Ten games over .500
As one of the most successful managers in baseball history, Joe Torre tends to have an interesting take on a lot of things, and I’ve always found it intriguing over the last couple years that he tends to gauge his team based on its relationship to the .500 mark, not to the standings.
Of course, when we get to September, you need to be at the top of the division, but when we struggled early, he kept saying that the goal was to get to .500 and then after that, it was five games over and now 10 games over.
I guess if you worry about your own team more than your competition, you don’t tend to freak out at the peaks and valleys.
First pitch is a couple minutes away here on FOX…and don’t forget, the first-half finale against the Cubs tomorrow is at 5:10, not the usual 1:10 Sunday time.
Inside the Dodgers 
Hello Gang!!! Glad the bullpen didn’t blow it last night. Let’s go Dodgers!!!!
Hi, Jhall. I hope our guys make us proud on national TV.
Hey Jhall!!!!!
LET’S GO DODGERS, LET’S GO!!!!
Thanks for the new thread Josh!!!
Good start for Ely. Let’s give him some run support.
Hi’Ya Trumom and Nelly!!! My day just got much nicer!!! :)))
Nice now. Might get nasty a little later 🙂
LOL Trumom!!! I hope not!!! I’m kind of hoping for an easy stroll in the park!!! We could use it.
I’m hoping for that too, Jhall. I have confidence in our hitting but not so much our pitching.
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And, just as I said that, one run against us.
So much for that!!! :(((
I’m hoping for that too, Jhall. I have confidence in our hitting but not so much our pitching.
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And, just as I said that, one run against us.
Make that 3 runs!!!! Damn!!!!
Heavy sigh Trumom!! Make me a double my friend!!! LOL!!!
Submission error hell once again……………….and only after one comment. Come on already!!!!!
Not like it matters……………………………..3-0 already 😦
Lets see if Ely can settle down. We need a good start from him.
Crap!!!!
NED….GET US A PICHER, NOW!!!!!!
Unfortunately Trumom, we need more than one!!!! Or two!!!!
I know it’s true, Jhall but right now, I’d settle for one.
Even more unfortunate, we don’t have ownership or management capable of getting it done. I’m talking both financially and mentally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Another bad start by Ely. TB4 I hope Ned listens to you and gets us a quality starter. Preferably Roy Oswalt.
Well, its fairly early, time for the offense to get their a**es in gear!!!
This just keeps getting worse!
Trumom, we haven’t seen worse yet!!!! If McCourt keeps the team and Ned stays as GM, we are in for some real Worse!!!! Like Beav said, “Pirates West”!!!!!!!
Wow, they just mentioned on Fox national TV broadcast that JoJo probably would not come back under the current situation with the McCourt ownership. I think alot of season ticket holders will start feeling the same way.
Pirates West……sad but true!
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They are saying that Joe doesn’t even want to come back next year with Frank as owner. Can you imagine how the players feel?
I see you heard that too, Jhall! LMAO!!!!
LOL Trumom!!! We’ve got a wave in the air. Radar Love!!! I only mention it as it points out that the McCourts will devastate this team and it is not only our opinion. I personally don’t care if JoJo comes back. We missed on Scioscia and now Gibson. Sell the team and get Hershiser to manage!!!!!!!
Orel would be good. But, first, SELL THE TEAM FRANK!!!!!!
Couple of more years of McCourt ownership, and the Dodgers will be a freaking bargain!! Their stock is rapidly declining!!!
If Frank has an ounce of investment saavy, he should sell now while there is still value!!!!
Maybe with all this crap being discussed on national TV, it will embarrass the hell out of Fank and he will do the right thing and sell the team to somebody who cares.
I feel like the Intel-Dodgers!!!!!!!
LOL!
LOL Trumom!!! That’s only if his financial prowess embarrasses him more than his lack of husbandry prowess!!!!
FU-Q Frank’s prowess!!!!!
Jamie’s got all the prowless. Takes away Franks Prowess!!!!
True. They both really screwed us fans (as well as others) and I wish they would both get what’s coming to them.
That’s the real shame Trumom!!! They’re ultimately, screwing some damn’ great fans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good hustle by X-man, even though the reply shows that he was out. Maybe this can jump start the Dodgers.
Even though the fans are still going to games, they are ticked off. I read lots of stuff on what people are saying and they feel just as we do here on ITD.
I honestly feel sorry for the players, however. Imagine them having to go out and perform everyday under all this crap going on around them. And, we are still only a couple of games out of the lead.
Go Raffy!!! He’s having a MVP type season. I hope he stays healthy the rest of the way.
Alright DRE!!!! Thanks for the gift Cubs!
THANK YOU ALL-STAR ANDRE!!! You know I love saying that!!!!
…………..but he is always our Everyday Dre’ :)))
Two runs are better than nothing. With the way the Cub bullpen is we still have a shot to win this game.
