Los Angeles Dodgers of Anaheim!

Wow: Sam Cassell still plays basketball. Not too many names I remember from when I used to watch basketball, but that's one of them.

When does the mercy rule take effect in Detroit?

Nice writeup at BA on Kershaw

http://tinyurl.com/6pvtys

>>Perhaps that changeup quota was responsible for what from afar might have seemed like some mild control problems last year. Kershaw walked 50 batters with Great Lakes and another 17 in Jacksonville, an average of 4.9 per nine innings. But scouts believe that Kershaw will have above-average command, and his walks—15 in 43 1/3 innings, or 3.1 per nine—are already down from last year, even though Kershaw was the second-youngest pitcher in Double-A.

Kershaw has bought into the Dodgers developmental plan for him, knowing that even if throwing his changeup more frequently results in a few more walks to minor leaguers, that doing so will have positive long-term ramifications when he faces major league hitters.

"You can't be a two-pitch pitcher and be a starter," Kershaw said. "So we started working on that immediately as soon as I got drafted. I started to throw the changeup, and it started to get better. It wasn't very good in the Gulf Coast (League), and then last year it got a little bit better. This year they really kind of almost forced me to throw it in games, telling me to start some hitters off with it, get behind in the count, start throwing it a little bit. When they force you to do that stuff, it will definitely make you work on it. It's there, just sometimes my confidence isn't there with it, but it's definitely a good pitch to have when I've got good confidence in it."<<

3 - WOW.

Unbelievable, the ONE time I decide to take a vacation overseas, the Dodgers debut their best pitching prospect in the last 20-30 years.

Awesome.

I am confused. I could swear that somewhere in the last thread, someone reported that Park was starting with Kershaw serving as his back up. Gurnick is reporting that Kershaw will start. The MLB site has Kershaw as the projected starter as well.

3 Re the confidence, Clayton, the time is now!

4

I wonder how long they have saved that article so they can release it when he got the call up.

Really nice article.

I noticed Kershaw will be sporting #54.

Just called my buddy & told him a little about Kershaw, he's pretty stoked about tomorrow...

Reading that article makes me believe that if Dodgers management didn't give Kershaw a mandate on what type of pitches to throw and at what count, his numbers would probably be lincecum/buccholz like in their last years in the minors.

I miss jujibee (sp?)

Because it never gets old:

http://ballhype.com/video/kershaw_s_curve_3_9_08/

7 - Rich was pulling my leg because he couldn't be at the park.

6 I'm glad I got my vacation over with 2 weeks ago.

Has there been any updates on Scott Elbert?

7 - I don't know where you got that other info, but Kershaw is starting.

14 - Though I never had the rights to that clip, it bugs me that another site is getting all the hits for it.

Nate, what's the baht-to-dollar exchange rate?

I imagine the Burma cyclone is big news there, too, yes?

19

its around 30-35 I think.

Its news...Although I haven't been paying much attention to it.

I think I just heard on the KCAL9 pregame show that Andruw Jones is going to go ahead with surgery.

18 Thanks.

21 I wasn't hallucinating; Diamond confirms that he's going to get surgery on Tuesday.

KCAL 9 just confirmed that Jones is going to have the knee surgery - 4 to 6 weeks out.

That can only be good for the Dodgers and Jones.

18- It's sort of like Pecker, except you're both the sons at once.

You're too big to get away with fun stuff, but not big enough to quit your job, hire a staff to run the blog, and move to a permanent vacation in the south of France.

Is that the bat boy or what???

24

I (we) hope it also helps his psyche...

Kershaw looks so young when he broke into that grin when he realized that the Dodgers played a trick on him.

hmm, looks like Hu reads the ball out of the bat quit nicely, he got there pretty effortlessly

Wait, is Pecker the right movie? The one where one of the boys makes it big as a photographer and, when he does, destroys his brother's shoplifting hobby? It's not perfectly analogous, of course, because in this case the shoplifting was a boon for the store, not a loss in any reasonable sense of the word.

Terry Tiffee gets the call up.

I can't stop laughing.

They're recalling Terry Tiffee over Andy.

33 Oops. I guess it isn't recalling, since he was never up.

3 The Lakers were down by more at this jucture in game 1 vs. the Spurs...

Nomar to the 60 day DL to accommodate Tiffee's spot, by the way.

Tony Jackson reports Terry Tiffee will be up to replace the DL'd Andruw.

The organization's misutilization of LaRoche is baffling.

you can always kind of tell when Penny is gonna have a good game (or at least give the Dodgers a chance to win) he didn't want an exchange of balls right away, plus he's hitting the corners & seems to have a nice enough curve ball today.

of course he's hitting the corners with 96MPH heat.

Is there anyone else with a huge grin on their face from seeing kershaw up with the dodges?

37 Isn't it still better for LaRoche to play at AAA than not play at LA?

32 - Its really getting to be sad that these kinds of stupid things are so common as to be expected. Its like Ned sits up at night trying to figure out new ways to rear back and slap the teams top prospects across the face.

37

If Laroche isn't going to get the majority of ABs while up here, isn't it better to have him play all the time in AAA?

36 So does anyone know when Nomar can come back to the big club at the earliest? Are Tiffee and Maza going to be on the 25 man roster for a while? I really feel for LaRoche. He hasn't done a thing wrong and is getting the worst breaks.

33- I'm not going to get tricked into violating Rule 1. So I will just sigh and move along.

What more is LaRoche going to do in AAA? What is there left to develop, except his "health" talent. He's a polished hitter, and better than anyone on the Dodger bench.

There goes the perfect in Oakland.

Has the interesting game in Oakland already been pointed out?

42 I agree with that, but I wonder what has to happen for Andy to be called up. Is it just an issue of either Maza or Tiffee completely imploding?

45 I agree.. at this point he is better off getting a couple of starts a week in the majors. It really looks like they want him to beef up his AAA stats so they can use him in a big trade this summer.

43
Nomar was placed on the DL on April 26, so the earliest he could come off is June 25.

50 Thanks. At this point, he has to be a bat off the bench when he returns. I wonder if anyone will sign him this offseason or if he'll just choose to retire.

Wide strike zone tonight, I take it?

I'm sure Tiffee will just be a bat off the bench at this point, as would LaRoche.

48 I think it would have to be Dewitt getting injured. Tiffee got called up to be a bench player. I don't think the Dodgers want to call up LaRoche to be a bench player.

52

we gotta hope the Ump stays consistent.

53
Yeah, but LaRoche is better than Tiffee so I'd rather have his bat than Tiffee.

What would happen if Kent got injured? Hu at 2B, or a possible DeWitt/LaRoche experiment?

... or a Colletti trade fiasco?

58 Ding. I kinda doubt they would take a chance with one of those guys at second mid season.

James made the throw! Demons exorcised.

Dodger DOUBLE PLAY.

58 - ding ding ding ding ding.

One month ago tonight I saw both Laroche and Kershaw play in Huntsville. The friends I was at the game with couldn't believe that I actually was familiar with double A players enough to know who they were. I tried to explain to them that both of these guys would be in LA very soon and they weren't your typical minor leaguers. I had the chance to talk to both of them that night and mentioned to each that I was excited to see them in LA soon. Kershaw even gave that goofy laugh when I told him I thought he would be in LA by June. Well it looks like I was half right that night. Funny thing is, I was positive Laroche would be there in a couple weeks and I was really guessing on Clayton. I never thought I would see this half right. Tiffee is now my least favorite Dodger, taking the place of Maza.

60 - versa the Angels series, when they were exercised.

58 Here a thought that literally just made my skin crawl;

Pedro Martinez:Delino DeShields::Clayton Kershaw:????

65 - Sometimes, there's just too much paranoia here.

65 - If Chuck LaMar was still running the show in Tampa Bay, I would have suggested anybody in their bullpen with a 3.70 ERA.

65 - Brian Giles is available, I bet Ned would love to have his veteran leadership for Kershaw and LaRoche. After all, Andy already failed last year, he's a toss-in.

66 Naw, I don't expect it to happen. I was just visuallize what a Colletti trade fiasco might look like in that case.

66 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e_43fmVml8

70 - And yet I would have gone with the Kinks, but whatever works!

This is hard to watch. Please throw a strike.

