In response to Jon's notion that the unknown is worst than the known, I refer to 70's icon, Mr. Bill, "Oh No!"

Thank you.

I was NPUT'ed in previous thread (trying to remove the stigma of that for poor LAT):

270 Tim Goodman, TV critic for the SF Chron today, surmised that much of the blame should go for the bland lead actress, who was easily outshone by the woman playing the "bad bionic woman." That's partially true; another reason may be that it was also just not very good.

271 - My lord those guys are awful. Might be time to move James Adkins back to the bullpen, where he probably belongs anyway.

the just-canceled Aliens in America

The good news is that I apparently won't have more than the two episodes of that show backlogging my DVR! :)

Oh, and thanks for the rational post, as always, Jon.

Gail Goodrich just pulled out the old line from the oft repeated quote when someone asked an old-time sports writer how Ty Cobb would do in today's game he replied oh about a .300 average and the guy who asked the question said is that all, and he said well he is 70 years old.

Goodrich when asked how the 1972 Lakers would do against today's Lakers he said they would lose because he is 65, Jerry West is 70, not to mention Wilt.

Personally, I believe I could handle Wilt Chamberlain in the low post now. And Happy Hairston would get boxed out a lot by me.

2 Everytime I try to write something like that it comes off so bad in comparsion.

That's why he gets book contracts.

Why is Hu not playing? Because they are trying to win. Hu is SLG .189. In 32 games, Hu has managed to get two hits in only one game all season! The "useless" Maza may have no future, but he is hitting .455 and has just as many multiple hit games as Hu after only three starts.

3
Thanks.

I subscribed to the "not good" theory.

When Jones was signed, I was happy. I thought it would work out. Had I been the GM, I probably would have signed him as well.

That being said, what's done is done. The money's already been promised. I've moved on from that. It's Ethier on the bench that I can't handle.

"There is only one position in the Dodger lineup in which an underperforming vet is blocking a younger player who clearly deserves to start."

Actually, it's two, right? Left field and fifth starter. But you probably meant everyday players. Even then it's two, because shortstop falls into this category until Furcal comes back.

For what it's worth, I have no problem with anything Colletti has done over the last nine months except for the signing of Bennett and the exile of LaRoche (both last year and this). My beef this year is largely with Torre.

If it can't be Logan White (for whatever reason), I think the perfect Dodger GM would be Jack Bauer. But he's over-qualified. And fictional.

12 - I did mean position players. But given that Kuo is pitching as many innings in relief as the given starting pitcher that day, is that even blockage?

And because I've come to think like many of you that Hu should be in AAA now, I ignored the Maza issue, even if I'd rather see Hu play than him.

13 - Yep, too bad he's already pegged to be Secretary of State with VP Dwight Schrute.

9 In four times the at bats Kemp is hitting .237/.310/.342. Does this mean he can't hit?

4 - I have seven Reapers left to watch still.

Dodgers Minor League roundup

>> Results of the latest games played by Los Angeles' affiliates <<

http://tinyurl.com/6973gv

Very well said Jon. I agree with Eric 12 that my biggest problem has become Torre more than Coletti. He's writing out the lineup every day, and although you are right that the majority are the young players, there is always some sort of problem with the lineup, whether it's Pierre over Andre, Jones batting 2nd, Maza over Hu, Martin at 3rd with Bennett catching, Sweeney DHing...doesn't matter what, there always seems to be something wrong. To me it feels like when we win it's luck, but if we lose it's Torre's fault. Clearly that is a brash generalization as it is up to the players (and the pitchers) to produce. However I don't feel Torre is putting the team in the best position to win. Given the absence of Luis Gonzalez, would Little have played these lineups any differently I wonder?

13
Bauer did prevent George Mason from winning the Final Four a couple of years ago by shooting them with a tranquilizer dart.

DePo was probably Ryan Chappelle. Probably not the best guy to deal with from a communications standpoint, but it was still sad to see him go the way he did.

12 How should they handle LaRoche? Its something I have been trying to figure out.
A week ago I said you can't judge DeWitt on a few hot weeks but you can't ignore the numbers. He still is showing good patience and now he is beginning to hit for some power.

DeWitt has not played outside of 3B for at least a year and LaRoche, aside from an inning or two in ST and maybe Vegas in the outfield, is only a 3B.

Should the Dodgers had sent DeWitt down once Andy was healthy?

I see LaRoche more of a victim of just bad luck right now but who knows what could happen, if Dewitt's back flares up again, maybe LaRoche will get his chance.

Is it Torre's decision or Ned's to keep Hu here or send him down, or to call up Maza or leave him in AAA? I'm guessing it's a joint decision, but doesn't the burden ultimately lie with Torre to ask Ned to call up LaRoche or send Hu down or make those kinds of moves?

17
I'm caught up on Reaper, but have eight Two and a Half Mens!

9 "Why is Hu not playing? Because they are trying to win. Hu is SLG .189. In 32 games, Hu has managed to get two hits in only one game all season!"

The only reason to state Hu's stats in the format that you did is to mislead. In 14 of his 32 games, Hu has come in as a defensive replacement and batted either zero or one times. It makes about as much sense as saying that Joe Beimel has pitched in 22 games this year and doesn't have any hits.

Look, Hu's stats are bad. Really bad. There's no need to try to make them sound worse than they actually are.

And there is no reason -- none whatsoever -- to believe that Luis Maza offers more at the plate than Hu does. I mean, you guys who want Maza to play have actually seen his record, right? The one that shows him having OBPs of .381, .336, .255, .318, .299, and .281 at his last six minor league stops? Not to mention the way he throws to first.

I'm not a big fan of Ned, but I do understand why he signed Druw and Schmidt. At the time of those signings they made sense,unless you had a crystal ball and could see into the future. The Pierre signing never made sense to me, and was for to many years. Trading away Jackson and Navarro for garbage was probably the worst thing he's done. Letting Werth and Ross go in hindsight were bad moves, but at the time were almost understandable. Ned's not great, but if he's fired unless we get the right person in the job, we may wish for the Ned Colletti days

Colletti getting fired wouldn't be a repudiation of the youth movement, it would be McCourt realizing Colletti has no idea on how to spend his money. Colletti would get fired because he has $80 million committed to center fielders who shouldn't be starting. $45 million to a pitcher who isn't pitching. Around 8 figures going to Nomar to not play.

There isn't any sane man who could take control of this team and think it's the young players that are the problem. DeWitt is doing better than Nomar. Kemp and Ethier are better than Jones and Pierre. Martin is the best catcher in the NL.

James Loney is basically the only kid that isn't really performing up to expectations, and I think he leads the team in RBI (I know thats not a stat we get excited about around here but it's one that looks good to a lot of GM's still).

Lets look at the lineup and see how it's shaking out:

C-Martin. Young and a stud
1B. Loney-Young and could be doing better but not completely terrible
2B- Kent-Old and expensive, not doing very well
3b. DeWitt. Young and doing great. Taking over for old and expensive and mostly terrible when healthy, which isn't often
SS-Furcal-Veteran and expensive, doing great
OF-Kemp-Young and doing well, could walk more though
OF- Ethier-Young and doing well
CF-Jones- Expensive veteran, terrible
OF-Pierre-Expensive veteran, has his uses, just not as his salary

So we've got one veteran that's worth the money, the rest we'll all do happy dances when they are gone at this rate. The kids are doing all right. I can see a new GM being down on Loney, but that's it.

19 And a lot of this is ultimately on the players.

The Dodgers' margin for mistakes right now is pretty small, so any missed opportunity to score or prevent a run is only magnified.

21 "How should they handle LaRoche?"

Okay, that's a good question. Here's what I would have done differently than the Dodgers did:

1) I would have let LaRoche have more than six or seven games to establish himself as a regular in May 2007.

2) I would have called him up in August 2007 when he was hitting the holy hell out of the ball and we were signing Shea Hillenbrand.

3) I would have called him up this year as soon as he was healthy and entered him into some sort of time-sharing arrangement with DeWitt. Getting LaRoche playing time in AAA is not a concern; he's long since proven that he's a man among boys down there. He'd be better served as our starting third baseman at least against left-handed pitchers. Since Torre is benching DeWitt against lefties anyway, it would be better to have LaRoche starting on those days than Gary Bennett.

So, how do you "go with the hot hand" when all hands are cold?

I've had my beefs with Torre's line-ups, too, pretty much every day there's one thing I'd do differently (maybe that's not bad though), but when it comes right down to it players have to perform, hitters have to hit, the defense has to field, pitchers have to pitch, better than they have been. Maybe there's too much futzing around and no one's playing enough to be consistently good, but Lowe and Penny need to pitch better, Furcal needs to not get hurt, Kent needs to not look old at the plate, Jones needs to wake up, Kemp needs to catch up to fastballs better this season (and I love the guy, and he'll be fine) but, you know, while there are absolutely some things I think Torre has blown when it comes to the line-up card (and the DH picks this weekend were one example, though as Bob noted, whoever was at DH for NL clubs so far in interleague play have fared poorly league-wide), but there also comes a time where players just need to play better, play to their potential.

In other words, I blame the coaching staff for some things here and there, but players share responsibility. But again, I do think some more consistent line-ups will help players get in the flow more than they have, and that's Torre's responsibility. When Furcal comes back, I hope we'll see more of that.

Great Post Micheal.

30 Which is another way of saying that this team is going to be fine, once they get healthy and players start playing up to their abilities. I agree with that.

24 I did not intend to mislead by posting Hu's stats that way. I realize that Hu was a defensive replacement in many of the games and I didn't spend the time to count the number (14) as you did. But we all agree that Hu is struggling with the bat. I am not promoting Maza over Hu all the time or even during Furcal's absence. I just think that Hu could use some time off while he struggles and why not play the hot hand (Maza) tonight?

I lay minimal blame with Colletti or Torre. Indeed we could quibble here and there. And as fans, that's the part of the whole thing that we think we could do. We don't think we could play shortstop or pitch middle relief. But aside from what's fun to talk about, the losing this year is coming from Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, James Loney, Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley, Juan Pierre, and Matt Kemp playing either badly or "sort of ok at best." As far as depth, we don't have much of that either. Hu, Sweeney, Young, Bennett are all basically embarassing.

