Clayton's Place
He’s back in Los Angeles…well, Denver, I guess. Eric Stults will return to Vegas and Joe Torre said that we’ll need a fifth starter for Tuesday. Jason Johnson is an option but Penny won’t be ready yet. He threw a ‘pen today and assuming all is well, is on target for rehab this weekend.
Pierre could be back to play by this weekend after a short rehab stint this week. That will certainly make some decisions tougher for Joe Torre, but he seems like that’s a good thing. He told the media pregame that Andre and Matt have made great strides since Juan went down and he’s still not sure how he’s going to juggle the lineup but that it will be day to day based on what team gives us the best chance to win.
In positive news, Scott Proctor threw off the mound today for the first time and Ken Howell was cleared by the docs to resume coaching this weekend.
Here’s tonight’s lineup…let’s see if we can one-up last night’s first-inning performance:
Kemp, RF
Ethier, LF
Martin, C
Kent, 2B
Loney, 1B
Nomar, SS
Jones, CF
LaRoche, 3B
Kershaw, P
Inside the Dodgers 
No applause, just throw money……..
Nelly, I use that one for defense. You know, whenever gnat fans get uppity. It helps to put them in their place. Also, you yell out the “ONLY FIFTY FOUR YEARS OLD!!!!” part for effect.
Sabathia talk: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jon_heyman/07/22/heyman.scoop/index.html
There’s a funny line regarding Andruw towards the bottom.
Gotta go, catch ya on the flip side.
Go Dodgers! Let’s get that kid some friggin’ RUNS!!!!
Thanks Ward – see you later, dear!! LOL!!
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Love the lineup minus Andruw 🙂
“In positive news, Scott Proctor threw off the mound today……..”
Reaction: AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In positive news, Joe just said that Andruw will start the rest of the season, even when Pierre comes back!
Now THAT would be an AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!
Go Kersh, Go Dodgers, Go Cubs!!!
Sweeney’s feeling better……..
AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I throw money at only one place!!! lol
Gary Bennett’s rehab is……….
AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing about that is positive unless Andre and Matt play everyday. They don’t deserve to be juggled, moved in the lineup or sat on the bench. Here we go!!! UUGGHHH!!!
Go away Ned, Go away Jones, Go away Phew, Go away Proctko, Go away Sweeney!!!!!
Earth to Joe, what has been helping you win while JP was out!? Stick with the plan! Keep Kemp in LO , followed by Ethier and Martin. Put Andruw’s behind on the bench and if you must play JP [although we all know you don’t have to, but you WANT to] put him in LF and bat him 8th. If I had my way, the OF would be DY in LF, Kemp in CF and Ethier in RF with JP and AJ shipped out of town.
Hee Seop Choi has just signed, and we DFA’d Loney!
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH
Jason Schmidt…………
AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luis Gonzalez is looking for a position with the Dodgers…
AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG
Great stuff eric!
Bill Ashley!!!!
AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
How in the world can that be a tough decision on who to sit. I am sorry, but there is absolutely no logic in sitting Ethier or Kemp, none whatsoever. jhall says it best UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dodgers’ record when Rafael Furcal went down: 18 -14
Dodgers’ record with Juan Pierre leading off: 20 -29
Dodgers’ record after Juan Pierre went down: 11 – 7
Dodgers’ record when Rafael Furcal went down: 18 -14
Dodgers’ record with Juan Pierre leading off: 20 -29
Dodgers’ record after Juan Pierre went down: 11 – 7
Darren Dreifort……
AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG
I just can’t believe what Josh wrote .. Joe said ..
“but that it will be day to day based on what team gives us the best chance to win.”
How can we have any chance to win with both JP and Jones in the same lineup with either Kemp or Ethier on the bench? If Joe goes with Vets over youth after JP gets back, and there’s every indication he will, then I can’t see us winning the division.
Dodgers’ record when Rafael Furcal went down: 18 -14
Dodgers’ record with Juan Pierre leading off: 20 -29
Dodgers’ record after Juan Pierre went down: 11 – 7
If joeyp can do it, so can I. And this is just as obscene.
JP, Jones, Sweeney and Berroa all in the lineup at once! lol
Good news that Kenny Howell is cleared to come back.
