The choice to start Player X or Player Y should not depend upon which player can warm up more quickly as a reliever.

The choice to start Player X or Player Y should depend upon which player is the better starter.

I have this funny feeling that someone is going to get benched today in favor of Pierre. But it can't be Kemp-- he was awesome yesterday (if only 1-4), and it can't be Ethier, who just had a day off.

And it can't be Jones, who makes $18 million a year.

I think the real answer is that Torre just wants another look at Loaiza as a starter. It goes along with his whole "I'm only 3/4 of the way to knowing the players" theme.

Does he really take that long to get to know the players? I've never heard other new manager talk about that. Is it just that Torre is honest about it? Or is it part of his managing style, relying upon his eyes and learning personalities?

Did the guy look at the videotapes during the off season? I get the impression no. Sometimes it seems that we know the players better than he does. I suppose, though, that the video won't tell him things like, oh, how Pierre does off the bench, or how much playing time Young needs to stay sharp, or how good Ethier and Kemp are when they actually get to play every single day.

3 Jones has to be pretty banged up now, though, between the "contusion" and the flying through the air catch last night.

It can't be an easy thing for an organization to realize that it has an $8 million 4th outfielder and a $7 million mop-up pitcher.

It should have been an easy thing for an organization to realize that Pierre was a 4th outfielder and that Loaiza was a mop-up pitcher.

4 - I've heard of other managers talk about not knowing their guys late into their first season. I think it was Karros on one of the national broadcasts saying that Davey Johnson was telling reporters in August of his first year that he still didn't know the team.

Honestly, going to the video, I think only tells you a bit of the story. I think a lot of people around here down play the psychological aspect of the game and that is what I think Torre is trying to figure out.

I would guess that the less stats-oriented (and the more character, guts, gamer, clutch, dirt-player, etc. oriented) you are, the longer it takes for you to feel like you "know" the players.

Anyone have the latest on the Home Plate Umpire from last night's game? I understand he's at least coherent but beyond that, I hope he feels better.

9 stats are just an indicator, as evidenced by Jon's comments above

10 - Tony Jackson said he was scheduled to be released last night.

6 sometimes I start adding up the money wasted on salaries on this team and my head starts to hurt...between Schmidt, Jones, Pierre, Nomar, many times Kent...and the jury is out on Kuroda...

these are not the guys on whom we should rest out hopes, yet they monopolize the salary structure

12 maybe he'll catch on with a minor league team

13 I forgot to add Loaiza to that list

But Matt Morris was released. He's available to add depth to the rotation now.

Do you mean former All-Star and 20-Game Winner Matt Morris...?

13 - Kent is far from a waste of money, especially considering the lack of 2B alternatives in the organization and the utter lack of production from 3B.

Matt Morris figuratively hammered the figurative final nail into Jim Tracy's figurative coffin.

It's still April, but the Dodgers scored more than 10 runs last night for the second time this season.

In 2007, the Dodgers scored 10+ runs ten times. For the season, the Dodgers scored 735 runs, including 121 runs in April.

So far in April 2008, the Dodgers scored 114 runs with three games left to play. Potentially the Dodgers could be on pace to score more runs this year.

The most Dodger runs scored in a year this decade is 820. The 2006 Dodgers scored 820 on their way to the Wild Card.

And finally, the 1977 Dodgers scored 769 runs. I always regarded the '77 team as the best offense of the modern Dodger era.

7 Not to mention a $8.5 million brittle utility infielder.

Matt Morris figuratively hammered the figurative final nail into Jim Tracy's figurative coffin

How do ya' figure...?

21 that was nomar in my comment

16 and don't be surprised if Kuo, Loaiza and Morris are soon sharing the #5 starter spot...perhaps with Schmidt until Schmidt breaks down again

the Dodgers have some more work to do if they are going to completely block Kershaw's ascent...there is still an opening there and Morris could be just the ticket to block it

23 - Do you think that Ned would sign Morris to go with Kuo, Loaiza, and Schmidt for the 5-spot, instead of calling up Kershaw in June? I'm skeptical that even Ned would make that move. There just seems to be no shortage of alternatives for one spot in the rotation without having to bring in PVL's that are pretty obviously toast.

22

Wasn't he the final acquisition provided to Tracy in Tracy's swan song season?

Vin Scully's commencement address happened yesterday - see update above.

Matt Morris figuratively pounded the final figurative nail into Dave Littlefield's figurative coffin. But Morris did all that last year.

25 misery loves company...Loaiza, Schmidt, Morris...only need one more for a game of bridge

26
I didn't figure you'd take me seriously...

30

Ditto.

25 - I'll even add Park to that list too. That means Ned would favor Morris (9.67 ERA) over Loaiza, Kuo, or Chan Ho now, and eventually Schmidt or Kershaw (or McDonald, or Adkins, or ...).

I think (hope?) were safe from Morris at this point in time. I'm actually very optimistic that we see Kershaw well before the All-Star break unless one of these guys catches fire in the 5-spot.

Ned will look at Kershaw's 0-3 and say he needs more seasoning

I see the Pittsburgh end-of-2007 Matt Morris acquisition as a Dave Littlefield/Jim Tracy figurative murder-suicide.

I don't know, right now both of these guys really can't be counted on to pitch more than 3-4 innings however Kuo is more prone to build up a pitch count which means his exit could be on the early side. If you get 6 innings out of the combo, that's probably the best you can hope for.

Grady Sizemore, the current leader for consecutive games played is not in the lineup today for Cleveland. If he doesn't get in somehow, Jeff Francouer will be the new leader in consecutive games played.

36 - where have you gone Cal Ripken, Jr?

20 It's still April, but the Dodgers scored more than 10 runs last night for the second time this season.

Second time?

April 12: 11-1 vs. SD
April 15: 11-2 vs. Pittsburgh
April 26: 11-3 vs. Colorado

There were 5 other wins where the Dodgers had 7 runs or more.

the thing that troubles me with the Dodgers right now is the fact that they've only one 3 close games (three runs or less) and have lost 8 close games. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the season

what troubles me is that they have lost more games than they have won, period

"What can the Dodgers expect from Ethier, Kemp, Loney and Billingsley over a full season? Joe Torre, the manager, has no idea.

"The track records that should have been established by now have not been, and the spring training that should have enabled him to evaluate the players was abbreviated for commercial reasons."

I find this comment both curious and irksome. First, Joe is throwing Ned or Grady (appears to be Ned)under the bus for keeping Nomar at 1B, and Kemo on the bench or in Vegas, or BIlls in the pen. Second I don't think anyone can claim Loney does not have a track record. He has proven at everyturn that he is a very good MLB 1B.
Second, I think this I don't know my team stuff is BS. You have been the mangager for 5-6 mos. And while a trip to China did interefere you have alibrary of tape on these guys, unlimited resources in sthe scouting dept. and dare I say,statistical analysis to get to "know" your team. I'm just not buying this last part. Come on Joe you are the leader, don't even appear to be making excuses.

39 - LA has outscored their opponents 114-98. That's an encouraging sign, no? Don't the close games start to balance out?

42. I dunno, ask the 2007 D'Backs.

42 - On the other hand, you could be one of these teams with similar records as LA:

RS/RA
SF - 83/116
Col - 107/132
SD - 83/119

33 I think Ned and the front office will look at the fact that Kershaw has not thrown over 200 innings in his entire professional career and that last year he only pitched 122 innings.

My guess is that Kershaw is on track for 150 innings or so. The front office would probably prefer for him to get them in Jacksonville.

45 same difference

A couple ESPN headlines of interest:

Umpire out of hospital after taking fastball to jaw

and

Pirates make struggling vet Morris walk the plank

Next up on the firing line is Ron Washington, manager of the 8-16 Texas Rangers. His fate is being decided this weekend in a series of meetings among team owner Tom Hicks and new president Nolan Ryan according to the New York Daily News.

In the case of Washington, whose Rangers have gotten off to a dreadful, worst-in-baseball start after finishing last in the AL West at 75-87 in his first season as manager in '07, his firing would seem inevitable although, to be fair, his boss, GM Jon Daniels, has done an abysmal job of acquiring any kind of decent pitching in his own three years on the job.

If true, this would be unfortunate. Manager taking the fall for anawful GM.