Has any pitcher thrown 12 consecutive pitches for balls?

73 Never mind.

71 - happy to oblige. I was always a General Boy partisan, myself.

What was that? If somebody was at second, Pujols would be out.

It's a typical Penny outing.

Fans are gonna turn on Penny soon.

Who's playing second. DFA him. And then send Penny to Low A and see if he can learn to throw a strike.

I find Kemp to be a more than adequate CF. I think there was some doubt whether or not he could play there, but he has looked good so far. This will be a good 4-6 weeks for him.

So much for back-to-back bounceback outings.

58 LaRoche for Barfield? Grudzielanek? LaRoche and Delwyn Young for Brian Roberts and Melvin Mora?

I'm kidding, right?

Penny was jogging a long very nicely & all of a sudden...

I didn't realize before tonight that the Cards' announcer is Ricky Horton, he of the 4.1 scoreless relief innings in the 1988 NLCS for the Dodgers.

We have no luck against this team. It seems that every time we play them, we're playing badly, or in the case of tonight have what is normally a decent pitcher going through a terrible stretch.

Penney drives me crazy. 97 mph stuff, and he can't be better than this? I guess some guys are only able to be throwers.

I have a feeling I'll be buying ToyCannon's ticket to DT Day 2009.

86
I guess some guys are only able to be throwers

So does this bad stretch for Penny completely invalidate anything he's done over the last few years? I don't get it.

How about Penny, Kent and LaRoche for Lohse.

If you are of the opinion that Penney is a pitcher who is a master of the art, you are welcome to it; I do not share that opinion.

It seems moot for the time being with Tiffee being brought up, but I don't see why LaRoche can't be brought up, and get regular playing time, without DeWitt going down or losing significant PT. Here's how it goes:

You have four rotating lineups (the relative ratios of the lineups can be tweaked a bit) where 1B, 2B, and 3B are shared between Loney, Kent, DeWitt, and LaRoche like this:

Loney 1B, Kent 2B, DeWitt 3B, LaRoche BN (3/12 days)
Loney 1B, Kent 2B, LaRoche 3B, DeWitt BN (3/12 days)
Loney 1B, DeWitt 2B, LaRoche 3B, Kent BN (4/12 days)
Kent 1B, DeWitt 2B, LaRoche 3B, Loney BN (2/12 days)

That gives Loney 10, DeWitt 9, LaRoche 9 and Kent 8 starts every 12 games. Maybe that's more rest than we'd like to see Loney get, but it's not excessive. Kent could use the rest given his age. Andy and Blake both get to start 75% of the time, which seems (to me) like enough. (Add in PH/DH appearances, as whoever's on the bench will be the top hitter on the bench, and there's even more PT.)

The only question about this would be whether DeWitt can handle 2B, but seeing as Kent's not the most mobile guy anymore and he's our regular starter, the defense probably doesn't get worse.

Oh, and the lefty/righty platoons work out nicely (3B: LaRoche R, DeWitt L; 2B Kent R, DeWitt L; 1B Loney L, Kent R) so we could even stack the lineup in our favor depending on the opposing starter.

Does anybody see anything NOT to like about an idea like this?

I don't think this invalidates his last few seasons. But, he's only had like 3 quality starts this year, and the K numbers are troubling.

Speed in action. Even if he was safe he left enough doubt.

Pistons have cut it to 9 with 3 min left

91
I hope Kent never starts over James Loney for the rest of his life.

91 I like the thinking behind this, but I wonder if DeWitt is good with the DP, and Loney might become a gem with regular playing time.

o.k. if we're gonna do anything this is the inning to do it.

91 I was hoping for Martin, Ethier, Loney, Kemp, DeWitt, and you can complete the lineup card...

I'd also like to pry Norichika Aoki loose from the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and then adjust the order after sticking Pierre on the bench [or on the bus out of town].

Also, I'm not sure, but I think it was Kent who was loligagging near second when Matt Kemps throw could have made an out that would have stopped 2 runs from scoring during Penny's brain cramp.

This Lohse character is pitching a good game.

Might we see another Penny "Quality Start"? (6 innings, however many runs you want)

the 4 runs happened because of Penny's inability to throw strikes, it's that simple.

I'm getting very bored with this type of game. Ace pitcher has bad inning or two, puts Dodgers in a hole. Dodgers unable to score runs to get out of said hole.

If lose they must, at least stop losing this way. It makes a fan feel like he's wasting his life.

so, does anyone know why penny sucks this year?

I guess people know how much I hate a pitcher who can't throw strikes. I would rather see a guy like Wade throw four solo homers in a row than see the kind of inning Penny and perhaps Kent provided.
I hope as underdog suggested, although this reflects wholy on me, and not him, that the Dodgers get some good draft picks when it comes to contract time for Lowe and Penny.

103 - What did you say?

103 - What did you say?

103 - Oh, sorry, I've been spending too much time watching the Dodgers.

Penny is gonna comeback Lowe will walk...(baring injury)

I see Blake isn't exactly fleet of foot.

103,104 I can't remember the exact sources, but two of the predictions that bugged me during the off-season were that Penny was bound to regress, and Billingsley was bound to go down to injury. One out of two seems to be true, and the other looks ridiculous.
And I think the rap on Penny was that he was going to throw a lot more home runs, not that he would lose his command.

Terry Tiffee isn't exactly a house hold name, this is the best picture Wikipedia can come up with. [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ac/Terry_Tiffee_1.jpg]

112 - http://www.alexsautographs.com/terrytiffee2.jpg

I will probably feel like apologizing to Penny if he only flew away for one inning and the Dodgers fail to score on Lohse.

The fundamental problem with this team is that we have a guy tied for the team lead in home runs whom hasn't played a game in 3 weeks, and it was our lead off hitter not some guy on pace to hit 40.

Hey, rally-let. Two on, one out.

is it true terry tiffee is coming up and not Andy? why is this..-

who is terry tiffee, anyway?

115 - It certainly doesn't help. My diagnosis:

1) Penny and Lowe both in a funk.
2) Kent not really hitting but still batting fourth.
3) Andruw Jones up to his late injury was batting high in the order for the most part and being treated like a productive player when he really wasn't.
4) Fifth starter a constant question.
5) Almost no power.

117 You want the standard corporate line, they want LaRoche to play everyday as opposed to sitting on a major league bench.

118 - career AAAA player.

Zzzzzzzzzz.

right now I'd rather have Juan Pierre hitting cleanup. Kent is absoutely killing this team and Torre needs to do something about it.

Terry Tiffee invented the rotary engine.

One of LaRoche or DeWitt really ought to try playing 2B again...

I just hope Kershaw gives us a shot in the arm, we really need it the way this & yesterdays games have looked.

I would have never dreamed this (coming in to the season) but watching Andruw Jones batting in that critical situation was SUCH A BUZZKILL for me at least.

terry tiffee couldn't make is as a 3B for the twins .... so don't expect miracles.

119 , 123 -

6) Joe Torre can't make a lineup to save his life.

127 oh, THAT terry tiffee? man, why is he on the team. he can't hit a lick, IIRC.

125 At some point, until one of those guys actually starts taking groundballs at second base, I just have to think the topic of moving one of them to second base has to be tabled.

I don't believe it will happen this year if ever. And it seems to be something that is talked about as if going happen sometime next month.

Could it happen, hey anything could happen but its not like even when Loney played a few games in the outfield in Vegas, LaRoche is playing 3B in Vegas and DeWitt is playing 3B in LA. And there appears to be no hurry to change that.

i mean, didn't nick punto win the twins 3rd base job over him even?

125 At some point, until one of those guys actually starts taking groundballs at second base, I just have to think the topic of moving one of them to second base has to be tabled.

I don't believe it will happen this year if ever. But it gets ttalked about as if going happen sometime next month.

Could it happen, hey anything could happen but right now its not like when Loney played a few games in the outfield in Vegas just to see if you could do it in LA, Andy LaRoche is playing 3B in Vegas and Blake DeWitt is playing 3B in LA. And there appears to be no hurry to change that in the foreseeable future.

132 Sorry about the repeat.

131

Nice point about Punto.

You know, all of Penny's 4 hits and 2 walks that he's allowed so far have come in the fourth inning? If it weren't for that inning, he'd be throwing a perfect game.

