Another night away...

Yesterday was a great win, but we are in full platoon mode. Pierre vs. RHP and Kemp vs. LHP. Though to be fair Pierre does do very well against Maddux and his speed should do well. I'm just tired of not seeing Matt Kemp in the lineup. I'm also tired of fighting, it really doesn't help, we all just want to win. We just see how we get there differently.

Nice to see Kemp rewarded.

I'm sorry, but this whole outfield thing is a farce.

I'm so glad that management invited the blogmakers, so that they could explain (sugarcoat is more like it) that very difficult decision making process. That should make it so much easier (NOT) to understand the stupid decisions leading to a lineup like shown above.

Let the bashing begin....i can't go crazy about Pierre today, but the whole Kemp scenario stinks. Who would've thought a month ago this is what we would see. Maybe Ned can come on and address some of this. HAHAHAHA

How long before Kemp asks to start or get traded?

Where's Dave Stewart? "I'm here to kick A and chew bubble gum and I'm all out of bubble gum."

Great, Pierre in again. Hopefully they are just showcasing him. Kemp needs to play. He has great power and that is one thing that our lineup is sorely lacking right now aside from Loney.

The common people in the Dodger village are starving for a team they can unconditionally follow, but mangement feeds us crumbs of sour and stale veterans. Meanwhile, McCourt et al. are eating the cake made from the hard earned money of the proletariat by jacking the ticket, parking and concession prices.

Guess management finds us peasants revolting... or soon will.

ARISE BLOGGERS! Are we not men??

(and jhall if you say we are Devo I'll kick your ***!! :)

Loney, Kent and Ethier have been showing power. Not just Loney. Ethier is a MUST start right now. Pierre and Jones that's a different story. I'm extremely impressed with Blake DeWitt, I'm against sending DeWitt down to the minors. When Nomar is ready go back to 11 pitchers and keep DeWitt until LaRoche is ready. It's not like Nomar will be able to play 6 games a week. Also, Billingsley absolutely owns the Padres 4-0 1.05 ERA last season (34 K's/8 BB's). This should be a good game regardless of the Kemp benching.

This is simply outrageous.

dead horseman unite!!! what in the bloody hell is wrong with the Dodgers?

What's wrong with the Dodgers is clearly the management. It's not to keep the fans or bloggers happy, but what's going to lead to a winning team - maybe for this year, but certainly for years to come.

I don't see what anyone can do. Unless someone is capable of organizing a fans' revolt where 10,000 fans per game stay home and write in demanding their money back, nothing can be done. And that's not going to happen.

Very frustrating.... At this point i honestly believe they are showcasing Pierre, because if we (the dodgers) werent in love with Kemp they definitely would have traded him this summer, right??????

Question for Josh:
Thank you for getting Ned to come on occassionally to answer questions. Do you think there is any chance of getting Joe Torre to come on here and answer the only question that any of the bloggers on here or most of the truly dedicated fans have about this team right now and that of course is why start Pierre over Kemp all these times when coming out of spring training you stated that Pierre was your fourth outfielder?
Thank you Josh for your work on the blog.

you're killin me, smalls.

ARISE BLOGGERS! Are we not men??

We are NedCo!!

Need a great game from Billz. And a D-Back loss.

A win today and we are at .500. Let's go Dodgers!!!!

Bummer Man.

I'll be all around in the dark. I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look, wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready, and when people are eatin' the stuff they raise and livin' in the houses they build, I'll be there. Whenever there's an overpriced free agint or has been vetran to be bought, borrowded or traded for, I'll be there. And when we're in the celler alookin' up at the Giants, I'll be there too. - NED

My appologies to John Steinbeck.

LOL Enchanted. Well, at least if we make a mess of this season Ned may be gone. There could be a silver lining. It's time for Ned's work to either bear fruit or go away. He's made the bed and is apparently ready to lie in it. It's his job to lose.

this is pathetic, simply pathetic... sit down jones for crying out loud... but 18 million gets your 0 for nights and a ton of k's... kemp is better than any outfielder we have he should be playing... although I like Ethier way better.

Ned went out and spent a ton of dough on Herpierre and the Fridge, so you know they are going to play. I don't like it but not much you can do. Just have to hope they produce and our pitching holds up.

What we need is some devine intervention...

FRANK?

We need this game badly today. That would be 3 series wins out of 4 to start the season. 2 of them against the hated Puds. Not the worst way to start off. Really shows the importance of not getting swept in a series. Even 1 from the D-Backs would be looking pretty good right now. I think todays game hinges on Billz.

