I compare Vegas to my simulator to see which does a better job of predicting winners. So far Vegas is ahead by over 2%. Last year they beat me by just over 1%. Ugh!
vr, Xei

Anyone know if there's a hot bat down in the Dodgers AAA or AA farm system that could be brought up? Dodgers need some power and so far the answer is not Andruw.

Furcal, SS

Kemp, CF

Ethier, LF

Kent, 2B

Loney, 1B

Martin, C

DeWitt, 3B

Pierre, LF

Kuroda, P

Way too early to dub Jones as not our power bate.

OT: Has anyone had experience with Rock Band for the 360? I am considering picking it up, but I don't know if it is worth it.

Furcal. SS
Kemp. CF
Ethier. RF
Kent. 2B
Loney. 1B
Martin. C
DeWitt. 3B
Pierre. LF
Kuroda. P

Say, could someone post the line-up?

;0)

(Well, well, Freshy is batting ahead of Slappy.)

Or The Solution bats ahead of the Dissolution.

I do have Guitar Hero, which I can say from experience is a well made game and guitar...lots of fun.

Rock Band on the 360, well it pretty much rocks. As a guy with zero musical experience, I've become addicted to the drums, I feel really cool when I beat a tough song. You can download more songs which is nice too.

We were talking baseball, as guys often do at baseball games, and we couldn't agree on how to properly score a 3rd strike where the runner reaches first when the catcher misses the ball. I'm sure someone knows… any help is appreciated.

If anyone is going tonight, it is "bark in the park" so bring your dog; and a jacket, it was cold.

It is a bit odd to me that Pierre doesn't start in center and Kemp in right, Ethier in left given that Jones is sitting.

It is a strikeout and passed ball (or wild pitch) as far as I know.

I'm also one of those who thought we should sign him and was glad we did, so if it is a bust I'll feel a little hypocritical demonizing Colletti about it. I'm never happy when Pierre's in the line-up at this point, though. I'd take Young or Repko as a replacement when Jones sits, any day of the week. But we're not going to see that very often.

Rock Band is probably the best thing I've spent money on in several years.

If Joe proved nothing with how he handled the whole JP streak deal, he'll bring in someone or something to get one thing done, win games. End of May, Andruw better be hitting or he find that he'll be doing a lot more sitting and some young stud from AAA or AA will be getting some playing time.

I am bummed he came to camp looking like George Foreman but I have been pleasantly surprised at how he handles CF with his girth.

Vinny has commented in the past that he blames Rico Carty for bringing the one handed catch to baseball. I'm sure he's mistaken and has told the story so many times he now believes it to be true.

Andruw Jones isn't going to sit for extended periods of time this year.

http://tinyurl.com/6cmfho

One thing about Ned, he gets center fielders who don't miss games.

43 Of course, I was just pointing out the absurdity of the statement.

hahaha so amazing.

Even worse is that if he'd done it a week earlier, the Cardinal would have been able to get Mike Montgomery back in the saddle.

The NCAA has a minimum score that athletes need, but Stanford, Duke, Vanderbilt, etc may have slightly higher entrance requirements even for athletes.

LSU is a football school. There's talent there, but does seem like a lateral if not move downward. Stanford doesnt have much back for next year, so maybe he wanted to leave before his record worsened and no one wanted him.

You rock!

Sorry, couldn't resist that pun

Johnson is a Stanford guy and, with his time at Boise State, Nevada, Utah, and Washington, has spent his entire career in the West. He doesn't appear to have any recruiting or other ties in the South or any other reason to go to LSU. It must be a money grab, pure and simple.

I think it is an amazing nickname. Someday when he has paid his dues, it will be even more amazing.

Duke does have a better basketball team, though.

Don't worry, you will. When Vasgersian finally gets tired of the "Hu's on first" routine, he'll start in on that one.

Nice to hear the DBacks announcers gush about Loney.

Maybe they should just show highlight clips or would that be manufactured too?

I have heard of other airlines honoring tickets from bankrupt airlines (giving "stand by" status) as a good will measure and hoping to gain favor with frequent fliers looking for a new travel provider but nobody is under any obligation.

Also, for the full effect go to youtube and search rick roll. You are welcome in advance.

Weird.

Pierre RIPPED that one, and drove in a run!

Wow. Credit the man with a rare rip to the deep fence.

Please Hiroki, don't bunt.

DeWitt was lucky not to have been thrown out at home. The DBack fielder threw to the wrong base first.

He just missed one there.

He actually had a decent rip on that one ball that lined into the Dodgers dugout.

At least our RBI Machine drove one in.

134 The MLBTV version of that play used CGI effects to show a ball hit by Pierre going almost out of the park. Very nicely done. I think the same people did "I Am Legend."

I'm not saying I don't like it. In fact, it's not half bad.

*I actually know nothing about microfractures, and I am not a doctor. They just sound like tricky things.

http://tinyurl.com/wygx7

http://www.sonsofstevegarvey.com/2008/04/sosg-exclusive-dodger-stadiums-new.html

Pierre with an RBI? uh oh...

Damn, Kent ripped that one, too.

Owings has never really impressed me much as a pitcher. His stuff is really ordinary and doesnt have a ton of movement. He's really lucky he isnt down 5 or 6-0 right now.

No, wait, I mean dull.

I would love to see the movement on his pitches.

