When David Young did the community preview of Hiroki Kuroda last spring, he also delved into how Kuroda became a Dodger, and he did it so well that I don't feel any need to rewrite what he did.
What Kuroda has turned out to be is a solid middle of the rotation starter that has avoided a serious arm issue over the course of his first contract. According to his fangraphs statistics page, Kuroda has averaged 92.2 MPH (about the midpoint of the range White stated) with his fastball, has thrown the slider 28.2% of the time as his secondary pitch, and has mixed in that hard "forkball" (or split-finger fastball) at 87.3 MPH. That adds up to a pitcher who creates his fair share of ground balls (1.64 career GB/FB ratio) and has increased his strikeout rate by a significant amount each season.
| Year | Age | IP | BB/9 | K/9 | ERA | FIP | x-FIP | tERA | ERA+ | WHIP |
| 2008 | 33 | 183.1 | 2.06 | 5.69 | 3.73 | 3.59 | 3.93 | 3.92 | 112 | 1.216 |
| 2009 | 34 | 117.1 | 1.84 | 6.67 | 3.76 | 3.58 | 3.66 | 3.52 | 106 | 1.142 |
| 2010 | 35 | 196.1 | 2.20 | 7.29 | 3.39 | 3.26 | 3.57 | 3.15 | 113 | 1.161 |
| 2011 | 36 | 202 | 2.18 | 7.17 | 3.07 | 3.78 | 3.56 | 4.22 | 121 | 1.21 |
| 2011 Projections - Age 36 Season | ||||||||||
| Year | IP | BB/9 | K/9 | ERA | FIP | WHIP | ||||
| Bill James | 209.0 | 2.41 | 6.20 | 3.66 | 4.04 | 1.24 |
||||
| Marcel | 169.0 | 2.34 | 6.92 | 3.65 | 3.55 | 1.22 |
||||
| Baseball HQ | - |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|||||
| ZiPS | 164.3 |
2.08 |
6.52 |
3.56 |
1.19 |
|||||
| (Photo by Jae C. Hong - AP) | ||||||||||
Given how solid Kuroda's peripherals are, I'm guessing most of us would be shocked to find out that Kuroda will end his Dodger career with five more losses then wins. Given that the Dodgers went to the NLCS in his first two years I find this even more amazing. So I decided to see how many other Los Angeles Dodger starters managed to win at least 40 games and be sub .500 pitchers. Not many.
Rk Player W L From To Age GS ERA+
17 Bill Singer 69 76 1964 1972 20-28 179 106
23 Tom Candiotti 52 64 1992 1997 34-39 159 106
24 Darren Dreifort 48 60 1994 2004 22-32 113 95
28 Hiroki Kuroda 41 46 2008 2011 33-36 114 113
29 Kevin Gross 40 44 1991 1994 30-33 95 103
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 1/16/2012.
I'd say Kuroda was better then any of the pitchers on that list. Whenever Kuroda took the mound during his four years you could always count on him keeping you in the game. While Kuroda did not delve deep into games, you knew he'd be around come the sixth inning. Rarely did he implode, and even if the wins did not pile up, he was an excellent second banana to Clayton. In his last three years he gave up five runs or more only eight times. Some called him a warrior but that is probably being gracious. He was a pitcher though, through and through.
One final Dodger note. among pitchers who have started at least 100 games, Kuroda ranks number 12 using ERA+ as the metric.
Rk Player ERA+ GS From To W L W-L% OPS
1 Kevin Brown 148 129 1999 2003 58 32 .644 .619
2 Sandy Koufax 135 286 1958 1966 156 77 .670 .581
3 Clayton Kershaw 135 116 2008 2011 47 28 .627 .612
4 Andy Messersmith 129 123 1973 1979 55 34 .618 .603
5 Derek Lowe 120 135 2005 2008 54 48 .529 .679
6 Tommy John 118 174 1972 1978 87 42 .674 .647
7 Tim Belcher 118 119 1987 1991 50 38 .568 .618
8 Don Drysdale 118 424 1958 1969 187 152 .552 .643
9 Orel Hershiser 116 309 1983 2000 135 107 .558 .642
10 Ismael Valdez 115 158 1994 2000 61 57 .517 .689
11 Bob Welch 114 267 1978 1987 115 86 .572 .649
12 Hiroki Kuroda 113 114 2008 2011 41 46 .471 .673
13 Jerry Reuss 113 201 1979 1987 86 69 .555 .649
14 Burt Hooton 113 265 1975 1984 112 84 .571 .635
15 Chad Billingsley 110 163 2006 2011 70 52 .574 .704
16 Don Sutton 110 533 1966 1988 233 181 .563 .626
17 Ramon Martinez 109 262 1988 1998 123 77 .615 .669
18 Chan Ho Park 109 181 1994 2008 84 58 .592 .700
19 Fernando Valenzuela 107 320 1980 1990 141 116 .549 .655
20 Al Downing 107 120 1971 1977 46 37 .554 .652
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 1/16/2012.
