Viva Las Vegas – Roy Smith

In response to one of your posts about our Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s, it is true that Las Vegas is very much a hitters park and pitching there can be difficult at times. We in the Dodger organization are cognizant of this and we take these factors into account when evaluating our players. These factors include both statistics and scouting. Many of our professional scouts, Ned Colletti, Kim Ng, Logan White, Terry Collins, myself and members of our development staff evaluate our players at various times during the year. I personally like to see the team both at home and on the road for some of the reasons that are mentioned. Each ballpark and league bring with them different conditions and variables. It is up to us as an organization to make educated evaluations and make sure that our players are at the right levels in order for them to fulfill their potential.  We value our relationship with the Las Vegas organization, and the fact that they are only a short plane flight away makes it an ideal spot from a logistical sense.         

As for the questions on Greg Miller, Andy LaRoche and Justin Orenduff, these players have all time at Double-A and are talented. Where they start the season has yet to be determined, but given good health, we hope all three will be in Triple-A at some point during the season.

136 comments

  1. a-roe@sbcglobal.net

    My wife and I live in Sacramento and look forward to seeing the 51’s when they come to town. We never miss a game when our future “Boy’s in Blue” come to town. Every one of them are gracious and always take time to sign and chat with us both before and after the game. The only negative was McDowell, who was both mean spirited and obnoxious. Jerry Royster is a very nice man as was Duncann who took time out to talk baseball and take pictures of me and my family, which we proudly display in our home! To everyone in the organization, 51’s fans in Sacramneto say great job!

    Reply
  3. rmsobin@aol.com

    I live in San Antonio where the Dodgers used to have their AA farm team. Now, it belongs to Seattle. That switch happened, like, five or six years ago. Beltre had a great year here.

    The field here (in S.A.) is only 9 or 10 years old and is in great shape. The only problem, it is a pitchers park. The winds blows in most game, and hitter have a difficult time just trying to hit the long fly ball. But it is a great field for the line drive hitters.

    I really wish the Dodgers would either: 1) bring the AA team back here, or, 2) enlarge the field (stands) and make it a AAA team.

    Reply
  8. JhallWally

    Lineup for the Bankrupt Losers:
    .
    Furcal ss
    Carroll 2b
    Ethier rf
    Kemp cf
    Uribe 3b
    Loney 1b
    Velez lf
    Ellis c
    Kuroda p
    By selltheteam on July 6, 2011 3:57 pm – Reply

    Reply
  9. enchantedTheBeav

    Honestly, what the hell is Velez even doing on the team? I mean, he’s obviously the sacraficial DFA lamb if and when Blake comes back, but GAWD, you don’t have to actually play him.

    Reply
      • enchantedTheBeav

        You ever notice Matting manages like its little league where everybody has to get a start every few games? Geez, do you think Rick Auerbach ever expected to get a start as long as Russell was healthy? Or Boog Powell or Vic Davalillo? Its rediculous. Some guys are just meant to be on the bench if on the team at all.

    • JhallWally

      Yep, it is pathetic. But hey, we don’t have to worry about losing out on last place to the Puds with Neddy and Dildon at the respective helms.

      Reply
  11. JhallWally

    So, I am assuming that this McBroke disaster is going to drag on for awhile and at least long enough that we will not be serious players in the off season. My question is:
    .

    What would you do now if you were the GM to make this team better in 2012 and beyond?

    Reply
    • trublu4ever

      GM, manager & all coaches outta here! Perhaps keep Lopes. All ex-gnats outta here! All pitchers except Kersh, Javy and Jansen….outta here!

      Reply
      • JhallWally

        I agree with you Trumom on cleaning house starting with Neddy, Dildon, Conte, Honeycutt, and Pentland. I think you are right about the pitchers also. I wouldn’t give up on Billz unless some team made a great offer. He’s only 27 and I think a better pitching coach would help him alot.

      • trublu4ever

        I think Billz has the talent and, perhaps, needs a pitching coach who actually can help him. He needs to improve his attitude quite a bit too.

