Reporting Day
A busy morning, with plenty of people trickling in…
The day started with breakfast in the dining room, where I joined several of our coaches including Bob Schaefer, Mariano Duncan and Triple-A manager Lorenzo Bundy. The newest member of the front office/coaching staff also joined us, Jose Vizcaino, who is back with the organization as a special assistant to baseball operations. Mariano was telling us about how impressive Rafael Furcal looked this winter in the Dominican Republic, which is great to hear. Certainly a nice way to start the spring…
Over at the clubhouse, pitchers are trickling in, with Jason Schmidt giving a state-of-the-Schmidt address, so to speak. That is to say that most of our beat writers talked to him this morning about his progress and he said things are going very well and that in the past couple weeks, he’s really started to feel good. There’s still no real timetable for when he’ll pitch in games this spring or if he’ll be ready to go by Opening Day, but we’ll obviously see how that unfolds throughout the spring.
Otherwise, most of the national media that was here yesterday left after they got Joe Torre’s inaugural address, but ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian is still here, so keep an eye on Baseball Tonight/Sportscenter for his updates. And of course, the usual places of news are the four media outlets covering us daily from here, MLB.com, the L.A. Times, Daily News and the Riverside Press Enterprise.
Inside the Dodgers 
Definitely happy to see that things are getting off to a good start. Here’s to a great 2008, and hoping that Jason Schmidt makes a smooth, non-rushed re-entry into the rotation when he’s ready.
Finally, Spring Training is here!!!! Good news about Furcal. We definately need the 06 Ferk to light this candle. I am optimistic that Schmidt will contribute this season. I see him getting back in the rotation in late May or June if he has no setbacks. I think the key is to take it slow. Hopefully Loiaza or Kuo can hold the fort until then.
Happy P&C reporting day everyone! What a wonderful time of the year!
Our love affair with baseball is much like that of true love in general.
Here we are ready for another spring and as Vin always says, “hope springs eternal.”
As the song goes, “LOVE IS BLUE!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_2qty7GptU
Happy Valentine’s Day, Dodger fans! -Emma(crzblue)
We’ll guys it that time again. I feel alot better about this year than I did last year. Brox, Bills and a few others reported to camp Sunday night to get a head start on the season. Hope the young guys get a fair shot this spring training. World Series is in reach. Let’s go get it.
Emma: Proof that love is Blue
http://www.truebluela.com/story/2008/2/12/121755/494
Speaking of the beat writers, check out the latest Dodger Thoughts entry. Jon Weisman (also of si.com) convenes a round table discussion with Dylan Hernandez (Times) and Diamond Leung (Press-Enterprise)
http://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/908295.html
(Is Diamond the greatest first name for a baseball beat writer ever?)
Old-fogey,
ahhh, that is such a sweet story. That sure is proof that love is Blue! How wonderful to have shared 1988 with a loved one! thanks for sharing the story!
I too get to the stadium as early as I can on Opening day! I am not a morning person but on Opening day, I just can’t wait for the day to get started!
I am starting a Fantasy Baseball League on Yahoo specifically for bloggers on this site. If you are a frequent blogger and want to join, email me for the league id and password.
Josh, I want to see you in the league as well.
Emma – you should make truebluela a regular stop. Andrew and ToyCannon [Jimmy Wynn was a stud in 1974!] do a great job over there. ToyCannon had another great piece on a late friend named Roger just the other day.
Tony Jackson reporting on his blog that Nomar, Kemp and Jones are definites for China, that frontline pitchers are not likely to go, and that the group will have an “Asian presence”. He suggests Kuo, Park, possibly Saito, probably not Kuroda. How about Hu?
Dylan Hernandez’ latest column in the Times includes another STUPID lineup projection of Pierre in LF, Nomar at 3B, and LaRoche not even on the roster.
C’mon writers! What does it frickin’ take?!
