Long weekend...

Am I #1

Whoo hoo! I'm a leadoff hitter!

hahahaha

What a great show @ Hollywood Bowl last night. If anyone is free (and in LA), go tonight or tomorrow night. There's a great "Gibby at the Bat" voiced by Vin that you've got to hear.

sigalphone - thanks, someone else in the last topic also said the show was great. I have tickets for tomorrow - looking forward to picnicking beforehand and then the show!

I'm starting to worry that this little scare with Kent today will cause Torre and Company to decide to keep BOTH Maza and Berroa on the roster and option out one of the 3B. Someone please convince me that I'm just being irrational!

westernmost ~ there was an article from the home page that said he took himself out of the game as a precautionary measure because he wants to be able to play in SF tomorrow - the article gave the impression he was fine. :)

Miss Debbie - but back soreness, 40-year old man, Houston to SF plane flight don't play well together! And he can be fine but still make Torre nervous about having only one backup IF (that he likes) for BOTH Kent and Nomar. (I know, I know, DY and LaRoche can fill in at 2B, but they're not what Torre would consider "defensive replacements".)

I know, I know - however, he loves playing in SF against them, but I definitely don't trust anyone in our management right now, so I am with you on that for sure :)

This kind of line seems to a sportswriter favorite when talking about Lowe. This one is from Gurnick's preview for tomorrow's game that is headlined "Lowe needs higher run support":
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"In Lowe's eight losses this year, the Dodgers have scored only seven runs, ..."
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You what though, Lowe's ERA in his eight losses is 5.81, so maybe the offense needs more pitching support from Derek!
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Gurnick goes on: "Lowe's record in 3 1/2 seasons with the Dodgers is 45-45. Of the 45 losses, the Dodgers were shut out in 10 of them and held to one run in 14 others."
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I find that Lowe's ERA with the Dodgers when he takes a loss is: 6.43.

I think these last three games are a clear indication of how WRONG TORRE HAS BEEN on his insistence that Pierre was too valuable to sit and had to lead off. It's too bad that Pierre had to get hurt to force Torre out of his stubborn and arrogant position, but it is a blessing for the Dodgers. This is what could have been from Day 1 if we had a manager and GM who recognized the talent they have on their roster and didn't block it by acquisitions and stubborn preferences for veterans who are not what the Dodgers need. It should be clear to anyone who isn't biased that Ethier and Kemp are everyday players and shouldn't be shuffled in and out of the lineup, thereby destroying their confidence and failing to capitalize on and develop their potential. I hope that Joe and Ned are men enough to admit their mistakes and learn from them, but that is probably just wishful thinking.

As long as Conte doesn't say that Kent's fine, then he should be fine.

FIRE STAN CONTE!!!!

some very interesting quotes from kent after today's game, and by interesting i mean WEIRD.. it does seem like he was playful and has a renewed love of the game going on right now as we've mentioned the last couple days.. it's from the press-enterprise:

Jeff Kent left the game with back stiffness after leaving the game, but could be back as soon as tomorrow. He wasn't going to fight Manager Joe Torre about leaving with the Dodgers on their way to a win and a day game in San Francisco tomorrow. "Three fingers, three toes, I'd have played. Hopefully, I don't have a big deal on the plane. Looking forward to San Francisco, too."

Asked about the team possibly being a half-game out by the end of the day, Kent put his hand on my shoulder. "Three months to go, young pup. Hang on...Sometimes we have to hold the reigns on young reporters not to be so doom-and-gloom."

Asked about the game James Loney had, Kent said, "James is a wild bird."

what the heck does, "james is a wild bird" mean??

and i find it hilarious that he called diamond leung a young pup..

oh, kent.. haha..

Glad to see Kent in good spirits. You know what they say, winning is the elixir that cures all.

dnel, Marysville HS here has black and orange colors too. Halloween year-round. I always root for (and sympathise with) any Little Leaguers who play for the Dodgers. My first team ever was the T-Ball Giants in Barstow. I was only 5, but as I came to understand the game and the team better, my Padres and Reds fan friends would tease me about it, only 'cause I hated the Giants.

Later, it wasn't bad enough that I played on the Minor League Cardinals, but we were the only team in the league to wear a real MLB licensed hat, which was a Cincinatti Reds hat. I guess their reasoning was that the "C" stood for Cardinals, but I always hated Chris Sabo (I'm not sure why, wasn't "corky" yet). Respected Larkin, but I don't know what it was about Sabo.

Anyone else ever feel traitorous for playing for another team in Little League baseball or softball?

sara- I was wondering the same thing about the "wild bird" comment. Maybe the gave Kent a painkiller and he was getting loopy!

