kemp and Andy LaRoche. If they make those moves, then that will go a long way toward curing their offensive ills. Also, Jeff Kent's vesting option for 2008 has kicked in, so he'll be back (barring a trade, of course). On the pitching front, Jason Schmidt should be healthy by spring training, and Brad Penny, Derek Lowe and Chad Billingsley will all return.
The bullpen is fine, so really the Dodgers just need to add a starter to the fold. Buying out Randy Wolf's option and signing him to a discount contract is a possibility, as is adding an arm on the free-agent market. ##
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7274456
McCourt is an empty suit. There's nothing there to discuss, nothing at all.
Colletti is more devious. I can't believe he really doesn't know what VORP is. I suspect he's playing the role of old-school baseball guy for a reason. His little snitty-fit about the Drew opt-out was just odd. And the Pierre signing, well that's beyond explanation. And Nomar? All you can say for sure is that up to now he's getting away with it.
And he's never going to tell us what he's really thinking.
Are there people who aren't Elvis Costello fans?
Man, must Mets fan be hating on the Nationals right now.
I like your rational on Jons opening to the thread but Jon also makes a good point in that Jason Phillips is human also. I never liked Choi's swing at all but as a fan of the Dodgers I did root for him to succeed, oh well.
Or else Clint Hurdle has gone insane.
One presumes they like Whitesnake.
Whitesnake was all downhill after the "Is this Love" Tawny Katain video. Come to think of it, so was Tawny.
Email Frank McCourt if you're worried about Ned's potential "Appease the Veterans" approach:
FrankM@ladodgers.com
He does read it or at least his secretary does. I emailed him a couple years ago and he gave me a phone call a few days later.
There was a point when they were uphill?
Arizona 4, Colorado 2 after 7.
Couldn't drag me away.
From the TV, that is. Helen can finish taping the walls herself.
I think it will be good to continue the trend, and use our rather high draft picks on pitching.
This may work better.
Buchholz strikes out Chris Young to end the eighth. It's getting awfully late for the Rocks.
Reyes, Castillo, and Wright due up. I think Kevin Gregg will be pitching.
Not Cool...
If that happened, they would be seeded: New York, Cleveland, L.A., Boston.
Thank god for who?
Valverde can't find the strike zone all of a sudden, 2nd walk of the inning.
Apparently Grits is free to play anyone anywhere in the line-up, with the glaring exception of Pierre.
Andre Ethier came out to "Forgot About Dre."
and NYY vs. CLE ??
But with our pitching I'm not sure the '27 Yankees could win.
after that long chug.
Huh??
Cubs clinch with the Brewers loss.
"Jeff Kent, whose $9 million option kicked in earlier this month, is uncertain whether he wants to return to the Dodgers next year.
"I guarantee you that if I were to make a decision right now, I'd say no - because that's how frustrated I am about not being able to get to the playoffs," he said. "I'm also frustrated at myself because I didn't play good enough to get there. Now I have to go home and look at my wife and my four kids in the face and try to figure out what we all want to do." It seems like the Dodger veterans are truly annoyed with the direction of the team, though they've been largely outplayed by the youngsters whenever the under-27 guys have received the opportunity. If Kent wants out, the Dodgers could simply let Tony Abreu and Chin-Lung Hu battle for a starting job next spring."
http://tinyurl.com/ynny2f
That's 9 million dollars more so we can get A-Rod.
Ethier for Dunn?
The problem is ... no one knows.
Arod.
duh. :)
Loney's HR gives him 32 RBI in September, passing Kal Daniels' Sept/Oct 1990 for the 4th most RBI in a single month in Dodger history. Tommy Davis had 33 RBI in June 1962 (giving him 153 for the year).
Loney is now hitting an amazing .410/.454/.770 with 9 HR in September.
His OPS AccuTracker™: .938 season, .930 career
No need to cross religions.
After hearing about his lack of power for several years, I had hoped he would be a pure line drive hitter like Olerud or Grace.
But he is continuing to hit more HRs/ab than those two ever hit.