Let’s mak’em work for it!!! C’mon offense!!!!!
Unfortunately, it is predicated on our bullpen holding them!!!
So far Monasterios is doing the job.
So far so good!!! Time for the offense to step it up.
Paying attention to the team’s record avoids introspection of their place in the division. Yet, it sure is rough when there is no avoiding the roller coaster that is McCourt ownership.
I just wanted to enjoy a freakin’ ballgame. Can’t fault Joe Buck and Tim “3 fries short of a Happy Meal” McCarver for just telling it like it is. Offering Torre up for Cubs 2011 manager, since it’s obvious if he wasn’t going to take Steinbrenner’s crap, he’s sure not going to take some Boston no-name’s crap.
Frank McCourt lied to Torre’s face as they shook hands. Frank NEVER intended on getting Joe Torre the one thing he asked for when joining the team: Pitching.
Joe Torre is the most effective lightning rod in baseball… for his players. His diffusing superpowers have no effect on the damage Frank McCourt is doing to his reputation (let alone our Dodgers’ reputation.
You can’t even donate to a Dodgers charity without worrying about it going not to needy children or cancer patients, but yet another executive who was supposedly working FOR the charity foundation. So much for non-profit status.
Good to see us get out of the inning with no more Cubs runs. The team needs to take the fire from the fans and the papers, and unleash all the rage on the Cubs over the next 3 innings or so. I still think this team can win, mainly because they HAVE to win this year if they’re going to do it together.
I will believe in this team, ’til November or mathematical elimination. They have to believe in themselves in spite of ownership, because, sadly, everyday it’s proven a little more that…
Frank McCourt doesn’t give a damn about the Dodgers.
Rats!!!®
Watching this game is unbearable.
Well said North!!! I think Jamie would take the chemo out of a kids vein if she thought it would defoliate her leg hair. Sorry, but, that is how little I think of the McCourts!!!!!!!
They are abysmal and loathsome human beings.
Sell the team Frank. Get out now, while you have some leverage. Contending team with some good young talent you won’t be able to keep.
Like always…………………………..very well said Northstateblues!!!!
Sigh, what has happened to Ely!!! Not ready for prime time. Bullpen, not bad today!!! Offense, total sh*t!!!!!!! Let’s get’em tomorrow!!!!
Wally ~ Tomorrow game is important. A win gives us a series win against the Cubs and a winning homestand.
Yep Trumom!!! It’s a big one tomorrow!!! Punch bowl is getting pretty crowded with t*rds. Having a hard time finding a clear spot to dip the optimistic ladle in. Have a great evening my friend!!!
Frank? Say something…anything…even if it’s inane or self-serving. Frank? Frank?????
Wally ~ It’s not Trumom, it’s Truebluewill.
Not sure what it is about national broadcasts but the Dodgers looked bad again today. I certainly hope tomorrow’s game has a different ending. I did not see all of the broadcast so I can’t comment on the announcers. However, it does seem as if the Fox announcers have a lot of fun at the Dodger’s expense.
Not sure what Joe will do next year but I too wonder why he would want to stick around knowing the situation. There is little chance Frank will sell the team and realistically, he really can’t until ownership has been decided. If the courts rule that Jamie is entitled to half (which I don’t think will happen), the logical step would be for one to buy out the other. Not sure how that would work but clearly they cannot work together.
Still, with all the problems the Dodgers are still competing for the division. As long as that continues, the fans will come to the park.
LA Angels
IP H R ER BB K HR WHIP Season ERA
S. Kazmir 5.0 11 13 13 3 2 3 1.64 6.92
Wow what’s Scioscia doing?
I’m glad to see Korneko finally made it to bad it took a Morneau injuries and congratulation Furcal he should’ve made it from the start and replacing Reyes.
Furcal headed to 2nd All-Star Game By Tony Jackson
ESPNLosAngeles.com
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal was added to the National League All-Star team as a reserve after New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes aggravated a right oblique injury during Saturday’s game with Atlanta and was forced to withdraw.
Furcal said he was notified of his late addition via a phone call from Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti shortly after Saturday’s 7-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
“It means a lot,” Furcal said. “I have never even seen that [late addition] happen before. I never even thought about making the All-Star team. I never guessed somebody would get hurt and they would call me.”
Furcal went 1-for-5 in the Dodgers’ 7-3 loss to the Cubs on Saturday and will go into Sunday night’s first-half finale with a .333 batting average, five home runs, 54 RBIs and a .379 on-base percentage. He has put up those numbers despite missing a month with a strained left hamstring and five additional games following the death of his father.
This will be Furcal’s second career All-Star berth after he was named to the NL team as a reserve in 2003 while with the Atlanta Braves. But that was before he met his wife, Glenny, and before either of his two boys, Rafael Jr., 4, and Anthony, 23 months, were born.
