Battle of the Joshs
Yes, it’s that time of year again. The ThinkCure radiotelewebethon is this weekend and once again, two of the auction items online hit close to home. You can now bid online for the opportunity to spend a day following yours truly around the stadium. You can also bid to follow KABC’s Josh Suchon around the stadium and of course, all of the proceeds go to ThinkCure!, our official charity.
Last year, a battle ensued between the “other Josh” and myself, with Inside the Dodgers coming through and beating KABC in the end. We’ll have to do it again this year, so I’m leaning on those of you who have the money and inclination to give to a great cause.
Here’s what I can tell you about last year’s winner…after the fact, the winner sent a letter to ThinkCure saying that even though she paid only about $1,500, the experience was worth closer to $10,000. My typical day takes me to the Dodger clubhouse, on the field, into the manager’s office, into the broadcasting booths of a couple Hall of Famers, and countless other really cool things. So if you have the means, now’s the time to step up and show what Inside the Dodgers can do! (Of course, there are tons of great items to bid on that have nothing to do with either Josh).
And please forgive me if there are shameless plugs throughout the week, as the auction ends next Monday.
And on that note, here’s tonight’s lineup against the Cards.
Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF (Kemp’s been a little under the weather)
Ethier, RF
Manny, LF
Blake, 3B
Loney, 1B
Martin, C
Hudson, 2B
Billingsley, P
As for Thursday, Jeff Weaver will start for us. Joe Torre said that the DL is becoming more apparent as an option for Kuroda, but we’ll wait a few days and see. He expects that Haeger will get at least another start at this point.
Inside the Dodgers 
Blah, not Weaver….
Not exactly the lineup I was hopig for tonight!
*hoping
Sorry Matt is under the weather but does Juan have to bat 2nd?!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…
Since you can’t fire the whole team, why not start this off season with Joe and Ned?
As for tonight’s lineup, I would love to say it, but I will use restraint and just hope Matthew is feeling better by tomorrow.
Come on, NellyJune say it!!!!!
In fact don’t stop there, fire Conte, Honeycutt and Mattingly too.
I rather have Matt playing sick 🙂
Forgot about Bowa – F-him too!!!
Trade Martin’s sorry *** (I’ll give Loney one more season to prove himself.) Pay JP to just go away.
Find wherever Yeager is and hire him to manage. Promote hough to pitching coach. Find wherever Reggie Smith’s hiding and hire him as a coach in some capacity. At no point in the season does the team carry more than 11 pitchers. If you’re a starter and can’t average into the 7th inning, you’re outta here too. There’s no more 1 inning relievers unless the situation call for it. If you pitch a 1-2-3 8th, you’re pitching the 9th as well. And we’re damn well carrying a couple guys on the bench that can hit one out – no Pierres, Castros, Ausmus’ and friggin Lorettas as a primary PH.
LOL, me too, NellyJune! Especially roaming centerfield.
Sorry, I couldn’t help it.
And while we’re at it, fire the dumb ***** that “service” this blog. Thing hasn’t worked right since they changed it at the start of the season 2008.
Keep going, BPB!!!!!
Bowa, too……….out of here!!!
The batboy………..out of here!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t really want Matthew playing sick. He needs to be healthy for the next two months or so. Maybe he just has motionsickness from moving up and down the lineup so much.
That’s very possible, NellyJune.
Just pray that Chad is okay and his hammy is fully healed.
Crap, the Giants just tied the game!
peanut vendor…..you, too……..outta here!!!!
this is fun!!!
guy at the bottom of the hill scalping tickets…………outta here!!!!!!
Knouffbrock ~ LMAO!!!
I was afraid of visiting ITD and read that I was FIRED by BPB. Wow he is in a roll.
You guys are all sounding like Jon Miller, and if that is the point, I really missed something, didn’t I? LOL!!!
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT OUT OF THIS TIME WARP!!!! I just now saw bpb’s 5:54 post that I know wasn’t there earlier, and I have had 5 submission errors trying to make this one post.
JOSH – hopefully you win this year again and hopefully the person that donates the moneys….takes us all…LOL! Good luck! Don’t worry you are not FIRED!
NellyJune ~ BPB started all of this by saying who should be fired……..just giving more suggestions. lol
I am sure MATTY will play tomorrow….and the whole stadium will be Beastwood!
aeversw – I hope so too. It’s no fun going to a game anticipating certainly players playing only to be disappointed when they don’t.
tru-this is pretty good. Therapeutic, I think. You others should try it.!
I’m with you so far, bpb!
But how do you feel about Jamie?
I wonder if she can fire Frank or whether it’s the other way around – in any case, whoever can fire the other, JUST DO IT!
Ugh, I’m going to the game tomorrow I hope Matty plays. I don’t want to watch Juan Pierre ground out to 2nd 4 times!
Well I am out. Sad I couldn’t fire people with BPB and all of you. BUT I just want to say:
LET’S GO DODGERS!
and let me add
C’MON MARTIN……YOU CAN DO IT! Get out of BPB trade list!
Isn’t it Matt’s bobblehead night tomorrow? He has to play!!!!
Not a surprise that Weaver was going to start.
JP grounding out to second isn’t so bad when you consider that he’ll need a cutoff man to throw the ball to second.
I know we have said it before, but really do think ITD has really gone off the deep end this time around. WE CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!! NO MORE LINEUP CHANGES, NO MORE HAS BEEN PITCHERS, NO MORE PIERRE, NO MORE NOT SCORING WITH RISP, NO MORE BLOWN SAVES, NO MORE PIERRE, NO MORE INJURIES, NO MORE BATTING MATT LOWER THAN 5TH. STOP THE MADNESS!!!!!
Did I say NO MORE PIERRE? I am saying it again just in case.
NellyJune ~ it merits repeating………..NO MORE PIERRE……NO MORE PP…………NO MORE JUANPY……NO MORE JUAN PIERRE!!!!!!!!!!!
LMAO!!!!!
NellyJune ~ it’s easier to laugh than cry!
Hi Gang,
Ill try to be as positive as I can, But our Dodgers need to start a 10 Game win streak tonight. What I am tired of is getting the tease, we have won 3 of 9 series’ since AS game. Ownership, Management and other teams will no longer be the excuse, Execution is be the judgement, to place These Dodgers to best advantage to win the game till the end of the their season. Yes Late October!
Bigalow Green tea…OUTTA HERE! Budweiser….OUTTA HERE! Every other stinking sponsor on the outfield wall or up top the scoreboard…OUTTA HERE! Union 76 and Farmer John…THAT’s ALL WE NEED!!!!!!! OK, maybe another starting pitcher, an ace, if you please.
Groundhog Day…Manny walks, Blake tanks. For the love of humanity…….
Groundhog Day…Manny walks, Blake tanks. For the love of humanity…….
Hi everybody,
Ready or not here’s game 2 with the Cards.
I have 6 questions.
1) Can Bilz make it through the 5th, without that hamstring acting up?
2) Will Mitchell Boggs (any relation to Wade?) be vulnerable enough?
3) Can the Dodgers break through their mediocrity (compared to the Cardinals) to edge out a win?
4) Will Big Bad John have anything to do with it?
5) Will the law of averages lend us a hand, since the nasty Red Birds have won 5 straight?
6) Will we get any help from the Nats and the Reds?
I already started with my MLB.TV not coming on for the top of the first. Had to re-start it.
4-3 from Pierre – SHOCKING
Pierre out on 2 pitches – DOUBLE SHOCKING
LMAO, Kahli!!!!!
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Way to go Andre!!!!
