Great American Ball Park

Sitting in the dugout here at Great American Ball Park and expecting it to get even hotter tonight and tomorrow (and throughout the weekend). As we watch the Reds take their team photo out on the field, Matt Kemp, Juan Pierre and I are laughing about Ken Griffey Jr.’s walk-up music. It’s "Soul Glow," from the movie Coming to America. I couldn’t believe it when I heard it last night and I’d bet a huge part of the crowd has no clue what it’s from.

Anyway, the Reds did a really nice job on this ballpark when they built it. Somehow, I had never been here before this trip, so I’m fortunate enough to chalk up another stadium to the list. I think I’m somewhere around 25 now, including all the NL parks (and some defunct ones). I’m sure a bunch of you have done baseball trips. How many have you been to and what’s your favorite?

The team is still trying to snap out of the funk it’s in and obviously, it has to happen soon. No one here is too down on themselves, but everyone realizes what’s at stake. I don’t think we have to win 18 of 19 again, but a nice five- or six-game winning streak would help get us right back in the thick of things.

Here’s the lineup, with a little change:

Pierre, CF

Furcal, SS

Martin, C

Kent, 2B

Ethier, LF

Nomar, 3B

Loney, 1B

Kemp, RF

Billingsley, P

218 comments

  1. eheuerman@sbcglobal.net

    I like the line up tonight. Let see how Andre does in the 5 hole. Let’s get back on track tonight!!

  2. diehardblu@yahoo.com

    Has Little been reading my post. This is by far our best Line up!!!!!
    Go Dodgers!!!

    I’m excited again can’t wait to watch the game.

  3. alex41592@aol.com

    All right, we got some changes, still got to get the hits. Pierre finally leading off, I really like Ethier in the five hole, but it’s only for one game because Gonzo has the game off. It’s a start, but we still gotta get the job done!

    GO DODGERS!

  4. van_19_cute@yahoo.com

    w0w…
    the lineup look so good..

    but again… i hope furcal doesn’t hit with alot of double plays…

    i hope JP gets to leadoff every game…

    i don’t want him and furcal changing place anymore…

    i don’t care if it is a left handed or a right handed pithcer all i know is JP can hit leadoff…

  5. momoracci@yahoo.com

    Gonzo should just sit out the rest of the year. He’s been incredibly awful since the beginning of July.

  6. xoxrussell@gmail.com

    Great lineup!!! Today is the day to win. I haven’t been to very many ball parks, maybe 4 altogether. Dodger Stadium is the best. No one can beat a Dodger dog!!!

  7. Roberto

    Hey Josh, to answer your question about stadiums, well I have gone to Dodger Stadium, San Diego (the old one and new one) San Francisco (At&t Park) Arizona (chase field) Florida (Marlins Stadium) and Anaheim (Angels Stadium) I have gone to 1 minor league stadium (Cashman Field, Las Vegas)

    I do plan in visiting all the MLB Stadiums. That’s my goal. Have fun Josh.

  8. van_19_cute@yahoo.com

    hey…
    speaking of ball parks..

    since i have only been here in L.A for 2 years coz im originally from the philippines, i never been to any, even dodger stadium… =(

    im planning to go this year though…

  9. griffon64@webmail.co.za

    Good to see Ethier move up a little in the lineup.

    Just to say, it seems like the rest of especially the NL West have kicked themselves into a high gear and they’re pulling away. It really is time for the guys to step up right now, or this year will be an also-ran season. I’m listening to the Rockies destroying the Brewers right now.

  10. xoxrussell@gmail.com

    Griffon
    Did you hear that one of the Rockies pitchers broke his leg with a line drive last night? Hirsch.

  11. kiper04@yahoo.com

    Hey, that’s the exact line up that i proposed this A.M. our fortunes are about to change. GO DODGERS!!

  12. manny3vee@yahoo.com

    Pads just DFA’d David Wells…

    I think he’d be a patented Colletti pick-up.

    Not sure if he could help us much though.

  13. graffitigenius@hotmail.com

    manny3vee,

    im not sure he is better than hendrickson. and there is no way he is taking tomko’s spot.

  14. leekfink@yahoo.com

    Interesting–I did not even realize that Pierre was leading off until alex pointed it out. However you line them up, Pierre and Furcal still need to get on. This probably is better–if Pierre gets on, he steals, and a basehit from Furcal scores him. Furcal has not been running nearly as much, so if he gets on, you risk a DP (even with Pierre’s speed), and a basehit still only gets him to third.

    Big night for Billingsley. In his on-again-off-again relationship with himself, this is the night that we are supposed to see Bad Chad. Hopefully, Good Chad (or, max is right, Ace Chad) comes out for a second-straight start. That would be huge.

    I’ve been to 15 major league parks, including 4 defunct parks, and the best one–undoubtedly, Dodger Stadium. A summer evening at Chavez Ravine is where God intended for Baseball to be played. It’s like Tiger at a major–everyone else is just trying to be in second.

  15. californiaautorebuilder@hotmail.com

    I have a good feeling about Chad tonight, he is pitching at home, remember guys he is from Ohio, so he should be use to this weahter, and probably have a bunch of friends there also. Let’s only hope Ace Chad shows up tonight.

