The battle is on…

The NLDS is about to get underway and there’s another battle for supremacy…the top two most-visited sites in the MLBlogosphere are this one and Mark DeRosa’s blog. We’ll have to try and upset them on the field and in cyberspace! 

All kidding aside, it’s going to be a great series to watch. For the first time in the two team’s histories, we’ll be facing off in the playoffs. Since 1890, we’ve played the Cubs 2,024 times and believe it or not, we have split them evenly with 1,012 wins apiece. That’s pretty hard to believe.

Rosters are due tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. so tell me, who would you include and who would you leave off? And what’s your starting lineup for Game 1?

There’s a workout at the stadium at 5 p.m, with media availability earlier in the day, so our department will be keeping busy. And, as we did a couple years ago, here is a PDF version of the postseason media guide that we put out.

2008 Part One.pdf

2008 Part Two.pdf

2008 Part Three.pdf

139 comments

  1. craigary

    Here’s how I see the roster. What do I win if I’m right? šŸ˜‰

    Pitchers:

    Lowe
    Billingsley
    Kuroda
    Kershaw
    Saito
    Broxton
    Beimel
    Wade
    Proctor
    Maddux
    Park

    Hitters
    Loney
    DeWitt
    Kent
    Furcal
    Blake
    Kemp
    Manny
    Ethier
    Pierre
    Nomar
    Berroa
    Martin
    Ardoin
    Delwyn Young

    I would NOT put Sweeney on the roster. He’s a good guy and all but his numbers are embarrassing this year. Young has been our one reliable pinch hitter. I hope he gets a shot.

    Go Dodgers!

  2. trublu4ever

    Starting lineup:
    Kemp
    Ethier
    Ramirez
    DeWitt
    Martin
    Loney
    Blake
    Berroa
    I put DeWitt as cleanup because he has been swining a pretty good bat lately.

  3. perumike

    Morning wally! Morning everyone! I don’t know if anyone mentioned it yesterday, but on SportsCenter yesterday they were asking Peter Gammons who he thought would come out of the NL, and he said the Dodgers, and specifically mentioned our pitchers Lowe and Billz.

  4. trublu4ever

    Hi Jhall ~ how have you been?
    .
    .
    I gave my starting lineup, but here’s what I think Joe will do:
    Furcal (if he’s able to play)
    Kemp
    Manny
    Andre
    Blake
    Martin
    Loney
    DeWitt
    Berroa

  5. junkyardjamie

    LMAO!!!! I can’t even type – June Darlin’ is really confused now. The Cleaver family isn’t what I thought – LMAO!!!!!

  6. enchantedbeaver

    What’s in a name? That which we call a Beav by any other name would be Beavette.

    I heard the Beav’s openly gay, but a closet heterosexual.

  7. scott_in_arcadia

    furcal/kemp
    ethier
    manny
    loney
    blake
    martin
    kemp/furcal
    dewitt
    lowe

    I’m in favor of keeping DY over DOA (Sweeney).

  8. crzblue2

    Good mornting ITD!!

    I am with Tru, just leave Sweeney off.
    .
    I really want to watch the game tomorrow……. I have not called in sick this year on account of the Dodgers.., just used vacation here and there. . only left early once (or twice) saying I was not feeling well so that I could go watch BP. The last time was the Friday against the Giants. As I was crossing the street to get to the stadium that day, I heared a voice yelling “Emma!” I looked around and could not find anyone so this person who was waiting to turn left into the stadium yells back his name. It was the president of the company where I work! sitting next to him I spotted a VP. The company does have 4 season tickets. I waived back thinking “please don’t mention it to my boss…” Never did hear anything from my boss so I did not get busted. Later on I found out they were there with their wives.
    .
    Just found out I got to take a business trip to N.H. the week of 10/19 to 10/24. schedule looks OK to me with the League Championship series. Is all about the Dodgers.
    Go Dodgers! Go D.Lowe!

  9. craigary

    Maybe the Dodgers should do like MLB does for the all-star game, have fans vote on the last playoff roster spot. I vote Delwyn.