I’m with you, scott, on that:
Dylan Hernandez of the Times on the roster:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers14feb14,1,2481100.story?page=1&ctrack=5&cset=true
He seems to think both Pierre and Nomar will be starting, 12 pitchers will start the season on the roster, and that LaRoche will be starting also, but in Vegas.
I think he’s wrong on several counts. I think they start with 11 pitchers, not 12, Brazoban will be in AAA and LaRoche will be on the roster, starting or not.
Posted by: old_fogey_la@yahoo.com | February 13, 2008 06:39 PM
In Diamond Leung’s latest blog entry:
Joe Torre had this to say about his projected left fielder: “With Juan Pierre, there are so many things about him that are impressive. He plays every day, has 200 hits. I know he has no power, but he’s a gamer.”
Quick, someone tell Joe that Juan makes outs almost as much as Tony Womack did! OUCH!
(The one paragraph is Diamond’s; the “Quick, …” comment is mine, lest anyone mistakenly think Diamond is that snarky!)
That’s scary, old fogey
(Here dead horse, here dead horse, WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!)
I can’t help it. I wonder if Leung posted that just to get folks like us all a twitters.
I’m telling you, June. That’s when Torre will know what players can contribute. He’ll be able to assess the pros and cons, etc. And he’ll make changes as he sees fit. This is his first season, it’s going to take him time to realize exactly what he has here. That’s been my fear ever since Little left and Torre was brought in. Despite from a game managing standpoint it’s a great move. Torre is a good manager but it’s going to take him time to get to know his players. Until then he’s going to go based on reputation.
I wish everyday Juan Pierre could have a .360-.375 OBP. Like he did in the second half of last season. But, he’s always been a second half player. It’s his first half last season and his arm everyday that I don’t want on the field. If Juan Pierre can have a full season like it’s the second half of the season Pierre can really help this team. But, history has shown it will not happen. Which means overall you’re going to get a guy who gets 200 hits, over 500 outs, 2 or less HR’s, .330 OBP, 60+ stolen bases and has no arm. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. Juan Pierre is one of the most predictable players in baseball.
alex, a good manager figures out who on his staff has opinions he can trust and uses that until he has the first-hand observations himself. I hope Mike Easler gains Torre’s ear quickly.
I wonder which coaches are traveling to China with Joe and who is staying in Florida.
Bowa probably stays in Vero.
Can’t wait for him to get a good look at Phewerre in left.
That ought to rub him raw.
If I’m still saying “Nomore” in June, it won’t be a good season. That I can guarantee.
I don’t like to wish injuries on players, but is ok to wish Jason Repko on another player?
Except Bowa is one of those classic gritty, hard-nosed guys that made a career for himself on hustle and fire more so than talent – decent, not great SS, not much of a hitter. He might love JP, who does play hard, is ready every day, and “plays the game the right way”.
Bowa will probably be in the face of the first kid that makes a mental baserunning gaffe, but would he do it to Kent or Sweeney?
Is that all too pessimistic for Spring Training? It’s a great day for baseball; let’s play two!
If Torre goes all veteran fetish, I will complain on this blog every day. Ethier and LaRoche MUST play everyday; no excuses.
I’m with you momoracci.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
According to one Yankees blog, Torre is partial to players who display a “Belly Full Of Guts (BFOG)”. I fear who on this team might fit the definition of that term.
old fogey – wouldn’t that be Tommy Lasorda?
uhhhhhhhhhhhhh I really don’t want to have to start making Fire Torre shirts. I am afraid I might have to do that if Pierre is our starting left fielder. If that happens all of Joe’s world series rings go out the window for me. As far as im concerned if Pierre starts Torre is at Grady’s level for me and we all know where grady is right now…
i wish everybody would just SHUT UP about all the bashing pierre stuff..
max
ethier is not good enough to make a statement of torre should be fired if pierre starts..
if pierre starts, then he deserves it…it will NOT be because of his game streak or his contract..he will have earned it….and i hope he was a great spring just to quiet all you haters…the older guys who USED to post here are right..this site is wack!