Scoreboard watching this week might not be conducive to good health, not with the Rockies playing the Nats and the Gnats playing the Reds.
PP outta here!!!!!
A couple of items
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First, Josh, if there are say, 20 of us who form a pool to win the day with you, will that work? 🙂 And, if we get the day with you, can we have power to fire a few people?
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bpb, you forgot the guy who made the crappy Panda Express I had last season, the lady who stocks the cheese for the nachos, and whoever decided to sell kettle corn for 6 bucks!
Urgh Reds 8-5 SF
BLUB
Garko wasn’t doing **** with the Giants until tonight.
Yes Joe, Russell Martin is so good even he doesn’t know how good he is.
Doesn’t look like the rest of us will ever find out either.
How did you chase that one Bills? Should be 1-1
We beat them 994-993-16 tied and still the Cards owned us the last 5 years.
BLUB
BLUB
Gosh more lob that’s 4.
Another question.
How Does Vin stay so cool?
Boggs looks vulnerable right now I hope he doesn’t settle down.
Furcal……….OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!
Whoever teaches this club how to bunt…OUTTA HERE.
So, is Andre the only one who can get on base at the top of the order these days? Andre had one bad month, but it seems like everyone else has had three or four and some all five months.
2 pitches. What amazing consistancy.
ANDRE ETHIER…..A KEEPER!!!!!!!!!!!
Manny is not
Well I got my answer to number 6>>>>>>>>>>>NO.
Nice played Odog
I’m going to jump in front of the firing squad for a second….
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Cue Jimmy Hendrick’s…. Machine Gun!!!!
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TO SAY….” LET’S GO DODGERS, LET’S GO!!!!!
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RALLY TIME!!!!!!
Mauer 25 homeruns? Something tell me he’s on something. Martin for Mauer come on Ned maybe you need to throw some more players into that one lol.
Thanks for working the count Loney. Yes Vinny everyone read that about Stausburg.
What did Matt Holliday do?
My MLB.TV didn’t let me know.
Dang why couldn’t Martin do that last night?
Stop Martin from scoring but Martin skip and failed. He would had not scored on that play.
🙂
Vinny goat tonight lol
???
B I L Z Z Y
🙂 🙂
LMAO D4!!
Damn **** Pierre got robbed
Billz says Fu Qy’all!!! I will get the RBIs myself 🙂
2 pitches again. This Juan Pierre is a baseball GOD.
GO FERKY.
there is nothing bills could had done
LOL!!!! brownpaperbag…………………………..at least he is consistent.
Wrell it looks like Boggs is still vulnerable.
BPB ~ Instead of GOD I think it should be reversed….DOG!!!
Shad – Mauer is a stud. Maybe he is eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with tuna on the side too 🙂
Hey Nelly how is the 2nd day of school going? There aren’t on no track are they?
ANDRE IS THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hahahaha nice defense Ankiel
Going good Shad – thanks for asking!!!
It’s seem weird to have school in August weird schedule.
ANDRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~It’s those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with tuna on the side, are definitely paying off for him. Keep it up Andre!!!!
Give Andre that damn bobblehead.
red pen – “they are definitely…………….”
Give them to Furcal and Martin maybe they can get there average over .280.
ATTA MANNY cashing in ETHIER.
🙂 🙂 🙂 I’m glad you liked it BPB…..I too have been LMAO at the whole gang!!!!
Kahli – I think you are right about the mvp…… at this time anyway. There is nothing he hasn’t done to help this team to date. He had that one bad month, but it is nothing compared to the rest of this team.
Andre doesn’t need a bobblehead…he’ll need the room on his mantle for the 2009 Dodger MVP trophy.
oops maybe Furcal and Martin need some to and maybe they can get there average over .280.
Come on Loney let’s keep this up.
Hi everyone Just got back from the Braves- Mets game. Old friend Derek Lowe was breezing until he gave up 8 runs on 10 hits in the 4th. That set a Met all-time record for most hits in an inning.
Was scoreboard watching during the game. At first it was good news until it turned bad with both the Gnats and Rocks coming from behind to win.
Good to see the Dodgers beating the Cards for once. Bills looks very good so far. Showing no effects from leg injury. Nice to see the bats come alive and score some runs.
WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE FIX THIS TIME WARP ISSUE! Sorry Kahli, I am about 12 minutes behind the time stamp on ITD.
Well Boggs was vulnerable, we got to him.
Now it’s lead holding time.
I think maybe Bills got cold & out of rythum during that long last half inning. Better be carefull here. The Cards are good at manufacturing runs……DAMN!!!
Damn Martin and his pathetic dp.
L O N E Y
Is anybody shocked by that DP? Only time Martin can get a hit is with no one on. He hits the most meaningless .260 ever.
I’m surprise they didn’t walk Odog but Bills might get another hit.
Nice hitting Odoooooog!!!!!!!
Now it’s OOOOOOODAWG.
Dang Lowe didn’t need that in my fantasy league. Oh oh Welch and Valenzuela played the OF I remember that game
That not good Bills hitting that guy.
Urgh now Bills in trouble damn.
WooHoo…………….ANDRE!!!!
Hi TBW
Hope you enjoyed the Met Game.
Careful now these are the Cards.
Typical “Ace” Billingsley. Give him a lead and he starts giving it right back.
get the dp now
Time for Bills to depart
Sigh where was that pitch
It looks like the end of Billingsley tonight.
Like Blake, I too am a booble man.
Wow nice even Blake booble it.
And Joe wonders why his BP is worn out.
Torre is absolutely THE WORST manager I’ve ever seen.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Frank needs to petition MLB to reduce bases to 85 feet apart…then Martin won’t have to bounce throws. Joe’s Peter Principle Thought Bubble…”Let’s see, O-Dog gets three straight hits in the 8-hole……I KNOW, I’ll move him to another spot in the order tomorrow!”
Whew!!!!!! We are going to need more runs.
Well he got out of that, but Bilz doesn’t look to sharp.
We need to hold on to this game, we don’t want the Cards to take the brooms out of the closets to use on us tomorrow.
I was wondering where those went….LOL!!!
The Cards have been red hot since getting Holiday. I have a feeling Big Blue might be seeing them again in the post season.
Bills did a good job on Pujols to get the DP.
oldbrooklynfan ~ It was interesting while the Mets were losing. Once they took the lead I got bored.
You can rest assured the Cards will be in the postseason, I’m not sure yet about the Dodgers.
I can’t remember earlier in the year where our hitters took so many called strikes. Crap, at least swing at the ball.
They went to Happy Face heaven and back dodger4life – LMAO!!!!!!
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
It took about 10 minutes for them to make an appearance…maybe they went to the restroom to wash up first.
They brought some friend’s too….
Joe found his new whipping boy. Sorry George.
I’d like to thank MLB for a wonderful job on serviceing their product……But I can’t……As shad would say…………………… THIS SUCKS!!!!
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FIX THIS BLOG!!!!!!
Come on guys, lets get some runs, I’m sick of having the Cardinals fans here harass me all the time when we lose to them…
Is something wrong with bilz? 73 pitches and out, then mcdonald for a bit, then sherrill and he piches the 8th too?, then Big JON who MUST save
LMAO!!!!! Dodger4life!!! They obviously haven’t hired the right computer geeks for this job – LOL!!!!
Jeff Spicolli look alike Khalil Greene has always been a thorn in the Dodgers side going back to his days with the Puds.
This game is getting scary. I have a feeling it’s going come down to Broxton against Pujols in the 9th I hope Broxton is on his game.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but about the same time every nightI have trouble posting my comments.
About 9:00PM PT.
