New York State of Mind
As many of you already know, today is one of the only days in the year where none of the four major sports are playing a game.
But the MLB All-Stars have all descended upon Manhattan for tonight’s home run derby and tomorrow’s Midsummer Classic. We arrived here at about 1 a.m. and were at the hotel by 2 a.m., with Russell sure to have a busy few days ahead of him. You forget how much extra equipment a catcher comes with until you share a ride with him from the airport to the hotel.
This morning it will be mostly media duties, as there is a press conference in about half an hour with Clint Hurdle and Terry Francona to announce their lineups and starting pitchers. Then each of the players is available to speak to reporters for about an hour-long session before everyone heads up to the Bronx Zoo…a.k.a. Yankee Stadium. There are going to be insane amount of people there but I expect it will be a very unique All-Star week.
Yesterday at the Futures Game, Ivan DeJesus played the whole game at second base and had a couple hits and a walk. He’s among the best prospects in our system and hopefully everyone around the country is getting a chance to watch him play.
That’s all for now. I’ll continue to try posting items from behind the scenes as often as possible. Enjoy the “break.”
Inside the Dodgers 
1st post!! This is a first for me!! Glad to see that Ivan had a good futures game, I’d love to see him called up one of these days, he looked good. On a side note, I saw that last year, we were also a game out of first, but with a record of 49-40…. let that set in for a second…. 49-40 this year and we are declared winners of the division at the All Star Break. I don’t know what that says.. but think about it this way.. We’ve got basically the same team right now, that we did last year at the break… How do we have suck a huge discrepency in our record!?!? Well, hopefully we can come out of the break with a run and take over first, and keep it going and play to the potential that we all know that this team has!!
Go Blue!! Russ Martin for All-Star MVP!!
Whats the lineup? has anybody seen it.
Hanley SS
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Utley 2B
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Berkman 1B
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Pujols DH
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Chipper 3B
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Holliday LF
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Braun RF
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Kosuke CF
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Soto(should be Martin) C
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Sheets P
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GO DODGERS
Nelly, Grady Sizemore in home run derby tonight!!
Should be fun!!
How much do you guys think that Martin will get to play in the game? Maybe an inning or 2?
jhall – can’t wait to see Grady in the HR Derby – should be fun. Hey, Peralta had a good night for my fantasy team last night.
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Did you know that our two real outfielders, Ethier and Kemp, have come close too or surpassed their season totals for last year in their batting categories? It amazing what can happen when they are allowed to play everyday.
Good luck to Russell and hope he has fun with his family.
Hey Nelly… Another hot day over here… Kemp and Ethier need to play every single day, Ethier would be having a border line all star caliber season if he was playing everyday from the start of the season. I think what we really need badly is a RA RA type of guy… someone to get everyone hyped up, they all seem too quiet and excepting of defeat.
Yep Nelly, Peralta and Grady are great. It is obvious that if Kemp and Ethier play everyday, they will thrive and become better than average major leaguers and possibly all-stars. But we’re stuck with expletive CowPhew!!!
LMAO!!!! very funny!! Am I allowed to use the “A” still? LOL!!!
LOL!!!!
Brandon – I know what you are saying, both with weather and the outfield. It’s too bad Ethier sat those days where Andruw and Pierre were in there. We knew Kemp would do well, but who knew Ethier had it in him,too. He really hasn’t had a full year of play time yet, and when he finally does, he will be a solid all-around player for years to come, all-star or not.
I think that should be LM(expletive)O.
Yeah, nelly, I would certainly say that Ethier is our best all around player outside of Martin. I’m always surprised to see if he’s had an 0-fer day. I still get worried when I read stuff like Nomar saying he’s giving it all he’s got, and not holding back. He makes it sound like he could break down at any minute, I also hate how he uses his scar tissue disorder as an excuse for when he will eventually get hurt.
enchanted – so, are you saying I can’t use LM(expletive)O anymore? LOL!!!
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Brandon – even in Ethier’s “0 for days”, it’s not due to 4/5 strikeouts. It’s usually hit balls that just happen to go to somebody. He always seems to be putting the ball in play and at least making the fielders make a play unlike Andruw these days. And this is one situation, that I would actually approve Pierre over Andruw because as much as we hate seeing Pierre and his groundouts and pop ups, at least he is making the fielders field the ball. That’s the only good thing I will say about him because I think Pierre’s defense sucks big time.
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enchanted – is the word sucks allowed? LOL!!!
Gotta go run errands – see ya later!!
