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.
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!
Hey Tommy, long-time fan, first time blog poster.
The fact that top baseball guys like you even have blogs on here really legitimizes all us wanna-be fan bloggers using this soapbox at mlb.com. Ive been previewing all the clubs over at “The Cheap Seats” and would have you and your readers know I have your boys in blue as a lock for the west.
http://thecheapseats.mlblogs.com/the_cheap_seats/2006/02/la_dodgers.html
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.
Ahhh, this is much better!
This one is better, jhall.
I love those little nubbers 😉
I see Betty Poop’s been here before!!
Have to spread it around 😉
Ahhh….. Nah, not going to go there.
LOL!! By the time this lineup gets to the 4th inning, you will probably change your mind.
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
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.
But Baby Thames is not feeling well…
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.
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.
I’m looking forward to another exciting game tonight. I’m feeling lucky too – I think we’ll get a run.
<——Velez…..a useless piece!
Want to start a pool on when Fecal goes back on the DL? I’ll take July 16.
Hear that Ned? – you’ve got 10 days to trade Fecal.
I’m hoping for the 10th!
Hell, why not tonight?!!
I’m hoping he can stay healthy at least long enough to possibly unload him in late July or August. However, I am not very optimistic about that happening. I’ll say July 24th. He’ll play just well enough and long enough to get my hopes up, and then, hit the DL just when the trade rumors start to get serious.
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?
GM, manager & all coaches outta here! Perhaps keep Lopes. All ex-gnats outta here! All pitchers except Kersh, Javy and Jansen….outta here!
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.
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.
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.
I should think that if I were Ned the best thing I could do to make the team better for 2012 and beyond would be to quit. 🙂
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.
Hire a hit-man to get rid of him!
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.
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.”
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.
Keys to the game: Steve Lyons, “Score more runs” Duh!!!!!!
And he gets paid to say stuff like that.
Amazing, isn’t it?!
Well, just like that, 0 for 2 with RISP.
Isn’t that just dandy?!
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.
I’ve a feeling we’re going to need another chicken.
You’re gonna need alot of chickens Beav.
Uribe is limping…hit a ball off his foot…YAY!
I’d like to hit my foot off his balls.
:-)….unfortunately, it wasn’t a hard enough hit to put him out of his misery.
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.
It’s way past time! lmao!
Velez (_|_)~~~~
Oh, hell, we all (_|_)~~~~~
zzzzzzzzzzz………………
Looks like loss #10 coming up for Hiroki.
Well that should just wrap it up tonight…
Yep….3 runs down is an impossible mountain for us to climb!
Don’t leave Collie, I have tonight’s video all lined up!!
Rats, Kuroda with a Billz moment.
Ka-Ka-roda!
Stop pitching and call your doctor for innings lasting more than 4 hours.
Still love my Dre!
Caught a huge break there. Kemp was out.
We need all the breaks we can get 😉
No doubt!!!!
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.
Yep Collie, buying or selling, with Ned doing the dealing, we’re screwed.
Anyone see the irony in Angel Pagan’s name?
And, Vinny says it is Angel….not Anhel 😉
Like that guy name Angel Berroa.
Kind of like Frank McCOURT.
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?
Not crazy about Dildon, but, he really doesn’t have alot of options thanks to Neddy.
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.
I did notice the Horrible Bosses! It should have Frankrupt’s picture on it.
Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are. And God Bless the pygmies in Africa.
It’s Mikey McDoody time.
Damn, SD is putting the pressure on for us to come up empty.
31,005 paid attendance! Even Vinny said small crowd!!!!! 😉
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
I know, Dodgereric….I just like hearing the term…..music to my ears 😉
I neglected to say that we’ll probably pass the 400,000 mark in attendance drop tomorrow.
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.
Thanks Dad and Trumom!!
Dang if we had Gordon he would’ve been in for Uribe.
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.)
.
Looked like Andruw Jones’ permanent smile. LOL!!!!
LMTO!!!!!
It did look more like a mouth than an ass!
Actually, it is a cloaca!! It did remind me of Andruws’ chicken shit smile.
I think it said Rosebud…
The downward spiral continues. . .
Donny must be sick no Navarro for Velez.
At least we didn’t get shut out tonight.
.
What’s the attendance? I saw 265.
What’s going on an Atlanta? Teacher caught cheating on Test. How is that possible?
I give up.
Huh????
The teacher was helping her students cheat on tests. They were student athletes and needed to get good grades so they could play sports.
Got tired of being hassled by the coaches when the student-athletes were going to be ineligible to play.
I guess I get no translation on this one 🙂
I heard more on the cheating. The teachers were changing test scores to make their schools look better and get more money.
Don Mattingly is a perfect example of an outstanding player not being able to teach/manage a team.
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.”
.
That’s what happens when you are paid to kiss Frankrupt’s ass!
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.
That’s our third five-game losing streak this year. Smoking!
I know, and its so disappointing, but I really think we can make it 6 this time.
Now is the time, since once again, tomorrow we play the Mighty Mets.
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.
Stop it already, it’s bad for your blood pressure.
I’m sick too!
Geez why did you have to bring this up? When it does suck that he did this.
……but Dodgereric, according to the Times article yesterday, Ned has only made a few mistakes 🙂
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.
I NEVER want the Giants to win!
No way I’m rooting for the Dback to win and the Giants to lost and fall to 2nd or 3rd places.
STT, we win either way!
Thanks for the clarification Tru!
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.
Look like Sands was going for the cycle in AAA for the 2nd times in 3 nights.
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
JER-RY, JER-RY!!!!!
Just wanted to stop by and wish the guys goodluck on #6 tonight. We’ll show those Puds who wants it baby!!!
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.
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
Jhall ~ There is one special letter a fan wrote and it is in the file. It’s on Facebook….I will share and then you can put it here. I still haven’t figured out how to copy & pate stuff here. 😉
OK
We’ve lost another Brooklyn Dodger and a heck of a good manager. RIP, Dick Williams.
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.
red pen – “Kershaw p”
What….no Fecal! 😉
He might be getting tired from all those long walks to the dugout after making an out.
Damn STT, if they were really serious about #6 Velez would be in left. If they don’t get it, I’m blaming Mattingly.
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.
Bad news for the Ethierholics – ‘Dre was not voted in; he lost to the dreaded Victorino.
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.
We tried our best to get Dre in the game….just can’t beat the damn East Coast bias!
Andre – I tried my best, but my best wasn’t good enough to get you past the Cryin’ Hawaiian. Best of luck on your Bobblehead Night! Wish I could be there!!
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. 😦
RIP Armen Gilliam
Dodgereric ~ looks like Andre’s bobblehead night will make for a pretty large crowd. It IS ANDRE, afterall 😉