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If Proctor is OK, and can eat up innings, that’s good. But he’s definitely behind Cory Wade on my depth chart.
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I have to take a small issue with the day-to-day, line-up will vary based on what team will give us the best chance to win. I understand the idea, but does the philosophy work? You can over-manage just as much as you can under-manage. It’s like when Mr. Burns sat Darryl Strawberry in favor of Homer because he was playing the left/right match-up. Sometimes, you just have to go with the best every day.
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And there is another problem. We keep asking these kids for consistency, but are we being consistent with them? I don’t know how many times this year I have heard Mark Sweeney explained (by others, not Sweeney himself, to his credit) by the fact that it’s so difficult to do well when you don’t have regular opportunities. And this is a veteran professional pinch hitter. How hard must it be for a 23- or 26-year old like Kemp or Ethier? And, while it’s not easy for the management to hear, I don’t have nearly enough confidence in Torre to make the right day-to-day decisions. He has largely been making the right calls the last few weeks, but he’s been sort of boxed in. Using Kemp in the lead-off role has worked splendidly, but he only did it as last resort (and nearly backed out of it, trying Nomar there once). So, I am wary.
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I don’t have the time to find out now, but I wonder what the Dodgers record is in games where they use the same batting line-up on consecutive games? My gut would tell me that they do better, based on what I remember seeing, but that’s just truthiness. But, I bet that many of you have the same instinct.
A lineup with JP, Jones, Sweeney and Beroa is okay by me… as long as the lineup card doesn’t say “Los Angeles Dodgers”
“They have made great strides” Ethier and Kemp are the only ones who have made strides in the outfield – THE ONLY ONES!!! HOW HARD IS THAT TO COMPREHEND!!! I am just completed floored by this situation. That a manager would throw away a season just to pacify a contract or because it is owed to them or whatever. Andre and Matt have earned those spots, and they are getting punished because they have not been on the DL and they are not a PVL.
“I have seen Andre (Ethier) and Matty (Kemp) make great strides, Andre with the consistency of his at-bats and Matt seems to be getting a better feel for it right now. The thing that is great about this game is that you reserve the right to change your mind.”
Joe Torre.
Proctor, P
Bennett, C
Sweeney, 1B
Kent, 2B
Berroa, SS
Nomar, 3B
Pierre, LF
Jones, CF
Young, RF
Imagine that lineup on the field at any point in a game!
obi – wonderfully said!!! LOL!!! That’s funny!!! Thank you, I needed that 🙂
Bizarro Dodgers
perumike. Thanks, I just lost my dinner.
jungar – is that a good thing?
Perumike, Marty Scorsese made a movie based on that line-up… it’s called BRINGING OUT THE DEAD
LOL scurtis and obi! Sorry, I’ll let you eat in peace scurtis! I’m going out for a short run, and will be back for the game.
Well said Nelly!!! LOL!!!
dodgereric – what if I wrote that this way (note – for some reason JP hit 1 and Furcal 2 once in April with LA winning despite JP’s 0 – 4 day):
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28 – 21, .571 (93 win pace) – Dodgers’ record with Furcal, Kemp, Nomar, Repko leading off
21 – 29, .420 (68 win pace) – Dodgers’ record with Juan Pierre leading off
jhall – it’s just pure frustration at this point. We are doing so good right now, win or lose, and Joe just wants to throw it away so JP and Andruw can play because they have the experience that the other two don’t. What kind of crap is that!?! It takes alot of experience to strike out 3 out of 4 times a night, and it takes a lot of experience to throw the ball to mid-left field. Give me a frickin’ break!!! sigh!! 🙂
obi_wen – the Dodgers’ options for JP and Andruw are:
1. DFA
2. Trade (!)
3. Keep on roster
4. DL
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They can’t go to the minors, not even for a rehab, unless they accept the assignment, per the collective bargaining agreement.
Nelly, it is pure idiocy!!!
This point needs to be repeated: It is useless to activate JP unless his knee is 100%. If Pierre’s running is comprised, he really becomes a useless ballplayer. Raffy with a bad ankle put up JP numbers last year; imagine Slappy McPutout’s performance with a sub-par knee.
