Memorial Day

Good move to give Loney a break. Just wish someone other that Sweeney could do it for him. DY would work, right?

What is this lunacy of trying to find the old Sweeney - he's at least a year past his "outdated" stamp. If Loney needs a day off, and that could very well be, let Tiffee handle first base. I'm past all hope that Torre will ever move Kent out of cleanup, so hopefully Kent can muster a little bit of a resurgence. Sweeney should be long GONE, but the idiots at top don't want to recognize it.

ed - Tiffee's able to play some 1B. Nice to see JoJo reward him for his PH last night.

From the last thread:

Yeah dodgerboy - don't know what kind of program they've got running this blog, but its always something - double posts, losing data, flashing bars. Someday maybe they'll get it fixed.

Unfortunately I think we'll be needing a 2B and SS next year. I agree jhall, DeWitt's the logical choice to slide over with LaRoche playing 3B. Problem solved. Short's an issue unless Hu takes a lot away from this first year and improves next. DeJesus might be able to make the jump though. Could just let those two battle it out and see what happens.

Don't forget though guys, Kuo's got a serious health history as well.

Not sure what to make of this lineup. First of all, why isn't Maza batting 2nd. And freaking Kant batting cleanup is just stupid. I guess a day off for Loney is in order, I can live with that. I would go with:

Kemp
Maza
Either
Martin
Kant
DeWitt
Sweeney
Pitcher
Phew

Nice move, Joe! Nothing like putting your two hitters who are mired in slumps in the heart of the batting order while you've got much better hitters on the bench. You truly have a unique gift of managing!

Nice line-up JoJo - 8 outs in the middle of the order.

Cashman was right - don't sign dubious vets because this idiot will play them.

JoJo's so old school thinking... betcha he still has a TV with a round screen and drives an Edsel...

You know, Jeffy Kant really runs this team.

Messagebear, I love your optimism on Kuo, but to have to depend on him full time in the rotation is a lot to ask. I agree that watching him and envisioning Billz, Kuo, Kershaw, and Kuroda....that would be a strong front 4. Power arms is the way to go. I love people who can make people swing and miss!

As for todays lineup....good that Loney is sitting out, bad that Sweeney is at 1B.

As a pitcher you cannot be real confident that you are going to get many runs.

Maza was nails in the 2 spot last night and Ethier and Marty were totally clutch in the 3 and 4 holes. Why change it Joe? To pamper the Hall of Fame baby. Just plain stupid.

How is this team every going to win consistantly with Nerd and JoJo at the controls?

One thing about Sweeney being in the starting line-up - we don't have to worry about him PHing in a critical situation.

How's that for an optimistic look at it???

LOL...maybe DY can PH for him.

The thing that I really hate about Torre's ultra patient, laid back style is that we're likely to come to the end of the season only a game or two behind AZ, and we'll be wishing that we had only won another two or three games earlier on while Torre was still learning this team. He's clearly giving away games by sticking with Sweeney, by sticking with Jones, by keeping Kent in the cleanup position, no matter what, and by continuing forever with Pierre in the leadoff. This man is showing no fire and drive and can't make an unpleasant decision about any of the veterans on this club. I'm glad that Jones was taken off his hands; I'm doubly glad that he doesn't have Nomar or Schidt. If he wasn't forced into DeWitt and Kershaw, I don't know where we'd end up. He's totally miscast away from the Yankees - just another drone who thinks in synch with the Schmoozer, both of them with their noses up McCourt's you know what.

Good call Enchanted, Tif would be a way better option at 1B. Seems to me that Joe has thrown in the towel this game before they've showed up at the park. Perhaps due to the flight over he feels we can't win?

ed - I don't think JoJo ever met a vet he wouldn't play no matter how bad they are. Wrong manager, wrong team, wrong time.