  16. bigpapaduck@hotmail.com

    Josh – I’ve been to Dodger Stadium countless times, Petco Park, Anaheim, and Seattle Safeco (or whatever its called now) besides Doger Stadium Seattle is my fav… for one simple reason. The ushers won’t let you go down the aisle and block it during an at bat… What an idea… I hate having to constantly bob around fans moving in the aisles during an at bat! BTW… Dodger Stadium was much better when the only advertisement was for 76 at the top of the scoreboard. Now theres more ads than space and it looks like a minor league field.

  17. jspelk2@uic.edu

    Im always nervous playing in that joke of ball park and Bills is HR prone but tonight hopefully he breaks the Jekyll and Hyde thing. Oh jeez please don’t up Wells. I can’t believe we were almost going to trade for him last year…ugh.

  18. mpdclarke@yahoo.com

    With Tomko pitching tomorrow in a hot day game the balls will be flying out of the ballpark…

    Either C-Bills steps up or the Reds will take the broom to us…

  19. xoxrussell@gmail.com

    Dodger stadium is the best. No one can beat the weather. I have been to Candlestick Park in San Francisco. You could get blown away during a game. I doubt that A T and T is any better. San Francisco is just cold. Petco is gorgeous but a little cold because it’s close to the Pacific Ocean. Ameritex Stadium in Arlington Texas is okay. Camden Yards in Baltimore is beautiful. But Dodger Stadium is Dodger Stadium. #1. Go Dodgers.

  20. simbajazz@prodigy.net

    I was kinda hoping Russell would be moved, I’ve gotten sick the last few games seeig him up with runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs or one out and him hitting into a DP. Not trying to be nitpicky because everyone is struggling right now.

  21. eheuerman@sbcglobal.net

    I would also have to agree Dodger Stadium is the best. I live in the Bay Area but do make it down 3 to 4 times a year. I have also been to Oak Coliseum, At&t Park, Metrodome, Shea Stadium, Wrigley and old parks Comisky, Candlestick and Qualcomm.

  22. fezzik031@yahoo.com

    kinda ***** that im at work, I enjoy wearing my Bills jersey when he pitches, not appropriate attire in a “professional” atmosphere im afraid. Nice to see all the kids in the line up tonight. I hope I can get tonight’s game on mlb.tv.

    Not to complain too much, my brother is a huge Angels fan and I was catching the last couple of innings of the game last night, I hope the Dodgers were too. The team knows how to play small ball and how to win doing. They are a team who is very capable of moving players along and players who can run… almost all of them are agressive.

  23. kiper04@yahoo.com

    simbajazz, how can you doubt Russell Martin? The guy is a stud and he has been in a drought, who isn’t, but he will deliver. Hang in there, let’s not abandon ship just quite yet. Remember, we’re chasing the DBacks not the RedSox.

  24. xoxrussell@gmail.com

    I think that finger pointing is useless at this point. Everyone is struggling. As soon as the team gets it together, they will triumph. I still remember those 6 runs in the last couple of innings and that was just a week ago. The team had just been losing by one point!! Go Dodgers.

  25. kiper04@yahoo.com

    David Wells has been given the option of retiring by the Pads. Let’s hope that for our sake, Dodgers, he does so that Ned doesn’t consider him a viable option.

  26. puppyhead01@hotmail.com

    I really like the way this lineup looks. And xoxrussell, I agree. Blame has been heaped on just about every player, the manager, GM, etc., but the bottom line is that the players the Ds counted on for offense around the All-Star break have been pretty much silent for the last week. Hopefully this shuffle can shake some life into them all.

  27. kiper04@yahoo.com

    Well, let’s see their last start , I don’t have Tomko’s #’s but i know Wells gave up 7 or 8 straight hits in a 10 run 5th.

  28. simbajazz@prodigy.net

    I’m not doubting Russell I did say at the end that everyone is struggling, I think there must be something magical about that 6th spot this year and something about that 3 spot, Nomar was moved down and he’s thrived the last month or so, maybe Russell just needs that extra boost to get his confidence going again. That’s all nothing against the guy at all.

  29. max_power_05@yahoo.com

    Ethier move up in the lineup is LONG LONG overdue.

    Atleast this gets Pierre out of everyones way for one inning.

  30. max_power_05@yahoo.com

    “Wells would be better then Tomko as the 5th starter.”

    nope. BK Kim would be, joe Kennedy would have been but the D’Backs picked them up. DAvid Wells needs to retire and worry about getting healthier so he doesn’t die in 5 years.

  31. kiper04@yahoo.com

    Hey max, i want him to retire, not die!!! Wow. Let’s hope he retires, or at least doesn’t become a Dodger, and lives for many more years. Yeah?

  32. mpdclarke@yahoo.com

    After the July 31 deadline, Ned Colletti went on vacation, while the D-Backs grabbed anyone and everyone that possibly could help them.

    The D-Backs organization and players are on top of their game, only Ned Colletti is to blame!