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AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
sigh 🙂
sigh 🙂
sigh 🙂
trying to calm down 🙂
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GO DODGER BLUE!!! MATT KEMP AND ANDRE ETHIER – GO AFTER THOSE ROX BOYS!!!
C’mon Kersh!!!!
AN INTERVIEW WITH DODGER MANAGER JOE TORRE
Reporter: Joe, you always seem to be deep in thought. Tell me, what are you thinking right now?
Joe Torre: I’m gonna take me some of these french fried taters home with me.
Reporter: How about before that?
Joe: Hmmm…. let me think… I was thinkin’ I could use me another couple cans’o that potted meat if ya got any. “Cos, Andruw Jones ate my last can. Oh, wait, I was also thinkin’, it’s not fun having a lineup that is hitting the cover off the ball and winning games.
Reporter: Go on.
Joe: So I was also thinkin’ how I could start to mess things up. I could screw around with Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier’s confidence again by platooning them once Juan Pierre gets back from Vegas. And once that’s done, I think I’ll screw around with James Loney by having Mark Sweeney start two games back to back.
Reporter: Anything else on your mind, Joe?
Torre: Yeah, these sure are some good taters!
Thanks Westernmost! Btw, I vote for any of those options but # 2 !
You’re welcome DNelly!
Even if I wasn’t sure of the language I sure liked the style obi_wen.
Can you translate that into Aussie for me … LOL!
Thanks Obi – another good one!! LOL!!!
Nice catch by DRUW
Translation for my Aussie mate: Joe’s an bloody idiot if he starts JP and Andruw Jones at the expense of Ethier and Kemp. 🙂
Got it mate .. Ta ..
Go Kershaw! Go Kids! Go Dodgers!!!
Go Kershaw! Go Vets! Go Dodgers!
lol
I guess this would mean that Andre’s strikeout was due to lack of experience and Andruw’s strikeout was all about the experience he has in doing it – that really makes sense Joe.
Obi – you are too funny tonight!!!
I’m just going to give my take. None of you will agree, but whatever. I am on my own these days.
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I take what josh/torre said as Positive news. It sounds like Joe acknowledges the fact that Matt and Andre have earned their spots as starters. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT.
I agree with you Amy.
Ugh, Shaw getting tagged!
The Shaw needs to learn location at the MLB level. U can’t just throw it by them here, like you can in AA.
The Bald might have our # tonight, but still a lot of game left.
OMFG that was a nasty DP turned by the Vets!
I’m just going to give my take. None of you will agree, but whatever. I am on my own these days.
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I take what josh/torre said as Positive news. It sounds like Joe acknowledges the fact that Matt and Andre have earned their spots as starters. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. so we shouldn’t be complaining!! He knows that the best need to be out there and will be fair. We do NOT know if they will be benched in to jp an aj in, like he said, Matt and Dre have come a long way. And nothing’s happened yet, this is in the future, let’s be happy that Juan is getting better cause after all people- he is a Dodger!! Remember, we LOVE them?!?!?
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i just want to support the team, not hate on them.
** sorry, this is the “bad” computer that i am on tongiht**
No one going to be down on you Ami for speaking your mind but I’ll reserve my opinion until JP’s first day off the DL.
Ditto Rod!!!
jhall – Grady and Jhonny are playing the Angel’s tonight 🙂
Yep Nelly, I’ll be watching it!!
Multi tasking. Have the Indians on the TV with sound down and Dodgers on the computer with sound.
Shaw getting squeezed a tad! But he is so inconsistent.
i haven’t really caught up.. but i’m posting this because it’s interesting.. i don’t know if someone else got to it yet.. this is from foxsports.com:
“The Phillies, frustrated by their offense over the past month, are actively looking for a hitter as well as a reliever. They discussed the Rockies’ Matt Holliday, inquired about the Pirates’ Xavier Nady and even made a call about the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp — thus far, all to no avail.”
so the phillies are frustrated about their offense, and imagine that.. they inquired about one of our kiddies.. ned, when teams like the phillies, who are an actual contender, ask for one of our youngsters.. that should say a lot about the value of the kids..