Did anyone read this aritcle by Tim Brown title "Can Kim Ng break the gender barrier"?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=As0DJyKYkX2iGRdAzNI6vWAe0bYF?slug=ti-femalegm070308&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

No just Ned should man up not Torre I give him the benefit of the doubt with the roster he was working with.

northstateblues.. i was lucky enough during softball to always draw teams that didn't stir up anything.. played for the cardinals, marlins, pirates, rangers.. not too much to hate or love about those teams.. at least not for me..

haha, good point westernmost. didn't think about the painkillers thing, but you're probably right :)

sara - just got in from my son's game ~ doesn't it make you wonder if Kent doesn't like Pierre ethier (lol)? He seems to have turned into a different player since this series without Pierre. We need him for SF because he loves to beat them. Whatever it is, it sure is working.
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northstateblues - I went to Merced High (where my kids go now) and I hated orange and black. Now, I will wear orange and black to football games, once baseball season is over, and then I switch to just black, and then the same thing when baseball season comes back around. It's just wrong to wear those two colors together and say you are a Dodger fan during the season - just wrong :)

oh btw, i forgot to mention it.. but my friend works for the dodgers.. and we were talking about nomar and jones coming back, etc.. and he told me andruw dropped 15 pounds. he said it's noticeable.. just another reason to be a little optimistic..

I hope our boys in blue have a wonderful weekend as well!!!! And I can't wait til Monday when they come home after they sweep the giants this weekend =)

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I hope these past couple of games have really slapped Torre in the face about his ignorance with young players. Hopefully outfield will be Andre, Jones, and Kemp.... =) We all know Jones will not be benched so I'm okay with it as long as Kemp & Andre get to play..
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I think Kemp is a wonderful lead off hitter.. he's just warming up give it a couple more games... Either way he's better than Pierre anytime anyday.
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Watching Andre hit that homerun today was the best start to my day =)

oh btw... i know some might think this is a stupid question but i'm just curious who #8 the bat boy is??... and is it the same kid even when they travel? lol..

If Andruw Jones is able to come back strong, I would definitely want that. We have to have the best players on the team, and if Andruw fits that, I'll be happy to feast on some crow sandwiches or crow burgers or whatever.

Whatever it takes to get the good people of the Dodger Stadium staff to eat ice cream again. For years to come. Until they're probably tired of ice cream, but they can still have it for free anyways if they wanted.

sara - I had heard that too. I do want the real Andruw back. It's the outfield that should have been all along - Ethier, Jones and Kemp, back in the day when Pierre was riding pine until one day it all changed for some unknown reason - only speculation. This starting happening before Furcal went out, but Raffy going down just made the issue worse.
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iheartaethier - Torre's not going to change his mind. He's had several chances to change it already and hasn't done so. Andre and Matt have more than proved they can outplay Pierre in every aspect of the game (minus stealing bases), but like so many of have stated, he is not the right manager for this young team. Even the comments in the articles today suggest he still misses his veteran's experience very much and wants them back as quickly as possible.

i didn't get to see the game this morning, i just followed it online at work.. so i'm watching the replay right now on prime.. a couple thoughts.. andre's homer was impressive~ opposite field too.. and that stop by maza to turn that double play was beyond words.. it made me worry about nomar's limitations at shortstop.. but at least torre made it clear that nomar is not going to automatically be the everyday shortstop..

sara ~It was an awesome play by Maza - very impressive indeed. It kind of makes you wonder about Andruw too and getting good jumps on the balls at AT&T park. I am hoping that Torre uses him with limitations as to not hurt himself or the team, if things are not going good. As for Andre - gotta love those opposite field shots, homeruns and doubles, and the Houston announcers were very complimentary of his approach at the plate and how he takes balls to all parts of the field. Pierre doesn't do that. James hits opposite field too later on (hint, hint) - very nice too.

A healthy and productive Jones will be a boost for sure. I would think Nomar can at least put up a .700 OPS, which would be a lot better than any SS not named Furcal is doing. I, too, wonder how much defense the Dodgers will be sacrificing with Nomar at SS.
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Here's a Torre quote in the L.A. Times game article:
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"We've played these last three games with, I don't know, a sense of determination," he said. "Don't ask me why I feel that. I just have a good feel about the way we've gone after it.
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"There's been a lot of animation in that dugout. Which doesn't hurt."
_______________________________
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Note to Clueless Joe: Maybe the players feel freed from a certain albatross that used to be in LF and are able to concentrate on just playing the game.

Miss Debbie - Matt Kemp can steal bases too! Check out this stat:
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Base Stealing success rate, career:
Matt Kemp: 78%
Juan Pierre: 75%
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This season both have been excellent:
Kemp: 17 of 21, 80%
Pierre: 35 of 42, 83%

Northstateblues - I am really pulling for Andruw to come back healthy even if it means less playing time for Andre, but it has to be legitimate - none of this Sweeney crap where we are just going to let him play until he figures it out. I want a very short leash on him so it doesn't hurt the team, but then who are we - just fans who want the best players out there, win or lose. And until Pierre went down, that hasn't been the case. We are finally seeing a team out there who cares about winning, and I really hope Torre is seeing that - doubtful, but I hope. I think he sees a bunch of young kids out there who are filling holes until his real players come back - the vets.

LOL!! westernmost - I was primarily talking about Andre because he can't steal a base to save his life, but I am okay with that. That can be his one flaw (LOL). Matt might surpass Mr. Pierre if given enough time - wouldn't that be something - :)

Maybe I shouldn't post that link if no one was interest I guess we should just keep Ned as our GM than lol.

westernmost - something has changed about this team and there is only one factor that has changed and it's our friendly used-to-be left fielder. You have to wonder what made Torre change his mind about his playing time from one day riding pine to playing every single day. Like I told sara, this started before Furcal went on DL. Andre and Matt had sat a few days a piece then too, and it was after he supposedly talked to his agent (who enchanted calls his mama). Makes you wonder - hmmmm :)

shad - I read the article. Kim Ng is an awesome and accomplished person. Frank McCourt will have to find a way to keep her. Maybe he can make Ned "special advisor to the chairman" and promote Ng.