Joey… It WILL be because of his game streak. It WILL be because he got paid more money then he actually deserves and it WILL be because his name Juan Pierre. If you can’t see that then I think you need to say hello to reality my friend.
you are full of it joey.
Did you watch any games last year? Have you listened to any experts’ opinions who all agree that Pierre is a reserve outfielder at best?
don’t be a fool.
Pierre starting over Either will cost us games. It’s not Pierre’s fault…its the person’s fault that puts him in the lineup everyday.
Players win games, managers lose games and umpires ruin games.
This needs to be remembered.
A great or poor spring for Pierre means nothing. He is a 30-year old veteran who has played 1169 games in the majors. He should be judged by that, not what he does in ST.
enchanted sunset: Tommy would be BFOP – Belly Full Of Pasta!
Joey, if you truly believe that Phewerre should start over Ethier, then you a WACK!
Even Delwyn Young should start ahead of Phewerre.
I’d start Jason Schmidt in left before I’d start Pierre. He’s got a better arm then Pierre and if you compare Power numbers Schmidt has 7 career Home Runs in 591 career At Bats compared to Pierres 12 career home runs in 4778 career at bats.
Man, is this puddle of glue getting awfully big! 😉
This morning when I read the sports section of the L.A. Times I was very disappointed. Here is P & C reporting and the story on the cover is about Clemens and what’s his name. C’mmon. I need a better newspaper to read in the L.A. Times. Dissapointed on Plaschke’s column in the L.A. Sunday’s time also. He said in his years of going to Vero he hardly run into any Dodger fans from the L.A. Times. Obviously you are hardly talking to anyone there. I’ll make sure our group look for you and talk to you. -Emma
Emma, I think Billy Boy needs to realize that Dodgers fans that read the LA Times don’t like him.
Plaschke and Simers are ******.
Tony Jackson of the Daily News and Diamond Leung of the Riverside Press-Enterprise are blogging from ST.
http://www.insidesocal.com/dodgers/
http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/prosports/mlb/dodgers/
I wish Torre had said “yes” to the Yankees. That way, Joe Girardi would be ours!
It’s not that I don’t want to give our manager a chance, but this blind veteran love scares me.
the censored word was m0r0ns, nothing worse.
I believe it’s reporting day on “Inside the Dodgers” as well Max is back and here for roll call. As is Momoracci, jhall, old-fogey, drinkinmercury, Emma and DD17, now all we need is Fisher, Pierreeastmeetswest, Fansince53, among all the other regulars and the 2008 season will be ready to go.
Plaschke is not a journalist; he is merely a gadfly, and best ignored.
Speaking of regulars – jungar must be busy with that baby of his!
If Torre puts the right guys in this year, we can show up to talk about the games and not have to constantly be pressing for lineup change.
Scott- Here!
I like the way Fogey slips the words past the censor. LOL
scott – Ned already gave us regime change, will lineup change shortly follow?
regime change is nice but only if it is accompanied by a philosophy change as well. We’ve yet to see that old fogey. After we know if there is a philosophy change or not then we’ll know if there will be a Lineup change.
vice versa i guess.
max, unlike Grady, Torre would have pulled Pedro and gone to the pen. 😉
Watching Phewerre play changed my philosophy.
Why don’t we just move Nomore back to first and start Martinez at third if want a team of feebs.
Trigger just has no business in left period. All his SBs and 200 hits (based on 700 ABs because the guy won’t take a walk) STILL don’t outweigh what he gives back in the field IMO.
I can hear it now: “Ground ball to third GOES THROUGH NOMAR and down the line. Pierre got a late break on the ball… and Boog Powell’s rounding second heading to third! Piere’s throw’s a three hopper off-line and Powell slides in safely under the tag.”
LaRoche. Ethier. Any questions?
Scares me and I’m fearless.
