Put a tent over this place…
It’s a circus! We just got finished with the 40-plus media outlets that jammed into our dugout to talk to Joe Torre about his return to New York. I certainly understand why it’s a big story, but it certainly tells you how much this man was beloved here.
Of course, for all of us, the four World Championships and 12 straight playoff appearances are not something that comfort anyone while we’re losing. That was as frustrating a series as I can remember and I know that everyone knows we have to play better. I think we just have to feel fortunate that we didn’t lose any ground in the standings.
Meanwhile, despite arriving at 4:30 a.m., we popped over to Yankee Stadium today for a tour of the old and new stadiums and both are pretty cool for different reasons. Hard to believe that after this year, Dodger Stadium will be the third-oldest in baseball. As for Shea Stadium, barring a postseason return, this is our final series here and safe to say, I don’t know many who will miss this joint.
On the bright side, Jeff Kent is expected to play tonight so let’s hope he’s back on track with his three-hit game on Monday. Here’s the lineup:
Pierre, LF
Ethier, RF
Martin, C
Kent, 2B
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
DeWitt, 3B
Maza, SS
Penny, P
Inside the Dodgers 
Responding to DNel from last thread:
.
I could go on for pages. Suffice it to say I couldn’t handle the Nedliness of the bureaucracy which is especially acute in the low-income neighborhoods I preferred to teach in.
I feel a big game from Mr Brad Penny tonight.
when raffy is ready to return, Hu needs to go back to AAA so he can play everyday and learn to hit again.. staying up here isn’t doing anything for his confidence..
Evaluating today’s lineup:
.
Seen better, seen worse. If you flipped 1 thru 8 UPSIDE DOWN it would be just as good. I don’t know if that speaks more to the quality of our young hitters up and down the lineup or JoJo’s incompetence.
Maza
DeWitt
Kemp
Loney
Kent
Martin
Ethier
Pierre
Let’s go Dodgers!
Let’s go Dodgers!
MLK – That is the sadest part of this job – it’s really is government that is screwing us up. If they would just let us teach, these kids would be so much better off then this insisting on testing with the standard that they all have to be 80% or higher in order to be considered successful. What a waste of some good artistic kids who will never stand a chance because they haven’t quite gotten how to read a chapter book or write a 3 paragraph essay by the time they are 7. That’s why I have tried to get so much fun into this classroom when the testing is over – it’s the experiences they will remember (baseball and Beatles), not that I taught them how to read, write and do math.
Okay. I’ll blog you all later. It’s time to get some actual studying done!
Let me be the first to complain about the leadoff spot. To be fair, his glove has been better than last year, even good most of the time. Just drop him in the lineup if you’re going to play him. Even put him in the two hole. That’s where he’s done virtually all of his best work with the lumber.
DNel,
.
Couldn’t have summed it up better.
OK, I didn’t make first.
This lineup just isn’t going to cut it. There is just no life and no excitement. We are in big trouble this weekend. This could be just what the Mets need to get back on track.
This is the trouble with JoJo in a nutshell. Because he’s fast and can steal bases that makes JPs a leadoff man. Because Kent’s a veteran and used to have some pop, that makes him a clean-up hitter. Because Sweeney’s high on the list of all time PHers, that makes him the primary PH. You’re never going to get JoJo to think outside his own world despite what statistics (and his own eyes) show. He truely is the wrong manager for this young team.
Why don’t they use Manny Mota to pinch hit? He’s high on the list and I’ll bet he can do better than .098.
AND ANOTHER THING! FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, GIVE HIM ANOTHER NUMBER SO HE STOPS SCREWING UP THE 22 OF BILL BUCKNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
We will keep losing until Raffy gets back I’m afraid. Jp has had a couple good games this year, but overall he’s the same ol’ Slappy Mc Groundout.
Wecome back to New York
I just hope we’re going through the last stages of the Dodgers untimely hitting, or to be more precise untimely outs.
I’d give some credit to the effective opposing pitching, which even better teams face.
I think it’s caused more by inexperience than by lack of knowhow. They know how but they need more experience at the major league level.
It’s anybody’s guess how long this period of ineptness will last.
With the anticipated return of Furcal, a slumpless Andruw and a seemingly aging but still productive Kent, there is some hope that this period will end sooner rather than later, but it is the present young talent in the lineup that are expected to pick up the torch.
I feel it’s going to be another rough 4 days with the Mets, who we usually find very hard to beat.
GO DODGERS(don’t embarrass me)!!!!!!!!
the dodgers need mattingly to help the hitting ,they all look lost ..,at least some are getting higher into the count .But Sweeny looks the worst .someone has to figure that he is through ,the old (soldiers never die) and the old ball players never quit .it must be the money as they don’t have any pride ..
eric,
I was worried about Sweeney ruining Franklin Stubbs’ #…
eric,
Did you get my post from previous thread? We got your pictures.
Scott& Eric – you’ll be happy to know Sweeney changed his # to 21 since loaiza is gone. Kershaw now has 22.
Ive enjoyed reading you guys I readit everyday hilarious.
Hey dnelson you said your from the bay area right? Where do you teach? My son goes to Washington high in Fremont & there’s a teacher there her name is Dana nelson..weird
Great number for Kershaw!
Sweeney’s new uni number and batting average may soon meet.
Need a good Penny tonight.