  10. amyw27

    morning everyone. šŸ™‚
    .
    What a beautiful day for the eve of our first game. Those team pictures on the latest gallery are great. The team plane and the locker room with Dodger blue. This series is going to be fun šŸ™‚
    .
    funny story Emma. Thank you for sharing. I love your Team spirit, it makes me smile.
    .
    Agreed. No Mas Sweeny!

  11. cpompe1

    Hey Josh – I think all of ITD is in agreement; Sweeney should be left off the roster!!! I’ll echo and embellish (a little bit) what craigary said before. Sweeney on the roster would be a major embarrassment with his atrocious numbers this year. The only thing that would be close to it would be having Jones on the roster; thank God he’s out of commission and won’t see any action.

  12. perumike

    Hey guys, in my playoff fever yesterday, I bought a double pack of Upper Deck baseball cards, and I got a pretty good batch! Here are the highlights:

    Josh Beckett, Dan Haren, Luis Gonzalez šŸ™‚ , Garrett Atkins, Matt Holliday, Grady Sizemore, Kerry Wood, Tony Gwynn Jr. (who looks exactly like Milton Bradley), Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Beltran, Kosuke Fukudome, and our boy Hiroki Kuroda’s rookie card!

    Go Dodgers!

  13. cpompe1

    Oh and Josh – I’m sure you will, but keep us appraised on the battle between ITD and Mark DeRosa’s blog. Yes, we do have to beat them in cyberspace!!!

  14. northstateblues

    Hey all, Yeah, Let’s beat those Cubs, cyberspace or no cyberspace!! If anyone missed it, I had a little fun on photoshop last night getting psyched for the series:

    http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n156/MercurySolo/cUbS101.jpg

    Coming soon from K-Tel Records…
    http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n156/MercurySolo/Chicago1908.jpg

    http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n156/MercurySolo/notinkersnoeversnochance.jpg

    Looks like I missed a good time last night by knocking off early! Hey Eric, as long as you’re in a Newman movie frame of mind, What’s the story on that dog?

  15. northstateblues

    And not to innundate with posts here (even though we are in battle, heh), but I saw a weird sight this morning. heading out of class to my car to put money in the meter, I saw a guy wearing a New York Giants hat. It was the first NY Giants hat I’ve seen anyone wear since I moved to Northern California! And I’m wearing my Jackie Robinson road jersey with my lucky Brooklyn hat. I could imagine uncultured onlookers now… “Why is that Dodgers fan wearing a Red Sox hat? And why is the guy in the Mets hat giving him dirty looks?!!!”

  16. cpompe1

    NSB – that was great! A NYG vs. BD sighting on the streets! Ya know, I work my Brooklyn cap a few weeks ago and someone asked me “Why am I wearing a Red Sox cap?” I had to set him straight!!!

  17. northstateblues

    cpomp, I’ve gotten the Boston question too. Embarrassing to say the least. The day I get “Brooklyn? Where’s that? . . . Oh, then why didn’t you say New York City, then?”, I think I’ll cash in my chips and find a way to crawl inside the ol’ flask, heh.

    Scary thing is, I’m sure that day’s not so far off.

  18. cpompe1

    Good morning Nelly! i went back to last night after I left; thx to you and sara for correcting me on what day of the week it is!!! And I’m a guy that lives on the east coast??? And enchanted is a girl??? Boy, things got mixed up last night!!! šŸ™‚

  19. cpompe1

    NSB – That was the first time for me getting Brooklyn and Boston mixed up! Fortunately, my entire family knows I bleed blue all the way and they know me better! Just don’t crawl inside the ol’ flask yet; you are too funny around here and we need you and your drawings!!! šŸ™‚

  20. cpompe1

    I just noticed that I said “work” when I really should have said “wore” a couple of posts above… Did I ever say I hate it when I don’t proofread???

  21. northstateblues

    Perumike: Wow, crazy Al actually did it. Napoleon Davis. Mad King George at least got Hank Steinbrenner to handle his estate, where in the hell is the Raiders’ Hank Davis? Seriously, if even 1988 Al saw what this shell-of-a-great-man has done to the franchise, he’d smack himself silly and cart himself to the old folks’ home.