I hope Ned asked for Utley in return lol
jhall – I have Indians on Gameday and Dodgers on mlb.tv – gnats are getting ready to start, too. LOL!!!
jhall/rod- 🙂
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sara. thank you for sharing. matt is valuable and should be used in OUR favor and our favor alone!!!!!
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kershy isn’t looking or bright! but it’s ok, we’ve got pleanty of him. We need more hits!
Alright Nelly!!
Game over! Send him back to AA
jk lol
Rats!!®
jhall – We can always dream to have an outfield of Ethier, Sizemore and Kemp, can’t we? LOL!!!!
Maybe Andre is trying to act like Andruw because that may be the only way he stays in the lineup. 🙂
Kersh is going to have to learn to limit the damage better, maybe he can get some tips from Billy because he seems to do that well. Kemp is not good defensively.
Kersh is not impressing me at all this year. I know he’s only 20, but he might be a couple years away or very tradeable if this is all he’s got.
I said this the first time they brought Kershaw up .. it’s asking so much of a 20yr old to adapt to the ML’s .. all this can do is wreck his confidence .. I just wish they’d left him alone in the minor leagues to grow into the pitcher we all hope he can be.
Sign CC Sabathia, trade or just let Lowe and his salary go.
jhall – Grady HR#24 – Wow – matches his jersey number 🙂
Sweet, eh Nelly!!!
That would be a great outfield. What a dream!!!
Kersh has been really hit or miss…
Ill wait for his next couple starts before I call for his head.
well it has been a while since I have posted…the boys have been playing well, until tonight. When I heard Kershaw was pitching today, I had mixed emotions and was not thrilled it was going to be in Colorado. That is a tough place to pitch, but Kersh needs to be a big boy and trust his stuff. I am not watching the game so I can see by the score that it is not going well. Hang in there Kersh!!!
As for the best chance to win Torre, I do not want to even think about Ehtier or Kemp not in the lineup….Ethier is hitting 325 and slugging .606 in July and OB of .398. What is there to think about Joe? If it is anything other than playing Ethier and Kemp it should be retirement. They are 11-7 since Juan went down and play with energy and Passion. They are comfortable now and listening to you guys because they have not had to look over their freaking shoulder for the last month.
I see the Dodgers are showcasing Laroche and I hope it is for a Beltre reunion….send Dewitt to AAA to further season and learn to play 2b. As for getting Street, if healthy he is good but he has not been sharp this year and I do not like dealing with Beane. Other than the Ethier trade for Bradley (not this years version of Bradley) he usually comes out on top.
Hopefully the boys can come back!!!!
Nice job by JJ
scurtis, Billy is our best pitcher and he could be a cy young contender as early as next year. I don’t at all like what I’ve seen from Kersh this season.
jhall – I do like watching the Indians play – no Jhonny tonight though – not good for fantasy times. If they would just let Matt stay as LO then Matt could be our Grady Sizemore. Matt can hit home runs and steal bases, too.
dodgerboy, you are from the Washington DC area right?
Swood I totally agree. Billz is $$$ right now and is dirty. He is inconsistent here and there, but I love him as our #1. Just gonna have to wait and see on Kershaw. Too early to judge him, but I don’t like it so far.
Agreed Nell’!! Maybe JoJo will pull his head out of his Ned and leave the top of the order alone when Phew returns.
LOL!!
Not anymore Swood…Got called into the bosses office 2 weeks and after 6 years he said he could not afford to pay me anymore….right now I am in Dallas Texas….working for a friend of mine…more than likely moving…
AJ is a POS
Hey dodgerboy! It’s good to hear from you!! Yes, “most” of us feel the same way about everything you said. Nice post!!
Andruw is now batting .164 – way to go Andruw!! That’s showing your experience to the young players. 🙂
Kershaw may not be ready and Joe should have realized that Colorado is not the place for a 20 year to come back to the majors. I would have started Johnson and saved Kersh for the next series against Washington I believe, but I am a moron and he is a Hall of Famer what do I know?
Although if he gets his command he will be a beast and Billz did struggle his 1st half season with command also. Lets be patient…alot of great pitchers get rocked in Colorado.