128 Re 6), at least we agree on one thing. Sad that it has to be that thing.

135 Exactly the kind of game I'm talking about. The "if not for one inning" games.

But even if you could go back in time and erase that inning, all that would get you is a 0-0 game.

Frankly, no one is playing that well aside from Russell Martin.

in real time Pujols looked like a cartoon running next to Kemp (slow-mo style)

I know some of us are feeling bad, but I just saw a couple of ads and I have good news. Ford and GM are protecting us from
high gas prices!

140 Does that count toward their CAFE standards?

Zzzzz.

OOOhh! and Chrysler too. We are almost fully protected in just two breaks!

At least Kuo is in there now.

When this team is down, it sure is boring.

I find myself clutching onto a Minotaur doll, making through my days relying on my unwavering belief that Clayton will come through, chanting "Kershaw is coming, Kershaw is coming"

Pedro Guerrero is in the house.

This is just the calm before the storm (sunday)

Where? when?

nah but seriously, I'm gonna be happy with Kershaw just throwing strikes, he is so good that that in its self can be specially, capish??

145

True that. But that what happens with a singles hitting team. If you cant put together 4-5 hits in an innings, you just dont score. This team has very little power and even a double is asking to much. Ethier, Loney, Kemp, and especially Kent really need to pick it up in the power department or we will see a lot of this happening

145-Shuddup and eat your pine cone.

148 Vin said that Pedro Guerrero stopped by and said hello.

They had a repeat of opening day with players from the past running out to the positions before the game, hopefully they will have another luncheon with teams from the 70's and 80's that will feature the teams from my youth.

I thought they'd have more power this year. Kemp, Martin, Kent, Jones, Ethier, Furcal, LaRoche...seems like each of those guys was supposed to be here now, hitting 15-25 home runs each.

Torre must be going out of his mind. Lack of power isn't something he's used to.

come on guys, we're just a couple of hits & a timely HR away from making this a game!!!

This is the quickest game I can remember since the Maddux/Schmidt Gem.

I wonder if Bob has Berkman in his Fantasy team (teams)

So Colletti has wasted well over $100 million on Schmidt, Loaiza, A.Jones, Pierre, Nomar, etc. In hindsight, who could he have spent that on to bring some great players to the Dodgers?

Age, Dodgeri, fac aliquod quod mihi placeat!

158 Look at me in my distress addressing the Dodgers in the singular.

153

Ludwick and Pujols almost have as many home runs as our entire team. Thats sad. Our best power hitter is our 5'9 leadoff shortstop that is on the DL. Thats really sad. I dont think we have anyone on pace for even 15 bombs. Thats really really sad.

157 Here's the thing, I don't think there was anyone else that he could sign as a free agent.

Tell me, in the last three years, how many big free agent signings have there been?

Soriano, Carlos Lee, Barry Zito, Aaron Rowand.

Maybe they should have kept the wallet closed but surely that would have meant trading some of the players on the Dodgers right now.

153 three of the guys you mention haven't had regular playing time, and two more are injured, though in Andruw's case it may be a
blessing. But I know how you feel.

157 Kosuke Fukudome? Aaron Rowand?

Here is Perez.

157 Pierre should not be included in that list. Unlike the others, he is healthy and performing exactly as expected.

165- That he's healthy and performing as expected doesn't mean his salary isn't a waste.

Kershaw is coming, Kershaw is coming.

o.k. guys, hopefully I'll see some of you at the ball park tomorrow but if not I'll definitely be thinking of you when Kershaw breaks out a wicked one or when he throws some 95mph heat.

168 Still need to score some runs.

Chris Perez is going to be an elite closer. He is on the same level as Broxton right now.

I actually think its my fault since the bulk of my attention is on the Lakers these days.

165 Overpaid. But not a waste.

171 Yes. My one fantasy team used its 7th waiver priority to nab him.

157 The FA game is a sucker's game.

Good ones in recent years: Vladimir Guerrero, Alfredo Soriano, Ivan Rodriguez. With Kent and Lowe, the Dodgers used up their FA luck.

Mostly, free agents just give you overpaid mediocrity. And lots of alibis.

The interesting teams right now have mostly grown their own: Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Arizona, Detroit and Colorado last year.

So, as far I'm concerned, the $100 million could have gone in the bank.

as crazy as it seems this is kind of barely the beginning of my night, I'll be heading over to my local chapter & participate in the traditional memorial day (weekend) alcothon, o.k. guys, hopefully tomorrow Kid Kershaw gives us a little hope, that's all one can ask for.

I just realized Austin Gallagher moved all the way up to Inland Empire. He's playing 1B though with Bell already there. Is he going to be a first baseman now or is it just temporary?

175 Without looking, the Dodgers play more players from their system on everyday basis than the Phillies and Tigers, they play same right now as Arizona.

176 Good for you, stay safe.

The Dodgers better keep spending their draft picks on pitchers, because the alternative is giving guys like Loshe and Zito 100Mil and more, which I think might kill me before my time.

175 - Boston is still the team to beat, and their key players were not home grown. Also, I believe the only starting position player Detroit has right now that's homegrown is Curtis Granderson.

I wouldn't say FA is a "suckers game", because a lot of notable free agents in past years have gotten teams 'over the hump' and championships. Instead, I'd call it a "wise mans game", and Colletti isn't proving very wise

171 - maybe. He can throw the ball hard, but I didn't see much movement on his pitches. Since we don't see him from the batter's perspective, I can't tell, but I have to believe he's got a very deceptive delivery. But other than that, straight as a bullet. If the batters figure him out, he'll get beat up hard.

173- I'm not sure I follow the distinction you're drawing--if he's overpaid, isn't that money (the difference between what he's worth and what he's paid) wasted? Paying forty-five million dollars for a LFer who's OPS+ing 72 is a waste.

I'm going to take my 5 year old boy to the ballpark tomorrow for walk up tickets to see Kershaw. Let's hope this is the start of a great career. If anyone hasn't experienced the pre-game camera day on the field I would recommend it.

I'm not worried about the Dodgers' struggles right now, because I have discovered the joys and wonders of "Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love".

183 I just have a hard time putting Pierre in the same catagory as those other guys who are either hurt or have performed way below expectations. Sure, they could have spent more wisely on his contract but it's unfair to group him in with those other guys.

186- To me, it's more egregious to spend that kind of money with the expectation that the product will be bad, than to spend it with some plausible hope that it won't be.

Anyway, I have to be careful here, or somebody's going to look up what my man Byrnes is doing, and throw it in my face.

187 - There is spending money knowing you're getting mediocrity and that there are no better options on your own team; and there is pretending that such players are positive difference-makers. It amounts to a kind of self-hypnosis. Andruw Jones was that kind of a signing.

I'm really upset that Tiffee got called up instead of Lindsey.

188 - actually, I take that back. Jones was much worse than that; he had just come off a bad year, and there were substantial reasons to believe his decline was age related and permanent (his continuing decrease in line drives).

Wow, I just heard the Dodgers DFA'ed Loaiza. That is kind of bold. He was actually looking alright in most of his appearances. Good sign though, that the Dodgers are willing to cut losses. There have to be multiple teams that want him, and his salary for the rest of the year is probably $4M or so. Maybe there can be a trade. Maybe not.

I hate the Dodgers. Sometimes I wonder why I love this team so much.

I know that's crazy hyperbole, but seriously, TERRY TIFFEE? TERRY TIFFEE!!!

Did Andy LaRoche pour sugar in Colletti's mom's gas tank or something? I mean seriously, Terry Tiffee?

189- Both Kershaw and Tiffee are listed at 6'3" 210 lbs. Lindsey is listed at 6'3", but 240 lbs. So. Tiffee and Kershaw are thirty pounds better.

178 Right, but the Dodgers also spent tens of millions on FAs.

Of the Red Sox front line players, only Manny, signed eight years ago, and J.D. Drew were traditional free agents.

The Phillies' idea of a big free agent this winter was Pedro Feliz for $3 million.

188 Scareduck says it better than me.

Nothing wrong with importing players, making trades, etc. It's the headline-making FA signings that PR man Colletti likes. Those are the ones I call a sucker's bet.