BTW, its better when you read my post above in Henry Fonda's voice.

The signings of wrath.

Nomar
Pierre
Loaiza
Schmidt
Jones
Bombko
Gonzo

Mueller
Seo
Lurch
Ramon Martinez

That's a bunch of bad grapes. LOL

From today's Daily News: "The Dodgers (5-6) still can't catch a break in the opposing-pitcher department: they will face four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux today. But their offense should get an additional boost by the return of Kent and the possible return of Kemp..." Ummm, no.................................

Maybe Martin will break out today.

The traded:

Baez
Carter
Lurch
Sao

The borrowded:

Lugo
Hernandez
Wells

When's Kemp's mommy gonna call?

Joe Torre has been very curious so far this season: "This is no reflection on Loaiza, but (Kuo) threw a lot of strikes, and he threw a number of pitches," Torre said. "We're just curious how that's going to work as a starter." And..."It made me curious enough to want to see (Furcal and Pierre at the top) again," Torre said. I wonder how curious he is to see a set line-up that includes Kemp? Not very, I guess. And I wonder how curious he is to develop a possible franchise player? Not very, I guess.

I wish I could get more enjoyment out of the terrific starts of James Loney and Rafael Furcal, the solid play of Blake DeWitt, the outstanding performance of Derek Lowe last night, and the extra-base hitting of Andre Ethier.

But instead all I keep thinking about is the ABSOLUTE IDIOCY OF SITTING MATT KEMP ...
ABSOLUTE IDIOCY OF SITTING MATT KEMP ...
ABSOLUTE IDIOCY OF SITTING MATT KEMP ...
ABSOLUTE IDIOCY OF SITTING MATT KEMP ...
ABSOLUTE IDIOCY OF SITTING MATT KEMP ...
ABSOLUTE IDIOCY OF SITTING MATT KEMP ...
ABSOLUTE IDIOCY OF SITTING MATT KEMP ...

Anybody know of a good mental health clinic?

Everything that Torre's uttered so far is doublespeak. Its a little Orwellean.

MLKemp - come over to the dark side and join me and jhall. Speaking for myself, poking fun at it is the only way I can cope with the lunacy.

I'm with you, martinloneykemp. In my 40 years as a Dodger fan I have NEVER been this perplexed at the misconnect between what I consider a great player and what management perceives...

LOL, it does take the edge off.

enchanted --

You guys are Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Ned is the Emperor and Joe Torre is Darth Vader.

Wow, that's rare. I'll take it.

Maddux plays soft toss with the catcher and caps it off with a change-up right down the middle because he knows Juany can't hit it anywhere - That's in the parking lot to Kemp.

Good one MLKemp.

Rats!!

Ho hum, just another fundamentally unsound inning by Torre's boys.

I see the Rangers optioned out Fukumori today.

Isn't that what Juan said when Wills was trying to teach him how to bunt this spiring?

Yep, Phew couldn't get the runner to 3rd. That is his primary goal after that balk and Ferk at 2nd with 0 out. Weak fly to center. Ethiers fly would have scored him if Phew gets the job done. Piece of ..........!

LOYALTY, an old-fashioned concept, the lack of which I believe is at the heart of the Dodger's problem and a strong characteristic of the McCourt era. It started when Frank booted the Dodgers' GM and hired outside the organization. We had very well-qualified people within the organization that knew the players and could make intelligent decisions. But Frank had to hire people from Oakland and then San Francisco who didn't have a clue about the Dodgers. And we had very well-qualified people within the organization to manage the team, people who are very knowledgeable of our farm system and what those players are capable of, but we had to import people from other organizations who also didn't have a clue about the Dodgers. And of course those people had very little knowledge and zero loyalty to the talent on the farm, so we get a series of dumb trades and ridiculous free agent signings. We didn't need any of the people from Oakland, San Francisco, Boston, New York, etc. What we needed was right within the organization. But I guess its more impressive to import other team's people in their minds.

And then, too, there's loyalty to the fans. We watch Dodger prospects developing on the farm and look forward to the day when we will see them as stars on the Dodger team. But management doesn't care about the fans. They go off half-cocked, trying to make a name for themselves and then are too proud to correct their mistakes. Is there any loyalty to the Dodger kids or the fans? I think that answer is very obvious by now! So, after being a die hard Dodger fan for over 55 years, I am now questioning my loyalty to this team. And, sadly, I am beginning to take satisfaction when the team loses. The only pleasure the games now bring me is the pleasure of seeing the kids do well, but the Colletti/Torre era has proven a disgrace to Dodger tradition and the way the Dodgers used to operate. I feel sorry for the team, but I look forward to the day when the Colletti/Torre era goes down in flames.