  33. eheuerman@sbcglobal.net

    Do you honestly think BK Kim or Joe Kennedy would make our team much better? Our problem over the last week has been scoring runs, not so much the pitching.

  34. max_power_05@yahoo.com

    I never said i wanted him to die. I want him to retire and get his life together. Please God NED DON’T SIGN BOOMER! Maybe 10 years ago!

    Thats whats wrong with Ned. All of his signings this offseason would have been brillant 5 or 6 years ago.

  35. max_power_05@yahoo.com

    “Wells is owed just slightly under $1 million for the rest of the season and is earning approximately $170,000 per start in incentive bonuses. He could appeal to another contender in need of starting pitching, including possibly the Padres’ NL West rivals, the Dodgers.”

    Fox Sports

  36. eheuerman@sbcglobal.net

    Max he did learn his trade under Sabean, just look at all the has beens they have signed over the years.

  37. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    Ok we can keep Lurch and Tomko as the 4th and 5th and pray to god we win every Penny, Lowe and Bills start from here on out.

  38. jspelk2@uic.edu

    As much as it pains me to say this, Tomko is better than Wells. Wells, for all intensive purposes, is done. He’d have been cut sooner if he didn’t get to pitch in a cavern.

  39. max_power_05@yahoo.com

    why scrutis? thats just saying “eh who cares if we really don’t have a chance 2 out of 5 games”

    Especially with this offense. We can’t have a pitcher go out there who is going to give up 4 or 5 runs all the time. It’s just not possible. We got down 4-0 last night and we all knew the game was over.

  40. fezzik031@yahoo.com

    I dont know whats a bigger problem, the fact that we knew the game was over or that the team knew.

  41. jspelk2@uic.edu

    its not like they didn’t have a *chance* to score yesterday. they ran themselves out of every opportunity they had. somebody needs to clutch up, or something like that.

  42. eheuerman@sbcglobal.net

    We need to score first tonight, if we give up some early runs we are looking at the same problem as last night. The way the team looks to be pressing an early lead would be nice. Try a little small ball Grady!

  43. kiper04@yahoo.com

    The line up today is a good start, things are being shaken up. Bills has been pitching well. If we can get everything to click for ONE game maybe it opens the flood gates..We’re not done yet.

  44. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    That’s because Lurch and Bomko are killing us. Even though Lurch pitched well after the 1st last night, but we need real pitchers for the pennant chase.

  45. eheuerman@sbcglobal.net

    At this point in the year there isn’t much out there to upgrade one, let alone two starters. Our only chances are Wolf making a surprise return or someone down on the farm.

  46. lath19@gmail.com

    Pierre is moving the wrong way in the lineup. He needs to be down in the 8 spot not up in the 1. At least Andre got moved up. Good to see Kemp and Ethier both starting as well.

  47. mpdclarke@yahoo.com

    We gone through two seasons of running out Bomko and Hendrickson…

    By bringing in fresh blood, even if the players are just marginally better, it can shake things up and show the players that management is not content to just sit back and lose!

    Kim is better than Tomko

    Kennedy is similar but no worse than Hendrickson.

    As for Sanez and Hernandez, it surprising they are still in the Major Leagues, no less on would be contender?

  48. charris1010321@yahoo.com

    scurtis, I haven’t seen a single rotation in our division that doesn’t have serious rotation issues right now, the Pads have suspect starters, as well as the D-Backs and Rockies so really we just need to get our offense going.

  49. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    I’ve been to Ebbets Field, Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium,Connie Mack Stadium,Shea Stadium, Veterans Stadium,Wrigley Field, Fenway Park & Citzen Bank Park. I only was in one dugout. The Yankee dugout on a tour of the stadium. I hope to someday go to Dodger Stadium.____ Yes the got to get out of this slump and they will____LET’S HOPE FOR A REPEAT OF LAST YEAR’S RUSH.

  50. kiper04@yahoo.com

    The team that gets hottest with the BATS in this division will win it. Pitching amongst the DBacks, Pads and Dodgers is to close to decide the division.

  51. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    true the division rotations are stuggling. Pads do get Young back don’t they next start?

  52. drpdedblnd@aol.com

    Rockies win today over Brewers 19-4..We are now in 4th place..unless we win tonight and then we are tied.
    I have been saying these for the last few weeks..Sorry to say, Rockies have a better team and I expect them to be ahead of us in the standings..Very difficult to say that, but our line up is far inferior to theirs, and they now have pretty good pitching…Let’s hope Ned makes better decisions next year..Hopefully it doesn’t get worse..but we have Pierre for another 4 years..

    Don’t count out the Rockies…that would be shortsighted of Dodger fans…I like the Dbacks and Pads have pretty good pitching, but I think the Dbacks and Rockies have the best lineups…..Will Bills pull out the win tonight?..or if they score a run, do we lose?????

  53. charris1010321@yahoo.com

    Yes Young will come back for his next but he has been a historically bad second half pitcher, Germano and Wells replacement will be shaky at best and Maddux is a coin flip this year. But for some reason I’m still more worried about the Pads than I am the D-Backs.

  54. charris1010321@yahoo.com

    The Rockies also just lost Hirsch to a fractured leg so they will start to see some issues with their pitching depth as well.