LOL - Dodger Thoughts referring to today's winning pitcher as "His Royal Thighness Chadwick Billingsley"
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Chad Billingsley's last THIRTEEN starts (including today), going back to April 30:
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8-3, 83 1/3 IP (6.4 IP/GS), 2.27 ERA, 66 H, 75 K, 33 BB, 8.1 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, 1.188 WHIP
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Thems ACE numbers folks.

Yep how in the heck did the Yankees let her go?

Billz certainly has found his zone lately, hasn't he? He is doing fabulous right now.

Ms. Ng probably decided that the chances were better that Dan Evans' job would open up before Brian Cashman's. Cashman is, of course, still there; two GMs have been hired in L.A. since Ng got here.

yeah, dnelly.. i saw loney's shot too.. not nearly as hard hit as ethier's, but still impressive..

his royal thighness!! that's SO great.. that's my new favorite pitcher nickname.. before that, it was mark "calfzilla" prior.. haha

royal thighness - lol!! The boys will have fun putting that one into their songs - (those would be good songs of course because we write good songs for all the players we know should be playing.)

You gotta love the opposite field stuff, especially their doubles and homers. I was really hoping Russell would have hit a home run today. I wanted to spell his whole name - lol!!

Super Great 5 to 2 Victory by Our Beloved Selfless Los Angeles Dodgers over the Houston Astros where everybody were Champion Super Heros and Kryptonite Busters! Sing and Cheer louder and louder all Dodger Fans, and Look Up to the Sky For Even the Stars in Heaven Sparkle Brilliantly as they Spell," Kryptonite Destroyed Forever As Beloved Los Angeles Dodgers Crowned World Series Champions In Majestic Year 2008 A.D!"

ndeschenes ~ I can't believe we got to hear from you three evenings in a row - Wow! It means our boys are doing a spectacular job right now. It was a very impressive game once again on both sides of the ball today. Billz did a fantastic job and he finally got the run support he needed, and it all added up to a win in the end. Well, we move onto San Francisco tomorrow and throughout the weekend - never an easy series regardless of where the teams are in the standings, so we will hope that Nomar and Andruw come in ready to go, and our beloved Dodgers will bring some wins for us this weekend. Have a wonderful evening, and Happy 4th of July!!! :)

Plaschke is busy bashing the Dodgers young men again:
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http://tinyurl.com/5curae
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I wrote him:
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Well Bill,
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You've once again misidentified the problem with the Dodgers. It is not the young guys but the old guys, their old vet-lovin' manager, and their vet-lovin' GM who are undermining this team.
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Let's start with the old guys. If Juan Pierre really wanted to see the team win, he wouldn't ever spend time whining for unjustified playing time. He would spend time working on a fundamental of the game at which he is especially poor -- bunting. If Mark Sweeney cared about the team winning, he would retire.
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Now the old manager. If he cared about winning, he would send the best lineup out every day regardless of age or money. He doesn't do that. He would have stopped sending Mark Sweeney up in clutch situations months ago. He would build the young players up instead of constantly feeding negative lines to reporters like you.
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Now the old GM. I have to give him credit for resisting the suggestions of some such as yourself that he trade away the youth. Thankfully, he has kept the players that will (if allowed) be the core of a Dodgers Dynasty that could begin as soon as this year.
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How about the young guys? I have read or heard very little grumbling by them this year while Torre continues to blame them for everything but the high price of gas and pulls them in and out and all over the lineup continually replacing them with clearly inferior players for no discernible reason. Meanwhile Kent and the batless wonder Mark Sweeney continue to denigrate them for their alleged lack of knowing how to play the game while the press joins in the bash-the-kids-fest and sits blithely by never alluding to the possibility that the veterans might be the major cause of low run production; constantly noting the low production of the shortstops who have replaced Furcal in the field, but taking no notice of the sad performance of the guy who replaced him in the leadoff spot for almost two months (In case you didn’t know Pierre has a .294 OBP as a leadoff hitter this year).
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Meanwhile all the young Dodgers just go out there and play damn good ball.
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Maybe the Dodgers young guys think they’re good BECAUSE THEY ARE GOOD!!
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As for trading Kemp, that move would go down in Dodgers history with trading Pedro Martinez and Mike Piazza. Kemp may not be the most charming guy, but there is nothing to show he is any kind of a troublemaker. We put up with that old grouch Kent; we can certainly put up with Matt Kemp who figures to be one of the game’s best for the next decade.

Sincerely,

"I think with each passing year we want to spend less on free agency. I can't tell you how much we're going to depend on it and how much we're not going to depend on it, but the plan is to depend less and less on it. Sometimes you have to fill a hole that way. But in '06 we had many holes to fill, in '07 we had somewhat as many holes to fill, and in '08 we went into it thinking we had fewer holes to fill. Hopefully next year, we'll feel the same way. It's a precarious route to go.