Not to say sucker's bets don't work out once in awhile. Lowe and Kent are two who basically delivered what the Dodgers expected. But you lose more than you win and you lose big.

195 But don't think part of the reason they signed free agents was a reluctance to deal the young players? I think its unfair to not consider that when viewing those signings.

192 The only reasonable explanation is that Tiffee is NOT going to play much. And they still want LaRoche to get truckloads of ABs.

RIP, Dick Martin.

(If not mentioned before)

I'm trying very hard to think of an instance in baseball history where, on a long-term basis, a team has screwed over a player as consistently as the Dodgers have LaRoche.

Nothing is coming to mind.

I can't believe I root for this team. I really can't.

Great time at the 60's luncheon today, got to meet some of my first players I heard about, Maury, Wes, Osteen and some that played a little bit before I became a fan but I knew of their exploits on the field through Vin's story telling through the years. Guys like Sweet Lou, T.D., Chuck Essegian and Ken McMullen among others. The event was run very efficiently and I had a great time. I hope the 70's are run as efficently as this day was.

I also bought tickets at the game tonight for the Minotaur's debut tomorrow. I will sport my Dodger Thoughts shirt. My wife and I will be in the Loge section 114 Row W, seats 1 and 2. It would help if the Dodgers would actually score a few runs against the Cards for a change. It won't matter how well Kershaw pitches if we "don't hit like they did tonight". Were they hitting with real wooden bats tonight or plastic toy bats? Very few balls hit hard.

Dodgers current middle infielders:

Kent

Hu

Maza

Roberto Petagine got picked on by a bunch of organizations:
http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=11326

The Cubs were pioneers in screwing over Hee Seop Choi:
http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=30628

199 I might bave to become a cultural Dodger fan and not a practicing one. Hopefully Ned is gone soon...his disdain for progress has been painful.

Who the hell is Terry Tiffee?

Times like these make me rue rule 1. Something something something.

Avram Grant is looking for work.

199 203 204 I see it differently but I am going to move on.

I am afraid to go look at True Blue right now.

201 - Furcal's absence is really having an effect on the offense. The offense right now is a 4 cylinder car with 2 defective cylinders.

The hyperbole here has been at heights that are almost stratospheric!

206 You're contrarian streak makes me look like sheep.

205 Silly coach, losing because John Terry can't stand up properly on a PK. He's lucky he didn't get picked off in Moscow.

208 It's the most hyperbole in the history of the written word.

199 - Drawing a blank on the name, but wasn't one of the (then-Devil) Rays getting the shaft last year because of arbitration clock issues? I wanna say it was Upton but I'm not sure and I'm too lazy to look it up right now.

Upton played just 9 games in the minors for Tampa Bay last year. Longoria didn't get a major league job out of camp this year because of arbitration concerns, but Aybar got hurt and that forced the Rays' hands.

211 It was B.J. Upton, who had played enough to go beyond Rookie status so he was no longer on the best prospect list for a couple of years.

To be fair, I think there was some management changes during that period.

I get why people feel that way, Andy LaRoche has had the best minor league statistics than any of the other young players on the Dodgers (Martin, Loney, Kemp, Ethier and DeWitt) and has been a top prospect almost from the time he was signed in 2003.

And yet, he has now played almost as many games in Vegas by himself than the other 5 listed combined. (Okay, not quite true but Martin and Ethier only played a month, Kemp played less than year total, and Loney just a little over a year. And DeWitt has never played at AAA).

So while I disagree on your conclusion, I get why you come to it.

213 - what conclusion was it that I came to that you disagreed with? Are you talking about Eric Enders' in 199 ?

I gotta agree with you guys, the hyperbole was off the charts, very different...

They tried to measure the hyperbole with a seismograph at Caltech, but it broke into a million little pieces in the City of Quartz.

214 Sorry, I didn't put the other link in my post.

This Maza character, and now this Tiffee person? I get that DeWitt is doing a great job and all, but Andy LaRoche is probably fuming right now.

Maza and Tiffee? Didn't they open for Thin Lizzy back in '76?

196 That's how the FA signings are explained. Upgrading the team without trading away the prospects. Giving the prospects lots and lots of time to evolve into veterans, as if they were vintage wines.

It's a reasonable explanation for Schmidt, but not for Jones. If they weren't happy with Pierre in CF -- and who would be? -- they could have just as easily moved Kemp there, instead of all the babble about trading him. Even if you didn't predict Jones would tank so badly, was it so clear he would contribute more in CF than Kemp, so much more it warranted paying $19 million for it? No, Kemp was passed over strictly because of his lack of experience, lack of reputation and lack of fondness for trashcans.

Resigning Nomar -- same thing. LaRoche was arguably ready to play in the bigs last season. Maybe Nomar would've been better. Except he's so injury-prone, we ended up having to play Shea Hillebrand. We could've always gone that sad route, if LaRoche didn't work out or got hurt. We didn't need a detour into a rich contract for Nomar.

Now the Dodgers are like a piece of furniture you have to build yourself that is packed with a bunch of extra pieces. You have enough for a file cabinet, but then you look at the extra pieces and think you should use them. Then you break the file cabinet.

That they were trying to have their cake and eat it too is instructive, but not exculpatory.

Would every one who thinks bringing up Tiffee is a good move please raise his or her hand? I get the feeling this is another move that nobody agrees with, but that some people don't like to see Colletti get kicked in the shins, again.

Not that there's anything wrong with it; it's perfectly fine not to like seeing Colletti get kicked in the shins. I'd just like to be sure of what we're actually arguing about.

To me it's not worth getting upset about that Tiffee was called up instead of LaRoche. DeWitt is full time at 3B al momento. LaRoche would get at most an occasional start against a LHP at 3B and a pinch hit at bat here and there. Nothing wrong with LaRoche playing every day and avoiding a possible third base contraversy at the major league level. I don't see Tiffee as anything other than an emergency replacement, similar to Maza's current role. vr, Xei

220 -- I don't really care about Tiffee one way or the other, but I know I don't want LaRoche called up if he is just going to be a bench player up here. DeWitt certainly doesn't deserve either a demotion or a benching, and Kent certainly isn't going anywhere. So LaRoche just has to continue playing in Vegas. Unless DeWiitt's production falls off a cliff this season, LaRoche is going to have to wait till 2009, when I hope to see DeWitt slide over to 2B.

If the Dodgers aren't going to call up Repko with Jones going to the DL, wouldn't the proper thing to do be to release Repko and let him try to put together a major league career with another team?

224 Without sounding too unfeeling, the Dodgers don't owe Repko anything but the salary they pay him.

224
That's why you can only option a player to the minor in three years. After that the player has to go out on waivers and can be picked up by anybody. Repko is well aware of that.

Kent has played the full nine in 19 of 48 games. Hu, Maza, and Young have played 122 innings of second base this year, more than a quarter of the total. He's also 40, and hitting: .228/.275/.362. Nomar was hitting: .282/.328/.350 at this point, last year.

Kent is the part time player, not DeWitt. And it's not a matter of demoting him, or taking time away--he's a part time player right now. Wouldn't it be nice to use the time that's just being killed, giving it to Maza, to learn whether DeWitt can take over next year?

223 LaRoche could start once a week at third, once a week in left, and serve as a pinch hitter in situations such as Friday night where the Dodgers had nobody legitimate on the bench. Unlike Hu, he has absolutely zero to gain from getting at-bats in Las Vegas. He's a known quantity, not a guy still developing his skills, and unless there's something we don't know about like LaRoche moonlighting as a serial killer in his spare time, there's no conceivable defense for calling up Tiffee instead of him.

You guys may be right that it's not worth getting all worked up over. But even so, it was the wrong move. Absolutely, positively, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the wrong move. Indefensible. And it frustrates me to see the Dodgers being run as if it the team were a a donkey pinned to the wall and Colletti was a blindfolded four-year-old.

I think he is getting paid good dinero this year so Im sure he dose not mind being in the minors, THIS YEAR.

Two of the five players on the bench, now, have no business ever hitting. And that's not counting Sweeney. One point that I haven't seen made about the starters not going deep into games is that it increases the marginal utility of pinch hitters.