I also love Billy because even though he struggles with his command he can still usually do a pretty good job of limiting the damage and keeping the D’s in it. It seems like teams have seen the ball really well out of Kersh’s hands the whole year.
Kershaw may not be ready and Joe should have realized that Colorado is not the place for a 20 year to come back to the majors. I would have started Johnson and saved Kersh for the next series against Washington I believe, but I am a moron and he is a Hall of Famer what do I know?
Although if he gets his command he will be a beast and Billz did struggle his 1st half season with command also. Lets be patient…alot of great pitchers get rocked in Colorado.
Glad to hear that Joe is not gonna keep running Andruw out there until Zambrano gets more hits than him.
gnats are playing the nats – 3-0 gnats; Molina just hit a 2 run HR
As for Laroche…I have to be honest and I know he does not get a lot of chances, But I do not like his swing…it seems long and it seems as if the bat is too big for him…call me crazy and I hope he does well, but I just do not get a good feeling….
sorry for the double post!
Dodgerboy, I don’t think Kersh’s command was that bad..I just think Colorado was seeing the ball really well out of his hand. I think he should try to find a way to become more deceptive.
LaRoche = average 3B for no matter what team he plays for. Solid, but nothing spectacular.
If LaRoche doesn’t produce before the trade deadline I hope we can get Adrian Beltre.
jhall – I guess we can still dream for a few more days:)
Beltre is my favorite player of all time and I would give anything to see him back in Dodger blue.
Swood, I was speaking more in general than based on tonight, I am not watching, but that team can hit and you better be on your game or you will get rocked. I just hope they do not send him back to the minors based on this game…he will be ok!
< 🙂 LOL!!!
Kershaw is not ready for the Majors. Bringing him up and sending him down won’t help his confidence.
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Colorado is not the place to put a 20 year old pitcher and let him pitch. We can never score any runs for Clayton. Torre has no idea how to run this team and furthermore, he never will.
The best indication of future performance as a manager in the national league is past performance by Joe Torre in the national league and he sucks big time at this.
definitely!!! LMKO!!!!
Jiminez must be nasty tonight….are we hitting any balls hard or are we overmatched?
We don’t score runs for anyone for the most part.
dodgerboy, are you not watching the game? We haven’t had many good swings against Ubaldo tonight.
lol scurtis and true
Darn, Ethier robbed!!
rod- I agree on Kershaw. In fact, I’ve thought all along that he could’ve benefitted from a year in AAA. It is asking too much of a kid only 2 years out of high school to contribute consistently in the big leagues. Hope the rush job doesn’t damage his confidence. Useless Statistics Department: the Rockies TV guys quoted a stat that the D’s were 9 games above .500 when Jones starts. Having been blacked out of these last 2 series by MLB, I’ve been listening to Steiner and Monday a lot lately, and , although they’re not Vinny, they’re still better than the Rocks, Gnats, Angels, and Friars broadcasting teams.
alright we have Washington, the Giants, and Arizona in the upcoming homestand so we definately need to gain some ground.
Why did we let Johnson hit for himself again?
I know “it’s just baseball” but I’m amazed that one night we look like a team destined to win the West then on the very next night we look like a team that would have trouble beating a AA team. If nothing else this team is consistent at being inconsistent.
Wow, our defense is horrible. We give no help to our pitchers.
jhall – Andre was robbed:( Listening to the Steiner and Monday. They are reporting that the Dodgers are looking forward to having JP return – who says? Bench Andruw and then I’ll be happy. I could actually go see him play in Vegas – OMG!! Not a chance!! I was thinking about it until I heard that.
Whilst it’s true that they turned a super DP tonight we have the mobility of 2 crippled crabs at 2B and SS.
LOL!!! <;(
Kershaw’s confidence… he’s making what 375,000. He doewn’t need to be babied at all. If he is really as good as most think, he’ll have to tought it up. That’s baseball. Remember, Bills the last couple of years. starter, reliever, starter, reliver… He is better for it. Kershaw has natural talent, now he has to have the mind set, or he’ll wash ouat like Keep Soop Choe.
Geez Nelly. That is depressing. Probably looking forward to Bennett and Sweeney also. Sad!! 😦
LMKO!!! <;( We called that one, didn’t we? It always happens when we are losing. LOL!!!!