From the Rockies' commenter last night==

"Between Redman's pitching and this song, I feel like jumping in front of a bus."

Reminds me of an time in a local pizza parlor when a sick kid couldn't quite make it to the bathroom and, um, gave back some second-hand pizza.

It happened near a guy in a baseball uniform from an area college. He calmly said: "Huh! That kid must have seen me pitch today." :)

Matt Morris accounts for roughly one-fifth of the Pirates's total payroll.

41 - That quote aside (which seems rather harmless to me), aren't you relatively satisfied at the job Joe has done so far? Loney has played every inning. DeWitt played every inning while he was here the first time around (and figures to continue to do so now). Ethier and Kemp have been given ample playing time. Kemp has established himself as the backup CFer when Andruw is not in there.

It seems like he's giving the young guys every chance in the world here (with the exception of Kuo, possibly).

50

Argh...we don't know what we're doing.

IAITHBMB

Kemp's 5 RBI first inning was the first 5 RBI inning by a Dodger hitter since Jeff Kent had one in Cincinnati on May 6, 2005. Kent had a 2-run homer and a bases clearing double.

While reading an actual hand-delivered copy of the LA TImes this morning, it was funny to see an article with three large photos of Giselle Bundchen, Amy Winehouse...and Chan Ho Park.

He spoke of Marty Stratton, who lost his leg and pitched in the big leagues, and for two seasons in a row won 15 games.

This is a bit misleading. Stratton won 15 games two seasons in a row BEFORE he lost his leg in a hunting accident. He did come back and pitch several years later, winning 18 games, but in a Class C league, not the majors.

55 and it was Monty Stratton, not Marty.

51. I'm not complaining about what Joe has done. I just think he is beyond the I don't know my team excuse.

Dusty Baker had a 5 RBI inning on 9/13/77 against San Diego.

Fernando Tatis of Cards against Chan Ho must own the single inning RBI record.

57 - That just seems like one of those dumb questions that managers are forced to answer. To be honest, I don't know what to expect out of Billingsley, Kemp, Ethier and Loney in a full season either. In my opinion however, actions speak louder than words, and I think he's demonstrating a lot of faith in the young players. If he was apprehensive about giving extended playing time to them, he'd have requested a few Miguel Cairo's added to the roster.

I'm going to break out the grill for the first time this year. The menu will be carne asada and pollo preparado with corn grilled in the husk. This will be accompanied by my special recipe margaritas. We will sip our cocktails while watching the smoke trails from the Sierra Madre fire.

59
Indeed he does. The AL record is 6 last done by Bobby Abreu in 2006.

Four of the five players who had 8 RBIs in consecutive innings (with an RBI in each inning) played for the Dodgers at some point in their career:
Jim Gentile, Frank Robinson, Robin Ventura, Nomar Garciaparra.

On the TBS broadcast, they are playing a version of "Oye Como Va" very loudly over the air while the game is going on. I don't know if Chip Caray and Buck Martinez can hear it.

But it's very weird.

For a full season I expect Loney and Kemp to continue to be solid contact hitters and I expect Kemp to have wild peaks and valleys. The question in my ming is can Bills go an entire season. But we'll only know any of this by playing them. I'm only calling Joe out because I thought it strange that he would throw Ned under the bus and rely on what I typically view as a lame excuse. That all being said, I don't have any serious complaints about the way Joe has managed .

Not that I was thinking that Matt Morris would sign with anyone else, but in the story about his release from the AP there is this:

Morris is aware the decision likely ends his career.

"I've accepted it," he said. "It was a great segment of my life. I really can't wait to move on and be with my family. It's a sad day, but it's also a joyful day. … I'm proud of my career. I didn't mean or want for it to end this way. I've always said the other team will let you know when you're done."

57 - Yeah, that excuse is starting to get a bit old and appears to be spinning at this point, which DTs are able to pick apart fairly easily. That said, he is operating in a larger organization (Ned and company)and while I may not agree with the path and the slowness, he seems to be moving in the right direction.

Marty, I had dinner at the Hungry Cat resturant in Hollywood on Fri. I don't know if you know of the place, great food and spectacular drinks. Each night they feature a diffrent drink and Friday it was fresh blood orange margaritas. Now I am not a margarita fan but these were awsome. Just a twist for your special recipe if interested.

42 - on the surface, the runs scored/runs allowed numbers are encouraging. But when you look a bit deeper, at how they've been compiled, it becomes less encouraging. The occasional blow out should not make up for the inability to win close games. Maybe (hopefully) that changes over the course of the season.

But if it doesn't... it's going to be a long, ugly season.

In 132 seasons of National League baseball, the Arizona Diamondbacks were the first team to finish with the best record in the league despite giving up more runs than they scored.

57 66

Does small sample size not apply to managing? Or Billy Beane's mantra that you spend the first two months of the season evaluating what you have?

The track records that should have been established by now have not been...

Just to be clear, that was Bill Shaikin talking, not Joe Torre.

71. Woops. That's what happens when you read someone else's quote of someone else's quote. Never mind then-- I guess Joe didn't throw Ned under the bus. (Too bad).

70 Unless he's blackout drunk when he's managing, there's not much luck involved in writing out a lineup.

there's not much luck involved in writing out a lineup

Nor is there really all that much skill.

The Lou Grissey reference in the Scully recap should be Lou Brissie, http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/brisslo01.shtml. It seemed that his story was often told in the 60s, although now mostly forgotten.

So will umpire Kerwin Danley be back for today's game? (I assume not). If not, does MLB fly a fourth umpire out this morning or do they just go with three.

Has there been a modern game where they lost more than one umpire in a game? and how many umps does the rule book require for a game?

68 - I remember the giddiness of DC when the Nats in 2005 were winning all of those one-run ballgames (Loaiza, the Pride of TJ was there), but they quickly moved back to the mean. That said, someone has already pointed out the 07 season of the dreaded Snakes-in-a-ballpark.

According to the rules, you only need one umpire to have a game. That happens from time to time in the low minors where they work with two man crews.

Whether or not there will be a replacement for Danley depends if MLB can fly a replacement out for the game in time.

Yet another lineup permutation:

SS Furcal
LF Ethier
RF Kemp
C Martin
1B Loney
CF Jones
3B DeWitt
2B Hu
RH Loaiza

Good thing about this lineup, I believe this is the first lineup where when Kent is resting, the Dodgers have in my mind their best and most balanced lineup, Ethier, Kemp and Jones.

Listening to the A's pregame programing, and they are saying that many scouts are out to see Blanton's start today against Seattle. Wonder if the Dodgers have anyone there.

Should be real interesting in about 2.5 weeks when La Roche is ready to come off the DL as will Nomar and the fact that Joe for good reasons likes De Witt-says he feels comfortable with him.

This would be fun:

"9.03 (a) If there is only one umpire, he shall have complete jurisdiction in administering the rules. He may take any position on the playing field which will enable him to discharge his duties (usually) behind the catcher, but sometimes behind the pitcher if there are runners)."

Sorry - I raced through the Scully thing before posting the excerpt and didn't double-check it.

81
I've seen high school games where the umpire stood behind the pitcher.

I don't know if they teach that technique in umpire school anymore.

You're wasting Hu's defense by playing him behind Loaiza, one of the most extreme flyball pitchers around.

It seems like Torre does realize this, though, as Hu's four starts before today have come behind Lowe, Lowe, Kuroda, and Lowe.

We had only one umpire for some of my JV games in high school. He stayed behind the plate the whole game, then would try to run out for the other calls.

Needless to say, some calls were missed.

80 - I am sure we'll all be here to help Torre resolve the 3rd base situation.

83
Not since the Commissioner implemented his "No umpire left behind (the pitcher)" program...

83 I've played in softball games where it happened, but I've never seen it in a high school or college game. It just seems like it would be a jarring visual, seeing the catcher behind the plate with no umpire there.

84 That's two starts in 5 games for Hu, probably a combination of trying to keep Kent's hammy okay and just some at bats for Hu.

80 "Good thing about this lineup, I believe this is the first lineup where when Kent is resting, the Dodgers have in my mind their best and most balanced lineup, Ethier, Kemp and Jones."

It also happened earlier this week against Arizona.

