DeWitt goes from

"Just occupy at 3rd kid."

to

"Steady producer - fearless"

Kinda odd his OPS is so much higher vs. lefties.

So...can either Blake or LaRoche play second base? Blake looks like he may have the range to play 2d, which will solve the Kent retirement dilemma. LaRoche is not the prototype second baseman.

how probable is it that he would be worse than kent?

I still haven't heard any good explanation from the Dodgers as to why he can't play some 2nd base. If he does, then as with the idea above he can join the club to play some 2nd for Old Man Kent, and some outfield, especially if, you know, one of our veteran outfielders were suddenly DL'd or traded. And fill in for the Solution. He's a much more productive bat even off the bench, then any of the other options they have right now. As wonderful as DeWitt has been I don't think laRoche should be fully forgotten.

Longoria with the two run jack in the 13th. As much as I read about baseball I rarely check the standings. I was a bit surprised to see the Yankee's in last place. My surprise was replaced by glee. If their young pitching doesn't start to pan out this team is in trouble as their best players are all over 30.

"I love it, he flat out rakes. Really nice swing and great timing and rhythm. Hard contact to all fields, excellent pitch selection -- he's going to be a .300+ hitter with 30-35 doubles and 15 home runs in the big leagues. He's got a chance to be special. He's rough with the glove, there's no other way to put it. His range isn't real good, his feet aren't real quick, his hands aren't real good. But he's 20, he's a good athlete, and has great make-up -- there's no reason he can't become playable there (2B)."

So there it is: the scout, who seemed to have DeWitt's hitting future pegged really well, thought DeWitt could be "playable" at 2B. We really have to ask ourselves just how much defense we are willing to compromise to have a 2B who hits well. Of course, we've made that compromise for years by having Kent. The problem is the old double standard: high-priced veterans are forgiven their imperfections, while the kids are crucified for them.

The fact that his offense was just about good enough to make him still more valuable than average in LF was a main reason he was probably concerned about being moved off 2B. That said, he ended up doing so and hitting well enough to earn the big contract from the Cubs.

Could we see the same from DeWitt? When I saw that he delivered the game winner tonight, I thought: man, is he ever winning over fans in this short, pre-regression to the mean debut!

Amen

25
Those are the kind of stock tips I like to get. Thanks

Tony Jackson is now reporting that Andruw had an MRI and may need atheroscopic surgery and be out for a number of weeks...

Hate to say it but this is actually good news, Jones hopefully gets healthy and comes back in 6 weeks and is able to contribute. In the meantime Ethier plays every day and my lunatic fringe idea actually becomes more possible although way beyond our current management's creativity.

LaRoche comes up and becomes the 4th outfielder and plays left to spell Ethier and JP, and can also spell DeWitt at 3rd. Nomar becomes super sub sometime in July when he is healthy at that point if Sweeney is still hitting 175 he can be released or traded, if he gets going Hu or Mazza can go back down. Doubt this will ever happen but this would add some power to the lineup. Kent while struggling shows signs of coming out of it, and even counting his slump he is still projected for 16 HR's and 90 RBI's

A regular, everyday outfield of Kemp, Ethier and Pierre is the best we can hope for this year.

In addition to damaged cartilage, Jones said he has a golf-ball sized wart behind his knee that might have to be surgically removed. Because of the wart's location, he said, it can't be drained.

Just plain nasty.

.322 DeWitt
.320 Martin
.320 Kemp
.291 Ethier
.287 Loney

Looks like these kids are doing ok.

Jones, Schmidt, Furcal, Nomar, Loaiza

So maybe Jones is going on the DL?? Tiffee or LaRoche? Who do you think is coming??

And many of you want him to step aside and try 2B or just step aside period to make room for LaRoche.

I just don't get some of the thought processes here sometimes.

Why shouldn't he? We are talking about maximizing the team's assets, right? If moving DeWitt to 2B for 09 means we have both his and LaRoche's bats in the lineup, why wouldn't it be a good idea?

Should we instead trade one of them away? What sense does that make? Giving away an asset, a top prospect no less because of a perceived positional log jam?

What I had heard about DeWitt prior to this year was that he had stone hands. He sure hasn't looked it. That said, why wouldn't it be feasible for him to work out at 2B? On the same token, I wouldn't advocate LaRoche playing 2B merely because he is heavier, and DeWitt appears to have better range.

Just one more thought -- Old Man Kent himself started his career as a 3B.

SS- Furcal
C- Martin
LF- Ethier
CF- Kemp
IB- Loney
3B- La Roche
2B- Dewitt
RF- Pierre (hands are tied)
SP- Kershaw

We're getting closer!

The top prospect who is actually on the roster.

James Loney, Travis Lee. Discuss.

Nothing, because we would have Joe Crede or Brandon Inge or some other PVL playing 3rd.

so I have been wrong in my posts...LaRoche has already contributed mightily to the effort by clearing the way for DeWitt...

that's a joke...I do think LaRoche has potential and talent, I just believe DeWitt has now earned it...and until proven otherwise, he is the incumbent....doesn't mean Torre won't bench him in July when Nomar comes back...

SS- Furcal
C- Martin
RF- Ethier
CF- Kemp
IB- Loney
3B- La Roche
2B- Dewitt
LF- Pierre (hands are tied)
SP- Kershaw

No way we can trade Pierre for Matt Holliday, is there?

Truth be told, most MLB players could get something on their bodies scoped'. Most dont because they can play through it.

If it at least gets Druw off the active 25, its a good move. The bad is that Pierre is going to play everyday.

Howard I understand where you are coming from, but with the success of DeWitt we are just trying to find a way to get both of them in the lineup. Right now I'd take LaRoche in LF but it looks like we will get Juan Pierre full time. We are back to where we were last year except Kent is not producing. So a team who had little power last year, has even less now. The guy with the most power on the team is sitting in AAA.

I'm a Jones fan but I have no sympathy. He put the undue stress on his knees by trying to emulate the last years of Gwynn's career. I always found it strange that Gwynn was so admired by those in the game when he clearly decided it was more important to eat then to live up to his contract with the San Diego fans. Why he is deified makes little sense to me.

Because this team really can't afford a whole lot of clank. The Dodgers already have the fourth worst DER in the majors (.690); that they happen to be playing the worst in the majors (Cincinnati's DER is .677) at the moment is a happy accident. For those with subs:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/sortable/index.php?cid=204024

Pushing players out of position just to get their sticks in the lineup is a luxury available to you if you have an otherwise solid defense. That does not apply to the Dodgers at the moment.

Pushing players out of one position to another they have played is not only a luxury if you have an otherwise solid defense. It also makes sense to do it if you are replacing one of your worst defenders (Kent). And again, we're talking '09.

So my soccer team just told me they'd like me to have arthroscopic surgery on my knee. Should I be offended and worried?

I would like to see LaRoche in left field before either LaRoche or DeWitt were moved to second. While LaRoche was recovering from his thumb injury he worked out hard enough to get down to 208 pounds, down from 220 I think. Did he wait too long to get really serious about his conditioning?

It would be nice to get Abreu back with the Dodgers and start getting playing time at second. If he can't get healthy, I wouldn't mind trading for a second baseman like Kinsler with Texas.

b) Orlando Hudson is a free agent next year

I think either of them can handle the range aspect, but even for Kent's age and diminished mobility, he still turns the double play well which, IMO, is the most difficult skill to learn as a 2B.

You know, the article said "IF the swelling doesn't subside by Friday, he'll be out 4-5 weeks."

Knowing the Dodgers they'll pretend the swelling subsided and try to ride it out like Furcal did, but here's to hoping!