Distribution of playing time among all the various underperforming options is FAR from the problem.

32 Or that. That's the Reader's Digest version. ;-) Although I do still have some worries.

34 - I don't know how you can call Young "embarrassing" -- he's barely played. And when he's hit, he's been pretty productive. I'd quickly remove him from that group, and while Hu has been bad at the plate, as we all seem to agree, I think he's been fine in the field and is so inexperienced it doesn't seem quite fair. But appreciate the broader point.

But who would play the confused and dazed Paula in this remake of Dodgers Idol?

Completely unrelated, my 16 year old daughter snagged tickets to the real Idol final, I'm looking forward to a full report.

This is one wolf who actually prefers to come out when we are winning, and the Solution is lighting it up, to remind people that Colletti is letting LaRoche linger in AAA when we need his bat, as well (and not instead of Kid Gumption). I actually believe that the PVLs (Kent and Nomar), and Colletti's concern for them are holding this up.

34 so, in effect, you are saying we don't have a good team, so what would we expect to happen.....

But who built that not so good team?

So if you have to watch eight Two and Half Men, don't you really just have to watch 20 Men?

41 million bucks to 4 hitters (projected starters) with a combined slugging of around .330

40 who built it? seems to me that it has just been accumulating over time...

You know, when the Dodgers win 8-4 tonight, all this negativity will dissipate, right?

41 I read that as 16 men and 8 half men.

44 - I thought all my cheery soccer stories would set a positive tone :)

:) I like cheery soccer stories, so you got me. By the way, just read about your book and congrats.

But 8 half men should equal 4 men. Unless you think the half man is something like a satyr.

44 Mos Def.

Things must be pretty positive over at Astros Thoughts where they're 25-20. This with the 29th rated farm system and starters ERA's of 4.14, 4.58, 4.58, 5.43 and 6.46.

I wasn't thinking satyr... something more Tolkien. I also did not realize that satyrs were not full men. I always thought of them as full grown men.

Well, at least this isn't PadreThoughts as the AP is reporting that Bud Black believes Peavy will be heading to the DL after his MRI results are known later today or tomorrow.

"It's not like a normal soreness. That's obviously the reason we're missing the start is because it's not normal," Peavy said Sunday.

"Your arm is sore all the time, but I do feel some of it in the elbow [and] that's always a cause for concern. We don't know how big, but it's always better to be safe than sorry."

49 If that's a suggestion to be our new utility infielder, then I wholeheartedly agree.

50 When your best hitter is on a historic tear, it's easy to be full of cheer.

I'm helping a freind of mine with a mock expansion draft and I had to come up with 21 players to protect from the Astros.

After about eight I couldn't really find anyone worth keeping and by the time I got to the end I was just picking players at random. I think I said Doug Brocail was one of the 15 most desired players on the team.

I forgot to say, Jon, props for the soccer post! :-) Go Portsmouth! underdog approves their win.

52 It wasn't "general soreness" then?

Andruw Jones' right knee is "cranky," according to Inside the Dodgers. They claim he could play, but do I see a scenario developing?

Interesting game going on in Boston.

41

Could you not instead watch "Twelve Angry Men" and "Eight Men Out" for the same effect?

(sounds like a commercial for Total cereal)

BTW, Lester has a no-no through 6 vs. Royals.

59

did I just violate rule 9? :-(

57 I want to talk to these people who are claiming that he can play. What have they been watching?

57 I smell a phantom DL stint in the very near future!

LaRoche to replace him.

I guess his knee feels the way many Dodger fans seem to.

60 - No.

I just realized that the three worst teams in baseball are in the NL West. That must be some kind of record at this stage of the season.

59
The spirit of the rule, yes. But not the letter of the law. An interesting 7th inning stretch in Boston, though.

In that game, old-almost-friend Luke Hochevar didn't fare too well, though the defense didn't help. 7 Rs, 4 ER, 6 BBs, 2Ks, 1 HR. He did better his previous time out, though.

Lester pitched well in the 8th also.

Still interesting in Boston through the 8th.

Jon, what was the name of that underrated hot dog place you were talking about when they did the LA March Madness poll two months ago?

The one with the diner car I believe it was. I'd like to stop by there on my way to the Arclight for the new Indy Movie. Thanks in advance!

Jon::Soccer
Xeifrank::Hollywood Entertainment Industry
vr, Xei

When does the new Indy movie come out?

Dodger win probabilities for tonight:

Simulator: 57.10%
LV Hilton: 57.08%
AccuScore: 61.10%
vr, Xei

The highest game score this season is 93, by James Shields, in last weekend's 1-hitter against the Angels.

A game score of 90 has only been achieved 9 times in each of the past two seasons, with 3 more games this season.

69 - Carney's

He did it! Great story with the cancer and comeback and everything.

I think Lester's game score tonight is 93. Up yours, cancer!

74 http://thenewdiner.blogspot.com/2006/02/carneys-west-hollywood.html

The Sox have Lester and Buckholz ... the Yanks have Hughes and Kennedy ....

oh ... right ...

78 I wouldn't trade Billingsley and Kershaw for either pair.

78
I was hoping the Royals final batter would get a hit so I could type the line, "Lester No-No Collaspes."

Are the Spurs making reservations in Santa Monica for tomorrow?

51-42 Spurs at half.

13 - plus, I have a feeling that GM Jack Bauer would waterboard any underperforming players. This might be counterproductive.

25 - http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/andruw-jones-batted-balls/

No crystal ball, but hard, empirical evidence that Jones was about to fall off the table -- in fact, already had.

26 - Colletti getting fired wouldn't be a repudiation of the youth movement, it would be McCourt realizing Colletti has no idea on how to spend his money.

Exactly, and bravo.

80 No matter who the pitcher is or who the team is, I always find myself rooting for the guy to finish the no hitter. Even the guys I don't like so much. Is this normal?

81
The Spurs have fallen apart in the third quarter in the previous three games in New Orleans.

And besides, the Spurs are evil. And people who root for the Spurs are evil.

Present company INCLUDED.

(I'm feeling intolerant tonight.)

that was cool to see, congrats to Lester, but it was also cool to find out that the Dodgers have 20 though as franchise.

85 Yeah, thanks to Sandy for four of them. Who's got the other sixteen? Singer, Reuss, ?

86
Nomo, Kevin Gross, Ramon Martinez

86
And Fernando, on the ESPN double day. "If you have a sombrero, throw it to the sky."

Off the top of my head, in addition to four by Koufax, there are two by Erskine, and the others belong to Reuss, Singer, Gross, Valenzuela, Nomo, Martinez, Head, Vance.

And let's look up the other five:

Lovett, Eason, Rucker, Carleton, Barney

89 I agree.

88 One of the strangest days I've ever seen in baseball.

82 -- But as our GM, Jack Bauer would be totally ace in trade negotiations. "Omar, I need you to trade me David Wright for Juan Pierre. Do it! Do it NOW!"

86
All Dodger no-hitters, including Brooklyn:

http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/V4rf

Eric Enders can do a Texas Two-Step as Texas defeats UCLA to make the finals of the NCAA Men's Tennis Championship.

I watched that game from start to finish, randomly enough. Congratulations, Jon Lester.

Seeing Jerry Reuss on that list reminds me of a game Reuss pitched around that time that was also very good. My childhood memory tells me that he gave up a leadoff double to Eddie Milner and then retired the next 27 batters. Can anyone confirm this?

Colletti wont be fired because of going with young position players at certain positions. He'll be fired because of who he acquired to play along side the young players.

Plus, the most important part of a GM's job is acquiring talent to surround the farm produced players. The Dodgers could hire anyone to just sit around and wait for the young kids to develop. In fact, one could argue Dan Evans was that type of GM. One that did a whole lot of nothing.

Most MLB teams cant be successful solely from their farm system. The right GM is going to be able to correctly anaylze the young players that are building blocks, and those others that should be traded to surround the building blocks. Ned's been good at identifying the building blocks and keeping them. But he's failed at trading the left overs, and in signing the free agents to go around the centerpiece youngsters.

A new GM might decide to empty the farm more than Ned has. But that is not always a bad thing. Its not what you trade, its what you get back. And thats been Ned's problem his entire tenure.

If we're emptying the farm for Johan, Miguel Cabrera,etc..Thats fine. If its for Hendrickson, Lugo, Baez---thats when its a problem.

96
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN198206110.shtml

96
6/11/82

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN198206110.shtml

98
I might as well root for the Spurs.

26 et al - even if that's true, it doesn't conflict with the scenario I suggested.

Message: Colletti went after on the wrong stars.

Response: We need to go after the right stars. Stars that are more guaranteed to produce.

Well, how do you think you get those kind of players. Usually involves trading some young talent ...

Anyway, this is all hypothetical.

98 Thanks Bob, just like I remembered it except in my mind the Reds didn't score a run. I appreciate seeing the facts, but I'll stick with my version.

I believe Eddie Milner also broke up two other pitcher's no-hitters in the ninth. He was a very annoying player.

His career was far longer than it should have been. And that even took into account his drug suspension.

That was back in the days when players were suspended for snorting coke. It was a simpler time.

74

Thanks you guys! by the way, the new Indy movie comes out at Midnight this Thursday. That means Wednesday night, when I'll be headed down there. I cannot wait!

At any rate, I don't know why you're so sure that the youth movement wouldn't be blamed. It was completely nonsensical to blame it last year, and yet it was. And it doesn't take much for people who want to spin it that way to say Kemp, Ethier, Loney, Billingsley, etc. are inadequate.

Robert Horry is an example of the easiest way from a player changing from being a personal hero to being a hated villain.

It almost always involves changing teams.

99 Thanks Eric too. Don't worry, lots of us are slower than Bob. I would still be trying to figure it out and in fact have been to lazy to research it in the last 25 years, 11 months and 8 days.