Let’s Go Dodgers!!!
Who called .100 the Sweeney line? – that was funny.
Bravo Jhall! I was beginning to do the “Imagine” song but yours is much better.! Thanks!
.
Pierre: Are you going to the games? I hope you will catch Kershaw on Friday.
Rats!!®
Pierre is losing a little speed, too – his only weapon. The mets announcers even mentioned it. He needs to join “the party” – lol!!
Your very welcome CRZ. Keep working on it. Its fun.
Nellie – and it’ll only get worse next year, and the year after and in 2011 when we still have him out in left.
kemploney – I’m from central valley (Merced – home of Brian Fuentes – Rox closer), and I teach first grade. However, I do know where Washington High is – been to Fremont a few times with my son’s baseball travel team. We used to live in Pleasanton when I first married.
Yep, Furter better get rid of Phew now while he is still living off his reputation. In a year or two he will be truly worthless.
here we go again
That’s great news about the 22, although I thought the 54 Kershaw was wearing fit nicely between Drysdale’s 53 and Hershiser’s (and Martin’s) 55.
dnel, I saw your note. I’m glad they got there in good shape, I’ve had some of them for over 40 years. As a father, thanks for everything that you’re doing. Here’s another one from Billy Joel. It’s so obvious, I should have done this one yesterday:
It’s nine o’ clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There’s an old man sitting next to me
Makin’ love to his tonic and gin.
He says, “Son can you take out some veterans?
I don’t really care who they are.
But I’m sick and I’m tired of these fools Ned acquired.
Can you do it while I stay in this bar?”
Da da da da de de daDa da de de da da
Help out the team, you’re the Piano Man,
Help out the Dodgers tonight.
Well, we’re all in the mood for a DFA.
The team’s getting younger, all right.
So I tug on my block and tackle rope
And I haul the piano on up
And I wait for Estaban Lo-a-i-za
To spill latte from his Starbucks cup
He says “Ned, I believe that my back is sore,”
As a smile ran away from his face.
“Well I’m sure that you’ll start feeling better
Once that Kershaw kid can take your place.”
Da da …
Help out the team, you’re the Piano Man,
Help out the Dodgers tonight.
Well, we’re all in the mood for a roster change.
The team’s getting younger, all right.
Now Bennett’s a steroid abuser,
Who’s not had a decent career.
Now he can’t throw a lick and he’s making me sick
So that piano is between his ears.
And Nomar is stealing his salary
While he sits and his bones hurt like hell
I’ve lined him up while he films bits with his wife
Now he’s also on the 60 DL
INSTRUMENTAL
Help out the team, you’re the Piano Man,
Help out the Dodgers tonight.
Well we’re all in the mood to cut Andruw Jones.
The team’s getting younger, all right.
It’s a pretty good crowd for a Saturday,
And the manager gives me a smile.
‘Cause he knows that it’s me who’s been helping the team
So the youngsters can play for a while.
And the piano is rising back up again
And is really straining the rope.
It’s waiting for Sweeney, that really big weenie
Man, it’s time they got rid of that dope!
Da da ..
Sing us a song, you’re the Piano Man
Sing us a song tonight
That man’s crapping all over the 22
Have him clean out his locker, all right……
I liked the last line too much to remove it.
Go Dodgers!!!
Torre seems to have found a line-up that he likes. The strange thing about it is that it’s not hitting very well. I don’t get it.
.
Seriously, does anyone really think that it was just coincidence that when the Dodgers went on their winning streak that Matt Kemp was hitting third? Admittedly, everyone needs to get hitting, wherevery they are in the line-up, but it seems it could be done better.
.
Good news is that with 4 excellent starts in a row by our starters, that seems to be improving. Hopefully, the Jeff Kent that is back in today’s line-up is the one that we had in 2005 (and ’06 & ’07, when healthy), and who is going to the HoF. Otherwise, find a piano and call up LaRoche.
.
And get Furcal healthy.
.
Have fun at the games Pierreseastmeetswest.
No matter how well Penny pitches, we have to score runs.
Thank you Leefink I will.
I’ll be there over the weekend.
This series is truly a colossal struggle between two underachieving teams. May the worst team lose. Mets have homefield advantage, but Dodgers have manager advantage, as in manager-least-hated-by-fan-base-and-front-office.
Eric – best part of the was the break for INSTRUMENTAL – caught me off guard. LOL
Don’t know if the statistics will bear me out, but it seems Kent sees a lot more pitches this year. Unfortunately, I don’t think its as much new found patience at the plate as it is he can’t get around on a fastball anymore.
I notice Loney & Kemp taking a lot of pitches.
It always seems like the pitcher knows it and throws strikes.
Bravo Eric!!! LOL. Another masterpiece.
Have a great game everybody – I hope we win one so I can be a true Dodger fan and not have wish the Giants to win. Have fun at the games PierreEW. I will try to work on some more songs tonight – this is really addictive!!
.
Blog you in the morning!!
.
GO DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great evening Nelly.
The Dodgers are taking a lot of pitches but unfortunately they’re mostly strikes.
Guess they have to learn how to take pitches before they can learn to be selective. Baby steps…
Well Crap!! You could see that coming.
Fear Luis Castillo to get to David Wright
You know, Penny’s throwing hard, so its nothing physical, yet he’s wild in and out of the strike zone. That would seem to indicate that a slight tweak somewhere would totally straighten him back out. Why can’t Honeycutt fix it?
