85 days.
Oh boy.
If you had asked me a few days ago - hell, a few weeks ago - which team I did not want to play in the playoffs, it would have been the Cardinals. It just seems wrong that you finish with the best record in the National League and that's your reward. But alas, that's the situation we're in.
If I'm Joe Torre, I give the Lou Brown Major League speech before game time.
"All right people, we got 10 minutes 'till game time, let's all gather 'round. I'm not much for giving inspirational addresses, but I'd just like to point out that every newspaper in the country has picked us to finish last. The local press seems to think that we'd save everyone the time and trouble if we just went out and shot ourselves. Me, I'm for wasting sportswriters' time. So I figured we ought to hang around for a while and see if we can give 'em all a nice big shitburger to eat!"
Amen, Lou. And I'll take a set of whitewalls.
The starting pitching disparity is obvious. The Cards have two pitchers who would be considered aces on most teams. The Dodgers... not so much... not yet at least. But the Dodgers managed to pull out of the season with the best starting rotation ERA in the league. Not too shabby.
The offense isn't as bad as it sounds. Sure, the Cards are sporting the best player in the game, Albert Pujols, and Matt Holliday - also known as "this year's Manny Ramirez" in their lineup... but if the Dodgers' lineup wakes up and plays like they did earlier in the year, they have a better 1-8, IMO.
The bullpen is an all Dodger advantage.
So, the gameplan should be obvious.
Work the counts as best as you can. Try to wear down those Cardinal starters and get into their bullpen early. At the same time, these guys aren't going to miss much so if you get the chance, you need to jump on it. Be aggressive... but be cautiously aggressive. That make sense?
They also need to go back to what brought them to the dance. Don't sit around waiting for a 3-run homer. This needs to be a good ol' fashioned National League small ball series for the Dodgers. Work for walks, steal bases, hit and runs... gotta move men station to station and drive them home. These guys are too good to get burned by big homeruns, IMO.
Don't discount the home field advantage. The Dodgers have played very well at home this year. That could always be the difference maker as well.
I know, I know - I sound very hopeful when by all appearances from the last few weeks of the season, there's no reason to.
But that season is over. The second season starts tonight.
Now, do they serve Shitburgers with extra cheese?
Showing posts with label Dodgers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dodgers. Show all posts
2009-10-07
2009-10-04
One Season Ends, The Next Begins
88 days.
And no, my title isn't about the end of summer - although it was quite a cool air about town today that made me think of the holidays.
I'm talkin' baseball.
The regular season ended today and with the possible exception of a fairly crappy last month or so, I don't think the Dodgers could have asked for a better regular season. Sure, it's always nice to have guys leading the league in certain categories or competing for various awards but the only award I'm interested in is 11 victories away.
The regular season ended poorly but the second season begins anew in a few days.
And everything starts fresh.
11 wins. The Dodgers ran off a streak to start the season that was something like that.
11 wins. That's all you need.
11 wins to a World Championship 21 years in the making.
11.
Yeah. Let's do this thing.
Oh, and go Sox. Tee hee.
And no, my title isn't about the end of summer - although it was quite a cool air about town today that made me think of the holidays.
I'm talkin' baseball.
The regular season ended today and with the possible exception of a fairly crappy last month or so, I don't think the Dodgers could have asked for a better regular season. Sure, it's always nice to have guys leading the league in certain categories or competing for various awards but the only award I'm interested in is 11 victories away.
The regular season ended poorly but the second season begins anew in a few days.
And everything starts fresh.
11 wins. The Dodgers ran off a streak to start the season that was something like that.
11 wins. That's all you need.
11 wins to a World Championship 21 years in the making.
11.
Yeah. Let's do this thing.
Oh, and go Sox. Tee hee.
2009-10-03
Trip Report: Dodgers vs Rockies (October 2)
It was a rough week to be a Dodger fan but for me, it was rough for a different reason. Ever since I realized that we'd be going to the game on Friday night, I had an eye on the schedule for the Dodgers as well as the Rockies to try and judge if it was at all possible for Friday night to be a potential clinch night.
In all honesty, it didn't look likely. It seemed almost a lock they'd clinch while faced with series with the Nationals, the Pirates, and the Padres. I mean... come on. It almost had to happen, right?
Throughout the week, I felt a little bit of split loyalties. On one hand, I really wanted them to clinch and get it over with but with each loss and Rockies win, I can't say I was horribly disappointed. When the stage was set for Friday night, I thought it was too good to be true.
Turns out that it was.
The Dodgers lost. Duh. If they hadn't, I probably wouldn't even bother focusing on anything else in this. I was encouraged by some things last night's game and they really did have a legit shot to win that game. A couple breaks in their favor and it definitely could have happened.
Could have, would have, should have. It didn't. They lost. We get up tonight and do it all again.
But that's not what this post is about. Okay, it partially is but I've got smaller fish to fry in this one.
In almost all events I go to - whether it's sports, music, theater, whatever - one of the first things I do is analyze the surrounding fans and determine if I think it's a bad crowd. Not dangerous necessarily... but just whether or not they'll be annoying. This one seemed okay. Middle aged people behind us... Dodger fans... they seemed fairly well behaved.
And then the game started.
OH. MY. GOD.
I shall preface by saying I'm a loyal Dodger fan no matter what. I do not boo members of our team under any circumstances. I didn't boo Jeff Kent when he insulted Vin Scully (as much as I would have liked to.) If I'm not going to boo Jeff Kent, then you'd basically have to kill someone on the field to get me to boo you, I think. And there is absolutely no chance in hell that I'm going to boo a member of our team based on his performance on the field. What good does that do? Do you think that's a motivational tool? It just makes them feel worse and press harder next time and likely have similar results. Trust me, Manny feels bad enough about striking out four times in a game and doesn't need to be reminded of that by the fans.
Let's start by saying that if you legitimately seem to hate every player on your team and have nothing but negative things to say about all of them, you should probably go be a fan in Philly. That's kinda right up their alley.
These people were just horrible. Of all the events I've ever been to (and that's a lot), I legitimately can not think of another group of fans sitting near me that I despised more than this group. Well, the guy who puked next to us at Acoustic Christmas was a little annoying. And the guy who licked me at Guns N Roses was pretty bad. But these people? Hands down, they provided the worst atmosphere for watching a game ever.
I mean... they seriously complained about everything. And I do mean EVERYTHING. Their negative attitude was just a complete downer and they almost seemed to relish in the Dodgers' problems. I couldn't bring myself to a full-on confrontation about it but by the end of the night, their snarkiness had my snarkiness BLOWN UP to the nth degree and I was commenting very loudly on their comments. Maybe a subconscious desire for a confrontation?
So, what were they saying? Let's look at some of the prize winners...
"That Russell Martin is worthless. Just worthless. They should send him down to the minors. Not Triple A either. Single A! Straight down to Single A!" - just moments before Martin hit a home run.
"Martin's only hit 2 home runs all year! 2! That's it!" - with the scoreboard saying Martin has 7 HRs nice and big. To his credit, a friend of this gem of a human being pointed out that he had 7.
One of them apparently decided that pitch location and the inability to "hit 'em where they ain't" is directly proportional to a player's intelligence as he decided it was a good idea to yell, "STUPID IDIOT!" in some horrific gravelly voice after any failed play.
Lots of steroids comments directed at Manny. Of course.
They decided it was a good idea to insult other fans amongst themselves. Mostly an overweight girl with poor choice in clothing. Oh, and a kid who caught a ball tossed by an ump got a, "That fat kid sure is glad he brought his glove." Ugh. They also thought they should question if an elderly peanut man is capable of doing his job and wondering what would happen to the Dodgers if he had a heart attack and died on the job. Real nice.