106

This is one area that I have 100% agreement. The Spurs, and Horry, are pure evil. Horry has almost reached 'Newman' levels with some fans.

Hellooooooo.... HORRY.

Hello, Lakers.

103 I'm glad to hear that. I saw the right game. It would have been real annoying if the double was in ninth instead of leading off.

Actually, I take 105 back. I was confusing what the press did with what McCourt did.

106
Horry has fallen into the Jeter trap for me, except even more so. Horry has been so deified, it's almost painful to listen to announcers talk about him. I hate to lump him in with Jeter since Derek is a much better player in his sport than Horry in his.

That said, I'll put up with anything for this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=E3iV4aYvopM

Eddie Milner had the only hit in 5 different one-hitters.

Dickie Noles, Jerry Reuss, Chuck Rainey, a combo of Alejandro Pena and Tom Niedenfuer, and another combo on Len Barker and Donnie Moore.

I can see a new GM being down on Loney, but that's it.

It'd also be totally understandable.

I could also see the future GM dealing Broxton while his value is highest. Reasoning that Hu/Abreu should never be the middle infield and thus either could be dealt. Perhaps dealing more from the 2nd tier prospects (McDonald, DeWitt).

It takes no significant skill to reason that the team should hold onto Billingsley, Kemp, Kershaw, LaRoche, and Martin. To think a new GM would come in and want to deal any of them is irrationaly thinking the worst.

26--puts it the best. Ned'll be fired bc he's insane with the checkbook. If Ned hadnt arrived with an already stacked farm system, the comparisons to his regime and Kevin Malone's would be 1A and 1B.

Man, it's clearer in LA than it is out here, what with our vog for the past week.

If Robert Horry has been deified, then Steve Nash and David West must be Satanists.

Things must be pretty positive over at Astros Thoughts where they're 25-20. This with the 29th rated farm system and starters ERA's of 4.14, 4.58, 4.58, 5.43 and 6.46.

Pence, Tejada, Berkman, Lee can mash.

Berkman has gone 0 for 4 tonight with 3 Ks.

Another thing I was reminded of by the no hitter list. In the late 80's and very early 90's I was positive that Ramon Martinez was a much better pitcher than Greg Maddux. I argued the point with my Cubs fan friend often. He was right.

118 Maybe I should call him up and tell him I meant Pedro.

119
At least the argument will be more interesting this time.

Vin's right, Penny's follow-through at the start here looks off. Hope he figures that out, or someone does.

Hey guys! Did you hear there was a no-hit...Oh, never mind.

Darn, I would leave work and miss the last inning of that one. I'm sure it'll be repeated on ESPN ad nauseum. But it's a great story - I'm happy for Lester.

The Studio City location is too close to other great hot dog places.

Now, I am confused: What other hot dog places are there in Studio City, that this writer things is better than Carneys?

120 I would be right this time.

When did Hu get put in the lineup?

Nobody outside of JoeyP is down on Loney.

So what are the chances of the Spurs turning into the 2000 version of Portland?

Hu had that one.

125 Until he makes an error.

Hu would have got that.

In following up what Jon said, the reason why Ned could be fired is if he was viewed as not taking a risk. From some here, the risk was not completely trusting youth going back to 2007 when he acquired Pierre istead of playing Kemp in CF.

Also, keeping Tomko on the roster and not starting Chad in the beginning of the year. And finally not trusting that Loney could adequately replace Nomar. This year, I think those claims are less only because the ways things have played out, you have the OF situation but generally the roadblocks are not necessarily caused by Ned's moves.

But let's look at the probable view of Ned's lack of risk taking and that would be not packaging a few young players for a mega-deal like the ones for Santana, Cabrera or Texiera. Kind of like the kind his predecessor would have made in San Francisco.

The deals he has made, they are kind that most GMs make. And while others may have had higher opinions of the players dealt away, their value was probably not as much on the trade market as they would be had stayed on the Dodgers.

So if you are not going to trade the prospects that you value the most, then you only have one way to go to improve team, and frankly the only risk is the easiest for ownership to handle, signing free agents. Why is that the easiest to handle, because all it is buying and selling. A negotiation. And every owner has had to make deals like that in their lifetime.

So if it goes bad, I think they can handle it better than what the public might think.

I think for Ned, not trading has been the hardest thing because he could have so easily explained the rationile for trading the future for the present. The press would have bought it and a great deal of people who go to games would have bought Santana jerseys.

125 I do think Loney is the worst of the young group from our system (Billingsley, Martin, Loney, Kemp, Broxton, Laroche), but I don't know if that means I am down on him.

Yah, I was gonna say, will we now have a day free of complaints about the line-up? Maybe Torre checked the blog before gametime.

I suggested a few weeks ago that if the best we can think to say of Ned is that he didn't make certain deals, it was an odd kind of praise at best for a GM. But I also admit that I was on board with signing Jones. I'd also suggest that there's no way to know who would replace him--could be Joe Morgan but could also be Logan White. Ultimately, the decision is McCourt's alone, not mine, and he hasn't been consistent in his thinking. I do find it hard to believe that he will keep Ned minus at least a division pennant, given his track record, the money he's shelled out, and the Angels being proclaimed top team in the city. But we'll see, I guess. Thinking positively, let's beat the Reds--I'm old enough to still hate them from the 70s.

Well, that could've been worse. Penny seemed to settled down pretty well after the first few batters. The RBI hit wasn't that bad a pitch. Hopefully he worked out whatever it was.

What, that was Hu, my bad.

Any news if LaRoche will get any playing time at second in the minors...or is it looking like we're basically going to leave him down there until Blake hits a slump..

125- That's true--it's not that I'm down on Loney; the only reason I would trade him is that I'm that high on Guillermo Quiroz. Or Paul Hoover. Or J.R. Towles. Or. . .

I put Loney, Ethier, Broxton in the same group. I'm not "down" on any of them, but I dont think you build around an a below average 1st basemen, below average corner OF'er, and 1 inning reliever.

The best part of those 3 is that they are cheap (right now). It certainly isnt their amazing irreplaceable talents.

The Spurs have just dominated the Hornets tonight.

136 Its more likely that when Hu goes down, Hu will split time between 2B and SS with perhaps a little 3B thrown in to see if he could play it in a pinch.

139 well what about Laroche then, when and where will he play if called up.

not to nitpick, but why is the guy hittin .240/.288/.395 batting clean up?

Also, cool of Lester to get the no hitter. Though the snarky side of me posted this over at the Griddle:

clearly he threw too many pitches, the manager should be fired for not going to the bullpen sooner.

It's been a long day.

Can Brian Shaw suit up for New Orleans in the 4th quarter?

140 I think everyone is wondering about that and there are currently no answers.

Play him some at 2nd is the general suggestion here.

When Furcal comes back it will be interesting. They might very well send Hu down. They could still send Maza down instead. They could send them both down and call LaRoche up.

So as the Magic 8 ball often says, "Ask again later."

0 - But the better part of Ned's 2007-08 offseason agenda was a commitment to the kids. Andruw Jones is pretty much the only exception. Hiroki Kuroda arguably was replacing such older pitchers as Jason Schmidt, Mark Hendrickson and Brett Tomko.

Disagree. There are a couple middle infield prospects who could displace Jeff Kent, who could be predicted to have an off year but is healthy enough to keep his status as a starter. Nomar's injury is the only thing that's kept Blake DeWitt (or would have kept a healthy Andy LaRoche) on the 25-man. Nomar's playing ahead of DeWitt once he returned is proof enough of that. So the team as designed actually blocked kids at three positions, not just one in the outfield.

There is simply no reasonable way to blame the kids for our struggles. Our offensive problems are Andruw Jones, and depending on the night Jeff Kent and Juan Pierre. The starting pitching that's struggling are guys like Penny/Lowe/whoever the 5th spot happens to be. Billingsley has had some problems but he looks to be turning it around and nobody is trading a young pitcher with a career 3.60 ERA.

Again Loney is really the only young guy you could be down on right now, and wanting to get rid of him and sign Tex in the off season would probably be popular even around here.

Anyone care to guess who started for the Lakers in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals?

130 - see 144 . Was the Nomar extension necessary? Was Kent's?

Since the origin of the "Beat LA" chant (Game 7 of the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals, Philly over Boston on the road), there have been 50 games seven before tonight. The home team was 42-8 in those games, with an average winning margin of 9 points.

Kind of weird that after a 23 year run with only four road wins in a game seven, it has happened four times in the last three years.

140 It is a mystery to me because as long as the Dodgers carry 12 pitchers, I can't see them carrying 2 players who only play 3B.

My hunch is that if they could trust Nomar could actually stay healthy, they would probably DFA Sweeney for him to be the lead pinch hitter plus he could play at least 2 if not 3 IF positions.

Young will stay as the primary lefty off the bench (plus an occasional outfielder), and then you would have Hu or Maza or Abreu plus Bennett.

With 5 OFs and 12 pitchers, there just is not a lot a room for 2 guys who only play 3B.

145 - There is simply no reasonable way to blame the kids for our struggles.

But there are plenty of unreasonable ones, and I'm willing to bet the Plaschke/Simers axis will find some of them, especially since it's been established that they basically like and will cover for Colletti in a way they wouldn't for DePodesta.

146
I'm going with Shaq, Kobe, Horry, Harper, and A.C. Green.

Man, that sure looked like strike three to Bako. Nice at bat by him, but sheesh, you can't walk Paul Bako.

Well, apparently you can.

146 Robert Horry, I believe.

147 Who plays second for us last year? Heck, considering the hate Hu is getting right now people would blame Ned for not bringing in second baseman this year.

151
Horry did not start. Another BELOVED Laker did.

I could be sarcastic.

146 ,151
I was one guy off! I have dishonored the memories of the fallen Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell.

154 - Fox, no?

154 Glen Rice.

I seem to remember that game.

Whoops, I didn't mean Horry played all 5 positions. I thought that was a coy question.

151 - Did Green start that year? It was his last I believe.

Nice pick by Hu to save a run!

These cheap hits are starting to get annoying.

