Back in the saddle
I hope that everyone had a great holiday season and New Year’s Eve. Thank you all for your ideas to improve the blog, as we’ll certainly take them all into consideration and hopefully incorporate most of them into the mix this season. Some of them require some looking into with MLBAM out of New York (the technical stuff), but a lot can get done on this end, so we’ll work to accomplish them.
Having just returned to town yesterday, I don’t know the answers to some of your other questions, but I will also work to get them answered in the next week or so.
Our annual caravan will take place in the first week of February and though it hasn’t been announced publicly until now, it will likely be Feb. 6-7. Once we have details of where it’s going and who will be there, we’ll post them here.
And finally, to the person who requested more "inside info" from the clubhouse: This is one area that I’ve struggled with since the blog started last season. I really think it would be a huge benefit to the readers and I will do my best to try and incorporate some things, but I really have to keep in mind the fact that when I’m around the players they do not consider what they are doing or saying as "public." The reality is, every one of us would act a little differently if we knew that what we’re doing could be broadcast to the world and I do have to respect that fact. If players begin to view me as a "reporter," it would significantly damage the working relationship we’ve established. But I’ll certainly take the suggestion to heart.
Is anyone else shocked that we’ve only got 40 days until pitchers and catchers report?
Inside the Dodgers 
40 Days. Nice. I’m looking forward to the photo galleries on Dodgers.com.
I can’t wait for Kemp, Laroche, and Elbert to be ready. The future is bright; for the Dodgers there will be no fools gold out of their mines.
Welcome back, Josh, hope ou had a great vacation. As far as becoming a “reporter” is concerned, DON’T DO IT!!! If you hear something that you think we’d like to hear, ask the person who said it if you can put it on the blog, and if you can give them credit for saying it. That should retain your status, and still give us a chance at some good info.
I’m really excited about the upcoming season and still hope we can add some power without sacrificing the future, but prefer to think we can compete very well as is given the natural maturation of Martin, Ethier, and Kemp. I also believe that Liberthal for Hall is a huge improvement.
Welcome back Josh, Not only am I shocked we only have 40 days to spring training , and counting the days, but I’m shocked to see that the Dodgers plan to bat Furcal third. He’s a great lead-off hitter that’s what he was signed for. To bat him third is not taking advantage of his true abilities. A third place hitter as we all know is supposed to be the teams best hitter, not a lead-off guy.
Were getting close. I agree with your point fleigel. We signed him to be our leadoff hitter, thats what he is. Scott Elbert is a beast. He should have a nice career. I havent been this excited about a Dodger pitching prospect since Eric Gagne. Here’s to Scott Elbert winning 300 times more games than Luke Prokopec.
I also think Furcal should not bat 3rd. To my way of thinking, he should bat 1st or 2nd. If he bunts better than Pierre, I’d have him bat 2nd, if not, 1st.
Nomar is better suited to bat 3rd, but I still don’t think Ned is done yet.
I would like to see more of an emphasis on this site made on the farm. Maybe a small section on where the famr teams stand, who is making noise. I feel sometimes that all we see are their stats but know very little of who they are and how they have achieved what they have.
I think last year there was an effort made on how Russ Martin made it to the bigs and they type of payer he is, but what about Loney, Billingsley, Ethier etc.?
“The reality is, every one of us would act a little differently if we knew that what we’re doing could be broadcast to the world and I do have to respect that fact.”
Totally agree with that fact
Welcome Back Josh – I think we all agree that we wouldn’t want to invade the players, privacy !! and I can see the concern of it all. It would be nice though if from time to time a player, coach or front office could check in once in a while. The Lowe blog during the playoffs was great !!!
Go Ned !!
Go Dodgers !!
Welcome back Josh! Thanks for your candor in explaining your relationship to the players… keep it sacred I say!! We will know what we NEED to know when we need to know it… right? :o)
Oh… and Josh… there was one question a reader left that I thought was interesting:
“Hey Josh, I was at the stadium about a week ago and i noticed the pavilions and outfield wall torn down and some rows in the reserve section were missing seats as well. Is there any way you can fill us in on whats going on out there? Thanks!”