Here’s How I see the teams stacking up right now:
D’s SF Rox AZ SD
Offense: B+ D A B C
Starters:B B+ C+ A A
Bullpen: B+ C D+ B A
Defense: B C+ A B B
Coaching:B+ A D B+ B
Sorry thats kind of hard to read…
I believe it’s reporting day on “Inside the Dodgers” as well Max is back and here for roll call. As is Momoracci, jhall, old-fogey, drinkinmercury, Emma and DD17, now all we need is Fisher, Pierreeastmeetswest, Fansince53, among all the other regulars and the 2008 season will be ready to go.
Posted by: alex41592@aol.com | February 14, 2008 02:01 PM
What about good ol’ swood???
lol
I think some of you are quickly forgetting that Ned was the one who signed Pierre to that huge contract. Before everyone starts bashing Torre I think we should remember Ned didn’t exactly put him in the greatest spot…
Ha i don’t know about that old fogey. Some new yorkers might argue that Torre would have put Proctor in in the 6th and then Mo in in the 8th and lost the game that way HA!
But seriously…if Pierre is starting in left then firing Grady was a PR move and not a baseball move. We’d be back to where we started.
If Pierre plays I think it will be Torre’s decision and not because of pressure from Ned.
Im pretty sure Joe Torre will have more influence on who plays the Ned “Sixth Choice for GM” Colletti.
Ned should have been run out of town with Grady for signing Phew-erre and Schmidt.
enchantedsunset – Boog Powell! ****! (I did literally laugh aloud.)
Why do I get the feeling that Joe Torre’s #1 job is to keep Jeff Kent away from, and keep from ticking off, his teammates. (Remember, Jeff Kent is the sort of person who knowingly chooses to call out the most volatile personality on the roster with the biggest anger management issues in the locker in front of the entire team. Don’t you think he knew how that would turn out with Milton Bradley?)
Interesting Russell Martin quote About Schmidt last year in this AP article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/news/story?id=3246183
“Early in the spring, I remember he wasn’t throwing as hard as I remembered when I faced him,” Martin said. “The ball didn’t have the same jump. After a couple weeks, with the velocity not picking up, I was concerned. He said he felt fine.
“After a while, he gained a little bit of velocity, but not as much as I expected. He reached 88 [mph], but that wasn’t Schmidt-like.”
Of course Joe T. was a PR move, nothing more. It’s putting lipstick on a pig. Grady took the fall so ned flanders could save his job. Not that Grady was a terrific manager, but 2007 falls squarely on the shoulders of ned’s signings and roster management. If Joe T is given free reign and he chooses to play pierre and nomar then he is not much better than Grady. His bullpen troubles have already been chronicled, he doesn’t play the right players… so how is he an upgrade? And worse, he doesn’t know anything about NL players. But don’t worry, when we don’t make the playoffs this year after enduring 162 glorious games of pierre ( a distinct possibility) it will be ned, not torre, who will be fired.
Hey Josh, how about some new stadium construction photos !!
With guys like you jspelk2 I’m surprized the world doesn’t come to an end !! Don’t ever confuse yourself for a Dodger Fan because nothing could be further from the truth !!
I agree with jspelk and his comments. I think the onus is now on Ned to see our team make the playoffs and acquit themselves at least competitively in the playoffs. If the Dodgers don’t show that progress, I think Ned should and will be gone. As far as I’m concerned, it’ll be a little too late, because I was yelling to Fire Grady and Colletti at least the whole second half of the season. I just don’t think that other GM’s take Ned seriously, and I contend that he’s been a jerk before, is one now, and ever will be.
Gee Gary, nice personal attack there. Do you care to make a reasoned argument about a germane point or issue regarding the Dodgers? Only a fan would care enough to write what jspelk posted – he (she?) wants to see a good team out there; what fan wouldn’t?
you don’t have to agree with me. Its a blog and I’m stating my opinion. But to say Im not a fan is simply untrue. I don’t question that fans that looooove Pierre are dodger fans even though I think he hurts our chance to win. So…. whatever dude.
Hey Gang, good news. I just heard on Fox News that they’ve got a failed steroid test on Barroid from 2002. Punkin’ Head is going to jail.