157
Glen Rice is the guy. There is a guy at work who wears a Glen Rice jersey.

I'm afraid to talk to him.

138 -- Loney is not a below average first baseman, and Ethier was right at the statistical average for league LF's last season. You also CONSTANTLY make the mistake of thinking of young players as, well, for the lack of a better word, "constants" -- defined quantities unlikely to improve. Which is why you keep getting, frankly, stunned by the production of the likes of Loney and DeWitt and Jackson, while I have predicted success for, and counselled patience with, all three of those guys, and others, for years.

159 - but the relief is short-lived. 2-0 Reds.

Ack. How many ground singles are the Dodgers suffering the past few games? Sigh. Penny's BABIP can't be all that good right now.

Show-offy play there, by Loney.

That was a great play by the "below average first baseman"!

Honestly, I thought Joey was referring to someone else in 138; I just assumed that couldn't be Loney he meant.

162
I would concur. Why is Mark Texeira considered a panacea for first base?

162 Ethier was fairly below average offensively last year (111 OPS+ average for a corner outfielder versus Ethier's 103) but he makes up the difference defensively.

Ah, the Ryan Freel five-SB game against the Dodgers. I remember it well.

http://6-4-2.blogspot.com/2005/07/adam-dunn-scouting-expedition-reds-7.html

130--I think you could make that argument for Kevin Malone. And it didnt stop him from getting fired.

Malone signed quite a few free agents that turned out crappy. Devon White (Pierre), Eric Karros extension (Nomar extension), Darren Dreifort (Schmidt).

Malone didnt have much of a farm to trade from, but I cant remember him emptying the farm for anyone either.

144 - First of all, didn't Kent have the option, not Colletti? I don't think Colletti had a decision to make regarding Kent. And in any case, while Hu could have replaced Kent, it's not like going into the season there was a clearly defined injustice there.

Third base - same story. There was no Garciaparra decision to make this past offseason - he was already signed. Beyond that, the fact that Nomar replaced DeWitt in April doesn't mean Nomar would have replaced a healthy LaRoche in April.

How does the excerpt start? "The better part of Ned's 2007-08 offseason agenda ..." I'm only referring to what happened this past offseason.

So did Vin just say Kent's trying to get "on track" or "untracked" there? I'm keeping a ledger.

161
If Geoff Blum must be referred to as World Series Hero™, then I insist we call the former Laker All-Star MVP Glen Rice©.

Also, at the DT picnic, I'll pay to see Canuck's throws if JoeyP is in the dunk tank.

I was surprised that someone made the comment that we should trade our team's RBI leader.

For God's sake, Loney rode on the Rose Parade float! The Rose Parade! They don't ask just anybody to ride on one of those!

Tee hee.

Our terrible first baseman gets aboard!, ok bring him in Bison

170 I suppose but I was only looking at Ned and Malone did and said some things outside of just making baseball decisions that were not exactly wise.

It is intersting to think what would be happening if our 1-2 Starters were doing well. I would probably be slanting it that we are doing really well without a set line-up or playing our best players.

If Loney starts hitting again, maybe it'd be better to hold off trading him until he could bring back a Jesus Flores or Wil Nieves!

Teixeira's probably the only in their prime (28 yrs old) 1st basemen that will become a free agent in the next few years. He's probably the only guy that would represent likely significant improvement over Loney given how much he'll cost.

Hopefully his poor start this year will keep the Braves from extending him.

Nicely buffaloed, Bison!

atta boy, isn't it even conceivable that the solution makes them pay again?

180 Is there a reason you're only mentioning backup catchers?

171 - So, either

(a) this is a difference of opinion between Torre and Ned as to who gets how much playing time, or
(b) they agreed on who should be the starters.

You were right about the option being Kent's:

http://tinyurl.com/4czjsn

180 Okay, look, I'm now eating dinner. Please.

And that goes for any Kevin Malone references for the next 15 minutes or so. Or forever.

Pargo is doing his Brian Shaw impression.

183 I guess not. Oh well.

184- I really dislike Gary Bennett. A lot. I didn't realize I'd been too subtle about it.

189 I'm dumb.

holy cow 4 point game in naw'lins now

184- Plus, it makes it clear that I'm kidding, whereas if I started pretending to trade Loney for something unsilly, I might be taken seriously.

Andrew disliked Bennett BEFORE he developed his throwing problems. He was ahead of the curve. He's sort of the Alvin Toffler of backup catcher devotees.

Penny would agree with Tom Meagher's assessment that the Dodgers give up too many singles.

Don't see that too often.

I don't see enough opportunity at 2B in 2008 for it to be worth having Little Orphan Andy switch positions. Kent doesn't sit enough, and I don't see him getting benched long-term no matter how far off the cliff he falls.

I was on the dislike for gary bandwagon the very first time Andrew pointed out his throw back to the mound as well..then he developed the "throwing problem"

193 - What was there to like about him?

Maybe Rod Barajas or Kelly Shoppach could be gotten for Penny.

Sigh. The Dodgers really need Penny to, you know, to put it in scientific terms, suck a lot less if they're going to contend this season. Or heck, phantomDL him, too, and bring up Kershaw or someone that we can at least enjoy watching at the moment.

Pargo almost brought the Hornets back by himself.

I hope that all of Tony Parker's dreams go unfulfilled.

On the plus side, I don't feel bad about watching Crush hit people for the next hour.

Yeah, my picking on Bennett from the start has been seriously cheap grace. I like to live my life by the "first day in prison," principle: first chance you get, beat up the guy nobody likes.

Why does Vinnie get a kick out of Ethier starting in on Dunn's homer?

Gosh, I want the Hornets to win.

I was watching basketball (Pargo just missed a tying 3 with about a minute left)...did Dunn attempt to sacrifice before he hit that HR?

I also wish Fabricio Oberto's dreams to go unfulfilled on general principles.

The sentimental side of me has been rooting for the Hornets, for the good people of Nawlins and their underdog season. The Laker fan side of me would also rather the Lakers play the Hornets, as the Spurs' experience will not be easy to get past.

168 -- Ethier's 2007 stats below average? Somebody, here at DT, months ago, posted Ethier's "triple slash stats" from 2007 and compared them with the triple slash stats of the average LEFT fielder in 2007. I don't know if the average was for the NL or MLB, but Ethier's were practically right at average.

What I want for Manu Ginobili was summed up in the link I posted in the thread earlier today.

I think the Hornets are better than the Spurs, but the Spurs might go for some cheap hits. Especially on Kobe's finger. And that would get annoying.

At least the Lakers will play two straight hated teams, rather than have to crush America's fluffy teddy bears from New Orleans.

181

Instead of signing another expensive FA, I'd rather give Loney through the end of next season to really show us how good he'll be. If he doesn't end up cutting it (though I think he has a good chance of cutting it), Andrew Lambo should be ready around that time.

I think you could apply that same plan to Ethier.

Wow. So Jones is out with a "cranky knee?"

212
Might?

why in the closing seconds do the hornets have pargo run down the court and shoot a fade away deuce...whatever, I kind of want to face the team that I hate so much. While the risk of losing is great, and would sting more, I look forward to the challenge of dethroning the Spurs.

Uggh, not the Spurs. How I loathe them.

199 They should just DFA him and sign me. I'll play for the minimum my entire career, not complain about my 15 starts a year, hit horribly, but fire the ball back to the pitcher every time. I think I may be an improvement, but I could be wrong.

is Penny pitching hurt? why can't he throw a fastball by anybody anymore? will we soon find out that his elbow has felt like a gator's been chewing on it since late April?

The Spurs in the last two seasons have proven themselves unable to beat superior teams unless they try to hurt someone. They are the NBA's answer to the 1974 Philadelphia Flyers.

I keep expecting Bobby Clarke to come out to play for them.

Not like Chris Paul is some angel. Him and Horry would both be members of the dirty dozen of basketball.

211 - As the refs couldn't stop him (no blood after all), I suspect that Manu being Manu, he would just keep playing.

Spurs win! Spurs win, Bob! They are advancing to the next round.

210 I just compared the OPS+ numbers for the average corner outfielder, since he gets a small advantage playing at Dodger Stadium.

Ethier: .284/.350/.452 (103 OPS+)
MLB LF: .277/.347/.453 (110 OPS+)
MLB RF: .281/.351/.453(112 OPS+)

The 104 park factor for Dodger Stadium accounts for most of the difference, but it does seem like a bigger difference than it should.

Tim Duncan is 2-3 against the Lakers in playoff series during his career.

222 I am no Chris Paul fan for that cheap shot. If Chris Paul punched Hodge in the face, I'd probably get over it. But some things are just not done.

yawn

Is there a way to get game-by-game BABIP for the Dodgers and see what it's been in their wins and losses?

224
I will add someone to my list of people whom I hope their dreams go unfulfilled.

I've developed this intense hatred of the Spurs in about the last 30 minutes. I never really cared one way or the other.

Greg Popovich is the only NBA coach I've ever shook the hand of. If you can guess in which city, you can gain my admiration for the next 25 minutes.

215 - "Wow. So Jones is out with a "cranky knee?"

Bob could show you are real cranky knee, but its NSFW.

juan scores here. hit and run, and a long double.

I am more excited to see the NBA draft lottery than the actual game tomorrow.

230
Let me see "Terre Haute, Indiana!"

232 You had the long double right.

232 - We'll count it!

229 I was wondering about that for Penny.

220 - Who knows. He still has some velocity on it and can throw it past hitters but it seems like they're predicting his patterns and it's more hittable than it used to be.

233 Same here.

Nice hit by our "slightly below average" rightfielder. Was probably smart to hold Pierre - looked like he might have been nailed - but the way the Dodgers have been hitting seems a tough call.

they rock at 2 out RBI's

Actually, we don't see the lottery. We just see the results of the lottery. The picking is done off-camera.

And, I have never shook Greg Popovich's hand in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Who would have thought that Tony Parker's wife wouldn't be the best person (in terms of my tolerance of them) in the world with a first name starting in "Eva" and last name of Longoria?

Hairston makes Maza's arm look like a Howitzer.