88
Welcome to the 1870s!

But for full effect, a lone umpire working the field should be wearing a long coat and a top hat.

I have this dream where I've finally made it as a big league pitcher, but when I go to make my first pitch, I realize that there is a batter and umpire, yet no catcher.

Welcome to the 1870s!

Now I'm thinking about the most recent South Park episode.

Bob knows this, but in the Deadball Era they used to pull one of the players off the bench to serve as umpire if there was only one umpire. The real umpire would work the plate and the substitute would work the field. Christy Mathewson was a popular choice since he had a reputation for honesty. In the back of Total Baseball, there's a complete list of all the players who served as substitute umpires for a game or three.

"I have this dream where... there is a batter and umpire, yet no catcher."

Kerwin Danley probably had that nightmare last night.

There's no structural reason the Dodgers should be bad in close games--their bullpen is good, their bench is probably not worse than most, Joe Torre is not obviously an idiot. I'd bet they'll be over .500 in close games by the All Star break.

95
The Retrosheet files also have a list of everybody who umpired, even just as a fill in. Mathewson is credited with 3 fill-in performances.

Retrosheet also says that Christy Mathewson and Jack Billingham are cousins. I'm wondering how that worked out. They were born 63 years apart.

I've been single for awhile now. I miss having a catcher.

67 I have not been to the Hungry Cat, but have heard about their cocktails. Supposed to have a good burger too. I won't be using blood oranges. My recipe is more traditional, but you have to do some work the day before. It calls for zesting about 8 lemons and 15 limes. Then combine the zest, juice and a half cup of sugar and let it sit in the fridge over night. This makes for incredibly citrusy margaritas. The real key though is to use very good tequila. None of that Cuervo swill. I use a reposado I'm particularly fond of.

100

Sounds good. I like to make gourmet root beer floats.

90

Thanks for the correction, it was earlier in the year when Torre played JP and Hu.

94
Welcome to 1864... Den'Vaa!!

It appears Mathewson actually served as the home plate umpire once, during a darkness shortened doubleheader nightcap on September 5, 1901. The game lasted only 7 innings (Retrosheet says 6, but this is incorrect). The Pirates beat the Giants 15-7. The other umpire in the game was Pirates pitcher Jesse Tannehill.

This was also one of the rare games in which the home team chose to bat in the top of each inning, leaving the visitors to bat in the bottom. The next day's newspaper writeup mentions that Mathewson wasn't playing because of a "lame arm," but it doesn't say what happened to the umpire, "Mr. Dwyer," who called Game 1 but not Game 2.

The game also featured a triple play turned by Honus Wagner and Kitty Bransfield.

And thus ends your boring historical anecdote for the day.

It's only boring and historical if it comes from Bob.

Stop stealing my act!

So, who wants to do a riddle with pictures? I believe they call it a rebus.

104 Not boring at all. I quite enjoyed it! I always wish I had an idea of what it would have been like to be at a major league game at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries.

104
More hats. Lots more hats. Lots more swearing and bottle throwing. Lots of white versions of Juan Pierre.

104-107 LOL!!
Oh man, this is why I love this site!

Is Joe Torre going to tell us how Fred Haney's obsession with playing Frank Torre at first base likely cost the Braves the NL pennant in 1959?

Also, much heavier bats with thicker handles, lots more bunting (both the hitting maneuver and the red-white-and-blue stuff), baggy wool flannel uniforms, more overt tobacco use, and dirtier baseballs (which you had to return if you caught one in the stands).

Is it true that spectators brought picnic baskets to early Civil War battles?

I was told this in a history class once.

Arizona just got far more dangerous by promoting Max Scherzer.

Ain't it GRAND!

Matt Kemp 2008 Bases Loaded Watch:

PA: 3 AB: 3 H: 1 W: 0 RBI: 4 GS: 1

Career:

2006: 1 for 6 (single)
2007: 0 for 9
Total: 2 for 18 (.111)

I can't overstate how comforting it is watching Andruw Jones fielding.

113
I've heard that said about the First Battle of Bull Run/Manassas.

I doubt people were picnicking at Gettysburg or Cold Harbor. I would defer to Ken Noe on this topic.

I keep getting pitcher Max Scherzer mixed up with this actor:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001611/

I wish Arizona'd promote him, too.

My god, is the draft still on? We're into the placekickers zone, people, placekickers.

Here in El Paso during the Mexican Revolution, people took picnic baskets up to the roofs of downtown buildings to watch Pancho Villa and his army fight the Battle of Juarez across the river.

Hard to quibble with today's line-up too much. I like it. Except for that 9 slot, but maybe he'll surprise.

117

Some Googling I've done supports your answer.

113 From the authoritative Wikipedia entry on the First Battle of Bull Run:

The wealthy elite of nearby Washington, including congressmen and their families, expecting an easy Union victory, had come to picnic and watch the battle. When the Union army was driven back in a running disorder, the roads back to Washington were blocked by panicked civilians attempting to flee in their carriages.

118
You confused a young pitcher with a creepy scumbag from Gummo?

122 One of the congressmen was captured in the aftermath of the 1st Bull Run. He spent a month in prison until they learned he was a U.S. Congressman and then they released him.

The Reds are already up 5-0 on the Giants in the first against Zito. Still only one out.

Giving up a triple to Paul Bako is not a good sign for Barry Zito.

An all-time schadenfreude Hall of Fame moment will occur for me if and when Barry Zito loses 20 games this season.

It's amazing that people actually thought a war battle was a live spectator event. Didn't they have Bruckheimer, Spielberg, and Stone films to fill that need back then?

Golden God channels his Candian Mountee days.

123 Er, not really. Was thinking more of Beautiful Girls, but I don't really mix them up. There's just something about Max Scherzer's name that sounds more like a character actor than a baseball pitcher.

124 - they should have kept him longer just for that.

It's about time for Loney to whack one out of the park.

120 - I am actualy surprised that Torre gave up on him so quickly. I mean he wasn't the only Dodger pitcher giving up four runs early. He must have been very impressed with Kuo (too bad about the Cincy performance).

Six more foul balls, and we may have something.

Was funny to hear JT Snow, occasional color analyst for the Giants on the radio, just for a few minutes. Praising Zito's great work on the side, and in warmups, and that he's really working on some things (it's literally the same thing they say before every Zito start) and... {thud} Down 5-0.

The walk not quite as good as the hit, but we'll take it.

Way to make him work, Crazy Eyes!

Cora would have fouled that off. . .

Great at bat for J-Lo.

No comment on A-Jo.

Darn. I thought Druw got more of that one.

2-0 DBacks on a Snyder homer.

Pitch counts after 1:

Francis 24
Loaiza 11

My mlb.tv is going in and out down here in the DF, so I'll have to rely on you folks (please keep Mozart and American history discussions to a minimum).

At least we made Francis work in that 1st inning.

If this were June, that ball woulda been gone.

146 - It gets warmer than 92 degrees in June?

It's plenty hot here today.

There will be blood.

If this were 2005, that ball woulda been gone.

148

Keep an eye on your milkshake.

147
http://tinyurl.com/5cb25d

144 - Hawpe singled to lead off the inning, Tulowitzi up, 2-2 count. And Vin is talking about Loiaza's background ad infinitum.

Matt Kemp (to Mark Redman): I drink it up!

Oil. Milkshake. Blood. That's basically the expurgated version of that movie.

144 You're in Mexico City?

So, an 0-6 start for Barry Zito is within reach. My roommate, a disgruntled Giants fan, is wondering what the record is for number of losses without a win to start a season. I'm not so savvy with Baseball-Reference. Can anybody help? Bob?

150 - I find milkshakes linguistically confusing these days.

Barry Zito gave up six runs in the first inning to the Reds.

I know it's the Giants and he's making millions but come one now! Don't y'all feel just a little bad for the guy?

Yeah, I can't say that I do, either.

155 - Si.

154

Don't leave out: "I abandoned my boy!"

Lazy fly out to Ethier. Then Baker a long out to Jones into the gap in deep center. Loiaza's typically a fly ball pitcher but that last one made me nervous.

151 - ah, ok.

156
AL record is 14 and NL record is 13.

161 - What's Loiaza hitting speedwise?