With the score at 2-0 in the second, the woman (who rivals Wanda Sykes and Fran Drescher for the most annoying voice EVER) decides to proclaim, "Well, I guess this isn't happening tonight!" Even when the Rockies had a one-run lead, apparently the game was over to these folks.
The same woman showed her on-field managing brilliance by proclaiming that Manny was worthless and that they should bench him in favor of Juan Pierre because he "knows how to motivate a team." Really? Juan Pierre? I know he's had a good season and all but let's not fool ourselves. Has JP ever motivated a team to do anything but search for ways to unload his contract? (Low blow, I know... but I'm still not booing him!) This one got a little more comical as he pinch-hit to her delight at one point. She actually bellowed, "SHOW 'EM HOW IT'S DONE! WOOOO!" and then went silent as he struck out on three pitches.
Every pitcher was mocked relentlessly before they'd thrown a single pitch. I don't know who they wanted to come in from the 'pen because they hated every reliever that got brought into the game. Even relievers who didn't get into the game like Jeff Weaver earned their ire.
Oh! Oh! And apparently Arizona is the greatest stadium on Earth because it seemed like every other sentence out of her mouth started with, "In Arizona..." followed by some great thing they do there like not let people walk down the aisle during an inning. Really? That seems kinda annoying to me. It's almost like the theater. It seems like pretentious bullshit, IMO. Also in Arizona, they have a section where people can make posters. I'm sorry. Is this fucking kindergarten? Has this woman ever been to a WWE event? If she has, she'd know this is, in fact, THE WORST FUCKING IDEA EVER!
Gravelly voice guy also said, "These guys are getting paid a billion dollars! They shouldn't ever make an out!" But yet they complained about how long the game was. Make up your mind!
They were mad that no foul balls were hit into our area.
They were mad that people were walking down to the field for the fireworks.
What else? I don't know. I could write for hours about this probably. But here's the final statement on the matter.
Those are the kind of fans that give Dodger fans a bad name.
Those are the kind of fans who do not deserve to be at the stadium when they win. They do not deserve the privilege of celebrating with people who actually support the team no matter what.
And at the end of the day, they are not truly fans. They're wishy-washy STUPID IDIOTS who couldn't motivate me to piss on them if they were on fire.
Is that too harsh?
In all honesty, it didn't look likely. It seemed almost a lock they'd clinch while faced with series with the Nationals, the Pirates, and the Padres. I mean... come on. It almost had to happen, right?
Throughout the week, I felt a little bit of split loyalties. On one hand, I really wanted them to clinch and get it over with but with each loss and Rockies win, I can't say I was horribly disappointed. When the stage was set for Friday night, I thought it was too good to be true.
Turns out that it was.
The Dodgers lost. Duh. If they hadn't, I probably wouldn't even bother focusing on anything else in this. I was encouraged by some things last night's game and they really did have a legit shot to win that game. A couple breaks in their favor and it definitely could have happened.
Could have, would have, should have. It didn't. They lost. We get up tonight and do it all again.
But that's not what this post is about. Okay, it partially is but I've got smaller fish to fry in this one.
In almost all events I go to - whether it's sports, music, theater, whatever - one of the first things I do is analyze the surrounding fans and determine if I think it's a bad crowd. Not dangerous necessarily... but just whether or not they'll be annoying. This one seemed okay. Middle aged people behind us... Dodger fans... they seemed fairly well behaved.
And then the game started.
OH. MY. GOD.
I shall preface by saying I'm a loyal Dodger fan no matter what. I do not boo members of our team under any circumstances. I didn't boo Jeff Kent when he insulted Vin Scully (as much as I would have liked to.) If I'm not going to boo Jeff Kent, then you'd basically have to kill someone on the field to get me to boo you, I think. And there is absolutely no chance in hell that I'm going to boo a member of our team based on his performance on the field. What good does that do? Do you think that's a motivational tool? It just makes them feel worse and press harder next time and likely have similar results. Trust me, Manny feels bad enough about striking out four times in a game and doesn't need to be reminded of that by the fans.
Let's start by saying that if you legitimately seem to hate every player on your team and have nothing but negative things to say about all of them, you should probably go be a fan in Philly. That's kinda right up their alley.
These people were just horrible. Of all the events I've ever been to (and that's a lot), I legitimately can not think of another group of fans sitting near me that I despised more than this group. Well, the guy who puked next to us at Acoustic Christmas was a little annoying. And the guy who licked me at Guns N Roses was pretty bad. But these people? Hands down, they provided the worst atmosphere for watching a game ever.
I mean... they seriously complained about everything. And I do mean EVERYTHING. Their negative attitude was just a complete downer and they almost seemed to relish in the Dodgers' problems. I couldn't bring myself to a full-on confrontation about it but by the end of the night, their snarkiness had my snarkiness BLOWN UP to the nth degree and I was commenting very loudly on their comments. Maybe a subconscious desire for a confrontation?
So, what were they saying? Let's look at some of the prize winners...
"That Russell Martin is worthless. Just worthless. They should send him down to the minors. Not Triple A either. Single A! Straight down to Single A!" - just moments before Martin hit a home run.
"Martin's only hit 2 home runs all year! 2! That's it!" - with the scoreboard saying Martin has 7 HRs nice and big. To his credit, a friend of this gem of a human being pointed out that he had 7.
One of them apparently decided that pitch location and the inability to "hit 'em where they ain't" is directly proportional to a player's intelligence as he decided it was a good idea to yell, "STUPID IDIOT!" in some horrific gravelly voice after any failed play.
Lots of steroids comments directed at Manny. Of course.
They decided it was a good idea to insult other fans amongst themselves. Mostly an overweight girl with poor choice in clothing. Oh, and a kid who caught a ball tossed by an ump got a, "That fat kid sure is glad he brought his glove." Ugh. They also thought they should question if an elderly peanut man is capable of doing his job and wondering what would happen to the Dodgers if he had a heart attack and died on the job. Real nice.
With the score at 2-0 in the second, the woman (who rivals Wanda Sykes and Fran Drescher for the most annoying voice EVER) decides to proclaim, "Well, I guess this isn't happening tonight!" Even when the Rockies had a one-run lead, apparently the game was over to these folks.
The same woman showed her on-field managing brilliance by proclaiming that Manny was worthless and that they should bench him in favor of Juan Pierre because he "knows how to motivate a team." Really? Juan Pierre? I know he's had a good season and all but let's not fool ourselves. Has JP ever motivated a team to do anything but search for ways to unload his contract? (Low blow, I know... but I'm still not booing him!) This one got a little more comical as he pinch-hit to her delight at one point. She actually bellowed, "SHOW 'EM HOW IT'S DONE! WOOOO!" and then went silent as he struck out on three pitches.
Every pitcher was mocked relentlessly before they'd thrown a single pitch. I don't know who they wanted to come in from the 'pen because they hated every reliever that got brought into the game. Even relievers who didn't get into the game like Jeff Weaver earned their ire.
Oh! Oh! And apparently Arizona is the greatest stadium on Earth because it seemed like every other sentence out of her mouth started with, "In Arizona..." followed by some great thing they do there like not let people walk down the aisle during an inning. Really? That seems kinda annoying to me. It's almost like the theater. It seems like pretentious bullshit, IMO. Also in Arizona, they have a section where people can make posters. I'm sorry. Is this fucking kindergarten? Has this woman ever been to a WWE event? If she has, she'd know this is, in fact, THE WORST FUCKING IDEA EVER!