SUBMISSION ERROR………..OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!! TIME WARP……………OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
R U S S E L a very important RBI
I have a bad feeling about this game now better get some more runs
Let’s go SHERRILL.
wow i think Loney got lucky.
Yes, James scores!!!!
I hope Bowa known that was Holliday in LF.
My comments are going in above comments that are already made.
WTG RUSS!!! AWESOME!! I have a feeling that extra insurance run will be huge.
Nice clutch hit Russ! Let’s see a lot more of those!
I’m glad Odog made that out hopefully Sherrell would be out there.
Joe shows his undying faith in Broxton.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 to 😦 😦 😦
They showed the Loney replay and he did make it, but it was extremely close. As much as we bash the umps, as Vin says, they are generally VERY good at what they do.
Wow that play at the plate was very close, I thought he was out at first. Big clutch RBI double by Martin.
I don’t know where this comment will end up, but that was a great recovery by Loretta.
ANDRE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I see we got some mail delivered.
When Pierre’s not in the lineup Manny is the easiest out.
COME ON JOHNNY!!!!!
Gosh damn it Torre
Oh My You almost called it, pujols vs brox, but in the 8th, 6-5 worse
Scooby Doo say’s……HUH???? Double switch????
What did I say Broxton vs Pujols! But it’s the 8th and he’s not the tying run. That’s better for us.
Here We Go
It’s JON
Thanks god Pujols doesn’t have Kemp speed.
Alright Johnny be good!! He gets out of it!!
Since when does Torre do a double switch lol. I was hoping the Broxton vs Pujols in the 9th
Couple random thoughts: We need the DH in the National League. Pitchers can’t hit, and I hate watching them bat. Seriously, who wants to see inferior hitters at bat? The AL’s been doing great (better) with the DH. Secondly, did any of you listen to “God Bless America” by that girl and hear all the people groan? My goodness. =)
Good job Pierre to get Ethier back up.
huge insurance run to bad Ethier won’t get the cycle.
One more Brox!!!
81 RBIs for Andre – just awesome!!!!
lol Manny turning into Princess Drew,
I’n tired of watching Manny take called strikes. He’s getting paid how many million to hit the ball.
A VERY VERY BIG WIN, avoids the cards from bringing out the brooms tomorrow and keeps us up by 4 1/2.
Tommorrow ADAM WEINWRIGHT, not exactly Mitchell Boggs..
Damn come on Broxton.
Come on Brox, let’s get them
Stop it with these crappy defensive indifference.
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Come Brox challenge them. NO WALKS!!!
Dang that runner on 2nd could’ve taken 3rd also.
FANTASTIC GAME DODGERS! ANDRE REALLY IS STEPPING UP BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!! IT’S TIME FOR AN ANDRE ETHIER BOBBLEHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s a winner folks
Now that is the Jonathan Broxton we like to see. Great Job by the pitching crew tonight!!!!
NINE MORE WINS IN A ROW! LETS GO DODGERS!
BIG WIN!!! We needed it. DRE is really coming on strong. I think he can hit .300 by the end of the year.
You got that right Koufax!!!!!
Every day Dre……Good Team Win….. Way To Go Boy’s!!!
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MVP or Not……..
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Pay dre……….pay dre,pay
pay dre……..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre…pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre……pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
pay dre…….pay dre…….pay dre
pay dre……….pay dre.pay dre
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WE LOVE OUR DODGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
365 DAYS A YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7 DAYS A WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
24 HOURS A DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EVERY DAY IN DODGER BLUE IS A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!
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Bring the Ring to LA in 2009!!!!!
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It is a beautiful day and we got your back Andre.
Andre will be at .300 or very close to it by the end of the season.
I LOVE THE NUMBER 16 DODGER4LIFE!!!!!
Dodger4life ~ That’s just B L U E T I F U L!!!!!
:)…..GOOD NIGHT and GOD BLESS EVERYONE!!!!!
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KEEP ON TRUCKIN !!!!!
GO DODGERS!!!!!!
If Matt really does have the flu, we better hope it just stays with him and doesn’t spread throughout the clubhouse. I hope he is better before tomorrow. It’s his bobblehead night.
truebluewill – That is great!!! ……bluetiful
Good Night Dodger4life!!! Take Care and God Bless!!!
Nice job Brox and Dre, great game over all! Nite all!
Good Night Piano Man!!!!
Thanks Nelly! Sweet Ethieraholic dreams!!
OK, let’s see where this ends up.
DEFENSIVE INDIFFERENCE… I used to have a problem with this too, until I figured out why. In this situation, you just want to get outs, and the best way is for you to position your infielders to maximize the chances of getting the groundout. Two things you gotta do if you DON’T do the “Defensive Indifference” thing: you have to hold the runner at first, and you have to keep your middle infielders close to second base. That leaves a HUGE gap for the batter to extend the inning.
Great victory tonight. I only have one thing to say – Andre Ethier = Team MVP. The batting average train will arrive at .300 in no time at all.
Twelve minutes. I wonder how long until I start posting at real time and it ends up ten posts up the line?
One in a row! We can tie our longest winning streak of the month tomorrow!
You are welcome Perumike 🙂
Good Evneing bluecrewgirl and dodgereric!!!
dodgereric – it’s been bouncing back and forth again tonight. It starts out fine and then I get warped again. It’s very frustrating. Then there are the submission errors as well.
bluecrewgirl – definitely!!!! I am getting a little tired of Charlie saying it’s because he is batting in front of Manny. If they haven’t noticed, Manny isn’t exactly hitting the ball all that well lately.
You are welcome Perumike 🙂
Good Evneing bluecrewgirl and dodgereric!!!
dodgereric – it’s been bouncing back and forth again tonight. It starts out fine and then I get warped again. It’s very frustrating. Then there are the submission errors as well.
bluecrewgirl – definitely!!!! I am getting a little tired of Charlie saying it’s because he is batting in front of Manny. If they haven’t noticed, Manny isn’t exactly hitting the ball all that well lately.
I just had to mention it, didn’t I? Well, the double post hasn’t happened to me until now. So, you can add that to the list of things to go wrong on this blog tonight.
The great minds that can’t figure out how to get us out of this time warp…………………….outta here!!!!!!
and blah that dh get rid of it in the AL.
I am missing an E in evening. brownpaperbag doesn’t need his E’s for a while so I will just borrow one of his until he comes back to being enchanted or just E.
I agree, Nelly. I’m tired of hearing it too. He had worked hard for his success and he deserves most of the credit. I think Manny has taught him to relax more and I’m sure he sees some good pitches, but he still has to hit the pitches.
Dodgereric, it has been a while since they’ve had a real winning streak. Their schedule will be getting easier in Sept., so hopefully they can get one going.
Sigh this is weird Favre with a number 4 Vikings jersey.
bluecrewgirl – …and the power doesn’t necessarily come from seeing good pitches. He said himself he is working on his swing, and obviously it is working for him. I am guessing the Yoga and his eating habits (however bizarre they are) are factors too.
Hello Gang!! I know you are all happy tonight with a very sweet Dodger win. I know I am. We needed to take the bull by the horns and show some guts after last night and the last week. I think we may have gotten a little complacent with the big lead and it is easy to drop your guard in the “Dog Days” of the summer baseball season. I think I saw a little of the Eye of the Tiger tonight. We need to dig deep and play every pitch of every game like it is the World Series. That is how you get there and win it!!!!!!!!!!!
jhall is in the ITD House!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is sooooooo good to see you!!!!
I bet Dodgereric is stuck in the time warp of submission errors.