T. J. Simers takes on Ned Colletti:

Ned Colletti needs to do more than schmooze

http://tinyurl.com/5t4hwy

So Ned blames Lowe and Penny by name for all ills, but might bring back Lowe anyway. That's just ham-fisted all round, although blaming two guys he didn't bring to LA makes a Mcahiavellian kind of sense. Meanwhile, Simers blames Ned.

Tifee was hitting an astronomical .422 when he was called up. Part of the compact that makes a minor league system work is that players who perform are advanced to the next level. Tiffee has earned a call-up and I wish him the best.

Is this a signal that Ned will be moving LaRoche? I am starting to get that impression, given that neither LaRoche nor DeWitt are being worked at second base.

161 . Wow. Ned Colletti recent history analysis revision, discussed in a reasonable tone. Okay, I'm not ready for that. Stop defending Colletti!

From Diamond Leung -

Losing Garciaparra for an extended period didn't bring third baseman Andy LaRoche back from Class AAA Las Vegas because the Dodgers are expected to ask the rookie to increase his versatility and play every day while making the adjustment.

I don't see what the big deal is...Maza is temporary, Tiffee is temporary, LaRoche is not really tearing up the AAA league pitchers...

Our problem is still with our pitching, we are getting no consistency, and our starters (aside from Chad usually) are good for at least one blow out inning every time out.

By the way, at last night's game, and when Penny went sprawling on Lohse's grounder up the middle, he did something to himself, either the ball hitting a finger on his pitching hand or pulling something when he went down, but if anything he did shake himself up. He then proceeded to toss 10 straight balls, then the hits...

LaRoche isnt helping his own development by staying at Vegas.

He isnt helping the Dodgers there either.

This move is just asinine on so many levels. LaRoche could be taking the Sweeney pinch hit ABs, he could be getting starts in LF, at 3rd base, even at 1st. It's mind blowing that the Dodgers, who knew full of Kent's age, didnt move LaRoche to 2nd either. At some point, they are going to have to realize that hitting/pitching win games, and defense is a far 3rd. Yeah, its great to have a defense out there, but not at the expense of guys that cant hit.

Dodgers just need to put the best 25 guys on the roster, and play the best 9 guys everyday. Simple right?

Dodgers just need to put the best 25 guys on the roster, and play the best 9 guys everyday. Simple right?

As simple as waiting until spring (to see if anyone was looking for it) to divvy up the $4.4 million and then leaving town.

Happy Clayton Kershaw day everybody!

Rather than experiment with DeWitt at 2nd in the big leagues, why not try LaRoche at 2nd in AAA, where the learning curve is not as detrimental to the Dodgers winning? What is to be gained by keeping him at 3rd in Vegas?

I think Torre is being stubborn or doesn't want to open the door to vets complaining again. But now that Jones and Nomar are not available it is a good time to go younger even if it is only accomplished by dropping Pierre and Kent down in the lineup and using Young in the critical pinch hit role instead of Sweeny.

One thing last night struck me as very odd. Maza was listed as playing 2B. Then Kent was announced, due to a "misunderstanding" that he came to the ball park thinking he was due to play. Pardon? Is he a 40-year-old or a 4-year-old? Don't resting players generally come to the game anyway, in case needed for pinch hits or extra innings? So maybe he got there an hour earlier? Isn't this taking veteran privileges to the extreme?

Then of course he has to play cleanup because that's "his spot" (sounds 4-year-old again). It seems he's being allowed to make his own decisions, not the manager. I just wonder - if his slump continues right through to the All Star game - if he might decide to retire, or be given the opportunity to do so rather than be taken out. It's sort of his style. But I guess it's this team's style to find a convenient injury for him to be put on the DL instead. After LaRoche has had a couple weeks to try out second base at Vegas and/or Furcal is back and Hu's available.

235 Also from Diamond: The Dodgers want LaRoche to begin playing another position in the infield. I assume he won't be at first or short.

Tiffee, meanwhile, had the type of versatility the team wanted since he could play both third base and first base, positions Nomar Garciaparra would have played before he got hurt. So much for Ethier as backup at first.

"I'm very much assured (Andruw Jones's) presence has made (Andre) Ethier and (Matt) Kemp better players and even made Juan Pierre more selective at the plate." - Ned Colletti. Gee, I thought Torre did that. How did Jones make them better--did they get together and say "Gee, let's never look like that?"

Kent isn't going anywhere. Guys with his credentials will get a lot of time to work things out. Plus the options the Dodgers have at second base are not very good right now.

This team lacks power. Left field and 3rd base are power positions. we have Dewitt at 3rd fine, so why not bring up LaRoche and play him in left? This having to get a few singles in a row to score is getting old, and in games like yesterdays unless everybody in the line up hits , you get down 4 or 5 runs and the game is over. Make better use of guys you already have. Bringing up Maza and Tiffee over LaRoche does not help a power starved team.

243 Plus the options the Dodgers have at second base are not very good right now. I fully agree, especially since I think Abreu seemingly has burned all his bridges. Barring injury to Kent, I fully expect LaRoche to stay in Vegas and learn 2b well until the rosters expand. Unless he's moved in the meantime for a 2b, but I'd be more inclined to expect a trade if they just kept him at third.

242 Matt Kemp has said that Andruw Jones has been a big help in terms of watching how he plays in the outfield and the advice that he gets from him.

242 Matt Kemp has said that Andruw Jones has been a big help in terms of watching how he plays in the outfield and the advice that he gets from him.

245 Abreu is still hurt, hard to see if he has burned any bridges yet, right now the bridge is still under repair.

248 Several news stories suggested that they were unhappy with him in the spring, even before the latest set-back. You may be right, but I'll be surprised to see him back in a Dodger uniform.

Jeff Kent has hit .143/.203/.222 in May. Ouch. Why are we talking about dropping him in the order when all the numbers indicate that he should be taking over the pinch hitter spot from Sweeney?

I really want to see LaRoche's bat in the lineup, but based on his size alone I would think it would be a difficult conversion moving him to 2nd base. Based on his better size and the fact that he has some experience at the position, I, personally, would prefer to see Blake get on-the-job training at the major league level at 2nd base and give LaRoche his shot at 3rd. It's not like we'd be giving up a ton of D swapping DeWitt for Kent.

I have a bit of a man-crush on Blake DeWitt and I understand the argument that he has earned the job at 3rd base, but I just think his conversion to 2nd base makes more sense for the overall good of the team.

228
I feel almost exactly like 228 right now, but I am OK with the Dodgers getting creative and having LaRoche stay in AAA to play some 2B. I can understand that line of reasoning.

251 - I totally agree with that. Another point is that the knock on Laroche has always been his subpar defense, so it doesn't really make sense to try and move to position that is more difficult and ask him learn it quickly.

251 Like you I'd love to see them both as starters. Working LaRoche out at second now answers the question of whether he can make the transition. And Kent and LaRoche are basically the same size (Kent's an inch taller). Plus the last attempt to move DeWitt didn't go all that well, I gather, although the off-season certainly could bring a re-evaluation. On the whole, I think this is a positive development.

242 How did Jones make them better--did they get together and say "Gee, let's never look like that?"

That made me laugh...

All this stuff about Dewitt's time at second base being a disaster is simply not true. Dewitt played at 3rd in 2005 and then played mostly at 2nd in 2006 and these are his stats:

2005 -- .283(BA) .333(OBP) .428(SLG) 761 (OPS)
2006 -- .268 .339 .442 781

He also hit 7 more homers in roughly 60 less ABs. And this was all with the backdrop of moving from Columbus to Vero Beach.

In view of Kershaw's debut I am thinking of ordering MLB-TV so I can watch it this afternoon. Until now I've been too cheap to buy it and found Gameday and the videos just fine. However, today seems different. I have some questions that I hope someone can help me out with.

If I buy it do I have access today?

Is the $19.95 per month pro-rated?

Can I cancel in the middle of a month?

Is the quality as good as the test that I viewed for free? Which I thought was very good.

I'm on the east coast so I assume the only blackouts that I may be subject to would be when the Dodgers play the Mets.

Thanks for any help on this.

257 - You'll have access today, but I don't know whether it's prorated or if you could cancel in the middle of the month. The quality is surprisingly good and, living in New York, I've never been blacked out except for when the Dodgers play Saturday dya games on Fox.