Gravelly voice guy also said, "These guys are getting paid a billion dollars! They shouldn't ever make an out!" But yet they complained about how long the game was. Make up your mind!
They were mad that no foul balls were hit into our area.
They were mad that people were walking down to the field for the fireworks.
What else? I don't know. I could write for hours about this probably. But here's the final statement on the matter.
Those are the kind of fans that give Dodger fans a bad name.
Those are the kind of fans who do not deserve to be at the stadium when they win. They do not deserve the privilege of celebrating with people who actually support the team no matter what.
And at the end of the day, they are not truly fans. They're wishy-washy STUPID IDIOTS who couldn't motivate me to piss on them if they were on fire.
Is that too harsh?
2009-08-25
Jack F'n Clark
I know, I know. It's been a while.
But this is a good one! I promise!
I'm watching the Dodgers/Rockies game right now and Vin Scully just said that the Dodgers haven't been "INSERT CURRENT RECORD HERE!" since 1985. Vinny then says, "Of course, none of these players would remember but when you say 1985, all you can remember is Jack Clark, the St. Louis Cardinals, Ozzie Smith, Tom Niedenfuer, and of course, Tommy Lasorda."
I REMEMBER, VINNY! I REMEMBER!
In fact, if I was a tattoo man... and of course I'm not... but if I was, I'd have a tattoo of a Dodger blue heart broken in half tattooed on my chest with the words "1985 - Jack Clark - Never Forget"
DOUBLE IN FACT... while I shall never have said tattoo on my chest, if any of my loyal readers have some Photoshop skillz, I would think you're the absolute bestest if you Photoshopped up a copy of said tattoo above.
Oh, and major thanks to the person who sent in the comment telling me that the Dave Matthews Band won't be available for Bridge School. In the not-so-original-yet-paraphrased words of Jeff Buckley, "HALLE-F'N-LUJAH!"
But this is a good one! I promise!
I'm watching the Dodgers/Rockies game right now and Vin Scully just said that the Dodgers haven't been "INSERT CURRENT RECORD HERE!" since 1985. Vinny then says, "Of course, none of these players would remember but when you say 1985, all you can remember is Jack Clark, the St. Louis Cardinals, Ozzie Smith, Tom Niedenfuer, and of course, Tommy Lasorda."
I REMEMBER, VINNY! I REMEMBER!
In fact, if I was a tattoo man... and of course I'm not... but if I was, I'd have a tattoo of a Dodger blue heart broken in half tattooed on my chest with the words "1985 - Jack Clark - Never Forget"
DOUBLE IN FACT... while I shall never have said tattoo on my chest, if any of my loyal readers have some Photoshop skillz, I would think you're the absolute bestest if you Photoshopped up a copy of said tattoo above.
Oh, and major thanks to the person who sent in the comment telling me that the Dave Matthews Band won't be available for Bridge School. In the not-so-original-yet-paraphrased words of Jeff Buckley, "HALLE-F'N-LUJAH!"
2009-08-20
Game Thoughts
Big win tonight. I can feel the near-beer breath of the Rockies on our necks and the... well, that joke is too obvious... breath of Giants right there as well. It was good to see the team relaxed a little bit though because it looked like they've been pressing a lot lately. A lot of swings early in the count. A lot of tense faces.
The slam by Martin has to make you smile as he's had an absolutely shitty year. I don't know if the extra letter on his uniform is weighing him down or the model girlfriend is making him do too much yoga or what but he's had a horrible year so any signs of life from him makes me happy right now.
Glad Broxton gets a night off. I'm worried about him.
Keep your fingers crossed that Padilla works out because we need a boost in the rotation. Weaver's been busting ass though - I'll give him that.
It's nervous time because not only are the Rockies and Giants right behind us but every other potential playoff team has seemingly gotten rock solid lately. The Phillies look lights out. The Cards looked great as well and are adding Smoltz to the mix now.
Keep your eyes on the prize, boys.
The slam by Martin has to make you smile as he's had an absolutely shitty year. I don't know if the extra letter on his uniform is weighing him down or the model girlfriend is making him do too much yoga or what but he's had a horrible year so any signs of life from him makes me happy right now.
Glad Broxton gets a night off. I'm worried about him.
Keep your fingers crossed that Padilla works out because we need a boost in the rotation. Weaver's been busting ass though - I'll give him that.
It's nervous time because not only are the Rockies and Giants right behind us but every other potential playoff team has seemingly gotten rock solid lately. The Phillies look lights out. The Cards looked great as well and are adding Smoltz to the mix now.
Keep your eyes on the prize, boys.
2009-08-15
Broxton Blows Another One
It's hard to give the team much shit for losing a game where they had to watch a teammate be carted off the field on a stretcher after taking a line drive in the head...
BUT!
SON. OF. A. BITCH!!!!!
This team is falling apart before our very eyes and taking this awesome season with them. They've got the Giants AND the Rockies nipping at their heels now with just a handful of games back and the Dodgers are looking the worst they have all season.
The starting pitching is spotty with Bills injured, Kuroda potentially out for no telling how long, and STILL no answer for the #5 slot which is a revolving door of mediocrity.
The bullpen is scary. Just scary. Broxton's been a completely different pitcher since his toe injury and I have less and less confidence with him every time he goes out there. He needs to be shut down to get healthy and let Sherrill close until then. It's not the ideal situation but neither is THIS Broxton in October.
The offense is eh. One day it's amazing, the next they can't produce for shit.
So, what's next?
I predict a desperation trade for a starting pitcher depending on the Kuroda diagnosis in the next week. But I don't know if that salvages anything.
Every team has a losing streak or six and theirs has arrived. Unfortunately, it's also arrived right when the teams chasing them have gotten hot. They need to get their shit together and make things happen.
And yeah, it's a hell of a lot easier said than done but it's the time of year where you've got to man up if you're going to win.
So, man up, damn it. My blood pressure can't handle shit like this.
BUT!
SON. OF. A. BITCH!!!!!
This team is falling apart before our very eyes and taking this awesome season with them. They've got the Giants AND the Rockies nipping at their heels now with just a handful of games back and the Dodgers are looking the worst they have all season.
The starting pitching is spotty with Bills injured, Kuroda potentially out for no telling how long, and STILL no answer for the #5 slot which is a revolving door of mediocrity.
The bullpen is scary. Just scary. Broxton's been a completely different pitcher since his toe injury and I have less and less confidence with him every time he goes out there. He needs to be shut down to get healthy and let Sherrill close until then. It's not the ideal situation but neither is THIS Broxton in October.
The offense is eh. One day it's amazing, the next they can't produce for shit.
So, what's next?
I predict a desperation trade for a starting pitcher depending on the Kuroda diagnosis in the next week. But I don't know if that salvages anything.
Every team has a losing streak or six and theirs has arrived. Unfortunately, it's also arrived right when the teams chasing them have gotten hot. They need to get their shit together and make things happen.
And yeah, it's a hell of a lot easier said than done but it's the time of year where you've got to man up if you're going to win.
So, man up, damn it. My blood pressure can't handle shit like this.
2009-08-11
We're Talkin' Baseball
So, it's been a couple of days. I decided that I wasn't doing anyone [least of all myself] any favors by forcing myself to post every day when I felt like I didn't have any desire to write anything. The YouTube clips are fun but after a while, I'm sure they get annoying to everyone - even to me.
I saw this article today at work and thought it'd make an interesting post. A writer at Fox Sports decided to pick 10 ways that the 2009 baseball season could get even better before it ends. A couple of these hit home so here are my thoughts on their thoughts...