Consistently being Inconsistent= 49-50 record.
LMKO Nelly!!! <;(
LMKO!!!! jhall – of all the times to see Las Vegas 51’s play and it would be my luck to have to go and see JP, Sweeney and Bennett play. I’m glad Charlie said that because I will save my money and bet on another horse – the horse is a better bet. LOL!!!
Sweeney doesn’t help but he is not the biggest problem. I don’t know about you guys but I would LOVE to see Beltre back in blue. That would give us a HUGE boost towards the playoffs. I would be willing to give up LaRoche for Beltre.
Our biggest problem is and has been the whole season our lack of power.
Our biggest problem has been our MANAGEMENT and poor decision making!!!!!
Wally – I bet you can’t wait until the Beaver comes back! <;(
Gee, it will get interesting when Beav is back and dad is in the house. LOL!!!
Dumping on Kershaw already?
LaRoche too?
Kershaw might need more time in AA, but maybe bringing him back up so quickly to pitch in Coors was were things went wrong? We just need patience with this guy, and not mount too much pressure on the kid too early on in his career. Eventually he has to overcome the pressure, but at some point it can become too much too soon for the kid (20 years old!!!).
And Andy LaRoche, just an average 3B? How can you tell after just 143 career ABs, about a month’s worth of a starter’s ABs, spread out over 2 seasons? still with a career .351 OBP with just a .217 BA. He obviously has a good eye and takes great at bats. Just wait till he gets consistent playing time, and gets into a hot streak.
I disagree dodgerboy. Torre hasn’t been great but he isn’t our biggest problem. Unfortionately Torre can’t go out and hit extra base hits. It’s really difficult to win when your team leader at the end of the season will have about 15 homers.
Get Jones’ consent to send him to Vegas to regain his stroke or DFA him. Only drawback would be that no casino’s buffet would be safe, LOL.
yes, Wally – I’m sure the Beav will be raring to go when he gets back, and then with you and dad – Wow!! watch out!!! 🙂
Hey DNelly, unless I imagined it, they flashed on the screen during Andre’s last at bat that Andre Ethier Before the Bigs airs on July 31st. I think I am going to be at the game that night, so I’ll have to be sure to tape it.
Is it safe to say that Torre has not really shown the baseball world he can manage anywhere but New York?
Dodgerdude I have seen nothing from LaRoche in the majors to tell me that he will be an all star at any point during his career. I am not at all bashing Kersh, I’m more praising Billy.
LOL Sky!! That’s fine, let the CowPie eat his way out of baseball!!!
Super point Rod!!!
rodmky – nailed it!!!!!!!!!!
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bluecrewgirl – I will be there august 1,2 and 3rd, but I don’t get that here in norcal 😦
I was referring to the Nedster mostly, but Swood, Torre’s handling of the lineup has been suspect. Pierre has not earned his position. Andre beat him out in ST and was hitting the ball early in the season and joe was playing Yo-yo with his confidence. And if and when the might mite comes back and starts hitting his weak ground balls and bad defense on an everyday basis and it is going to happen, then I will not be happy with Mr Torre again. I was a Pierre supporter when everyone else was bashing him and if he performed I had no problem with him, but he has not so I have a problem with the person that continually puts him in the leadoff spot!!!
Power has been an issue but look at the doubles that Kemp, Loney and Ehtier has amassed. They will eventually turn into HRS with time…the power will be there and yes Andruw is the biggest culprit and Joe cannot hit for him but he can bench him in the best interest of the team….
LaRoche needs to show something soon, no doubt about it. But what he’s shown us so far is, while not flashy, is still productive. I’m not saying he’s the next David Wright or anything, but he can be a very productive and inexpensive solution for us at 3B. He needs a fair shot before anyone, you or me, and come to any sort of conclusion on the guy. Logan White really likes him too, so that’s a hell of an endorsement in itself.
Andruw .163 whoo hoo!!!!! I guess it will be looked at as experience too – he’s making contact 🙂
jhall-which will drive him out first? His performance at the plate or the dish? LOL.
nice post Dodgerboy!!!!
