Tonight's game and an update on batting practice/autograph policies…
Many of you have had questions and or posted comments about our autograph policy during batting practice and I want to thank you all for your patience in getting a response. I didn’t want to post anything until we had all the correct information and I’m happy to say that thanks to the feedback of you and other fans, we have decided to essentially return to our previous pregame autograph policy.
As you probably know by now, renovations to the Field Level prompted us to limit traffic to only those with tickets to that concourse. Members of our organization were concerned that our revamped areas, if open to all 56,000 fans, would cause long lines at the new concession stands, even though shorter lines were the goal.
So here’s the new (or old, actually), policy: Fans who enter the Left Field Pavilion or the left field Field Level entrance for batting practice can do so starting two hours before the game until 90 minutes before the game (same as recent years). Such fans may stay on the Field Level until batting practice ends, which is 50 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. At that time, fans return to their seats.
On days when teams do not take batting practice, fans may still remain on the Field Level until 50 minutes before the scheduled start of the game.
The popularity of the new concessions still prompts us to limit traffic on the Field Level to fans holding Field Level tickets once Batting Practice ends. We will continue to evaluate the length of the lines as the season continues.
In addition, the center field area, on the warning track, is also available to fans on a first-come, first-served basis to shag home run balls during Batting Practice.
Plus, beyond the center field wall is “Autograph Alley,” where at least one former Dodger will sign autographs before every game from approximately two hours prior to game time until 15 minutes before first pitch. Dodgers expected this weekend include Ron Cey and Rudy Law (tonight), Wes Parker (Saturday), and Tommy Davis (Sunday). For the series Monday through Wednesday, the “probables” are “Sweet” Lou Johnson, Ken Landreaux, and Ken McMullen.
Again, thank you for your candid feedback and for your patience.
Now, back to what you’re really waiting for…tonight’s lineup.
Furcal, SS
Pierre, LF
Ethier, RF
Kent, 2B
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Jones, CF
DeWitt, 3B
Penny, P
Inside the Dodgers 
Well another big game against Peavy who so far in his career owns the Dodgers.
But there are many other pitchers lately that look like Cy Young against our lineup.
No matter how they’re lined up.
We got to practice patience & discipline and try to be confident at the same time.
Let’s hope Penny can get us at least into the 7th inning and hope our bullpen can be sharp, tonight.
GO DODGERS!!!!
Lets get a win tonight! I also agree with your new policy regarding batting practice. Thank you for taking the time to explain this prominent issue to us, the fans.
Link: http://dodgersblog.mlblogs.com
Go Dodgers.
Where the hell is Kemp? This guy is never going to get into the groove sitting on the bench. I say put him in and let him play every game. He’s going to be a superstar.
Pierre raised his batting average over .100 points this past Wednesday.
I like how Josh gives the good news–the batting practice and autograph policy–followed by the bad news–another atrocious line-up.
Hey, guys, we’re facing the best pitcher in the national league–let’s put the guy who makes the most outs second, a multi-time All-Star who is supposed to be our big off-season acquisition 7th, and last year’s best hitter, and the best athlete/potential star in the organization on the bench.
I would have settled for one of two things: 1) winning; or 2) losing but playing our best guys. Joe Torre’s doing neither.
(Puppyhead will probably say be patient–as I did all spring. But, I truly thought that the question would be Pierre or Ethier–a question which for which the answer is clear, but at least debatable. Pierre or Kemp is not even debatable. So, my patience is wearing very thin.)
We hear ya leek, and we agree.
jhall – we better break out somemore “A” material – could be a long night.
… and Kemp raised his BA almost .100 on Tuesday. Neither means anything. We saw JP in the 2 hole all last year AND IT WAS MISERABLE. I guess Torre just needs to see it for himself.
For a guy that Torre himself called a “bench player”, JP has now started half the games. Most people call that a “platoon player” (which, at least, is a 50% improvement over last year!).
Pierre batting 2nd isn’t too bad. I don’t think they will pitch around Furcal, they don’t want him on the basepaths.
But Pierre batting behind anybody else I don’t go for because whoever it is won’t see too many good pitches. I think they’d much rather pitch to Pierre because of diappearance of the threat of the HR. He may hit one but it’s rare.
LOL E, if it gets out of hand we may have too.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/gennaro_filice/04/11/threeup.threedown/1.html
Sports Illustrated guy takes a shot at Pierre, Jones and Ned. I like how he brings up this old quote. No, the emotions are more polarizing Ned.
“I truly believe the city of Los Angeles is going to love this player [Pierre],” [Ned Colletti] said at the time [of the signing].
Also, I have to say this–I like Ethier, and he’s had a good spring, and he deserves to play every day too. He has power potential and has a number of doubles and a home run.
But if we’re looking for a left handed hitter to hit third, why is it Ethier (a decent OPS of .785 this year, and a solid career OPS of .820) over Loney (a strong OPS of .936, and a career OPS of .917)? It’s a small nit-pick, and I could go with either of them. And it’s a small point about an overall bad line-up.
But, there’s something VERY wrong here, isn’t there? Given that on Opening Day there were 9 position players vying to fill 8 spots in the line-up, isn’t this combination and this order about the worst one concievable??? I suppose you could have Pierre leading off instead of Furcal, which would be worse. But other than that, you would go from having a bad line-up to having to call the guys in white coats to coats to take Joe Torre away?
I know that he once famously hit A-Rod 7th or 8th, and I suppose I sort of laughed because, after all, it’s A-Rod, and to see him cut down to size once in a while is funny. But I now realize something–that’s not very funny. You can’t bat the best player in the game 7th or 8th. And while Jones is far from the best player in the game–or even the best player on the team, or right now even good–seeing him 7th, and Kemp on the bench, etc. has me really worried.
That old Ned quote was in the original Dodger press release:
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20061122&content_id=1745540&vkey=pr_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la
I notice that the release mentions no rate statistics (like OBP), just counting stats like “hits”. (Except for his six-game World Series BA and OBP. BFD.)
This light gray color for the link text is awful.
leekfink: Because Torre hasn’t seen enough of these players himself and he, apparently, puts little credence into what they did that he hasn’t seen. JP’s THREE-YEAR track record is clear. The disaster of him hitting in the two-spot almost all of last year was witnessed by us, but not by Torre. Ultimately I care much more about who is playing, not where they hit. JP is playing and Kemp is sitting. Against a tough pitcher like Peavy, JP has to get lucky (because his OBP over the last three seasons is a crummy .329) AND other stuff has to happen for a run to score. Kemp gets lucky it could be an HR. Against the best, I want the power guys who can launch a single hung pitch into the stands.
I AM DISGUSTED.
Test
Test
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Apparently
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you
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can’t
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leave
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blank.
Fogey – try triple spacing – works for me sometimes.
The Furcal-JP 1-2 “punch” last year was brutal. Furcal looks like the good Furcal again, but pierre is just an awful two hole hitter. We’re probably the only team in baseball thats had ten different lineups in the first ten games. But we’re also the only team that would play JP over Kemp or Ethier.
I usually like to go out and walk around for a couple of hours before the game but I am waiting for a call from MLB-TV, they are suppose to help me bring up my MOSAIC version.
Tonight, while I’m waiting it almost comes up for a split second and then I get a screen that says:
=====The MLB-TV MOSAIC service is temporarilly unavailable Please check back soon.=========
I’ve been getting that since the season started.
They gave me a tracking #
I’ll use it tomorrow if I do’t get a call tonight.
With my luck they’ll call during the Dodger game.
I don’t even need it since I can use the regular version of MLB-TV.***Who needs it?
Let’s get a win.
Do we have any legitimate outfield prospects at any level?