  55. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    Pierre is solid at 2. Im more worried about Martin at 3. Hopefully he can get some hits with RISP tonight and get off to a quick start.

    Set the tone Furc!

  56. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    Pierre is not solid at #2. He’s an out producing machine. If he needs to be in the lineup it needs to be in the 8 hole.

  57. charris1010321@yahoo.com

    and if my aunt had bawls she’d be my uncle…can we please stop beating this dead-horse with Pierre.

  58. messagebear@yahoo.com

    I have a lot of respect for the Rockies. They’ve developed a heck of a young team. Their only veteran Helton they would like to get rid off, but there’s been nobody wanting to take on his contract. Actually Helton has performed better than any of our veterans. If we don’t win the division, I would even root for the Rockies to do it. That would be a real underdog move up. If you could put their lineup together with our three front line pitchers, you would have a team that would run away from the division.

  59. drinkinmercury79@aol.com

    This slump has been a downer, especially hearing all the Giants fans acting like they beat the Yankees in October last night. But I’m betting the Dodgers aren’t going out like this. There’s too much talent on this team to just fade away like the Angels teams of the mid-90’s.

    As for baseball trips, the only one that I can say was a multi-park baseball trip was when I still lived in SoCal, and went to visit family up in San Jose. The Dodgers and A’s were starting the first series of interleague that weekend, so we caught the second game. Not knowing what we all know now, it was great to see the Bash Bros., McGwire and Canseco, for my first time and their last (probably apocryphal) season together. It was also the big league debut of Karim Garcia, which many Dodger fans held in high esteem as a prospect. We won that one, and I actually had to dodge an angry old lady on the way out threating to take any Dodgers fans on the way out.

    Then, on the way back to SoCal a few days later, my dad figures, what the heck, let’s stop by The Stadium for the Dodgers Angels series (the first time it meant something). When I was growing up, the Angels were like my second favorite team, and their only matchups with the Blue consisted of exhibition games where the infielders would draw and write in the clay in between batters. That night, all bets were off in the right field pavillion. Angels fans who stood and cheered their team were met with full cups of soda and nacho remnants, while random fans chastised those poor O.C.’ers with lines like “GO BACK TO DISNEYLAND YOU STUPID F—S!!” Shigetori Hasegawa came in for Anaheim (or was it California) in relief, and the whole stadium started chanting “NOMO! NOMO!” Then, as we were up in the top of the 9th with two outs, the whole stadium greeted Anaheim’s last hope with the arm-flapping salute from Disney’s “Angels in the Outfield” remake. Good times.

    (Other parks I’ve been to: Jack Murphy, the Big A, and the outside of SF’s Phone Booth twice)

  60. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    People have the right to discuss the problems the Dodgers have. Pierre is one of the major problems. As long as Colletti is saying things like, “Our expectations were for him to be on base over 200 times and steal 50-plus bases” then it’s not a dead horse.

  61. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    Yeah im happy for the rockies. Ill root for them if we fall out of contention but I don’t believe we will.

    Nice 1-2-3

    NO JP at 8. Kemp belongs there right now.

    Go get em CBILL

  62. drpdedblnd@aol.com

    How’s that for a start?
    Pierre bunts to pitcher

    Furcal strikes out

    Martin ground out to shortstop.

    Now we’re facing the Reds best pitcher and we couldn’t hit their worst..Who likes our chances??

  63. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    Wow…what out of the box thinking by the Reds! A guy with a good OBP leading off! What a novel concept!

  64. messagebear@yahoo.com

    Quick work in the first inning once again. While we’re berating Pierre, how about that overpaid impostor named Furcal. He should have been on DL two months ago, and he could have been back healed and performing at something closer to 100%. I hope that Hu can take his job next year, so maybe we can deal Furcal to somebody for a decent bat.

  65. charris1010321@yahoo.com

    sanga, You’re definitely entitled to talk about whatever you want but if you had spend any of the past 6 months at this blog, you’d know that most of us aren’t happy with the Pierre signing and that a number of us have expressed that time and time and time and time again. So really nothing new or insightful is being brought to the table with the negative Pierre commentary. We’re stuck with him, so we all need to just deal with it.

  66. drpdedblnd@aol.com

    Well, we got out of the first inning without them scoring.
    Doesn’t everything look like a struggle for the Dodgers?

    I’m praying someone in this lineup can break out tonight, but I’m not sure we have the best chance with their ace..

    HOPE I”M WRONG.

  67. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    One good inning and a lead will get things back on track hopefully!

    Heck a nice long HR might do the trick!

  68. griffon64@webmail.co.za

    The game will probably only be worth following until the Reds score, though. Bills using plenty of pitches, as is usual on his Bad Days, and the Dodgers not seeing a whole lot of pitches at the plate as is usual on their … well, most days!

    GO, Dodgers! How about a win!

  69. charris1010321@yahoo.com

    sanga, I didn’t mean to harp on you as most of us feel your pain there but any discussion at all of the guy and 2 or 3 people will turn this thread into As the JP Turns episode.