I think it's important to remember what's truly important on this day and lets hope we bring some particular troops out of a certain country very soon. With that said, Jeff Kent is NOT this bad. He's still hitting the ball well and those balls will fall soon enough. I also don't understand how Sweeney over Loney for one game means Torre is throwing in the towel. That just seems nonsensical to me. Lineup actually is exactly how it will be without Furcal it's just Sweeney playing for Loney. I personally would've swapped DeWitt with Sweeney. And actually with Maza over Hu we lose defense but may gain a little with offense. Regardless, to all remember what this day is about and this is just a game. We have people overseas dying for nothing. That's where the outrage should be focused at least on this day.

JoJo's signing was just another PR move by the front office to make us think they have winning as a priority. To Frank, it was terrific publicity that added to the season ticket sales and a great photo op with another icon from the east coast. To Nerd, it was someone who thinks like he does even though it was a totally wrong move for this young team (which virtually ALL of Ned's moves are.)

That's why we need proactive thinkers like White and Ng running the show, and a progressive magager along the lines of a LaRussa type who isn't afraid to think outside the box. The longer the current duo is in charge, we'll just keep racking up the years in between WCs.

No offense Alex, but I don't see the troops deaths as dying for nothing. Its only nothing if that's what the likes of Obama and Hillary make of them, and make of us as a weak sniveling nation.

I'll stick to baseball talk and we'll agree to disagree. Braves up 2-0 on Webb in the first.

Me too.

Now back to Ned bashing!!!

Alex well said about where our focus should be. Thank you to all the soldiers that have and will sacrifice their lives so we can live in a free country.

That being said, Joe is not throwing the towel in he is merely using a kitchen towel. We can and will win the game. Hell 20 years ago we won with a Shelby, Dave Anderson, Jeff Hamilton, Rick Dempsey...one game does not a season make. Huh? Oh well, Billz will throw a great game and DY wins it off the bench!!!! If he can find his way to the field!

yesterday on dodgers post game talk, ken levine said that joe has repeatedly said that he wants and will go with experience in the 4/5 spots anytime he can. he has faith in those players, and as long as kent is on this team and starting he WILL be in the 4 spot. he also has faith in sweeney (blind-faith, i say) to come off the bench in clutch situations because he has done so, on so many teams, in so many situations. this is why they were talking about this because the callers were questioning using sweeney over maza, when luis had such a great game (and i complete agree). i was at the game and when i saw sweeney, i was so upset because it was SO predicatable. that whole inning was predictable. i knew that pierre would bunt into a force play and i knew joe would call on sweeney, who i knew would strike out. it's good that andre saved them. and yet, joe still doesn't have faith in the kids =*(

I happen to agree with you on the troops issue, enchanted, but also feel that it's best to maintain this forum just for Dodgers' talk. I know that you didn't initiate the remark. If Ned ever wised up, it would surely cut our blog time in half - No?

random additional thought.. my co-worker and i are always arguing dodgers.. and it's quite hilarious, since we're both huge dodger fans.. but he's one of those, kids must prove themselves over time, and nomar is still great because of all those things he's done in the past.. which makes me mad, because i'm all about the youth and in no way should money or experience dictate playing time, especially when the younger guys are clearly outplaying any such veterans.. one time we argued last year, because he was at the game where the crowd booed broxton after one blown game (against the padres i think), and yet nomar was still receiving standing ovations every game (despite struggling bigtime). and i asked him how he could boo someone making league minimum for struggling in one game, while cheering for an overpaid washed up guy who was struggling in everygame and still batting 3rd.. and he said that how could you not respect nomar for everything that he has done and been through.. so anyway, i'm always telling him that while we are both dodger fans, we are definitely not rooting for the same team, and that my dodger team is a lot younger than his dodger team.. haha

I know everyone's seemed to have soured on Hu at short, admittedly he has struggled at the plate. I personally know people, knowledgeable people on the triple A level who sing this guys praises. He's just not ready to face Major League pitching yet. Some players like DeWitt easily make the transition, some need time. Hu should be taking swings at triple A. He's a Major Leaguer, I have no doubt about that, it's just too bad that he has to learn on the job at the highest level at the toughest position. He's only played 45 games at triple A. In fact, if it weren't for china doll Tony Abreu, that's exactly where he'd be. He's there defensively, he needs a lot of 1 on 1 coaching.