Don’t want to say that that was the ballgame, but is this line-up capable of scoring three runs?
penny wont last 5 tonight
damn.. if the 1-run offense continues tonight too, we’ve already lost this game =[
Amazing Penny is up around 70 pitches and not even through 3 innings. Really frustrating.
scott, I forgot that Stubbs wore 22! LOL!
E, I’ll take credit for The Sweeney Line™. Another moment for the Rain Man.
C’mon, Penny! Shut this down now!
Gotta go, I’ll try and catch up before the end of the game.
two quick outs, then this
Wright’s 2 run HR might mean the game.
Always seem to always follow walks.
Does anyone remember who hit the last HR for the Dodgers?
luis maza, on clayton kershaw’s debut
Brett Butler wore #22 also. Good ballplayer.
good call
Great, now our rallies consist of 3 ball no strike counts.
c’mon this is claudio vargas not nolan ryan
Oh that’d right, thanks xuniquexjyz
Time to warm up Park. I want to see him pitch to Tatis.
Enchanted, who could forget Tatis and his two grand salamis in one inning! I for one would certainly like to but just seeing his name reminds me.
Time for Penny to come unglued again.
The absolute ineptness of this lineup is seriously becoming scary. When was the last time we had a legit power hitter? Shawn Green?
I do know one thing… and that is Frank Mcourt has not shown any patience with not winning…. Does anyone think that he will order something EXTREME soon?
Well THAT we know is the ballgame.
Totally unbelievable. Our offense sucks. Our defense sucks. Some of our pitching sucks. We would be pressed to beat Las Vegas. Is this the same team that won 8 in a row!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
penny wtf!?
Might I make an observation?
PENNY SUCKS.
Have we seen enough of Penny yet?
penny gets 2 outs, then the roof caves in. come on ACE
why did i start this bum in my fantasy league?
Good, I can watch all of the Laker game without distraction. I’m glad Wright put us out of our misery!
this team is offically pathetic.
Get the piano for Penny.
Two outs and OOOOH a catcher’s interference call puts a guy on first. Those might be “unearned runs” but Penny coming unglued over it is beyond rediculous.
brandon..
The best thing that could happen to this team is that they would continue to be this awful all year…It’s our only hope to get rid of Ned….but maybe Frank wouldn’t even get it then…I cannot watch this team anymore…It is so pathetic watching what we call offense….and now Penny is as awful as usual….game over in the 4th inning….everything snowballs in the wrong direction when you don’t have a good team…..I am embarrassed….At least I have my Lakers…This is the first time in years where I cannot watch them….and I really can’t stand Penny…he looks like he doesn’t even care…hasn’t improved on anything that he’s been doing wrong…he goes from best to worst in one season……TOTALLY PATHETIC….no one can hit….but at least they resigned 40 year old Jeff Kent for 9 mill….we needed that…along with Sweeney….and Nomar….and Jason…and Andruw….a joke….a joke..
I’m with you Alex… the timing was perfect. WTF!!?!?!?!?!? wHEN DO WE SAY enough is enough!?!?!?
Would you believe I left the TV after the grounder to Maza and didn’t know about the catcher’s interference call.
I thought the inning was over. Boy was I suprised when I got back and the Mets were still batting.
I guess that how thing Are.
KENT!!!
Yay for the HR but it’s predictable we would score when we’re down by six.
K_E_N_T passes Kiner with that HR.
Think Alex has the Wright idea!!!
Well, this games over. We can’t come back from being down 1 run let alone 6. Well, at least the night is young and I can find something else to do yet this evening. Have a good night guys.
Go Kent.
Lazy a** doesn’t even back up home. Penny is a baffoon!!!
the only team that finally gets a home run with no one on base….figures…that’s what happens when you’re going bad…Penny gives up 6….seems like lately it’s 4-6 runs every outing…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bad PENNY….bye bye
Claudio Vargas vs Dodgers > Sandy Koufax
Sean Gallagher vs Dodgers > Don Drysdale
Kyle Lohse vs Dodgers > Cy Young
oh my…DeWitt with a home run….HELP…..a 2 run home run….yikes…now only down 3…lol
6-3 don’t throw in the towel yet Alex. Go Dewitt!
What do you want to bet that this will be the game where we finally get 4-5 runs?
ok we have a chance to come back. Take Penny out NOW!!!
Clawing back in this thing. Get Kuo ready now. Way to go Kemp and DeWitt.
If we had just one of those runs yesterday and 2 on Monday, we would have taken 2 of 3.
2 HRs in one inning?
Thanks to D_e_W_I_T_T
Kent 5 & Dewitt 5
Go team.
tbooklv
I always say no matter who pitches to the Dodgers, they make him look like Cy Young….could be the worst pitcher in the league and they usually look like a JV team..
Kuo in the pen! We may have a chance but I doubt it.
oh goody….Sweeney up…..for some excitement…..our best .112 hitter….and he’s quickly out….
How different.
I see Torre wanted to get that inning over with. No other reason to put Sweeney out there unless Joe wanted to get an out.
Maybe JoJo’s finally learning not to bat Sweeney in any meaningful situations.
Good, Panty Waste is outta there.