Andrew Lambo is a great prospect they moved him from 1B to OF.. Im not sure b.c of Loney or what b.c hes supposed to be a great 1B. But he can hit. There X Paul. Can’t think of anyone else.
i don’t know what spring training is for anymore –
– Torre obviously can’t make up his mind after seeing his team for aprox six weeks in Feb and March.
– Nomar is out since March 4 and is expected to play after only one extended weekend rehab?!?!
– Eithier outplays Pierre and starts. Kemp leads the team in RBIs and sits?
Where is the level-headed Hall of Fame manager who we thought would be a steady influence? Looks like the team is playing tight and very unsure.
Ned obviously won’t get rid of Pierre, and Joe won’t ask him to. So, we the fans are screwed, because Kemp, or maybe later Ethier will be giving up AB’s for Pierre, and DY may be on the club, but he’ll just be watching the season roll by. And good luck to Repko at AAA, because that’s all there is for him probably for another couple of years, what with Pierre’s contract, etc. In the meantime, we’ll have a solid lock on fourth place in the division. When that happens, maybe McCourt will need a fall guy, and he’ll finally fire Ned, whose succesor may finally get rid of Pierre. It would be so simple just to get rid of him in the first place.
Well, let’s see what happens.
well said messagebear.
Lambo’s down in A ball isn’t he? Well, the timing might work out if we’d just dump JP – I can deal with another year of the fridge. I think DY and Repko are good as 4th and 5th Ofers, but I’m greedy and want another Kemp.
Too bad the current one doesn’t get to play…
Herpierre will hang himself, given enough rope.
I have had some trouble commenting on MLBlogs. For some reason, it says that I do not have permission to comment.
Make Peavy throw alot of pitches early.
I’ve been a Dodger fan for well over 50 years. It seems like every year that we platoon players as we are doing this year with Kemp/Pierre/Ethier and we end up trading a player like Kemp or Ethier and he immediately becomes a superstar somewhere else.
We need to let kemp and Ethier play every day and let Pierre sir or trade him. He’s never going to be any kind of super anything!!!!!!!!
Dang it jhall, I don’t know how much more rope he needs! Seems to me thay’ve already given him enough to climb down from El Capitan.
Prepass: I hate to correct you but it’s Kent that leads the team in RBI not Kemp.
Kemp and/or Jones haven’t tied the noose yet.
Yeah Lambo is at A-ball but he looks pretty darn good so far. We do need more outfield prospects though.
Until one or the other gets hot, we’re stuck with and outbreak of Herpierres.
jspelk has got it on the OF prospects. The organization is pretty thin at OF. Besides the major-leaguers, the 40-man has Repko and Paul. I’m guessing you’re right about Lambo’s move being partly because of Loney, but maybe also partly because of the lack of OF prospect. He hit a ton in rookie ball last year, and has picked up right where he left off this year in Great Lakes (A). Watch this kid.
So far, we have Torrittle.
Bet Peavy’s fingers are clean tonight.
I hope the ******* gets a blister.
Predictions for JP:
1st AB – ground out to third
2nd AB – strikeout with a man at third.
3rd AB – pop fly to left
4th AB – bunt back to the pitcher
Ba&tard.
Prediction; Hepierres will bite.
Herpierres.
No No, except for the 2nd AB it’ll be OK because he hit it right at people.
But in Joe’s inane world, it is OK if you hit it at people.
As long as he hits it at them, he will start. So what happens when he starts hitting it where they’re not and gets on base? That was one of the lamest things I have ever heard from a manager. Unbelievable.
Over under on how many pitches Pierre sees tonight.
( 15)
I go under.
Over under on number of Jones K’s
(2)
I go over.
Over under on number of pitches by Penny in 5th inning:
(96)
I go over.
“I don’t think he [Kemp] has to prove anything,” Torre said. “If I don’t have Juan Pierre on the bench, he would be in there. With a guy like Peavy, you are not concerned about how far you hit it, but how often you hit it.”
I want to blow my brains out when i read this crap.
Just awful when you’re going against one of the best pitchers in the league and you’ve got three guys in your line-up that are hitting well under .200. Martin’s your catcher OK, but Kemp should be in there not JP, and I’d be sitting Fridge another game and let DY have a start.
‘Course the downside would be that neither JP or AJ are any good off the bench.
If I didn’t have Tomko, Billingsley would be in the rotaton….Oh wait…..
Great comment by Joe – JP hits the ball ALL THE TIME. Doesn’t mean he can hit nor move runners along. Hell, sit AJ, not Kemp.
The line-ups and statements that come out of Joe reminds me of trying to argue with an irrational person, which is of course impossible because their thought processes are on a totally different level than the real world. In otherwords, don’t try and make sense of it or you’ll drive yourself crazy.
I know, he is lying to our faces cause he has nothing else to say.
Kevin Pearson’s (Press-Enterprise) entire blog entry is worth reading:
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Matt Kemp was out of the lineup again with the Padres sending Jake Peavy to the mound. This marks the fourth time in a week that Kemp has not started when the opposing team starts a RHP who made the All-Star team last season.
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Kemp sounded disappointed over the matter and I asked him if it was frustrating because he needed those at-bats to prove he could hit tough right-handers, and he admitted that a chance to prove himself would be nice.
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“I believe I hit righties pretty good,” Kemp said. “I don’t have an answer to the question (of why I don’t play), I really don’t, but I wish I could get in there against those guys.
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“Pitchers make mistakes. He might not make as many mistakes as a third, fourth or fifth starter, but he does make mistakes and he is very hittable. I know I can hit him.”
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Joe Torre said that Kemp’s opportunities will come but he wanted to go with Juan Pierre’s experience.
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“I don’t think he has to prove anything,” Torre said. “If I don’t have Juan Pierre on the bench, he would be in there. With a guy like Peavy, you are not concerned about how far you hit it, but how often you hit it.”
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http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/prosports/2008/04/kemp-vs-rhp.html
Penny sure does like to put us on edge early in the game. He’s starting out with a lot of pitches again tonight.
Enchanted, you’re reading my mind! Kemp is getting that sweet swing back – but AJ looks ridiculous. I don’t get it . . . .
Torre is a blithering idiot. At least on this issue. No more need be said.
I realize that Joe Torre is paid more than lifetime salary will be to manage the Dodgers and I get paid diddly-squat to comment about baseball, but I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH TORRE’S take on this and COMPLETELY AGREE WITH KEMP. Peavy is a great pitcher because he doesn’t make many mistakes and when he does, you’d better hit them really darn hard. Who is more likely to do that? Heck, Kemp might hit it out for at least one run.
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I just want to spit.
A coupler of more innings like that would be just what the doctor ordered. Nice to ses Ethier come through with an SF.
Huh. Maybe there a reason for the pay disparity.
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WAIT – JP hits that into CF, Matt Kemp hits in over the CF wall. Yeah, that’s it.
I think thats twice this year that Andre has flied out on 3-0. If he works a walk and Kent singles ( I know Kent gets pitched differently) 2 runners score and the score is 3-0. I dont think young hitters should get the green light in that spot.
check that score would be 2-0–
Seems to me they got the minimum out of the maximum again. I’m just following along on gameday and not watching, but why didn’t our speedy LFer score from 2nd on a ground single to left?
it was hit between the 3B and SS and to pause and make sure it got through
The pitch count is hurting.
I can’t believe the HOGWASH that comes out or Torre’s mouth. If Kemp would have seen the same pitch as Pissair it would now be 2 zip
lets knock Peavy out of this game
10 games into the season or 100. IMO, Jones $ucks.
Come on Andruw, it was a foot outside. He needs to spend some serious time with a batting coach for a couple of days.
At least we can say we are hitting him.
Same ol crap as last year. We can’t get runners in from 2nd base with no outs. Good hit Penny. Shame Martin couldn’t score
Andruw is not helping us at all.
I think he has only one thought and that’s crushing the ball.