I just wanted to say Amen to your post on Colletti, Jon. Maybe he's not the ideal GM (who is?), he's certainly made mistakes, but things could be much, much worse. And so could his replacement, were he to be fired.

Yay! Bless those Hairston boys.

I had a feeling something goofy might happen there.

237

Brad needs to use a 3rd pitch. His fastball, while it does have good velo, is about as straight as possible. Major League hitter kill straight fastballs. He cannot control his curveball, and it really isnt even a plus curveball. It is only effective when it is located because of the diffeential between his fastball. When Brad has success, he uses his change/splitter and spots in in the strike zone. He hasn't done that this year and isn't fooling anybody.

To call the Spurs loathsome cheap shot artists is not hyperbolic but, I assert, merely an accurate description; nothing less "will suffice"....

246 yeah, my memory of Penny features swings and misses at splitters, and I'm not seeing that much this year...

my wife is screaming at me for yelling

Greg Popovich learned his coaching style in the roughest and toughest college basketball conference in the United States.

The SCIAC!

241
I know people, who know people.

Put your money on the Memphis Grizzlies.

Disclaimer: I don't know anyone.

Instead of being a jerk about his pretend slotting system, Bud Selig should devote his attention to getting skinny blond pitchers hair cuts. It's enough already. Put it in the next CBA.

kent hits a gapper here.

252
He doesn't have corn rows anymore.

249 For 3/4 of that sentence, I thought we were married to the same woman.

OK, I'm 32 years old, but I still laugh -- every single time -- I see the current Reds' pitching coach or hear his name.

251 Where do your people say the Pacers will go, 14th?

dang

Okay, c'mon Crazy Eyes Superfly!

252 - I don't know if I can take looking at a bunch of Khalil Greens and Bronson Arroyos. I often can't even get through an Owen Wilson film.

Wow, James missed that fat pitch. Belt high fastball with nothing on it.

Aaawwwwwwwwww.

260 Texeira would have drilled it.

256
That is better than being in your 40's and everyone still calls you Pooh.

penny doesn't have it anymore

Anson, Wagner, Hornsby?

The AFLAC question is strangely phrased.

Musial was the player Rose passed up.

265
I was thinking Anson and Musial, but I can't think of a 3rd.

257
I don't know, but they will take Kevin Love.

256 He should change it to Rod Johnson.

Oh for God's sake, Penny. Walk the leadoff... pitcher??

he walked the pitcher. argh. this will be a 2 run inning

I would say Musial, Wagner, and Anson, although I'm still not sure what they meant "since 1900"?

Does that mean all of Cap Anson's hits don't count?

Almost Ankiel-esque

Awesome throw by Kemp! Maybe even a bit of LaRoche support for the placement too! :)

first strike capability!!

outfield assist by kemp!!!!!!

You run on the Bison, you get mauled.

Book it.

I just finished Crazy 08. It's a fun read. Apparently, in a league full of racists, Cap Anson really stood out.

OH MY GOD.

Did everyone just see that throw from Kemp??

<3

Gunned down by a Bison!

And a great play by DeWitt to catch and tag, too. Wow.

That was an amazing throw. Nice play by DeWitt as well.

When Rose passed up Musial on the hit list, the Timmermann family wept.

273
Maybe they phrased it that way such that Anson was the NL leader in 1900, even though his career ended in 1897, until he was passed by Honus Wagner.

281 - Is that a naughty emoticon of some kind?

269 That would be great with me. I'm scared it will end up Eric Gordon.

287- It's a heart, sicko.

I can just see DeWitt making digs like that to tag out runners trying to steal 2B.

This could the start of a new series for FSN: "After the Bigs" with this week's subject.

Also, how many times do you see it -- a great fielding play means that guy leads off next inning.

Okay, now that there's a break, here's a question for y'all:

For this baseball script I'm working on, the central team is going to be an expansion team for a few reasons. Anyway, I'm wondering if the rules for the expansion draft (which was alluded to earlier in this thread, coincidentally) are still the same as they were in 1992?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_MLB_Expansion_Draft

Anyone know another good reference site online?

That sure helps his bat speed.

That was a great throw, but it doesnt hold a candle to the two ankiel made in Colorado. Those were 2 of the best throws I've ever seen from an outfielder.

290
It makes me appreciate Kemp even more, trying to enlighten all of us by showing DeWitt is The Solution™ to more than one problem. :)

286 What was the AFLAC question?

Here on the Reds station, it was "What three visiting pitchers have thrown no hitters at Dodger Stadium?".

289 Um, right, a heart, that's what I meant. What did you think I mean? Sheesh. Um. Anyhoo...

292
Check here for the most recent expansion draft:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_MLB_Expansion_Draft

292

I would think that there wouldn't be new rules until there was another expansion draft.

296
Perfecto: El Presidente
N0-No: Kent Kercker

I can't remember the 3rd.

And I would think wrong, apparently.

I am giving my foot an epsom salt bath.

292
Here are 1997 rules:

http://nowhitting.com/content/view/171/129/

heck

Duh. Right. Thanks. So I assume the draft rules would be the same at this point. Not that I want this to be so bogged down in realistic details that no one cares about, but want it to be accurate as to how they acquire some of their players.

man on , and 1 out

heck

heck

296
Name the four players since 1900 to lead the NL in career hits.

As for your the other question, the answers are: Dennis Martinez, Kent Mercker,

Pierre-ian.

You throw me out on the bases, I throw you out.

Even Stephen.

300 More importantly, what question was answered by Musial, Anson, etc.?

Crud. I thought he just beat it. Guess not.

Thanks peeps. Of course, I'm making up a team, I can probably make up some of the rules, too.

UUUGGGHHHHHH

307
I'm still taking credit for beating you even though I typed Kent Kercker.

I suppose the AFLAC people are giving Mark Gardner credit for a no-hitter. Which he didn't do, since he gave up a hit in extra innings.

300 Bo Belinski was the third.

Would you have pinch hit for Penny here, given how he's struggled, or too early?

The Angels were never no-hit at Dodger Stadium. But they did have a player hit for the cycle!

314 Do you think AFLAC staffers actually write those questions, too?

arroyo is not pitching well here . . .

315
Who was Bo Belinsky visiting? The Angels were the home team.

317 I prefer to not talk about that.

318
OK, the Fox Sports Ohio production assistants. Who seem to have a tenuous grasp on the meaning of "visiting."

Maybe I'll put this faux expansion team in San Diego. There's no team there now, right?

i just discovered two things. first, i have a calculator in this laptop. (my wife showed me) and, second, juan pierre's walk rate (1 every 10.58 ABs, give or take) is about twice his walk rate (1 about 20.24 ABs) of last year. i'm not - repeat, not - suggesting that pierre is worth the mint he's making. but it seems possible that the man is working harder to walk more. for that, if nothing else, he should be commended.... i can't believe i just wrote that.

323
Don't pull a Bill Terry! Jinxer!!

What a clever way to get assist #7.

Way to fake him out, Kemper!

320 Took me a while to figure that out.

I inadvertently replaced the word "non-Dodger" with "visiting" in 296 . How was I suppose to know it would make a difference?

Tag was late, but it's still cool.

Ooh!

Don't run on Matt Kemp!

As bad as Repko!

Wow. Someone wasn't paying attention last inning.

323

I hope you'll have a two-headed manager leading the squad.

Okay, Kemp did that bobble act on purpose to get another assist. He's so clever, that Bison!

323
Put em in Oakland!

kemp is having a very odd night.

I thought for sure that would be Kemp's 3rd assist tonight.

Jeeze. Kemp must be gassed right now.

328
You could have stayed quiet and I would have saved my vitriol for the Fox Sports Ohio people.

Are you being subjected to Thom Brennaman and George Grande for this game?

I really thought Kemp would be able to throw that dude out, too.

Kemp got a good jump on that ball. Just out of his reach.

It's quite a circus act the Bison is pulling out there.

Okay, Penny clearly stinks. Remove him.

332 Maybe if I was doing a blurnsball movie instead...

I double dog dare Phillips to tag on this fly to Kemp.

336

It was close. for him to get off such a good throw after all that is pretty amazing.

317-Bob: when someone completes the cycle, are we supposed to stand up?

Reds have made some bad baserunning mistakes tonight.

338
Do Thom™ & Grande work together? That would be better than Thom™ / Brantley.

334 - I'm talking baseball, not football. :-P Actually it would be amusing to have a baseball team owned by an Al Davis type. In a movie, not in real life.

Kemp is halfway to the single game outfield assist record.

It hasn't been done in 80 years. And in the NL it hasn't been done in 98 years.

338 Brenneman yes, the other guy I guess so.

An intersting strategy by Penny. Let them mash extra base hits, and then get thrown out by Kemp. I like this better than the walk everybody strategy.

344
At least someone should tell me.

Penny stinks.

338 Fox Sports Cincinnati now for Reds Games.

kemp has a little manny in him...

Seriously, there is something wrong with Penny. I want a Phantom-DL double feature, Jones and Penny. Bring up some fresh blood.

But I don't like this overall. Even if we played our best players we would have trouble keeping up.

353
Ahh, a subtle, but important difference. This summer I will learn the difference between Cleveland and Cincinnati.

I really didn't care for Cincinnati when I went to the SABR convention there.

that first pitch to Hairston--a lot more of that, is what's needed...

354 The high five by Manny was classic and his reenactment in the dugout was nice too.

355
Get him a new hot girlfriend from television. He's used this one up of her powers.

Cesar Izturis has homered in Petco tonight for the Cardinals.

357 They have a nice zoo, good chili, a pretty good aquarium across the river, and a top notch amusement park. What's not to like?

361

I'm selling everything I own and building a boat.

362
I didn't go to the zoo. I won't mention the chili. The amusement park is way out of town.

I think I was scared by how much the people of Cincinnati LOVED Pete Rose.

361 - Maybe Pierre can follow suit in the absurdathon!

...Nah.

I wish someone had told me there was free baseball in Minnesota.

I haven't heard anything nice about the state of Ohio in general.