Too bad, too, because as you say the book was a great read.

I cant imagine him ever going 3/30 in any stretch.

Now that dumb theme song is in my head again.

Nope, he slaps it into the outfield for a basehit. He just hates walks. But as long as he gets on base...

Hey, other teams, look out our extra outfielder today. he's good, you know you want him. Detroit I'm looking at you!

I have the same feeling seeing the FNL TV series, as you do about 21.

206- That show, for all its flaws, was still way better than Small Wonder, the which I watched every episode, I think.

---

Out of This World. Yikes. Next you'll be making "Small Wonder" references.

Sigh, either way, the DBacks get a break. Guess we'll see that patented Hiro Clampdown in action.

But I'm not tickled to see the bases loaded no matter how that happened.

If he gets hit leaning over the plate it is a strike

Charlie Steiner inadvertently explains what it's like to live in Phoenix.

Darn it! Darn those 2 out RBIs.

Dodgers need some luck to turn their way now after nailing Owings for 4 innings and only a run to show for it.

Darn, the DBacks are so hot even the H-Rock can't stop them.

Yes, I'm in a bad mood and I'm looking for things to complain about.

Now come on, let's score some more runs off him!

Awesome.

And then the "And let's see Robby get his first RBI here, come on!" made me hit the mute button again.

What happened?

Conor Jackson is out of the game after being hit on the hand.

Yep. I can't even say that about the Lakers commentators any more. Where it makes the least sense is New York. How is the nation's largest city not more objective with their broadcasters?

And the AZ announcers are still talking about Jackson getting hit three times this week and when a player thinks about saying "enough" and retaliating. Are you kidding me? {mute}

I remember how Xei's win expectancy increased to 3 trillion!

Time for a win expectancy update :)

Ball got away from Martin, Hudson bolted.

Ball didn't get away far enough.

Guys on base: pinch hit for him

Nobody on base: let Kuroda hit

"A majestic home run," says Darren Sutton in his first spot-on comment of the day. ;-)

Ok THAT ends that discussion!

Okay...you are listening on the radio but the throw wasn't that bad. That should have been caught by Furcal.

To be fair, the ball barely cleared the fence.

But! Did Darron say that all sad and mopey?

I'm only on gameday, far as the level of majesty, I'll take your word for it.

{mute}

He's at 84 pitches.

But he's just a placeholder for Longoria anyway.

Just get on base baby!

I have a Loney nickname idea. I got it from Ray Charles: "Loney Avenue." Seems to capture his sweet swing.

on to boston...

(Yes, I am braving it unmuted again.)

Feh, I hate the DBacks and their damned homerish announcers.

Someone fire up the firejoetorre blog spot.

I would've left him in there, too, though. He's been tough, he just went over 100 but it's only the 6th inning, the bullpen was depleted after the first two games. But I really thought he'd come through. Darn.

Common sense says that Kuroda was tired and should have been taken out BEFORE the Owings at bat (which by the way makes no sense either).

Common sense loses again!

Chan Ho in a close game.
Andrew will probably have something to say about this.

The way its going, it's far from over (especially since Owings is going for one more inning). 392 just pointed out the fault in trying to think too far ahead, as many NL managers do.

397 Probably, though it's debateable whether that runner would've been out no matter who was out there. But it's clear he never had a shot at the 2nd runner.

The situation in 392 is what the double-switch is for. That way the reliever can hopefully get one quick out AND pitch the next inning.

"[from Japan Baseball Daily's Central League Report for February 11, 2007] Veterans Kimiyasu Kudoh and Daisuke Miura each threw 223 pitches during their bullpens Sunday. Perhaps trying to make a point, Kudoh has been racking up high pitch counts despite being 43."

GF (game finished) does only the winning team's last pitcher (that doesn't get a Save / Win) get credit for this or does the losing team last pitcher get one too?

hit!!!!!!!! andruw's ops is rising like microsoft in the 80s

'Druw "singles on a ground ball to Ojeda." Infield Hit? Huh?

If Kemp gets on, they should pull him too.

Hasn't this been done recently on Manny Ramirez?

Confarnit, I can't believe we'd lose this game to Owings after ripping his pitches all over the first half of the game. Sigh.

And then he almost got beaned in the head.

If you drag it by the pitcher then the 1B has to field it or it rolls to the outfield. All you have to do is beat the pitcher to 1st.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=la

What is the dbacks equivalent of Dodger Thoughts?

Oh MAN, DeWitt almost hit that one out, right at the warning track lip. Darnit. I've said "Darnit" a lot today.

I'm still feeling it out, not sure what I'm going to do.

529 I stand by my 522 . Hope you won't defect, but if you do, there's no turning back, just remember! {Said in motherly voice}

Ah well, at least I won't have to hear Darren Sutton again for awhile.

Bye all. Gonna both do some work and take a break from thinking about the Dodgers for awhile.

Goats:
1. Kuroda
2. Martin
3. Kent

vr, Xei

0 runs -- 60 innings
1 run -- 14 innings
2 runs -- 4 innings
3 runs -- 1 inning
6 runs -- 1 inning.

Only six innings with 2 or more runs, and only two innings with three or more, and one of those was the three-run first inning on Opening Day.

... He became a Dodger?

At least Chan Ho and Broxton pitched well. How long before our hitters finally realize the season's started?

WE of this little fantasy: .02%