I bet the Braves’ management is laughing their *** off looking at AJ’s season. No wonder they didn’t make any effort to keep him. He is our highest paid player, right?
Andruw Jones strikes out too much and his OBP is hideous. I can see why Joe moved him down to the 7th spot in the line up. His only other option is to sit him down, but that hurts to watch 18 million doing nothing.
Andruw Jones strikes out too much and his OBP is hideous. I can see why Joe moved him down to the 7th spot in the line up. His only other option is to sit him down, but that hurts to watch 18 million doing nothing.
Sorry about the double. This new posting is terrible
Same ol crap. Runners 2nd and 3ed, no outs and we score 1 measly run. Where is our power????????????????????
Well another run thanks to Ethier’s ground ball RBI.
Pierre looked good.
I hope that’s not all there is.
AJ is quickly going to get the #2 dead horse ranking on this blog. Hate to say it but dead horse #1 is outplaying him so far.
I don’t think 2 runs is enough to win this game with the way Penny is pitching.
That is what a weak arm does for you.
They don’t send that runner if anyone else is in Left…
This is going to be a long year and very painful.
The way we are playing this one looks to be over. Just the way this season feels in the early going…
Take him out, Torre.
Not sure the bullpen can go 5 innings successfully. Its a gamble either way…
Wow, 4 run inning…
Padres must just laugh at the Dodgers all the time and love playing us. We are like the stupid kid who always gets his lunch money stolen. I bet they wer just laughing when we signed Andruw Jones.
If Nomar comes back successfully, how much does that help?
Joe is asleep at the switch tonight.
This is pathetic. What the hell is wrong with this team??
We can’t score more than a run an inning but we can give up 3 with no problem. This totally sucks. I may never wear my Dodger caps or shirts the rest of the year.
I just hope Peavy doesn’t decide to settle down now.
Penny had it for the night.
martin is doing better at the plate.. Double and a Walk thus far..
Why is Jones always 0-2? I gotta think he will get out of the slump but wow, I never thought he would start like this. I remember at the start a few years ago when Drew started 0 for forever…
They should press charges against Andruw Jones for stealing and fraud. Another Scott Boras player not living up to his hype.
Hey Joe, In this league, you can pitch hit for the pitcher!!!!!!!!!!
Is there anything that this team an do?
With Penny at 89 pitches just have giving up 4 runs in one inning I would have hit for him.
What does Torre think?
Does he think that Penny has given up his quota of runs?
That from here on everything is going to be different?
Well, let’s see.
POOR, POOR, POOR, VERY POOR MANAGEMENT. WHAT THE HELL IS HE THINKING. PENNY’S DONE FOR THE NIGHT.
I’M GOING TO BED . I’LL CHECK BACK AGAIN IN JULY TO SEE HOW THE DODGERS ARE DOING THEN….
Its like watching a multi-million dollar version of the bad news bears – the bad news Ds. Jeez Andruw, lean into one and let it hit you if that’s the only way you can get on.
Exactly why is Kemp sitting on the bench?
If I’m Cap’n Frank, Ned’s in my office in the morning with some splainin’ to do.
Move Kemp to center, leave JP he is doing better than Jones…
Dewitt with the glove…
Nice to see a kid fighting for a spot on the team and earning his keep. Good job DeWitt.
UNBELIEVABLE
Down by 2 why is he running..
Nice job Slappy. Just another productive at batfor JP.
Well I guess everythings back to normal.
Geez Scully, can you make it a little more interesting??????
He’s about as enthused as the team is.
At least, take Penny out. He’s over a 100 pitches. The bullpin can’t do any worse. (oh yeah)
lol yeah, proctor might be able to do worse.
Would you believe Penny would pitch a complete 6 innings tonight?
This game is going to look a lot better on paper since it was only one run over a quality start.
Furcal and Loney our two best hitters..
I live in St Louis area. Have been a loyal fan over 50 years. I only got to see the team when they came to St Louie or when they played the Cubs or Atlanta or on Saturday game of the week. I finally went with MLB.TV and they picked this year to be playing lousy. Who would have thought.
This kid can hit ’em.
Jones swings at the bad pitches and lets the good fast ones right down the middle go that he could hit for a mile
I don’t know if it’s just me but
Didn’t Jones look a little more patient in that last AB?
I hate to watch anyone swing and miss at bad balls but when Jones does it he has that smirk with a small smile on his face and it really irks me.
Well, the Pads are set to score again. Good night
Does Torre know the names of everyone in the Bullpen? Procter and Beimel are in them all it seems.
That was the 4th 0.1 for Beimel this year or getting only one out.
Good point, Beimel made 9 pitches and Proctor made 5.
Furcal is a monster when that ankle works..
Man that Furcal in something else when he’s healthy.
We must re-sign him.
Nice batwork by Juanpy.
That’s 2 RBI for Herpierres and only 1 for AJ.
Hey guys,
Joe Torre, you are proving to be a total a-hole tool just like Ned. Matt Kemp on the bench is freaking blasphemy!
A few more lineups like this and I will root for individuals only like James Loney, Ethier, Martin, etc. and the Dodgers organization can rot in hel.l. for all I care.
This game had it’s moments.
We get another look at Jonesy swinging the lumber.
Nomar starts his rehab tomorrow with the 51s in Sacramento. Jonesy is rehabbing his swing in front of us in the bigs. Struck out his first AB, but now is getting the bat on the ball and hitting it at people.
Make that hitting it weakly at people.
what the hell kind of hitting was that from sweeney, looks at two good strikes then swings at a terrible one… andruw must be giving him batting advice
great, we lose again… this is getting really old really fast… maybe just maybe jones needs to be sat down not kemp… god they need to get there crap together.
Where’s the Panic Button???
Peavy gave up nine hits tonight with a clean hand. What’s up with that?
The Padre pitching wasn’t too good, too bad the Dodgers aren’t the type of team to take advantage of it.
Oh Well, nothing to do but come back tomorrow night.
Let’s hope they can score enough runs to support Lowe.
And let’s hope Lowe doesn’t leave his sinker at home.
NO NEED TO PRESS THE PANIC BUTTON.
1.Brad Penny did not show up today. Can’t be perfect every night.
2.Dodgers got a good quantatity of basehits tonight, and everyone contributed except JONES.
3. Good night for MR. JP
4. Good night for Marting hope he is breaking through his slump.
The only slappy that i see in this team is Andrew Jones.
He can’t hit the ball out of the infield. He has not hit a line drive. Pierre has come closer to hit the ball out of the park.
It is getting frustrated, they must sit Jones for a few games.
And put in Kemp.
Dodger management is a total joke. A loss is just what Torre deserved. I’ve been a Dodger fan since the Brooklyn days, but the current management is really testing my loyalty. Probably the best thing that could happen to the Dodgers this year is to finish last…and at the rate they’re going that’s just what might happen. Then maybe some changes would be made and we could get some competence in baseball decisions. Kemp needs to play everyday. He is the future of the franchise. Pierre is NOT. Having four outfielders is just plain stupid, yet Ned won’t resolve it. Torre even said if he didn’t have Pierre Kemp would be playing. This constant shuffling of the lineup has got to be unsettling to the players. It’s not the way you develop team chemistry and cohesiveness. I’m sure that Kemp’s desire to play out his career in LA will not last long the way he is being treated. For his sake, a trade would probably be best. Then he would be playing everyday and developing into the star we all think he will be. And Torre could play Pierre and Jones all the time without having to give his lame excuses, and Colletti could pickup some more veterans to block other Dodger kids. I don’t know how Kemp handles this situation, but it’s got to be getting to him and the team. If it’s bothering the players as much as the fans on this board, it certainly isn’t conducive to a winning season. But then, I doubt management really cares.
Josh,
I was one of the people who crticized the Dodgers with their autograph policy change. Now, let me be the first to commend them on reversing course and correcting an obvious wrong. It is nice to see that management knows when it makes a mistake and will see it and act appropriately.