Yea, we see Sweeney again. Get rid of that SOB, please!!!
well
good—–sweeney cant PH and hurt us late
bad——-the dodgers always…and i mean ALWAYS give up a run or 2 right after they cut the lead
Now we’re all sucked back in by the power explosion that is the Dodger offense these days. Hopefully, we can scratch out 3 more runs and turn this ship around
More of my Met fan friends know DeWitt than know who Martin is.
Guess we can’t expect too much when we have Laurel & Hardy running the show.
We oughta get like a 3-4 run handicap when Penny pitches.
Can we just skipped Penny started against the Mets and have Kuo pitch instead?
Loney play looked better than Delgado’s to me.
dodgerdude why did you even bother having him on your team?
Stop it with the CY crap and just get over it. The Mets probably saying the same thing with CY Kuo on the mound. Is just getting too old.
A nice 3 run homerun would be nice Kent. Let’s go Kent
Bite me Delgado
Good to see Martin’s speed help him get back to first.
It seems everytime a starter like Penny get’s banged around our offense wakes up.
They’re always going in different directions.
anyone else have their gameday stop working?
I completely agree when we face the Mets Kuo should pitch over Penny.
Gameday has stopped for me. What is happening?
Great Clutch hitting Loney.
That’s the first hit by a lefty for the Dodgers against Feliciano that I can remember
My Loney has a name…its H i t t i n g.
ARGH!! Are we back in it!?!? I can’t tell because gameday has stopped
Yahoo Gamechannel also seems to have stopped.
Good hitting by L_O_N_E_Y his 30th RBI leads team in that dept.
It’s good to see some runs for our side……eh?
I’m able to see things on CBSSPORTSLINE…. maybe it’s better luck that I watch it on there instead of Gameday anyway??? I’m willing to try ANYTHING!
foxsports.com has it too, thats how im watching it.
6-4 on a loney single
Furcal, Dewitt, Loney, & Kent all have 5HRs.
Because it looks like the league has “figured out” the young Dodger hitters, perhaps Ned should swing some under-the-radar deal for a journeyman NL relief pitcher so Dodgers can see the scouting reports from opposing teams…
WOW we’re giving them a battle.
Looooking Good.
there is nobody on why not let kuo stay in
Gameday seems to be working now.
Dy must really be in Joe’s doghouse
I was diappointed to see Tiffee, I was dieing to see Kuo bat.
Probably not against Schoenweis.
Written May 17 in the press Enterprise concerning Penny’s stiff arm:
“Over Brad Penny’s past two outings, Manager Joe Torre has hinted that his ace pitcher’s arm lacked the life that it had earlier in the season.
‘He felt some stiffness and it was nothing more than that so we gave him an extra day,’ Torre said.
Penny allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings in the worst game of his career May 7. On Wednesday, he allowed nine hits and five runs in six innings at Milwaukee and Torre said Penny did not look as good as he had earlier in the season.”
That was two weeks ago. Anyone see any improvement? I think Penny’s arm is in trouble.
kuo should still be in there. deffinately instead of proctor
So is La Roche working for time at 2nd base yet? We have our 3rd base set now.
are you serious
what is he thinkning.
there was no reason to take out kuo
See that AB by Beltran, one you hardly see from a young Dodger.
That’s what the young guys got to learn.
horribly managed inning…HORRIBLE, bad, real BAD.
What in the world? Why didn’t management leave Kuo on the mound? Was he injured?
oh joe. this inning is on joe completely. there was no reason not to let kuo keep going.
That was a lucky hit by Chavez.
Amazing what a catcher’s interference and a check swing can do.
Torre sucks as a manager. What’s his problem? Why isn’t Laroche on his way to the Big club and get rid of the Wienie as a pinch hitter.
Let’s hope Willie just made HIS bad move by taking out Schoenwies.
I was hoping for Heilman because he is due for a bad outing
but it’s Joe Smith.
And Russell end it.
if a dodger had hit that steiner would have been screaming…that guy is so bad.
Nice inning by Wade.
Well, last shot coming up.
if the lakers dont come back its gonna be a tough morning tomorrow
3 teams that must love to play the Dodgers:
The Cardinals, The Angels & the Mets>>>>Maybe now we can add on Lou Piniella’s Cubs.
Just got to keep playing that’s the only way to go.
I can’t get over that catcher’s interference, I returned one batter before Wright’s HR.
I was shocked until I found out what happened.
A BIG PLAY.
Well another game tomorrow.
Like Torre said try to keep the same addidtute winning or losing.
I’ll here it from the Met fans.
“What’s wrong with your team, Joe”
Have fun at the games this weekend PierreEW.
Have a hot dog and beer for me.
tomorrow should be good. lefties tend to dominate the mets. please kershaw, stop the bleeding!! we need wins!
This was an excellent game for Jeff Kent, but not for the Dodgers. I’m going to be in the stands tomorrow (I live in New York). I can hardly wait to see Clayton Kershaw on the mound! I’ll be rooting for the better team out there – and it won’t be the Mets.
http://dodgersblog.mlblogs.com
Joe, START YOUNG!!! START YOUNG!!! START YOUNG!!! And CALL UP LAROCHE!!!
you know things aren’t good when two of the players on your team make the “top ten guys who are not earning their paychecks” list..
