Training Day
That’s the movie we’re watching right now on the bus to Ft. Lauderdale after watching Blood Diamond yesterday. Spring Training is a good time for us to catch up on movies that we don’t really have time to see during the season. Scott Akasaki, our manager of team travel, is the one who picks what we’re going to watch and he hears it from people if he doesn’t make the right choice. It’s a part of his job I don’t envy.
It was nice to see yesterday’s game turn out the way it did, with Derek giving up a hit to the first two guys and then nothing else the rest of the way. The bullpen guys were all solid and that’s refreshing, given that the season is just over a week away.
Speaking of Lowe, he made Jon Heyman’s All-Star team of unappreciated baseball people, as did Grady Little. That’s a cool story and it’s nice to see both getting the recognition they deserve.
That’s it for now…looking for more good things out of Randy Wolf today against Baltimore.
Inside the Dodgers 
As we all know I hate the Dodgers.
In case you haven’t figured it out already I’m going to be ******** about Juan Pierre all season. I’ll be ******** about Luis Gonzalez all season too.
God I wish DePo were still GM.
Be sure to check my posts out at Dodgerthoughts.com. That’s Jon “I love Hee Seop” Choi’s site.
Every post I make will be negative. Why you ask. Because I hate the Dodgers for firing Paul DePodesta.
He!! with the Dodgers. Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Juan Pierre.
Yeah man! I’m all with you Steve! I remember how DePodesta got rid of an All-Star catcher, an awesome setup man in Guillermo Mota, got rid of Shawn Green when there was no one to replace him with, and set up his successor to be screwed by giving J.D an opt-out clause even though he was making $11 million annually. Man, you tack the 71-win season that followed on to that and you’re right, and I’m pissed too. I think DePo is technically still on the Dodgers’ payroll…let’s just fire Ned and bring him back on board!
Man that guy knew what he was doing! He had so much baseball experience…wasn’t he a 40-time All-Star himself? He had a lot of experience taking teams to the World Series. A real people-person too…after one conversation with someone, he could tell you anything about a person just by looking them up on his fancy little computer! It was adorable!
The Dodgers are definitely on the wrong track now. They won 71 games in ’05 and 88 games in ’06…at that pace they would win 105 games this year. SCREW THAT! We need to bring back the days when excellence was king and see them win NO MORE than 75-79 games. Anything more than that is totally unacceptable.
Steve, you’re my new best friend. We see eye-to-eye so much maybe we could even be soulmates. Let’s have a little sleepover sometime and you can bring your DePodesta action figure and I can bring my favorite Dodgers action figures. We’ll put the DePo action figure up on a golden pedestal and flush all of my favorite Dodgers figures down the toilet.
and don’t forget, depodesta brought one of the greatest to the team to ever wear the blue, that’s right Milton Bradley, man what a Dodger
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 1: Daniel Cabrera Pitching:
Tony Abreu grounds to third
Juan Pierre singles up the middle, Pierre steals second (his third in three attempts)
Russell Martin reaches on an error by Tejada, Tejada played back on the ball, Pierre got in his head a little bit perhaps and he booted it, Pierre to third…Pierre scores on an error on a pickoff attempt by the catcher to third, Martin to second, 1-0 Dodgers
Olmedo Saenz grounds to second, Martin advances to third
Andre Ethier strikes out swinging
1 Run 1 Hit 2 Errors 1 LOB End of 1/2 inning 1-0 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 1: Randy Wolf Pitching:
Brian Roberts bunts down to Loney, Loney has a little difficulty and commits an error
Freddie Bynum strikes out, Roberts caught stealing
Melvin Mora strikes out
0 Runs 0 Hits 1 Error 0 LOB End of 1 1-0 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 2: Daniel Cabrera Pitching:
Andy LaRoche flies to right
James Loney strikes out swinging
Matt Kemp reaches on another fielding error by Tejada, Kemp steals second and advances to third on a throwing error by the catcher Hernandez (already 4 errors by Tejada and Hernandez)
Wilson Valdez grounds to short
0 Runs 0 Hits 2 Errors 1 LOB End of 1 1/2 1-0 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 2: Randy Wolf Pitching:
Miguel Tejada flies to Ethier in right
Jay Gibbons strikes out swinging
Ramon Hernandez singles to center
Jay Payton singles off of the foot of Wolf (he’s fine)
Kevin Millar flies to Kemp in left
0 Runs 2 Hits 2 LOB End of 2 1-0 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 3: Daniel Cabrera Pitching:
Abreu robbed of a base hit by Millar at first, Abreu hit it hard but Millar snagged it and went to the bag
Pierre grounds to second
Martin reaches on an infield single to the pitcher