158 I don't have anything personal against the guy, but just feel happy that he's not one of our problems.

160 Repeat five more times.

158
There's no one to pity in the Zito fiasco, only to mock.

Thanks MR. Timmermann.

Fly out to Jones, right on cue. Inning over.

164 - About 88-89 for the fast stuff, he's also throwing a lot of offspeed. Last pitch was 88.

Loaiza has topped out at 88 MPH.

159 We're about on the same latitude, then.

(Trick question: What's the southernmost city in the US? Answer: Honolulu (or Hilo, depending on how you count city size).)

If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will correct me.

Joe Harris of Boston (AL) lost 14 straight in 1906 and Matt Keough of Oakland matched that in 1979.

Anthony Young, during his 27-game losing streak, lost 13 straight to start the 1993 season.

Andruw Jones's defense in center is like a warm blanket keeping me safe at night. Even without hitting, I think the team is better with him.

According to Gameday, Loaiza is throwing a lot harder than Zito.

158 - I'm beginning to think I could do better sending eephus pitches up there.

166 - true that.

FWIW, Andruw is Rate2-ing 85 this year.

The fact that the Giants still have 5 more seasons of Zito after this is why I have never minded the Schmidt and Jones deals, both of which are cleared after next year.

169 - 88 is not bad at all for him. mlb is back on. Thanks guys.

Zito's fastballs are coming in at 80-82, which means he throws about as hard as bluebleeder.

159 - Lived there (Honolulu) myself when I was young. But that's when it was still a territory.

180
Do you have some sort of aversion to living in an actual state in a country? You'll probably tell us that you used to live in Canberra too.

179

Bluebleeder's agent was asking for too many years during negotiations.

176 Rate2 really doesn't work in small sample sizes.

I predicted Zito would lose 20 games before the year started.

What's the deal with the Packers? They just took their 2nd QB in the draft. Wonder what Aaron Rodgers is thinking about all this.

185

He's probably thinking that his GM has been reading too much Colletti.

186 - Well, ESPN's Ron Jaworski said, "That's from the Ron Wolf school of thinking, stockpile on QBs." Ah, okay, thanks for explaining that, Jaws.

So, is Santa Anita going to burn down?

Zito's out of the game.

181 - One clue: April 15

188
If Santa Anita were to burn down, then there would be a LOT OF TROUBLE.

190
Wow, Wesley Snipes posts here!

If Ethier can get hit by a pitch today, he would be the first major leaguer to do so in four consecutive games since F.P. Santangelo in 1997.

191 I know LAT wouldn't like it, but I assume you mean that the fire would've covered a lot of ground to threaten the track.

Thinking about it, I guess the race track is on the other side of the 210 from the Sierra Madre foothills.

Rowand just took a 95 MPH fastball right in the ribs he cracked at Dodger Stadium to start the season.

The fire is still mainly in the foothills. To get to Santa Anita, the fire would have to go through several thousand homes.

193 It's really hard to follow in F.P. Santangelo's footsteps. C'mon Matt! Lean into one.

193 - That's the Ron Hunt approach. Gotta think that Andre is normal people and might want to try to avoid it.

Ditto what Icaros said earlier about Andruw Jones in the outfield. It's just a joy compared to having Slappy out there last season.

Other players to reach F.P. Santangelo territory in HBPs are Don Baylor, Richie Hebner, Ron Hunt, and Joe Cunningham.

Andre, not Matt. Sorry. This is what you get for multitasking.

Credit where credit is due, Loiaza's been solid so far. Though the 5th inning is often his inning to implode. (Ditto Chad for that matter.)

Ethier's HBP streak matches the L.A. Dodgers high. Martin had a streak of three last year and Grudzielanek had one in 2001.

The wiki says that Hunt used to wear a wetsuit under his uniform to help absorb the blows.

Jon, time to move Shields up in the rankings. Beautiful in real life, not so bad in fantasy leagues with the W, CG, and SHO either.

Atta boy Blake!

Nice triple Solution!

And the belly-flop dive to top it off.

The Solution! Andy, get well soon. Nomar, adios.

I'm assuming this is Hu's first IBB?

Andruw WILL NOT hit .200 this year.

Woo hoo!

Loiaza's had two great at bats today.

Baseball is so much more fun when it's your team's turn to get lucky. So is life.

WOw, is ESPN really running live coverage of round SEVEN of the NFL draft?

Buffalo on the clock!

Hu drew his FOURTH IBB of this year.

213 - Um. Wow. Yeah I looked that up while waiting for the Timmermann Report. I thought that felt a bit anticlimactic but couldn't put my finger on it.

Live video of Detroit's coach talking to Detroit's seventh round pick!

211 - Getting lucky is one of the best things in life.

Is Matt Morris' release another indication that, in baseball at least, 36 is the new 40, and 33 is the new 36?

Hu is tied for fourth in the NL in IBBs behind Messrs. Pujols, Howard, and Griffey. Helton also has four.

215
I'm going to fly Washington next year and go to Sam's home and spend the entire time reading names off of index cards.

219

Send me those dates when you'll be gone.

That would've been a Sac Fly if Pierre was playing centerfield, no doubt.

220
Icaros is on the clock.

Loiza must've melted on the basepaths.

Ah well. Here's that wobbly 5th inning I was expecting.

I was wondering when Esteban Loaiza was going to start looking like Esteban Loaiza.

Maybe we'll see Kuo today after all.

Back to Esteban Lousy.

Remember this, underdog, next time you feel the need to give credit where credit's due.

Helton eats Loiaza alive. I really would've pitched around him or walked him there.

228 - Heh. Credit means one needs to pay back eventually. Here's Loiaza's payback inning.

Whew, at least he got Holliday out.

Typical Raiders draft. Just a bunch of big and fast guys that will be useless.

I can't wait for June when either The Minotaur makes a start or Schmidt is back.

217- I don't think so. Some guys can still play after thirty. Morris just isn't one of them. Seven teams in MLB have an average player age over thirty (only one in the AL--Detroit). It was seven in 2001, too. Really looking at this would be hard, so I don't want to do it.

Really looking at this would be hard, so I don't want to do it.

Mantra of the Shimmin Life Seminar.

C-Wade Time!

and his name is WADE JONES!

I'm digging C-Wade's stuff. Not "flash"-y, but fun to watch.

Josh Shipp declared for the draft.

Congrats to Matt Slater getting drafted in the 5th round by the Patriots, great kid, son of all-time Ram's great Jackie Slater.

He is fast, don't know if he can catch a pass but he will be a weapon in the return game.

239

Nice that he's with such a likeable organization.

238 In related news, I'm declaring for the NBA draft as well.

200 Ks for Andruw come October

234- I'd ask, "Can't someone else do it?," but regfairfield would narc me out.

238 Which draft? He knows the US doesn't currently have a military draft, right?

I know he's not seriously expecting to be drafted by an NBA team so it can't be that...

Something I just noticed in Jay Jaffe's BPro chat:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/chat/chat.php?chatId=455

"rawagman (Work, TO): What are the odds that it turns out that Frank Thomas is really cooked, and JP is given a bit of credit for rectifying an error of yesteryear, as opposed to pulling a Colleti [sic] and making damn-well sure that last year's mistake remains on this year's books AND in this year's starting lineup? In a related question, what are the odds that I am just a mildly delusional, less mildly paranoic, Canadian Jays hoper?"

"Pulling a Colletti". That's a new one.

So much for continuing to make Francis work.

237 -- Silverwidow, I'm curious, why is Wade "fun to watch?"

245 "Pulling a Colletti" was about the only thing I understood in that guy's question.

Looks like the Lakers will be the only team in a position to register a sweep in the first round, since the Suns actually showed up today against the Spurs.

Funny, at first I thought "JP" meant Juan Pierre even though it was a Blue Jays question. I think I need a nap.

244
He is declaring so he can get told what he needs to work on.

Unfortunately for him, he still probably won't be drafted next year.

248 - I think the guy was questioning the wisdom of the Jays' contract to Thomas in the first place.

Matt Herges warming up in the 'pen for the Rockies. Oh, please, oh, please, make it so.

I'm declaring for the MLS Draft, I just decided.

253

Happy to see an old friend?