ExpletiveLMExpletiveO!!!!!!
Catch you later Nelly!!!
LMAO (sorry folks) IMO must be used in the proper form LM(expletive)O.
Sucks as a noun and transitive verb are fine, but not as an intransitive verb.
Good morning ITD boys and girls,
It’s been a while since I’ve been here and from the looks of things that went on, Josh’s scolding, etc, I’m not sure if I really wanted to read what was actually going on the other night. I personally don’t like using expletives but I don’t condemn a person who uses it on occasion. All I say is don’t make it crass and vulgar. I don’t believe that the regulars on this board are vulgar; not even close. I’m just sorry for those that were on here Saturday night (is that when all this went down?) had to endure it.
Getting back to baseball!!! 🙂 I was at the game yesterday with my husband, my mom and my nephew. I was thrilled to see Bills pitch such a nice game! It was even better when we actually scored 6 runs in the first inning!!! All-Star break. I like the HR Derby but I love the game itself more. I want the NL to win this year! No, I don’t want them to win, I want them to CRUSH the AL this year!!! I would love nothing better than to kick those AL-loving fans off their high horse and bring them down a few notches.
Hey CP. Glad you got to see a great game and nice performance by Billz. He is emerging as our ace. I too want to annihilate the AL.
good to be back jhall. I’ve missed you guys!!! 🙂
oh, and enchanted – from the last thread, I loved and am still laughing at your “What’s in a name?” comments!!! 🙂
oh and jhall, I’ll do you one better and say that Billz IS our ace and will be for a long time!!! 🙂
Yep CP, I have to agree with you there!!
Actually CP, his first post that got deleted was better. LOL!!!!
jhall – I know he’s not there this year, but now that CC is in the NL (and hopefully after he’s thru with the Brewers he’ll stay in the NL) I hope CC gets on the All-Star team next year. Since it’ll be in St. Louis next year, the pitcher hits (hah, take that Hank Steinbrenner!) It would be very nice if CC hit 2 or 3 HRs in that game, just to stick it to his old AL buddies!!! 🙂 (I’m not being too negative here, am I???)
“Actually CP, his first post that got deleted was better. LOL!!!!”
jhall – who are you talking about???
Question for Josh.
Are the Dodgers looking into purchasing the LA and Brooklyn statues of liberty. They would look incredible in the stadium or in the new concourse they are planning.
If not, you might want to suggest it.
Thanks
Hello everyone!
Well, I have a dire recipe for long term success that will be painful in the short term. The safest long term solution for our beloved Dodgers is for the snakes to come out hot and for us to stink it up post break and fall way behind early. This way, there will be no dreams of grandeur by Ned & Joe about acquiring more vets for the stretch run while dumping Kemp, Ethier, etc. in the process.
Result: The PVL’s are the ones dealt to other desperate Ned clones around the league, Ned is fired in mid August in favor of Logan White, the young guys get valuable playing time the last month and a half and Torre resigns since there is no one left who will listen to his lies.
I was referring to Enchanted, CP.
Also, I would love to see CC in the All-Star game with the NL and hit one out against the AL. It would be too cool.
He will be a free agent after this year, so he could be a Dodger. They certainly have the means to get him. I’m glad they didn’t trade for him and give up anything as I want to see how he pitches the rest of the season and the playoffs if applicable. A rotation of:
CC
Billz
Kuroda
Kershaw
Whoever(Penny, Schidt, Stults, Kuo, etc…)
Totally agree Scott. However, there are no Ned clones. His DNA was destroyed by order of the Baseball Protection Agency. LOL!!!!
Actually scott, I think that this might happen. If the short-term is painful but it ends with Ned getting fired and Ng or White get promoted, that’s fine with me. I’ve always held the belief that the Dodgers could make the post season but that we wouldn’t make it out of the first round. (1) More playing time for our youngsters and (2) Ned getting fired would be great for me and most everyone here on this blog!!!
Billz pitched a great game yesterday and I think is working rapidly towards “ace” stature – glad you got to be there cpompe!!!
I think we’d find however that most of our pitchers will pitch more ace-like if we can give them some early run support like Billz received yesterday. Much harder to pitch when every pitch has to be so fine so as not to give up a hit or run.
thx for the clarification jhall. And it would be great to have CC with the Dodgers next year. I know they have the means ($) to get him. I too am glad they didn’t trade for him and give up (thx again Frank) our youngsters…
I know it was posted a few days ago, but I am struggling to process what I read? Is Nelly actually suggestion we sign Bonds? Bonds in Dodger blue would be the crown of shame on an already disgraced organization.