  70. drpdedblnd@aol.com

    nice inning…2 strike outs and one groundout to shortstop.

    not looking good guys..this is their ACE…and with the way the Dodgers are not hitting, they don’t even have to face an ace to look bad.

    Depressing.

  71. fezzik031@yahoo.com

    my friend just asked me what happened to the Dodgers, my response, “they broke their wee-wees”

  72. alex41592@aol.com

    I would love to blame our offense, because it’s an easy target. But, Harang looks pretty good out there. At least when Arroyo was out there, I could at least tell it was on us with some of the pitches we missed. But, Harang looks sharp and he’s got some filthy stuff.

  73. alex41592@aol.com

    They’re an easy target right now, you don’t look cool by attacking what everybody already knows. It’s stating the obvious. They’re either going to get it together or they won’t. All we can do is sit back and hope.

  74. messagebear@yahoo.com

    At least I’m liking the fact that both Ethier and Kemp are playing. Ethier deserves it because he’s got one of the best averages, and Kemp needs to be in there to make his adjustments and become productive. Gonzo is not going to bring anything to the party, so he needs to sit back the rest of the season.

  75. messagebear@yahoo.com

    At least I think that Kemp had a decent AB, particularly since he got screwed on the first two called strikes.

  76. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    I’m sitting back relax watching and I can’t believe my eyes. It’s like watcing a 30 inning shitout.

  77. griffon64@webmail.co.za

    Indeed, there’s the death knell for today.

    At least Kemp did have a good at bad. That is heartening. He still has work to do before he’ll be a consistent producer, but he has ability.

  78. leekfink@yahoo.com

    Bad Chad. Too many pitches, leadoff double, and now a run. Hopefully he will settle in, and eventually we’re going to see Ace Chad show up every (or nearly every) time. But we need runs no matter what.

    Funny that pierreseastmeetswest’s typo was not caught. But I kind of agree with the unedited version.

  79. messagebear@yahoo.com

    I’m getting quietly smashed on gin and tonics tonight (actually early evening), so much that I say from now on may not make much sense. But before I fade out, I just want everybody to know what a terrible job Colletti has done this season.
    LOGAN WHITE IN 2008!!!

  80. leekfink@yahoo.com

    Unrelated to the game–Josh, Jon on Dodger Thoughts mentioned that a reader would send him tapes of Vin Scully’s call of ballgames throughout the years. Do the Dodgers have a collection of all the games archived somewhere? This would be a huge treasure, and I am probably not the only one who would happily pay for recording of old games. Put them on iTunes, and you could download some of the great games (whole games are preferable–Vinny’s call of Gibson’s home run in the 1988 World Series was great, but his call of the whole game was great–it was his scanning the dugout that drive Gibby to start hitting).

    Just a thought.

  81. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    Can somebody think of something to change the luck. Like have the whole team stand on their heads.

  82. spanner@aol.com

    Hey… a guy on base… thats new… maybe they should have martin bunt him over so he doesnt hit into ANOTHER double play.

  83. griffon64@webmail.co.za

    As far as baseball trips go, my husband and I have set ourselves the goal of going to at least one new MLB stadium a year. We were going to go over to Phoenix for this year’s new trip, but with the Dodgers nosediving there is no sense in spending so much money.

    I’ve only been to Dodger Stadium and the Giants’ stadium. Sad to say the Giants have some real good concessions, much better than Dodger stadium ( Dodger Dogs excepted! ). And they also keep fans from moving down the aisles while an at bat is in progress, eliminating the awful craning required to get around people who are happy to stand up and chat right in front of you during an at bat. With the good sight lines in Dodger Stadium, why can’t people stand there and watch the action and then come down between at bats, with users keeping them in place between at bats? That way everybody wins.

    I guess that is not workable because of the number of isles that need to be blocked off. Giants’ stadium has more obvious choke points between concessions and seats.

    Anyway, Bills, sorry you’re going to lose the game now, man. Never should have given up that run.

  84. fezzik031@yahoo.com

    im gonna stop watching this game and maybe it will be just my luck to miss the team turn things around. Im taking one for the team here. Hope it works out.

  85. leekfink@yahoo.com

    Maybe not being able to hit with RISP is like a contagious virus, and maybe now we just gave it to the Reds.

  86. alex41592@aol.com

    Ok before I could see how it may have been an outside corner strike, that missed by 3-4 inches.

  87. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    HOCUS POCUS SKINARMARROCUS. join the fight change this ugly blanking luck tonight.

  88. leekfink@yahoo.com

    scurtis1999–Kemp is slumping, but he’s not going to Vegas. If Kemp’s slump bought him a ticket to Vegas, half the team would be on its way.

    I don’t think Matt Kemp or James Loney will ever play in the minor leagues again.

    But I sure wish they would start hitting in the majors again soon.

  89. rgonza13@csulb.edu

    I LOVE…

    How the Dodgers.com poll asks,

    “Would you rather…

    TRADE YOUNG PLAYER TO WIN NOW

    or

    RETAIN YOUNG PLAYER FOR LONG HAUL?”

    What a no brainer. But answer me this:

    Why on earth did Dodger’s trade one of their TOP 3 hitters in Wilson Betemit?