Kuroda is probably the second best free agent staring pitcher the Dodgers have ever signed, trailing only Derek Lowe.
While the rest of baseball has struggled with failed Japanese imports at exorbitant salaries the Los Angeles Dodgers have been blessed with three of the best in Nomo, Saito, and Kuroda. They were always classy. 'm going to miss him, the Dodgers are going to miss him, the fans are going to miss him.
I may even find myself rooting for a Yankee every fifth game for the first time in a long time.
0 recs | 666 comments
When would be the last time you rooted for a Yankee?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Individual Yankee’s i have rooted for:
Mantle
Murcer
Bonds
Guidry
Mattingly
B Williams
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Mattingly was only like 2 years before I started paying attention to more than just the Dodgers, but I was definitely a Bernie fan. I really loved watching Roger Clemens pitch, and would add Wade Boggs, Paul O’Neill and Andy Pettitte to your list as well. If I knew then…
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
I like Jeter
Overrated, sure, but damn good anyway.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
I like how Jeter plays the game
and I’m not talking about between the foul lines.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
Gift baskets are classy
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Baiting Nolij, eh?
David Young - January 16, 2012
One of my first gloves
(somehow I ended up with two before I was ten – and no, I didn’t lose one) was a Mickey Mantle (signature) that was red, white and blue (!) and was acquired by redeeming Blue Chip Stamps. The other glove was a Curt Simmons. Damn I’m old.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Once upon a time the world was split between Green S&H Stamps and Blue Chip Stamps.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
My mother
embraced both
mleadman - January 16, 2012
Andruw Jones?
loooooool
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
2001
I rooted for the Yankees against the Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series. It was the first and only time I’d ever done so, and it was mostly because I was caught up in the emotion of 9/11. Whenever I root for a team I usually don’t, for whatever special reason I deem worthy of altering my sentiment, the team loses. It happened to USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl, Notre Dame in 1991 Orange Bowl, Alabama vs. LSU in the regular season, LSU vs. Alabama in the BCS Bowl, Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, Ohio State in the 2007 and 2008 BCS Bowls,
Off-topic: It appears as though my copying Lasorda’s Bevaqua rant has gotten me banned from DT! I wonder if this affects my DT roster status for the softball tournament? I’m saddened by my dismissal from DT because I’ve been a member since the Baseball Toaster days, and I should’ve known better, but not being allowed to post any comments on any ESPN article precludes me from reading the comments and saves me from the aggravation.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
That is funny, you are on the DT Roster and have been banned from DT?
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
It’s going to be pretty awkward when I show up, huh? I feel like Milton Bradley.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
I rooted for the Diamondbacks in 2001. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt worse for a player than I felt for Byung-Hyun Kim.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
what’s the Bevaqua rant?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
only Tommy’s best rant of all freaking time!!!!!! You have to find the youtube because the transcript doesn’t fully capture his disgust.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
its the ump he feuded with right?
nolander - January 16, 2012
Guys, I’ve only been a fuckin Dodger fan since Two Fuckin Thousand and Fuckin Five, and even I know the Bevacqua rant.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Yeah I got them mixed up
I remember this one, its impossible to forget, I just love the way tommy says the dudes name
nolander - January 16, 2012
Ba-va-qua, oh man that was the best
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Not Safe for Work
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Am I sad for you or not?
Are you a good softball player?
:)
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
There was a time when I considered myself a good softball player. I played on three different teams, three nights a week. Then I turned 30, and playing softball became more a reason to drink with my buddies and get away from my GF (now fiance). I also got back into hardball, which means now I suck at two sports, three if you consider what I do on the golf course “golf”.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
you don’t suck at hardball.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Thanks
I just wish I could’ve gotten back into hardball 7 or 8 years ago when I was in my mid-20s. I enjoy it so much more than softball.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
Have you seen our league?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
If it isnt professional ball, then it doesnt matter if you suck man, its all about having fun.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Until you step between the lines
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
This is my favorite comment from you
It’s very true
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Well, if that’s the case – I hope you get reinstated. :)
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
you should email Jon, it might not be DT that banned you, but ESPN….
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
or I can post and ask if he did ban you
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I could email him. I kinda interested to see what happens when I show up for duty at the softball tournament.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
I doubt anyone cares you play for them but if you hit a home run to beat us, then I will file a protest:)
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
what is your DT name again?