But coupled with that -- and this is important -- is if you're of a mind to build from within, to give young players the opportunity to play, to mature, to make mistakes, to learn from their mistakes and to get better ... if that's the path that you hitch your wagon to, which we have, the only other way you're going to be able to fill that hole is to disband some of that group. And that's where we always think twice and say, "You know what? Let's be patient." "

- NED COLLETTI

read the rest of a very detailed interview by diamond leung..
http://www.pe.com/sports/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_S_web_colletti_04.476c46e.html

Have I been maybe one of the toughest guys here on Ned Coletti? I would say yes. I would like to say that offically as of this moment, I am now in his corner. If you want to know why read this. http://www.pe.com/sports/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_S_web_colletti_04.476c46e.html

But like a main star in a movie I am still a little weary. How will it turn out????? Will he be the devil in disguise that I have to kill (or be killed) in the end? And this is all a trick to get me on his side....Or will he be like a wise old wizard who leads me to the promise land though I question him and rebel along the way?

beat me to it Sara!

haha, jungar i beat you by a minute. he did seem to say a lot of the right things..

i'm not fully in his corner like you are now, but i am at least less critical of him..

well said mlk. glad you spoke your, and our, mind. haha.

after reading that I have to give him a little room. I am down with Jones, always have been. I loved him w/Atl and he is only 30 and for 2 years. If he comes back and i keep seeing a lineup which has 6 of the first 7 hitters include Kemp, Ethier, Martin, Loney, Young etc..ok time to lay off and enjoy the ride. Now for me the only thing to solve is SS.

mlk - nice job.
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Funny, I just finished reading that interview in the P-E as well. As Sara says, Ned does actually says quite a bit that many of us can agree with. It helps that Diamond Leung asked some good questions and allowed Ned to have a full voice rather than write a T. J. Simers-style hatchet job. The big-name columnists in this town may stink, make illogical arguments and lack credibility (see the Plaschke link by mlk, above, plus the aforementioned Simers), but the Dodger beat writers - primarily Diamond Leung, Tony Jackson, Dylan Hernandez - do a tremendous job keeping us informed and covering the team. Their insights into the day-to-day ebb and flow of the team is invaluable.

"If [Jones] comes back and i keep seeing a lineup which has 6 of the first 7 hitters include Kemp, Ethier, Martin, Loney, Young etc"
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jungar - With Nomar AND Jones playing tomorrow, don't you think there are only FOUR spots in the top seven after three of them are filled with Kent, Jones, and Nomar. I predict Torre has LaRoche hitting 8th tomorrow. Or worse Maza, with Nomar at 3B.

no westernmost. torre said specifically that nomar will be playing SS tomorrow. so no maza (unless kent's back is bad). i'm just hoping that he considers putting jones or nomar or both lower in the order. they are still rehabing after all.. but knowing torre, i know it's a longshot. nomar and jones will probably flank kent.. thus moving all our kids around..

u could be right. I think (hope) they will go with...

Kemp
Ethier
Martin
Kent
Jones
Loney
Nomar
LaWitt

The last time Nomar came back he hit in these spots (in order):
7, 8, 6, PH, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3
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With a LH throwing for SF tomorrow, I wouldn't be surprised by anything Torre puts out there. We'll also see if the Ethier/Young platoon is still happening.

"torre said specifically that nomar will be playing SS tomorrow."
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Sara - yes, I know, he also said they would go to a six-man rotation, that Kershaw wasn't going to be the first one sent back down, and that Juan Pierre was the fourth OF. What Joe Torre has taught me is that I have to see it to believe it.

Just read the Colletti interview with Diamond Leung. Colletti has always talked a better game than the product of his moves have thus far proved. Reading that article reassured me about Ned's general philosophy, not so much about his GM skills.
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Ned has refrained from trading away the prospects we love.
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He did trade away Dioner Navarro for mostly garbage -- although to be fair to the string bean, Mark Hendrickson was for the most part a serviceable starter. In any case Dioner had no place on the Dodgers after Russell took over.
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He traded away Joel Guzman who may turn out to be a very good ballplayer, but one who demonstrated a crap attitude.
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He also traded Edwin Jackson for Danys Baez and Lance Carter. Edwin has yet to really flourish on any kind of a consistent basis, but that trade has got to be considered a loss since Baez and Carter were so dang useless.
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I personally was sad to see Cesar Izturis go, but there is no question that Ned won that trade for Greg Maddux. (It looks like Cesar has lost his starting job in St. Louis, so maybe we can get him back.)
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As long as he doesn't trade away our core players (see my list from a few weeks ago), I guess I'm willing to give him a chance to quit signing useless oldsters. It would really help if he would cut Mark Sweeney. Maybe with Andruw and Nomar back, losing Sweeney won't break JoJo's heart too much.

Nice commentary mlk. I'd like to point out something.
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Chuck Tiffany, a 2003 #2 pick and top prospect from Charter Oak HS in Covina, was also in that Edwin Jackson (who is still in the rotation of the team with the best record in baseball) deal. Check out his minor league stats:
http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=29152
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When the trade was made, Tiffany had two seasons plus a little rookie ball with the Dodgers and he put up those nice 2005 numbers in a hitter paradise for a home park. No one knew that his arm would explode a few games into his Tampa minors career. Jackson/Tiffany was too much in prospects to get only a glorified middle reliever who had some saves and a crappy middle reliever. (Don't forget Aybar had to be thrown in with Baez to get Betemit, who begat Proctor !)