      • JhallWally

        I’m assuming that the first thing a decent pitching coach would do is work on Billzs’ mental approach. He’s got the stuff. He just ain’t got the ‘nads.

      • JhallWally

        Well, that is a given. Now, you are the GM. What would you do assuming that Frank is still the owner. If and when we get a real owner that is a whole different scenario.

  12. JhallWally

    I seriously don’t think that this team can be fixed quickly even with a new owner and GM. Even if we had a free spending owner with deep pockets, there really are no players out there in free agency after this season to fix all the holes we have. I think the best you could do if money was no object is get Fielder and Sabathia(if he opts out). That gives you a true ace and a real power bat. Fixes 1st base. Gives you a one-two in the starting rotation that could actually make you competitive in the playoffs (Sabathia and Kershaw). Still leaves a huge hole at Catcher, 3B, 2B, LF, band bullpen. And that is assuming that Gordon succeeds at SS.

    Reply
    • enchantedTheBeav

      Well sir, the only way I see out of this mess is to get as much as you can for the vets this year, trade Dre and Kemp next year for a buttload of good prospects, and totally rebuild. That’ll mean at least a good three to four years so we’re looking 2015-16 before even being competitive again. In the meantime, you invest heavily in the draft and back in Latin America (which you’d be able to do because payroll would be just about non-existant.) Draft position players rather than pitchers all the time, and put some real coaches in position to actually be able to develop prospects.
      .
      You also cut ticket prices and parking accordingly to try and put butts back in the seats and rebuild all the goodwill that’s been destroyed, all the while pushing the homegrown aspect and that the team will truely be “Dodgers.”

      Reply
      • JhallWally

        Thanks Beav. I think alot of people are holding onto the belief that a new owner, GM, and manager will automatically undo all the damage done by Frank and Furter overnight. It will be a great start to returning the team and franchise back to respectability but making this team a perennial contender and viable WS team is going to take some time.

  16. trublu4ever

    Hey, Josh….why don’t the Dodgers have a daily tryouts for a left-fielder from the crowd? 1. It will increase the attendance and 2. Somebody has to be better than the last 8 we’ve had there.

    Reply
  19. JhallWally

    I see Betty Poop’s been here before!!
    By enchantedTheBeav on July 6, 2011 4:41 pm – Reply
    .
    Have to spread it around
    By trublu4ever on July 6, 2011 4:44 pm – Reply
    .
    Ahhh….. Nah, not going to go there.
    By enchantedTheBeav on July 6, 2011 4:52 pm –
    .

    LOL!! By the time this lineup gets to the 4th inning, you will probably change your mind.
    By JhallWally on July 6, 2011 5:02 pm –
    .
    It’s time Beav.

    Reply
  29. Collie

    Interesting chatter here guys. I liked the Hey Josh comments & the link to MSTI page with the 52 reasons to hate McCourt. Lots of Hey Josh questions there.
    .
    I would trade anyone on the team except Kemp, Kersh, Jansen, and probably Dre. Everybody knows Dre is my favorite but he could bring a plentiful bounty right now. But I don’t want Ned to be doing that move so I would want him kept until the ownership is changed and Ned is tossed to the curb. I would also probably keep Bills.
    .
    Going into this season I didn’t expect anything good anyway other than I was hoping that they’d be able to trade Padilla, Blake, Barajas, Garland, and maybe Broxton among Ferk, Miles, Thames, Jamey Carroll, and Navarro. But the 1st 5 I mentioned are all on the DL with 3 of them now likely for the season so there goes that plan.
    .
    Oh and while we’re on that weren’t they supposed to come back this season? Oh yea we have Stan as the trainer.

    Reply
  31. trublu4ever

    Isn’t it interesting that we have an abundance of lousy left-fielders but, right now, with Miles a little banged up, no backup for Uribe and nobody to replace Loney?