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
the.sports.dude
I didn’t actually post the curse words though. I edited out a vowel. I might’ve let an"ass" slip in there, but it’s nothing compared to the drivel that normally populates the ESPN comment boards.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
yeah but that stil violates rule 1… 1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity…. So you cant even disguise the bad words, abbreviate, or any of that. He didnt seem upset about it when you posted it, though he did mention rule 1, thought he wrote a smiley face after it though. I think it was ESPN.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Yeah I know =T
I should’ve known better. I’d been a model DT citizen my entire time, but when someone mentioned a talking Tommy Lasorda bobblehead doll that said the Bevacqua rant, I hastily posted the transcript without realizing the ramifications of my actions.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
that sounds to me
like an autoban issue with the commenting system. just my feeling would hav ebeen in this was toaster days, jon or whomever would have just deleted the post and MAYBE emailed you but my guess is this was an automated thing
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
as long as you didn’t insult anybody or call someone an ahole etc…, I am sure you are fine.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
damn that's pretty lame
I’m sure if there’s room (i’d imagine over 3 games like Phil said everyone would get enough playing time) the TBLA team would be better with you.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
There was no last time
mleadman - January 16, 2012
Rec’d for truth
iiidown - January 16, 2012
Its amazing with all the super hyped Japanese starting pitchers that've come over
Kuroda is arguably in the top two (and definitely top three) as far as MLB success. Daisuke had one semi-fluky season but was otherwise mediocre to bad, and other than him theres what, Tomo Okha? Other than Nomo of course.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
Shigetoshi Hasegawa
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Okajima, Otsuka and Sasaki are/were good.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Hideki Irabu is hanging in there.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Too Soon?
Nah.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
I keep getting the urge to refer to him as Brooks.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
No way is he Brooks
that crossbeam Brooks hung himself from wouldn’t have held Irabu :D
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
Dang.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Among starters I meant
Yea theres been a handfull of relievers that were pretty good, and Hasegawa was probably the best of the lot. Saito could give him a run for his money though if only for the fact thta when he was good, he was really, really good.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
Hasegawa is 4th in career MLB wins for Japanese-born pitchers with 45, though he only ever started 8 games. Hmm.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Tells you how poorly the few starters have done.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Kuroda came over in 2008, Matsuzaka in 2007, yet Daisuke only has 8 more wins than Hiroki with an ERA over a run higher. One was paid 3x more than the other.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Was he a starter in Japan? Seems like the sort that might’ve been and just (either in reality or simply the perception) couldn’t handle starting with the longer schedule and such.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
Dunno, but he was only ever a spot starter here.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Can that really be right?
If so what a vulture…
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Tomo Okha is arguably the third best Japanese starter soooo
regfairfield - January 16, 2012
Xei
B
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Reposted
Which would you take, scenario A or B
Scenario A:
Sellers starting 2B, Fielder signed to 8 year deal, Loney traded for scraps, Sands/Gwynn platoon in LF, Kuroda ($13M), Eovaldi 5th starter. With neither Kemp nor Kershaw signed to long term deals.
Scenario B:
What has happened so far with Kershaw extended for 6 years at some fair but pretty high amount.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
I think you have limited the scenarios so I’d pick neither.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
I took
a very popular scenario around here during the early off-season rosterbation and compared it to what has currently happened plus a Kershaw deal. I am not going to go through hundreds of scenarios.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
and it is very likely that if you sign Fielder to a monster deal, which is what it would’ve took up to this point you risk not being able to extend Kemp.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
The thing though,
Kemp’s only being paid $10mil this year in his extension, right?
So the extension is more or less payroll-neutral for this year, in fact, i think it even lowers his 2012 salary.
I know this isn’t your point, but we could have had our cake and ate it too.
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
I pick B because I think if Kemp doesn’t get extended this summer, he doesn’t get extended at all.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
+1
Regardless of what happens the rest of Kemp’s career, it would’ve been painful to see yet another potential great leave way too early.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
yeah I would of taken A, but once you said no long term deal for Kemp, impossible to take A now.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Extending Kershaw is no top priority for me. If you got Kershaw’s arm locked up for 3 more years, why not make sure it stays healthy the next 2 years before locking him up? Now that he has won a Cy Young, would Dodgers get any discount locking Kershaw up now over 2 years from now?
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
His extension could go from 16-18 mill per year to 25+ a year by then
That risk is why I’d try in the next year
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
That’s a good question. Risk on both sides not to do anything now given the plateau he is at now. Either way, the Dodgers need to be planning for it.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
Right now he's at Verlander and Felix levels
I’m worried that with another awesome year (yeah, suuuuuper worried about that, lol) it would push him above that threshold, especially considering both pitchers in Felix and Verlander hadn’t won their Cy Youngs yet at the time of their deal*.
*I believe Felix’s deal was the year before he won.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
There was a
recent article about this.