Hi’Ya Nell’!!! Great to see you and everyone else. I think I may have solved my internet connection problems. LOL!!!
Totally awesome win tonight. I’m not concerned that we have been playing a bit flat right now. But, it is getting time to turn it up a notch. Getting hot at the right time often is more important than who has the better team on paper.
jhall ~ I am glad your connections issues have been solved. I wish they would figure out the time warp issue on here. I am not frantic yet……………..just mildly concerned about the Dodgers. The gnats are playing the Rox at Coors Field real soon so hopefully that will shake up one of those two teams a bit.
OK, I’ll try this one again.
Hi Junie! Hi bluecrewGIRL!
Brox is showing signs of coming back the last couple of days. It would sure be a nice boost. He even threw a couple of fastballs inside for the first time in I don’t know when! Even though they were in the lower part of the zone instead of up-and-in, it’s a start!
ks, I have to disagree with you (and agree with shad) on the DH and defensive indifference. I don’t think either one is real baseball IMHO. The DH does put more offense into the game, but it’s like wild card teams – it’s to attract the casual fan.
I think the argument for defensive indifference is more likely to allow the pitcher to concentrate on the batter than closing the gap. But if it’s such a great strategy, I have a question. Why does the other team cooperate? No one is forcing them to take the base. I’d love to ask Torre that question myself.
Yep Nell’, that will certainly be a shaker. Hopefully they just beat each other up.
JHALL!!! Where did you come from? I know, Columbus!
Not submission errors Junie. I don’t get many of those. It’s my wireless connection. It’s really inconsistent and I lose a lot of posts.
What we got tonight was hitting WRISP. Although it was nice to see Billz and Brox have good outings, the clutch hitting was even better.
Hey Dad/Chevelle!!! Great to read/see you as always my friend. Wish I could hang around, but it is getting late/early here. God bless you all and I hope you have a great evening. Excelcior True Believers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Catch you all down the road.
Well, if we can string some wins together while the gnats and rox split (a four game series), then we can really make up for some lost ground in the standings.
Dodgereric – that is a very good question. Why do the other teams cooperate? It would make sense to leave the runner on first (attempting to steal) just to make it uncomfortable for the pitcher.
Good Night and God Bless jhall!!!! It was great reading you even for a short time. A little time is better than no time 🙂 Take Care and see/read you around.
Dodgereric ~ I have been having a combination of connection issues and mlblog issues. It seems like a lot of us are having issues with these things.
Wally, you take care! ‘Nuff said!!!
Junie, my humble theory is this: The other team cooperates because it makes sense to do so. As the manager of the other team, I would take that other base every time. He’s now in scoring position and there’s no force play at second for the easy out. I think that outweighs the larger gap. Again, IMO.
I’m going to accumulate some stats and it’s going to take a few minutes. Be right back.
Well, you would certainly want runners in scoring position if the other team is not even going to put up a fight for it.
Okey dokey – LOL!!!!
I was just wondering if we were just too close to be objective. Have we really been poor w/RISP?
NL Team batting average vs. team average w/RISP
LA – .276 (BA) vs .264 (w/RISP) – minus 12 points
WAS – .267 vs .262 – minus 5
HOU – .267 vs .277 – plus 10
NYM – .266 vs .282 – plus 16
FLA – .266 vs .270 – plus 4
ATL – .263 vs .271 – plus 8
STL – .262 vs .264 – plus 2
MIL – .262 vs .255 – minus 7
SF – .261 vs .255 – minus 6
COL – .261 vs .267 – plus 6
PHI – .257 vs .258 – plus 1
PIT – .256 vs .262 – plus 6
CHI – .255 vs .240 – minus 15
AZ – .255 vs .233 – minus 22
SD – .242 vs .241 – minus 1
CIN – .241 vs .239 – minus 2
Good to see that we’re 1st in batting average. We’re third in runs.
We’re tied for 6th w/RISP. Not the worst in the league, but far from the best. We also have the 4th worst differentia. That’s really not good, right?
Interesting that there are 8 on the plus side and 8 on the minus side. I would have guessed more on the minus.
The tendency is for the higher average teams to hit better w/RISP, but it’s really a tendency, not a rule.
Now I need to catch some sleep. Goodnight Junie and may God Bless you and yours!
Very interesting stats.
Good Night Dodgereric!!! Take care and God Bless to you and yours as well.
Good Morning ITDland ~ Nice win last night. Billz and Brox were very good and Andre was simply AWESOME!!!! Here’s hoping Matty is feeling better today and is back in the lineup. Also, Charlie was saying last night that Kersh was feeling a little under the weather too. I really hope this flu bug doesn’t sweep through the clubhouse.
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GO DODGERS…..BRING US ANOTHER WIN TONIGHT!!!!
Interesting stats Eric.
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What are the splits from say April-Mid June & Mid June through now.
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I would think they are different. It seems like we were doing well early on but not for a couple of months.
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This is a quicky as I’ve got to get to work.
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Take care everybody!!!
Interesting stats Eric.
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What are the splits from say April-Mid June & Mid June through now.
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I would think they are different. It seems like we were doing well early on but not for a couple of months.
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This is a quicky as I’ve got to get to work.
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Take care everybody!!!
dc, baseball-reference doesn’t break down the RISP by month. It could be done, but I don’t have the time right now. What I think is interesting is this:
March/April .290 .381 .445 .826
May .286 .361 .395 .757
June .241 .308 .369 .677
July .288 .359 .446 .805
August .280 .344 .419 .764
Gee, what happened in June? Oh, I know. Juanpy had his 20-game run end on May 28th and Ramirez came back Aug 3rd.
More bad news:
“On a day when Manager Joe Torre conceded that Hiroki Kuroda probably would go on the disabled list in the near future, Clayton Kershaw walked into the Dodgers’ clubhouse with flu-like symptoms.
Weaver was named as Kuroda’s replacement to start the series opener against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday — that is, if Kershaw is healthy enough to face the St. Louis Cardinals today. Kershaw was sent home early Tuesday.
Scott Elbert was scratched from a scheduled start with triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday and would be available to pitch Thursday if necessary.”
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers-fyi19-2009aug19,0,6466208.story
Sorry, red pen. Ramirez came back JULY 3rd.
And I would understand Kuroda going on the DL. I suffered a concussion a few years back and it was a couple of weeks before I could use my electric toothbrush. And it usually takes hockey players a few weeks to come back from one as well. I just don’t know what’s taking them so long.
Oh wait, I know. The Conte Method. First it’s day-to-day, then the 15…….
John Smoltz is joining the Cardinals.
Mornin’ tru! Yeah, I saw that. I’m wondering if we’re not headed for Vincente Padilla. He clears waivers today also and there’s this: “Padilla is available for a prorated portion of the $400,000 league minimum salary.”
Just the kind of deal Ned looks for, isn’t it?
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9948250/Source:-Dodgers-among-teams-looking-at-Padilla
Dodgereric ~ I really think we need somebody. With Kuroda going on the DL and no 5th starter, we need help. I’m even wondering if Kersh will be well enough to go tonight.
So I wonder when we will know about tonight and tomorrow’s pitching situation. What time is the pre-game Joe Torre news conference and is it broadcasted anywhere?
It’s Ned’s kind of deal, because that’s probably the only kind of money that McCheap will give him at this point in the season. Not that Ned hasn’t wasted some real big bucks when he had them, and Ned should be gone at the end of this season.
When it comes to Frank, however, I’m convinced that he’d like to pay the $25 million a year for Manny*roid for his own promotional idea purposes, but he’d like the rest of the team not to cost anymore than another $25 million total. Just watch and see what happens to all of our young guys when they start to demand some real money. It’ll be Bye Bye! That’s why I believe that Frank is the worst crud of all.