Also, thank you for posting who is going to be in Autograph Alley. That idea is an excellent one by the Dodgers. Would it be possible for the Dodgers to post the “probables” for each homestand in the Upcoming Homestand Higlights? That would be outstanding.
PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP.
PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP.
PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP.
Get over it Jones need to sit so Kemp can played and no Kemp doesn’t have to played everyday.
Redfox, right on. Good post.
It’s like being behind the Iron Curtain. We have the Ned curtain.
Mr. Colletti, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL.
It’s not that plucking a veteran bat for your club doesn’t work. Campanis was uncanny in his ability to recognize talent and trade for it. Reggie Smith. Jimmy Wynn. Rick Monday. Dusty Baker. And they still played the kids–Buckner, Russell, Sizemore, Yeager, Cey, Garvey, et al. But somehow Ned keeps blundering. Maybe it’s just a run of bad luck for him. I know it’s early, but it’s tough to watch Jones and Pierre cluttering Kemp’s path. I admit I liked both signings at the time (in Pierre’s case they hadn’t signed Gonzo yet..) but I think I’m changing my mind. For Kemp and Ethier to play everyday, the older boys should platoon righty/lefty. Sorry Andruw, but maybe you’ve devolved into a role player. And because Pierre is a lefty, he’ll be getting more starts.
Mr. Joe Torre You need to play Matt Kemp who ia sitting on the bench behind you
Mr. Joe Torre You need to play Matt Kemp who ia sitting on the bench behind you
Mr. Joe Torre You need to play Matt Kemp who ia sitting on the bench behind you
Mr. Joe Torre You need to play Matt Kemp who is sitting on the bench behind you
Mr. Joe Torre You need to play Matt Kemp who is sitting on the bench behind you
Mr. Joe Torre You need to play Matt Kemp who is sitting on the bench behind you
Are you getting the message yet???????????????????
Have a new song for both Ned and Torre: “Simply Irresponsible”
The line-ups are improbable.
Huh?
The pitching is quite hitable.
The runs they aren’t so plentiful.
A loss is unavoidable.
[chorus]
They’re so bad Ned please tell me where the money went.
They’re so low, there’s no other way to go.
Andruw’s not so powerful.
His average undetectable.
Oooh ooh ooh oohoo oohoo
Why’s Pierre so playable?
Why is Kemp so benchable?
Its unavoidable the cellar he we come. Joe thinks of things that Little’s done before. Ned signs the vets to block out all the kids. We used to win a few but now Joe’s lead is simply irresponsible…
[chorus]
They’re so bad Ned please tell me where the money went.
They’re so low, there’s no other way to go.
SIMPLY IRRESPONSIBLE!!
It’s only a four game losing streak, but we’re now also in third/fourth place in the division. This shuffling of outfielders is not working – is that a big surprise for you, Joe. Keep it up, and that fourth place ranking will become permanent, plus a year will be wasted in Kemp’s development. That seems just unconscionable. This management picture is becoming laughable, but I suppose everything is all right with McCourt as long as the stands and especially the parking lots are filled.
Note to Frank – Fire Ned. Hire White. NO MORE VETS. I’d rather lose with the kids, than with the crap that covers center and left.
Note to Ned – next job you get, at least kick the tires before you buy.
Note to Joe – Play the kids!!
Frank,
Just look at the money being wasted, $9 mil., $14 mil., $18 mil. at a crack – enough to nicely fund one of your favorite charities or add a wing to your new mansion. Just take the checkbook away from Ned, or better yet take Ned away from the ballclub. You know, you’ll have to fire him at the end of the season, so, why wait. Let’s give it to Logan now and see what sense he can make of this ballclub.
And I hate to tell you, but Joe needs to get his head on straight too.
The Boy’s record so far is not what any of us had in mind to kick off the season. Least of all me. I certainly DID NOT enjoy traveling to PHX To watch a sub-par performance and have my nose rubbed in it by my family. As I said earlier, Jones looks over weight, and I think he would have swung at anything. I don’t know why the D-back’s pitchers just didn’t throw the ball in the dug out. He would have swung at that too.
But it is early and I refuse to think the entire season will go this way. This will turn around. It’s way to soon to be jumping off the pier.
Just like last year, nothings changed. Management is still ruining this team. How do you sit the future of this franchise and play Pierre instead? Jones should be sent to the minors if they can. Penny doesn’t look anything like a number 1. The bullpen is over rated and Saito hasn’t pitched in 5 days. I’m not even sure we’ll finish ahead of the Giants. Torre Little makes a fortune to make the same mistakes that were made last year. Maybe it will get better? Maybe not?
And now Loazia is no longer the 5th starter. which is great but 8 more wasted million. he will complain soon too.
2 5th starters: 23 million owed in 08 to Loazia and Schmidt
2 CF: 25 million owed in 08 to Pierre and Jones.
add another 10 million for Nomar and you almost got the cost of the Rockies team or the d-backs tied into those 4 players.
Logan White, or anybody but Colletti in 2009 or even sooner !!!
I know it’s another dead horse issue, but what else do we have to look forward to that will change anything.
How about, on a positive note, the great games pitched by McDonald, Kersh, and Meloan the past few days…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
The attitude and the lack of effort in several of the players was evident at the end of last year and it carried over into the spring training games and now has carried over into the regular season.
We have so many players making many times more $$$$$ than they can begin to be worth to the ball club. We send 3 to 4 players to AAA that were and are hitting better than some of the vets on the big club now and maybe they should be brought up and sit AJ and Kent and JP and let Kemp and the other kids play. They certainly can’t do any worse. AJ is a joke at this point. We can’t score more than 1 run per inning and we leave more runners in scoring position than any team in the majors. This is getting sickening. Bench AJ till he loses 25 pounds and lets turn this season around. AJ needs to look at films and take batting practice till he starts hitting line drives somewhere. He’s making about 17.8 million more than he’s worth at this point.
And the problem is management just has a blind eye and can’t see past their paychecks either. Maybe every ones checks should stop till they start performing on a daily basis.
We have the misfortune to be in the toughest division in baseball and it’s going to be a tough year even if we play our best every day.
that stat about the salary is very sobering, jungar. we will have over 50 million coming off the books this offseason (furcal, lowe, kent, nomar, loaiza, bennett, sweeney, chan-ho). and another 38 million coming off the books next season (jones, penny, schmidt). with that said, ned will probably go out and sign somebody like marcus thames to an 8-year 90 million dollar contract, and extend chan-ho for 45 million over 3 years. he will than go on to play godfather and make shea hillenbrand an offer he can’t refuse. probably something like 28 million over 4 years. i wouldn’t be the least bit surprised.
The Dodgers again made it a one-run game in the bottom of the seventh as Furcal hit a one-out triple and Pierre’s suicide squeeze bunt allowed Furcal to cross the plate to make it a 5-4 contest.
—
When this happened last night I knew we lost the game.
I have to be honest. I was one of the biggest Pierre bashers out there. But this past week he hasn’t looked so bad at all… especially compared to Jones. It might not be the worst thing to have Jones sit down for more than one game and let Kemp-Pierre-Ethier play. I never thought I’d say this but, start JP tonight against Young, hopefully he will get a couple of stolen bases. Just sit Jones so you can send him a message, PLEASE JOE! Also, BTW, if you’re not going to play Kemp atleast trade him somewhere where he isn’t blocked. The kid has nothing left to prove and I feel awful for him.
Very pleased to hear Loaiza is not the 5th starter anymore. I’ll take our chances with Kuo over him and an injured Schmidt any day.