David Young - January 16, 2012
I figured i'd seen that somewhere before :P
Ok so it was 2 seasons later Felix won the CY. If he had done that the season before, there’s no way he’d be less than 140 million for 8 years in my mind.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
here's a comment Mike will like
How great was Kevin Brown. So under appreciated because of his contract, which he completed lived up to as a Dodger. He may have been a jerk and had some injury problems, but he was a beast.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Kevin Brown had a career that easily could have been a HOF career if he could have been a little nicer to people and maybe bloodied a sock. Instead, he was a jerk and fell off the ballot on the first go.
He belongs in the Hall, but at the moment, I only care so much about the Hall. Ask me again in 20 minutes. I haven’t had any coffee yet. Maybe I can get myself fired up about the Kevin Brown Injustice.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
THIS.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
I was being flip, but I kind of meant it. Schilling, Mussina, and Brown all have similar careers and I think all of them deserve the Hall of Fame. In real life, Schilling will get in, Mussina might or might not, depending on how things go, and Brown will have to buy a ticket.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Are you reacting to this?
I think Kevin Brown has to be in that discussion, despite being a bit overpaid. Sure the injury hurt, but LA still got, over five seasons, 129 starts of 148 ERA+ pitching, 3.52 K/BB, 7.6 H/9, 20.2 rWAR, FIP in the low 3s, etc. Then he was dumped before it was too late, for some salary relief, a couple league average starter seasons from Jeff Weaver the First, plus Ghame Over. In the end, that all turned out to be OK.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Actually that hadn't occured to me
I was just looking at his numbers and thinking how great he actually was
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
And you're right
He could likely be the best or second best FA starter signed. It’s amazing how we got so much out of him and dumped him right before the end of his usefulness.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
You're right, it is going to be hard to root for a Yankee
But if there’s anyone I’d do it for, it’s Hiro.
The first two playoff games I ever went to were his starts in the NLDS and then the NLCS, both game 3s, both wins where Kuroda pitched great. I will definitely miss him as a rotation mainstay that could always be counted on for a solid 6+ inning 3 run or less start.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
I won’t root for a Yankee. But I will give him the courtesy of doing what I do with players I do not hate who are on the Yankees: I will ignore him.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
I guess you can never excise completely the Red Sox fan within yourself.
David Young - January 16, 2012
You suck one….
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
They call you a >>>>>>><<<< for life.
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
Bevacqua?
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
gold star for Humma today
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
red sox are responsible for re-energizing my love for baseball back in 2003
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I’m just a tiny ball of hate. Love can grow cold, but the hate it engenders will never die.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
regfairfield - January 16, 2012
Yeah, missed that.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Well, sure, now I get here.
David Young - January 16, 2012
ha ha
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Looks like Padilla is going to the Red Sox…
link
puresilence - January 16, 2012
Aiming for them
mleadman - January 16, 2012
They'll take a shot with Padilla
(repeating my lame joke)
underdog - January 16, 2012
These teams refuse to negotiate
Weird strategy, right?
silverwidow - January 16, 2012
If I were the Hornets, I wouldn’t want to negotiate either.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Not necessarily
Makes the deadline firm. Both sides no it going in.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
OTOH
May not be good business strategy to limit your options sooner than you must.
David Young - January 16, 2012
I can’t remember but last year I thought I looked up Tampa and/or Atlanta because of this strategy and I thought they ended up winning a good amount of their arb cases. I could be wrong though; I don’t remember the specifics.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I wonder how many dollars the difference is between winning and the amount they would have settled for. I wonder if it is worth putting an employee through the grinder for, and the cost of hiring Alex Tamin-esque outside consultants, etc.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Probably more setting aside specific times to do certain things. If both sides know of the policy, which they do, it could create more of a sense of urgency to get a deal done by January 17.
On first glance though, it does seem unnaturally rigid. Not sure I would implement the policy; everything is negotiable, at any time, so whenever we can get a deal done, I’m for it.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
ive been MIA
but any talks of softball tournie? i paid! i’m responsible!
do we have details yet? i need to get in the loop! (even thou its almost a month away, oh yeah)
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I need to pay the fee still. I was about to pay fee until I realized I might not have a team anymore.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
why do you say that
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Yes, just got the list this morning.
So far 13 have paid, with Bobby and Gary going to make it happen soon.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Paycheck just came into the office 30 minutes ago
Not sure what’s up with the banks today but I should be able to pay today if the ATM gives me 100 of the check from the deposit like normal.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
If there are any openings on the roster I may be available that weekend. And I can pay now.
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
I wish there was, but we look filled, we can always use fans
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
John Smoltz is selling his house for $7.2mil
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/john-smoltz-giant-mansion-worth-every-penny-7-182402349.html;_ylt=AsbCwt.mFjdGWgGJPEzSGKkHU84F
Crazy house.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Yes, just got the list this morning.
