Off day at the Ravine
No rest for the weary…last night’s game was hardly one to remember, for plenty of reasons. Fortunately, I didn’t have to watch it in person, as I’d imagine it was a frustrating one. Jon Weisman offered some praise for the way Vin Scully and the FSN Prime Ticket crew handled the coverage of the ejections and that’s probably the only positive to take out of those events.
The team was greeted in Arizona by some lightning and rain and I got a call from Jaime Jarrin telling me to get back on the road, as the team took two out of three while I was in San Fran and lost three in a row when I left. Still, my road record is hardly anything to write home about this season.
Those of us back in Los Angeles are using the down time to start preparing for the upcoming homestand and, in the event that it happens, the playoffs. Every team that is in contention at this time of year begins the planning process and only eight of them actually get to put their plans to good use. For our department, one of the main things we’re doing right now is working on a postseason media and information guide, which helps everyone cover the playoffs more easily.
In response to the suggestion that there be statues on site here of our all-time greats, I don’t think it’s anything we’ve ruled out. In fact, I’m sure it’s one of the many things that will be considered in the future. For many years now, we’ve talked about having a Dodger museum or historical area of the stadium that fans can access and learn more about the team’s history, its players and all of the incredible things that surround this organization. The problem is, we don’t want to do it just to do it. If we’re going to build something like that, it’s got to be done right, so stay tuned. Hopefully we’ll have more info for you on that front in the future.
And as for the Russell Martin interview yesterday on Jim Rome’s radio show, unfortunately it wasn’t arranged through our department. I was told that one of his agents set it up and we didn’t find out about it until the last minute. At that point, we weren’t able to get him on the line, but rest assured, this one was not Russell’s fault or ours. Hopefully we’ll get him on the air again soon.
Let’s hope our fortune turns around in Arizona. The last time Brad Penny pitched and we then had a day off was July 27 and we went on to win 17 of our next 18 after regrouping on the off day. My fingers are crossed that we’ll bounce back again in the same manner.
Inside the Dodgers 
And as for the Russell Martin interview yesterday on Jim Rome’s radio show, unfortunately it wasn’t arranged through our department. I was told that one of his agents set it up and we didn’t find out about it until the last minute. At that point, we weren’t able to get him on the line, but rest assured, this one was not Russell’s fault or ours. Hopefully we’ll get him on the air again soon.<<
Note that I’m just kidding, but now I blame you for the dodgers loss yesterday. Don’t mess with Jungle karma ;)!
Vinny did handle the situation quite well, didn’t he? I’m certain other announcers would have been much more opinionated. But really, when Scully announces, he does it from the perspective of the subject at hand. It’s never about “me” “we” or “us”. He’s as objective as it comes and his views are always laced with experience, personal notes and facts, while completely ignoring conjecture.
As for Martin, he really does need to make good with the Jim Rome radio show. We really need the good “Jungle Karma” and the positive ramifications that it provides. :o)
I was watching the internet feed via mlb.com (unfortunately is was the Padre feed) and was actually quite surprised how well Tony Gwynn and Matt Vasgursian (I think thats his name, definitely not spelled right) handeled it. They completely disagreed with the Lugo ejection. We’re very pro-Dodger on all the calls Penny was NOT getting, and then disagreed with the way the umpires handled the situation, including that one ump who backed Penny away towards the dugout when The Dodger coaches had him restrained – “Quit puffing out your chest and let the coaches handle it” was something Gwynn said. He also said “If there are fines and suspensions for this altercation I hope MLB takes a look at the umpires as well. They need to be disciplined here”
It was very refreshing. Usually opposing announcers are so biased I can’t stand to listen to their nonsense. That is one thing i’ve always liked about Vin. He tells it like it is, doesn’t take a side, and is always completely neutral. He’s the best.
Last night was painful. At least we went out with a bang. Who can explain why SD silences our bats so well? At least ARZ beats them consistently, maybe we won’t have to. ARZ lost Green…. who are we gonna “boo” at now? Read his comments on espn.com, he’s in love with his new Jewish homeland.
hey josh, i hear that we lost the rights to alex white, is this true?.. can u tell u s wat happened?
BELIEVE IN BLUE!
we’ll get back to our winning ways soon enough, our pitching & hitting are alot better then “that” series excitibited.
“excitibited” = exhibited
I read somewhere that Alex White was returning to North Carolina. The chances of signing him were not good so he was signed in the fourteenth round.
Too bad Steiner has never heard of having a non-biased opinion. I feel like throwing up when I hear him do the games.
The umpires last night need to check themselves. I see it more and more, umpires provoking arguments. They need to walk away, not get up in the players face. Just like they don’t like getting showed up, neither does the player. One of these days one of these umpires is going to get laid out in front of 50,000.
Josh, I missed the game too. I had forgotten my network cable, and it was not until after I got a replacement cable that I figured out that I have a wireless connection in my dorm. I saw the highlights and such though, and read accounts on Dodgers.com, Dodger Thoughts, and the LA Times.
Anyway, a few thoughts
1) I think we are now realizing the importance of the Roberto Alomar incident. Ever since he spit on the umpire, it seems the officiating crews have been a little bolder and more personally involved. When umpires become emotionally attatched, they can become very easily offended needlessly.