    The answer is simple… and it rhymes too: Bonehead Ned

  90. leekfink@yahoo.com

    Agreed about Kemp looking lost. But right now, they all do.

    Bad Chad showed up tonight. Way too many pitches (98 through 5), too much trouble, can’t go more than 6 innings.

    But considering Bad Chad can still bear down and get out of most jams, I’ll take it. Eventually, we will get consistent Chad.

  91. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    26 in a row what is the record? What is the Dodger record? What is the LA Dodger record? I just mentioned that maybe it will break the spell.

  92. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    Not a good start by Billz. Should have been 5 or 6 to nothing. He only lasted 5, but he did keep us in the game at least. Too wild tonight.

  93. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    AFTER THAT ___I MIGHT BE DUMB___BUT IT’S NOT THE FAULT OF THE PLAYERS OR MANAGEMENT I’S JUST BAD LUCK.

  94. alex41592@aol.com

    They went 35 scoreless innings August 15-18, 1960, I do not know if that’s the record for L.A…

  95. scurtis1999@yahoo.com

    predict tomorrow mornings lineup!

    Furcal SS

    Pierre CF

    Kent 2B

    Gonzo LF

    Nomar 3B

    Loney 1B

    Lieberthal C

    Kemp RF

    Bombko P

  96. lath19@gmail.com

    Shut out in back to back games by a team with the 2nd worst ERA in the National League. At least football season is right around the corner.

  97. alex41592@aol.com

    Yeah I guess that would have to be the L.A record so yes to answer your question August 15-18, 1961. 35 consecutive scoreless innings. The graphic shown here stated 3 consecutive shutouts in 1966, but that was less than 35 innings. So at least we’re seeing something that most of us weren’t around to see and if some of you were probably do not remember (nor want to). Aren’t we lucky?

  98. alex41592@aol.com

    Make the lineup whatever you want, you still have to get the hits. This is one of the worst times I have ever been through. It’s not just these three games it’s the past three weeks.

  99. messagebear@yahoo.com

    Hey, Colletti – the bell tolls for thee and Grady. I think your baseball days are over, and none too soon.
    LOGAN WHITE IN 2008!!!

  100. leekfink@yahoo.com

    We’ve been through worse.

    Have faith. That post-All-Star skid last year seemed impossible to overcome. We’re not nearly as bad off now, and we can overcome.

    We just need a few hits to fall (Kemp’s would have been nice).

  101. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    It can’t keep up forever. we now have the law of averages on our side. It’s a looong drought but we all know even if they tried they couldn’t keep it up too much longer. Things will change. The pitching is still going good. You could try all kinds of things but it will have to run it’s course. ALL THIS CAN NOT CHANGE US WE’LL ALWAYS BE LOYAL.

  102. jkeezell@verizon.net

    On the bright side, James McDonald threw 5 shutout innings allowing 2 hits for J’ville tonight. Something tells me he may be in the rotation by the end of August, especially with the current direction we’re headed.

  103. blondecaboy69@yahoo.com

    Is there any way to get my money back on season tickets? I’m tired of watching Frank McCourt waste money on over paid millionaires who would be fired from any other job if they performed so poorly.

  104. jkeezell@verizon.net

    Give Pierre a rest tomorrow and go with Andre, Matt and Delwyn in the outfield. What do they have to lose?

  105. blondecaboy69@yahoo.com

    Increased parking, increased ticket prices, increased consession prices =

    garbage product.

  106. pierreseastmeetswest@yahoo.com

    I was a fan in 1961 all I remember was that we had a very low scoring team. We had super great pitching and we usually won believe or not. This is a better offensive team, I think, we just ran into some good pitching and some bad luck.

  107. dodgerdude17@yahoo.com

    I hate losing. Telling me things could be, or have been worse is not going to fix this team, it won’t save this season.

  108. blondecaboy69@yahoo.com

    this is not a good offensive team. They’re a mix of over rated young players and washed up old players.

    Yesterday was a huge disgrace losing to Arroyo, today Harang has never pitched a better game. It’s not a coincidence that pitchers seem to have the “career” games against this Dodger offense.

  109. dodgerdude17@yahoo.com

    109 million dollar payroll, loaded farm system, good young talent, and this is what coletti is able to give us?

  110. blondecaboy69@yahoo.com

    they’re only relying upon the farm system, because Colletti and Franky screwed this team on their offseason signings.

  111. jspelk2@uic.edu

    i know we as fans have no insight into this, but is it possible that the vets on this team lost a little of their mojo after the trade deadline because we didn’t make a big aquisition? Ned sent a message that he’s building for the future not for the short term—I doubt thats what the vets want, they want to win now. Especially Kent who’s at the end of his career. Is it possible it let the air out of their season a bit? Im not blaming them just something to think about b/c this team has looked dead.

  112. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    This mess is the responsibility of the GM. He’s the one who decided to bring in Pierre. Grady can’t sit him or hit him 8th because they would be showing Colletti up. He brought in Hendrickson and Tomko. He brought in Garciaparra then moved Betemit despite the fact he was having a much better season. He gambled with Schmidt and Wolf and while it would be unfair to heap all the blame on him for that, he does deserve a share.