So far 13 have paid, with Bobby and Gary going to make it happen soon.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
it’s what, 35 bucks?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Yes
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
and you already have 13 who have paid?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Yes, but between now and then you have to expect two no shows due to schedule complications or injuries. I don’t plan on playing other then in an emergency. Over three games everyone should get plenty of time.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
sent you an e-mail.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Jan 28 deadline to pay too. Otherwise you are sol.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
But we already have 13 so no SOL for us.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
SOL for those that signed up but did not pay, right? I am talking individuals not teams.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
i feel like i hav
the busiest life ever right now but img onna make it! no matter what!
painting house, organizing house, working full time (starting at 7am instead of 9am), building houses in arizona for five days, and going to a conference in sacramento right after the tournie… im sure its nothing compared to most of you but… zzzzzzzzz
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
That sounds busy to me. We are also painting in our house, which we spent all w/e doing. The prep is interminable! I am also not allowed to handle wall paint, so the remainder of the job is my wife’s. Except for brush cleaning, fetching supplies, etc.
David Young - January 16, 2012
I hate prep work with a passion.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
This is why
the telephone was invented
mleadman - January 16, 2012
Is the house building like a Habitats for Humanity type thing?
David Young - January 16, 2012
its part of my job
but yeah, we go to arizona and build places for native americans who DONT benefit from billion dollar casinos. its part of the school program i work for
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Cool. One year I was one of the “chaperones” for a bunch of HS kids, including my daughter, and we did a house build in a poor section of Tijuana. The extent of it (poorness) was quite the eye opener for a bunch of the kids. Seemed like an excellent program; the people become eligible for construction by earning credits in working on projects for others.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Driving to the TJ airport in 1982 was an eye opener. I thought I’d seen poor, after that I realized I had no idea what poor was. And I’ve driven through the DC slums going to Senator games.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
When my daughter was around 10, and back when it seemed reasonably safe to do so, we walked across the border at San Diego into TJ and made the walk over to and up and down Avenida Revolución. After a bit, we could see that she was looking a bit overwhelmed, so we stopped and asked her what was going on. We thought we had prepared her for the fact that we were going into Mexico and it would be quite different. Eventually it became clear that seeing the poor little children begging for money (offering to sell gum) had really weighed on her and was something she was completely unprepared for.
David Young - January 16, 2012
dude I was maybe 18 or 19 my 1st time and it got to me too… 1st thing you see when you cross is little babies trying to sell you gum. Then moms laying on the sidewalks all bundled up.. even saw a 3 legged dog. Its very sad, and I’ve only been to TJ one time in my life, and never plan to go back again.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
We used to drive down to Ensenada to surf, way back in the 70’s. You could drive on the ‘Cuota’ (toll road), or you could take the ‘Libre’ (free road) to get there. The Cuota went straight to the coast and was a beautiful drive. The Libre went through Tijuana and meandered down Baja.
The thing that opened my eyes was the area just on the Southern outskirts of Tijuana. Driving through little villages of cardboard boxes taped together on the side of the road, that were the houses of those dirt poor people. Thousands of these little shacks made out of junk and pieces of wood nailed and taped together. It made me appreciate my life.
iiidown - January 16, 2012
yeah we used to do Mexico until people started dieing (not our people, but you know). we are waiting for it to cool down a bit more there and are doing Arizona in the meantime
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I saw a video of 2 mexican cartel guys getting their heads caught off over the weekend. Now its stuck in my head. Yeah I dont think ill be going to mexico anytime soon, though im probably overreacting.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
cut off* my bad.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I just paid and confirmed. Let me know if you want to carpool.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
do you have either my e-mail or phone number?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
No I don’t. Message me on facebook with both.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
Don’t give our signals away!
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
sent
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
We should do massive carpooling for this event.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Team bus?
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
I think a funeral like parade of cars should work
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
yeah you guys should roll up all cool, like the movies….
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I like this
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
you guys should have a cool song blasting too, come late so everyone has to look at your guys, get intimidated. Blast that song Here Comes the Boom by Nelly, like in The Longest Yard when Micheal Irving and his crew showed up to play football… Love that scene.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Or have the weaker players on the field first, so that everyone thinks “thats it??” THEN have the good players arrive to “here comes the boom”…. haha
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I don’t want to have to show up early though.
David Young - January 16, 2012
No self confidence, huh?
iiidown - January 16, 2012
Low Rider
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
neither
Humma nor I will allow such crass music, we will demand some Neutral Milk Hotel or maybe a Halo Benders tune
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Ride of the Valkyries Apocalypse style
The Meercat as Killgore!
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Maybe the theme from The Magnificent Seven? No, wait, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!