    I think it’d be great to get in a poker game with him, though. He doesn’t know when to hold ’em, fold ’em, walk away OR run!!

    From “Just Win Baby!” to “Just win, maybe?”. Sad day for me as a Raiders fan.

  22. cpompe1

    perumike/NSB – I’m not too much into football, but my husband is a Raiders fan too. He’s on the job now (he’s a mail carrier) and he listens to sports talk radio. I’m sure he knows about the firing by now. Wonder how he feels? But I wonder about his all-time, lifelong favorite team: the Packers. Aaron Rodgers look really good the first 2 games, and not so much the last 2 games. But I don’t think he’s too concerned, yet…

  23. northstateblues

    Really, the Raiders’ losses don’t faze me anymore. I think myself a fool for getting excited when we carry a TD-less lead at halftime, full well knowing that the collapse is imminent. At least the Dodgers are good, eh?

    Another day until the playoffs… feels like forever right now.

    Quick question: With this team, would you rather have the wind blowing in or out of Wrigley?

  24. kpookiemon

    craigary, your roster looks right to me.

    Starting line-up:
    Furcal
    Ethier
    Manny
    Kent
    Loney
    Kemp
    Blake
    Martin
    Lowe

    Ethier thrived in the two hole…why move him? Manny needs protection, Kent seems the only answer. Hate batting Kemp in the 6th hole behind Loney, but Joe likes his lefty, righty thing. If Martin walks, like he has been doing, pitcher can sacrifice him.

  25. northstateblues

    Yeah perumike, I think I agree there. though I wouldn’t mind seeing a few Dodger homers if it was blowing out (shoot, we’dve won that last game against the Giants if it was at Dodger Stadium, a couple of players were robbed by that power alley triangle in right center.)

  26. dodgereric

    LMAO!!!! That’s right!!! “It’s their rink, their town, etc, etc…” I forgot about that. It’s been so long since I’ve seen the uncensored version of that great movie. I have got to buy that one and keep it.

    “Old school hockey. Eddie Shore.”

    “Are you guys brothers?”

    “Oh my God, they brought their *^&%^ toys with them!”

  27. northstateblues

    Heheheh Eric. I’ve gotta get that movie on DVD, I hate censored versions of movies, there has only been one censored line in a movie I liked better than the uncensored line, and it was in Blazing Saddles. But other movies, wow, they butcher the crap outta them. My LEAST favorite censored line in a movie:

    Major League, w/ censored line in CAPS:
    Manager (to Willie Mays Hayes): Well, you might run like Mays, but you hit like YOUR SISTER!

    Have to turn that movie off every time.

  28. junkyardjamie

    Josh ~ Kpookiemon’s lineup looks good to me.
    .
    Now we are doing “Slap Shot”? Sheriff must be out today….. šŸ™‚
    .
    back to school…. šŸ™‚

  29. northstateblues

    Dnelly: your last line made me think of this:

    (from Billy Madison)

    Back to school, back to school
    to prove to dad that I’m not a fool
    I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight
    Hope I don’t get in a fight
    Ohhhh, back to school, back to school…

  30. northstateblues

    I’m surprised more people want MIN to win than the ChiSox. The Metrodome is one ugly building. Plus, I’d like to see Griffey back in the playoffs, a reward for time served in Cincy, and staying away from the needles, clear and cream.

  31. trublu4ever

    nsblues ~ I rather see the Twins than the White Sox because I can’t stand AJ or Ozzie. I’d prefer whoever wins that game to be eliminated. I want Boston eliminated too. Of course, I’m hoping for a California world series!

  32. cpompe1

    Hey Josh – I forgot before to post what I think should happen with our starting lineup:
    Kemp
    Ethier
    Ramirez
    Loney/Blake (depending on LHP or RHP)
    Blake/Loney (depending on LHP or RHP)
    Martin
    DeWitt
    Berroa
    This is my favorite lineup…

  33. trublu4ever

    I don’t think Jeff Kent is as good defensively as Blake DeWitt and defense is what makes good pitching. I also don’t think Furcal is healthy enough to play…..just a feeling, after he didn’t want to play on Sunday. Hope I’m wrong about Furcal………we will just have to wait and see.