WooHoo.
Totally agree with your statement messagebear, “I just don’t think that other GM’s take Ned seriously” – why else would all the other GMs with someone like Santana or Heren or Bedard start by asking for Kershaw and Kemp and half the farm? – because they know there’s a chance they will get it with the Nedster, and they figure if they stall long enough he’ll cave.
To be honest, I think the only thing that’s keeping the youth movement on track is Logan.
And possibly the only thing that will keep Torre & Co. from killing us with Pierre & Nomar is Easler. I just hope it doesn’t take until July for the voice of reason to prevail.
If they start Nomore and Phewerre most likely we will fall behind quickly and they will have to reshuffle the lineup to keep pace with the Puds, D-Backs, and Rockies.
Barry lied? To coin a phrase, “I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you to find that gambling has been going on here.”
LOL Enchanted.
To paraphrase, “of all the ballparks and all the stadiums in all the world, and he has to play left field in ours.”
You want to play leftfield,
You can’t handle leftfield!!!
Probably the most frightening:
I’ll be back!
JP in left. Nomar at 3rd – “Show me the funny!”
Am I the only that sees Ned Colletti and thinks, “Bill Paxton in True Lies”?
Nomar and Pierre and Loaiza,
Oh My.
We’re off to see the cellar.
good one jhall!!
Thanks. LOL
They got Ole Barroid.
Maris-61
Aaron-755
Those are still the records in my book.
“Someday when they’re up against it, and the Kent is beating the boys, tell ’em to go out there and give it everything they got and win just one for the Nedster. I don’t know where I’ll be then, but its for sure Pierre will be in left.”
It’s good to read that Furcal is doing good we can use his LEGS as well as his power this year. If Jason Schmidt could get back to where he was one time with the Jints we’d be sitting pretty. We got the whole Torre story here in Brooklyn, mostly talking about Clemens & Pettitte. There is a rumor here that Shawn Green would like to come back or play with the Angels. I’m going to see if I can catch Kurkjian tonight. Well I hope everybody is having a good Valentine’s Day.
Another good one Enchanted. LOL
Kinda brings new meaning to the chant, “Four more years. Four more years.”
Thanks Ned.
“Well, I’m not a leftfielder”
Ala Nixon since we’re going political.
Mr Colletti,
Tear up this outfield!
Ask not what you can do for your team,
Ask what your team can do for you.
We have nothing to fear, but Pierre himself.
Left field, the final frontier.
These are the voyages of Juan Pierre.
His five-year mission: to explore strange, new routes to fly balls.,
To seek out new ways of sacrificing and hacking at early counts,
To weakly throw like no player has thrown before.
**** Fogey. Good One!
Great one fogey!
Starring Jeff Kent as Captain Jerk. Nomar Garciaparra as old Bones. Juan Pierre as Shlock. And in a dual roll, Jeff Kent as Snotty.
Episode one: The trotting pop-up.
Raphael Furcal as Cut-off the infield helmsman. James Loney as I-Heard-Ya the dugout communications expert.
Eithier wears the red shirt ’cause you know he’s gonna get axed.
I obviously watched WAY to much TV as a kid…
Beam me up Snotty,
the kids don’t listen.
Next year with Kent and Nomar gone we can do The Next Generation…
“We have nothing to fear, but Pierre himself” – that’s got to be a classic, jhall! I vote that the best of the blog, and it really sums things up.
Thanks Bear.
We were on a roll tonight. Alot of good ones.
Throw softly,
And carry a little stick.
I just went thru all the posts since I was gone all day..you guys are classic but let’s try to be positive until they actually start playing!..Lot’s of great posts though and good reads. My stance right now is that I hope talk is just talk until we come back to california from spring training..then it’s on. Let’s not talk of firing people and all that.
I am certainly rooting the hardest this spring for three players. Ethier, Kemp and LaRaoche for obvious reasons.
So everyone, most notably those who don’t post much give your opinion on these and if people participate i will do 2 weekly as spring training unfolds…if not thats cool too..