I totally agree that our focus for today should be on the sacrifice so many are making. Freedom isn't free, and the cost is overwhelming for many, many families. It is certainly a stark contrast to the many overpaid, pampered ballplayers who think they're something special. And yes, this is only one game and we may actually win, perhaps with Kent and Sweeney contributing. But the problem isn't so much a one game thing, it's the pervasive thinking on the part of management that the veterans are something special and the kids have to wait their turn. Yes, Loney could use a rest, but Tiffee is hot and this was a great chance to see what he could do at 1B. But just as Torre used Jones and Sweeney is key pinch hitting spots over the weekend, so he continues ignoring the young talent that he has for struggling vets. The story about Torre intending to rest Kent on Saturday until Kent came to the ball park expecting to play and then the lineup was then changed to include him says a lot about Torre and how he manages. And that does not bode well for the success of the Dodgers.

Atlanta up 5-1 on the Snakes!

GO BRAVES!!!!

The benching of Loney comes as no suprise, he looked like some time off would be the best thing for him.
It will be nice to see a change at SS and also Maza shows some "pop" and we can use more.
LET'S GO DODGERS MAKE IT 2 STRAIGHT!!!!!!!

Totally agree and well said Sara, Fox, and Kace. Being a veteran myself, I'm with you E on the troops in Iraq. God only knows the travesties we have averted over here by being there and slowing down the terrorist machine. My hats off to all our military personnel, past and present. Now, let's win this game today.

Red, I agree with your last statement whole-heartedly. The vets are managing this team, not Torre. How does Torre walk up to a kid who's been told he's going to start and tell him that Mr. Kent would rather start today instead. You'll get your chance when Mr. Kent doesn't feel like playing.

Are you guys read for an out!! Mr. .282 OBP as leadoff is coming up next, its time for dodger baseball.

reverse phsycology right jungar?

Phew will somehow find a way to stink...

wtf is that on pierre or bowa

I think JP should've stayed at 3rd.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Today's line-up is an example of what I was talking about in the last thread about LaRoche--if he could play a little first base, it would be great for him to come up. He could then get a start in a situation like today, where Loney gets the day off. And almost everyone agrees that Loney could take a day off to get a little focus back after that bad weekend series (though, he better be back in there tomorrow). Would I rather have Tiffee over Sweeney? Maybe--frankly, as much as people are down on Sweeney, Tiffee is a journeyman and mostly a career minor leaguer. It's possible that he's made the leap, but too soon to tell.
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I totally agree with sara--I don't know what her friend is thinking in justifying booing Broxton but cheering Nomar. I think we should cheer both, but clearly the veteran making a lot of money vs. the kid making the minimum should get the scorn.
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People point out that Torre has too much faith in the old guys and not enough in the kids. There are two things about this, one is not surprising, one is very surprising. First, he's just more familiar with the veterans, while we are all very familiar with the kids. We were hearing about the Jacksonville 5 in 2005, but Torre did not know who they are until he came over to the Dodgers. This is partly Torre's fault for not getting to know the team before Spring started, but partly the complicated spring.
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The more surprising problem is that it is common in almost any profession to go with the experience. If you are a manager--either of a baseball team or a company--if you "lose" using the experienced guys, you don't get in trouble with the higher ups. If you are the general counsel for a company and you hire a big experienced law firm, you don't get in trouble if they lose the case, but you might if you hire the small fry. The surprising thing is this--the whole point of hiring a Joe Torre is that he should NOT have this fear. He's Joe-frickin'-Torre! Apparently 4 World Series rings is not enough to gie him the confidence to take a "risky" chance (this, I truly believe was Grady's problem, because he frankly seemed to like the kids, but couldn't put them in). Part of the greatness of Mike Scioscia is that he'll take those chances, and so did Tommy Lasorda, who loved rookies.

