On the bright side
A tough loss tonight, no doubt. But standing in the clubhouse after the game, wearing a Las Vegas 51s t-shirt, Andre Ethier showed what a class act he is after hitting his first big league homer. He said he wears the minor league shirt to remind him where he comes from and that he wished his first big league homer could’ve come in a victory, the way he always dreamed about it as a kid.
That says a lot about a guy who won an award in the Fall League for good sportsmanship. On a bad night, at least there’s one good thing to be going home thinking about.
Inside the Dodgers 
Whatever happened to the good old days when a starter could be counted on the pitch 7, 8 or even 9 innings on a regular basis? Thanks to the lack of quality starts of late, the bullpen is being leaned on hard, and last nights’ fiasco from Perez really didn’t help matters any for tonight. It really would have been a good night to rest the pen some.
This is not a last-place team… but the standing beg to differ with me right now. Would someone please step up and help get this ship back on course?
looks like cruz, jr. is on his way out, but is it fair to annoint a fresh-up rookie, eithier to start – over repko?
how about a trade of perez to either the yankees or red sox…they are always looking and have the cash…and what is worse perez making 8 mil a year or hearing that simon crowell from american idol makes 36 mil a year?
great article from cbs sportsline about the lost art of infield/outfield practice before a game…enjoy –
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9413522/3
I’m glad to see Odalis was given leave, as that’s what he needed, although it will be tricky to plug the hole in the rotation if he’s gone Sunday.
The Dodgers seem intent on keeping Jason Repko humble and hard-working. Just as they gave him the starting job ahead of Cruz, Ethier is getting starts in left. Also, while JD Drew has been good, I would have thought Repko’s all around play would have merited player of the month. According to Wikipedia, Ichiro Suzuki’s father told his junior high coach “No matter how good Ichiro is, don’t ever praise him. We have to make him spiritually strong.” Is the same philosophy in practice with Repko, or do the Dodgers just happen to be doing what they’re doing?
Jason Repko has similar numbers to JD Drew in two-thirds of the at-bats, and yet Repko is rewarded with the bench. I don’t get it Ethier. (sic)
Anyone else notice that Lofton’s numbers are plummeting over the course of the last two weeks? I’d really like to see Ethier AND Repko AND Drew in the same outfield, together, at the SAME TIME. Who cares what they’re paying Lofton. It was stop-gap insurance in the first place, and Colletti didn’t even think to give Repko a shot before he signed Lofton. If Lofton’s not being productive, then get someone in there who is… and Jason Repko deserves his everyday chance.
I loved reading the other day when Grady said Repko was going to be playing more often, and then they go out and bring up Ethier. Repko hasn’t played since Grady’s vote of confidence. Give the kids (Repko AND Ethier) a shot!
Well, understandably, he got Lofton after Repko hit .221 last year. But apparently Jason (no Y) never got the memo about having a sophomore slump, and he’s proven that he’s a legitimate major league player. Granted, he would have been sent down faster than you can say “Dreifort goes on the DL” if his offense declined from last year.
By the way, what’s the status on the player to be named?