What is most likely to be true:
a. Schmidt retires before this season
b. Schmidt is a good 5th starter with us from May on..
c. Schmidt is a mess all year off and on, even going to the pen for awhile.
d. none of above(suggest your own)
What is most likely to be true:
a. ethier traded
b. pierre traded
c. pierre plays majority
d. ethier plays majority
e. none of above (suggest your own)
1. a and 2. b for me btw as answers
1. b
2. d
1.b
2.a
LETS GO PIERRE!!!
1) D. Schmidt comes back in May pitches very well, gets hurt in July, done for season.
2) D. Barring an injury.
i was just thinking about ethier and i thought of that game against the cubs toward the end of the season this past year, when he hit that homerun in the 9th after soriano hit one to give the cubs the lead in the bottom of the 8th….god that was soo amazing!
1. b
2. c (not what I want personallly, but see it unfolding.)
Torre said he likes tp go with experience pierre, and Nomar , maybe Bills to the pen with Schmidt and Loisa ..we should have kept Grady and saved the money.. Baseball isn’t an old mans game anymore..
Sounds like if it is a close battle the veterans will get the nod. LaRoche and Ethier will have to clearly outplay and outhit Pierre and Nomar to win the starting positions. If it is a tie, Pierre and Nomar will start. Well, at least LaRoche and Ethier know what they need to do. The good part is I believe LR and ET will have good springs and set the bar high so if Nomar and Pierre do win the positions, they will have had very good springs as well. I can live with that. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see and hope the powers that be know what they are doing. I have my doubts at times. I will be thoroughly peeved if the kids go out and outperform the vets and the vets still get the positions. Here’s hoping ET and LR have monster springs and make it a mute point.
jungar,
1.b
2.d
Can’t we have someone from Baseball Prospectus come in and give a seminar to Colletti, Torre and McCourt?
I like the idea of having JP and Nomar coming off the bench late in the game. Nomar can spell Laroche, Loney, even Furcal and Kent to get 1 or 2 starts per week. Pierre as a late inning pinch hitter/runner, although expensive, is a better than starting him over Ethier or Kemp. Let’s let the youngsters play!
Bad part is, Ethier and LaRoche are better late inning defensive subs than Nomar and Pierre.
Agreed. I was thinking offensively. I also think the jury is still out on LaRoche in the field, but I still prefer him over Nomar @ 3rd.
Should definately be an interesting Spring.
If Torre ends up starting Pierre, we can’t give him a free ride based on his Yankee exploits. We need to ride the Dodgers hard until they come to there senses.
No doubt about it. I can’t wait for opening day!
Whomever said “Bills to the pen” above, please get a clue.
Jungar the voice of reason…the answer is c for Schmidt and d for ethier…I believe in the long run, Ethier will become the starter. My prediction is Ned finds someone due to injury, to take Pierre and we eat some salary.
Lets not panic because of an article today or tomorrow. Joe Torre has earned the right and respect to make the decision and no matter how much we hammer the point home, he is going to do what he sees best.
It may be best that Pierre starts and plays well. My reasoning is that it will make him more attractive to another team that may need a CF/leadoff hitter.
Just a thought…I am waiting for the response..Please be nice.
So Shawn,
By “plays well”, are you talking about every batter in the NL stretching singles to LF into doubles making a frustrated Kuroda swim back to Japan?
Pierre is Pierre. Don’t expect anything better or worse than what he always brings…Bad arm, 500 outs, meaningless singles and SB’s and a pipe dream of a consecutive game streak.
Dream on.
I am saying that by playing well he may be more attractive to a potential trade partner as opposed to sitting on the bench and showing no value…his defense is what it is and has never changed in his 7 years in the ML.
**** maybe his speed will help cut the gaps down and get to a few balls that maybe someone else may not…Wishful thinking maybe but we need to have hope.
My hope is based on Repko playing CF and Pierre in LF in ST and opposing batters hitting gapper after gapper until the inevitable happens and saves our season.