Hey PierreEW, Vin was talking about Gionfraddo's catch of Dimaggio's fly in the 47 series. How Joe kicked the grass when it was caught.

Let's get some runs dammit!!!

Kuo to start in Loaiza's spot.. Vin just said on the game.

Nope, no reason at all to have Kemp in this line-up when you've got Slappy.

Rats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I knew it was gonna be rough and prounouced my level of hate towards the McCourts when we failed to sign Vlade. Evans had him wrapped up. Baseball stepped in due to McCourt needing to borrow money to buy the team and McCourt stopped Evans from making the deal.

So it started then, my hate has been building. And this coming of the Fox era.

Honestly fellas I am just hopeful that my kid who is 5 months old, won't be 6 one day and say Daddy why do we root for the Dodgers, let's root for the winning team and then I sound like a crazy uncle," back in 1988 the DODGERS"...blech..

How many F***ing home runs does Kemp have to come off the bench and hit to be in the starting line-up every day. What a mistake the Dodgers made hiring Torre. He didn't do squat in St. Louis and he's not going to do squat in LA.

Kemp will end up demanding to be traded and then he will be a superstar somewhere else. Mark my words.

For my next question to Ned:

If given the opportunity, which Free Agent Center Fielder will you look to go after for 2009?

Fortunately, Kemp cannot demand a trade. He can ask, but the Dodgers have him for at least the next 5 years.

Just got in.
Looks like we should've save some runs last night for BILZ.

In retrospect, I guess we should have resigned Maddux. Probably would have avoided the Schidt disaster and Bloaiza fiasco. They didn't want to give Maddux 2 year because of his age. Damn!!!!

I guarantee that if Kemp was on any other team in the Majors, regardless who else they have, kemp would not be sitting on the bench as he is in LA. What the hell has to happen before the poor excuse for management has their droopy eyes opened and lets the future HOFamer play ever day....
I'm so pissed about this decision, I can hardly stand it. Every time Pierre's name is mentioned i want to throw up.

RLG, what has to happen. 4th place!!

Let us not forget the other stellar outfielder we have... Strikeout, thy name is Andruw.

Might as well get used to it, we've got 'em both next year, and JP another two after that.

Yep E, we're hosed.

At this point, I don't see us finishing better than 4th place. This division has 3 other good teams, and I think with a couple of changes we can compete but one of the changes has to be Kemp playing everyday.

When it came to keeping Maddux you have to consider that we already had such stalwarts as Hendy and Bombko, so we didn't need Maddux for 2007, much less give him a contract for 2008 as well. One thing Ned knows how to do is save his owner money - just ask him.

Crap!!!!!!!

Well, that ought to keep JP in there for the three against the Pirates.

C'mon bullpen!!!!!!!!

I think they should've let Ethier take a pitch and let Pierre get over to 2nd.

Let's get some runs!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't take Jones anymore.

Why do we always have trouble in day games?
I just got here and K-Jones has Ked twice.

Instead of calling him Andruw Jones, I henceforth will refer to him as AJones - the A stands for A**H***; just so everyone knows for the future.

The need for a power hitter was so desperate that Ned shelled out $18 million/year to sign a washed up one. In the meantime, the one legitimate power hitter that the Dodgers have sits on the bench. It defies all logic and reason!

Torre should have retired when he didn't re-sign with the Yankees. Then his Hall 0f Fame credentials were firmly intact. Now his managerial abilities are being exposed, and we see that he really doesn't know how to manage. Obviously it was the quality of his players that carried him all those Yankee years. But, hey, he's got the "Hollywood" big name, so who cares how he manages.

Another 2 good innings for PARK

Torre need to wipe that smirk off Andruws face by sitting his *** on the bench for a couple weeks.

Of course you know Torre will bring in Kemp off the bench to face Hoffman so that when he strikes out he can say - see, Matt's just not ready to face tough pitchers everyday.

Good ole BIG BAD JOHN.
In case anybody hasn't noticing the Dodgers do not have a Hold, yet this year.

yeah pierreseast that would mean we win a close game. or even a game period... saito only has one save this is pathetic...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if Kemp was playing, wouldn't this have been a perfect spot to PR Pierre for DeWitt?