247 Well, he throws strikes for one and I like his 12-6 curve. A nice, slow bender.

Stand down from Herges Alert. They're letting Francis bat with a man on and one out.

256

Think he could strike out Andruw Jones?

Oh, and Jon, the Rays are 14-11 and swept the Red Sox Nation for the 1st time in history [I and some others are running up the broom]. And it's been without Kaz and the unnecessary demotion of Evan Almighty. Go Rays!

The relief win here for Broxton and the Sammy save would cap the perfect April baseball day.

Well, almost. Just add one more innning from my fantasy pitcher sleeper pick, one Edinson Volquez, then get him out the game after 7 and the 7 run lead, and then perfection.

259 - well hal-le-fargin'-lu-yah. I'm getting sick and tired of baseball being Red Sox and everybody else.

Vin just said Pierre batted for "Cory Weed."

Just Hu do you think you are?

Oops.

Now that was truly a bad throw for the ages.

Boy, Hu sure picked a bad time for his first error of the season. Bleh.

Vin thinks it was a good thing for Holliday that wasn't a DP or he might've punched somebody.

Nice job to hold the runners there by Hu, at least.

Broxton looked like he wanted to throw ball four THROUGH Martin on that IBB.

No slumpbuster for Tulo, and Hu off the hook.

Nice twin killing!

YES!

YES!!

Sweet.

Daaaaaaaa Bull!

Yessssssssss!

I think the Dodgers should do their best to get Brox a win here. Scoring some runs in this inning would be a nice gesture. But that's just me.

The Robot singles. Nice!

Nice swing Matty.

275 Robot? Sorry, I've been away.

Breaking News: Martin WILL play 3rd again this year (Dodgers.com).

277 He's "built like a robot made of nails."

Bunt, bunt, bunt.

"It's the Rockies' turn to be on the Griddle," says Vin Scully.

He reads Baseball Toaster. Cool.

Vin doesn't know that there is already a Rockies blog.

Although I did go on about Mark Redman.

Yeah, bunt would've been a good idea, especially in hindsight. Nice tackle by linebacker Russell Martin.

Didn't work out, but I would not bunt Loney for Jones to hit in a million years.

283 Just kidding, of course.

I wouldn't either. But after the double it started to seem like a better idea. But, gosh, the at bats Andruw's having today I wouldn't put much faith in him.

Big shock.

Double play that is. Yarrrgh. Did I mention I need a nap?

Andruw = no-hit defensive specialist

Could 'druw look any worse at the plate?

Man, just when he was starting to have some better at bats... he looked awful today.

The book on him is basically throw stuff tailing away or down and he'll chase.

The L.A. Dodger career record for "Golden Sombreros" in a career (that is 3Ks or more in a game) is 32.

It's held by three players: Eric Karros, Frank Howard, and Sandy Koufax.

Milton Bradley holds the single season record with 12 back in 2004

I am confident I can strike Andruw Jones out on 39 mph fastballs in the dirt.

Loney--did about the worst thing he could do.(barring a triple play). But somehow Andruw's at bat was more depressing, because we may be seeing the beginning of a strange story here. I hope not.

He's still the only CF in the organization who can:

A) track flyballs
B) not injure teammates

Just saying. I know he looks like the worst hitter alive right now.

Could Jones be sent down for extended spring training? He needs to relearn how to hit.

Yorvit T seemed to disagree with that call. Looked like a swing to me.

Vin has said the word "Griddle" a few times. I wonder how much Bob paid him to say that.

I'm like Disco Stu. I don't advertise.

Stupid rabbits.

Contracts expiring in 2009:

Andruw Jones
Jason Schmidt
Brad Penny
Ned Colletti

The overwhelming push is towards a 2-1 series rather than a sweep. Yet there was a trickle of electricity saying sweep at one point. That has past. I will be amazed and grateful if we win this one, but also satisfied that we are on the right track if we go 2-1. The article in (was it the Times?) pointing out that we didn't break in our young players as Co. and Ari. did is absolutely spot on. Too bad we had too much money.

Let me be the first to say I've lost all faith in Saito. I think it's time to panic.

Sammy, don't be turning into Don Stanhouse on me buddy.

303 Sez you! says Sammy.

303
I've got my skull cracking tools ready.

304 I still believe. But what's Japanese for "full pack?"

302 Did that article says the Dodgers "had access to too much money, too much equipment, and little by little, we went insane"?

301 Maybe we could keep Penny? I'll let you know next year. His hitting is better than most of our position players.

say, not says.

Sighs. Er, sigh.

Okay, come on, Blue! Let's sneak away with this one here.

It would have been tempting the gods, but if we had walked Helton and Saito had struck out Holliday with the bases loaded, we may have seen him climb the backstop screaming, a la Jimmy Piersall (or was that just in the movie).

Last week someone asked about whether or not the Dodgers should wear dark blue at home occassionally.

Here's how it looked in 1999.

http://tinyurl.com/3g8s9g

312

I was there the first night. The silver-billed caps were even worse than the blue jerseys.

Nice wheels, Hu!

312 i remember those. i kind of like them.

312 Raul clearly hated wearing it. Way to motor Hu.

Who runs well?

free innings again

And Pierre sends us to extras.

Free baseball!

Juan less time?

{post censored}

I'd feel hypocritical being upset with anyone for not bunting, but if he's going to swing away can't it at least be on a pitch that doesn't short-hop his bat?

312 That was me, and I disagree with you. I think nothing is sacred, and pretending it is is a waste of effort.

There have been 105 instances of an L.A. Dodger hitter striking out 4 or more times in a game. Andruw Jones will have a chance.

Two players have gone 0 for 5 with 5 Ks in a nine-inning game: Darryl Strawberry and Bill Russell.

No Dodger player struck out four times in a game last year.

Holliday has seen a total of 8 pitches in his 0-fer-5, as Vin just pointed out. That may lead to a few more torn batting gloves.

I just started to post a comment, but then realized that even though I haven't done much to bash a certain player, it would still potentially be a rule violation (or two).

So let me instead ask this: why do the double-switch, resulting in Pierre coming up instead of a pinchhitter, when you are going to change pitchers anyway?

Another question: while Hu did get on base for us, wouldn't that have been a good situation to have Kent pinchhit for him?

324
I don't think it's a case of white uniforms at home being sacred. I think the blue ones just looked ugly.

But not everyone agrees.

The Dodgers better win this thing soon. Pirate is waiting for me to take him to the dog park, leash in mouth.

I actually kinda like blue unis, too, though not necessarily a fan of that incarnation. And only on a very rare occasion. But I don't mind the concept, either.

327 I was wondering both those things, too. I was thinking "pinch hit Kent for Hu" but I and the Dodgers probably both wanted Hu in the infield if the game did go extras.

329
If you stay in to wait until the end of the game, it will last a really long time and the Dodgers will lose.

If you leave now, the Dodgers will hit a walk-off HR in the bottom of the 10th.

C'mon Beimel! Troy for West Virginia is getting agitated.

for, from, tomayto, tomahto.

I think I should have my cat type for me from now on.

Thank you Rockies!

Vin suggests Holliday and Tulo start rooming together -- so they can both be on each other's suicide watch?

329 I keep getting the "nose poke" under the elbow, indicating the same thing. I keep running the dogs out into the backyard to play in the hose between innings. The Dodgers had better win soon. The yard's starting to get kind of muddy.

I love how Beimel always looks like he just woke up from a 2 1/2 day nap.

Nice job in relief.

I love how Beimel always looks like he just woke up from a 2 1/2 day nap

Looks can be deceiving, but not necessarily.

I say let's all leave now for Marty's for some carne asada and margaritas.

Furcal's gotta steal here. Sweeney seems like another DP waiting to happen.

Is Park available should this thing drag on again?

No more hit and run, let Raffy take the base, then let Sweeny swing.

Manufacture this one. Com'n!

341 Kuo is available

341 Kuo is available, too, and was warming up last inning.

Can't the LA City Council enact a statute that prohibits the Dodgers from having JP and Druw in the line-up at the same time? Loitering, public indecency, crime against humanity?

I know who stole the strawberries.

Do you pinch run for Sweeny here with Delmon?

Someone tell Sweeney that there are no outs

No more hit and run, let Raffy take the base, then let Sweeny swing.