David Young - January 16, 2012
two out of three ain’t bad
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
I always wanted that to be Broxton’s closer music. That bullpen gate would swing open — oooeeeoooo… wah wah wah — and he walks out, slowly, slowly to the mound.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Would have
fit in nicely with this:
David Young - January 16, 2012
crap ass music? Pretty sure if Adam Sandler chose it to be in the Longest Yard, then its good enough for TBLA….. ok fine, then just do Real American like Kenny Powers did then.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I LOL’d
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I dont even know what Neutra Milk Hotel is, but guarentee it will strike fear in nobody if thats what you play… Infact it will give the other teams more confidence that they will win.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I'm getting chills just reading the lyrics
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
what song is this?
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
(scream-sings)
and in the dark we will take off our clothes and they’ll be lay-ee-ay-cing fingers through the notches in your spine and when all is breaking everything that you can feel inside now your eyes ain’t movin now they just linger in their climb
…. no idea if those are the actual lyrics but it’s fun to sing even if you don’t know the words.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Two-headed boy
With pulleys and weights
Creating a radio played just for two
In the parlor with a moon across her face
And through the music he sweetly displays
Silver speakers that sparkle all day
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Here is The Mountain Goats covering that song.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
He has even less of an idea of the lyrics than I do, which is saying something.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Hitchhike. With baseball supplies in a bindle, using a bat as the stick.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Seth Smith now an Oakland A. Now there's a good move for them
(possibly first one of the off season?)
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/01/athletics-acquire-seth-smith.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
for Moscoso and Outman.
underdog - January 16, 2012
Wait they traded two young starters for a guy that’s at best an average platoon player?
regfairfield - January 16, 2012
Granted Moscoso and Outman aren’t all that good either.
regfairfield - January 16, 2012
As a Dodger fan I’d much rather our hitters get to face these crappy pitchers, then our RHP have to face Mr. Smith
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
whats the Rockies OF right now?
CarGo, Cuddyer, and?
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
Fowler
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Blackmon
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Eric Young Junior
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Tim Wheeler
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Tyler Colvin
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
These guys need to trade for an outfielder, stat
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
seems to me like they have plenty, and with an outfield as big as theirs, and with their offense already being okay, they need to just stick with Fowler in CF and let him go get everything.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
You may have missed my point :)
It must be nice to have that many options (that you don’t need Juan Rivera).
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
EYJr and TGJr seem like two of a kind.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
I've confused them in the past for each other
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
thought of him
But they never seem to want to commit to him
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
They seem committed this year
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Fowler
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I guess I'm higher on smith than that and don't think much of those two pitchers
but yeah, maybe it’s too much.
underdog - January 16, 2012
PS, fwiw, Klaw reaction
underdog - January 16, 2012
Seth Smith,
very poor man’s Andre Ethier?
Career vs LHP: .202 / .269 / .319 / .588
David Young - January 16, 2012
Yeah from what others are saying (including Ken Arneson) if they platoon him properly
he’s very useful. If he’s full time, he’ll be replacement level. Those splits are bad.
underdog - January 16, 2012
And Happy MLK Day to you all! (If it's appropriate to wish a Happy MLK Day?)
underdog - January 16, 2012
no
its not. You are racist.
nolander - January 16, 2012
:-P
What are you, Ricky Gervais and I’m Colin Firth? ;)
underdog - January 16, 2012
I didn't watch teh globes
nolander - January 16, 2012
that was just one of his few cutting remarks. Wasn't really that funny and the GGs are generally a snoozer otherwise.
I watched about 40 mins of it. A few good moments but {shrug}
underdog - January 16, 2012
I got bored
really quickly and I generally enjoy watching movie awards shows. This one was particularly bad I thought
mleadman - January 16, 2012
What happened? Did they inexplicably tighten up the alcohol spigots?
David Young - January 16, 2012
i dvr'd it
gave it an hour or so head start and just FF’d through it
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Honestly I usually don't even watch the GG's
everyone was tweeting about it last night and they at least had a few interesting categories this year so I gave it a try.
But last year I’d basically sworn it off after they gave the horible The Tourist 3 nominations. And the TV noms are often even more idiotic. The best TV comedy category was basically the humorous Modern Family and 4 mediocre to terrible shows.
underdog - January 16, 2012
I recommend (sp?) Deadline Hollywood, Nikki Finke puts her own spin on the GGs by live bloging it.
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
I thought the Tourist was fun
I guess it got trashed and it was a flop, but I didn’t take it seriously and thought it was a Hitchcockian entertainment piece.
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
a tame Ricky is a boring Ricky.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
NL West Grumblings
A’s Reportedly Acquire Seth Smith For Moscoso, Outman
per @AthleticsNation
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
thanks tripon! ;)
underdog - January 16, 2012
Thanks
for the compliment.