Ok Laroche has a good eye and he walks, but why is he not sitting dead red on 3-1 on a fastball right down the middle…try to jack one young man…maybe Delwyn will hit one out and it works out!!!
LOL!! My guess with JoJo and Ned, it will be the dish.
UJ just too good 2nite
Yep, we ran into a pitcher tonight that brought his A game.
what if LaRoche swings and pops out on the pitch and causes an out, instead of getting on base and prolonging the inning? Maybe it wasnt the pitch he was looking to hit? Maybe if it was the pitch he wanted he would have swung? all plausible no?
D17…Laroches swing just looks long to me and he does not square up many balls. I want Beltre back he is only 28 years old and good for 25 hrs and 85 rbi and gold glove defense every freaking year….
I guess it was inevitable after last nights offensive feast a famine would strike today. Par for the course.
Dodgerboy .. Beltre is a good 3B but we’d have to give up far more than what he’s really worth to get him and that’s not good math.
Speaking of good math .. 16 runs last night tonight …….
Oh well, at least the Colorado folks get their 4 tacos for a buck at Taco Bell again tomorrow.
Remember we are in Colorado, and anything can happen. Look what happened in Arizona – 5 runs in one inning – you never know 🙂
Sure hope we can put the taco eating expletives on a diet tomorrow!!!
What would we have to give up, Laroche and a couple of other prospects…as long it is not anyone on the ML roster I am ok with that….We have to get some pop sometime and Beltre is young enough to warrant giving up some talent.
Beltre for Laroche, Mcdonald, and another prospect…he is not Mickey mantle he is a solid 3B who I have to feel Seattle would want to unload some salary….
I posted that before Holliday made that hit – not that I’m giving up mind you, just saying lol!!!
If part of the price for Beltre is LaRoche, I could go along with it. Maybe, later on, LaRoche may get it but, as of now, I just don’t see it, He doesn’t seem agressive enough at the plate and his defense is average, at best….8-0, Rockies. Officially a laugher for the Rocks.
Just ain’t our night Nelly…..
Dammit Kemp do not do anything stupid in an 8-0 game….nice effort but be smart!!!
There is a new thread that I just saw – don’t know why 🙂
I’ll concede that Beltre is probably a better player than Laroche would be given equal opportunity, but the difference between the two would not be that much. When you factor in their price tags, the clear advantage goes to LaRoche in my book. The difference between the two players’ salaries is about $11.5 million per year, or roughly $4 million per year short of what it C.C. Sabathia figures to get next off-season. I’ll stick with LaRoche and cash to spend for CC.
It okay jhall – win or lose, I like this lineup (with Andruw and JP platooning). It is a work in progress like we keep saying.
Agreed Dude17!!! Save the cash and get a CC.
Yep, I’ll take this lineup with a CowPhew platoon.
Nice post Dodgerdude!!!
jhall – I like that name!!! LOL!!!!
We are losing Nomar and Kent…savings 19 mil….losing Lowe 10 mil or so….thats 29 mil….Schmidt one more year and we lose another 16 and and Andruw 16 more….thats another total of 32 mil or so…total savings 61 mil……
We can afford CC and Beltre with the young kids!!!!
jhall – Grady gets another chance 🙂
I just don’t understand how people expect prospects to be finished products the second they make it to the majors. It takes time and mistakes. You need to learn how to play, and you need to playing time to learn (i hope that makes sense.) We put up with Kemp’s defense and base running, and while he is nowhere near perfect, he is showing signs of improvement. This is a standard trend for most young players. Maybe if a 3rd baseman was the final spot we needed to fill for a run at a championship this year, then maybe I’d favor a trade of LaRoche for a more proven Beltre. But with this team still under .500, making such a deal seems pointless and counterproductive for the future of this team. Play LaRoche regularly the rest of this year, see if he can improve and show us his skills, and hopefully we’ll go into the off-season with a young improving productive 24 year old 3B, less wholes to fill, and more money to spend on filling other wholes with stars like CC.
Again, right on Dude17!!!
Yep Nell’, Grady is fun to watch.
Alright Bison!!!! One for Amy.