  34. northstateblues

    Yeah Tru, a Freeway World Series would be nice. I guess I just feel bad for Griffey. Unlike Bonds, Sosa or McGwire, or Giambi for that matter, Griffey did it right, and his reward for his classiness is year in, year out trips to the DL (that BALCO could’ve healed quickly like for the aforementioned group).

    I still feel he’s one of the best players of the last decade or two, and it’s a shame he’s been eclipsed somewhat by cheaters.

    Oh, and I hate Artificial Turf, heh.

    Okay, now I have to go to Shakespeare, weee. Richard III now, “Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious summer by this son of York” and “a horse! a horse! My kingdom for a horse!” one wicked play.

  35. cpompe1

    crzblue – that was from last night. No, enchanted is not a girl. Again, if enchanted is a girl, I’ve Florida swampland that I’d like to sell ya!!! šŸ™‚

  36. stolenmonk

    Let’s see if I can still count to 25:

    Catchers:
    Martin
    Ardoin

    Infield:
    Loney
    DeWitt
    Furcal
    Blake
    Kent
    Nomar
    Hu

    Outfield:
    Ramirez
    Kemp
    Ethier
    Pierre
    Young

    Pitchers:
    Lowe
    Billingsley
    Kuroda
    Kershaw
    Saito
    Broxton
    Beimel
    Wade
    Troncoso
    Park
    Proctor

    I want the Dodgers to win, so no Mark Sweeney. Andruw Jones is hurt and probably needs to retire.

    Starting Lineup game 1 vs Dempster (rhp)

    (s) Furcal – ss
    (r) Martin – c
    (r) Ramirez – lf
    (l) Ethier – rf
    (r) Kemp – cf
    (l) Loney – 1b
    (r) Kent – 2b
    (l) DeWitt- 3b
    Derek Lowe-SP

    DeWitt is 1 for 5 career against Dempster with a double and a k. Kent is 9 for 33 career against Dempster with 3 BB, 1 K and a homer. Casey Blake has never faced Dempster before.

  37. cpompe1

    Did anyone click on Mark DeRosa’s link that Josh gave us above? I clicked on it and Mark’s last post was on 9/28/08 with all of 37 comments! Come on ITDland, we can do much better than that!!!

  38. thinkingblue

    Hello ALL ITD agree with everyone here…NO SWEENEY…not as pinch hitter. If you wish to keep him in…maybe a bat boy. But please JOSH everyone has voted SWEENEY OFF. He can be the Dodger’s Rookie Fashion Designer but please he MAY NOT PLAY. Well Jones is hurt so we are safe to say that he is NOT PLAYING….GOOD!.
    KEMP
    MARTIN
    ETHIER
    MANNY
    BLAKE
    LONEY
    FURCAL/DEWITT
    BARROA
    LOWE/BILLINSLEY/KURODA

    This is actually hard, I feel bad living some of the players out…but I want to win…I wish it was like in elementary school EVERYONE IN THE TEAM GETS A CHANCE. Man Torre has it tough. GOOD LUCK!
    .
    AMY – TRU : DISNEYLAND WAS GREAT. I was on a mission to find the Dodgers/Mickey Pin but they were all out….I checked out every store and employee with pins in both parks…they had a lot of the Angels, A’s, Padres, & Giants but no Dodgers and it does exist since I’ve seen it on the net. Also I’ve noticed more people sporting Dodger gean than Angels which I was a bit surprise being in Anaheim.

  39. junkyardjamie

    Amy ~ that cupcake is pretty awesome. It’s funny how my network allowed me to see that link, but not the one yesterday that Eric posted about the sandwich shop.

  40. thinkingblue

    Amy – WOOOOOW and the best part…THE CUP CAKE IS BLUE! THINK BLUE!
    .
    Someone gave the pumpkin carvins for the Dodgers. It is the Dodger’s Logo, and also the LA (dodger’s) logo. So this Halloween my pumpkins will be painted in blue!