Surprise, Surprise.. Andruw Jones is #1.. Brad Penny is #8..
here’s the link if you want to see the whole article:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8185996/These-10-guys-aren't-earning-their-paychecks?MSNHPHCP>1=39002
Thanks Sara. No, it isn’t good. Schmidt should also be on the list.
Ha yeah thats a great article…If you look at the poll for “Biggest Goat of the Year” Andruw Jones is blowing away the rest of them with 49% of the vote!
Theme Song to “Blue Acres” …
.
El- Lay is the place for me.
Dodger baseball is the life for me
Promise spreadin’ out so far and wide
Keep Joe Torre, just give me that True Blue Pride
.
San Francisco is where I come from
Stan Conte is my favorite bum
I just adore a basement view
Frank I love you but I’ll win just one of two
.
…The future!
…The past
…Postseason!
…No reason
.
I am GM
Screwed again
Mediocrity we are there
Oh, oh, we’ve opened the door to TV themes? I wonder if we can come up with some lyrics to “Get Smart”?
I just read that they still don’t know when Furcal will come back. Like most people that have worked at really physical jobs, I’ve pulled upper and lower back muscles badly enough so that I couldn’t get out of a chair for a couple of days. I was back to normal within 5-7 days every time.
I’m certainly no doctor, but this is getting very concerning for his future.
The long, lost lyrics to “Get Smart!”
Cut the vets……………Ned!
Cut the vets……………Ned!
Why-won’t-you-please-call-Las-Vegas
and-get-LaRoche-up-here-so-Blake-can-play-second-base?
Play the kids……………Joe!
Play the kids……………Joe!
Every-time-Ned-signs-a-vet
you-play-him-ahead-of-someone-who-should-play-instead.
Play the kids!
Cut the vets!
Play the kids!
Cut the vets!
Fire Ned……………Frank!
Fire Ned……………Frank!
And-replace-him-with-Logan-White
’cause-he’s-already-in-your-organization
Start with Sweeney, now!
Think we have to face facts that right now we’re a AAAA team competing against mostly ML teams. There is reason for hope… there’s a 9 game stretch coming up in JULY against the Rox, Nats and Gnats.
Not much Ned can do right now either. You want a slugger or a shortstop, say he goes out and Gets Dunn and/or someone. Say he used farm prospects and not anyone on the current roster. All that does is create a logjam of epic proportions when Ferk and Jones come off the DL. Be in a worse situation than we’ve got now.
We don’t need any of this fixing on the fly. Say Ned does that and by some miracle the D’s struggle and make the playoffs. Does anyone think they’d do anything when they got there?
We ought to accept this year for what its become – a rebuilding year. As usual, Ned’s off season acquisitions have amounted to less than squat. Maybe that’s a blessing in disguise – its forced the youth movement on him. Isn’t it better in a down year that we find out Hu’s not ready for the show rather than saying bye-bye to Ferk next season and handing Hu the job and find out then? Ned’s to do list at the trade deadline ought to be unloading as many vets for as many prospects as he can get, including Lowe, Penny, Kent, Pierre (goodluck), and Ferk. Use the rest of the season to audition some of the newly acquired prospects and somemore of the homegrowns to see what you’ve got, then set out a comprehensive plan to fix the situation using FAs and dealing prospects. That includes using the rest of the season to see if Andruw improves when he comes back. If no, then you DFA his sorry butt.
All Ned needs to do is follow a tenable plan and stick to it. Of course that would be proactive and looking ahead. Unfortunately vision isn’t one of his strong suits, but maybe we can hope this is one of the times he’ll fall bassackwards in clover.
The Dodgers need a power hitting left fielder. For some reason they won’t use DY, even he would be a left field upgrade. Also Kuo should take Pennys spot in the rotation. When Hendrickson is pitching better than Penny, Penny does not deserve to start. Let him go to the pen and work out his problems. Release Sweeney and call up Laroche. Put Dewitt at 2nd, LaRoche at 3rd, and Kent off of the bench, or start Kent and on his off days move Dewitt to 2nd and have Laroche at 3rd or off of the bench, or something like that. Either way it would be a team upgrade. Maza, Tiffee,and unfortunately Hu are just filler, not productive players to help the Ds win ball games, and JP is a pinch runner.
Tough game last night once again. I didn’t get to watch anything past the 2nd inning, but other than the homeruns by Kent and DeWitt (great job BTW), and a double by my guy Andre (fabulous!) and the RBI by Loney (do you sing the song, I hope – I did when I heard he hit the RBI single – the song’s ingrained in my head)
.
Boy, television theme songs – I was thinking about that last night when I watched an episode of the Sopranos, but I was too tired at the time to think of anything. However, before that, time I managed to come up with a couple more songs – this is too addictive, and I can only imagine what will happen when summer hits.
.
Andre is one (if not) my favorite ballplayer right now, and because of that reason I want a piano for Pierre before Andruw gets back. Horrible thinking, I know, but I know he will get screwed once again because Pierre will go running to his Mama.
Pierre’s Song – STYX – “Renegade”
.
Oh mama, I’m in fear for my job from the left field I call home.
.
Dre – man has put an end to my running and I’m so far from my home.
.
Oh mama Joe can hear me a cryin’, I’m so mad and all alone.
.
Dre – man is coming down with the throws and I don’t have very long.
.