You Boston Scumbag!
rx ~ I listen to the pre-game interviews with Joe on KABC at 6:30, about half hour before game time.
It never gets old ready this stuff………………………..
Andre Ethier was 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in a win over the Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Ethier now has three multi-hit games in his last four, pulling his batting average up to .285 for the first time since May. His 24 homers and 81 RBI rank 10th and ninth in the league, respectively. Aug. 19 – 1:18 am et
red pen – “reading” not “ready” – uuugghhh!!!
If Padilla can help us, and keep his attitude in check, let’s do it for the $100,000 we would spend. However, they need to let him know that if he pulls anything, he will be released immediately!
I finally had to give up posting last night. I’d hit enter and nothing would happen.
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SOMEONE PLEASE FIX THIS BLOG
Much to my surprise, Martin got a hit last night with someone on. A nice win, but show me something against a real pitcher like Wainwright. We haven’t beaten a good pitcher since I don’t know when.
http://www.truebluela.com/2009/8/19/994919/jonathan-broxton-road-warrior?ref=yahoo
Eric you should do the Angels since they have the highest batting average in the league.
First Matt and now Clayton. If they are not careful, they whole team will end up sick eventually. Do we know if Matt is playing tonight or not.
Also, dodgereric – concussion too, huh? I am sure there is a story behind that one as well 🙂
bpb – They need to hire new computer experts to figure out why this blog isn’t working right. It’s been at least 4 months………….heads need to roll……….outta here!!!!!
I mentioned last night that Hudson getting three hits in the 8 hole makes him a sure bet to be moved OUT of that spot by Joe for tonight. In all my years as a die-hard fan, I can’t remember a manager so obsessed with line-up changes, or as Joe likes to say, “just to try something different.” Got a feeling Vicente Padilla will be a Dodger by game time…
Congratulations to Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Casey Blake for being nominees for the Hank Aaron Award. We, the fans can vote and then our winning selection will be among others throughout baseball.
I’m just about to leave for the game tonight! If I get to LA and Weaver is pitching instead of Kershaw I’m going to be PISSED!
omg I didn’t even think about that! CRAP!!! NO JP NO JP!…nothing can be worse then when I went to the game the day manny got suspended. That was horrible!
AEVERSW You would be more pissed if JP is playing instead of MATT! Have fun at the game!
hahahaha I think Manny caught something the past 3 weeks.
Shad – that’s funny 🙂
aeversw – Have a great time at the game, and we will be here hoping you get to see Matt in CF and Kersh pitching. If not, we will be cursing with you 🙂
I bet Ned is out there with his Rolodex trying to put another pitching staff together – “wonder if I could bring Tomko and Hendrickson back together again. Those were the days – a BOOM here, a BOOM there; fans getting showered with HR balls. That’s the kind of promotion Frank would eat up – and practically no salary to pay.”
Sigh Colorado is up 2-1 amazing they can keep on winning.
The Dodgers did sign Padilla according to ESPN.
When we’ve seen Sele, Bloaiza, Sao, Carter, Baez, Lurch, Bombko, Schmidt, Milton, Erickson, Ohman and Proctor, its painfully obvious that Ned wouldn’t know a decent pitcher if he came up and bit him in the ***. When your mantra is “we’ll get what we need late in the season”, and we end up looking at Smoltz and Padilla, it might be time for a new GM.
Sigh.
Its not amazing Shad – they have a good team and they’re playing bad opponents. Same with the Giants.
Its the Dodgers who have been playing crappy and inconsistant baseball since the all-star break.
Padilla was signed, screw this… He is washed up and will probably struggle in AAA before even coming up.
http://www.forums.mlb.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ml-giants&tid=114303
Already the Giants fan are say something and I would think they should worry about there team first.
Ned seems to like cast offs because they come cheap.
Well if he can pitches like he did in 2002 and 2003 it probably ok but I doubt it. He does average 6+ innings a start.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6257/career;_ylt=AqaEjDm1p2cgzQhgTFFoCVCFCLcF
I’d rather have Pedro damn Ned and Philly.
Birk – I think its Frank that likes ’em cheap – Ned just doesn’t know any better. 🙂
I’m still worry about the feud between him and Bowa when they were in Philly.
Wow Kemp, Ethier and Manny are batting 2, 3 and 4. I’ve been waited for this.
It’s come to this? Why am I not excited.
Hello everybody.
Adam Wainwright
That’s the target tonight.
Hit the target and they could win more than cigars.
GO DODGERS
Sigh the Giants finally got a run 1-0
Dodger lineup
Furcal
Kemp
Ethier
Ramirez
Blake
Loney
Martin
Hudson
Kershaw
This lineup compiles 90 HRs and 465 RBI
You want the Cards
Here it is
Brendan Ryan
Julio Lugo
Albert Pujols
Matt Holiday
Ryan Ludwick
Mark DeRosa
Yadier Molina
Colby Rasmus
Adam Wainwright
Dodgers put Kuroda on DL and called up Abreu.
Kuroda on the DL, that makes sense.
He is still having headaches, oldbrooklynfan. Not as bad as they were but still feeling the effects of the injury.
oldbrooklynfan ~ The lineup looks good tonight. They’re going to need to win. Both the Rockies & Giants are winning, the Dodgers are up against it again.
Damn, the Giants are going to win 1 – 0 unless something major happens in the Reds’ last at bat.
Good evening everyone……
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LET’S GO DODGERS, LET’S GO!!!!!
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BATTLE HARD TONIGHT BOY’S!!!!!!
LET’S GO DODGERS, LET’S GO!!!!!
TBW you don’t have to say that again.
LET’S GO DODGERS, LET’S GO!!!!!!
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BIG RALLY TIME!!!!!!
Vin just said Padilla will start the first game of the Rockies series. Imagine that a new guy with questionable ability to start the most critical series of the year so far.
One more out Kershaw
Blah more crappy k’s from Manny.
Way to go Kersh!!!!
Looks like Clayton had another __typically__ good inning.
Kersh is having his wild and wooley game, with the strike out his main weapon, which is not unusual for him.
Damn a 0-2 and he still couldn’t get Pujols out.
Now 7 straight balls gosh damn it.
Alright Kers WTG big strikeout!!!
oh great a 1 2 3 innings geez.
**** you furcal
I’m wonder if Kersh is still feeling the effects of the flu? He may still be under the weather.
sigh dont walk the gosh damn pitcher.
94 pitches in 4 innings with the flu…….give him a rest!!!!
How dare him losing Molina on a 0-2 pitch?
Well so much for that.
Was Mac even warming up. He just hit Pujols.
Man this MLB.TV is not much different than just listening to the game on the radio.
I missed more video than I’ve ever did, and these freeze frames are amazing.
Valiant effort from the youngster considering the circumstances. We need some runs here Boy’s!!!!
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LET’S GO DODGERS, LET’S GO
It looks like Wainwright has got a no-hitter, in fact a perfect game going.
We got the wrong catcher. I want that Molina.
Well there goes the perfect game.
Take the walk Manny if you need it
This MLB.TV tonight is really wacky, it just showed Vin stumpling around the booth.
what was you looking at Blake and Loney is back hitting into a dp.
But it’s not showing much else except a lot of stills.
I wish Kershaw could’ve done that when he lost Pujols and Molina on a 0-2 pitch.
Well at least we wont get no-hittered, I hate to get no-hittered.
We was tied with the Pirates with 53 errors now we’re 3rd in the league behind them and Philly had 52 don’t know how many errors they made tonight.