2) I would personally favor a rule that automatically supspends umpires who approach the dugouts while a player is leaving the field for 6 games without pay (the same penalty the Marlins gave to a bat boy who tried to drink a gallon of milk in an hour). Such behavior can only be described as bovine excrement. The purpose of the umpire is to maintain the order of the game, and when the umpire crosses the line, what good is he?
3) I am beginning to think Grady Little’s strategy with Drew is backfiring. The idea is to rest him often enough that he can stay fresh, but here are the results:
April: .306/.404/.506/.910
May: .256/.356/.478/.834
June: .286/.354/.414/.768
July: .259/.378/.420/.798
August so far: .266/.368/.406/.774
The falloff of power makes me suspicious that Drew is not getting well, but just prolonging his status of being hurt but not “injured.” Of course, I could be horribly wrong, and it could just be that he’s hitting the ball right to people and Andre Ethier’s not. Either way, JD hasn’t been a cleanup hitter very effectively.
4) The lack of the longball makes the Dodgers’ offense a bit more all-or-nothing at times. The team has to be able to produce runs, as a single player is not able to do it alone.
5) Everything looks good on the schedule except for beginning a homestand against Cincinnatti with Mark Hendrickson on the mound. Hendrickson is no good in Dodger Stadium while Sele is, and the Reds may as well go to a driving range if he’s pitching that game; Adam Dunn has a .972 OPS against left handed pitchers. Sele gave up 4 runs over 6 innings in Cincy, but that is a park where David Ross is slugging .811 and has hit 13 of his 16 homers, and Sele gets a lot out of the Dodger Stadium mound. I do not forsee anything good unless Sele gets the home start for the home opener. He’s been preserved a bit, but now it’s time for Grady to help preserve the team by taking Hendrickson out of the rotation.
This is for all the people of the world who love pessimism, cause there are just quite frankly never enough in the world! Greg Maddux went undefeated in the month of April, so he’s 5-0 looking like a god, he strolls into Arizona and loses his first game of the year! Flash forward Maddux has thrown 4 tremendous games for the Dodgers and has a 2-0 record to show for it. His next start as you all know is in Arizona tonight! Make of that what you will! And I love the Dodgers, but this does not look good at all. Now enjoy your Friday work day thinking of that!
at last there is someone else posting that charlie steiner *****. i agree. when he does t.v. i turn on the mute and listen to the radio.
That’s funny that some of you dislike Charlie, I happen to really like Charlie and Rick. I do, however, miss Ross Porter. Feel free to say whatever you would like about me, but listen to why I like them. I like Rick Monday because he provides us with analysis from a former player’s point-of-view. What I heard coming out of his mouth was nothing more than a former player upset with the way the umpires usurped the game from the players. After the Lugo ejection Rick said that when an umpire makes a call like the one that caused Lugo’s ejection they take the game away from those playing it. My feeling is that Rick Monday would’ve been just as irritated if the ejections were against the opposing team…The same for Charlie. Also, it should be noted that, to my recollection, Rick or Charlie said anything negative about the way that the Padres’ Manager snitched on Little’s “second trip” to the mound. I will admit that Charlie and Rick are somewhat biased, I like it. I think it provides a great balance. You have two announcers who are kind of homers, and then, withal due respect to Charlie and Rick, you have one great announcer who casts shadows upon every other announcer who is 100% (maybe 99.999%) neutral. Sometimes the neutrality gets on my nerves and sometimes the partiality bugs me. For ME, it is a great balance. “Follow me to freedom!” haha =)
Hey…I don’t know if anyone has been keeping up with the stats of the guys Ned traded away at the trading deadline, but here are the important facts.
Aybar — DL
Baez — DL
Izzy — DL
Wow…we saved three DL’s. Now that is a major win.
Telling points about Drew’s month-by-month analysis. The guy’s a lemon – his balsawood body points to that. And yes, he does hit the ball right at fielders – especially those weak little grounders to first or second base which is becoming his trademark. I think he fears his bones will snap if he swings too hard. The mechanics of his swing does not seem to allow for power at all.
I fear that all the other teams in the NL are currently playing harder than the Dodgers are, and we’ll slowly backslide as our rookies tire and our veterans pile on the “playing hurt” mileage but hey, they’re veterans who know how to win even if they can’t do it anymore, so we can’t take them out of the lineups.
Hope the team proves me wrong, wrong, wrong, but the pieces just doesn’t seem to be there for this year!
grifon,
While I agree with some of what you said- look at how sorry the rest of the west is. I mean ancient SF (actually started a 122 year old OF last once last week) and light hitting SD (except when they play us, of course) are probably the biggest worries, and man…. they have some serious issues. More problems than we have I would argue. Also, I think we also have a couple guys (namely Kemp, Loney and Kuo) who will be value added for the September stretch run, and I don’t know if SD has that coming, Im pretty sure SF doesn’t. Lets get back on track tonight!!!
SD, and SF do seem to have more late inning fight in them though. That bothers me.
drj884 – that’s the main thing worrying me about this team, what you say in your last sentence. The Dodgers doesn’t show much late inning fight, and that means you basically give yourself four or five innings to win the game in, which places you at a disadvantage against teams who have the ability to fight for all nine innings.
We have plenty of good young players stashed at triple-A to help in September, for instance the ones you mentioned. The question though, is: Will Little have the steel to use them, or stick with worn-down and injury-carrying veterans?