MATTHEW RYAN KEMP
FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only difference between Beltre and LaRoche is Beltre is a guarantee of 25 hrs…80 plus RBI and will hit .270 plus and is the best defensive 3B in baseball….Laroche is a maybe to stay healthy..back, shoulder are ?S and a maybe to hit at the major league level and Beltre is only 5 yrs older…he should just be hitting his prime….
what is with my grammar.wholes instead of holes?
“and you need to playing time to learn”…
sorry everyone, heh.
Poor Andre…robbed again….
Rats!!®, Andre robbed again.
Man, Andre’s been ripped off his last 2 at bats. Same thing happened to Kent the other day. Must be so frustrating to hit it so hard and have nothing to show for it.
That two robbed hits for Andre 😦
It will be viewed as lack of experience, I’m sure LOL!!!
Ce La Vie!!!
Actually, C’est La Vie!!!
There is a new thread you know – lol!!!
I have been one of the biggest fans of our youth movement, but I feel if we can get Beltre he is still young and is not overpriced in todays market….and he will fill one of our biggest holes…3B and a power bat…plus you cannot discount his defense…that will win you 3-5 games over the course of the year…This is not to bash Laroche I like him, but I do not see anything that excites me…Dewitt when he plays has a sense of urgency and excitement…his at bats (I know his recent numbers) are better at bats than laroche….Andy I wish was more aggressive and squared up a few balls…Just my opinion and you are making valid arguments but I would take Beltre in a heartbeat….
boy!! you like your languages don’t you?
Gee mom, the french teacher is really cute. LOL!!!
You took french and latin – wow!!!
Si!!! LOL!!!
Might as well throw in Spanish. LOL!!
I just don’t see Beltre being worth the 11.5 million more. And with LaRoche at 3b, i don’t really consider it a hole. I see your arguments, and while I’m more of a stats guy, I will agree that excitement and energy are worth something that can’t be quantified through stats. But again, when you can use all that savings to improve other aspects of your team, trading LaRoche for Beltre just doesn’t seem worth it.
I am very impressed, son!! Spanish and some sign language is all I have. Can’t do sign on here though – lol!!
Merci… 🙂
Your welcome!! You continue to impress me very much 🙂 My son is taking french,and he likes it alot. My daughter took spanish and hated it.
Spanish may prove more useful. French is kind of cooler, more graceful.
I’m not giving up on Kershaw, not by a long shot. The kid has talent, and his recent experiences will test his mettle and help him reach deep down within himself. I’d probably sign Greg Maddux just to let him sit next to Clayton in the dugout for the next few months and learn from a master. Of course, IMO the Dodger management has been woefully inconsistent in working & communicating with the younger players, while giving a free pass in the press to vets who often make the same kind of mistakes. I also don’t like the fact that a kid can outplay a vet, but the vet is back in the line-up no matter how great the kid was playing. As I said earlier, why stop doing what helped you win? I never wanted to see Beltre leave the Dodgers and if he returns I wouldn’t have a problem with him, especially since he has power and has a great glove—as long as we don’t lose Kemp-Ethier-Loney or Kershaw. It’s clear to me that the Dodger brass don’t value La Roche, as much as they do DeWitt, so if they trade for Beltre, La Roche is the player most likely to be on the trading block. He may never develop into a top tier player, but my guess is that by playing everyday over the next few years he’ll probably be the top candidate among former Dodgers to win the “Paul Konerko Most Ignored Talent Award” .
yes, definitely, and now a lot of schools are starting to do more asian languages (chinese and japanese) because those are the languages you will need to know if you plan on going into international marketing and business.
nice post Obi!!
Did anyone watch Beimel talking about his bobblehead doll and giving his comments on some other Dodger bobbleheads? It was pretty funny. He’s always pretty amusing.
Yep Nelly, that is true.
Also, well said Obi!!!
Where did you see it BlueGirl? Is there a link to it?
It was on Dodger’s Live after the game of Fox Prime. Maybe it will show up on You Tube.
sounds fun!!!
Merci beaucoup Bleu Fille..
I got that one with the help from my son – I knew the first part, and he just handed me a french dictionary – lol!!!
LOL!!
I guess we better switch to the new thread. See ya there.