Thank you Shad, I had no idea.
I think the only chance the Dodgers have is to make Wainwright work.
Make him throw strikes, maybe that will tire him out.
Another thing is he’s only human and can make mistakes.
McDonald and Belisario look good so far.
To bad Furcal made 14 errors even a good Furcal we would be #1.
ANDRE!!!!!!!!!
Theres a mistake pitch.
M A I L M A N
let go back to back
damn manny get on something lol
CASEY, TOO!!!!
🙂
CASEY CASEY
a Brand new game.
and Kersh is off the hook.
🙂 🙂
Wainwright looks like he’s had it.
Oh my about damn too
too=time
Let’s go Tony
Pathetic…
should had try to sac there Abreu
Due to twilight zone time delays, that PATHETIC was directed at the Dodgers’ former All-Star catcher.
In our 121 games we finally hit 100 homerun as a team. Still suck compare to the Rockies, Yankees and Philly.
another ******* error
The toughest thing is they scored without a hit, they’re some team.
that run should’ve had scored
lefty vs Ethier should be an out.
good job brox…. how many more games is he gonna blow till joe joe realized he is not a ninth inning guy?
that was not his fault Martin error was
Wow that a start come on Manny
dodge, Joe isn’t exactly your prototype in-game manager. He needs a bunt in the 8th, so who does he send up? A rookie who woke up in AAA when he had a bench-load of pitchers capable of laying down a bunt, not to mention Castro.
That wasn’t anybody’s fault.
It’s just baseball.
If Martin would had not throw that ball that turn don’t scored.
You have to give Pujols credit.
that run do not scored.
Tony is not a rookie he should know better to bunt.
Sigh
Well, that just sucks!!!!!
dodgers + risp = doom and sucking… runner at 2nd one out and no score… pathetic
NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.
We played a team that will definitely be in the postseason and I think we played them well and if we can get through this we will get a chance to play them again in October.
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I think we played better against the Cardinals this year, than in the last 5 years.
WE’RE GETTING THERE
J. Broxton relieved H. Kuo
– A. Pujols walked
– A. Pujols to third on R. Martin’s throwing error
– M. Holliday hit sacrifice fly to deep center, A. Pujols scored
– R. Ludwick struck out swinging
– M. DeRosa grounded out to third
thanks alot Martin and Pujols should’ve still be at 2nd.
UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!
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WALK PUJOLS THEN LET HIM RUN AROUND THE BASES!!!!!
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MANNY FAILS TO PRODUCE IN THE CLUTCH AGAIN!!!!!
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ANDRE AND BLAKE GAVE US A CHANCE!!!!!
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ONLY TO HAVE IT THROWN AWAY LITERALY!!!!!
Tired of the Tease. Execution, Not! Wow Now that we beat ourselves vs. a #1 Team lets go play some Wild Card Hungry teams, maybe that will show how to execute. Of course we did that to ourselves.
Still should had just let Kuo bat and bunt him over. The Cards are so gosh damn lucky
The fundamentals…or lack thereof…on this team is REALLY starting to rear its collective ugly head. Broxton won’t hold runners on, Martin can’t throw anything that doesn’t bounce, Abreu’s initial bunt attempt directed toward third base instead of first. Teeny, weeny little things that happen again and again. Who the hell teaches on this club? Failure in baseball is expected; it’s the nature of the game. But there’s no excuse for not controlling the things you can control with a bit of thinking.
Broxton run was unearned of course it was Martin fault.
im not throwing in the towel yet… still to much could happen but this team is one player loss away from all of this colapsing on us… games like tonight and the game in az where brox gave up back to back jacks are the ones the great teams win… this team is in alot of trouble… I wish russ would have been traded in july…
However, you know what everyone says about first batter walks………………it usually doesn’t end up good.
I meant to say lead-off walks. I for the life of me couldn’t figure out how to say that until it posted. Any other time, that wouldn’t have posted with the way this blog has been working these past FEW MONTHS now.
Torre continues to baffle me with his man-crush on J. Martin. Asked post-game about Martin’s crappy throw on Pujols, Joe responds, “that ball has to be blocked.” Right. You’ve got a rhino boring down on you and Hudson is supposed to make that play.
I’m not throwing in the towel but it is starting to look like this team is……..Kershaw threw 97 pitches with the flu…most of us cant make the bed with the flu…..and the team thanks him by throwing the game away in the end……Get It Together!!!!!
Let’s Pujols steal the freaking base no way Martin threw that ball if he had no chance.
Wow, what a tough 3/4 weeks it has been. We cannot get a big hit when we need it. It has been very tough to watch. Kershaw, I love the kid, but the inconsistency is tough to watch. Stirkes out Rasmus and then walks the freaking pitcher on 4 pitches…8 innings out of him in his last 2 starts.
I have been very positive on this team all year, but we are in a heap of trouble. Kuroda going on the DL probably, Weaver starting, Haeger starting, yes he pitched well and hopefully he can again, but this is getting too scary. Mr Kershaw, I know you are 21 and young, but we need you to be the Kershaw you were in July.
As for the offense, too many weak ground balls turning into DPs…Manny, cannot hit an inside fastball anymore. He seems to have lost some confidence in his ability to turn on the inside pitch. Maybe I am crazy, but he is not the same Manny we have come to love and cheer. Loney you need to pick it up and learn to turn on the ball as you did in the 7th. Too many weak groundballs to short and lazy flyballs to LF.
As for Martin, I love your intensity and overall I love your defense, but as a veteran catcher, you know that ball should not have been thrown. you eat it and live to fight another day. He was within 20 ft when you caught the ball. Offensively, you need to shorten the swing there spunky, you swing from the heels. I remember when you first came up you hit more balls to the rightside. Shorten the swing!!!
Broxton, it is obvious you are not right, your location and your velocity are not right. I wish the majors had the 7 day DL. I would DL Kershaw and Broxton..give them a break and refresh themselves. Lets bite the bullet with Broxton and DL for 15 days, if he is not hurt find a reason..too fat whatever.. move Sherrill into the closers role and bring up Lindblom…
We need some excitement from this team, a spark. I keep hoping Raffy will breakout, but he has not been in sync all year.
The next 10 days will define our season. Padilla has very good stuff, I hope his attitude does not turn ugly..He is an upgrade over any #5 we have had this year.
Sorry for the long post, but I had to vent about some things…
Change the J. Martin back to R. Martin. This J. Martin suck ball
ramslover – you have come to the right place. Where else can you vent and be appreciated for it. BTW – #16 is Andre Ethier…………..right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, otherwise known as Everyday Dre 🙂
To be honest Kershaw had the flu so I would give him a huge break.
rams, you already wrote most of the stuff I just signed on to say. So I’ll just say this: It’s no shame to lose a close game to a good team with a good pitcher going, but losing THIS game really sucked. We gave it away, and those really hurt.
The ninth. Broxton leadoff walk. Unacceptable©. Broxton falling asleep and letting Pujols (not exactly Rickey Henderson) EASILY steal second. Unacceptable©. As much as I loved him, I always thought that Piazza was the worst throwing catcher I’d ever seen. Until now. I’m trying really hard to remember Martin’s last decent throw. I can’t remember one. Unacceptable©. I think I could steal second base against Brox and Martin, and I’m 56, fat and slow when I was young.
I said a few days ago that this was gut-check time for this team. We’re failing the test.
Oh, and we sign Vicente Padilla to a minor league contract the same day Cliff Lee throws a complete game 2-hitter for the Phils. I’d still like to know who we offered Cleveland for him. We never will, of course. We really missed that boat.