364 Next time go to the zoo.

Where are we on the Raffy Countdown Clock?

The best part about going to Cincinnati was that I was able to cross Kentucky off my life list of states visited.

Pierre has 5 extra base hits in almost 120 at bats. Thats disgusting. also gotta love the OPS+ of 75 for your starting left fielder.

367 The state of Ohio has many of the best roller coasters in the world.

There you go.

370 Let me guess. You went to Kentucky and didn't visit a distillery.

We need to start hitting the ball hard and far. Like Dunn.

The two places in Kentucky I've visited are far nicer than anything I saw in Ohio.

I've heard some of the college towns in Ohio are nice, though.

Ohio is one of those states you have to go through to get some place else. However, Ohio doesn't make it a source of pride like Indiana does.

I'm very edgy in that I like to cut through Michigan to get to places.

369

Vin just said Friday.

A hit! A hit for Kent!

{throw confetti}

373
Since I don't drink, a visit to a distillery would be a bit of a waste.

did loney just hit the ball after it bounced?

370- It is tough to find a reason to go to some of those states in the middle.

379

That's the beauty of a distillery. All you have to do is breathe!

Swing Blade!

Trade james Loney!...........

James the Terrible!!!

377 - Yah, that I knew. I wanted an exact time estimate. It's also the countdown to Pierre no longer being in the leadoff spot.

So I'm guessing that there's no way this game ends before 10 pm.

Matt Kemp joins the ranks of UPS drivers.

Thankyouverymuch!

The Bison!!!

379 Probably skipped the caves too, right?

The Cardinals have three home runs at Petco tonight. Besides Izzy's, Pujols has one and Ludwick hit his 12th.

This is the BABIP game.

17 hits in less than 5 innings.

Oh my goodness! Nice to score some runs!

We are going to single them to death.

391
I was in Kentucky for about 20 minutes. Or however long it took me to find a cab to take me to Cincinnati.

5-and-5, which is sort of like 7-and-7's, only not so alcoholic.

Go Blake!

Hooray! The solution solves it!

And Vin tells it like it is about Arroyo.

Yea, DeWitt, #33 with another RBI!

Well at least we're scoring runs with arguably the most reasonable lineup Joe has thrown out there in weeks..

Coaching visit to the mound, and somewhere Eric Stephen chuckles quietly to himself.

15 singles, 1 double, 1 triple, and 1 HR tonight in 5 innings.

396 - Boy, it doesn't take much for you to cross off a state from your list of unvisited.

Re: 398

What did he say, for those of us poor slobs just listening via AM?

hu really doesnt have a clue up there.

And Hu doesn't do much to stave off his pending demotion there, alas.

Hu can go ahead and sign a 9-month lease on that apartment in Vegas.

404
Vin said something like "that's why Arroyo keeps throwing the curve ball, because he can't get the fastball by anyone."

At least I don't think they would put Penny back in here. Penny would say they tied it--but I can fix that.

why is penny still in this game?

403
I was in Delaware for about 5 minutes. I crossed off Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas while riding on a train when I was 5.

However, airport transfers don't count under family rules unless you leave the airport grounds.

torre?

gabor paul bako III wins the battle.

411 How many states are left? 5 minutes seems like a beatable record if you plan it right.

yank Penny after the bunt, please...

411
airport transfers don't count under family rules unless you leave the airport grounds.

That means Utah is still on my list. I did play a few games of Spades at the Salt Lake City airport though.

get him out of there!

Because Torre is an idiot.

Sorry, I accidentally hit a macro key.

A Hernandezian play by Loney on that!

And how is Arroyo hitting here for that matter? I guess to sacrifice.

ok, Joe's a genius...

Penny will settle for the win instead.

Dusty's letting Arroyo hit after he's thrown 99 pitches in 5 innings.

a gift Gidp

416 What if I gamble there for a couple hours, would that make a difference? I'm thinking I should be able to count Nevada.

#7 seeks redemption with a throw to second, getting the lead runner on the bunt by Arroyo.

I think all I have left on the "See All the States!" checklist are Alaska, Washington (how have I never been to Seattle, I'll never know), and a couple of the Frozen Midwest states -- Minnesota, I think; Wisconsin; Michigan. Have seen everything else at length (including spending a good year and a half of my life in Wyoming).

No airport transfers involved...

Thankfully Dusty is worse than Joe.

414
I have 14 states left:
Alaska
Idaho
Montana
Wyoming
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
Iowa
Louisiana
Alabama
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee
Arkansas

Maybe my flight back from Cleveland, which will have a change of planes in Nashville will cause me to be stranded in the airport and I'll have to sleep over at a hotel there.

Oh please, oh please!

Double play started by DeWitt makes Torre look good.

411 - The TSA lines must have really cut into your ability to accumulate states that way.

428 Wisconsin is great. They make beer everywhere and the bars are crowded before lunchtime. In the winter you can park your snowmobile at bars.

If Kent makes the last out here, is it too early for Torre to double switch him out for Pee Wee at 2B?

I've been to West Virginia twice and both times I was in the extremes of the state. Once I was in Harper's Ferry and the other time I was in Wheeling.

congratulations Jon on your new book endeavor (you deserve it) It's not surprising to me & I'm sure to all loyal Dodger/DT fans.

430
I have but four remaining: the extreme Northeast (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire) and the extreme Northwest (Alaska). Not exactly places you just happen to stop at on your way to someplace else....

373 ,433
I'm hanging with Indiana Jon at the DT Picnic.

433
I've been to Wisconsin twice. And Minnesota several times. And I've been to Missouri, which leaves Iowa just sitting there for the taking.

I've been to Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware (theoretically), Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. I have gaping holes in the south and much of the midwest.

I gotta tell you guys man, I LOVE watching the kind of throws Kemp made earlier in the game it was just great to watch on a lazy monday night.

Bob, do you count traveling by train through a state a sufficient enough visit to cross it off the list?

437
You can fly to Boston and once you escape from Logan, you can polish off Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in under two hours.

442
Trains count.

Even overnight trains.

443 That's pretty much what I did. I was in Boston for two weeks, and one Saturday, drove up to Portland for lunch, then came back through Vermont and New Hampshire.

430

Bob, you're in for a treat if you still haven't seen the Rockies-Absaroka belt of (southeastern) Idaho, (western) Montana, and (northwestern) Wyoming. My favorite part of the country -- beautiful and mystical. I wish I could come up with a good way of making a living there.

Cincinnati announcers tonight are actually George Grande and Chris Welsh. I am also in Indiana, and the Dodger broadcast is blacked out on Extra Innings. Grande and Welsh aren't too bad actually. Thom Brennaman and his fake deep voice are awful, and Jeff Brantley is completely bad. He thinks a reliever should win the MVP award every year.

Grande does keep calling Hu "Hugh" though Wlesh continues to say Hu right after him.

how often does a right handed first baseman make that throw? anecdotally, I wanna say it's not much better than 50/50...

446
My oldest brother is taking his family to Yellowstone this summer. Partly for the scenery, partly to cross off three states.

I'm not sure what happens when you get to the 50th state. Presumably you die.

I'm getting used to Pierre. As weak a hitter as he is, at least he makes contact and gets on base occasionally.

I am ready to give up on Andruw Jones. All he does is strike out - he's pathetic. He has the lowest BA of any regular in the NL.
I hope Torre just lets A. Jones rot on the bench, and plays Kemp, Ethier and Pierre every day. And I hope it leads to Colletti being fired.

443
Perfect! Now how to make my way over to Alaska the next time I'm in the Yukon....?

One of these days, I'm going to make a week out of going to Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire - there are some outstanding beer festivals in that region. That's all the reason I need.

I've been to California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Idaho*, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida.

*I was not old enough to remember Idaho, though I believe I was there at a young age for some family sort of event.

Work may take me to Texas and/or Illinois in the next several months.

I also passed up a trip to Alaska right before law school. Mainly because I did not really want to go fishing.

449 - Now that would be the pre-Obama figure, right?

438 I've only been to LA once. I definitely won't be at the picnic, since my only reason for coming there would be to watch the Dodgers and I believe the picnic will be held when they are out of town. However, if you're ever east of the Mississippi, there's always beer and a ballpark.

Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are too pretty to be polished off on an overnight train ride.

449 - they'll add another state, just to keep you traveling.

My money is on Puerto Rico, but Guam is a bit of a stalking dark horse at the moment.

for a minute there I thought Vinnie said Lincecum was coming in & I was like NO!!! but it's Lincoln.

Is there really going to be a picnic?

449

I worked at Yellowstone for four summers, and visited on four discrete summers over the course of my 40 years.

One of the Known Power-Centers of the Universe. ;-)

My favorite place in the world, for sure. (though I do like California now)

The way Martin slowed down there made it looks like something in a leg or ankle is bothering him. I also saw him wince on second base earlier.

456
Just like Canada split the Northwest Territories into two territories, so I have to find a way to get to Nunavut.

I also need to go to Alberta and Manitoba to polish off Canada.

Joining the conversation late, congratulations to Jon on the book contract. Along with many others, I'll place my advance order with Amazon on the first day possible.

A couple of Dodger moments perhaps not mentioned by others:

On the grounds of Cooperstown, looking over the shoulder of the Roy Campanella statue toward the Johnny Podres statue, feeling the aura of the '55 seventh game.

Sitting in the backseat of the family car, as a nine-year-old in 1962, reading the latest Dodger booklet from Union Oil. The eight-page pamphlets, free with every fill-up, were the introduction to Major League baseball for many of my generation. I still remember baseball facts that I learned first from those handouts.

Related question: I'll visit the East Coast in September to see eleven ballgames in eleven days. I have free days in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. Are there any particularly cool Dodger sites to see in those cities. E.g., is it worth visiting the former site of Ebbets Field? Any advice would be appreciated.

458 and will it be webcast for the out of staters?

442/444 - come to think of it, I traveled through Ohio overnight on a train too, so I've been there twice, then, if that counts. Even though I blessedly slept through it. Toledo at 3AM looked just as unappealing as it does at any other hour. To upstate New York, which was much prettier.