    Colletti will dodge the bullet, though. You know why? Because Ned was one of the media and they take care of their own.

  113. eduardosoto0301@sbcglobal.net

    I guess it wasn’t Hall of Famers Eddie Murry’s fault that this team can’t hit. I can’t wait till Grady idiot gets fired. Hey Ned since you are still in love with San Francisco why don’t you bring your old friend Dusty Baker in to manage this team.

  114. jspelk2@uic.edu

    It’s weird b/c the vets always talk about “what a great job” ned has done… I wonder what they think now?

  115. bluebleeder88@yahoo.com

    Man, losing just isn’t any fun I’m sure we’ll get back on track I just hope it isn’t to late.

  116. eduardosoto0301@sbcglobal.net

    of course he’s better then grady idiot anybody is greater then grady idiot..he doesn’t know how 2 manage his bullpen he doesn’t know how 2 manage how long his starters go like dereck lowe he left him in there 3 times and all 3 were losses in the ninth.. he doesn’t know how 2 put together his linup so i guess dusty would be better

  117. kiper04@yahoo.com

    Hey, Jim Tracy is keeping us in this thing.. thanks Jim, you’re still finding ways to keep the Dodgers in the hunt…What a guy.

  118. kiper04@yahoo.com

    How much would change if Grady got the ax at this point in the season? I believe that they’re still close enough that any fire that can be lit under the Dodgers will get them going..Dusty is available and in my heart, still a Dodger.

  119. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    Grady didn’t bring in the poor talent. Grady is middle management, so he needs to do what Ned wants him to do. Otherwise, Ned has a built in excuse for why it doesn’t work and then he can bring in someone who will.

  120. kiper04@yahoo.com

    Grady did not bring in the talent, we are aware of that, but when a team is underachieving as the Dodgers are you have to find a way to get things going. More often than not firing a manager shakes things up. Maybe a manager with a little more pep and with some emotion.

  121. kiper04@yahoo.com

    jspelk, i guess Pierre is not the problem after all huh? The whole team is in the tank and something has to be done to shake’em up or we’re done. The good thing is, as i’ve said before on this blog, is that we’re in the west.

  122. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    Managers have little to no impact overall on wins and losses throughout the course of a season because most of them do the exact same things. A manager’s main job is to keep everyone happy and even keeled rather than getting caught up in an emotional roller coaster.

    Little just got an extension. He’s not going anywhere.

  123. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    Anyone who thinks the best way to motivate a team is to either come in and scream and yell or go rah-rah in the dugout hasn’t played baseball before.

  124. jungar@wsgcorp.com

    1. The last 5 games are the worse offense in Dodger history since 1900. That’s not a typo. Since 1900.

    2. You want proof BA is meaningless?

    Ned must be baffled when this lineup doesn’t score runs.

    Batting averages: heading into tonights game

    281

    281

    296

    304

    300

    279

    321

    328

    3. I am so sick to my stomach. It’s sad.

    4. I don’t blame the manager as much as others, but feel free Grady to get off your *** and purposely get kicked out of a gmae at least. Pretend you care for christ sake.

    5. I will lay off Pierre signing for a second but I always say I bring up the Pierre thing because of how coletti thinks not how Pierre plays, but this is another example of how dumb Coletti is. Ned Colletti appeared on T.J. Simers radio show and gave his rationale for signing Luis Gonzalez. Colletti admitted that Gonzo’s power was gone, but he’s good for 35 doubles and that he’s a good clubhouse guy. My opinion of Colletti somehow slipped a little further. If Gonzo does exactly what he did last year, except hit 35 doubles and say 11 home runs, he would slug .412. If those lost doubles and home runs become outs instead of singles, he would slug .375.

    Pierre has a career slug of .373 as point of reference with 12 career Homeruns

    6. The Dodger scoreless streak is reaching my summer of 2003 proportions.

    7. No Dodger pitcher in the last 50 years has lost consecutive starts by a 1-0 score, since Chad Billingsley in 2007. Maybe he just needs to learn how to win.

    Billingsley’s ERA in his three losses: 3.18.

    ERA in his seven wins: 0.64.

    8. Until Ned gets with the program and starts valuing OBP, SLG—power/patience. Dodgers offense will struggle.

  125. eduardosoto0301@sbcglobal.net

    If managers have such little impact then why is Mike Scocia’s team 20 games above 500 with almost the same team in a much better league. Also Dusty took the Giants to the world series, and was one game away from taking the cubs to the world series. Little is an idiot.

  126. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    Barry Bonds, Vlad Guerrero, Sammy Sosa, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood have a way of making a manager look pretty good.

  127. sangabrielad@yahoo.com

    Do you think sending Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson out to the mound 2/5 of the time made Bob Brenly a genius?

  128. jungar@wsgcorp.com

    “Truthfully, as a new owner, I had never been through a search for a general manager before,” McCourt said. “Certainly, I thought I hired the right person, and at the time, I verbalized why. The difference is, I had more experience this time and more time to be more deliberate about it.