    Reply
  32. Collie

    Don’t worry Beav. I’m not leaving yet. I still like to listen to Vin. He makes the pain easier to take! Tru that’s the one thing that has made this season with the MLB Extra Innings package — being able to listen to Vin.
    .
    Anyone else find it ironic that the ads behind the plate are for “Horrrible Bosses”? I wonder if some of Franks employees have a laugh at that.

    Reply
  36. dodgereric

    Let’s be fair, trumom. I heard that too and what he actually said that there was a small crowd chanting, “Let’s go Mets” when he announced the “paid attendance”.
    .
    Game 46 attendance (2010): 45,398
    Today’s attendance courtesy of trumom: 31,005
    Greater than last year = 7 / Less than last year = 38
    2nd straight game of negative attendance
    .
    Games less than 30,000 this season – 6
    Games less than 30,000 in 2005 – 2010: none
    Last game was 9/14/2004 – 29,704
    .
    Lowest attended game of the year: Game 8 – 27,439
    Largest single game drop: Game 18 (55,662 – 28,419 = 27,243)
    .
    2010 attendance (46 games) – 2,061,910 (44,824 average)
    2011 attendance (46 games) – 1,670,957 (36,325 average) #10 in MLB
    .
    Drop of 390,953 total
    Average drop of 8499
    Extrapolated for 81 games – 688,417
    Projected 2011 final attendance – 2,942,337
    2010’s final attendance – 3,562,318 (#3 in MLB)
    .
    Next game’s (47) attendance in 2010 – 45,056

    Reply
    • JhallWally

      I dunno Dad. They sold an awful lot of tickets with another one of their 25 cents on the dollar sales. Five buck reserve, 22 dollar loge and RF pavillion, and $27 field seats. Plus it’s Andre bobblehead night.

      Reply
  40. enchantedTheBeav

    To recap tonight’s game, it was more of a struggle, but in the end…
    .
    (Watch it all the way through – Its frighteningly human-looking at the end. It might even be Ned trying to speak.)
    .

    Reply
  46. dodgereric

    Shills, homers – what other words describe them? Here they are after the game:
    .
    “Jim Watson [speaking] and Steve Lyons in center field. Have you ever heard this ballpark this quiet this quickly after a game? They died with a whimper.
    .
    Lyons: “There’s not that many people here either. That’s one of the sad parts about Dodger Stadium is that there’s not enough fans coming out here to watch. And obviously I think it’s in direct relation as to how this team is playing. If they were playing better baseball there’d be more people out here.”
    .

    Reply
    • selltheteam

      It doesn’t matter how well or how poorly the Dodgers are playing. There will continue to be very few fans in the seats until Frank McCourt is gone.
      .
      If the above statement sounds kinda like Frank, it should. It was patterned after his idiotic statement that we have the best players, we’re just not winning right now.

      Reply
  48. dodgereric

    Ned Colletti lays an egg:
    .
    April 26, 2011
    Xavier Paul selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates off waivers.
    .
    February 16, 2011
    Signed Lance Cormier as a free agent.
    .
    January 18, 2011

    Signed Gabe Kapler as a free agent.

    Signed Marcus Thames as a free agent.
    .
    January 3, 2011

    Signed Tim Redding as a free agent.
    .
    December 16, 2010

    Signed Matt Guerrier as a free agent.
    .
    December 14, 2010

    Signed Dioner Navarro as a free agent.
    .
    December 13, 2010

    Signed Eugenio Velez as a free agent.
    .
    December 11, 2010

    Signed Juan Castro as a free agent.
    .
    December 9, 2010

    Signed Vicente Padilla as a free agent.
    .
    November 30, 2010

    Signed Juan Uribe as a free agent.
    .
    November 26, 2010

    Signed Jon Garland as a free agent.
    .
    November 4, 2010

    Signed Jay Gibbons as a free agent.
    .
    September 18, 2010

    Traded Octavio Dotel to the Colorado Rockies. Received a player to be named later. The Colorado Rockies sent Anthony Jackson (minors) (November 15, 2010) to the Los Angeles Dodgers to complete the trade.
    .
    July 31, 2010 (Standings)

    Traded Andrew Lambo (minors) and James McDonald to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Received Octavio Dotel and cash.
    .
    July 27, 2010

    Signed Juan Castro as a free agent.
    .
    I could do this for another 4-5 hours, but I’m already sick.