My jig is up, the news is out
Joe finally benched me
Andre, who had it made
was called over Juanpy
Never more to go and play
This’ll be the end
of this outfield man
I totally lost train of thought about the game according to that post. What I meant to say is that I guess I didn’t miss much other than Kent, DeWitt, Ethier and Loney. I also heard about he catcher interference call and and error by my favorite PVL – JP. I had to cheer on the gnats once again, which isn’t too good around here. We need to be careful about how much we are rooting them on because before you know, if the Dodgers don’t get their butts in gear, the gnats will be right behind us in the standings.
E,
.
I think that this team can win and go far this year with the basically the talent we already have. It just has to be utilized properly. That means:
.
1) Play the best guys regardless of age
2) Put the best hitters at the top of the batting order regardless of age
3) Be consistent with that batting order so as not to screw with player’s heads
.
I don’t see why the following team, if left to develop, can’t be playoff ready by September:
.
Everyday lineup:
.
Furcal
Martin
Kemp
Loney
Ethier
DeWitt
Kent/DY/LaRoche
Pierre/Jones/LaRoche/DY
.
Starting Rotation:
Billz
Lowe
Kershaw
Kuroda
Kuo/Park/Etc.
.
Bullpen:
Saito
Broxton
Beimel
Wade
.
Bench:
Nomar
DY/LaRoche/Kent/Jones/Pierre
A decent backup catcher
.
Probably the biggest question mark above is the health of Furcal. With a healthy Furcal, this offense properly deployed has the IMMEDIATE potential to be extremely potent.
.
The starting pitching is good, not great. We’ll need Lowe to pitch up to his abilities, Billz to be more consistent, Kuroda to continue to pitch about as well as he has done so far, and Kershaw to pitch like the phenom he is most of the time. I’m not counting on Penny.
.
The REAL BIGGEST QUESTION is will Ned and JoJo have enough sense to do what almost everybody on this board knows is smart. Can I hope against hope?
I love it Nelly. You’re a natural.
Good one Eric. You were up late creating, eh?
Nice one also ML. I like your starting rotation without Panty. We should trade him at or before the deadline. We could probably get some good prospects for him.
We’re darn lucky the DB’s are not playing well either. We could very well be 8-9 out but we’re still in the hunt if we can get this thing turned around soon.
I agree with martinloneykemp.
It is to bad that we couldn’t pencil in Kuo as on of the pitchers for this Mets series. He has done very well against the Mets.
There’s an excellent chance this team will be under .500 in two days when June dawns. That’s 1/3 of the season. Dodgers have had time to identify their needs…now it’s time to address them.
1) The bench is weak. DFA Sweeney, send down Hu. Promote Repko and LaRoche.
2) When Furcal is activated cut back to 11 pitchers. Most likely to go…Proctor or Wade.
3) Trade Kent to an AL team where he can chase his ring. Try DeWitt at 2nd, LaRoche at 3rd.
4) Bench or trade Pierre, play Repko (see if he can hold up.)
That’s at least a start. Stay with the kids, ride out the growing pains. 2008 will be a good year, but 2009 will be much better–if we stay the course. PLEASE!!!!! No panic trades at the deadline for an aging power hitter. Again, stay with the kids. This pitching staff is good enough to get where we want to go.
OK, a little ZZ Top:
New team, Blue Crew
I don’t know what I am gonna do.
J P, Jeff Kent,
Played ‘em both and then the season went.
Were all frustrated gettin’ mad as we can
‘Cuz no one is as crazy as the JoJo man.
Sweeney, Andruw,
But its Andre who I’m gonna screw.
And Penny, Procto
When they toss I watch they’re ERAs grow.
Opposing runners come as fast as they can
‘Cuz no one is as crazy as the JoJo man.
GUITAR ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Can’t score, can’t bat,
No power hitter ‘cuz Andrew’s too fat.
Black days, no gloves,
Need some help to come from up above.
Wanna go home, but from New York I was banned
‘Cuz no one is as crazy as the JoJo man.
Here’s another somewhat “bash the kids” story:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8192232/Young-Dodgers-still-figuring-out-Torre
Well, since we’re doing TV themes, we’ve got to have Gilligan’s Island. Only we have Ned’s Quagmire©.
Just sit right back, and you’ll hear a tale.
A tale of a fateful team.
That started in Brooklyn, New York.
To LA they did split.
(In 58 they split).
The manager’s a revered baseball man.
The GM aloof and unsure.
The veterans he’s signed to this day.
Have failed, that’s for sure.
The NL West was getting tough.
Much young talent at low cost.
With the wisdom of our inept GM.
The playoffs would be lost.
(The playoffs would be lost).
The teams awash in the NL West.
Direction is unclear.
With JoJo the clown, and Ned the fool.
Frank McCort, and his wife.
Old man Kent, the Jelly Roll and the kids.
Here in Ned’s Quagmire.
So this is the tale of our Beloved Blue.
No pennants in a long, long while.
They wrongly play the vets each day.
Washed up and in decline.
(Way past their prime).
The GM and his manager.
Don’t play their very best.
To make the vet’rans comfortable.
They play and the kids rest.
No arm, No power, and No defense.
Not a single win from Schidt.
Like the Cow from Curacao, inept as can be.
(This logic we can’t see).
So we stumble thru each game with vets.
Old has beens we revile.
Playing other team’s castaways.
Here in Ned’s Quagmire!!!