I’m glad I don’t have any money invested with the majority that post on here. One bad week in the market and everyone would be selling everything. It has been 10 games! That’s like 7% of the season. Look I’m frustrated too. Jones hasn’t got it done. The bats are coming around, it is going to take time. Maybe 6 weeks. So what’s going to happen if the Dodgers rip off 8 out of 10? Everyone here will be rejoicing and talking pennant. Lets keep an even keel for a bit. BTW, I love how everyone here rips Ned and then when he answers a couple of softball questions everyone bow downs and kisses his ***.
When I say take time I mean for Joe to really get to know his players…lineups…etc
So now you want to platoon a 17 mill player with a 8 mill player. funny and sad and maybe not a bad idea.
its actually been 20 years.
I just figured out why ned signed jones… he knew jones sucked and that we would jump on him and hate him… so we would ask for pierre to play… like we are now… hmm
“If I don’t have Juan Pierre on the bench, he (Kemp) would be in there.” — Joe Torre
============================================================
And thus we get to the heart of the problem.
Trade Pierre NOW!! Preferabaly TODAY. His value will never be higher.
Thank you to the Dodgers for recognizing a mistake (the autograph policy) and correcting it. Although it affects me personally not a whit, I really appreciate it.
I asked you nicely not to do it, Joe. But you just wouldn’t listen. Now I’m forced to use your name in the same sentence as Grady Little’s in wondering if Joe Torre is any better than the manager we suffered last year.
.
P.S My last three posts are a little untimely, but apparently I have occasional other social obligations that keep me from listening/watching/attending every Dodgers game. Of course, the way things are going lately, this may be a hidden blessing to my mental health.
Don’t anybody tell Ned, but Spiezio is available again, heaven forbid.
Good one Enchanted. LOL
I’ll give Torre his due, but you’d think he’d be chomping at the bit to have a player of Kemp’s caliber on the field. His 4 wins/6 losses line-ups obviously aren’t the answers. 20 years and counting. So here’s an idea. Let’s say we round up 500,000 Dodger fans, each pony up $1000, and buy out McCourt. He’ll make a $70 million profit and go away. Then the fans run the Dodgers and we make ALL decisions on this blog. Pierre and Jones are traded within 24 hours and we start an outfield of Ethier/Kemp/Repko. Kent, Nomar and Loiaza are traded within 48 hours. We lower parking prices to $5, rip all advertising off the fences of Dodger Stadium, and play minimum salary kids forever. Couldn’t be any worse than those last 20 years I alluded to…
Love the idea Kahliforni… sign me up for 2000, I hate whats happnening to much ill put extra in to get them out of there…
Glad you liked hit jhall – thought we could all use a laugh after another abysmal showing.
Might be another one of those days to bring out the “A” material…
I’m in for a grand. Only a couple hundred thou fans more.
jungar, I’m also not opposed to the idea(I can’t remember who brought it up originally) of platooning Jones and Pierre. Atleast for a little while until Jones gets hot…
Put me down for 10,000 – more basis for my hostile take-over later 🙂
So far we need 499, 986 more investors (counting enchanted’s ten shares, dodge16’s two shares, and single shares for fliegel and myself). Come on, people, we can become Green Bay!!!!!! Let’s take our team back from the corporations and millionaires.
you know Kahliforni, sign me up for 20 shares not 2… can we fire ned and hire logan white when we take over?
If the Dodgers start hitting, I’ll be elated, but there”s lot more problems than just the hitting. We also have a ton of pitching problems, but the biggest problem I can see is there’s no winning attitude or team spirit on this team at present. It may come and it will have to if we are to finish better than 4th place this season.
I don’t see a big change coming anytime soon.
We have big problems…Number one is the General Manager…Ned Coletti….He doesn’t know how to put a team together…I say look at Arizona…Do you see old vets clogging it up for the young guys…? NO!!!!!….but forget Pierre for now…he has been doing better than Andruw ( who hasn’t)…and because we don’t have any big hitters I think we need the speed right now at the top of the lineup…But now we have another problem….Penny and the middle relief….who would have thought that!…I never liked Proctor and who knows if this Toransco( not sure of spelling) will be up to the major leagues…With good middle relief we could have won that game….Since the Dodgers don’t have a team to win it all, let the young ones play and forget about putting Nomar back in…which I’m sure they will as soon as he’s ready…DeWitt isn’t the problem….
Wonder how Andruw likes hearing boos from 50,000 fans every at bat..?!…But this mostly stems from Ned…Every offseason he makes another mistake….We need a power bat and he pays $18 mil per year for 2 years for a guy who hit 225 ish…thinking he’d turn it around…I said when we acquired him it was wrong…still feel that way,, even though it’s early….I would much rather have less of a “star” player and more of a just really good player…remember Jason Werth…I would prefer him……haven’t liked Andruw for quite awhile….good fielder, but not at the plate….could have spent less money on a good player and get some more pitching..!!!….Logan White now and then..!!!
That’s the problem, fans still go to the games whether we win or lose. Okay everybody loses once in a while, but the Dodgers do more than their fair share. Look how bad it’s getting we’d rather see Pierre play instead of Jones, and Pierre is lousy. If fans stop showing up until they put a quality product on the field , it might change. If we’re going to lose anyway, then play the young guys and let them get the experience they need to be successful.
I think they should recall Repko and play him in center and Kemp in right and Ethier in left for 10 straight games with no platooning and see the results. I think it would surprise everyone
Absolutely agree with that, fliegel. They’ll probably still draw 4 million or close to it whether we’re first or fourth. I’d rather see the young guys fight through the hard times and mature compared to watching some overpaid and underperforming what I would call Dodger “mercenaries” that don’t have our tradition or sully it. I’m also glad to hear about our minor leaguers like Meloan, McDonald and Kershaw, because we’ll need everyone of them. Good also to see that Kuo will be given a chance to start next week. After next year I don’t see Penny or Lowe being a Dodger.
When it comes to attitude, Jones strikes out and seems to have an I don’t care attitude about it. They are pitching him far outside and he swings at it. He could walk half his plate appearances if he didn’t swing at everything. Maybe that’s the way he handles but it pisses me off.
We have the option on Penny for 2009. Its around $9M so barring a major injury, Penny will be back next year.
I’m getting really sick and tired of this:
Furcal, Pierre, Ethier, Loney, Martin, Jones, DeWitt, Hu, Lowe vs. Young
No Kemp…again.
I think they should resign penny, I mean why not, hes a good pitcher, he was won 16 two straight seasons. I hope he gets 17 this season… lowe, I like him but hes replacable… a kershaw could replace him… why not even ben sheets if he can prove to be healthy this season…
Did they post the line-up? I haven’t seen it.
Might as well get used to it. They’re not going to sit Jones and Pierre and their $27M.
They must have, Alex posted it.
How can a manager with Torre’s experience and intelligence sit Kemp night after night after the 2007 season when he was one of the best hitters on the team. Absolutely makes no sense to me.
This is outrageous. It is completely ridiculous. What is the point of rooting for this team when it is not making every effort to win?
I was a Dodgers fan growing up in Orange County, and stuck with the team when I lived in New Jersey, New York, and now Ohio. I pay $150 dollars every year to watch Dodgers games. I stay up until 1am every morning to watch them. I agonize every moment for this team and they’re not even trying to win games.
The Indians, with management that actually knows how to run a baseball team, are beckoning. I’m sure they would love to have a fan who appreciates a well-run baseball team. I wouldn’t have to pay a cent to watch them. And I could go to bed at a reasonable hour!
Greg
Well it looks like Kemp will start 15-20% of the time against the N.L West, considering how many great right handers there are in this division. We’re primed for fourth place if we don’t put our best players out there. The Jones signing was a great move if it involved putting Pierre on the bench NOT Kemp or Ethier. Jones replacing Kemp or Ethier makes this team worse not better. This team continues to make mistakes while the D’Backs play the same eight 90% of the time and they’re on their way to another division championship. This team has no direction and it starts at the top all the way down. This organization is pathetic right now. Prove me wrong, I doubt they can.