  41. dodgereric

    amy, that’s the second-biggest cupcake I’ve ever seen……. (a buffalo nickel to whoever nails that one down)

    I don’t want to start anything, but I saw enchanted and jhall walking into a double feature of “When Harry Met Sally” and “You’ve Got Mail”…………

  42. thinkingblue

    TRU – that’s good, it looks that I will have to do the same…Dodgers have way more fans than all the other California teams…it would be good to collect all the teams. My husband was laughing at me, I was checking out all the employees to see if any had it, I was going to buy just any pin and trade with them, but nnooooooo. It is a good pin to have.

  43. crzblue2

    cpompe, I did not think E was a girl but I saw someone else post that question and I was confused. Does not take much to confuse me..
    .
    Ibirken,
    I am excited for your daughter that gets to watch the Dodger game. I love taking people to the stadium that are exited about watching a game. I love the atmosphere of playoffs games! I hope, I hope Koufax will be in attendance! Have fun at the game! College football is the only games I watch, the kids make it so exciting.
    .
    ndeschenes,
    Thank you so much for your posts! We need and love your enthusiasm! You should send one of your posts to Kent.
    .
    Hey, is Maury Will’s birthday 10/2! I hope the Dodgers give him and us a win!! He will be 76! I think I will get a card for him in the hope that I ran into him. If not, I’ll give it to someone there. Ran into him on the elevator after I had seen Sweet Lou. I told him I had just come from wishing Sweet Lou happy birthday and then I asked him when his was. He is another nice person that you often see running around the stadium.

  44. thinkingblue

    CRZBLUE…hey sometimes I get confused I don’t know who is a female or a male. I don’t know if Enchanted is man or women but I do know is that ENCHANTED IS SOMETHING ELSE!…..HE MAKES ALL LAUGH!

  45. dodgereric

    Seven or eight quick ones and you’re off with the boys to boast and brag………………YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!!!

    Oh, I think I love him…………..

  46. crzblue2

    E,
    You are too funny! Hey, have you ever seen the sunset from Dodger Stadium? It is a beautiful view from the Top Deck.
    .
    Do you all remember Derik Lowe’s blog during the playoff?
    .
    Well, better get back to work….

  47. trublu4ever

    Dodgersrule ~ last night, Shad thought Enchanted was a girl and CPO was a guy. They are just having some fun with it.

  48. scurtis1999

    I got 2 free tickets from my boss at work here in Chicago for Game 1! I am so pumped! Can you all have some bail $$$ ready for me? hahah jk jk

    GO BLUE!

  49. junkyardjamie

    LMAO!!! June Darlin’ has lost it!!!
    .
    Speaking of June Darlin’ ~ I read a chapter book series to my class, and the main character’s name is Junie B. Jones. Well, when I was reading today, one of the lines was “It’s okay Junie B. darling”. Once again, my class thinks I am crazy because I do this giggle thing when I am reading something funny. They didn’t find anything funny about the line other than me. LOL!!!

  50. kho88

    i think the roster is pretty much set except for sweeney or young. i think young deserves it but torre’s penchant for vets may result in him picking sweeney. the problem is that sweeney has shown time and time again that he is done as a productive player. it would be worse than sending in the pitcher to bat for himself.

    lineup?

    kemp
    ethier
    manny
    loney
    blake
    martin
    furcal
    dewitt
    P

    kemp just seems to be so much more disciplined when he bats at the top of the order. he strikes much less in the one or two hole than anywhere else in the lineup. furcal is not all the way back and needs to bat 7th or 8th.

    also, i’m not sold on kent back in the lineup. this team took off when dewitt took over the 2B spot. furcal can match berroa, hurt or not, but dewitt is way ahead of kent right now, especially in the field.

  51. amyw27

    Good afternoon.
    .
    Rose dear, I’m glad Disneyland was such a success!! I’m going next weekend and I cannot wait. I wonder though, if the Dodgers make round 2 of the playoffs, could that Saturday become a possible home game??? I might have a be weary of my plans. Too bad about the pin. I don’t have one either. Maybe I’ll have to ebay it like Tru.
    .
    Dnell- I’m glad you got to see the link:) yummy things are allowed on your school computer!
    .
    Tru- I know. A Dodger Blue cupcake. I soo want one too.
    .