Interesting article Peru. Obviously, there is going to be a learning curve. Better to get it started now. The sooner we start the sooner the kids mature into great players and we have a perennial winner.
Good one E!!
Married with Children:
Ned and JoJo, Ned and JoJo
Play the vets because the kids they don’t know
This I tell you brother
You can’t can one without the other
Ned and JoJo, Ned and JoJo
It’s an marriage made in hell cuz they blow
Ask the local bloggers
You can’t score runs when you’ve got joggers
Try, try, try to educate them
They’re in collusion
Try, try, try, and you will only come
To this conclusion
Ned and JoJo, Ned and JoJo
Don’t have both oars in and so they can’t row
Frank he just don’t bother
But you can’t can one without the other
Excellent E!!
MLK – In total agreement with you on all counts – why we, the fans, are the only ones that see this is beyond comprehension.
.
Thanks, jhall – I am trying to catch up!! I heard the song last night on my MP3 and kept thinking about Pierre’s mom.
.
Here’s another one I did last night
Van Halen’s “Jamie’s Cryin” – “Frankie’s Cryin’ ”
.
Joe saw the look in his eyes
N he knew better
Ned wanted the vet to play
and it was whenever
They make the vets so glad
.
Oh whoa, whoa, Frankie’s cryin’
Oh whoa, whoa, Frankie’s cryin’
.
Fans want to send Ned a letter
Uh, just to try to make Joe play who’s better
It said “JoJo (Why don’t you give DY some time)
but he knows what that’ll get him.
.
Oh, whoa, whoa, Frankie’s cryin’
Oh, whoa, whoa, Frankie’s cryin’
.
Feel free to add verses, and or change names (I was mixing Joe, Ned and Frank and it works regardless of where they are placed in the song, depending on who you think is pulling the strings to play the PVLs)
.
🙂
jhall and enchanted – In a class all by yourselves (I will put eric and Kahli in that class too) – Fantastic and hilarious!!
Bitchin’ Nelly. When’s your show. Today or tomorrow isn’t it? Good luck. Hit a home run.
He did it again, of course, of course,
He got us free agents of much remorse
That is because the boss of course is the famous Mr. Ned.
Our bubble is burst cuz he’s the worst
His PVLs keeping us out of first.
And his deals are always cursed.
Its the famous Mr. Ned.
Bloggers yakkity yak a streak to pass the time of day
But Mister Ned will never speak because he has nothing to say.
Our vets all have no upside just down,
And he’ll never be leading us to the crown.
No we go ’round wearing frowns
Now here’s the clown…
I AM MISTER NED
Thanks, jhall – I am learning from the best
.
Program is today at 2:00 – students are at recess right now. We had end of the month assemblies this morning. I will get pictures and try to get them sent somehow – the students are really doing a fabulous job!!
.
🙂
This is my first crack at a song. Sung to “The Brady Bunch”
.
.
Here’s a story, of a man named Neddy,
Who insisted on some very old veterans,
They had gray hair, just like his mustache,
They couldn’t hit at all.
.
.
.
Here’s a story, of a man named JoJo,
Who had some favorite old guys of his own,
They were old guys, living all together,
In Dodger Stadium.
.
.
.
Til the one day when ol’ Neddy met with JoJo,
And they knew that it was a very old bunch,
That this group, would all go on the DL,
That’s the way they all became the DL Bunch.
.
The DL Bunch! The DL Bunch!
.
That’s the way they became the DL Bunch!
enchanted – OMG!!! Is anybody keeping track of how many songs have been done? What songs have been done? At some point, we can actually call some of these classics and rerun them when needed, just like MLK and Leefink and their chants (i.e. “Imagine”)
.
recess over – gotta go – blog you later!!! 🙂
Peru heads for the deep end!!
Nelly, Peru, Jhall – Good ones all !!!
Perhaps our absurdity will get noticed!!!
Thanks enchanted! You guys make my day, every day! I figured I would just try to contribute to the insanity. 🙂
Outstanding Peru!!!! I love it. The DL bunch. LOL
Another masterpiece E. I keep thinking, you’re last line could be, I’m a horse’s a**.
e & jhall, well done!! MLK really opened the door.
Regarding that Fox article that Peru posted – I don’t have much problem about anything that they said. It’s true that it’s a young team and there’s going to be a painful learning experience. It’s what we all wanted, after all. Rebuilding. It’s not all fun. When it all comes together, great, but if it doesn’t it’s miserable. Just ask any fan of the LA Kings. They’ve never really stuck to a plan over the years. They’ve alternated between youth movement and veteran leadership and can never get off the ground. Now they’re trying the youth angle again and have a lot of good kids. We’ll see.
If management can just hang in there, TRUST THE KIDS, not start trading the core away for the quick fix that never works, we can have something really good here in a relatively short time.
What bothers me about the Fox article is what it DOESN’T say: the vets are the ones who are letting us down. Whether it’s injury or poor performance, there’s not a one of them that is carrying his weight. I’m looking at the roster right now. Someone name me one Dodger veteran who is performing to expectations. One. I’ll wait ………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Furcal doesn’t count. He’s been injured too long. Not his fault, but he’s letting us down regardless. Pierre is the best of the vets, and even his admirer can’t say that he’s performing to expectations. (The TEAM’S expectations, not ours!) Among the pitchers, Park has exceeded expectations. Beimel is not too bad. That’s about it.