David Young - January 16, 2012
You also almost nailed the projection:
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
That ERA is 0.42 high, which is quite a bit.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Is anyone here happy about the POS pairing we have headed into the finals? All of our favorite teams have been knocked out. I guess a Patriot / Giant match up might have some appeal.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
I grew up hating the 49ers
Partly because they always beat the Rams, but mostly because my loathing of the Giants extends to all things San Francisco. Unfortunately, I have a lot of family from the Bay, and it appears there are TONS of 49ers fans in the South Bay. The way they’re playing, especially at home, I could easily see them making it to the Super Bowl, where I will have to choose between the lesser of two evils if they play the Patriots, who receive my scorn because of my loathing of the Celtics and all things Boston.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
I've always tolerated the 49ers
and would normally root for them this year, but that prick Harbaugh presents a conflict I need to overcome.
mleadman - January 16, 2012
Yeah I'm in the same boat.
I have an easy time rooting for Giants in that game anyway just because my dad is a big fan. Normally I wouldn’t mind this 49er team if I didn’t live here. But so many Niner fans here are so obnoxious to deal with even when their team was terrible.
underdog - January 16, 2012
seriously? POS?
We get 4 teams playing great football, and thats POS to you? Yeesh.
nolander - January 16, 2012
Only thing I hate is that the SB is in Indy, weak sauce…. but I think the 2 games this sunday should be solid, I hope.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
apparently, the whole state of IN is pumped about the superbowl.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
right. Its just my opinion that football is meant to be played outdoors, and a big game such as the SB should only be in outdoor stadiums, but oh well.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
so you are also against all New Orleans superbowls?
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I am
I like watching bright outdoor football, not dim indoor dome ball
nolander - January 16, 2012
I wouldn’t mind a snowy New York Super Bowl.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
SB is in NY in 2014 my NYG buddy just told me.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Sometimes, it snows.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
That would be fun
football isn’t sterile, thus domes are an abomination. Or something.
nolander - January 16, 2012
Thus answering the question, what is the difference between football and urine?
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Yes, indoor football blows big chunks
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
it is very different than outdoor football
4 teams left, none of them are dome teams
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
its weird
the packers seem like a total dome team, but play in friggin green bay outdoors
nolander - January 16, 2012
I don’t disagree
just curious if his hatred extended to the dozen or so New Orleans superbowls
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
super bowl sunday at disneyland: empty
myth or reality?
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I’ll never find out
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
[fist bump]
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
Everywhere but grocery and liquor stores empty: reality.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
when i worked at trader joes in culver city
the emptiest day ever was oscar night
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
This is true on so many levels.
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
Depending on who's playing
I might find out for you
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
I dont know, not saying im against anything, and I would be happy with my team playing anywhere for the SB. But I like when the SB, or BCS title game is in CA, or Florida…. maybe Texas.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
where you planning on going?
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
seacrest won't be able to od his red carpet show in the snow
duh
nolander - January 16, 2012
So yeah
I’m excited. Pats and Ravens should be a fun matchup, great passing D vs great passing O. Giants and 49ers are playing D at a very high level, and both can pound the rock. Sounds like fun to me.
nolander - January 16, 2012
FOOTBALL!
nolander - January 16, 2012
Mike is happy
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
i’m rooting for them because of mike
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
I don’t even know which of the four teams he likes
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
giants
nolander - January 16, 2012
what a noob
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
I root for eli for some odd reason
I think its because his skills as a QB tend to be unfairly maligned.
nolander - January 16, 2012
I like Eli and like the Alex Smith redemption saga
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
IIRC, Mad hates Eli because of his draft day BS
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
My good friend Stuart Scott told me
don’t hate the playa, hate the game
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
you need new friends
delias man - January 16, 2012
I didn't draw this but
nolander - January 16, 2012
I used to dislike him for that too
but since then he hasn’t done anything to annoy me, and I love a team with a great D line and good running game, so I guess by association my opinion of him has swayed.
nolander - January 16, 2012
I miss Eli to Plaxico. That was fun to watch.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
besides
you know, being a Manning. (Double stuff oreo commericals?)
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I am on team NFC
Ravens and Patriots can both GFT
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I'll be pulling for the Ravens next week
but go NFC in the super bowl
nolander - January 16, 2012
Agreed
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
1. Patriots
2. Ravens
3. Niners
4. Giants forget where the field is
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Ditto. Agreed. Especially the latter.
underdog - January 16, 2012
screw the giants
screw them and Eli all day long.
Should have been Packers/Patriots or Packers/Ravens in the Super Bowl.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
still think eli is overpaid?
nolander - January 16, 2012
He's still not a top 3 QB
is top paid if i recall
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
he is like 10th
nolander - January 16, 2012
Eli is in the group
Rivers is tottering out of the group
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
When that whole discussion happened didn't Eli just get
the highest QB contract in football?