A Triple Crown For Albert Pujols
My immediate reaction was, "Holy shit - is he really that close to make that a discussion point?" Apparently, he has a shot... not a great shot... but a shot. He leads the NL in homers and RBIs and is fourth in batting average trailing the leader by 17 points. The HR and RBI lead is superslight so it'd be incredibly tough for him to win the Crown. It'll be a hell of a time if he's even close to it in September though.
A Dodgers/Yankees World Series
Awwww shit! As much as Southern California is all a-giddy at the thought of a Dodgers/Angels World Series, who wouldn't love to see the crosscountry Series just a little bit more? Well, the Angels fans, of course, but since when did their opinions count? Give me any reason for talk about Mr. October and the Bobby Welch strikeout and all those other cool Dodgers/Yankees stories.
Wild Wild Card Finishes
It's interesting because I was one of the people completely irate when the baseball divisions got split into three and the Wild Card was added and while I often think I was completely right, especially when divisional races turn out pointless because of the Wild Card, I have to admit that it's provided some damn fun races for that playoff spot in the past.
300 Strikeouts For Tim Lincecum
Agggh. I REFUSE to root for any Giant setting any kind of record but god damn, it's a cool one for him to snag. If he hits that mark, he'll be the first pitcher to do so since 2001. He'll also be the youngest pitcher to do it since Vida Blue [the first person I ever heard of it with my name] back in 1971. In fact, he'd be the youngest NL pitcher since 1900 to pull it off. Good grief. But he's a Giant so fuck that noise.
A Dodgers/Giants NLCS
God damn that would be fun. But I really have no desire to meet a rotation in the playoffs that contains Randy Johnson, Tim Lincecum, and Matt Cain. Nope. No desire. Not at all. And yeah, that may make me a coward but I'm a smart coward, damn it. Keep the Giants out of my way and things will be just fine.
Another 200 Hits For Ichiro
Wow. I didn't realize that he was one more 200 hit season from the record. Can you imagine what this guy would have managed if his entire career was spent here instead of just part of it? The funny thing is that Ichiro's continued awesomeness is the reason that every single Japanese player that gets posted gets snatched up lightning quick. Signing a Japanese player is like a box of chocolates - you just never know what the hell you might get.
A Cubs/Cardinals Photo Finish
Eh, I guess that's cool. I don't know that I really care. I've always had a soft spot for the Cubbies but it's not like I'm going to root for them unless the Dodgers don't get there so it's really a wash to me. The teams only have 3 games left against each other [who wrote that horrid schedule?] so it won't be much of a fun race, in my opinion.
The Tigers Go All The Way
Um, fuck no. Okay, fine... I rooted for New York to win the World Series after 9/11 but I'll be damned if I'm rooting for the Tigers no matter how bad of shape the auto industry is in!
A Pedro Renaissance
Um, FUCK no. I am not cheering for this - especially after being slapped around by Philly in the NLCS last year.
The Pirates Finish On A Hot Streak
Really? The Pirates managing NOT to break the record for most consecutive losing seasons (17 seasons?! My god! I'd stab my eyes out if I had to watch this team) is going to make MLB 2009 a better season? I'm not sure about that. Now if they could set that record and then become scorching hot in 2010 to shock everyone by winning their division - THAT I could get behind. The ultimate in worst to first.
Not a bad list, huh? I could dig seeing a few of those go down. It's been such a fun season to watch...
...and I STILL haven't been to a game. FUUUUUUUUCK!
I saw this article today at work and thought it'd make an interesting post. A writer at Fox Sports decided to pick 10 ways that the 2009 baseball season could get even better before it ends. A couple of these hit home so here are my thoughts on their thoughts...
A Triple Crown For Albert Pujols
My immediate reaction was, "Holy shit - is he really that close to make that a discussion point?" Apparently, he has a shot... not a great shot... but a shot. He leads the NL in homers and RBIs and is fourth in batting average trailing the leader by 17 points. The HR and RBI lead is superslight so it'd be incredibly tough for him to win the Crown. It'll be a hell of a time if he's even close to it in September though.
A Dodgers/Yankees World Series
Awwww shit! As much as Southern California is all a-giddy at the thought of a Dodgers/Angels World Series, who wouldn't love to see the crosscountry Series just a little bit more? Well, the Angels fans, of course, but since when did their opinions count? Give me any reason for talk about Mr. October and the Bobby Welch strikeout and all those other cool Dodgers/Yankees stories.
Wild Wild Card Finishes
It's interesting because I was one of the people completely irate when the baseball divisions got split into three and the Wild Card was added and while I often think I was completely right, especially when divisional races turn out pointless because of the Wild Card, I have to admit that it's provided some damn fun races for that playoff spot in the past.
300 Strikeouts For Tim Lincecum
Agggh. I REFUSE to root for any Giant setting any kind of record but god damn, it's a cool one for him to snag. If he hits that mark, he'll be the first pitcher to do so since 2001. He'll also be the youngest pitcher to do it since Vida Blue [the first person I ever heard of it with my name] back in 1971. In fact, he'd be the youngest NL pitcher since 1900 to pull it off. Good grief. But he's a Giant so fuck that noise.
A Dodgers/Giants NLCS
God damn that would be fun. But I really have no desire to meet a rotation in the playoffs that contains Randy Johnson, Tim Lincecum, and Matt Cain. Nope. No desire. Not at all. And yeah, that may make me a coward but I'm a smart coward, damn it. Keep the Giants out of my way and things will be just fine.
Another 200 Hits For Ichiro
Wow. I didn't realize that he was one more 200 hit season from the record. Can you imagine what this guy would have managed if his entire career was spent here instead of just part of it? The funny thing is that Ichiro's continued awesomeness is the reason that every single Japanese player that gets posted gets snatched up lightning quick. Signing a Japanese player is like a box of chocolates - you just never know what the hell you might get.
A Cubs/Cardinals Photo Finish
Eh, I guess that's cool. I don't know that I really care. I've always had a soft spot for the Cubbies but it's not like I'm going to root for them unless the Dodgers don't get there so it's really a wash to me. The teams only have 3 games left against each other [who wrote that horrid schedule?] so it won't be much of a fun race, in my opinion.
The Tigers Go All The Way
Um, fuck no. Okay, fine... I rooted for New York to win the World Series after 9/11 but I'll be damned if I'm rooting for the Tigers no matter how bad of shape the auto industry is in!
A Pedro Renaissance
Um, FUCK no. I am not cheering for this - especially after being slapped around by Philly in the NLCS last year.
The Pirates Finish On A Hot Streak
Really? The Pirates managing NOT to break the record for most consecutive losing seasons (17 seasons?! My god! I'd stab my eyes out if I had to watch this team) is going to make MLB 2009 a better season? I'm not sure about that. Now if they could set that record and then become scorching hot in 2010 to shock everyone by winning their division - THAT I could get behind. The ultimate in worst to first.
Not a bad list, huh? I could dig seeing a few of those go down. It's been such a fun season to watch...
...and I STILL haven't been to a game. FUUUUUUUUCK!
2009-07-30
We're Talkin' Baseball...
With the trade deadline coming up tomorrow, it seemed like a good time to run down some of the happenings on and off the diamond.
Dodgers beat Cards! I knew this four game set was going to be a nightmare when I saw it on the schedule but I had no idea it'd be this bad. Blown saves, extended rain delays, extra innings, shutouts. Good grief, Charlie Brown. Thankfully they managed to scrape out one win tonight but the pitching staff and offense have both managed to fall asleep at the same time.