Yes cpompe, I’m the kinder, gentler, more articulate, less bombastic Enchanted…
Or am I ??? AHHahhahahahahahaha
No ed – that was somebody else’s post from a different blog. Nells was pointing out the inanity (is that a word?) of it that anyone would even come up with the idea.
It was great being at the game yesterday enchanted. You want to know what is even more exciting to me than having Billz as our ace??? Knowing that Kershaw is just behind him and come 2009 (no later than 2010), Kershaw will be what Billz is now!!!
edwcarter – no, dnel is not actually suggesting that we sign Bonds. She just copied and pasted those words from another “Dodger” blog.
very funny enchanted… 🙂
No Ed, she wasn’t. Shad misinterpreted one of her replies to an earler post. The earlier post was from another site, Dodger Addicts or something like that, that proposed the idea. Nelly would puke if we signed Barroid. As would I.
They’d make a terrific one-two punch, even better than Webb-Haren.
Edwcarter – No, that is NOT my lineup – it was stated in another “Dodger Addiction” Blog. I was roaming the other Dodger blogs because of our issues from the previous day, and I ran across that comment from another Dodger blog. I was just pointing out what other fans are thinking and how stupid their thinking can be.
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For the PC police – the word stupid is a bad word in 1st grade. How far should we take this issue. LOL!!!
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Hey CP – glad you got to see a great game yesterday!!!!
Billz-Kersh will be terrific. Put CC in there with our coming KidCorp and we will have a perennial contender for many years. Even without CC, the future is bright if they don’t let Ned screw it up.
Thank you jhall 🙂 I live with gnat fans -why in the world would I want “HIM” playing for this team. I am not a huge Jeff Kent fan, but I would not wish that on him or anybody on this team.
thank you cp and enchanted – LOL!!!!!
Nor would I Nelly. That is a freaking nightmare.
CC followed by Billz – yes enchanted, a very nice one-two punch!!! 🙂
dnel,
I got to read your comments while on the road. I’m so glad that you got to see our boys up close. I’m jealous, you know that! 🙂 It seems like you had a great time! I don’t know if you saw my comment, but since you brought the team luck 2 out of 3 games, you should consider getting season seats! 🙂
also, remember that Ben Sheets is a FA after this year too! I wouldn’t mind having him!
Stupid, though not an expletive, is derisive. Let’s try misguided, aptitudinally challanged, or friggin dumb.
First and foremost – Anything that involves Ethier in a trade gets me going anyway so that in itself made me mad, and then he added “HIM” into the mix and I about died that somebody would have the nerve to suggest it, much less profess it would be a good idea. Also, if this so-called fan actually knew the Dodgers at all, he/she would know the Jeff Kent can’t stand him.
I can’t believe I misspelled challenged. Guess we know what that makes me!!
Sheets would also be a great choice. I’d rather have Haren than all of them, but his injury history scares me too much.
CP – It was a lot of fun!! I have been there often enough this year where I should have looked into it. However, those seats were once in a lifetime – couldn’t afford them normally. My mom and I are coming back for the Dbacks series and we are sitting in the loge deck. I didn’t want to risk field level by Andre knowing Pierre may be back by then. So, I got loge deck between home and 3rd base for that series.
I’m still of the opinion the Yanks or BoSox get Sabathia – they’ll throw stunning amounts of money his way that on the heels of Schmidt and Druw, Frank won’t/can’t match. Sheets though I fully expect to see in blue next year.
Josh Do you know how long the all star statues are going to be up? I’m going to be in New York in September and if they are still around I’d like to see them (especially the dodger one!!!)
The Dodgers should purchase those statues!!
dnell,
Some of those are REALLY nice. Last year my husband and I got some free tickets and they just happened to be on the loge level, sect 135 I think. Anyways, the section was right in line with 3B. I didn’t know it but my brother, his wife and their niece/nephew were at the same game. I just happened to bump into my brother at the concession stands. Anyways, his seats were his business’ season seats, in section 125 I think. I sat there, those were such terrific seats!!! The seats were cushioned (it was row B or C) and they were right above the Dodgers on-deck circle. Ethier was there and I couldn’t believe how close I felt!!! Remember, I usually sit on the Inner Reserved (right behind the plate, between 3B and 1B). Are you going to all three games???
actually dnel, I just found out that it’s a four game series, not a three game series!!!
new thread…