Okay Chad pitch a good game.

The fact that JoJo always opts to play age over talent is an indication that he just isn't the right manager for this team (or any really.) With the exception of the Gnats, the NL is becomming a league of youth. Torre's managing is straight out of the 50's (and the eastern AL.) And we've got him at the helm for another two years after this??

Just another typical Frank & Furter blunder.

Sorry if I messed him up. It wasn't intentional.

i guess he figured sweeney wasnt gonna get him in so he had to try to it on his own

With Torre's logic, the "All Spin" Schmoozer is no doubt working on Kent to come back for another year and will probably extend Sweeney's contract before the All-Star break.

nuts. Here we go again...

We have alot of young players playing. We just have a few old guys in key spots that really a real GM would have replaced 3 years ago. The manager has done a good job so far of getting rid of most of the GM's bad moves. Just a few more to go (pierre if Furcal ever comes back which at this point I certainly with dodger med/x-file history would not bet on it) and Kent.

The problem is the GM spot. He has to do something, helpful. Enough excuses. We need a bat to protect our young hitters..Obviously Coletti has no idea how to get one who can produce in the middle of the order.

This not getting hits business is really getting on my nerves.

What do you think the D's record would be with a different manager?

Nice strikeout!
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Makes me feel good we're not seeing Bad Chad. Just a slightly off pitch to a good hitter in a friendly ballpark (Lee's HR would be a long out at Dodger Stadium). But now we need our offense to get going.

I Loved that K of DeRosa.

Okay Maza show us your stuff again. Let's go Dodgers

Kemp obviously has been watching too many Jones' batting tapes. Maybe we should get Kent to ride his butt - that might get him mad enough to focus on what the hell he's doing.

and here comes the failed bunt

For those of you lucky enough not to have to watch this game on WGN, Brendley has no idea what he is talking about. Comments about the injured dodger pitching staff, and the whole dodger team battling injuries..nomar, andruw, furcal. To me, only Furcal warrants any mention. BTW, this game might be over in 2hr 15min

6 TO 3 Braves

we are kind of hitting demster hard, just right at people., ethier, martin, kent, not sweeney, not kemp, dewwitt, maza, even bills, and that was hit pretty hard for pierre. if they keep it up they will start finding holes. we hope anyways.

I could watch it on WGN but I'm not. I can't stand to listen other teams commentators make such biased comments about the opposing team. I can't stand the negativity.

I wish I could watch on KCAL,..I don't mind other announcers for the fact that I like getting a different point of view or how other teams think of the dodgers. But would it hurt to do a little homework? I watched AZ the other day and it was horrendous. Two homers in the booth. Had to put it on mute. I guess that's the price we pay for Vin

Why couldn't Ethier get that in the 1st innings and damn why not started Tiffee at 1st.

Double E!!!

I'm surprise is even on Kcal today this early. I really wanted to see Kershaw pitch on live tv.

Did martin get Ethier over to 3rd?

We really do not hit good pitching... It seems like everytime we go up against an ace or even a number 2 guy, we do not do well at all.

goooooooooooooshhhhhhhhhhhh

Like that wasn't predictable from the 4 & 5 hitters - nothing.

Nope he was stranding at 2nd base.

awful, is there another manager in all of baseball that would continue giving this guy chances to screw everything up

It's amazing how opponent pitchers bear down when we have RISP.

Terrible situational hitting...Marty has to get him over with no outs...The dodgers seem to struggle with this more than anyone else or I just seem to notice it more....terrible...get him over and kent brings him home on the flyball. unbelievable!!!!

Kant get a run in!! What a joke. Sweeney the hitting weenie.