Ever allowing Mota within a million billion miles of wearing a Mets' uniform was a blunder of cosmic proportions. He was unneeded (and, I might note, pitching under absolutely NO pressure whatsoever when he was so effective during the late season last year when the Mets strolled through September) when they acquired him last August. He then spit the bit and gave up one of the biggest hits of the season in the NLCS, the triple in the 7th inning of Game 2 to Spiezio. And he has been nothing short of a debacle this year.
And there has been no louder, more consistent, and insistent, voice all along calling it right than yours truly. Though we'll never know for sure, it is quite possible that the acquisition of Guillermo Mota might have cost the Mets back-to-back world championships. There is no Mets' player I have ever loathed more, and I pray there is no player they ever have that tops him. Because that would be one Satanic player, let me tell you.
Monday
Mets v. Phillies, winner gets the East
Padres v. Rockies, loser goes home
Tuesday
NY/Phi loser v. SD/Col winner, for the wild card
1) Bobby Thomson
2) Brian Johnson
3) Jack Clark
4) Reggie Jackson
5) Chris Truby
Okay, that's silly. But here's one for Marilyn Von Vos, the Parade magazine registered genius. In what year did the combined age of this infield equal Wells age at the time?
odalis p.
billy ashley
mark hendrickson
jeff kent
juan pierre (just to tick off the host)
Oddly enough, that scenario is not one that MLB has worked out. I believe that is how it would be played out.
I like your list, minus Hendy, insert Tomko
If Mota pitched for the Dodgers like he's been pitching for the Mets, we'd be equally upset. Mota has been like Robert Hernandez except he's been used more.
I didn't know the kids had a hand in the ageing process or spacetime. That's life Jeff, bad timing. I'm sort of upset that I'll never get to meet my great great grandkids or didn't get to catch Lincoln's second inaugural. Tough beans.
With malice toward at least one...
Hey, I'm a Lincoln Memorial junkie.
In the second half, you have a right to feel nervous, because this kind of game often goes against us when our pitching collapses. I can't say this happens the majority of the time, but it feels like it.
god, of course. put clark and jackson on my list. satan satan
Kemp'll be fine. He does have a double tonight.
238 Mark Hendrickson? He's pretty mediocre but I can't see putting him on a Satanic list...
I mean, come on.
After finding out that David Wells could still be effective when given extended rest, they pitched him on short rest.
I watched it. But there wasn't much to say.
Since Boras is his agent, I guess this means Colletti will be too miffed to bring himself to make an offer for ARod.
Feel free to make any comments/jokes.
Cal or Oregon?
Go Dodgers.
274 I hope you are right.
I'm proud...I'm proud of what Frank McCourt has done...In standing up and trying to create an atmosphere here in LA for the future...He brought Ned in, and he's got these young kids playing well. They're coachable, they're good looking kids, good heads on their shoulders, they're going to play well for the future. But I don't have a future. I'm a here and now guy."
"The collection of talent we have here now is fascinating. It works well together."
Jeff Kent, two-faced jerk.
I don't play this game for my numbers. I play this game to make me, Jeff Kent, the most important person off all time, feel good about myself. Because I'm a veteran. I'm old school. And I only care about how I feel about myself.
Well, Jeff, I only care about how the Dodgers make me, as a fan, feel about baseball. And I'd feel really good about baseball if you drove your motorcycle into a brick wall at 130 mph.
bill crain 81
d4p 82
trainwreck 83
clair malone-evans 83
Oh, and go Ducks.
I want my crown!
Instead of the Oregon-Cal game, we're treated out here to Clemson-Georgia Tech. Oregon's primary advantage will be of the "home field" variety. I'll never forget that Duck-Bear game (in 1993?) when the Ducks were up 35-0 at the half and ended up losing 42-41.
You can't, unless you're the Oilers or the Ducks.
Hey, that game was also in 1993. Did the Ducks sell some contaminated Willamette River water to the Oilers?