458
If we keep talking about it, eventually it will happen.

This singles offense is driving me nuts!

Someone wake Troy in West Virginia!

Pretty amazingly the Dodgers have come back from a win expectancy of 13.5%. The Dodgers actually raised their WE up to 60.5% after the Pierr stolen base last inning. 50% after 6 full innings. vr, Xei

When I worked at LAX I knew a guy who was from Guam (co-worker), he told me the US military had a base there or something to that affect, I can't remember.

On the grounds of Cooperstown, looking over the shoulder of the Roy Campanella statue toward the Johnny Podres statue, feeling the aura of the '55 seventh game.

Amazingly, just as I was reading that they showed the end of that game and talked about Campanella and Podres on the Reds broadcast.

462
The Babe Ruth Museum (hey, he was a former Dodger coach!) in Baltimore is pretty cool. It's a few blocks from Camden Yards, and has some cool Eddie Murray stuff too.

http://www.baberuthmuseum.com/

I'm also hoping to take care of a couple of states in the upper midwest next summer by going to Sturgis - that should take care of Colorado, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

459 - my favorite place in the world is Sandy Beach on Oahu. Second and third on the list are the Wedge and Crescent Bay

Man, Beimel is looking good tonight, good job Beimel!!

469 I know they have a National Guard there. I've met a couple guys from the unit. They have only one Infantry Battalion and a State Headquarters though.

I hate to this, or accuse anyone of anything unproved...but after seeing that video of griff as a rookie earlier, I don't think I'd be surprised if I found out he roided for a while.

462 - Well, it might be bittersweet, but in Baltimore you could go see Memorial Stadium, where the Orioles completed the sweep of the Dodgers in the 1966 WS.

O'Shea's on Charles St. is a great Irish bar in Baltimore. Peter's Pour House on Water St. has good crab cakes. You can also go see Poe's grave. It's been moved abut three times.

462
Also, Mike Piazza and Tommy Lasorda were both both in Norristown, about 20 minutes from Pennsylvania.

478
20 minutes from Philadelphia

Man, from a near strike out to, yes, another 1-base hit. This game is turning into a Cameron Crowe movie from 1992.

this is one of those spots where the Reds are suppose to get a run.

I don't like that at all

471 Thanks. I'll do it.

476 Is Memorial still standing? I saw a ballgame there in the early 90s, and didn't think about the '66 series once.

Home plate umpire Paul Nauert -- an Angel Hernandez clone perhaps? -- is not making any friends in West Virginia.

from what I understand that call can go EITHER way & it looks like the home plate umpire decided to call it a balk.

It looked pretty clearly like a balk; it's just that Beimel sometimes gets away with it.

Doesnt Beimel balk every time he tries to pick someone off? It's just very rarely called.

Memorial Stadium in Baltimore was torn down in 2001.

Memorial Stadium is no more. There is a YMCA thnere, so you could actually stay at the site if you are into that.

Way to lean into one there, Dunn. Sigh.

475

He was 18 or 19 in that video. Just about everyone gains lots of weight between there and Griffey's current age. Not that this proves his innocence, just saying.

478 After flying into Boston, I'm doing the whole trip by Amtrak and subway, so Norristown is unreachable. But the thought is appreciated.

Do the Dodgers always hit a batter with 2 strikes?

Memorial Stadium today:
http://tinyurl.com/4jlgtf

420 word of the day: hernandezian

488 - That?

I like it when there's high drama involved for some reason... like right now.

495
Not that there is anything wrong with that.

495 Staying at a Y.

496 - I like it when it ends like that, anyway.

Canuck, do you even know why it's funny in 162 that you have been counseling patience "for years?"

39 No I'm not saying that we don't have a good team. I think we have a good team that is not playing up to the level of expectations. We need to do that and even exceed a little. Hence the blame on players and coaches; not manager & general manager.

36 When Young gets his second extra-base hit of the year, call me up and see if I'll take him off the embarrassing list. I might need to wait until a third.

493 - Looks more like ground zero than a YMCA, but Marty was just there, right?

I read the Daily News article on Bennett, I thought him throwing like he does was only to preserve his arm I didn't know he had arm trouble.

Excluding California, I have been to Arizona and Nevada.

Do I get a prize for last place?

503
Actually, none of us have been anywhere. We're just figments in the imagination of an autistic child living in Boston.

500
When Young gets his 2nd start of the year, call me up.

The Bison showing off his speed.

472

I adored Hawa'ii on my only visit there -- way back in 1990. I spent about a week and a half, and, oddly, did not visit Oahu or Maui. Spent all the time on Kauai, The Big Island, and Molokai.

An amazing experience. Hope I get to go back again.

500 If the Dodgers had any veterans to look up to, I think guys like Loney Kemp and Ethier would really benefit...its just hard having to rely on losers like juan and Druw.

501
If you zoom in, you can see a big building on the corner. The rest of the parcel hasn't been filled in.

It's Baltimore. What do you expect?

You know, I think that a lot of us were sold on Druw, or rather the risk of signing him on the odd chance that we might occassionally benefit from a honron. If only for that (the popssibility), I think we need to get LaRoche up here as quickly as possible.

500 - Clearly you define "embarrassing" differently than I, so I'm not sure there's much point in arguing. My point was 7 hits in 24 at bats, plus 3 walks in very limited playing time, mostly pinch hits, is far from embarrassing. But anyway...

I see Freel using his outfielders mit to play 3rd base, interesting.

504 Hah hah. That makes me feel better about having "no life." I really don't! The pressure's off.

500 -- No, please explain, in great detail, why it's "funny." People were ragging on Loney and Jackson and others going back years, and I said they would be fine, not in weeks, or months, but in time. Now they are just 24-years-old. If you wanted them to be stars 3 years ago, maybe you were being unreasonable.

503 I knew lots of people in Oregon who had never been out of that state, so you're above last place.

I love Yellowstone. Went there on my honeymoon, then again last year to take the kids. I would go hiking there every year if I could.

509 - I guess that Angelos wanted to make sure that it was torn down, even without plans to put anything there, just in case the NL got ideas about further expansion.

Broxton is like here try & hit it...

504

Jeez, I grew up in Newton, MA. Is it indeed true that this is all a fever-dream? No California? No Dodger Thoughts? No 4+1 game?

Is this the kernal of Truth that will set me free? Or drive me mad?

Speaking of miles I just crossed the United 100,000 mile club again. Six trips to Switzerland can do it.

Swiss and French ladies understand the power of the sun-dress.

I think Broxton just hit 99 on the gun woah!

504
Well we know he's not JD Drew's kid.

502 - Shimmin should be ashamed of himself for picking on an injured player.

The third pitch to Hairston was clocked at 100 MPH on Gameday, and Gameday called it a "sinker," not a "fastball."

What, no one else watched St. Elsewhere's series finale?

This is the first time the "St. Elsewhere" reference has gone over everybody's head.

when you throw as hard has Broxton the Umps tend not to call those corner pitches, it looked border line to me.

524
Is that different from St. Elmo's Fire?

Except mine.

How can Bako be walked three times in one game? C'mon Dodger pitchers!

we need a pitcher induced DP here...

527
underdog and I will collectively sigh.

526 Check your e-mail please.

Broxton looks filthier than ever.

Paul Bako had FOUR walks in a game last year for the Orioles against the Yankees.

527 Did Howie Mandell and Denzell Washington star in St. Elmos Fire? I think not.

More importantly, it was only play Warren Coolidge could get a job after Carver High.

534 place not play

The one episode that winked at Coolidge's Carver High past is one of my favorite TV moments. Was that Salami who recognized him?

515

Good honeymoon spot. Good for the kids, too.

If I could figure out a way, I'd be there full-time, or at least every summer -- I really need to climb Electric Peak again, and I'm not getting any younger, it appears.

I think the Huuuuu or boo question is a valid one.

LaRoche has a 24/5 BB/K rate. That's like Ted Williams-esque.

This could be LaRoche right now, but its Sweeney.

We have a guy down here in Vegas, who is knocking the leather off the ball.

Cut Sweeney, bring up Tiffee!

Vin sure does like Juan Pierre.

537 I'm not much for climbing mountains. Any degree of danger does not sit well with me. So I prefer beautiful meadows, valleys, forests, streams, and waterfalls.

539
Not in 1941. Williams had 147 BBs that year and just 27 Ks.

When I was a little kid my dad spotted the actor who played Coolidge on an airplane and embarrassed me by going over to talk to him. His icebreaker was that he (my dad) had gone to school with Ken Howard and wanted him to say hello to him. Mute, I just kept thinking, "That's Coolidge! Across the aisle, wow..."

--
Poor Hu, even when he hits it on the nose, it's caught.

what if you fined Pierre whenever he hit a fly ball? anything caught in the air by an outfielder, that'll be $1000. enforce the correct approach...

545
That actor, Byron Stewart, used to patronize my dad's store.

i'm at about 40 states visited. but i'm not even 27 yet so i've got time to fit in the other 10 states.

541 - Y'know, it's hard for me to think Tiffee's Vegas numbers are anything but an aberration, BUT, I'm inclined to agree with you at this point, he'd likely be better than Sweeney.

And I liked Sweeney last year, I had no problem with them acquiring him, thought he was a solid pinch hitter and had usefulness, but right now, he seems about like Olmedo seemed a year ago: clearly done.

547 i know a fellow by that name. i'm sure he never played calvin coolidge in anything, though.

547 - So, I was once accused of being Wesley Snipes

538

hehehe, I'll give the benefit of the doubt though...

for the record, I got the St Elsewhere reference, I was just reading other stuff during that whole exchange.

how's hu been on defense, btw? i haven't been able to actually see the dodgers play.

Saito's slider looks pretty good again.

554 Good timing.

554 - well, he just made a great stop on a line drive that was maybe a foot off the ground to end the inning. other than that, I don't remember seeing any spectacular plays, but I haven't seen many games myself.

Hu's been fine today, from what I've seen. In fact he temporarily saved a run with a diving stop to keep a ball on the infield.