257 I paid the season lump sum at the beginning of the season, so I can't answer most of those questions. But I've been happy with the quality. I'm in Braves country and that's the only blackout I suffer other than the blanket Saturday FOX blackout. The big problem is that it's addictive.

257 - One other thing that I like about MLB-TV is that you can access it from anywhere, so you can watch at work (assuming you're not firewalled). I actually got a second screen so that I can watch the game on one while working on the other during late nights at work.

258 259 Thanks. Yes, the addictive problem is an issue too. My wife already thinks I spent too much time on the computer. That's why I was hoping I could cancel after maybe a month or so. With something like this I know I would not have the willpower to resist, unless they really start to tank.

260 I share it with my college kid--he hooked it up to his TV and watches that way, and it looks really good. He did warn me to avoid the 1.2M version--I watch the 800K.

261 I watch a lot more than I planned to watch. Being an east coach Dodger fan all my life, it's like suddenly discovering an unlimited supply of [insert favorite vice].

Hey, everybody! Cheer up! It's Christmas morning!

264 your mouth to god's ears

260 Fortunately my job is not conducive to watching Dodger games. I'm a school teacher on the east coast so the games are mostly on when I'm at home. mlb.com is also blocked at the school. I've always thought that having MLB-TV would work well for me since I'm off anyhow and don't have to worry too much about getting up through the summer - except in September.

There is a great little headshot of Kershaw on the dodgers.com front page. A young looking Orel.

I'm linking to a non-political political article, but only because it serves as an example of how a blogger or a strictly-internet-reporter, can detect and create THE significant story, without needing to be at the scene...without needing to be a beat reporter IN the clubhouse.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/05/24/how-clintons-comments-didnt-then-did-catch-fire/

264 - No kidding. Any frustration I have is with the Dodgers seeming lack of a long term plan. But it's easy to forget how lucky we are to have so many good young players (Hmm, which top prospect do we want to play third base?). Yesterday during the Mets-Rockies, the announcers were talking about how the Dodgers' future was so bright. I haven't heard that in a long time.

The summation paragraph from the article I linked to in 268 :

"The fact that it did become big news is illustrative of journalistic competition in the Internet age. The entire pack of reporters sent to watch Clinton's every move had somehow gotten beat, and forced into following a New York Post reporter who was nowhere near the campaign, but who, apparently, had a much-better Internet connection."

269 problem is all we ever talk about is how bright the future is...I am a little tired of the past 20 years of future...it'd be nice if one of these years the future is now...

sorry, and now we return to our regularly scheduled program...

257 You will have access today.

I think you will pay the full $19.95 for the month, but it will be a month starting today, and you won't have to pay again until this day next month.

You can, and you will be refunded some portion of what you paid.

Meh. My computer, which is new, and my internet access which is as good as they would give me, cannot seem to handle the 800k. So I really only watch online in an emergency, usually watching on EI.

I'm in Columbus OH, so I am blacked out for games when the Dodgers play Cin or Cle (fine because I can just watch the Ohio team broadcasts), but I am also blacked out when they play Pittsburgh, whose games I do not get. You will also be blacked out for FOX Saturday games that are not being shown in your area, or Sunday ESPN games.

what is EI ?

Extra Innings.

228 - And it frustrates me to see the Dodgers being run as if it the team were a a donkey pinned to the wall and Colletti was a blindfolded four-year-old.

That was just perfect, Eric.

If you subscribe to MLB.tv and you get it to work TODAY, then you should also go out and buy lottery tickets or, alternatively, build a large church/shrine/temple to the god of your choice in thanks.

I'm going to be staying in a motel in Sacto for 5 days at the end of June and would be more than willing to shell out 20 bucks to watch the Dodger games on my laptop while I'm there. Does MLB TV allow you to subscribe for just one month or would I have to subscribe and then cancel?

233 Tifee was hitting an astronomical .422 when he was called up.

You do realize that he's 29-years-old and has been playing at AAA since 2004, right?

277
You can subscribe on a month-by-month basis.

And may God have mercy on your soul.

278 and if we get one good month out of him, that is more than we are getting from most of our hitters

If anyone is interested, StubHub has Dugout club seats, Aisle 7 (I think) up to 4 @$265 each. Not too bad of a price. I hope this doesn't violate any rules. They are not my tickets. Apparently they have an on site office now, so you don't have to drive downtown.

I don't get the antipathy towards Tiffee. I don't know, maybe some people rooted against Rocky and watched "The Natural" and thought it was just a small sample size. But in the spirit of looking at the positive, can we think about Tiffee in this way: the underdog getting a shot in the bigs. I like seeing that, and who knows, maybe he's a late bloomer who just needs a chance to show it.

Tiffee's upside will be that he will make people talk about Tripp Cromer.

I think that's a good thing.

267 - I was talking to my dad on the phone last night and mentioned that I thought Kershaw looked like Orel. There's a definite resemblance.

Joe Torre gave Cromer 350 plate appearances in one season, so be careful what you wish for.

279 Thanks, Bob. Although you're making me think I might be better off following the games via you guys and Gameday.

Most strikeouts MLB Debut: 15 -- Karl Spooner, Brooklyn Dodgers, 9/22/54

285
Torre gave Cromer 134 PA in 1995 before he got fired. Then Mike Jorgensen stepped in and continued the trend.

I am in a bit of a quandary here. The Dodger game is on the same Extra Innings channel as the Yankees game. The Yankees always tend to run long, so I really hope -- today especially -- that EI switches the beginning of the Kershaw Era to an open channel if needed.

So, it calls for rain today at 1 throughout the day ... :(

282 A baseball team's goals isn't to create nice stories, it's to win games. A 29 year old who has done nothing in his career except for the last month and a half isn't going to help.

291 But it's pure Ned logic. Just like Hendrickson.

286
But I'm a known MLB.tv crank/loather/enemy.

Other people seem to like it fine.

Those people have sold their souls to Satan however.

Rockies lose Barmes, Hawpe and Holliday to the DL all in a 24 hour span.

Chris Young homers to lead off the game in Atlants for the D'Backs.

Reading Leung's article, two things jumped out.

1. What is this "versatility" that LaRoche needs to work on? Versatile as in learning a new position? Or versatile in some other way, like his hitting stroke? It's not at all clear in the story. If we all knew LaRoche was spending the next two months learning how to play second base, the tension level around here would drop precipitously, and the Tiffee move would make a lot more sense.

2. Sometimes, writers ought to be able to ask the obvious, albeit gauche, question.

Leung writes:

"I find Esteban Loaiza pretty much accepts what news you give him about the same," Torre said. "There was no anger."

Could it possibly be because he's ecstatically happy? After all, he's just found out he's going to get paid nearly $7 million for doing nothing. Believe me, if someone came into my office and said, "We have to let you go. I'm real sorry about that. Oh, and don't forget, we owe you $7 million," I would also have "no anger."

291 - Gosh, relax, man. It's a game. It's supposed to be fun. And there's only two options: (1) Tiffee comes up, stinks, is sent back down pretty quickly, and fades into obscurity or (2) he defies the odds and becomes a nice story BY DOING WELL. And I'm sorry to say, but if you're only desire is to see your team win, then you chose very poorly when you picked your favorite baseball team. You should have been a Yankees fan.

295
Loiaza was happy not because he would be getting paid to do nothing. He was happy that the team was giving him a chance to go somewhere else to play regularly.

I'm surprised you're that cynical.

Sure, I recognize that Tiffee is 29 years old, that he has been stuck at AAA for four years, and that he was discarded by at least one other MLB team. Even with that, he is outplaying everyone else at Las Vegas and also has the capability to play a utility role.

But my point is that for a minor league system to function properly, there must be incentives for players to work hard, develop new skills, and perform at the highest levels. The primary incentive is advancement to the next level of play. The system ought to be a meritocracy in which a player advances or is demoted, not based on his draft position, his prospect ranking by Baseball America, his friendship with team officials, or his past stats, but on the strength of his current performance alone.

How would one explain to a utility player hitting .422 that the team was promoting to the big leagues instead of him someone whose performance had been substantially poorer? What kind of impact would such a decision have on the morale of other players?

298 Terry Tiffee has one role in this organization, fill a spot in Vegas so we can have a lineup that plays by the rules. There doesn't need to be any incentive for him to do well because no one cares how he plays.