If that’s the line-up, why not just hand the game to the Pads?… and exactly WHAT TEAM is Kemp going to be the superstar of? More inane managing and front office work – you wouldn’t trade Kemp because you wanted him to play right, but you won’t play him because you’re going to play two inferior guys infront of him…
SIMPLY IRRESPONSIBLE.
Its not even a platoon at this point…
Hey Pellam, I am also in Ohio and I root for the Indians. My second team. Since they are in the AL, it is not a conflict. I also root for the Red’s unless they are playing the Dodgers. Cleveland is a well run franchise and fun to watch. Good fundamentals and they don’t gum up the works with over the hill, and/or overpriced crap.
Fire Joe Torre. Seriously.
I agree with you pellam.1. I used to listen to Dodger games on Chicago cubs radio network and Atlanta radio before games were shown on the tv stations and listened on Cardinal network till the wee hours of the morning. It just makes me mad that they are not putting the best players on the field, namely Kemp. I envy you guys in the LA area but I’ve always lived in the midwest but a loyal Dodger fan for over 50 yrs.
Play the best players and I wouldn’t be so mad when we lose. I would feel we are doing our best.
They got it right on Opening Day and since then they’ve been playing around with something that had a clear and direct answer since day one and before then. There’s nothing to tinker with, we have the right eight, just play them. We could be 6 games back tomorrow afternoon. These games matter and we have no idea who we’re playing day after day.
He goes 5-10 in the Arizona series and then he is benched for two straight… Just ridiculous… He must be better off the bench because he can hit for power…
I can live with losing if I know we’ve played the right players. Opening Day felt SO GOOD, win or loss. I want that feeling back or it’s another wasted season while stumping the growth of Matt Kemp…again. Oh yeah and Justin Upton who plays everyday (even against the tough righties) is doing pretty good. Maybe that’s why they’re in first place, because they play their best players. Idiots.
All we can do is pray that Jones gets his crap together and gets 25-30 bombs and 80+ ribbbies. If not we are screwed because he is going to play everyday. Too much money. Same with Herpierre. Hope he gets 200 hits and scores a hundred plus. We’ve been had.
Im really starting to wonder what JP’s agent said to ned. He’s started every game since we heard there was a conversation.
If your owner hires an exec from your most hated rival to run your team, you might be a Dodger fan.
If your left fielder’s hat size is larger than his lifetime total of home runs, you might be a Dodger fan.
If you’re team’s using its 53rd line-up in 53 games, you might be a Dodger fan.
If your manager sees a guy go 0 for 4 but is happy because he “hit it right at people”, you might be a Dodger fan.
If your GM has spent $136 million on guys named Bloaiza, Trigger, Schidt, and The Fridge, you might be a Dodger fan.
If your most prized player sits on the bench in favor of “noodlearm” and “pudgeboy”, you might be a Dodger fan.
And if your center fielder’s waistline is bigger than his batting average, you might just be a Dodger fan.
Feel free to add your own…
LOL E.
If your blog site can make better baseball decisions than your GM. You might be a Dodger Fan.
If you stay up till 1:30 am eastern time you are certainly a Dodger fan
Maybe by putting in a line-up that’s sure not to score many runs, Joe’s genius is that he’s teaching the pitchers to be REALLY good.
Like I said last night: PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP.
PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP.
PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP. PLAY KEMP.
Thank RIGLYNN. When you follow a team for 60 years and you almost missed them for 50 what else can a 70 year old do better than stay up ’till the wee hours watching the Dodgers.
Matt if you ever read the bogs, we’re all behind you. We the fans want you to play just as much we do Andre, and also to have you wearing Dodger Blue for a good long time!
I’m watching Think Blue TV (yes I do hate myself), and EK keeps singing the praises of Pierre and how he needs to hit second to feel “important”. I don’t understand what’s going on out there.. I feel like I am living in some bizarro world. It’s pathetic that I feel desperate over a baseball team but it is making me feel like that and we’re only ten games in.
JOSH must be having an awful lot of trouble with this blog.
I don’t think he would do this to us on purpose.
This new blog site is terrible
Here we go again. Giving up runs in the first inning. What’s with our pitching?
Edmonds doesn’t look as frightening as a Padre.
But I guess it’s not the uniform.
Raffy should have hit that HR yesterday for the cycle
I sure wish I could watch our best young player play..
My guess is they hired Torre because he WOULD play Pierre. Who can question 4 rings.
Gosh bench Jones now.
Jones is swinging at everything outside. He’s striking out 1/3 of the times he’s up
2 runs. That’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick
I just hope we can score some more.
What do you think of K-Jones?
I honestly don’t think we’re far from the dump ‘Druw campaign.
Yes, Torre’s a vets manager… Difference being that there’s a huge disparity between the vets he had in NY and the vets he has here.
I’d rather have Dunn bat than Jones bat.
Joe, did Kemp make a pass at your wife or what?
Joness is pathetic.
Actually, for a team going with a youth movement (well, in theory anyway), Torre was the worst possible choice.
No wonder Ned didn’t wanted to signed any Boras clients because they’re pathetic.
Absolutely agree, enchanted.
Hope that’s not it from our guys.
Lowe has only gotten 2 ground ball outs
Before the season started, Jones said he knew what he did wrong last year at the plate. May be, but he sure as hell hasn’t done anything to correct it. Swinging at all the bad pitches. Pitchers have figured out he swings at pitches far outside. Going to be a long season Andruw. Play Kemp in center and Bench AJ
Yep, we missed out on the best possible manager. Joe G stayed with the Yanks.
Boy, if I were a good young player I would never sign with the Dodgers. They used to be a real class act in days gone by, and wearing Dodger blue used to be really special. Now it’s a invitation for sympathy. The way they treated Loney last year and the way they are treating Kemp, Young, and Repko this year is unconscionable. What young player watching that would want to be a Dodger??
We didn’t need Pierre or Jones when Colletti signed them. We don’t need them now. We won’t need them in the future. It was a total waste of money and a clear indication that Colletti doesn’t know what he is doing. But since he signed TWO center fielders, they are the ones that should be platooning. Left field belongs to Ethier and right field belongs to Kemp EVERYDAY. Torre’s lineups show us he doesn’t know what he’s doing either. But what we do know is that what Colletti and Torre are doing to Kemp and the FANS is outrageous. May the Dodgers soon rest in peace in last place where Colletti and Torre deserve to reside. Perhaps only that will bring about the changes that nothing else seems able to accomplish.
shad – Fool me once shame on you (Drews opt out), fool me twice shame on me (Jones.) Those who say Ned’s learning better look again (and again and again.)
BTW, I see JPs back to his usual.
And you can’t tell me Kemp will do any worse than Jones against “elite” pitching.
Steve’s getting upset!!!!!
I agree redfox.
Nice shot by Dewitt he now has 4 RBI
Hey Jones, that’s the way you bring in the runs. Dewitt playing good ball.
wooo DeWitt
Lowe now has as many RBI’s as Jones!!!
Lowe just proved all you have to do is hit the ball with the bases loaded, you never know what could happen.
That’s the way to go ETHIER
Ethier 3 for 3 tonight. This kid is really going to turn heads this year.
YaHoooooooo!!!
Ethier & Loney have each hit 2 HRs tied with Kent
It’s too bad that Kemp isn’t getting a chance, right now.
2-out doubles can’t seem to score our beloved center fielder from first. Great opportunity to get Kemp some ABs. Joe?
It’s about time. This team is capable of this kind of performance if everyone hits to their potential.
Paging Wes Parker…does Ethier have a triple in him?
DeWitt is hitting pretty deep shots lately, it may not be the extent of his power.
Lowes actually knocked in 3 runs, I think 2 RBI
He must be one of the best Dodger hitters with the bases loaded.