Oh, so the final scorecard on that is:
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Lose: Aybar, Jackson, Tiffany
Get: a crap month from Carter, a crap half-season of Baez, a bit of a tease of about a season of Betemit, a half-season of decent middle relief from Proctor, a really crappy half-season from Proctor.
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Most GMs trade three prospects like that, they get one decent player out of it.

mlk - fabulous statements! With stuff like that, you would hope this media of ours would start seeing this team for what it is - a wonderful group of talented young ball players who are performing in leaps and bounds over their veteran counterparts. Thank you for being one of the voices of this board that can so eloquently put your thoughts into writing and send it outside of this board. :)
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sara/jungar - great article! In regards to Ned and company, I am of the mindset that I need to see it to believe it. What he says sounds great in writing, but I will wait until after the trade deadline to see if he keeps to what he says in the article and not trade away the young players.

Time: Right now (1:55 a.m., July 4, 2004)
Location: Joe Torre's San Francisco hotel room
Scene: Mark Sweeney begging Torre to save his behind
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Original Song: Total Eclipse of the Heart
Original Artist: Bonnie Tyler
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JUST A USELESS OLD FART
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Turnaround, every other night I go to hit
but all my bat does is go round
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit tired of listening to the sound of the boos
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little terrified when I see the look in fan’s eyes
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Turnaround JoJo, Every single night
I fall apart
Turnaround JoJo, Every single night
I fall apart
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(Instrumental)
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Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit restless and my swing gets really wild
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit helpless and I'm lying like a child in your arms
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little bit angry ‘cuz I know my career’s about to die
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a
little terrified when I see the look in fan’s eyes
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Turnaround JoJo, Every single night
I fall apart
Turnaround JoJo, Every single night
I fall apart
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And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong together
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Can’t I keep playing until I’m thirty-nine?
Your love for vets has been saving my *** all of the time
I don't know how to hit and I'm swingin’ in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
I’m gonna start hitting tonight
I promise I’ll start hitting tonight
I swear I'll start hitting tonight
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(Instrumental)
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Once upon a time I was mediocre
But now I’m just a useless old fart
There's nothing I can do
I wonder if they’re hiring at KMart
Once upon a time I was mediocre
But now I’m just a useless old fart
Nothing I can say
I wonder if they’re hiring at Kmart
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(Fade Out)

Original Song: Lover's Cross
Original Artist: Jim Croce
Time: About an hour later (After Sweeney stopped crying)
Location: Joe Torre's San Francisco hotel room
Scene (I hope): Torre breaks up with Sweeney
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Groundhogs said it was bound to happen
Was just a matter of time
But now I've come to my decision
And it's a-one of the painful kind
'Cause now it seems that you wanted a martyr
Just a regular coach wouldn't do
But Sweeney I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
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Yes, I really got to hand it to you
'Cause girl you really tried
But for ev'ry time that we spent laughin'
There were ten times the fans cried
‘Cause I’ve been a martyr for Bubba Crosby before
But I can’t keep pinch-hitting with you
And Sweeney, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you
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'Cause tables are meant for turnin'
And people are bound to change
And bridges are meant for burnin'
When journeyman outfielders deserve so much blame
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So I'll hope that you can find
Another who can take what I could not
He'll have to be a super coach
Or maybe a Super God
‘Cause I’ve been a martyr for Bubba Crosby before
But I can’t keep pinch-hitting with you
And Sweeney, I can't hang upon no lover's cross for you

Terrific MLK!!! And a twofer at that - OUTSTANDING!!!

OK, so Colletti says he's down for the youth movement. Then why isn't your manager on the same page? For God's sake Juan Pierre isn't a franchise player or even a good one. Why was he leading off for almost two months with a .294 OBP? Mark Sweeney hitting in the O-nineties. Why does he get the lion's share of PH opportunities? If the piano didn't fall on Jones, Andre and Matt wouldn't have gotten the playing time they have. If it didn't fall on Pierre, JoJo would still have him in the line-up. It's no coincidence that in the four games JP's been out they've scored in the first inning each game and are 3-1. Proctor, Nomore, Berroa... each have taken their turns eating up playing time better served by youth. Its Frank & Furter's usual bassackwards approach to want one thing and hire the opposite to get it done.

You can't light a fire with a wet blanket, and you can't have a youth movement with JoJo The Clown.

good morning, enchanted
The article just doesn't sound anything like what they are doing on the field. It sounds great, but seeing is believing and I am not seeing it. There certainly isn't any indication that Joe is changing his viewpoint any time soon, and if he was, he wouldn't be so happy, happy, joy, joy over Nomar and Andruw coming back. He would be saying he's happy the way it is right now. Something is just not adding up, and until the trade deadline comes and goes, I am not giving them any credit for the job they are doing right now. Jeff certainly had done a 180 on the kids too, and where is that coming from. The articles are indicating that he is actually having fun. Did he not like having JP in the clubhouse either? hmmmm!

MLK - fanatasic songs!!! Between the songs and the comments you wrote, you were on some roll last night, or early this morning (lol). Job well done!!!!!!!

Well I have not posted in a while and it has been a very interesting week to say the least.

A few observations.