Lingering distaste for the Oilers move from Houston still keeps me from rooting for the Titans. And they're probably at least partially responsible for the Rams' move. Yet, I really like Vince Young. I'm conflicted.
I've pretty much resolved all of my football-related conflicts by not watching it anymore. I stopped watching at some point during the second quarter of the Rams-Patriots Super Bowl, and have been much happier since.
Here's the lead of the AP story about the game that was played on 10/2/1993
Dave Barr threw three second-half touchdown passes, including a 26-yarder to Iheanyi Uwaezuoke with 1:17 to play, as No. 17 California came back from a 30-0 deficit to beat Oregon, 42-41, on Saturday.
It was the second-biggest comeback in NCAA Division I history. Ohio State trailed Minnesota, 31-0, before winning, 41-37, on Oct. 28, 1989, and Maryland trailed Miami, 31-0, before scoring a 42-40 victory on Nov. 10, 1984.
It was the biggest comeback in Cal's history. The Golden Bears scored a 29-28 victory over Arizona on Nov. 4, 1989, overcoming a 21-0 deficit.
Uwaezuoke's catch ended a nine-play, 85-yard drive. Cal, still trailing by one point, went for the two-point conversion and Barr found Mike Caldwell in the corner of the end zone to complete a 35-11 surge by Cal.
Or a job.
To be chased by the Ghost of Failure
While staring through Victory's door?
Of course you do, you're a Mets fan"
FRANK MESSINA, the self-proclaimed Mets Poet.
With two games left in the season-ending series against San Francisco, center fielder Juan Pierre needs four runs to reach 100 for the fourth time in seven seasons and seven hits to reach 200 for the fourth time in five years. And All-Star catcher Russell Martin, who is hitting .295 and did not play Friday, has an outside chance to finish with a .300 batting average.
"I haven't given it much thought to be honest," said Pierre, who went two for four Friday but did not score. "It would be cool. I realize I'm close."
Martin also downplayed the stats.
"To me it doesn't really matter," he said. "Hitting .300 just sounds good. When it's all said and done, at the end of your career, those are the numbers that matter. I'd like to end up with a .300 career average. That's saying something."
Pierre, one of eight major leaguers to have played in all of his team's games this season, also figures to appear in 162 games for the fifth consecutive year.
"The contract says 162," said Pierre, who has the longest active games-played streak in baseball. "It's a pride thing also. I want to go out there every day no matter what. Not just because we're in the race.
"I feel like I owe it to myself and to the fans . . . to go out there and play hard every day."
The fact that the manager doesn't realize that it might be better to sit him down doesn't matter.
Pierre is, at least, trying his best and trying to do as much as he can. He doesn't have a lot to give unfortunately. And his highest OPS of the year is in September.
--Quiz Kid Donnie Smith
-- Juan Pierre
Purdue 20, Notre Dame 0 - 2nd quarter
Bring back Gerry Faust!
I will again repeat my friend's line about Weis.
His biggest win was losing to USC at the last second in 2005.
He is one heck of a smooth 3rd baseman.
Minnesota is going to enjoy him.
if your hunch is right I'll be o.k. with the move...
i'm trying to figure out where to watch the football game this afternoon. maybe i'll head over to the east bay somewhere... is there a good cal-friendly bar in the city?
Which city? There are many cities.
It will behoove the Phillies to win today.
and no i'm not talking about milbrae, or san bruno. or even daly city.
Oh, you mean Colma!
I think he't talking about Sendai.
I bet if you went to Colma today, you could find somebody who would give you free food. Somebody will be having a reception after a funeral. Just pass yourself as a mourner and enjoy the victuals!
It's not an illusion. It's real!
I am the choir to which you can preach.
Today's word: "purblind"
This will come up later as well in the discussion of Dodger management.
Bob, Brock: UH plays Idaho at Moscow at 11:00am hst.
The Rockies need two wins and two losses by the Padres to force a tie for the wild card.
The NL East could have a team involved too. If the Mets win their next two and the Phillies win their next two and the Padres lose two and the Rockies win two, then it's a three-way tie for the wild card.