Didn’t Ned angrily say in spring training that this would not be the same team we take into September? That there would be pitching available?
There isn’t a quitting bone in my body, but I’m not getting a warm fuzzy right now. It sure would be nice if that $25 million outfielder would hit half as much as he did last year.
We need to become a team again!!!!! Fundementally sound!!!
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We need to play with heart and desire!!!!
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WHO’S DREAM IS THIS????
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGcxN2D1E34
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FOCUS or CRASH….NO EXCUSES!!!!
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COMPLETE YOUR MISSION BOY’S!!!!!
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GO DODGERS!!!!
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BRING THE RING TO L.A. IN 2009!!!!!
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Good Night and God Bless Everyone…..
Ned is right……………it’s not the same team going into September as it was back in April. The team back in April was better.
Kershaw VERY bummed on the post-game interview.
Eric-
I completely agree. This is the time of the season where they are either going to step up and start doing something, or they are going to fall, and fall hard. I thought tonight was the biggest game of the year: A chance to take 2 of 3 from one of the best NL teams, and a potential playoff matchup. This was a statement game, one that said if the dodgers were ready to seriously contend in the playoffs, and they didn’t show much heart.
This loss really hurts, and I feel I need to rush an put the blame on broxton, but it isn’t only him. Manny hasn’t done anything lately. Kershaw has gone from bad to worse in his last few starts, the lineup was inconsistent again, failing to get a hit until the 6th. The bullpen was finally solid, going almost 6 innings without an earned run. What bothers me the most about this loss, is that because we didn’t get many guys on base, we needed to take advantage of the two baserunners that did manage to get to 2nd base. But no, we couldnt get that one hit with a runner in scoring position.
IM SO FRUSTRATED!!!! and Vincent Padilla is not the answer or an OK replacement for the NO TRADE that we made at the deadline!
Eric-
I completely agree. This is the time of the season where they are either going to step up and start doing something, or they are going to fall, and fall hard. I thought tonight was the biggest game of the year: A chance to take 2 of 3 from one of the best NL teams, and a potential playoff matchup. This was a statement game, one that said if the dodgers were ready to seriously contend in the playoffs, and they didn’t show much heart.
This loss really hurts, and I feel I need to rush an put the blame on broxton, but it isn’t only him. Manny hasn’t done anything lately. Kershaw has gone from bad to worse in his last few starts, the lineup was inconsistent again, failing to get a hit until the 6th. The bullpen was finally solid, going almost 6 innings without an earned run. What bothers me the most about this loss, is that because we didn’t get many guys on base, we needed to take advantage of the two baserunners that did manage to get to 2nd base. But no, we couldnt get that one hit with a runner in scoring position.
IM SO FRUSTRATED!!!! and Vincent Padilla is not the answer or an OK replacement for the NO TRADE that we made at the deadline!
No secret on this one. Gotta score to win.
*
eric- true enough, this does not look good,but we’ll have a better idea after the Rocks series. They are feeling confident and expecting to win.
*
I don’t think Padilla is the answer either. Maybe he’ll get the “Padilla Flotilla” going again on the deck between Mannywood and the Beach.
*
I’ve got to take my share of the blame. Things really started looking bad after I put my Dodger stuff, Manny bobblehead included, on the shelf above the TV. It’s a little Dodger shrine. Did not work. So I’m going to move the stuff to change the luck back.
BOBBLEHEADS …………OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, looks like we’re on our way to 2nd or even 3rd in the division. We can’t hit good pitching, we’re having trouble fielding, throwing to 2nd base, which cost us the game. Russell needs to sit his A** on the bench and keep it there. He can’t hit or throw, what good is he???? Kershaw need’s some run support. Kid could have won 12 to 13 games with a little run support. Broxton needs to get his S*** together and act like a closer, not be afraid to pitch inside and go after a hitter when he has them set up and not give into them. This team needs a fire lit under their collective *****. Don’t even get me started on Manny. Was a drag to this team. A hitter, he’s not at this point. Looks like princess Druw.
Why’s eveyone so gloomy? We’re still up 3 1/2. They’ll start hitting again and September’s an easy schedule.
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Oh who am I kidding?, this team sucks.
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A managers job is to get the most out of his team that he can on a day-to-day basis and call a smart game – two areas where JoJo The Clown is fundamentally lacking. If this is the best he can get out of all the talent in the everyday line-up, then fire his ***. He’s ill-equiped to manage outside NY where they can buy him a penant.
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There is no excuse for Ned. All he had to do was put together a decent starting staff. Not great mind you, just decent. All we’ve had from day 1 was question marks and the refuse of the league. A kid, A coming star, a journeyman, a guy that went down after 1 start, and crap, crap, and more crap. I agree with the rest of you – Ned kept his word, this isn’t the same team they started out with in April.
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I believe sometime last offseason I mentioned that because they were able to pick-up Manny at the trade deadline last year, Ned’s new philosophy of picking up a difference maker at the deadline was doomed to failure because you can’t do that every year (and let’s face it, Manny fell in his lap, it wasn’t any great GM work.) Stupid is as stupid does. BTW, nice bench we have here too Ned.
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And while JoJo’s enamoured with how good Martin could be, we’re stuck with J.Martin who isn’t. He’s the friggin Juan Pierre of catchers – can’t hit and can’t throw. Need I say more?
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Its time for hard evaluation of who stays and who goes amongst the young guns. Dre and Kemp I’d sign long term. Martin – OUTTA HERE. Loney I’m on the fence on. Brox I think is fine, but there’s obviously something amiss. Kersh and Bills stay. The rest are trade bait as far as I’m concerned.
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So to recap:
Ned Sucks.
Joe Sucks.
Martin Sucks.
And from the above, we can draw the inference that Frank sucks too.
I guess you have really gone off the deepend this time, haven’t you?
🙂
:))))))! Me, too!
……….and there’s that smile 🙂
But let’s all remember the mantra:
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“The team you start out with isn’t necessarily the team you finish with.”
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I’d have to say after watching this team this past month that it is indeed “finished.”
Long way to go…Dodgers finishing a streak of many games with Braves and Cards while the chasers continue to play trash. Not to excuse the Dodgers, though. Other than Ethier, Kemp and Sherrill, they’re all playing like trash. Ned will twist in the wind the next six weeks, and well he should. Let’s hope Logan White puts together a professional pitching staff this winter. Have always believed the Dodgers were still at least one if not two years away. The heady days of April and May may have been a mirage. Team is settling into the squad I figured them to be. As far as this team’s fundamentals, Joe and his staff should be horse whipped.
I am not ready to throw in the towel…This team can right it self and I think it will. Broxton is the villian because he was the last man standing and he should be punished for all that was said above. However, he was a big part of why we were up 10 games. With that being said, I really believe he should be on the DL and get a chance to rest. If I am not mistaking, last night was the 3rd out of 4 nights…Joe is as much to blame.
As for Padilla, I do see him as an upgrade over who we have been running out there. Stults, Schmidt, Weaver..not real impressive group. Now is there baggage with him, sure, just as it was with Manny last year (I know he is not that caliber) but he has something to prove and Wolf knows him from years ago and so does Bowa. If he was that big an issue I do not think Bowa woud have let this happen. Maybe I am naive and I just hope he can flash back to 3-4 years ago. He has been in Texas, a hitters ballpark…
DEric, I agree Ned will rue the day that he did not get Lee, he has been a difference already, dominant, pitching complete games. Imagine if Bills and Kershaw had someone like that to learn from.