1. As for Torres comment the team is playing with more determination. Could it be Joe that they have confidence in that they do not have to look over there shoulder if they go 0-4 or god forbid hit a home run just to be benched the next day. Confidence is the key to anything in life, if you believe you can achieve. Ethier looks so much more relaxed and he is hitting the ball with authority.

2. Kent seems to be invigorated, maybe a coincidence with Pierre getting hurt, but he was much more involved with Kershaw and animated on the mound with Kersh. And he is hitting the snot out of the ball. Maybe he really enjoys the youthfulness of this team.

3. I am not a Pierre basher to the extreme that some of us are, but the facts are the facts, he was not a positive force at the top of the lineup. As someone mentioned Joe and Ned he has a .297 OBP as the leadoff guy. Yes, he can run but you cannot steal first and he hits way too many easy outs.

When was the last time we scored 4+ runs in 3 straight games? Kemp is a bigger threat in the 1 spot and even if he does strike out he puts fear in the other teams pitcher.

4. Kemp really seems to struggle with off speed pitchers. Backe kept lobbing that curve and he kept missing. Throw him a fastball and he is all over it.

5. Sweeney, this should be your last day on the team. You have to give him credit for consistency, he has exactly 2 hits in each month this year. Just try and do that 3 months in a row. That is a hard accomplishment to achieve.

6. Billingsley is the horse we have needed to ride for several years. A true ace, not a wannabe like Penny or Lowe. They are solid vets but not ACES. Trade Lowe this month and get some solid prospects.

7. Kershaw being sent down, I just wish they would have communicated more with him. It is a part of the business, but in reading his comments he was not led to believe this was a possibility. I am not saying they were wrong, but keep the communication and feedback open so the kid is not shellshocked when it happens.

8. Last but not least, I am actually kind of excited about Nomar and Andruw coming back. I have been a fan of cutting Nomar, but if he is to play SS and not 3B I can live with it. I just hope he can stay healthy and I would keep Maza as a late inning defensive replacement.

Sorry for the long post just wanted to air out some observations.

Well, Ned may have had good answers in his interview, but, when he puts in action and gets Torre to do the same thing in an actual ballgame, only then will I believe he's trying to take the Dodgers to a Division title, National league championship and World Series.
Play the Youth with a sprinkling of veteran ballplayers that are playing good, and if not playing good, then bench them. I'm from Missouri and you'll have to show me (as the ol saying goes) before I believe Ned and Torre are doing a good job. I am definitely not sold on Torre as I watched him manage St Louis for a few years.

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Let's sweep the Giants and turn this division around in the 2nd half.

I also wanted to comment on the Furcal injury. Lord knows I am not a Stan Conte fan and never will be, but I do not think anyone can question the treatment of Furcal. The last thing a player wants to do is go under the knife and they always try rehab first. You see all the time with elbow injuries they try to rehab and then 2 months later they undergo surgery. Furcal was probably the decision maker in that he wanted to rehab 1st.

Now, with this being said FIRE STAN CONTE!!! Rehire the REAL STAN....STAN Cowboy Johnston!!!!!!!

Lets kick the Gnats ****! Maybe Ned will get kidnapped, since they miss him so much in SF! Just kidding, but Ned go back with that organization that has so much tradition as compared to the lowly Dodgers!

Also, I just got back from a 3 day visit to Midland Michaigan to see my friend Juan Bustabad the manager of the Loons, low A team for the Dodgers. Andrew Lambo is going to be a great hitter and he has a passion for the game. He is their best ballplayer and he is only 19 years old.

Bryan Morris, number 1 pick in 06 and coming back from TJ surgery threw his best game Friday night, he had great command and was 93 all night with a high of 97.

Got to meet Josh Lindblom the number 2 pick of the Dodgers this year. He is a big kid and has a great looking arm.

The Loons have been struggling scoring runs, they literally score 2 runs or less a game. But they play with intensity and they are very young. They maybe the youngest team in the Midwest league.

Mattingly is struggling and it is all confidence. He just have to believe in himself, because he has the physical tools. That is the difference in this game your mental toughness, they are going to fail 70-75% of the time and the ones that do not dwell on the negative are the ones that will make it. Preston is a very nice young man and I am rooting hard for him. He has a father that was a great ballplayer and I hope he does not try to hold himself to his Dads standards.

Parker Dalton is a 24 year old infielder who may never make the big time, but his love for the game and the way he runs on and off the field is refreshing. I loved to watch him play over the weekend.

The stadium in Midland is a Major League quality staduim. It was built by Dow Chemical and they did not spare any costs. The locker rooms to the suites are all major league quality and the people of Midland Michigan are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Danny Darwin the pitching coach is a true gentleman and he is doing a great job teaching the young pups what it takes to make it to the majors. Busty and Chicken (Garey Ingram) the hitting coach, showed me a great time and they are doing a great job teaching these guys how to play the game. Busty is a very aggressive manager. He realizes his teams problem scoring runs so he hits and runs and double steals, and everyone runs even the catchers. He reminds me a little of Scioscia's style of managing.

If anyone is in the Midland area and want to have a great time at an affordable price go see the Loons play.

Ok 2 long posts in one day. That is all for me. Thanks and have a great day.