It would be nice for some of these butt-kissing sportswriters mention the veteran swandiving rather than focus on the kids shortcomings. The kids are the only ones doing anything. The tale of two lineups:
Pierre
Nomar
Kent
Sweeney
Jones
Bennett
or
Kemp
Loney
Martin
DeWitt
LaRoche
Ethier
Repko
I’ll wait for the kids. My opinion.
Hey Eric. I agree. Got to pick a direction and stick with it. None of this waivering back and forth. There are no quick fixes. Ned should have already learned that. He’s not very quick on the uptake however.
peru lol!!- fantastic – welcome to the club of insanity with a purpose 🙂
.
eric – very well said
I agree Dodger Eric, the only thing I don’t like is how the kids are never professionals, while the vets are always the epitome of perfection. We saw how Gonzo was a real professional complaining all the time. I think they need to give credit to a guy like Ethier who has been patient when he has been in and out of the lineup after winning the starting job.
Other than that issue, I totally agree we should stay the course and have a plan, even if it means a few tough years. We have had 20 tough years, what’s a few more?
enchanted, a great Mr. Ned!!!
We all bash Ned in here, but in reality, his mistakes keep going away to the DL. He and Joe are forced to play the kids! I had no problem with the Fox article, either. So……..
“Before the Dodgers game today, Joe Torre was asked by the bloggers to state the most important thing he wished to accomplish tonight.
‘Um…play all the vets?’
No, Joe.
‘Make sure Pierre bats first?’
No, again.
‘How about trying to win a game?’ irate blogger jhall interjected, with an expletive thrown in for good measure…”
LOL!! Yep, UN-F-ING-ACCEPTABLE!!!™
Isn’t that a fact, peru!!! Don’t get me started on Andre!!! The various announcers have mentioned how Andre has become one of the better hitters as of late, but it’s always mentioned with how much Andruw is missed. Once again – they obviously aren’t listening to the fans, or for that matter, have watched any game Andruw has played.
.
I have done a lot of research on Andre (among others), and he won’t settle to sit on the bench (and obviously he is not crying to his mom or anybody else). It will just push him that much harder to prove (through his work ethic) to Joe/Ned/whoever that he belongs out there. I guess only time will tell (in 4-6 weeks).
Hahahaha!!! Great stuff!
And in the background, Enchanted and the Sunsets are singing Imagine. LOL.
TOO MUCH!!!! LMAO!!!
.
Lunch time 🙂
By the way, we’ve hit the mythical 2 month/8 week mark that Torre was talking about earlier. I noticed in that article that “a little more than a week ago, he said he was more than “three-quarters of the way home.” ”
Not exactly a quick study, is he?
Perumike I saw the article that and I am sure some of it is true, but why no mention of Andruw Jones, Brad Penny, Juan Pierre stinking up the place. Maybe Andre did answer wrong, but it is bush league to bring that story out. F… Larry Bowa and his attitude, he is fiery, but this is a conversation that should have been kept quiet. What stories do you have about Andruw and the conversations that you had with him absolutley looking like a 10 year little leaguer facing live pitching for the 1st time…
Bowa…Andruw what is the most important thing about today…
Andruw…the pregame buffet…I am really hungry…
Bowa…no lets trick the kids into saying something stupid!
The kids are that, kids and it is there job to teach them the importance of playing the game for the right reason…Do not ridicule them in public….Sweeney, your .098 batting average is not exactly inspiring to the team winning a game. I watch the games and the kids are playing with passion and competing…the same cannot be said for all the vets…
Maybe Joe you should have told Mr McCourt the following…
Joe…Frank what is the most important thing about ST?
Frank…Going to China and selling Dodger baseball to a billion Chinese!
Joe…No Frank it is developing a winning team and learning my players…
Bad performance starts at the top…Joe and Ned look in the mirror! You may not like what you see!!!
Go kids…Laroche, Dewitt, DY, Ethier, Kemp, Martin, Kershaw, Billz, Wade, Kuo….
Dump Kent, Sweeney, Nomar, Pierre, Schmidt (write it off it is a foreclosed home worth .20 cents on the dollar. I would rather lose with the kids and know the future is right around the corner, than watch overpaid, injured, Freaking vets whine and cry mommy my little brother is not playing fair…Shut the Freak up and hit over .240 and throw strikes and get people out!!!!
A very frustrated Dodger Fan for 44 years!!!!!
Amen Dodgerboy. Well said. I agree wholeheartedly.
I’m so sick of the dodgers. I wish i had the balls to break up with them.
You’re on it, dodgerboy! If the writer of that article had any journalistic ethics, he would have asked, “Ethier said that, huh? Guess he was busy biting his tongue from getting benched for a week even though you told him that he’s earned the job coming out of spring training and never, ever said a bad word or showed a bad attitude so he was probably nervous about saying the right thing because no matter what he said wasn’t going to matter.”
Or something like that………….
An article in the Sporting News on the impending trade season. At least Ned is saying the right thing here:
“Our approach on a deadline trade is the same,” Colletti said. “If there’s something out there that will make us strikingly better, we’ll do it. But we can’t strip one-quarter or one-third or one-half of our players that play every day. Our young players are now the team.”
Full article:http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080530&content_id=2798240&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
jungar, what a novel thought, but as Neil Sedaka said, “breakin’ up is hard to do…” By the way, where have you been lately????