Saenz pops to first
0 Runs 1 Hit 1 LOB End of 2 1/2 1-0 Dodgers
(Injury Update: Jason Repko has ligament seperation in his hamstring and is seeking a second opinion, with the thought he may need surgery, so most likely he’s gone for a very large amount of time)
oh my gosh, this kid has the worst luck
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 3: Randy Wolf Pitching:
Corey Patterson singles to right, Patterson is picked off by Wolf, 1-3-4 Wolf-Loney-Valdez
Roberts walks
Bynum strikes out swinging, Roberts steals second and advances to third on a throwing error by Martin
Mora singles under the glove of LaRoche, Roberts scores, 1-1 TIE
Tejada forces Mora
1 Runs 2 Hits 1 Error 1 LOB End of 3 1-1 TIE
thanks for the updates alex
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 4: Daniel Cabrera Pitching:
Ethier flies to left
LaRoche singles to right
Loney lines to left
Kemp singles up the middle, LaRoche to second
Valdez singles to right on a hit and run play, LaRoche scores, Kemp to third, 2-1 Dodgers
Abreu doubles down the left field line, Kemp scores, Valdez to third, 3-1 Dodgers
Pierre grounds to short
2 Runs 4 Hits 2 LOB End of 3 1/2 3-1 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 4: Randy Wolf Pitching:
Gibbons strikes out swinging
Hernandez grounds to LaRoche
Payton flies to Ethier in right
0 Runs 0 Hits 0 LOB End of 4 3-1 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 5: Daniel Cabrera Pitching:
Martin singles to right
Saenz singles to left, Martin to second
Ethier (who quietly has gone hitless in his last 20 at bats) strikes out looking
LaRoche strikes out swinging
Loney robbed off a base hit by Bynum in left
0 Runs 2 Hits 2 LOB End of 4 1/2 3-1 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 5: Randy Wolf Pitching: (Rain is in the area)
Millar walks
Patterson flies to Kemp in left
Roberts flies to Kemp
Bynum strikes out looking with a nasty curveball by Wolf
0 Runs 0 Hits 1 LOB End of 5 3-1 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 6: Daniel Cabrera Pitching:
Kemp grounds to short
Valdez grounds to short
Abreu grounds to second
0 Runs 0 Hits 0 LOB End of 5 1/2 3-1 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 6: Randy Wolf Pitching:
Mora pops out foul
Tejada strikes out swinging
Gibbons singles up the middle
{Chin-hui Tsao relieves Wolf (who was very impressive today)
Hernandez singles up the middle, Gibbons to second
Payton bloops a double down the right field line, Gibbons scores, Hernandez to third, 3-2 Dodgers
Millar flies to Kemp in left
1 Run 3 Hits 2 LOB End of 6 3-2 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 7: Scott Williamson Pitching:
Pierre grounds to first on a nice backhanded snag by Millar
Martin pops out
Saenz strikes out swinging
0 Runs 0 Hits 0 LOB End of 6 1/2 3-2 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 7: Chin-hui Tsao Pitching:
Patterson pops a bunt foul to Martin
Roberts grounds to Loney at first
Bynum grounds to Maza at second
0 Runs 0 Hits 0 LOB End of 7 3-2 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 8: Brian Burres Pitching:
Ethier walks
LaRoche grounds to third, Ethier to second
Loney doubles to the gap in right center, Ethier scores, 4-2 Dodgers
Kemp strikes out looking
Valdez strikes out swinging
1 Run 1 Hit 1 LOB End of 7 1/2 4-2 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 8: Rudy Seanez Pitching:
J.R House pops out to Maza at second
Cesar Crespo strikes out swinging
Gibbons grounds to Loney at first
0 Runs 0 Hits 0 LOB End of 8 4-2 Dodgers
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Top 9: Danys Baez Pitching:
Luis Maza singles
Adam Godwin lines into a double play at first
Kelly Stinnett grounds to third
0 Runs 1 Hit 0 LOB End of 8 1/2 4-2 Dodgers
man i feel for repko. thats why ned signed JP i guess. when you look at the guys injuries over the course of his career its amazing. hes almost eric gagne playing center. best wishes to repko, and hope we get him back for the playoffs.
Dodgers at Orioles: Spring Training Update: Bottom 9: Tim Hamulack Pitching:
Adam Donachie grounds to Maza at second
Nolan Reimold strikes out swinging
J.R House (change J.R House in bottom 8 to unknown) lines to LaRoche
0 Runs 0 Hits 0 LOB
R H E
Dodgers
4 10 2
Orioles
2 7 4
WP: Randy Wolf
LP: Daniel Cabrera
SV: Tim Hamulack
Time of Game: 2:22
Wolf looked great today! Looks like everything is coming together at the right time for the start of the season.
except the fifth starter competition.
Hey Steve, I’m not a big Juan Pierre or Gonzo fan, but I’d rather have either of them then Choi! At least they’re legitimate big league ball players.
Give Russ Langer the job and dump Steiner….
Since Tomko appears to be imploding this late in spring i bet if Hendrickson has another solid outing he will be the 5th starter and if he has a solid April he will be traded and Billingsley will take over the starters job. Tomko will either be in the bullpen or traded.