Dodgerboy - it's good to see you back!!
I just wanted back up your comment about Pierre stealing 1st with a few stats. Pierre is 11th in the NL for groundouts with 111, and he is 2nd for all outfielders in the NL (which is supposed to be a power position, in which he has no homeruns and only has 10 extra base hits) Shumaker is 1st among outfielders, but he has 26 extra base hits with 6 homeruns. Andre and Matt didn't even make the 1st page, which is the first 50, among all players, Andre is 21st among outfielders with 73 and Matt is 25th with 70. Now, Matt is pretty high with strikeouts (87), but he has the extra base hits (29) and homeruns to allow for that, and Andre is only high in fly outs, which leads to him being 2nd in sac flys, among outfielders,and 9 homeruns with 28 extra base hits. So, it goes back to I will believe Ned and Joe want to play the kids once JP comes back and they are still out on the field playing everyday. We are saying Pierre can't steal first, and he can't steal 2nd if not getting on in the first place. However, Ethier and Kemp can't hit doubles and home runs sitting on the bench either (they both lead the team in doubles with 18). This is just offense we are talking about - Pierre has no outfield assists (Matt has 8 and Andre has 5). Sorry for the long post, but this whole Pierre thing really gets me going.

Great story Dodgerboy - WOW!!! And to your post above - to the idea of Ned being kidnapped because the gnats want him back - My husband and son say No way in Hell do we want him back - lol!! As much as I hate that team, their management is doing something right, and the Dodgers need to be careful because they are right on our ***. We are worried about the dbacks, but the gnats are right there too. YIKES!!!

It is good to be back and it was fun trying to catch up with the posts. Pierre, god bless him, is a tireless worker and a great guy, but Ned ask yourself this. If Pierre was making 1 mil a year and Ethier was making 1 mil, who would you play? If you answer Pierre, then you really do not know baseball. Ethier is a more complete ballplayer who is going to get on base 35% or better and he is going to slug .450 or higher. Not to mention that he is 2x the defensive ballplayer that Pierre is.

Forget the money and play the best 8 ballplayers. 34 steals did not win us games, but weak groundballs with men on and weak popflys costs us runs.

Pierre is not the reason we were 6 games under 500 but he is not the answer. We have the best 8 out there now and hopefully the new and improved Andruw will be the slugger we had hoped for. I for one, I am going to act like Andruw just got traded and has a clean slate. I hope he took advantage of the last 6 weeks to clear his mind and is in better shape physically.

totally agree - the outfield should be Ethier, Jones and Kemp, just like it was on day one, and with a new and improved Andruw, it can only be better. As far as Nomar, if he stays healthy to play SS, then his bat can only be better for us too. I just hope they are both ready for the gnats and Sanchez's pitching - he's doing very well right now. He's the one I worry about most now that Lincecum is out of the way.

Happy 4th of July!!
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Thanks for the compliments on the songs. I really could imagine Sweeney begging Joe (and Ned) not to be cut today.
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We're off to a parade, so I'll talk to y'all later.

No I blelieve playing a terrible hitter leadoff is the reason your offense blows....Look I am not nieve..I have not turned over a huge leaf..but for 2 years i have griped. as of now, the kids are playing and JP is not. I am just tired of bitching and for 4-6 weeks other than stuff on the field or until Ned makes a stupid move, i have gotten what I wish for (other than the devestating Furcal injury)

Morning nells, Dboy, et al.!

From a Gurnick column: "Torre said he will continue batting Matt Kemp leadoff and would not consider Garciaparra for the role."

I want to know who the m0r0n is that even suggested Nomore as a leadoff man.

More unbelievable, I'm surprised JoJo isn't considering it.

Happy 4th of July to all and I hope we all realize how lucky we are to be in the United States of America. God Bless this great country and the Dodgers!!!

enchanted - the question remains - Where are they in the lineup? LOL!!
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jungar - I totally hear you, and it does feel good having the young players out there, and they are all doing well on top of it so, I will cherish those moment for 4-6 weeks - thanks :)

We all know who should get cut today too for Druw and Nomar - Sweeney & Berroa. Who will - Repko and LaRoche. Yes, more quality kept on the bench for those crucial ABs and defensive replacements.

I guess I'm just incredulous to that Colletti article when for half a season you refuse to put your best players out there, and only as a result of mass injuries to you finally field that team for the last 4 days.

How's your boy doing jungar?

Dodger 16...this post is late, but sorry to hear about your injuryand I hope it heals properly and quickly so you can get back out there. I was reading you went 4-4, I presume this was before the accident happened if not you are my hero!

enchanted - In the back of my head, I keep thinking that Pierre isn't going to be out as long as expected and the 4-6 weeks is just wishful thinking. So, as I remain happy that our outfield is going to be as it should for a while, there is still an end to that tunnel and JP is standing at the end ready to take his "given-away" spot in left field because he certainly hasn't earned it from any of the current outfielders and with Andruw's fielding, he can't even compete with him.

Like I said yesterday, I can see the D's making a run with this line-up and maybe even being 3-4 games up, then JP will re-enter the picture, Idiot Joe will use him no matter what for the stretch drive because he's a "proven veteran", the D's will slip back in the standings and fall by the wayside, and the kids will get blamed for the collapse.

It'd be comical if it weren't so predictable.