The minor leagues only exist for the players that have the potential to be useful major leaguers, everyone else is near irrelevant.

Really, I can't believe we're arguing over Tiffee when he (1) probably won't get more than twenty plate appearances and (2) and will have almost no effect on the team's final W-L total. This is actually comical. I'm laughing as I write this. This shall forever be known as The Great Tiffee Debate of '08.

298
I agree with you in part, but more often than not the player who is branded as a "prospect" will get the call over the guy tearing up AAA.

That's why guys like Rick Short have only had cups of coffee in the majors and play in Japan a lot.

298
The system ought to be a meritocracy in which a player advances or is demoted

Which is why the 24 year old with a .306/.408/.555 AAA line in 152 games should be promoted over the 29 year old with a .297/.339/.453 AAA line in 389 games.

297 All the more reason to see Loiaza as "the happiest millionaire."

All I'm saying is, why doesn't a reporter at least ask the question:

--Joe, you think maybe he's okay with the news because he's making $7 million and doesn't have to do anything to earn it?

302
That said, I have no problem with LaRoche staying in AAA to play 2B or LF for the time being.

303
Wouldn't Torre find that question to be rather offensive? I would.

To assume that Loaiza wants to get paid for doing nothing has never been indicated. He didn't want to go to on the DL. He wanted to keep his job in the starting rotation.

The world might have given up on Tiffee, but Tiffee hasn't given up on himself, I assume. He'll play hard until we don't need him anymore. Welcome aboard. Enjoy.

It's not like the Dodgers are going to the World Series this year. I would regard it as quite a nice surprise if they make the postseason.

I'd be much more disappointed if they trade LaRoche for some "missing piece of the puzzle" than if they miss the playoffs. Just keep the young guys improving, we'll get there.

303 - How would Torre know why Loaiza was happy? And why would Torre question an ex-player's integrity even if he believed that to be the case?

305 I'm sure he would find the question very offensive. But in journalism school, I was taught not to worry about that.

Reporters today are too cozy with their sources.

308
So you would ask a question of a third party asking if a particular person was completely without any integrity?

Where in the world is there any evidence that Loaiza justs wants to get a salary and not play anymore?

There is absolutely none.

Why doesn't the reporter ask Torre if he knew when Loaiza stopped beating his wife too?

Any predictions on how Kershaw does today?

Mine:

5 IP
5 k
2 bb
3 ER

No scientific thought went into this prediction.

5 IP
7 K
4 BB
0 ER

310
9 IP, 27 K, 81 pitches

6 shutout innings, leaves with score tied

A person is going to come into being today. This is a metaphysical phenomenon worthy of Descartes.

5 IP
8 K
3 BB
2 ER

So, who else is headed to the game?

Lineup starts with 2 non-homegrowners, then ends with 7 straight homegrown Dodgers:

Pierre, LF

Maza, 2B

Ethier, RF

Martin, C

Loney, 1B

Kemp, CF

DeWitt, 3B

Hu, SS

Kershaw, P

Six innings, three runs, two earned, four strikeouts.

316
With the usual caveat that I count Ethier as a homegrown player because he was acquired as a minor leaguer and has only played in MLB with the Dodgers.

Yes, the minor leagues are for players with the potential to be major leaguers. Every player at Las Vegas undoubtedly believes he has the potential to play in L.A. And that is the way it should be.

Do you really believe that all player personnel decisions should be made on the basis of potential and not on current performance?

Remember, Piazza was a late round draftee who was treated poorly during his first couple of years in the system. He had to scrape and claw his way ahead of players whose "potential" was considered higher.

If potential were the only valid arbiter, Ivan Guzman would be starting in L.A.'s infield right now.

Sometimes potential translates into performance; sometimes it doesn't. But MLB is full of players who might never have made it if they had been considered on potential alone.

Tiffee's promotion appears to be the product of a meritocracy. The team may very well take a quick look at him, then send him back to Las Vegas. But I will be rooting for him to succeed. He's earned his promotion.

315 8 K is insane. But I paid good money for my seats, so I'm gonna roll with it...

316
Kershaw is the only guy in the lineup with more than 6 letters in his surname.

319
Piazza was 23 when he was called up, an age from which players actually improve. His career minor league line is .347/.409/.585.

Tiffee is 29, and has hit .293/.334/.431 in the minors, to go with his .226/.273/.351 in the majors.

I am rooting for Tiffee, but I am OK LaRoche is still in AAA only because he will be playing other positions (so he can get called up sooner). But to suggest Tiffee could do well because, hey Mike Piazza did well, is a but of a stretch.

It looks like I will only get one feed for the game today on Extra Innings. Will it be Vin or the Cardinals? That is the question. Last night I only got the Cardinals broadcast.

321
He will have more, much like Kuo, depending on his strikeout total today.

I'm thinking KKKKKKKershaw.

I just hope he doesn't end with only 3 strikeouts. That would be a problematic headline in tomorrow's paper.

I am going with:

6 IP
6 K
1 BB
1 ER

4 IP
7 K's
4 Walks
2 Hits
2 Earned Runs

He will strike out Pujols, relax, and give up a home run to Ludwick.

323
It's on Prime Ticket today, and since the default EI feed is the home team, you (and I) will get Vin today.

Of course, it's on the same channel as the sure to be 4 hour Yankees-Mariners game.

6 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K

323 I'll probably still be listening to the 500 when it starts anyway, so I guess it's not that important.

311 I forgot the 2 H, both weak singles.

264 I'm actually pretty cheery, even after two losses. Minotaur is one big reason but there are others. DFAing Loaiza undermines the contention that Ned won't 'admit his mistakes,' although in truth he has in the past (Baez, Lugo). Getting Jones to have the surgery is positive; he hopefully will come back a better hitter. Jones' pinch hit K the other night makes me feel just fine about Tiffee off the bench. Trying Laroche at second in Vegas is forward thinking. More be on the way down the pike. Heck, I like Ardoin over Bennett. And the Snakes keep losing. It's mostly smiles here in 'bama.

329
I get that some people like car racing, but listening to the Indy 500??? Car racing on radio?

The only thing worse that I can think of is golf on radio.

327 Not for me! DirecTV doesn't overlap games like that.

310 - I would be happy with that line.

For a bench player I'd rather have Tiffee then LaRoche. Why watch LaRoche struggle with pinch hitting when he can get everyday at bats?
Tiffee earned the right to be a 25th player. LaRoche's future is as a starting 3rd baseman, I don't think it does anyone any good to have him on the roster as a 25th player.

333
If you have DirecTV you should have the option of feeds. Except of course for games like last night that were on a local channel for one team (Dodgers on KCAL).

332 That's the only way to get it here. The TV broadcast is blacked out in the Indianapolis viewing area. You've got to understand how big this race is around here and radio is the only way to get it. I don't know what to compare it to out there in California, but I guess it would be like the Rose Bowl times two, or maybe like the Dodgers in the World Series.

Speaking of merit....when will Pee Wee get a start?

337
That's shocking to me that the race would be blacked out. It almost makes me want to move to Indianapolis! :)

336 I usually do, but today there is only one choice. That's why I'm hoping for some luck.

5 2/3 innings, 5 hits (all from righties) 3 walks, 6 K's, 2 ER. One of them a solo HR by Pujols because Kershaw said he was 'just another hitter'. Baseball gods like to play with us that way. Regardless, this is a game I won't forget.

337
The Indy 500 in Indiana is a bigger deal than the Rose Bowl is in Southern California now. I don't think there is a Southern California equivalent to the Indy 500.

340
The Cardinals feed is on a local channel today, KSDK Channel 5, so you should be good.

339 It's always been blacked out. Just a tradition I guess, since the Brickyard is always on. Next year we can just trade houses for the weekend. I have a nice place here, bug house, 3 acres, a great Weber grill. Interested?

331 - you could add Druw to that list, although it amounts to making a similar mistake, albeit for fewer years.

342 Me either. I just thought I would be nice and act like you guys had something this good.

From Tony Jackson:

"And yet somehow, in those eight games beginning May 16, the Dodgers are a respectable 4-4. That could bode well if this offense ever gets untracked"

5 IP
7k
2BB
2H
0R

Rediculous traffic on DT....