Perhaps you could answer this one? Thanks!
Hey Josh, I hope you had a good vacation and its glad to have you back. I do agree with your explanation to the privacy issue and wouldnt expect for you to put your self in a situatuion where the players didnt want you around them thinking you are writing everything down. It would be nice to hear more about the players off the field but not to the degree to where any private issues are breached.
Hi Josh, hope you had a great vacation and welcome back. You gave a great explanation of your relationship with the players.
In reading the above comments, it sounds like everyone is very agreeable with you and your feelings. I would not put anything on the blogs without letting the other person right up front know what you are doing.
If you are honest with the interviewee I would doubt anyone would object to your asking of questions and giving the answers here. If they object to anything you just have to avoid posting their comments.
What I would like to read is blurbs on players (especially younger players) giving information (other than statistics) about how they arrived at this point in their career; who helped them most in their advancement and maybe family status (things you very seldom read in the papers).
Your current career depends on honesty and integrity and you sound like you have this under control.
Best wishes on the new year and hope everything this season is on a positive note.
With 26 players on the 40 man roster who should make the 25 man roster, who would you guys think gets left off assuming no further trades? I would hate it to be loney.
Here’s the list of the most likely players to make the 25 man roster:
Pitchers: (13)
Beimel
Billingsley
Brazoban
Broxton
Dessens
Hendrickson
Kuo
Lowe
Penny
Saito
Schmidt
Tomko
Wolf
Catchers: (2)
Lieberthal
Martin
Infielders: (7)
Betemit
Furcal
Nomar
Kent
Loney
Martinez
Saenz
Outfielders: (5)
Anderson
Ethier
Gonzo
Pierre
Repko or Kemp
2 players from these 27 Dodgers cannot make the team, who goes in all of your opinions? I would try to trade Hendrickson and Tomko for young talent in my opinion to get it down to 25. If you were the GM based off the talent we have who do you go with right now as our 25 man opening day roster?
Brazoban should go to AAA and Loney should too. I know, he’s Major-League ready, but if he doesn’t get consistent AB’s, then he’s bound to lose something off his swing. I think he should go and wait for injury to Nomar, Kent, or Gonzo. If Jeff gets hurt, Nomar moves to 2nd and Loney comes up to play 1st, if Gonzo gets hurt, he goes in LF. Kemp stays at AAA – he needs another year of conditioning before he’s really ready. If Loney stays up and we don’t trade Tomko or Hendrickson, Dessens gets released. I know, someone’s gonna scream about my thoughts. This is what I think is best financially and for stability. Brazoban needs to go to AAA just to get used to pitching again. Didn’t he have TJ surgery? Most pitchers don’t do well their first year after the surgery. This is especially true for starters, but stands for relievers also. They have to get their mechanics back. That’s my thoughts.
On another note: Did you guys see that Orel didn’t even get enough HOF votes to stay on the ballot for next year??!?!?!?! 4.4% – 5 is required to stay on the ballot.
I think they should leave off Juan Pierre and Gonzo. 🙂
hahahah wouldnt that be great fleigel. hopefully dessens gets released, i dont want that guy pitching when it counts. tomko couldnt get anybody out coming out of the bullpen, and mark hendrickson would be an ok option for long relief. i think it would be a mistake to put loney back in vegas for another season, he doesnt need to work on power or anything else one might say he’s ready to be an everyday player. i wish we treated loney like the braves treated francouer. just let him go out there and play. i dont think brazoban will be starting the season in LA though, he needs to refine his stuff. anyone going to any spring training games??
graffiti, you’re right on the money man. I agree with you on everything you’ve said. Since we don’t have any good power hitter and Ned has decided to keep the kids, let them play and get rid of some of the dead (Tomko) wood.
I would not trade any starting pitching for another bat right now.Let’s see how things shape up in spring training first. Front line pitchers can go down with injuries at the drop of a hat.