Speaking of the pitching staff - the Dodgers made a deal today, sending out two minor leaguers for Orioles closer George Sherrill who is a pitcher I've seen described today as "death on left handed hitters." The bullpen looks to be gaining some strength back with the return of Kuo and the addition of Sherrill. It doesn't mean that Torre won't manage to overwork them in the two months left and make them useless but let's hope for the best. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing another 'pen arm picked up if the price is right.
Still no starter added though which makes me nervous. I'm fine with Bills, Kershaw, Kuroda, and Wolf. I truly am. Sure, I'd love a Cliff Lee or Halladay to lead the pack but I'm really fine without them. I know, I know. Everyone wants the Dodgers to have an "ace" but honestly, how many teams have a legit ace starter leading the way? Besides if Bills is half of an ace and Kershaw is half of an ace... ? Both of those guys have ace stuff and the potential to be an ace on any given night. I think both are showing signs of fatigue though which worries me. What I'd like to see though is one more back of the rotation guys. Schmidt doesn't appear to be the answer. Neither does Weaver [although he looks good every once in a while.] James McDonald? Scott Elbert? Maybe. But neither of them can get settled in that spot before they get yanked out of it. Who is out there? No clue.
In addition to all the trade deadline madness, of course there was the Manny story today. I think I've lost the ability to care. I officially have PED story fatigue. I'm just going to assume that everyone from pre-2003 was probably taking something and deal with it. I'm not sure there are any names left that could come out on that list that would surprise me. Let's just deal with the people testing positive now and not worry about who tested positive six years ago.
I'll be home some of the day tomorrow so if the Dodgers manage to make any more moves, I might drop in with some comments.
In the meantime... go Blue!
Dodgers beat Cards! I knew this four game set was going to be a nightmare when I saw it on the schedule but I had no idea it'd be this bad. Blown saves, extended rain delays, extra innings, shutouts. Good grief, Charlie Brown. Thankfully they managed to scrape out one win tonight but the pitching staff and offense have both managed to fall asleep at the same time.
Speaking of the pitching staff - the Dodgers made a deal today, sending out two minor leaguers for Orioles closer George Sherrill who is a pitcher I've seen described today as "death on left handed hitters." The bullpen looks to be gaining some strength back with the return of Kuo and the addition of Sherrill. It doesn't mean that Torre won't manage to overwork them in the two months left and make them useless but let's hope for the best. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing another 'pen arm picked up if the price is right.
Still no starter added though which makes me nervous. I'm fine with Bills, Kershaw, Kuroda, and Wolf. I truly am. Sure, I'd love a Cliff Lee or Halladay to lead the pack but I'm really fine without them. I know, I know. Everyone wants the Dodgers to have an "ace" but honestly, how many teams have a legit ace starter leading the way? Besides if Bills is half of an ace and Kershaw is half of an ace... ? Both of those guys have ace stuff and the potential to be an ace on any given night. I think both are showing signs of fatigue though which worries me. What I'd like to see though is one more back of the rotation guys. Schmidt doesn't appear to be the answer. Neither does Weaver [although he looks good every once in a while.] James McDonald? Scott Elbert? Maybe. But neither of them can get settled in that spot before they get yanked out of it. Who is out there? No clue.
In addition to all the trade deadline madness, of course there was the Manny story today. I think I've lost the ability to care. I officially have PED story fatigue. I'm just going to assume that everyone from pre-2003 was probably taking something and deal with it. I'm not sure there are any names left that could come out on that list that would surprise me. Let's just deal with the people testing positive now and not worry about who tested positive six years ago.
I'll be home some of the day tomorrow so if the Dodgers manage to make any more moves, I might drop in with some comments.
In the meantime... go Blue!
2009-07-05
Game Over
I hate being the depressing guy but I read this story from the LA Times today during my lunch break and it made me feel pretty sad for someone that I didn't think I could possibly manage to feel sorry for.
Everyone knows the story. Eric Gagne was the hero of Dodger Stadium at a time when we didn't have many heroes. It was such a fairytale story, really. The mediocre starting pitcher turned into a reliever out of necessity that quickly became a closer when it became obvious that his hockey player mentality was better suited for it. Then the real magic began. He turned from a starter-turned-closer into the best closer in baseball. His fastballs exploded with velocity and movement. His changeup seemed almost unfair to the people who were forced to stand at the plate and have their knees buckled by it. The blaring sound of "Welcome To The Jungle" and the idea of "Game Over" flashing across the Diamond Vision kept Dodger fans in their seats all the way through the ninth inning, completely destroying the "Ha ha - Dodger fans show up in the 3rd and leave in the 7th" that has haunted us for so all.
It all seemed so perfect. Too perfect. It was a too good to be true scenario and in the end, it turned out to be exactly that.
Gagne signed a big contract after three huge years... and then physically collapsed. No one wanted to even whisper the thought at the time but as the physical downfall dovetailed with baseball's new drug testing policy, the thought crossed everyone's minds.
The contract came and went with little fanfare as he was barely able to throw a pitch for the team during it. Everyone was convinced he'd take a paycut to "make it up to the team" during contract negotiations and when he didn't, he quickly became the object of much scorn throughout Southern California.
Fast forward a bit to the arrival of the Mitchell Report and the news that Dodger fans had dreaded all along. Evidence that Gagne had received shipments of HGH. And even worse, fellow Cindarella story teammate Paul LoDuca seemed to be the man who started him on that path. We even got salt rubbed in the wounds with an e-mail from a Boston scout clearly stating that "steroids is the problem."
Sigh.
And so it goes. After reading that, I never thought I could feel pity for Gagne's career again however when he was released during spring training, I thought that a pity signing might be in order. What could it hurt after all?
Occasionally, you'd hear a whisper about him rehabbing his latest injury but this is the first full-length story I've seen on him in a while. It really is a sad story and while part of me still has a lot of bitterness towards him, this story goes a long way towards soothing old wounds.
Here are a couple excerpts that I found most interesting...
On the day Manny Ramirez would make his comeback before tens of thousands of adoring fans -- in enemy territory, no less -- Gagne sat at a table for two at a riverfront cafe, in this weathered city more than 400 years old, and more than 400 miles from the nearest big league outpost.
He wore a black Ed Hardy T-shirt. He ate his poutine -- the Quebec delicacy of fries topped with gravy and cheese -- in peace. No one asked him for an autograph.
This is a long way to go to get away from the Mitchell Report and start over.
This is home. These are the people who nurtured him, who dropped coins into a bucket to help pay his way to college, who packed the stadium here and gave him a standing ovation just for coming home to pitch, for the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can-Am League.
L.A. was home too, once upon a time. We wore goggles and goatees, sweat-stained caps and "Game Over" shirts. We went nuts for the record-setting 84 consecutive saves and for the Cy Young Award, for "Welcome to the Jungle" and for the best show in town.
"The electricity was unreal," Gagne said. "I never thought that was possible in baseball.
"Those were the best days of my life. I think about them every day."
Or this one...
The details might be sparse, but the remorse is genuine.
"I've been straightforward about everything. It [stinks] that I can't be about this," he said. "I'm not looking for sympathy anyway."I have to live with this the rest of my life. I'm going to have to explain this to my kids. It's going to be on my resume the rest of my life."
He volunteers that he is a role model for kids -- and not just his four kids, none older than 8. He is a model for what not to do, whatever that might have been.