Wooooooohooooooooo Kemp is PH.
Thank you, Joe…
Nice to see Lowe get some run support for a change.
Martin hasn’t homered yet, but he is swinging level and hitting the ball good. Almost makes you want to bet he’ll hit his first before Jones.
Nice of the Pads to give Lowe a couple easy one pitch outs.
Yes Enchanted Unusual but good for Lowe.
Go to see the runs for him.
Now Derek has at least 3 RBI
Just got in from work, where I saw Furcal knock one out on the dining room TV. Great to see us spanking the Pads again. and it’s not everyday that a player knocks in 25% of their lifetime RBIs the way Lowe has. Too bad we couldn’t sneak out with a win last night.
and we got Maddux tomorrow… wonder if he still “relieves” the rooks…
Nah, we don’t need Kemp in the line-up.
KEMP KEMP KEMP KEMP all the boys are back in town.
That’s showing them KEMP!
Wonder if that was a “in your face, Joe” smash from Kemp!
Right On Matt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not counting Lowe, the vets are 1 for 10 tonight. The kids are 10 for 20.
PLAY THE KIDS JOE!!!
This is what you call a gem by Lowe
And the Dodgers
Good for the confidence
and good for mind.
Its easy to pitch up by 10 runs, but Lowe gave us exactly what we needed – a night off for the BP.
enchant say what? No one said Drew but was going to I said Dunn.
JD Drew is a Boras client who burned Ned by opting out, then Ned bites on Boras’ snakeoil pitch for Andruw.
Simply stated, Ned’s an idiot.
It’s good to win no matter how often.
It’s good see Lowe pitch 8 solid innigs.
It’s good to see the guys flex their muscles.
They should sleep good tonight.
Have enough enegy to face Greg Maddux.
Nice win..lets keep it going.
Sit down Juan.
Kemp needs to bat 2nd or 3rd. See more good pitches to hit with Ferk and/or Ethier on in front of him. Also, Loney behind him. Notice, Herpierre is not in the equation.
Ferk
Ethier
Kemp
Loney
Kent
Jones
Martin
DeWitt
Pitcher
DeWitt is the real deal. I hope to god they don’t activate Nomar and hand him 3rd. What a crime that would be.
Its very obvious that Nomar has Noplace on this team.
Fear Not! Only Believe! Extraordinary 11 to 1 Victory by our Beloved Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Diego Padres! All of of us Dodger fans, Let’s all pull together and lift up all the Dodger players! Root for them! Dont speak evil of them!.Give Joe Torre Time! You’ll see him weave his magic!Derek Lowe is a True Dodger Soldier and Champion Pitcher! Rafael Furcal is out of this World !Andre Ethier is Mr.Dangerous! All the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers were Super! Superman Jeff Kent, you never let us down! They will be many other occasions when The Man of Steel will rise to the occasion and lead His Beloved Dodgers to Victory as Champion Pitcher Derek Lowe did Tonight! Take Heart All of of us Los Angeles Dodger Fans, The Absolute Very Best is Yet to Come!
Oh ok enchant I know Drew was Boras client but I thought you would talking about my comment about I wish we had Dunn bat instead of Jones bat.
Not really trying to defend Ned, but the Jones signing really was a good move that has not turned out well so far. If you recall the guy wanted 18 mil over 5-7 years, so i think the fact that Ned dug his heels in at 2 years says something. The guy was/maybe still is a great player. Lets give him some time and see what happens, but whatever does happen I will never blame Ned for taking a chance to make the team better by signing a guy in Jones who had tools that we needed. And, from what i can tell, he is seeing the ball much better now than he was the first week. … as evidenced by two walks tonight… He has always been a streaky hitter,, call me optimistic if you will but i just very happy we got an easy W…
Everybody close to the team considers it a given that Nomar will replace DeWitt probably by next weekend. That’s the way the game is played by this management. Never mind that Nomar hopefully won’t be asked to come back after this season. That’s just the philosophy of “veterans before anybody else” that has been Ned’s and Torre’s system and will continue to be. I would have no problem with inserting LaRoche when he comes back ready to go, because it was his time to show what he can do. Nomar could just as easily be brought back to do the super-sub job unless and until he heats up. He probably wouldn’t take kindly to that, and maybe even his agent would call Ned. But I’m sure Ned won’t have to worry about that, because it’s “veterans first”, or maybe it’s “big money first”.
Torre said he’s not concerned with power, but wants to focus on scoring runs? What the he++ does that mean? It probably means that his bench player Pierre will start instead of the better player Kemp. I’ve never seen a team that is their own worst enemy like these mismanaged Dodgers.
Kouzmanoff wasn’t hitting at all at the beginning of last year. The Pads stuck with him and now he’s a pretty productive player. That’s what you have to do with young guys, stick with them. Kemp is the obvious , but what about Dewitt? I think he’ll be a pretty good ball player if given the chance. To send him down for Nomar, or NOmore as I like to call him , is just wrong. Wrong for the player , and wrong for the team. Just another case of management making the wrong decisions.
I welcomed the Jones signing too ewk, but right now we’re getting a double whammy from it – not only is he looking awful at the plate, it appears that he’s replacing Kemp rather than Pierre. Last night he left a runner at third with less than two outs by striking out [again.] 2-3 games off to work on his body and mind wouldn’t hurt.
As for JP playing ahead of Kemp, that’s just unbelieveable. No one in their right mind would allow that to happen. We were all going to be appalled if JP played ahead of Andre, but to play him ahead of Matty ranks higher than anything Grittle did on the stupidity level. How’s Kemp going to learn how to hit all kinds of pitching unless he sees it?
So far I have JP taking 13 PAs away from Kemp. His line in those PAs:
12AB 0R 3H 2BI 1BB
Think that’s pretty accurate. Too early IMO to project anything Kemp would’ve done with those PAs.
I think that AJ is now also an inadequate base runner – don’t know if this is lack of conditioning or what. He couldn’t score from first with two outs on a double, and couldn’t score from second, I believe, on a single. Can’t see a slowdown in his outfield play. In any case, I don’t see any reason for Pierre and AJ both playing in the same lineup – that is just a recipe for leaving someone better off the field, be it Ethier or Kemp.
fliegel – I’m sure DeWitt gets sent out when Nomore gets back…
Be nice to have a no range 3B for a change though – we’re so much better than all the other teams in the division that management wants to keep parity with them instead of making them feel bad by running away with the division. Hence we’ve already had to sit our best athlete on the bench and start two inferiors instead. But dang it, we’ll still be so doggone much better that we’ll need to put in a brokendown no range slow 3B hacker so that other teams can get a few more hits through the left side and a few more DPs on defense. Don’t know if that’ll totally do the trick though, so Ned’s probably on the lookout for more old vets to be able to bring us back to the pack.
Eventually though through the powers of Ned and Joe, we’ll be able to reach that equilibrium with the Giants.
enchanted, it’s a total shame the way this team is run. I wonder if any other club would be playing Pierre over Kemp or would play Nomore over Dewitt? I’d have to guess not.
Dodgers’ $36.2-million free-agent signee is homer-less and, with a .105 average, isn’t hitting even half his weight. But he doesn’t appear worried, or even bothered.
April 13, 2008
Talked to the Dodgers’ Andruw Jones before Saturday night’s game, and he whiffed again.
I wanted to know if the tubbo thought he could maybe hit his weight at some point this season.
He said he’s not fat and doing just fine, apparently envisioning himself as some sort of supermodel and weighing in with a .105 batting average.
He said he’s 240 pounds, and I said no way, and so he said, “Do you want me to go weigh myself?”
I said, “Yes, I do,” and he said the scale was off limits to the media because as you know the Dodgers get their jollies making most areas around here off limits to people.