    “The most important point is that I knew what I wanted. We learn from experience, and I feel I learned immensely from the two years I’ve owned the club. That’s what growth is. It’s what players go through. You look at failures you have to overcome to become a champion. We all have bumps in the road — it’s how we deal with them. You have to be willing to admit it and fix it.”

    “The tremendous success we had last year and the huge disappointment this year just reinforced that it is a path, a plan, an overall approach to win consistently,” Frank McCourt told the Times on October 6. “You can’t get too high with the highs and too low with the lows. We’re not as smart as we seemed in 2004 and not as dumb as we seemed this year.”

    Frank on firing Depodesta.

    Let’s see what he does with Ned.

  129. jhall1218@yahoo.com

    Everyone here pretty much agrees that with Ned and Grady this team will not win a championship. Ned is a ***** and Grady is just there. It is unfortunate but true. If your going to go outside the organization for a GM, jeez, don’t go to the Giants. ****, they **** and will continue to **** for the foreseeable future. You might want to look at Atlanta and hire someone from there.
    Get rid of Grady and hire Joe Girardi. After you fire Ned and hire Logan White as GM.

    Mr McCourt, you better wake up and get your head out of the sand.

  130. tldmat@yahoo.com

    Geez, two bad weeks and you all are ready to fire the GM and manager… weren’t we in first a few weeks ago?

    The kids never learned how to play with adversity. Grady never learned how to get the most out of people or how to rest Russell Martin.

    Now is not the time to panic. Realize that the decision was made to not forfeit the future for today. A big trade would not make this team a world series contender.

    by the end of August they will be back in the race but mostly because the rest of the teams also stink,

  131. manfromchina@hotmail.com

    i don’t know if anyone has already mentioned this but the padres are going to dfa david wells. do you guys think the dodgers will try to pick him up? i personaly don’t really want him but i’m curious to see what everybody else thinks.

  132. manfromchina@hotmail.com

    i should have figured you guys already got to it. gotta get up early for the game so i’m out now.

  133. mpdclarke@yahoo.com

    List of the Pitchers Ned Colletti Brought in

    1) Saito

    2) Lance Carter

    3) Danys Baez

    4) Roberto Hernandez

    5) Jason Schmidt

    6) Randy Wolf

    7) Brett Bomko

    8) Mark Hendrickson

    9) Scott Proctor

    List of Pitchers in the Dodgers Organization B.C. (Before Colletti)

    1) Derek Lowe

    2) Brad Penny

    3) Chad Billingsley

    4) Jon Broxton

    5) Jon Meloan

    6) Odalis Perez

    You can decide for yourself which GM made better contributions to the Dodgers Pitching Staff

    Offensive Players Brought in by Colletti

    1) Nomar

    2) Furcal

    3) Gonzo

    4) Ramon Martinez

    5) Juan Pierre

    6) Betemit

    You can evaluate Colletti’s offensive additions yourself, but I find them offensive!

  134. messagebear@yahoo.com

    I do not want Colletti, and I do not want Grady. The reasons have been stated by many above and on many previous blogs, and it is time for both of them to go as soon as this sorry season is over. My slogans until the real rebuilding will be:
    REMEMBER BETEMIT !!! and

    LOGAN WHITE in 2008 !!!

  135. mpdclarke@yahoo.com

    As much as I am displeased with our current situation and despite not liking many of Colletti’s moves, I am quite sure he will be back in 2008.

    Little, will likely be back unless we continue to sink and finish in 4th place under .500

    Colletti will be given one more year to infuse some impact vets. aroudn the young players.

    However, if Schmidt is a bust in 2008 and Ned fails to plug our holes, he is toast after 2008.

    I would say there is a 95 Percent chance that Ned is back in 2008.

    80 Percent Chance that Little will be back! It really depends if McCourt/Ned like Kevin Kennedy or another available manager like Dusty Baker…

    Little will not be replaced in 2008 by a nobody.

    I like Logan White as the next the GM in the event that we do dump Ned, he is the one person that will make sure we are competitive for many years to come.

    With Logan, there will be NoMore NoMars and people like Gonzo will be Gonzo…

  136. fliegel@ptd.net

    The reason Ned did nothing at the deadline or since is because he knows this team isn’t good enough to win. Bringing in one or two guys probably wouldn’t have made any difference. At the beginning of the season I asked who was going to drive in runs? We lost Drew’s 100 RBIs and Lofton getting on base and replaced them with a pinch runner and a seen better days Gonzo. It really doesn’t surprise me that this team has trouble scoring. There is no one to drive them in. It also doesn’t help that Grady has all the fire of water.

  137. hbmom5@yahoo.com

    I have been to Candlestick, Petco, Angel, Metrodome, Yankee, Wrigley Field, Coors Field, Turner Field, and of course Dodger stadium at an average of 4 games per each homestand. In September we are headed to AT&T, and Chase Field. On my “before I die list” is Fenway, Camden Yards, Busch Stadium, RFK, Shea, PNC Park, and once they finish it, the New Yankee Park.
    Everybody needs to think positive about our boys in blue!! Don’t give up!!

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