Or better yet, let's just wait for Corpas to walk four straight batters.

344
Not to mention false advertising

346 That would be hardsince he plays in Min...

er Delwyn

Somewhere JoeyP screams in horror.

Bison with a great bunt.

I think that's the first time I've ever seen him square up for one.

I hate bunting, but this should earn Kemp a few Plaschke Points, at least.

A sac fly would be nice because then the Dodgers would have an inning with no ABs.

346 - Better do it now, at least.

351 It was not the worse play in the world but Matt will not be supplementing his batting average by bunting.

I do not approve of Bison bunts.

Loney is a DP machine. Get it up!

I went in to the kitchen to get some grilled salmon with fresh strawberry salsa, and came back to see that Kemp had sacrifice bunted.

Kaiser blade at the plate.

C'mon, Crazy Eyes! Let's win this!

Let's go J-Lo!

Loney for president.

Yes!

Yech. Sacrifice bunt?

Great series!!! We needed this one badly.

MOMENTUM!!!

Give the Gnome a broom.

We win, sorry Greg.

Nice week 5-2. And we win two one-run games.

Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vin: "Ground ball base hit. We all go home."

Well. That ended just fine.

Nicknameless one!

359 Next time, use mango chutney instead.

Crazy Eyes!

Kemp leaped over the railing in excitement, bouncing like a giddy schoolkid. Which is cute, but I'd rather not see him get hurt doing that.

Yay, we win!

I may be a nancy, but I missed Woden325 today.

One away from .500--it looks like an oasis right now.

I very much approved of that bunt.

Sorry, for asking, but im new here. who\what is the gnome?

I think Molly's dog is probably the happiest Dodger fan at this moment.

373
Sounds good. Fresh fruit and salmon go very well together.

379 - Go Pirate!

First three-game win streak of the season for the Boys in Blue.

This turned out to be a nice weekend! Thanks for showing up Rockies. And please bring those clutch bats when you return.

I'd almost feel sorry for the Rockies, the one NL West team I don't hate, if it weren't for the fact that the Dodgers have had too many painful losses of their own. Now let's see if the Dodgers can win a few on the road.

I'll take credit for this one; first game I've gamedayed (let alone watched) in many moons.

Yahoo!

I'll take credit for this one

I'll take credit for the sweep.

384 I don't think the Rockies or their fans felt sorry for the Dodgers last September when they beat us 7 straight times during their amazing World Series run. I don't hate them either, but let them get their wins against Arizona and the Padres.

I think it's worth noting that Kemp bunting turned out to be a good call, despite all the second guessing.

384 The gnome is more powerful than the jinx, apparently! But hey, whatever it takes. I'm happy.
387 Indeed, I remembered that, too, as I let go of any sympathetic thoughts.

Expected runs:

First and second, no outs: 1.4693
Second and third, one out: 1.4144

Not only does the result of a successful sacrifice in that situation reduce the expected numbers of runs scored, but there's no guarantee the bunt will be successful, especially with someone like Kemp who presumably hasn't bunted very much.

378 The gnome.

http://www.sonsofstevegarvey.com/2008/04/post-game-20-thread-fire-gnome.html

390 Pointless stat when you only need one run, no? Perhaps you should find the odds of scoring one run in similar situations.. I'm not sure, but I would think the 2nd and 3rd with one out has a greater chance of scoring one run.

390
But what is the likelihood of one run scoring? That's all that matters in the Kemp situation.

That piece on Dodgers.com on Hu and Nomar's relationship was nice to read.

Okay, I'm out of here. Happy Sunday, folks. 4 outta 5! Hope they can keep that going next week.

394 It's better with the bunt.

We're going to miss Big Bird's turn in Florida. I'm disappointed. Although he probably would have shut us out. :-)

One-run probability by lineup position:

First and second, no outs, 3rd hitter: .673
Second and third, 1 out, 5th hitter: .672

But more importantly, I would think Kemp would be relatively unlikely to sacrifice successfully.

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/07/empirical_analy_1.php

After the Rockies won that 22 inning game, they are due for some extra inning losses.

Killer DPs in fridays game, and today in the 8th inning cost them a couple games.

Druw's probably happy to get out of LA for awhile.

398 It should be bases loaded, which pushes it up to .691. If you're going to assume what will happen if he gets the bunt down, you also have to figure what will happen if he beats out the throw too.

At the very least, it wasn't a horrible decision.

398 Does this nitpicking take into account the odds of Kemp hitting into DPs and about 10 other factors, or are we just using an oppotunity to pick on the coaches? I mean, even though it seems like a desperate attempt to make a point, the differences in your scenario are minimal, aren't they? Why look for a dark lining in a silver cloud?

I'm trying not to be snarky, but I am really wondering why you are making this argument, especially when the decision is absolutely minimal. A tenth of a percent?

398
It was:
1st & 2nd, 0 outs, 3rd hitter (Kemp): .668 (using NL numbers)
2nd & 3rd, 1 out, 4th hitter (Martin): .694
Bases loaded, 1 out, 5th hitter (Loney): .701

Tulo's OPS'ing .485 through his first 100Abs of the season.

If he doesnt get it together, the Rox are in some serious trouble. Of course, he already has his money for the next 6 years, so motivation may be lacking.

It is one drawback of buying out arbitration years.

It should be bases loaded

Oh yeah. Good point. That changes the probabilities a lot.

However: the fear of letting Kemp bat with runners on first and second is presumably that he will hit into a double play, because a force play is possible.

But if you successfully bunt to achieve second and third, the opposition is bound to walk the next guy intentionally, thus setting up a force play again.

401--Kemp's not a big threat to GIDP. He's one of the fastest players on the team. Now, if you say that he has a propensity to K, and that you'd rather at least have him put the ball in play than not--then i agree.

I'm trying not to be snarky, but I am really wondering why you are making this argument

I'm mostly responding to 388 , which seems to be arguing that the determination of whether bunting was good or bad should be based on the results (i.e. how it turned out). I reject that notion, and argue instead that the determination of whether the bunt was good or bad should be made before the bunt takes place.

405 My point is not that he is likely to GIDP. That's not what I was saying at all. In fact I agree, he is far more likely to K than GIDP. But again, I never said he is a threat to GIDP.

397---According to Yahoo---Hendrickson is starting on Thursday.

Dodgers would face 4 lefties in a row:
Francis, Miller, Olsen, Hendrickson..

If Andrew Miller shuts the Dodgers down, all blame should be directed at BHSportsguy for his raggin on him all April ;)

406 Gotcha! I agree with you about the fact that the results do not make the decision better or worse. But, in this case, I don't think you can say bunting was clearly the worse option. I think you kinda said that in 404 .

Either way, not looking for an argument. Good game and good win. We'll take it.

404 But taking this out of the realm of the generic and applying it to the real situation, bunting forces the Rockies to pitch to our best contact hitter with the bases loaded. Loney was the best guy to have up there in that situation and the bunt forced it to happen.

410--You'd want the best OBP guy up there with the bases juiced, not the best "contact" guy.

Loney's a slow runner, and contact could have meant a GIDP.

408
I'll also take some of the Andrew Miller blame because he will be inactive for my fantasy team beginning tomorrow.

410
That's true, but (not to belabor the point) I think it's also true that Loney would be more likely to ground into a double play than Kemp.

411 True, but you also have to consider the ability to hit the ball in the air, which Loney is average at. Even so, Loney is a better on base guy than Kemp.

413 Loney's double play percentage is surprisingly low (8.5% last year), but it's probably a sample size thing.

You bunt the runner over there so that the man now on third can score on the passed ball, the wild pitch and the infield hit. I won't speak to the infield hit, but this weekend series wasn't without its passed balls and wild pitches.

Why do we have to argue this? There's so little difference. I think we win either way with first and second nobody out.

375 Thanks. I was listening to the game, but couldn't join you. At least it was an interesting game, not a blowout. And nobody got maimed.
I'll see you next weekend when the Dodgers come to Colorado.

378 I'm sorry if no one has responded in the excitement( though I can't say I read everything) but don't worry there are other people who aren't up on the Gnome. I think the first was a gnome the pitchers took out to the bullpen, and then Martin got hold of one from the d's giftshop. And perhaps they had shirts made. But at this point I'm happy visualizing it like Travelocities Gnome--in my opinion the most dynamic force in advertising today.