If the Phillies split, Mets win two, Rockies win two, and the Padres lose two, it's a real mess.
I'm confused Bob...
Why hasn't anyone used this headline yet?
Quarterpounders are different story.
Goalkeeper banished after ripping teammate
http://tinyurl.com/3awg8s
Notre Dame has missed two PATs.
yeah, Maine is pitching a pretty game.
Is Randolph going to bring him out for more?
San Jose's cred with me has now increased tenfold! ;-)
San Jose becomes hyphy central on weekends. It is quite annoying.
I believe you would have to pay to listen online.
Capitalist swine.
Paul Hoover singles.
I am not going to Richmond to find out.
Vasgersian and Grant think Greene is the top fielding shortstop in the NL.
They say it a lot.
But they're also incredibly stupid men too.
>>AL strikeout leader Scott Kazmir (or as the Mets refer to him: The One Who Got Away) has called upon management to bring in some veterans.
Despite the payroll increase, 20% of the Rays current payroll is only around $7MM before revenue sharing assistance. The Rays would like to re-sign Carlos Pena in arbitration and Boras wants a lot. Yet Kazmir is entering his first year of arbitration and won't reach free agency until 2010. The Rays have until then to build a winning club around Kazmir. And if they do, would he want to stay?
Right now, his comments speak for themselves, "It's tough being kind of the laughingstock of baseball right now. It really is."
I found this interesting because while I think Kazmir is right, it's contrary to most of the comments MLBTR readers made yesterday. Most call for the Rays to trade Carl Crawford, etc, to re-stock young talent; however, you can never underestimate the value of veteran presence. <<
Geoff Geary relieves in the third. It's still just 1-0 Washington.
Obviously, Marty, you've never been to the Napa Valley.
Chipping away at payroll by not resigning Saenz, Saenez, Martinez, Gonzo and there is another $10 Million. That frees $34 Million to get AROD.
What do you mean? It was good and the refs said it wasn't?
I assume it was kicked directly over one of the uprights. I don't understand why they don't just make the uprights really tall, so that the ball can't be kicked over them and they never have to rely on referee judgment to determine whether the ball went through or not.
If the ball is above the uprights, the officials have to judge if the entire ball would have been inside the upright. They don't assume that the ball would have bounced inside the goal posts.
The uprights are really tall. They have to stick up 30 feet from the ground at a minimum.
In the olden days, they used to be relatively short, about 10 feet or so, and disputes over field goals were more common.
But why not make them really really tall, so that the ball can't possibly be kicked over them?
The one official looks at the other official to see if they agree on the call. They don't want to make conflicting calls because that brings up a whole world of problems.
It's an unusual situation and it doesn't come up that often.
3-0 Nationals in the 7th.
In one game, one team outhit the other 19-1
In another, it's 10-3 in hits
In the third, it's 10-1.
In the fourth, it's 11-2.
The rankings currently have Cal at around 6 and Oregon at around 11, meaning that Cal "should" beat Oregon. But if Cal does beat Oregon, Oregon's ranking will fall and they'll no longer be considered the 11th best team, even though they were supposed to lose.
Yet, the oddsmakers made Oregon the favorite in the game.
And if they do, it will not be much.
Yes, #3 Oklahoma lost to unranked Colorado. #7 Texas is behind unranked K State in Ausin.
The Marlins pitchers kept throwing at Luis Castillo.
If you're standing right underneath the goal posts, it's a fairly easy call.
Unless the kicker kicks the ball really high.
Every other angle on the field is deceptive in some way.
Pierre, CF
Valdez, 2B
Kemp, RF
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Young, LF
LaRoche, 3B
Hu, SS
Billingsley, P
________________________________
Martin batting 5th is a little surprising, I'm glad Grady is starting to like D.Young more & more.
Hoffman facing Fielder to lead off the ninth in a 3-2 game.
I can barely come to terms with SD winning.
if you need to be "excused" for a bit go right a head Vishal, we'll still be here...
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