337 We don't get blackouts here anymore since our NFL teams moved away.

346
It's harder in an area as big and with as many people as Southern California to get people interested in any one particular event.

Everyone awaits the NPUT from Jon.

:)

The Giants and Marlins are playing a doubleheader today and they're stopped by rain after 3 1/2 innings.

It's going to be a long day in South Florida.

The Mythical One: Seven Innings Pitched, Nine Strike Outs, One Hit, Two Walks, No Runs.

Off to "The Game" ...

P.S. Kemp Hits a Home Run Today.

Kershaw becomes the 4th 1st Round pick to debut with the Dodgers in the Logan White era.

Loney, Billingsley, and DeWitt are the other 3. Scott Elbert and Chris Withrow are the other 2 1st Round picks.

351 You can say that again.

By the way, Marco Andretti wil break the Andretti curse today, making me a very happy man. That and Kershaw on the same day would be one I don't soon forget.

Today will be a great day to have a name that starts with K:

Kershaw
Kemp
Kobe

356

Kershaw
Kemp
Kurt Thomas!

Has a nice ring to it.

6 innings 8 k's 2 BB 3 h & He'll shut them out

Minotaur Day and Towel Day, all in one.

http://tinyurl.com/5nxl34

358
Have a great time at the game, Bluebleeder, 68elcamino427, and everyone else whom will be there.

Kershaw won't pitch past the 5th inning today unless he's working on a Rule 9. My prediction:

5 IP, 8 K, 4 BB, 3 H, 1 R

358 I expect a nice picture of you at the Stadium with Kershaw in the background. :)

This Baltimore Sun writer is "on the fence" about whether or not Piazza should make the Hall of Fame.

His reasoning is right out of the McCarthy Era.

Tailgunner Joe, not Marse Joe.

http://tinyurl.com/4esyx9

Im waiting for my friend in his stupid garage, he's still up stairs dolling-up. LOL

363
Hopefully the fence is barbed wire.

363 That's why I come to Dodger Thoughts. Is he crazy? I guess he would have been one of the voters that didn't vote for Babe Ruth. How many of those were there Bob?

I've decided not to post today when the Dodgers on in the field so I can focus all my attention on the new guy. I hope you guys can wait for my in depth analysis until the Dodgers bat.

Babe Ruth received 215 of 226 votes when he was elected. Ty Cobb outpolled him and Honus Wagner had the same number as Ruth.

Lou Criger got 7 votes in the first election and that was more than several other players who were subsequently elected. 17 of them I believe.

LaRoche working on his versatility in LV today at 1B.

369
Oh man, we don't need a 1B. But whatever gets him up quickest I'm OK with.

357 Kemp & Kershaw, & Kuo to finish the game.

And Kershaw and Kuo channeling Koufax.

I guess LaRoche is working on being the guy who gets Sweeney DFA'd.

5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, loss

Old friend Hendrickson comes back after a rain delay in Florida and doubles. He's batting .348 this season.

Strange things are afoot at the Indy 500.

372 Or Flanders has been listening to the people who declared that Loney is not the answer.

376
I believe LaRoche has already been checking with the equipment manager to see how Texeira is spelled.

375 Did it look like Marco had anything to do with Kanaan's wreck?

Like Eric Stephen, my concern for right now is the Yankees-Mariners game.

378
It's under investigation.

But since it's racing, it's really just under conjecture.

378 Tony Kanaan seems to think so. He's really mad.

If we get away from minor league promotions/demotions based on current performance alone and move to a system based solely on potential, we'd be in trouble.

I took a look at the ratings of Dodger prospects in the 2002 edition of Baseball America's Prospect Handbook.

If "potential" had been the only determinant, here's what our line-up might look like today:

Starting pitchers:

Ricardo Rodriguez
Ben Diggens
Hong-Chi Kuo
Joel Hanrahan
Brian Pilkington
Jose Rojas

Infielders:

Joel Guzman
Joe Thurston
Willy Aybar
Jorge Nunez
Jason Repko
Brennan King
Victor Diaz

Outfielders:

Chin-Feng Chen
Luke Allen
Reggie Abercrombie
Shane Victorino
Candido Martinez

Catcher:

Koyie Hill

Then I looked at the ratings contained in the 2003 edition. It identified Eric Stults among 2002 draftees as "closest to the majors"! Our system's top-rated pitching prospect that year was Jonathan Figueroa. Kuo was rated #11 among Dodger prospects, while Broxton was rated at #18. Delwyn Young was rated last, at #30!

Scary, huh?

LaRoche's career minor leage numbers: .294/.380/.522

That's not potential. That's production.

382

LaRoche has outperformed DeWitt at every level of the minor leagues. That is where his higher potential comes from.

You keep writing about current performance. Meaning what? The only stats that count are what a player has done the past month, day, fortnight? I don't get it.

Andrew's hero, Eric Byrnes, hits a grand slam in the top of the 5th to put the DBacks up 6-3 in Atlanta.

Sarah Fisher, like a true racing pro, managed to get in the name of her sponsor before she broke down crying in reaction to being asked about crashing in the Indy 500.

385- America's hero, Bob.

Hey, Seattle has a reliever named Sean Green. LAT's daughter may have a new favorite team. Too bad it's the Mariners.

anyone else encouraged by the fact that our starting lineup's average age is 24.6?

379
Currently, 12 of the 14 EI channels are in use. The final two (Game 13 and Game 14) are open for both the early games and late games, meaning there are at least two channels to which the Dodger game can be switched if the Yankee game runs long.

Here's the status of some other possible channels that could be open in 25-30 minutes:

Game 6 - Toronto leading KC 3-1, bottom 8th, 0 outs.
Game 12 - Indians 1, Rangers 1, bottom 8th, 1 out

Also, David Dellucci's AB music is the Godfather theme.

389 We could have gone with Young instead of Pierre. That would have helped.

Has the lineup for the Cardinals been posted anywhere?

Mariners aren't helping the cause with a rally in the top of the 8th, already leading 5-2. Two on, two out in the Bronx.

392
Schumaker CF
Barton LF
Pujols 1B
Ludwick RF
Glaus 3B
LaRue C
Izturis SS
Wellemeyer P
Ryan 2B

Thirty minutes! Thirty minutes!

394 Thanks, that was real fast.

394
That was from Matthew Leach's blog on the Cardinals' MLB.com site.

With LaRoche now playing first base, he could spell Loney, DeWitt, AND Pierre (although that one is unlikely).

393

It also sucks that the home team is losing so we're forced to have a bottom of the ninth.

398 Loney is the unlikely one, right? Please, I hope so.

398- If they end up in LV on a rehab assignment, he could.

394 Apparently Glaus dodged the appendicitis bullet, eh?

399
The Royals just lost, so now there are at least 3 other channels to which the Dodger game can be switched to:

Game 6
Game 13
Game 14

There will be Hell to pay if I don't see Kershaw's first pitch.

I still dont understand why Andy cant just get some time at 2nd, a place where he could actually be used today!

I know theres been stuff said that he cant field it well enough or doesnt like it or whatever, but having play 1st in LV seems pointless, at least have him in the outfield so he can replace tiffee right?

We just might be going in circles, so I promise to cease and desist on this issue after this post.

Yes, LaRoche outperformed DeWitt in the minors. But he hasn't outperformed him in the majors -- the only place it really counts.

What do I mean about "current performance"? I care less about a player's performance the past few years than I do about what he is doing this season. If this were not the case, I would be in favor of keeping Kent at second. After all, he's had a great career. But he's slumping badly right now. So I'd favor trying LaRoche, Tiffee, Maza, or Abreu (when/if he's healthy)in his place.

DeWitt is hitting major league pitching well enough at the moment to be considered for Rookie of the Year if he can sustain it. LaRoche is at AAA, where he isn't hitting for average and has only one dinger.

I join you in visualizing a lineup with a strong-hitting LaRoche in it, a guy who hits 25-30 dingers a year. He still has a chance to prove he can avoid injury and hit major league pitching. Give them the man an opportunity to adapt to second base at Las Vegas and bring him up when he's ready. If he is as good as his potential, he will easily beat out Kent.

LaRoche is at AAA, where he isn't hitting for average and has only one dinger.

No, 4 homers.

Free baseball in Cleveland!

NPUT