"I hope I serve as an example," Gagne said. "You don't want to be in my shoes."This is hell. I've still got to talk about it."His three best seasons, the ones in which he recorded the 84 consecutive saves, were the last three before baseball instituted a drug policy and initiated mandatory suspensions for first offenders.
Did Dodgers fans -- the ones that paid good money for tickets and "Game Over" memorabilia -- get an honest performance in return?
"To me, yes," Gagne said. "I can guarantee I worked harder than anybody.
Or one last one...
Gagne is in Quebec to revive his career. He is trying to work his way back from a partially torn rotator cuff, with four appearances so far and a fastball Laplante put at 84-87 mph. He should get stronger, and presumably better, and if so he could get a minor league contract in August, or a spring training invitation next year.
He is in baseball limbo here, not because of the Mitchell Report, but because of his shoulder. What was once a national outrage over baseball's steroid era has evolved into a national fatigue.
If Ramirez hits, Dodgers fans cheer.
"Everybody makes mistakes," Gagne said. "You keep going. You do what you do. What Manny does best is hit balls. Manny is an entertainer. That's not just in L.A. It's anywhere. If you're a fan . . . you want to see something special."
There was no better entertainer in L.A. than Gagne, back in the day.
"That's why I keep going to the ballpark," he said. "I'm searching for that again."
Gagne relives it every day. His 5-year-old son scampers about in a Dodgers cap. His 3-year-old daughter is named Bluu -- yes, he said, for Dodger blue.
Like I said, a sad story. I might be alone in my pity for the man who once thrilled us all but... well, if Mr. Ramirez gets a second chance...
2009-06-21
Have I Mentioned I Hate Joe Morgan?
Arrogant piece of shit has the gall to say after the Dodgers beat the Angels tonight that "I think people are finally starting to take the Dodgers seriously."
Are you fucking joking?
The team's had the best record in baseball for the majority of the first half of the season. We're almost to the All-Star Break and they're leading their division by eight games or so. They thrived when everyone thought they'd fold when Manny went down to suspension.
And yes, "it's still early." And yes, this could all turn in a hurry but...
Was no one taking the Dodgers seriously all those weeks they were on top of the Power Rankings for Yahoo, ESPN, SI, and all the rest of the top sports news sites?
Fucking Joe Morgan. I wish the Dodgers would NEVER be shown on ESPN.
Are you fucking joking?
The team's had the best record in baseball for the majority of the first half of the season. We're almost to the All-Star Break and they're leading their division by eight games or so. They thrived when everyone thought they'd fold when Manny went down to suspension.
And yes, "it's still early." And yes, this could all turn in a hurry but...
Was no one taking the Dodgers seriously all those weeks they were on top of the Power Rankings for Yahoo, ESPN, SI, and all the rest of the top sports news sites?
Fucking Joe Morgan. I wish the Dodgers would NEVER be shown on ESPN.
2009-06-18
Not Exactly Cain vs Abel... or Kane vs The Undertaker
Just a quick one as I have to be at work in just a handful of hours...
Today, the Dodgers informed Jeff Weaver that he would be starting Saturday's game vs the Angels. This is significant because his little brother Jered will be starting for the Angels making it the first brother vs brother starting pitching duel in several years. When asked for comment, Jeff informed the media that his parents cancelled attending a relative's wedding on Saturday to go to the game instead - which seems a little odd to me unless they're really distant relatives and the Weavers were just looking for an excuse not to go.
The more significant part of the quote was when Jeff basically said that the ideal scenario would be that they'd go out of the game tied and let the bullpens decide the game.
No, jackass. The ideal scenario is that you throw a complete game no-hitter which does not require the bullpen while your brother gets lit up like the sky over Disneyland during fireworks.
Keep your shit together, yo. This is business... it's not personal.
2009-05-28
Some Random Thoughts
Just sneaking in before the witching hour with some random thoughts about random stuff...
*** Lakers heading into Game 6!
It's not like I don't have absolute faith in the Purple & Gold but... well, let's just say that when I found out that Game 7 was scheduled for Sunday evening, I had to put in quite the effort at work today to get them to switch my schedule so I worked in the morning instead. Gotta be prepared, you know?
*** Prop 8
I know, I know. After all the fuss I raised back in November, you expected some huge diatribe on my part but I don't think I have it in me this week. Suffice to say that with all the riots, all the crime, all the jokes about pollution and earthquakes and fake breasts and all that jazz, I can honestly say that I can only recall two times in my life where I've been embarrassed to be from California and they both were because of this issue. It's a crime, it's a travesty, and until it's righted, it's a wrong that Californians shouldn't just accept. Oh, and for all those religious folks out there crying "Morality prevailed" - you can come pay me a visit and we'll discuss your morality and what it means to real people.
*** Remakes! Remakes! Remakes!
I know everyone's GOT to be as sick of the remake trend in Hollywood as I am. It seems like every week has a half dozen remakes greenlighted but this week scraped the bottom of the barrel. "Hey, I know. Let's make a Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie but not involve ANYONE that actually saved that creative concept the first time around." God forbid they actually make money on something.
*** Twilight At Comic-Con
I'm disillusioned, I must admit. I can not fathom any earthly idea why there would be a Twilight panel at Comic-Con. Not one. Not a single hint of one. I know it's popular, I know it appeals to horny teenage girls. But come on... really? This is almost enough reason alone to make me not want to go this year.
*** Battlestar Galactica Lives On
And I'm not even talking about Caprica. Between receiving the soundtrack in the mail, last night's post about the live concerts of the score, and the super-fantastic amazing board game that the Missus and I just finished a rousing game of, I'm more in love with BSG than ever.
Oh, and I don't really have a comment on this but...
How 'bout them Dodgers?
*** Lakers heading into Game 6!
It's not like I don't have absolute faith in the Purple & Gold but... well, let's just say that when I found out that Game 7 was scheduled for Sunday evening, I had to put in quite the effort at work today to get them to switch my schedule so I worked in the morning instead. Gotta be prepared, you know?
*** Prop 8
I know, I know. After all the fuss I raised back in November, you expected some huge diatribe on my part but I don't think I have it in me this week. Suffice to say that with all the riots, all the crime, all the jokes about pollution and earthquakes and fake breasts and all that jazz, I can honestly say that I can only recall two times in my life where I've been embarrassed to be from California and they both were because of this issue. It's a crime, it's a travesty, and until it's righted, it's a wrong that Californians shouldn't just accept. Oh, and for all those religious folks out there crying "Morality prevailed" - you can come pay me a visit and we'll discuss your morality and what it means to real people.
*** Remakes! Remakes! Remakes!
I know everyone's GOT to be as sick of the remake trend in Hollywood as I am. It seems like every week has a half dozen remakes greenlighted but this week scraped the bottom of the barrel. "Hey, I know. Let's make a Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie but not involve ANYONE that actually saved that creative concept the first time around." God forbid they actually make money on something.
*** Twilight At Comic-Con
I'm disillusioned, I must admit. I can not fathom any earthly idea why there would be a Twilight panel at Comic-Con. Not one. Not a single hint of one. I know it's popular, I know it appeals to horny teenage girls. But come on... really? This is almost enough reason alone to make me not want to go this year.
*** Battlestar Galactica Lives On
And I'm not even talking about Caprica. Between receiving the soundtrack in the mail, last night's post about the live concerts of the score, and the super-fantastic amazing board game that the Missus and I just finished a rousing game of, I'm more in love with BSG than ever.
Oh, and I don't really have a comment on this but...
How 'bout them Dodgers?