Does anybody broadcasting on WGN or mlb.com mention how unusual it must be at this stage of the season to have a cleanup man batting all of .230 something and No. 5 barely over .100. Seems very unorthodox to me. Torre is either being very gutsy or stupid. You decide, and Hall of Fame, my A**.

Yep, Marty's out was not productive.

Ned and Torre don't have a testicle between both of them!!!

There's an old accounting acronym - GIGO - garbage in/garbage out - think it applies to far too many of JoJo's pet vets.

It looks as if Billz is throwing a great game, it will be a shame if he makes 2 mistakes and loses...C'mon boys Dempster is not Pedro of 1998, hit his a....!!!!

Maybe a couple of mistake pitches now.

I have never seen Bills so economical with his pitching...I wish I was able to watch.

kemp has not homered since may 6th....you are due big boy!!!!

Darn!--I went to tinkle when Kemp came up. I hate to say it, but I should have listened to Steve Lyons.
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Tahnks goodness for TiVo.

DeWitt gets the runner over. Good job!!

Pitched around Maza, dam'n!!

What the hell kind of an at bat was that??

It's up to you, Phew!!

enchanted what happened?

Billz K's on three pitches swinging. Why not at least get the runner to second with a bunt?

Nice gift run thank to Pierre

Phew comes thru.

great...comon juan we need a miracle...gapper!!!

Atta way ta go P_I_E_R_R_E
We are on the scoreboard.

alright...juan...come on Ethier....gapper!

We need gappers because 4 & 5 are crappers! lol

Did we have 1st and 3rd with Billz at the plate and we did not bunt maza over...that is a bonehead play torre...take the DP out of play and now we would be tied!!!! Come on joe the honeymoon is over, show some balls!!!

Now I am glad I am not watching I probably would have thrown something thru the tv...not good with a 4 and 5 year olds watching.

LOL E!!

Infield single only one run would've scored

ok thanks...

7 to 3 Braves, top 7th.

should have known Pierre cannot get it out of the infield...but good going Juan on getting back to within one. Watching Pierre swing, how did he ever hit a HR...he should have been tested after each one of his jacks...

Snakes still losing 7-3.

You know if Billz learns to keep his pitch count down like today, he will be the ace that can go 7-8 every outing.

We saw that Sweeney can still play 1B, in that inning.

Absolutely agree Enchanted. It is nice to observe the maturation of Billz. I hope this is the one that we will see more often than not.

Come kent the crapper we need a gapper!!!

oh no
sweeney double play???
god i hope not.

I would bunt Martin and Kent to 2nd and 3rd

Does Sweeney know how to bunt??

That works just as well

we got real lucky there

Alright, that's more like it. Got to get this run in from 3rd.

lol Sweeney with a productive AB's.

I do not know what is happening but it sounds as if it worked out...come on kemp!!!

Oh man DeWitt up with the bases loaded!

6 for 6

At least the right man's at the plate.

Blake you will be the mayor when you go back home....big hit kid!!!

Could Dewitt stay prefect with the base loaded?

it is too silent...what is going on?

couldnt last forever

Filthy pitch DeWitt K's

Guess not damn

Uggggghh

Fudge!!!!

Maza we need you!!!!

noooo
ball 3

Ump gives a gift strike

jhall...

Un-F'ing-Acceptable!!™

CLOSE but no cigar.
What're gonna do. Maybe next time.
Don't give up. It's tough.

Too many opportunities too little real men....we need people to step up and produce...

Growing pains. Serenity now...

Pierre are you going this weekend?

this ump is bad
exact same as the last 2 pitches

4 pitches

Whew!! Way to go Billz..

MOMENTUM SWITCH!

is he out of the inning yet? it has been a while!

Need to hang some crooked #'s on these bast*rds!!

Great going B_I_L_Z
I sure thought they'd burn us for walking Soriano to lead off the inning.
But Chad got us through it.
We're still in the game.

Come on Ethier....big hit kid!