Cruel Scott, but I’m with you on that one. It wouldn’t break my heart if Pierre hit the DL for an extended period.
Nomar would be a huge upgrade over Ramon Martinez as utility infielder. His hacking style is probably suited for pinch-hitting and I wouldn’t even cringe to see him as an emergency LF – I *did* cringe when I saw Wilson Valdez out there a couple times last year.
I don’t wish harm on JP, but Dodgers management better wake up and realize that this could be a great year of many great years to come if they don’t pull any veteran experience **** with us again.
I think joanrich meant to say it this way:
No Baseball for Old Men.
How about:
There Will Be Blood at 3B
Juan
Atonement (starring Jeff Kent)
Kershaw, Clayton
lol old fogey
I have to praise Shawn for at least being a “glass is half full” kinda guy.
Can you imaging though the thank you telegrams we’re gonna get from the other GMs in the division if Ethier and Kemp end up platooning?
I don’t remember who posted it earlier, but it was brilliant analysis in its simplicity: You’re paying the same amount of salary for the two guys regardless of who plays left, so why not play the better player?
My take on the other “situation” is that if Nomar wins 3B, we get maybe a couple decent months out of him before he goes on the DL and LR takes over. Not trying to be cynical, just learning from history.
Shawn, no problem being positive.
I’d like LaRoche to start the season at 3B, but Nomar at 3B is not even close to being as bad as JP in LF. Just look at it from the pitchers’ point of view.
scott – I might be worried about Rafael Furcal dropping from exhaustion trying to cover all that ground between Nomar and Kent.
The focus so far from a national media standpoint should make Coletti feel like a fool wouldn’t you guys think?
1. Jason Schmidt recovery
2. What will happen with Pierre
3. can Nomar win a job
we spent 117 million last offseason for such great intrigue. And heck if Gonzo had accepted Ned’s 2 year deal..imagine the fun we would be having.
old fogey,
Don’t forget shallow LF if Pierre is out there.
I just can’t imagine Torre and Company getting an eyeful of Matt Kemp’s power and speed up close and personal and then deciding he’s not the everyday RF. INCONCEIVABLE!
After 3 Dog and Baker, I had a hard time choosing a third OF on the all-time list. Loved Reggie Smith, but he along with many of the other good Ofers really didn’t play for the D’s long enough to warrant “all-time” status, and the ones that did just weren’t “all-time” players. I settled on Tommy Davis.
Trust me enchanted I am looking at it from an optimistic view point as of now. I reserve the right to change my mind if so warranted. I had to give that disclaimer.
The best player on that list is Duke Snider, but by the L.A. years his best was behind him.
Since they were traded for each other, I’d like to vote Mondesi/Green as one entry – that was a pretty good 11-year run in RF. (I may vote Mondy anyway.)
In an alternate, drug-free universe, Darryl Strawberry probably makes hit top-3. I think he would have had a phenomenal 5-year run. Alas.
Pedro Guerrero should be on this ballot, not 3B. He actually played more games in the OF for the Dodgers (524) than at 3B (373), 1B (104), and 2B (12), combined (489).
All and all, the ballot is a little weaker than I might have imagined.
I missed this in Diamond Leung’s blog yesterday:
Juan Pierre spoke to Torre this offseason, and was told, “Obviously I can’t make any promises. The people who are going to be in the lineup are going to be the ones you have the best shot with.”
http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/prosports/mlb/dodgers/
Hey Old Fogey, Thanks for the blog links. I am keeping an eye on both blogs now. Good stuff there!
Love the pictures from Vero Beach! Keep them coming John Soo Hoo and co!
Josh: Why is there no beach towel on this year’s giveaways? We always get one every year. I hope one gets added.
Oh, I meant to ask this. why is my password that I use here does not work on the Dodger forum. I had posted something there a couple of weeks ago but I have not been able to use it so I had to switch to my crzblue signon. Guess when I swtiched to here it used that signon. -Emma