    Reply
  49. selltheteam

    It’s awfully tough watching the scoreboard from down here. Do I root for the Gnats to win, so that we fall further behind first place? Or do I root for the Puds, so that we fall further behind fourth place? Such a quandry.

    Reply
  52. nedsajerk

    I’d rather suffer with Gibbons again over that Giants reject Velez. Velez has played 3 games with 2 coming off the bench and has done nothing but going 0/6 with 2 k’s and commit 1 error already.

    Reply
    • selltheteam

      As Vin would say, “this is all that Jerry has done in the past three nights”:
      .
      Monday – triple, 2 RBIs
      Tuesday – single, double, HR, 1 RBI
      Wednesday – single, double, HR, 5 RBIs

      Reply
  55. messagebear

    I don’t understand MLB’s offer under the bankruptcy filing for a more advantageous debtor in possession financing than what Frank was able to secure independently. Let the higher finance charges break the bastard, unless part of the MLB financing would automatically include appointing an impartial trustee to get Frank away from controlling the team for the duration.
    *
    Have I mentioned that I hate Frank’s and Ned’s and Rawitch’s guts? And it is all personal. As far as the coaching staff and the other big wheels in the front office, they’re all just plain assholes, but there’s nothing personal regarding them.

    Reply
  56. JhallWally

    Good afternoon everyone. Another lackluster loss by our third rate lineup. Can’t expect much when your going to fight a 4 alarm fire with squirt guns. Only one guy(Kemp) has a Super Soaker.
    .
    I found this address for the judge in our bankruptcy case. I don’t know if it will help, but, I intend to let him know how I feel about Frank McCourt and his ownership of the Dodgers. It can’t hurt.
    .

    United States Bankruptcy Court
    District of Delaware
    c/o Judge Kevin Gross
    824 North Market Street
    3rd Floor
    Wilmington, DE 19801

    Reply
  58. selltheteam

    Lineup that will capture our longest losing streak of the year:
    .
    Gwynn lf
    Carroll ss
    Ethier rf
    Kemp cf
    Uribe 3b
    Loney 1b
    Miles 2b
    Navarro c
    Kershaw 1.

    Reply
  59. koufax1963

    Perhaps the conspiracy theory will be made public soon, that Selig wanted the Dodgers to Fail, hence the approval of McCourt as owner, and the subsequent selection of Colletti as GM. After Years of stability, (I mean you can almost tell what decade of the dodgers you are watching by who is the cather), the Murdoch years tried to ruin the Dodgers, but this mcCourt has mastered it, with his buddy Ned, but it has all become too
    Obvious. Now selig wants to bury documents. Jaime has been very quiet, although she wants to bury Frank, and the Fans want to bury Ned. and another ex-gnat (velez) comes to the rescue. Manny was part of it too, except he didnt play by the rules in 08 (just Manny being Manny) and he took us to the post season, then he towed the line after that.

    Reply
  60. selltheteam

    Bad news for the Ethierholics – ‘Dre was not voted in; he lost to the dreaded Victorino.

    Reply
  61. lbirken

    Sorry about Andre not making the All Star team. I must admit I am not a big fan of the selection process. I hope he does not think the fans let him down.

    Reply
  63. vl4eccjr

    RIP Dick Williams & John Mackey – One of the greatest tight ends ever.
    .
    Sad for Andre not getting into the AS game. I lost count how many times I voted for Konerko & him. 😦

    Reply
  65. trublu4ever

    Dodgereric ~ looks like Andre’s bobblehead night will make for a pretty large crowd. It IS ANDRE, afterall 😉

    Reply

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