Furcal said the opportunity to share the experience with the three of them will make this one more special.
It might be even more special for some of his teammates, who were mildly annoyed that Furcal originally was left off the NL team when it was announced Sunday, with Florida’s Hanley Ramirez as the starter at shortstop and Reyes as the primary backup.
“It’s nice because my teammates support me,” Furcal said. “They were mad because I didn’t make the All-Star team. But I said I couldn’t get mad about it. I’ll just keep playing hard, try to get better and better every day and try to help my team make the playoffs.”
Furcal went 1-for-3 in the 2003 All-Star Game at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, delivering a pinch-hit single off Seattle’s Shigetoshi Hasegawa in the fifth inning and playing the rest of the game at shortstop.
Tony Jackson covers the Dodgers for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Wow Tim Wood of the Reds had a prefect game going into the 9th until Ruiz got the hit and he scored the winning run in the 11th.
Someone made this yesterday.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m08j9nUr2iM/TDkB7cOT0jI/AAAAAAAAAB0/NzIe2lWCetQ/s1600/oswalt+copy.jpg
Welcome back, P.O.Bear…..missed you.
Great to have you back bear!!
I saw the report that Seattle wanted Billz/Loney for Lee. This leads me to the conclusion that either:
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(A) Even after 4+ years there’s still a “Ned premium” being perpetrated by the rest of the league.
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Or more likely,
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(B) Its total front office BS to make it look like they “tried” to get Lee, but the price was too steep (as we could see by that magnificent package Texas put together.)
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In reality, I’m willing to wager that they never even got the Seattle GMs secretary on the phone.
I’m sure next up is Oswalt, for whom Houston will want Kemp and Dre, which again will be too steep a price. In actuality, Ned’s “call” will probably be to the GMs dog. “What’s that Spot? They want Kemp and Andre? I’m sorry, that’s just too high a price.” [Yells out his office door] “Josh, tell the media I tried, but they wanted too much in return for Oswalt.”
Well maybe Oswalt/Berkman? Of course that Seattle trade would leave us without a regular 1st baseman but you can always shift Blake to 1st baseman and put Dewitt in his normal position than Carroll/Belliard could platoon and I don’t think Seattle was just asking for those 2 and their must be more to it.
Shad, I honestly don’t think Ned even talked to Seattle about Lee and the front office is just blowing smoke up you know where to make it appear they “tried” so they can somewhat quell the fan revolt they’ve got on their hands. What better cover story than to say Seattle wanted Billz/Loney so even the average fan would be happy they didn’t make the trade? Look at what Texas gave up… I would think that even with the crappy state of of our farm system that we could’ve come up with that. Hell, they could’ve even thrown in DeWitt or Martin to seal the deal.
IMO its all a bunch of BS to placate the fans.
The fans are finally catching on to all this BS. From what I am reading, they pretty much feel the way we here on ITD do. Too bad because I feel sorry for the players…they can’t help it if Frank is a joke for an owner.
BTW, congratulations to Kuo for being named to the all-star team to replace Heyward.
Congrat’s to all of our All Star’s.
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DODGER PRIDE!!!!!!!!!!
Holy crap for real?
Congratulation Kuo and look like Giants fans are piss off that Huff didn’t make it.
NEW YORK (AP)?Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Hong-Chih Kuo has been selected to replace injured Atlanta Braves outfielder Jason Heyward at the All-Star game.
Heyward is on the 15-day disabled list because of a deep bone bruise in his left thumb. He will travel to Anaheim, Calif., where the game will be held Tuesday.
National League manager Charlie Manuel originally picked Braves closer Billy Wagner as a replacement, but he declined because of a sore ankle.
Kuo is 3-1 with a 1.03 ERA on the season and is the first All-Star to have been born in Taiwan.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Corey Hart of the Milwaukee Brewers will replace Heyward in the National League?s starting lineup.
tru……………….he is going to call Matt – LMAO!!!!!
“For sure, I just heard the lineup right now,” he said. “I’m pretty surprised, but at the same time, have fun doing it. I?ll use some of my man Matt Kemp?s skills out there.”
Kemp won a Gold Glove playing center for the Dodgers last season.
“I’m going to have to call him up and ask for some advice,” Ethier said. “I haven?t been out in center field in a long time. Being here at the All-Star Game is kind of different, weird. I wouldn?t say uncomfortable. It?s a different feeling. And definitely standing in center field is going to be a different feeling.??
http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2010/07/dodger-andre-ethier-on-starting-in-center-in-allstar-game-its-better-than-playing-first.html&ct=ga&cad=:s1:f1:v0:i0:lt:e0:p0:t1278975983:&cd=ID7CGn5QjFA&usg=AFQjCNHrXo8J_3FnU8IidPAipgmJFlhMOw