“Let’s go,” I said while leading him to the scale, and he checked in at 248 pounds. “My shoes are on,” he said, sounding more like my wife than the Dodgers’ center fielder.
I suggested a diet contest benefiting Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA since I would like to drop a ton before a special event in June, but Jones wanted no part of it.
“You’re hilarious,” he said. “I don’t have to prove really nothing.”
I guess that’s what happens when a team agrees to pay you $36.2 million over two years.
General Manager Ned Colletti said Jones’ best weight is somewhere between 235 and 240. Colletti also said Jason Schmidt would help the Dodgers.
Manager Joe Torre, a former tubbo who dropped 20 pounds as a player and then went on to hit .325 and .363, said he could talk until blue in the face, but if Jones isn’t buying it, it’s not going to make a difference.
The Dodgers, though, have paid Torre to make a difference.
Jones said it doesn’t matter what Torre thinks, and I guess that’s what happens when a team agrees to pay you $36.2 million over two years.
“That’s their problem whatever they think; I have no problem with my weight,” the tubbo said.
Maybe it’s a problem and maybe it’s not, I said, but when you come to a team, struggle and look like a player who just didn’t care enough to be in shape when the season begins, it upsets fans.
“That’s part of life,” he said. “Good players get booed. Look at A-Rod.”
The tubbo should ever look that good in a uniform.
The fans in Dodger Stadium, catching the tubbo’s act for only the fourth time at home in a Dodgers uniform, booed Jones on Friday night after another wretched performance.
They even booed him in pregame introductions Saturday night, and with runners on first and third in the first, he struck out — the fans letting him have it again.
In the third, with runners on first and second, he walked, a Dodgers highlight so far this season.
“I don’t have to tell fans nothing,” he said, and he certainly knows how to sell those Andruw Jones jerseys. “If they want to support me, fine; if they don’t want to support me, that’s their choice. I can’t worry about what other people say. They’re not God.
“You get paid for what you do.”
Well then, you seem to be terribly overpaid at the current time, I said.
Jones hit .222 last season, and the Dodgers gave him $36.2 million. What would they have paid him had he hit his weight?
“It’s not the first time in my life I’ve struggled,” said Jones, who struck out 51 times in the Braves’ first 41 games last season.
I told him I had to admit he was improving, striking out 11 times in the first 10 games — at that pace striking out only 45 times in 41 games.
“I’m not going to hit 27 home runs in April,” he said.
“How about one?” I suggested.
Jones had four hits and the same slugging percentage as Juan Pierre before Saturday’s game, then went 0 for 3 and struck out again. The extra weight and the smirk that always seems plastered across his face, while charming, make it seem at times that he just doesn’t care.
“Do I have to be sad all the time?” he said. “My mom is still living, my dad is still living, and my mom thinks I’m fine and that’s what matters.
“If I didn’t care then why have I played more games than any other active player since 1997?” he said, maybe for the first time showing a little life. “We’ll see when the season is over in September or August.”
I had no idea the Dodgers’ season might be over as early as August, but the way he’s swinging the bat, it makes sense.
TORRE IS new on the job, so trying to help, I told him he’s got it all wrong so far, playing Pierre when Matt Kemp should be in the lineup every game.
“We need to get Andruw started,” he began, explaining why he has Jones in the every-day lineup.
If that’s the case, until Jones hits one out of the park, that’s another reason to put Kemp’s power into the lineup.
“I can’t concern myself with power right now,” he said. “We need to generate some offense, and have to start small.”
So that’s why he’s going with the shrimp over Kemp.
OK villagers, at what point do we storm the Dodger Bastille and take control from the tyranical despots saying, “Let them have Trigger and Nomore?”
Viva la Logan!!!
(Start singing La Marseillaise now and there won’t be a dry eye in the place)
That’s a good character study that you have summarized there, jungar concerning AJ’s attitude. Seems like last year the catch phrase was “character”, and we had Gonzo. This year it’s “I don’t care what you think or tell me” courtesy of AJ. Neither attribute seems to be working like Colletti intended, but why should that surprise us. I’m wondering whether McCourt really has a clue as to what they’re doing with his money, but then neither Colletti nor Torre are going to have either $9 million, much less $18 million, sitting on the bench and pointing out that front office problem. Soon they’ll have another $9 million that they’ll have to play in Nomore. Lots of luck with the season, but that’s nobody’s concern but the fans.
You know, a team like the KC or Rangers would drool all over themselves if they had half the talented kids that we do (and would play them.) Why then does management disdain ours in favor of high priced washed up vets?
This team should have a payroll not exceeding $80-85 million (and that’s being generous) and still be competative playing all the kids. Sure they’re going to make mistakes, but I don’t see where veteran .105 hitting CFers, noodlearm LFers, and no range 2B and 3B will get us to the next level, except perhaps the next level of mediocrity.
As for Andruw, you can get away with that attitude if your Reggie Jackson and producing, but .105 hitters getting paid $18mil a year should get down on their knees and praise the Ned Lord for delivering them to the Dodger green pastures where old nags and cows can graze peacefully and live out the rest of their unproductive lives.
But what do I really think? LOL
wow, that HR by kemp was impressive. he just flicked that thing over the right field fence like it was nothing. 40 bucks says he’s riding the pine today. what a waste.
Should be interesting as to what Joe does today with the line-up. I dont think there is going to be too many happy people around here. I think Joe is going to do something like this:
Furcal
Pierre
Loney
Kent
Ethier
Kemp
DeWitt
Bennett
Billingsley
I think AJ has to sit down today. Kemp has to play. It fits well. JP has good #’s vs Maddux and some recent success, wouldn’t be surprised to see Martin get a day off, Bennett 4 for 13 lifetime vs GM. Martin sits today, next day off is either 4/19 or 4/27. Joe not too keen on night-day games for C.
You know, i think people are making way to big of an issue over Andruw’s weight. If you will all remember, he showed up to camp last year having dropped 10-15 pounds and it led to his worst statistical season ever… Also, his so called not caring, you know that he cares, but he also a major leaguer and realizes it has been 12 games and that you cant start overanalyzing when you play poorly for such a insignificant amount of games– it is going to happen.. He is a slow starter… I like that he is keeping an even-keel, because that is what baseball is all about…
Besides, he is only listed as 210 on the Dodgers website, which is certainly generous as are all team bio’s, but i dont think he is more than 230 if he is being listed as 210… Kemp is listed at 230, so, i think people are just looking to latch onto something to explain the poor start, but trust me, it has nothing to do with weight. Swinging at bad pitches has nothing to do with how heaavy or light you are… Its just swinging at bad pitches and having a poor approach, again, two things that have nothing to do with weight…
I really hope Russ doesn’t sit today… Didnt Bennett catch Bills second/first start that was awful…
Yea…on second thought he might not sit…they had a day off on Thursday and he might just play through the week and take next Saturday…we’ll see soon enough. In regards to AJ, I’m not gonna kill him on his weight, but I can understand how people look at it. 18mil/year and he can’t come to camp “in shape”. I think a day off can’t hurt. Crowd was on him pretty good last 2 games. It’s been 11 games so I’m not going to go nuts about him just yet. If it’s May 14 and he is hitting .180 with 3 HR’s then maybe I’ll get excited…don’t want to jump the gun which most people seem to do.
I agree tbooklv, but Jones needs to be sent a message. I think some of you are failing to realize that a win is a win and a loss is a loss, whether its in April or September. I understand its a marathon but that doesn’t mean you can put little to no value in these games.
NEW THREAD
The authorities who do the arrest are required to inform the suspect about these rights.
(unless the filing was a not guilty filing which means the
prosecution must ptove the defendants guilt) There are variouus conditions that can be put on a filing
inluding alcohol and drug counseling, domestic violence counseling or classes,
restitution, no contact with the victim and community service.
In addition to serving her prison term and house arrest, Stewart has suffered other consequences as a result of her actions.