408 397---According to Yahoo---Hendrickson is starting on Thursday.

Okay. I was going by Probable Pitchers at Dodgers.com which shows says we're facing Burke Badenhop on Thursday.

http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/probable_pitchers.jsp?c_id=la

418 -- Do you remember when the Travalocity Gnome was replaced as the company's spokesman in a commercial by some guy with a Brooklyn accent? Just a terrible move. It must have been some kind of experiment, and fortunately it was short-lived and the gnome soon returned.

419 The Marlins are off tomorrow as well and Badenhop is their 5th starter so it probably comes down to whether they decide to skip him.

421 Also, the Marlins own schedule shows Big Bird starting Friday against San Diego (Germano).

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/schedule/sortable.jsp?c_id=fla

I didn't follow along in the comments during the game, but I'm about to do it now. I can't wait to read the reaction to Kemp's being called on to sacrifice bunt in the 10th. My reaction was to cry a little and then say something mean to my wife.

423
You also have a fascinating discussion of run expectancies to look forward to.

Nothing you haven't seen a million times before.

423 - My same reaction, but I never let my wife into the same room. Buy her some roses and thank the Texas Pistol, or whatever he's called.

425
Rule 6, Icaros.

Rule 6...

427

Okay. A hundred.

You were closer the first time.

I will not be the figurative wishbone between D4P and Andrew Shimmin.

431
What are you, some kind of figurative chicken...?

431

Not one who posts real-time comments directed at myself, at least.

431 Is this the beginning of a noble soliloquy? It was addressed, in circular fashion, to itself 431 .

"Is this a figurative chicken I see before me?" oops, I forgot the "..."...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJJiKMQ5TFM&feature=related

I'd be worried about facing Big Bird, too. That always seems to happen, face the mediocre ex-Dodger and he shuts 'em down. Of course, that's assuming he doesn't just stink as is more common.

420 Canuck-- I just came to again here on the east coast. I think I missed that whole episode although I may have a vague unpleasant memory. The Gnome is tops IMO.
Doesn't one of the competitors use the rather stuffed looking Bill Shatner.

51s' Repko sees glass as more than half full

http://www.lvrj.com/sports/18312869.html

437
That was a nice article. I always foget to check the Las Vegas Review Journal for Dodger news.

I went to the game last night (Kemp has hit a HR at each of my last two trips to Dodger Stadium) and I didn't hear any news ahead of time regarding the health of Andruw. I thought for sure he'd sit out last night, and perhaps might even be on the DL. I didn't see Andruw warming up, and I assumed Kemp would be in CF.

When Pierre was announced in LF, and Kemp in RF, I for a moment thought Jason Repko was called up with Jones on the DL. Then, sure enough, Andruw was in the lineup, much to my surprise.

Once again, remember that those run expectancies assume a SUCCESSFUL bunt only. If you are guaranteed success, then you do it. In my experience, especially during the Jim Tracy years, the 1st and 2nd sac bunt only works 30-50% of the time. That changes things tremendously, and I don't think it was a good call.

Dodger sacrifice bunt success rates (according to Baseball Prospectus)

2007 (Little) - 89 attempts (59 by pitchers), 65.2% successful
2006 (Little) - 86 attempts (62 by pitchers), 76.7% successful
2005 (Tracy) - 81 attempts (62 by pitchers), 70.4% successful
2004 (Tracy) - 81 attempts (45 by pitchers), 85.2% successful

I would assume that Matt Kemp's chances of succeeding, however, were significantly lower than that.

So far this year, the Dodgers' #3 batters are collectively hitting .280/.294/.430.

Meanwhile, Arizona's pitchers are hitting .275/.296/.353.

439
A great call because it worked ... and the Dodgers win the game ... on Loney's base hit.

The Dodgers are 3-0 with DeWitt back.
DeWitt's defense saves the Dodgers pitchers a lot of grief and on offense he is making consistent, solid contact. I keep wondering what the reaction might be if LaRoche were playing instead of DeWitt, doing everthing that DeWitt has done so far.

Martin is playing great. He did a great job with the pitchers again today.

Kemp is starting to do the things that are expected of him.

Loney hitting and fielding great.

Kent is playing through the pain as best he can. It looks like that hammy is robbing him of some power.

Ethier is exceeding everyone's pre-season expectations--no more 3.5--.

Furcal is one of the best players in baseball now. If the Dodgers are willing to spend $500 mil. on new facilities, then they should be able to sign Furcal to a new contract now.

This was a great series with the Rockies, the Dodgers are learning how to win.

440
It was a great bunt. From this result couldn't you infer that Kemp's rate of success in this situation is now 100%?

442 "I keep wondering what the reaction might be if LaRoche were playing instead of DeWitt, doing everthing that DeWitt has done so far."

LaRoche did just that last year when he played. He was essentially the same as '08 DeWitt, offensively and defensively, except with handful more walks and a handful fewer singles.

I believe the consensus reaction (or maybe I'm giving Gurnick's opinion too much weight) was that LaRoche "couldn't handle major league pitching."

442 Ethier's .284/.350/.452, by the way, is not exceeding everyone's preseason expectations (or at least not mine). It's pretty much exactly in line with the expectation, perhaps a tad worse.

At this moment, Ethier is actually at .305/.386/.463, which is above my expectations so far.

If he can keep up that OBP for a full seaon, I'd be thrilled.

445 , 446 baseball-reference says .321 .402 .487

I checked both ESPN.com and MLB.com for the numbers I put up.

Why does ESPN keep noting that Kent sat today and that Torre made a statement by going with the kids? Is it abnormal for a 40 year-old 2nd baseman to take a day off a day game?

Also, is it 40 year-old, or 40-year old, or 40-year-old, or what? I get so confused.

Also, why did I write, "...to take a day a day game?" That doesn't make any sense at all.

BB-ref isn't updated for today's game.

444
LaRoche 2007:
35 G, 93 AB, 16 R, 21 H, 5 2B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, 25 BB, 24 SO, .226 BA, .365 OBP, .312 SLG.

DeWitt 2008:
20 G, 59 AB, 9R, 15 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBI, 8BB, 10 SO, .254 BA, .353 OBP, .356 SLG

And I don't care what anyone says, I feel bad for Barry Zito. He's always seemed like a good guy.

I too feel bad for Zito.. but I'm sure sleeping on a pile of guaranteed dead presidents soften the blow.

My students always complain that I never show any movies in class. Tomorrow, they get the first 25 minutes of Saving Private Ryan.

Enjoy the movie, kids. Don't mind the blood.

455 At least they won't file any FCC complaints about language and violence.

Seriously, those first 25 minutes were absolutely riveting the first time I saw them in the theater.

That'll shut 'em up. I recommend following it up with a few select scenes from Schindler's List. They'll never bother you for a movie again.

I invited my Dad (who landed at Normandy) to attend Saving Private Ryan with me right after it opened. He declined saying something like, "I already saw the play".

He declined saying something like, "I already saw the play"

Hooray. Awesome line.

I think he had read that line somewhere else but it sure did fit.

455
My best friend saw Saving Private Ryan countless times just to see the opening 25 minutes. You would be his favorite teacher of all time.

So after you flip the lights back on, what do you ask them?

I've never been able to sit through Saving Private Ryan. I always became extremely bored 45 minutes in or so, I don't know why.

But I watched the opening with my brother-in-law's brother (does that make him my brother-in-law, too?). He is an ex-Marine who never saw any combat. He kept saying, "That's the way to serve your country!" every time someone got killed.

Now I just reminded myself of that episode in I Love Lucy where the Ricardos hire a maid, Mrs. Porter, who made Lucy a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, having herself eaten the roast and salad in the fridge. While Lucy was eating uncomfortably (Mrs. Porter had consumed all the milk), she was watching and said, "That's the way to eat a peanut butter sandwich!"

462
"So class, let me show you the film that got Best Picture instead of this 'Shakespeare in Love', don't let Gwyneth Paltrow's bad accent dissuade from thinking that this was a great movie. Harvey Weinstein said it was and that's good enough for me."