And he just made a nice play right there, too.

551 Accused?

501 I should clarify. I did not stay at the Y there. I just heard it was there. I stayed at the Tremont Plaza, which was not a dump as it was in 1998.

554 - Pretty good. Maza started, but in the first inning, after he let a groundball go into left for a single, he was replaced by Hu. ;)

554

He's played serviceable D Vishal but with Furcal playing the way he was, you can imagine how we all want him back bad bro.

Throw me away!

Rookie, plus Russell known for his speed = the end result.

well, that's a promising start to the bottom of the ninth

558 - Bob did so, based upon my habit of staying out of the US. I wasn't flattered, because aparently Mr. Snipes doesn't pay his overdue library fines, among other things, and is pretty much of a deadbeat.

thanks for the reports. is it bad that i'd never heard of maza till i spied his name in a box score several days ago?

Interesting that three of the young actors who played players on the Carver HS team in The White Shadow went on to have solid careers as directors (Kevin Hooks, Thomas Howard and Timothy Van Patten).

--

I think that Dusty just swallowed that toothpick.

I'll even take a single here. Go Kent!

Kent not bunting is stupid.

Well, I guess that's just as good.

569 is kent any good at bunting?

565 - Oh, I see. I thought you meant in real life, which could at least involve a sneaky way to meet girls.

Olney.

Did you get the email BH?

No, but Kent is good at swunting!

565
We have a collection agency to handle people like you.

wait, they WANT to face kemp?

567 I believe you meant to say Thomas Carter notably the director of the Miami Vice pilot. Thomas Howard played outfield for the Reds among other stops.

If they walk the bases loaded, Blake DeWitt and his 5-5 with the bases loaded at bat streak will come into play.

Walking Loney to get to Kemp, it makes sense of course... but I hope the Bison makes them pay.

do you now walk the Bison to get to the Solution?

Dick Pole cracks me up.

Jeff Kent hasn't sacrificed since 1998.

575 You might want to look up the, er, colloquial definition of 'swunt.'

Dick Pole.

Relief pitching did a good job tonight and the Dodgers took advantage of some bad fielding plays by the Reds to get the win (assuming Kemp can hit a fly ball).

574 Yep, we are good to go. Check my reply.

543

Not much into crazy-danger hiking myself. Have never attempted to climb a mountain that required ropes. Forget it!,

"Beautiful meadows, valleys"

Yup, Hayden Valley, Mary Mountain Trail. Specimen Ridge.

"Forests"

Yup, most of the southwestern quadrant of the park, including the whole Lake region.

"Streams and waterfalls"

Yup. Moose Falls, Knowles Falls, Union Falls, and so forth. Ever see this book? --

http://tinyurl.com/66hctz

Intense stuff. The wildest spot in the lower 48 that I've ever seen...

578 - Hah. Yes, indeed I did mean Carter. Thomas Howard hasn't been as good as a director.

If you don't mention Tommy Westphal's name, you've blown the St. Elsewhere reference as far as Dodger Thoughts is concerned.

I sitll don't understand why airport stops don't count as being in a state. You're in the state. It's not as if the airport is in some black hole somewhere.

Yea baseball!

ah, ok. they're gonna put the pressure on dewitt. i'm not worried.

oh, boy, this is going to be interesting.

Baseball karma requires DeWitt to hit the ball into the parking lot.

Wow 2 IBBs.

I'll call it now.
Dewitt wins the game with a bases loaded walk.

DeWitt disrespected!

Blake DeWitt, for the Fimple?!

Mr. Weathers. Meet the Solution.

Its sort of strangely wonderful how often the cosmic ways of the Baseball Gods get blake dewitt to the plate in meaningful situations.

583 apparently that's a rule 1 violation. do obscure slang obscenities count as violations?

583 - Ay caramba! But baseball fans used it first! But, boy, if I'd known that...

Okay, Solution! Let's do this thing.

589 Why do you have to be on the ground at all? Airspace should count.

DeWitt just flinched from victory.

589
The Timmermann Family rules for "visiting" a place were the subject of intense negotiation at a Christmas dinner one year.

There was much infighting. And with four people voting, it was very tough to break the deadlock. It was like the Jefferson-Burr election.

Dude it would be pretty funny if we were to tippy toe in the run...

Blake, lean in baby, lean in.

597 No! Mom, Vishal's being a tattletale again!

Also, since canceling my TW subscription in hopes they'd send the retention hounds after me promo-rates in hand (and so far, the dogs have not come), I can truly appreciate the over-enthusiasm Charlie gives to near-home runs and eventually-foul fly balls.

Is DeWitt mad at himself for not letting the pitch hit him?

Ron Hunt would have had that!

Solution!

DeWin!

chalk up a game winner for the solution

Fairy tale!

ladies and gentlemen, your National League Rookie of the Year.

Part of me would like to see Hu get the game winner actually. But mostly I'd just like to see someone win the game.

Someone get this kid Pat Tabler's stats.

And his OPS with the bases loaded continues to go down. :)

Step into it, kid!

The Solution! (tm)

Dewitt would have won the game by getting hit. What kind of gumption is that?

he wanted to drive it in with his BAT. booyah!

Just jim-dandy!

What a bullpen. What a Solution.

Dewitt does it again. At this rate we will never see Laroche.

601 - Interesting, of course, but that doesn't answer my question.

I don't want to hear any more debates:

Blake DeWitt IS our third baseman

YAY!

Singled them to death!

he wanted to drive it in with his BAT. booyah!

6 for 6 with the bases loaded so far. That is super impressive.

Cincinnati sure didn't want to win that game, did they?

SCRAPPY Win!

Why was Larry Bowa taking off his belt in the dugout?

Only the Solution could stop a Red Hot Reds Team's Red Hot Winning Streak! The Soultion could be the big Blue Machine all by himself.

Idea: Brad Penny could throw a simulated first three innings immediately before his next start, get the cheese out of his system.

614 - He was scary good, for awhile.

Okay, after watching a real baseball game to its conclusion, I've now got to go write about a fictional baseball game to its conclusion. Cheers all.

626 Vishal IS DuffMan.

when were the dodgers known as the big blue wrecking crew

I can now go back to gargling salt water and eating throat lozenges until my tongue turns blue. Good times.

7 of the Dodgers 23 wins this year have come in their final AB.

635 - It started in the '70s.

635 It was a kind of lame response to the Big Red Machine.

#33 does it again!
Blake DeWitt!

587 Nope, I think I have this one that I picked up last time I was there:

http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9781560371571-0

If you go to the petrified tree, there is a single track trail leading west through a meadow and around a corner. It looked so enticing, but we were on our way back home -- that's the first hike I want to do next time.

639 alrighty then.

good game.

ill leave the celebrating to all you guys here still. hopefully we get a good game tomorrow when i go.

598 made me mess up how I read 599 .

I love it that Deep Purple's "Hush" is on TV all the time. It holds up to advertising overexposure almost as well as Led Zep's "Rock and Roll."

An airport transfer is something that is imposed on you unlike a car ride or train ride where you plan your route.

You need to make a conscious decision to go visit the state.

That was the ruling that came out of the conference committee.

Lyons said Kemp took a bad route to the Freel triple. I disagree.

522 - Hey, he's not hurt, he's just a headcase. One who's bad at every aspect of baseball.

605 - They'll be along, but not for six months. It's not like the L.A. Times: people actually want cable television. But if you can handle the six months without it, you can save a ton of money when you resubscribe.

645 What if you miss your connecting flight and have to go stay in a hotel overnight. Does that count? That's the only way I add Japan and Ohio to my list of places visited.

648
It counts in my family!

So, after tonight's game, did Jones' knee just get crankier?

Did you all discuss Wes Parker's interview on KABC last night.

His diagnosis of the Dodgers' problems:

-- Andruw Jones
-- Starting pitching
-- Lack of clutch hitting

His discussion of clutch hitting was an interesting defense of the PVL theory. He said he himself was a poor clutch hitter til he'd been in the league a few years. What made him better was developing a thorough knowledge of pitcher tendencies throughout the league.

That might have been easier when there were only 9 other teams, and rosters tended to be more stable.

It also doesn't explain Blake DeWitt, unless DeWitt is an Advanced Placement student of scouting reports. Does anyone know if DeWitt is an especially smart player?

621

The way we see LaRoche and keep DeWitt is for Ned Co to do something which would be both courageous and brilliant and I am sure it won't happen: Package either JP and a minor prospect for a young outfield prospect who has some power-can be two years away, pay some of JP's salary and make LaRoche your 4th outfielder and also he could play 3rd when DeWitt needs a rest.

Nomar becomes a pinch hitter and a supper sub, at the rate he is healing though, maybe we will be lucky and won't have to worry about him, because he won't be ready until the roster expansion Sept 1.

If Ned were able to pull this off, we would then be able to give LaRoche some AB'S and most importantly add some power to the line-up, and then be in a great position should DeWitt fall off the table. At this point in what I admit to be fantasy, I would risk substituting Jones into my JP trade scenario.

645 - Given the choice between having a layover and my plane crashing, I'm making a conscious choice to visit the state. If the plane can't get to point C without passing through point B, then I'm going to point B.

Otherwise, that same logic would dictate that I didn't pass through Nevada and Utah while I was driving to Colorado, even though I did.

In any case, conscious decisions have nothing to do with whether I've been in a state. I mean, if you take me in a coma to Ohio, by stagecoach, hydrofoil or whirlygig, then I've been in Ohio.

I understand the desire to impose a moral code on the whole competition, but it just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

Oh, by the way, NPUT

651

Listened to Parker last night and actually believe that he was not defending the PVL theroy as much as he was talking about what do do in specific AB's, and how a good approach allowed you to hit better or gave you the opportunity to hit better in the clutch. As somebody stated in the early post today, sometimes it has less to do with the young guys versus the PVL's and it is just a matter of how certain players approach certain situations and the need for youngsters even at the big league level to learn and adjust.

If you noticed tonight, one of Kemp's RBI's and both of DeWitt's were to the opposite field. (old school stuff)