So who’s going to take Repko’s spot? Loney, Valdez, or Bigbie? What do you people think? Who deserves it more? They’re all hitting it well. But Bigbie plays outfield better than Loney. Valdez plays both infield and outfield. But we all feel Loney has proven himself in the bigs and deserves the chance. So who gets the call?
I say Loney.
Loney will probably be on the club anyways. I bet Abreu and Valdez get the spots. Bigbie could be traded along with hendrickson or tomko for a right handed outfield bat to cover for Repko
Please Read:
********************
Over the past year or so, anyone here that comes into this forum touting “Hee Sop Choi”, “Paul De Podesta” or “Paul LoDuca” posts is most likely the same person as always who posts this ****. It most always is “JoeyP” or whomever he chooses this month. Usually it also references “DodgerThoughts” in the email address or even in his posts. He has an affinity for Jon Weisman. This guy is a troll. Please do not egg him on by responding to his ludicrous posts… just ignore him and he will go away.
Good point sparkuhl. But…I was really pleased with my quote from my earlier post, “We’ll put the DePo action figure up on a golden pedestal and flush all of my favorite Dodgers figures down the toilet.” But I won’t egg him on any more. Unless I have a real zinger to end my post with.
that was great that guy is a complete *****. i cant find a way to make an argument that depo did a good job, thats hard to do. he found some hidden gems that produced for us, most notably the jason’s ( repko, werth, grabowski…remember him ) other than that im with jim tracy.
I just read that Furcal will most likely be out for the start of the season, I say give the Kid Etanislao Abreu a chance no?? atleast get his feet wet.
Abreau, yes…
In any other case yes, but its got to be Valdez… we all know that.. It should be to, there is no need to rush Raffy. Valdez is out of options and can only increase his value…
I agree ewk216
Both Players have smoking Hot bats right now and if we don’t play Valdez we could lose him.Abreau has options and is only 300 miles away if anything doesn’t work out or a trade happens.I like what i see in Abreau,Loney,LaRoche,and Kemp is even starting to look a little better but Loney is the only ‘rookie’ who should start the season barring any other misfortune.Love Repkos Hustle and his ability but this is beginning to be a habit for him and one player that we just can’t bank on anymore….I’ll concede that his roster spot can’t be held for him after he returns at this point.
I Hope Ned keeps all the Hot Bullpen arms we have now and moves Bills up to the 4th spot because penny is the 5th starter at this point 4th spot needs to be filled and Hendrickson looks better then Penny for the 5th spot.Even with 15 ST wins This team is looking weak with the Signed 25 man roster it will definately take a 40 man roster to get us to the trade deadline in a winning fashion.
I’m pretty pumped that today’s game is on t.v.
I just checked & it’s Schmidt on the mound today. WOO!
Me and the other Dodger bashers at Dodgerthoughts like to refer to Luis Gonzalez as LuGo. Get it. Pretty funny, eh. We’re some witty guys over at Dodgerthoughts.
Joe Mays. LOL…
God I miss Depo.
Wilson Valdez!?
Who’s old enough to remember Mike Ramsey (the CF, not the 2B)? He had the hot ST in 1987 (at age 26 3/4), made his major-league debut in CF on Opening Day, was hot out of the gate, but after game 9 or 10, STUNK until mid-May, when he was benched for good and the Dodgers traded for John Shelby* a few days later.
Valdez is nearly 29 (in May) and has 194 MLB PAs with these results:
.209 .250 .280
Don’t expect much from this guy. And again, while someone in this thread claims Valdez play the OF (and he may a few ST innings out there) he has ZERO, repeat ZERO, experience, minors or majors, except at 2B and SS.
*Shelby wasn’t very good, but at least he had his career years in LA, was an important part of the ’88 team, and was a competent CF. Shelby’s numbers:
1987 w/ LA .277 .317 .464
1988 .263 .320 .395
Career .239 .281 .364
whats up with schmidt?
Schmidt’s Mechanics are off. his arm is ahead of his body, he’s falling off to the side. He needs to slow down. I bet he’s eager to prove all those shoulder people wrong.
At this stage I would let Martinez, Anderson and Dessens go and would keep Valdez, Biegbie and most of all Loney – probably also Seanez and Abreu; Abreu if Raffy starts the season on the DL. Bills could do the long relief role, but only for the first couple of weeks until we need the fifth starter on a regular basis – then he needs to be the starter with either Tomko, Hendrickson or both traded for some prospects. I am not looking for anything very good out of Nomar, Kent or Gonzo – I believe they’re all over the hill now and will not produce what they did even last season. I could see them all replaced as regulars before the season is over, if not through inefficiency then through being disabled. I think we have put too much at stake with three positions tied up with people who are well past their prime. Loney should definitely get his chance now, with Abreu probably coming up later in the season.
looks like he settled down a bit, but still 3 walks. the 5 strikeouts are nice though.
Dodgers baseball for me………………..meh
Why does Rick Monday keep calling Andy LaRoche “Adam”? I can understand mixing up their names a few times, but COME ON.