We are not going to start this week by bashing Shakespeare in Love.

Does your computer make a sound whenever there is a negative comment about "Shakespeare in Love?"

466 -- In the same spirit that you once -- maybe more than once -- said that you aren't bashing Juan Pierre, but giving Andre Ethier his due by saying Ethier is better than Pierre, Saving Private Ryan is better than Shakespeare In Love. And I like Shakespeare In Love a whole lot more than either of us like Pierre.

466 - We are not going to start this week by bashing Shakespeare in Love

Its not as if Pierre had Gwyneth Paltrow's role.

The hand to hand fight to the death between the German and the American in the room was the most intense fight scene I've ever seen on the big screen.
Both moves were good movies and if I want to laugh I'll take Shakespeare and if I want my stomach to turn into knots I'll watch Private Ryan.

FYI - Carlos Beltran is hitting .224 but has a 30% line drive rate. That is hard to do. His expected batting average is about 90 points higher.

Shakespeare in Love has a very fine screenplay, especially the parts that Tom Stoppard clearly wrote (he co-wrote the script). It's a good read. The film itself came off well, too, though I did find myself getting bored with, well, the mushy parts. But it's got a great cast and supporting characters. It doesn't really feel like a Best Picture winner to me, but there have certainly been worse.

Saving Private Ryan's first 25 mins or so are among the most brilliant of all war films. Riveting and disturbing and brilliantly directed. The rest of it can't help but feel like a let down after that as it meanders around. And, speaking of mushy, I had trouble forgiving Spielberg for the overly sentimental contemporary scenes that bookend it. Wanted to strangle him. But it's got a great cast too and some exciting parts come later.

And it doesn't hold a candle imho to Eastwood's Iwo Jima film.

Basically I think Shakespeare and Pvt Ryan are flawed but very worthy.

Hey, ToyCannon, just been over to TrueBlueLa. It's "Cory" Wade, not "Corey." And, yes, I'll start breathing into a paper bag now.

I never get to show movies in my classes. Bummer.

I can't believe it would come to this, but I will shun Bob if he starts ripping on Shakespeare in Love.

If you think luck plays into BABIP just think about all the bullets winging around Normandy and how those that survived had to feel from second to second.

My wife was adopted by her Grandmother's brother, and he was a radio man at Normandy. He had passed away before we made our sojourn to Normandy but we found his beach. Nothing is left but the cemeteries and it is strange to wander among them. They aren't as crowded as they probably once were but everyone we saw left some tears.

Someone at Firejoemorgan needs to take on the Denver Post's Woody Paige one of these days. He's bad enough, and now he's writing columns in the Plaschke style.

475
http://tinyurl.com/56q9jf

476 Thanks! I was just searching for that myself. Of course, I should've known he's been a frequent target of theirs. Just after reading his latest piece of drivel I thought about submitting it to them, but I'm sure they're on top of it.

FJM: "Simply read one of Woody's complicated, faux-clever, oddly-capitalized pun-tences, and decide whether there is actual, salient, delineable meaning contained therein, or whether it's a smoosh-'em-up of letters which = nothing. Award points based on level of goodness of writing."

Fine. I'll just say this. Read the reviews of Shakespeare in Love.

http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/shakespeare/

The idea that the Weinsteins manipulated this movie into an Oscar is the kind of revisionist history that's beneath us here. People loved this film. It was not some kind of Oscar travesty, like a lot of people like to say.

I get that people loved SPL too, though I am in the camp that it was perfectly ordinary after those first 25 minutes. And I wasn't sure that SPL wouldn't win the Oscar - it was exceedingly well-reviewed too. I just get tired of hearing that the implication that the Shakespeare in Love wasn't deserving.

Saving Private Love -- an oscar winning documentary about a happy young basketball phenom who declared himself eligible for the draft.

From the Movie Poster:

"No, not THAT draft."

479

That reminds me when "Love and Basketball" was shown on a flight to St. Louis. I had nothing to read, so I plugged in my headphones. I paid for that one.

I'm sorry since I was told that I should respect and revere Roger Kahn, I've had a greater respect for revisionist history.

The best movie of 1998 was indeed about World War Two.

It was called The Thin Red Line.

Sorry - 465 just caught me at a bad moment mood-wise.

Hmm...
Let's see.
New baby
+ Heat
+ Monday
+ Bad air quality
+ Life in general
___________________

Bad Mood

482 Don't get me started on that movie.

Speaking of bad air quality, there is ash from the Sierra Madre fire all over my yard and house. The whole area smells like a fireplace.

We are now in week 5 of the season.........when does Andruw Jones' "slow start/slump" become more than that?
I'm starting to worry about a more severe situation, like the rapid and surprising end of a great career. I would really like to hear the openions of some of our more-esteemed experts, such as Canuck Dodger about this ............am I jumping the gun on this? He's still only 31....he can't be finished yet, can he?

thanks,
Butch

I took in a Philip Seymour Hoffman doublebill as it were Sunday watching "Charlie Wilson's War" and "The Savages." I much preferred the latter.

But I watched the former when it was really hot so it was hard to pay attention.

I loathe Philip Hoffman.

487 Statistically, you need 200 plate appearances for his numbers to be even relevant, so if you pretended that he was just a random number generator, he'd be fine.

489
But not Philip SEYMOUR Hoffman? Was there a guy named Phil Hoffman who beat you up on the playground?

I'm enjoying Monday morning movie chat. I'd just like to add my 2 cents: Philip Saymour Hoffman is terrific in everything, Charlie Wilson's War was a huge disappointment considering the creative talent behind it, and The Thin Red Line was one of the most beautifully-shot but incomprehensible movies I've ever seen.

491
I refuse to use the middle name or initial with respect to people such as Philip Hoffman, John Reilly, William Macy, etc.

They can find someone else to be their stooge.

493

David Pierce, Michael Fox?

Hot in LA means unseasonably warm and 77 here. I'll enjoy it while I can.

493 All it takes is refusing to use their middle name? Anything you say, DP.

486 I work in Sierra Madre and because of the fire, I got the day off. Should I feel bad about how good I feel?

PSH was brilliant in "Along Came Polly"...

487 -- Since you asked my opinion, I am definitely starting to worry that Jones is "done." And it absolutely can happen to guys as young as Jones, especially if there are physical issues involved. I recall that two years ago, when I was watching a Braves game on TBS, one of the announcers said that Jones has chronic pain in one of his shoulders and that he just plays though it. But even if Jones just has a correctable mechanical issue with his swing, I am not confident that Jones is "coachable" enough to change what he's doing. His attitude seems to be that he'll work his way through his problems and wants to be left alone. This is often a problem with big-contract players. They don't have to listen to anybody, unlike young players who live in fear of being sent back to the minors.

Hoffman is insufferably aware of his "range".

482
No one who has ever read the book could accept that movie as anything but modern Hollywood blasphemy.

499

I know his defense is great and that he can track the ball well, but I cannot stand the way he catches fly balls. It just oozes arrogance, in my opinion.

497

You should feel mildly bad...maybe you can use the time off to do some volunteer work.

By the way it was nice to meet you yesterday. Nice work at 1b

From a fan's point of view, it's never too soon to worry. Worrying is cheap and easy and harms no one. In fact, worrying is how we, as fans, show we care. Who wants to be a Pollyanna, saying, "He'll be fine" over and over again?

Worry, for lack of a better word, is good. Worry is right. Worry works.

501 Terrence Malick may be many things, but an example of "modern Hollywood" he is not.

What, me not worry?

I agree with Bob T. Immerman, I much prefer "The Savages," as well. A terrific movie, script, touching but not mawkish, and quite bitterly funny. Love Philip Seymour Hoffman's neck apparatus, too.

I highly recommend DP not see "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" - Hoffman's character is quite loathsome in that one.

I love when the Dodgers have off days.

NPUT

501 "Hollywood" is generally used in this context to describe, in a pejorative way, the studio formula picture. It's rarely been applied to Terence Malick.

I'm not a fan of TTRL, but that's because I prefer a little narrative with my narrative cinema. It might have been made by a studio, and it might have major stars in it, but it's hardly a "Hollywood" movie.

503 - Excessive worry, like excessive pollyannishness, can cause great if unintended harm.