2009-05-04
Lakers Lose, Dodgers Win
I don't know 'bout y'all but I don't think I'm alone in being shocked that the Dodgers would be the ones making big headlines in LA Sports in May while the Lakers are simply limping towards the finish line.
Now, as we all know, "it's still early" so there's plenty of time for both of those situations to change but right now, this is how it looks...
The Lakers aren't sharp. They didn't look sharp against Utah when they were coughing up lead after lead after lead. They won the series but didn't impress anyone while they did it. In fact, the talk of basketball since then was just about anything but the Lakers. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the co-favorite for the NBA Title. Of course, there was still some drama to be had today with the announcement that Kobe has the flu [my mother thinks he might have swine flu... now THAT'S drama.] That'll certainly be one of the excuses used tonight after they coughed up the home court edge they "worked" all season for. But the fact is, I saw the same team I saw against Utah. Flashes of brilliance mired in lots of... eh. I still expect they'll manage to beat the Rockets but when they run into the Nuggets? The Celtics? The Magic? The Cavs?
Well, that may be another story.
And speaking of another story, down the road at Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers were putting the finishing touches on another impressive victory. Yes, so far it's only been at home but a record-setting 11-0 to start the season at home still has to impress even if they're only playing .500 on the road. Yes, the pitching is still leaving a little to be desired and the bullpen is likely going to be "nervous time" instead of "game over" for most of the year.
But the offense...
Dear, dear me... the offense.
I have NEVER seen a Dodger team have an offense like this. This is an AL-style offense. Pure offensive production that is just... well, too much fun to watch.
No winning streak lasts forever and this one is no different. It'll end soon enough and that'll be the real test for this team.
But until then, I hope the Dodgers enjoy their moment in the sun of LA sports.
Now, as we all know, "it's still early" so there's plenty of time for both of those situations to change but right now, this is how it looks...
The Lakers aren't sharp. They didn't look sharp against Utah when they were coughing up lead after lead after lead. They won the series but didn't impress anyone while they did it. In fact, the talk of basketball since then was just about anything but the Lakers. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the co-favorite for the NBA Title. Of course, there was still some drama to be had today with the announcement that Kobe has the flu [my mother thinks he might have swine flu... now THAT'S drama.] That'll certainly be one of the excuses used tonight after they coughed up the home court edge they "worked" all season for. But the fact is, I saw the same team I saw against Utah. Flashes of brilliance mired in lots of... eh. I still expect they'll manage to beat the Rockets but when they run into the Nuggets? The Celtics? The Magic? The Cavs?
Well, that may be another story.
And speaking of another story, down the road at Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers were putting the finishing touches on another impressive victory. Yes, so far it's only been at home but a record-setting 11-0 to start the season at home still has to impress even if they're only playing .500 on the road. Yes, the pitching is still leaving a little to be desired and the bullpen is likely going to be "nervous time" instead of "game over" for most of the year.
But the offense...
Dear, dear me... the offense.
I have NEVER seen a Dodger team have an offense like this. This is an AL-style offense. Pure offensive production that is just... well, too much fun to watch.
No winning streak lasts forever and this one is no different. It'll end soon enough and that'll be the real test for this team.
But until then, I hope the Dodgers enjoy their moment in the sun of LA sports.
2009-04-28
Fucking Torre!
The Title of this post were my exact words after reading the results of tonight's game.
Okay, I need a Yankee fan to be reading this post and let me know if Torre is known for this and somehow I just missed it last year. Is he really this bad at handling his bullpen? I know he has a reputation for riding a pitcher to total fatigue but... mercy Jesus, how many fucking times can you go for a five out save in the first month of the season?
So, they summoned Broxton from the 'pen in the 8th again. And he blew the save. Then they take him out.
I just don't get it.
How many five out saves?! HOW MANY?!
Can someone tell him I'd prefer to have a closer with A LIVE FUCKING ARM after April?
Sweet Jesus.
I'm sooooo frustrated with the bullpen and Torre's handling of it so far this season.
Can someone get Grady Little on the phone?
...
Well, let's not be rash.
Okay, I need a Yankee fan to be reading this post and let me know if Torre is known for this and somehow I just missed it last year. Is he really this bad at handling his bullpen? I know he has a reputation for riding a pitcher to total fatigue but... mercy Jesus, how many fucking times can you go for a five out save in the first month of the season?
So, they summoned Broxton from the 'pen in the 8th again. And he blew the save. Then they take him out.
I just don't get it.
How many five out saves?! HOW MANY?!
Can someone tell him I'd prefer to have a closer with A LIVE FUCKING ARM after April?
Sweet Jesus.
I'm sooooo frustrated with the bullpen and Torre's handling of it so far this season.
Can someone get Grady Little on the phone?
...
Well, let's not be rash.
2009-04-23
A Bullpen, A Bullpen - My Kingdom For A Bullpen
I'll ignore the fact that the Lakers just lost and focus on the Dodgers very quickly.
Yes, they won.
But it wasn't for lack of effort!
For the second time in two weeks, Joe Torre has summoned Jonathan Broxton from the bullpen to pitch a five out save.
Now listen here, Joe... I don't know how they do things back in NYC but out here, that's a recipe for disaster.
A two inning save in 2009 should be saved for the most desperate of situations. I'm talking a huge game in September or October with playoff implications. Not twice in the first three weeks of the season!
It worries me. The 'pen is likely going to be a rough spot all season and right now, Broxton's the only thing going well in it. So, if you abuse him [as Torre is infamous for doing] then there's nothing left. For Christ's sake, they're already talking about bringing up Weaver to pitch out of the bullpen.
You've got Bellasario who is basically an unknown. Kuo who is injury-prone and apparently has confidence issues now after his royal fuckups last week. Cory Wade is injured because Torre ran him into the ground last week. They're hesitant to use McDonald much since he'll probably need to start until Kuroda comes back at least.
It's getting ugly out there. In the past, I was perfectly confidence (most of the time) when the 'pen took over the game. Now, I'm nervous as soon as it happens. And no, calling Broxton in early doesn't soothe my fears.
"It's still early" - I know.
But this wound needs to be treated before it gets worse.
Oh, and in a parting shot, I figured the Lakers would lose one in Utah. It's not like they could play any worse than they did tonight, right?
Yes, they won.
But it wasn't for lack of effort!
For the second time in two weeks, Joe Torre has summoned Jonathan Broxton from the bullpen to pitch a five out save.
Now listen here, Joe... I don't know how they do things back in NYC but out here, that's a recipe for disaster.
A two inning save in 2009 should be saved for the most desperate of situations. I'm talking a huge game in September or October with playoff implications. Not twice in the first three weeks of the season!
It worries me. The 'pen is likely going to be a rough spot all season and right now, Broxton's the only thing going well in it. So, if you abuse him [as Torre is infamous for doing] then there's nothing left. For Christ's sake, they're already talking about bringing up Weaver to pitch out of the bullpen.
You've got Bellasario who is basically an unknown. Kuo who is injury-prone and apparently has confidence issues now after his royal fuckups last week. Cory Wade is injured because Torre ran him into the ground last week. They're hesitant to use McDonald much since he'll probably need to start until Kuroda comes back at least.
It's getting ugly out there. In the past, I was perfectly confidence (most of the time) when the 'pen took over the game. Now, I'm nervous as soon as it happens. And no, calling Broxton in early doesn't soothe my fears.
"It's still early" - I know.
But this wound needs to be treated before it gets worse.
Oh, and in a parting shot, I figured the Lakers would lose one in Utah. It's not like they could play any worse than they did tonight, right?
2009-04-22
Dodgers: Week Two
It's rough to write about how awesome Week Two was after two pretty shitty losses but I shall!