As for Kershaw having the flu, I empathize, but we have seen too many flu outing this year out of him. He is in the bigs and it is time to start pitching like it. He will be a superstar and I feel it is time to take the excuses away. He needs to be consistent…Sometimes it is painful to watch at other times he is poetry in motion, effortless!!! Come on Kershaw, I love ya man, but get it together!!
It is not too late to try and get Harang from the Reds, if they pay at least half his 12 k next year, it is worth the risk. We need the depth and going to Dodgers stadium has turned alot of bad record guys into winners..Anyone remember Mike Morgan, perenially loser, he had 2-3 good years in LA!!!
Still Believe, Go Dodgers!!!!
I’d like to hang in there with you Rams, but two (of the many) things I find disturbing is their complete in ability to beat a good (sometimes even just a decent) pitcher, and the fact that they’re playing .500 ball at home after their 13-0 start (and 9-11 since the all-star break.) Just those two things alone tell me that even if they do make the playoffs, they’ll be out in 3, maybe 4 games.
Now throw in Martin’s season long hitting and defensive slump which won’t get any better, Manny hitting .277 since he came back, Bills and Kersh’s inconsistency, Furcal’s season long inability to steal a base, JoJo’s killing of the BP coupled with his inane line-ups and pathetic in-game management, and Ned’s thrift store bargains starting staff and I’d go so far as to saying that this team doesn’t DESERVE to to go the playoffs.
My only hope is that Ned gets his walking papers, and the new sheriff in town has the balls to fire Joe & Co. and get his own field staff in place.
justplain, maybe I should change my name to nedmanwalking…
I miss Brownpaperbag……There I said it!!!
Kahli ~ I love it….NEDMANWALKING! lol
How’s it going ITD fans?
Some very well stated posts just above, so no sense repeating on those.
It is quite telling about baseball management how some teams filled their needs in July, like the Cardinals, Phillies, and maybe even the Giants to a lesser degree. It didn’t cost them an arm and a leg to do so – hardly anybody on the major league roster was lost. However, Ned presumably would have had to give up some of our best prospects, several of whom were already major leaguers. Strange? Not really – that’s why he is looked at as the village idiot among the real GM’s. However the season finally winds down, I hope it’s time for Ned to GO.
Frank isn’t any better as an owner. Thinks because he’s achieved his Manny*roid promotional piece and his trophy manager, that’s all it takes to field a championship winning team. Now, I’ve never liked or wanted Manny*roid, but a guy who’s making more money than the rest of the team on the field combined should be able to carry the weight and get us to and through that post-season, or is that not reasonable to expect? Unless he fires up, that’s not going to happen, and I for one am totally tired of the media giving him primary credit for any victory that we do manage along the way. What we’ve won has been aside from Manny.
The young guys have done overall what might have been expected this early in their careers. I’d definitely keep Andre, Matt, Kersh, Billz and Brox – everybody else should be subject to trade to fill the gaps we need for a really good longer range team. The only caveat here is that Ned shouldn’t be the one with the responsibility to trade anybody, and unless Frank can stand a major market team payroll of around $100 to $120 million, he shouldn’t stay on as an owner..
When Ned goes, Joe should be seriously advised to retire a year early and go watch sunsets at the beach instead of slumbering through at Dodger Stadium.
Or, FRANKlydoesn’tgiveadamn!
Now THAT’S funny Kahli!!
I’m not giving up on this season. But I am managing my expectations. Why go into post season (“if” we get there) expecting a lot? We currently have nothing to base such expectations on. We’ve got, at best, half a good team.
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The good: Up the middle defense (excluding the catcher). Offense: Ethier, Kemp, and Hudson can still bring it. Bullpen: Lots of good arms – Sherrill, Brox, Belly.
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The bad (some are mediocre, but up against the likes of Philly and St Louis, the mediocre is bad). Starting Pitchers – the only decent ones to bring into a tough playoff series are Billz, Kersh, and (??) Wolf. Randy is on the list only because the rest are so bad. Kuroda cannot be counted on to be back and ready in time. Catcher – Martin basically gave away the game last night on his throwing error, when big fat Pujols was already safely at second base. Offense: Manny is deteriorating rapidly, can no longer be counted on in the clutch. Not sure about Furcal. Blake is okay, but he’s a seven-hole hitter filling the fourth or fifth slot. Bench: Ouch. Pierre is the first hitter off the bench?
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The games in September will get easier, due to an easier schedule. Don’t be lulled into thinking that August was an aberration. August is a true test of this team’s post season abilities, and so far, it is flunking that test.
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By the way, a big thank you (not) to Ned for getting us the starting pitching help that we needed both in the winter and at the trading deadline. At least JoJo could see that we needed more starting pitching talent. Ned has got to go.
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I’m not ready to trade away the team. That can wait until the offseason, sparing only the cream of the crop – Ethier, Kemp, Billz, Kershaw, and probably Brox.
RIP brownpaperbag – You will be missed.
Wow what a horrible game last night. This team is so flawed its pathetic. Our bench sucks, our bullpen has been way too overworked, Joe Torre is an idiot who makes out crappy lineups and ALWAYS abuses to pen to make sure he has a lefty facing a lefty and a righty facing a righty, even if that lefty is Colby Rasmus who’s hitting .257 on the season. Russell Martin can’t throw, James Loney can’t hit and neither can Andruw Ramierz. This team has their heads so far up their ***** I’m not sure they can figure out how to pull them out fast enough to make the Playoffs. We need a new manager, we need someone who will chew these guys a new one because they need it.
D4 – found this in the obits…
Las Cruces NM (AP) – After several weeks of regression, brownpaperbag finally succumbed to his battle with JoJo The Clown and Ned Flanders, themselves suffering deeply from rectal-crannial inversion (RCI), after yet another setback last evening.
While those around him wondered if it could’ve been a severe case of Tourette’s syndrome, those that knew him well assert that those words were only heard while speaking of JoJo and Ned… and driving in Las Cruces.
No immediate funeral arrangements have been made as authorities are having a difficult time recovering his foot from Frank McCourt’s anus.
WOW – RIP BPB.
RIP….B….P…..B…..
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I will…carr…y…on……
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CLUNK!!!!!
BPB will truly be missed.
LMAO!!!! JPD ~ We have not heard RCI in a long time.
BPB you will be missed…….LMAO!!!!!
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The unknowndodgerfan is all alone…….:-(
WOW….BPB + ENCHANTED…they will be missed. Sniff Sniff.
On another note WELCOME Plastic-Grocery-Bag & JustPlainDisgusted.
D4L I believe both BPB & Enchanted are together.
MJ wouldn’t mind but BPB will have a problem with that. LOL! Maybe we should cremate him and scatter his ashes all over the Dodger field in hope that a new & greener grass will grow on our side of the stadium.
Maybe we can bury bpb with Michael Jackson? 🙂
Maybe we can get the fans to throw their Manny bobbleheads out onto the field in September in memory of bpb, especially if Manny*roid keeps fading like he has been in the weeks past.
I think that would be an appropriate message to Frank.
Not a bad idea Peru – they can both spend eternity with the Dodger’s chances of ever winning the WS title while the three stooges run the team – in NEVERLAND.
Maybe we need a larger plot so we can have room to bury our World Series dreams!
LMAO, Perumike!
justplaindisgusted – enchanted must be really miffed if he is willing to let brownpaperbag go like that. It wasn’t even worth it to fight this time. The question is will we ever see enchanted again, now that brownpaperbag is dust?
Hey plastic, maybe you want to be more environmentally friendly and change to canvassupermarketbag? You know, those canvas bags people take to the market? 🙂
I don’t know about that Nells, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see disenchanted one of these days.