If Ehtier and Kemp continue to produce it should not even be a question. The onus is on these guys to show their worth. They are going to get at least 4 weeks of playing everyday and they have to prove their worth. No excuses/looking over their shoulder. Hopefully the team wins 8 out of 10 or better and the atmosphere of the team will be so high that even Joe/Ned will see the light!!!

Also the BP with Wade/Troncoso/Beimel has been outstanding. Brox and Saito are scaring me. Saito's command has not been as good as in the past, but he is a warrior and is fighting thru it. This team is really young and exciting. The city of LA will embrace this team, so Ned/Frank do not do anything crazy!

With the various articles and comments by reporters, pundits, and constantly our own management, I have to think that what we're continually experiencing is a generational divide. Our youngsters may be performing statistically, but many of them aren't apparently conforming to what the older generation like Torre is used to seeing among younger players on a major league ballclub. The articles generally single out DeWitt as one who "gets it" or is "with it", but typically point to Kemp as being on the other side that is rather cocky, self-assured, and generally not wanting to take advice from the older generation. While Torre was surrounded by enough veterans, he seemingly had enough of his kind of people on his side, so it's not surprising that he considers it important to hold onto everyone of them, even the likes of Sweeney to preserve that balance. That's why he obviously can't wait to get Nomar and Jones back. I hope that both make a positive difference to the Dodgers, but they certainly make a big generational difference to Torre. I don't think that Torre knows how to deal with the younger element, and the more of them we have and he has to depend upon, the more he feels and acts like a fish out of water. Well, if we're really committed to the youth movement, the best thing would be for Torre to retire early, because he's not a leader or even a good influence on the young players of today. He just "doesn't get it" that the game of baseball and attitudes have changed from 30, 40 years ago. So, either start adjusting, Joe, or get out of the way, because your way is DONE. Needless to say, Ned is from the same era no matter what he spouts in an interview, and he should have been GONE a year ago.

I don't know just how far our young players will take us this season, but I think we're best off riding it out with them. If anything, let's trade off Penny and Lowe and get us a couple of more young studs that can fill in the positions where we do have an acknowledged weakness. For all we know, and as close as we are to the divisional lead, we might make it into the playoffs yet without Pierre and Furcal, and hopefully having seen the last of the likes of Sweeney and Berroa, and NED.

Dodgerboy - Ethier and Kemp were playing their worth before JP started playing everyday, and this playing everyday thing started before Furcal went on DL (that just compounded the issue). He began playing everyday after complaining to the media, agent or his mama (as some would say) about playing time, so there has got to be something in that conversation that changed Torre's mind. Both Matt and Andre were still batting .300+ at the time. Right now, it was because of Furcal's absence and I guess the pressure really is on the lead off spot to prove to Joe that Pierre is not needed even for that role. Matt has already done the same as Pierre (1 for 4 days), and all it would take is a few homeruns and some doubles and a half a dozen or so steals, and everybody should realize Pierre is not needed to fill that role. Then again, we are talking about Torre, and like many said, he hasn't seen it yet, so what makes us think he will see it when JP comes back.

Good morning all, God Bless America!!! I won't be in front of a TV or computer for today's game, but will be checking the score on my phone. Let's hope one of our beloved Dodgers splashes down in San Francisco today! I hope you all have a great day with family and friends!

Are Druw and Nomahhhhhhhhhh gonna start today?

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy 4th of July, Independence Day to everyone.
Great songs ML!! Outstanding!!®.
Great posts and insights by everyone.
Let's grab the reins, whip on the G'nats and make a run for the NL West title. It is there for the taking.

Very anxious to see the roster moves associated with Jones and Nomar activation. We all know what should be done. We'll see!!!?

Dnelly, I agree with you and your assertion that they were already outplaying Pierre. I was just trying to say this is the time to make Joe/Ned realize that they are the answer, not Pierre. No more looking over their shoulder, to sieze the opportunity given, so JoeNed will have no option to go back to Pierre.

Torre can say early in the season he did not have enough to go by or some asinine reasoning....Carpe Diem Kemp/Ethier!!!!! So Mr Torre can finally see that you get it! We will go from 6 games under to 10 games over with the ones that DO NOT GET IT!!!!

I really feel good about this team...Youth will be served! And I believe Mr Kent is a believer after watching his interaction with Kershaw the other day!!! That was the most assertive action that I have seen him have with a young player....Maybe it was the Texas connection or something but it was fun to watch.....

Would be neat to DFA Phew and see if anyone claimed him. LOL!!! Of course, we all know the answer to that one. Sorry Amy.

Happy 4th Everyone. Let's go for 4 straight wins today!It's cool Jhall. What I am More concerned about is Kemp getting playing time. He has proven that he is starter material and I would really really hate to see him sit out more often. That would hurt!

it would not surprise me if they moved furcal to the 60 day dl... he would be off the roster that way, that way there only needs to be one cut... sweeney please. but thats what i think

haha. Goodbye sweeny. Come back when you can consistently hit over .300!

You are very wise Amy!! I applaud your team first attitude.

AWW. A compliment, I'll take it :)

Like the article said, lets gt Lowe some run support today. The Giants are a terrible team this year. There is no reason why we can't sweep. If Jones is back let Kemp take Left and Either right and lets play some ball. 4 for 4 today Russell!