A week ago last Monday, the Dodgers opened their first homestand of the year against the Giants... and proceeded to beat the crap out of them.
Then the Rockies came to town... and proceeded to get the crap beat out of them.
In six games, it was some obscene amount of runs and hits that was just amazing considering Manny hadn't really done much yet.
But the road has a way of fucking everything up. Yesterday, it was poor starting pitching and a lack of timely hitting [especially in the 9th.] Today, the bullpen gave it up.
It's a long season though so there's no need to get stressed out about it... yet.
I'm looking forward to the weekend series against the Rockies as it's sure to be an offensive showcase. Of course, I also thought that'd be the case in Houston.
Andre Ethier was NL Player of the Week so that rocks.
All winter, everyone speculated that the offense wouldn't be the problem. So far, they're right.
This is a very disjointed post. I need to stop writing so late in the evening.
A week ago last Monday, the Dodgers opened their first homestand of the year against the Giants... and proceeded to beat the crap out of them.
Then the Rockies came to town... and proceeded to get the crap beat out of them.
In six games, it was some obscene amount of runs and hits that was just amazing considering Manny hadn't really done much yet.
But the road has a way of fucking everything up. Yesterday, it was poor starting pitching and a lack of timely hitting [especially in the 9th.] Today, the bullpen gave it up.
It's a long season though so there's no need to get stressed out about it... yet.
I'm looking forward to the weekend series against the Rockies as it's sure to be an offensive showcase. Of course, I also thought that'd be the case in Houston.
Andre Ethier was NL Player of the Week so that rocks.
All winter, everyone speculated that the offense wouldn't be the problem. So far, they're right.
This is a very disjointed post. I need to stop writing so late in the evening.
2009-04-19
Ohhhh, Laker Fans!
I didn't get to see the bulk of the game but what I saw was glorious.
Okay, maybe not glorious but I was happy that I was able to see the end of the game during my lunch break - even if I did have to clock in a couple minutes late so that I could catch those waning seconds of action.
And yes, it would have been cooler if there wasn't a nutball about five feet away who was talking to himself the whole time. "Take 'im to the hole, Kobe!" "Ohh yeah! Make 'im your bitch!" and other assorted quips. Scary.
From the stuff I've read since I got home, it sounds like it was a bit of a weird game with the Lakers piling on in the first half but slacking off a bit in the second half. They got the "W" so that's all that's important... for now. But soon enough, they need to show the kind of killer instinct that they'll need to finish teams off later on.
Now, as for the other LA sports team. How 'bout them Dodgers?
Oh, and I have a really distasteful joke about the Just-Swept-By-The-Twins California Angels...
...but I shan't make it because I think it's even too distasteful for me.
So, for now... I'll simply enjoy what was an awesome day for LA sports fans.
Okay, maybe not glorious but I was happy that I was able to see the end of the game during my lunch break - even if I did have to clock in a couple minutes late so that I could catch those waning seconds of action.
And yes, it would have been cooler if there wasn't a nutball about five feet away who was talking to himself the whole time. "Take 'im to the hole, Kobe!" "Ohh yeah! Make 'im your bitch!" and other assorted quips. Scary.
From the stuff I've read since I got home, it sounds like it was a bit of a weird game with the Lakers piling on in the first half but slacking off a bit in the second half. They got the "W" so that's all that's important... for now. But soon enough, they need to show the kind of killer instinct that they'll need to finish teams off later on.
Now, as for the other LA sports team. How 'bout them Dodgers?
Oh, and I have a really distasteful joke about the Just-Swept-By-The-Twins California Angels...
...but I shan't make it because I think it's even too distasteful for me.
So, for now... I'll simply enjoy what was an awesome day for LA sports fans.
2009-04-16
Dodgers: Week One [and change]
I was supposed to write this up on Monday and got distracted. I was hoping to do one of these every Monday - at least, that was the plan - throughout the season as a kind-of "This Week In Dodgers" update. We'll see how that goes since we're already behind schedule.
Opening Week was... interesting.
We had a sluggish offense for most of the week although that seems to be improving quite a bit. Pitching was somewhere in the middle. Good performances by a couple of starters, really bad performances by a couple of others. And then there was a couple of bad bullpen outings.
But it's still early!
This week has gone better but I want to save that for next Monday in my ongoing attempts to do this.
Opening Week was... interesting.
We had a sluggish offense for most of the week although that seems to be improving quite a bit. Pitching was somewhere in the middle. Good performances by a couple of starters, really bad performances by a couple of others. And then there was a couple of bad bullpen outings.
But it's still early!
This week has gone better but I want to save that for next Monday in my ongoing attempts to do this.
2009-03-04
And That's That...Finally
On my way out the door for work but I thought I'd drop this in since it's apparently now official...
Sources: Dodgers, Manny agree at 2 years, $45M
Sources: Dodgers, Manny agree at 2 years, $45M
Manny Ramirez is a Dodger once again.
Ramirez on Wednesday agreed to a two-year, $45 million contract to return to Los Angeles, according to major-league sources. The deal will be finalized after Ramirez passes his physical.
2009-02-18
Dodger Spring Training: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
The Good
Ethier avoids arbitration
Arbitration is always a tricky thing for a fan. On the one hand, you'd like to see your team not get financially raped but if the player has it coming to him, you don't want to see him get hosed either. But the real hard thing with arbitration is the feelings it created. The team feels the player wasn't worth what he wants and that he's being unreasonable in his demands. The player feels the team doesn't respect his contributions. No matter how the hearing results - and the Dodgers haven't lost one since Kim Ng took over on that front - bitter feelings seem to always remain. So, I was very happy to hear that the Dodgers avoided going to arbitration with any players this year with a last-second deal with Andre Ethier. And when I say "last-second," I mean it as apparently the deal was signed in the hallway outside the hearing. Hopefully both sides can put it behind them and get down to business.
The Bad
The Dodgers' Starting Pitching Woes
Despite some good news on the Jason Schmidt front - it appears he may actually be ready to take the #5 slot in the rotation for the start of the season - this area of the team is a definite weakness and an area to be quite concerned with. With the departure of Brad Penny and more specifically, Derek Lowe, over the past few months, the Dodgers faced a situation where they really could have used more than Randy Wolf. The current rotation looks like Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, Clayton Kershaw, Randy Wolf, and Jason Schmidt - which on paper should be solid at worst. Buuuuuuut... well, Billingsley is coming off a broken leg in the off-season... Kuroda's still talking about shoulder tightness... Kershaw's just a kid... Wolf is Wolf... and Schmidt hasn't pitched in ages. There's a ton of rookies and journeyman jostling to make the team as well but it's obviously a problem spot. I'm optimistic but very realistic at the same time.
The Ugly
Brad Penny vs Larry Bowa: Let's Get It On!
And not in a sexy Marvin Gaye kind of way either. Penny fired the first shot earlier this week by going on to the Boston media about how happy he was to be out of LA since apparently he felt we wanted him to pitch hurt last season. He also called out Larry Bowa for talking shit about him to other players behind his back. Bowa retaliated by questioning his heart, his work ethic, his stamina, his loyalty and a few other things. It was really quite the fiery reply so there's obviously some bad blood there. In the end though, it never turns out well when a player blasts his former team. To his new team, he already looks like an ungrateful whiner with questionable team spirit. To his old team, they feel betrayed [especially the fans] for the support they gave him all along. It's all part of modern sports though so what can you really say?
Maybe I'll make this a weekly thing throughout the spring.
Anyone like that idea?
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