Pathetic.

Schidt!!!

Only one Save, for that matter, no Blown Saves
Which means they never had a small lead to protect in the late innings.

Correction I forgot Saito's save last Sunday.

Good to see Beimel get more than one out.

We need a walk-off something or other. We're going to win this.

Looks like we're headed for the last roundup.
unless we can tie it.

Com'on we can beat this guy.

Let's Go!!

Unacceptable!!

I guess we scored enough runs last night to last for about 4 games.
I think we'll look better against the Pirates and Zack Duke.

I don't know maybe it's just me but
I think Torre goes more for the hit & run than the steal.

14 Strikeouts and one run allowed and you can't even give your pitchers 1 stinking run. Absolutely pathetic. I could even accept a 1-0 loss if you put your best team out there, but don't ANYONE try and tell me that Torre's a decent manager. I've honestly got to question this organizations will to win.

Maybe its time to go over to the even darker side and start rooting for the Angels instead. At least Arty Moreno cares about winning rather than photo ops.

What really gets me is Torre has Phew in there to play small ball. Ferk at second with no one out and he lets the piece of crap swing away. Pierre pops weakly to center. A freakin' bunt gets the runner to 3rd with 1 out. C'mon Joe, don't tell us one thing and do another. What a load.

Well, Torre got just what he so richly deserved - ANOTHER LOSS. Dodger management is so pathetic!!! Kemp, who can turn the game around with one swing of the bat, sits on the bench. Pierre, a much less gifted player, takes Kemp's outfield position. Then Torre brings Kemp in to pinch run, which is Pierre's job. Does somebody have their head screwed on backwards???

All I can say is this was the worst managed game I've seen in a long time. Oh, excuse me, there's been 13 poorly managed games in my opinion. I don't give a rats A** how much $$$$$ Pierre is making, He's not worth a penny of it and needs to be benched. Let Matt Kemp play everyday and he would have won some games for us. What a crock of S*** Torre is as a manager.

Torre is as bad as Grittle. Any manager that starts a pinch runner in left field, an then uses a real left fielder as a pinch runner is lousy in my book. The Dodgers need power in this line up , and that's what Kemp brings, not to mention better defense. Hey Joe , left field is a power position, not a dribbler position. Maybe if this team continues to lose and not score much , the brain Torre might figure it out. If they're not going to play Kemp, then trade him and let him succeed somewhere else.

They hosed Billz today.

Swear words!!!!!!!!!
Your choice.

We shouldn't blame the players for these losses. These are MANAGEMENT losses!! Colletti and Torre have created and maintained an intolerable situation. Not playing the best players - players whose skills match the Dodgers' needs - and then constantly shuffling the lineup has created a losing environment. Much of baseball is mental. When there is bewilderment, uncertainly, apprehension, lack of logic, stupid rationale, etc., it is not an environment where the team can pull together and play loose. Unless this changes, the Giants will have some competition for last place.

I'm bewildered!!

I'm so damned pissed and disgusted I just wrote a long diatribe about Torre et al., but deleted it. I decided ****-it no one gives a crap anyway.

I'm glad I don't go to the stadium anymore though because when I'm paying all that money just for seats, parking and a friggin hotdog, I'd at least like to see the best players out there. I doubt there's anybody out there that looks at the line-up before buying gameday tickets and says, "Holy **it Martha, JPs playing today!! Let's go to the game!!"

Is also abundantly clear that $18mil doesn't buy what it used to.

Yep Enchanted, it is becoming a farce. If I lived in SoCal, I would not spend my money to support this kind of medicrity.

Ned's lack of judgement and baseball sense has set this franchise back at least a couple of years.

Course its kinda hard to get to the stadium now from NM :) but I used to go a lot in the 70s-80s when I lived there.

I honestly think jhall that its getting worse than the Fox years.

Don't get me wrong, if I lived out there I would attend a few games each year regardless. However, if they were were producing and putting the best product out there consistantly, I would get season tickets. Probably the split, so around 40 games a year. I can't remember when I have felt this flat about the Dodgers.

Yep E, it is just as bad.

okay, so Ned didn't want to go the extra year to keep Maddux (plus he is a Boras client) so we got Tomko, Hendrickson, Wells and Loiaza instead. Good deal.

Ned didn't think Eithier was ready last year, so he gets Gonzo for 8mil. Clogs Eithier and Kemp's growth. Then he wants power, so he gets A. Jones, further retardeing the growth of Eithier and Kemp.