  52. dodgereric

    Josh, there’s 113 posts on DeRosa’s blog in the last week. We have 122 since 7:30 this morning. Why don’t you just ask us how many no-hitters Koufax has?

    Don’t waste our time…………:-)

  53. thinkingblue

    Well Enchanted answer one questions: Can you DANCE? What is that movie In & Out!….Haahaaaaa
    .
    AMY…well Disneyland will be there waiting for you after the Playoffs so if Dodgers move on…just think when will the Dodgers be there again?…..but hey if you wish to go to Disneyland and miss the playoff…I’ll take your ticket….LOL!

  54. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    amy, duff cracks me up. they make some REALLY cool cakes on his show.. that cupcake looks amazing~

    scurtis!! that is SO great! please be obnoxious, and piss off all those cubbie fans because they’re all already talking crap.. and i know they will be annoying at the stadium this weekend~

  55. junkyardjamie

    Amy ~ dodgereric’s was a yummy thing too. Eric and I have talked about this before. My spam filter at school is much like on ITD. It blocks really stupid things at times, but then it will allow out right, very inappropriate things all the time.

  56. thinkingblue

    SARA- Don’t worry bout’ the cubs their own fans will be helping with their own Loss…LOL I do love Chicago it is one of my favorite City’s and love the Harry Carey restaurant…it is goood….but boooooo the Cubs…

  57. amyw27

    Sara- I agree. That’s wonderful stuff. Viva Sugar šŸ™‚
    glad to bring all the cupcake love to all
    .
    Rose- I have a annual pass, so I can always go šŸ™‚ I so love Disneyland. How does Halloween time look this year? very festive??

  58. saralovesrussell@losangeles-dodgers.net

    Eric, i know.. one of my student workers just told me he was wearing his cubs jersey to work tomorrow (we have staff uniforms for the students) and i told him ABSOLUTELY NOT.

  59. thinkingblue

    AMY – IT was beautiful. It is a lot like last year but they do have a huge Minnie/Mickey pumpkin at the beginning of Main Street. Haunted Mansion was all themed after “The nightmare Before Christmas (like last year). The “CALIFORNIA” letters at the entrance of the California adventure were all like the Candy corn…all the A’s were big candy corns. In California Adventure Mickey & friends were dress like farmers for harvesting time. They did not have the Fantasmic show, and of course like you had mentioned, Small World is also closed. I did not try the Toy Story Mania ride…booohooo, that was the only ride with a very long line and my daughter did not want to stand on it and they weren’t offering fast past for that one.

  60. dodgereric

    So there was this guy, see? He walks into a bar and sees this really old guy wearing a Cubs hat, sitting in a booth, sipping on a beer, watching the Cubs game on TV with his pet giant tortoise. The tortoise is wagging his cute little tail while he watches the game.

    So the guy says, “Hey, what’s up with your giant tortoise?”

    The old man says, “Well sonny, the Cubs just scored and Freddie here loves the Cubs, so he wags his tail. Wait around a minute and you’ll really see something special.”

    The guys sits down and sees that there’s now 2 outs in the ninth and the Cubs are ahead. The third out comes and the tortoise starts wagging his tail really fast and his head starts bobbing up and down.

    The guy says, “Wow, that’s amazing! What does he do when the Cubs win the World Series?”

    “I dunno,” he says. “He’s only 100 years old.”

  61. vl4ecc

    Good afternoon all!
    Just for laughs, I checked out the Cubs website yesterday to see how active their blogs are….Pathetic! There’s more comments here in one day than there is for a whole week on theirs!
    I hate having to wait another day to see the post season roster. I believe it’s unanimous from the ITD gang to kick Sweeney to the curb. Nice likeable guy, and he’s done well in the pinch hitting role, but that’s in the past! He’s done worse than the fat boy who over did it on the tortillas last year!
    As far as some wanting to start Furcal at leadoff/SS to start this playoff series, I have to disagree. I say start Berroa, see how things work out, and go from there. He’s too fragile to start in the field at this time. He can make a big impact coming off the bench with his bat, along with Nomar, Kent, Young, and last in line – Pierre. With sinker baller Lowe starting game one, we want our best fielding team on the field to back him up.

Leave a reply to northstateblues Cancel reply