Note to Ned - stop. watch and observe the D-Backs. They have a 66 mil payroll. Are celebrating their 10 anniv with one WS and several division titles already and are on FIRE with their youth!

This is so freakin' frustrating. He doesn't trade the youth to load up for a win at all cost approach. And they don't play the youth because of old and overpaid vets.

And now Torre is forced to learn (like our last two managers) the talent, make up a lineup and try to win...

Depo is starting to look very good right now...

Your right Prepress, DePo would not have made this big of a mess.

Let's look at Ned's team:

1B Nomore
2B Martinez
SS Lugo
3B Mueller
OF Pierre
OF Jones
OF Gonzo
C Hall
IF Betemit
IF Hillenbrand
OF Clark
C Alomar
SP Blowaiza
SP Lurch
SP Bombko
SP Schidt
SP Sao
RP Baez
RP Carter
RP Hernandez
RP Hamulak

The record speaks for itself.

just read more depressing news regarding how and why Torre most likely will be staying with J. Pierre.

read and it weep for any chance of seeing Kemp soon...
http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/baseball/flb/story?page=roberts080411

I wasn't sad to see DePo go, but I didn't think we would hire a losing franchises cast off. We should have hired someone internally or someone from the Atlanta or Cleveland organizations.

Truly depressing Prepress.

?????????????????????

This organization's been in disarray for 20 years and is likely to be for another 20.

Think I'll take some time off caring... goodluck guys!!!

Yea E, take a little time and work on songwriting. LOL

Remember, its only a game and it is still fun chatting and making fun of the ineptness.

It is hard to watch the current regime make a laughing stock of our beloved team. The Dodgers have been my #1 team in baseball for 43 years now. I hope to see another world championship in my lifetime. LOL

One can only scratch one's head at management buffoonery. If sports is supposed to be entertainment, I'm not the least bit entertained by either Colletti or Torre. And the only person for miles who can match Andruw's smirk is Ned himself. I'm not angry at our record, our performance or our effort. We've seen a lot worse these past 20 years. But I am SEETHING at Torre right now...and Colletti. And it all boils down to Kemp. Never in my long years as a fan have I ever wanted a Dodger to fail. But in order to get Kemp in the line-up that's what I find myself doing--rooting for Pierre or Jones to fail. And that's completely unacceptable. And I blame Joe and Ned.

Good point Kahli, right now it is not entertaining. It is pathetic. I guess we expect too much. But, afterall, that is what this franchise used to stand for. Excellence!!

??????

Interesting comments by SI's Gennaro Filice. It may have been quoted before, but it's worth another look.

Deja Blue: In November 2006, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti signed center fielder Juan Pierre to a five-year, $44 million deal. "I truly believe the city of Los Angeles is going to love this player," the GM said at the time. Just one year into the deal, though, Colletti realized that Pierre is an out machine at the plate with a noodle arm in the field.

So last winter the Dodgers took another stab at filling the center field position, shelling out $36.2 million in a two-year deal for Andruw Jones. Unfortunately, the early returns on Jones have been wholly discouraging as well.

Jones' increased girth startled observers in spring training, and his production in the young season has been similarly shocking. At the plate, Jones picked up right where he left off last season: in a huge slump. The five-time All-Star is batting .129 with a laughable .161 slugging percentage. In 34 plate appearances, Jones has struck out 10 times and left 19 runners on base. His play in the field is even more jarring. The 10-time Gold Glover may be error-free, but he has noticeably lost a step. On Monday night Jones misplayed an Eric Byrnes line drive so badly, I had to rewind the play five times to make sure it was really him.

Oh, did I mention that Pierre's hitting .167 and has yet to score a run this season?

Besides making a huge imprint on Los Angeles' payroll, these two signings have created a logjam in the outfield. Until the Dodgers hoodwink some team into taking Pierre, talented youngsters Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp face the possibility of erratic playing time. It'll be very interesting to see how Joe Torre handles this situation going forward.

Go-Ned!!

Bless their pointy little heads....

Hey, we've got a 1/2 game on the G'nats for the cellar.

its almost one month until the 10 year anniversity of "The Curse of Mike Piazza".

here is to hoping that the ghosts of brooklyn dodger fans(now met fans ironically) forgive the dodgers.

* anniversary

I hate to say it, but our best three outfielders at the momnet includes Juan Pierre. Jones should be on the bench. Play Kemp and Eithier everyday and platoon Pierre and Jones. Or better yet, get rid of them both and put Repko in center with Young as backup.