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
you mean his brother payton?
yes.
nolander - January 16, 2012
he got a fat contract in 2009
but by now most other qbs have gotten raises.
nolander - January 16, 2012
Yeah I’m sure a few have passed him, but at one point he was the highest paid, and especially at that time it was insane.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
he only got 11 million this year
“highest paid” basically means nothing in the NFL.
nolander - January 16, 2012
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2009-08-05/sports/17931362_1_deal-in-nfl-history-franchise-player-tag-eli-manning
At the time he got it i remember all the talk saying he was the highest paid QB in the league because of it. I think that Eli convo happened 1-2 years ago in here.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
look at the breakdown here
I bet you 100 megabucks that by 2014 they restructure his contract, or that by then making 17 million will make him at most the 5th highest paid qb http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/new-york-giants/eli-manning/
nolander - January 16, 2012
Going off average salary for an nfl contract is silly
usually the last year or two are some rediculous number designed to make the contract look bigger then it really is since they player will never get paid that amount that year.
nolander - January 16, 2012
I'm not sure if the signing bonus is considered part of the 35 million guaranteed or not
nolander - January 16, 2012
Honestly I never knew the ins and outs of the contract
I just went off the story that he was the highest paid QB in the league when he wasn’t a top 10 QB at the time. Yes he’s certainly gotten better, but it won’t stop my irrational (though I feel justified) hatred of him.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
how many MLB players
are the best in the league AND the highest paid?
Hi Carlos Lee!
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
er not
THE but “ONE OF THE”
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
And doesn't that suck and you think he shouldn't be? lol
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
I ridiculed the contract at the time
like I did for Zito, Soriano, Wells, Carlos Lee, Zambrano, etc…
Unlike all of these guys though, unfortunately Eli has gotten better.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
how is that unfortunate?
sometimes you overpay early to lock up later (or if you are the dodgers, you underpay early to over pay later)
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Because I hate him
have you not been paying attention :)
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
yes
you were trying to rationalize irrational hate
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Oh most definitely not irrational
He’s knocked my team out the playoffs twice when they were a top 2 NFC team
:)
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
no he only did it once
favre did it the other time
nolander - January 16, 2012
wah wah wahhhhh
At least I got a super bowl win last year :)
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
My TV does not have the channel
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Then Packers should have chosen a different day to suck at catching and holding onto the ball
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
How much did the OC son dying hurt them in this game?? Or was it maybe the bye week layoff that hurt them more? They just didnt seem that into winning this game. Or maybe was just NYG D making it look that way, I dont know.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
My pat answer
How much did the OC son dying hurt them in this game?
Likely none, but either way really doesn’t matter. These things strike me as more coincidence than either inspiration or distraction
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
the OC coordinator didn't make rodgers miss open throws
or cause the recievers to drop 8 balls
nolander - January 16, 2012
exactly
I had a friend try to tell me that the Steelers lost in part due to RB coach setting himself on fire
I told them they lost because they were injured and stupid
I like my theory better
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Yeah I agree… I think it probably has more to do with NYG basically playing in cant lose football games for the past 2 weeks before this game, so they were already at a high level. Packers havent really had a must win game for awhile now, and IMO its hard to flip that switch.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
packers never stopped playing at a high level
they just didn’t show up yesterday
nolander - January 16, 2012
and really you can't blame a 1 week rest
for them looking so poor. Teams coming off a bye during the regular season tend to do just fine.
nolander - January 16, 2012
you cannot fuck with some narratives
facts that should destroy myths that somehow get overlooked
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
it was fun watching Rodgers run
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
He was really impressive with his legs
And it seemed like he really had to be with how passes weren’t being caught or him overthrowing receivers.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Was it someone on here who said something like “Everyone is punishing Rodgers for overthrowing Jennings when he was wide open.” lol
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
I think that is yet another coincidence that often gets cited as causation
there are plenty examples of teams clinching early and playing well and plenty of examples of teams needing to win every game to get in and then shitting the bed in the post season
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
right
everyone was all over the narrative that the year the colts won the super bowl it was because they started poorly and then had to play hard till the last week of the season. Then 2009 happened and they rested for the last 2 and a half weeks, and had a bye and still went to the super bowl.
nolander - January 16, 2012
the need to explain is strong in humans
“Shit happens” doesn’t work for most people
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
heh
I think its mostly because Peyton took a few years to really figure out the 3-4. Once he did everyone else was toast.nolander - January 16, 2012
Embracing “shit happens” is freeing.
David Young - January 16, 2012
it is
really to figure out causation requires a bunch of work, and the memes are usually wrong, so “shit happens” is a nice alternative to the lazy who don’t also want to be stupid
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I keep going between embracing shit happens
and lamenting Jacoby Jones and Albert Hayensworth’s very existences. Ugh
nolander - January 16, 2012
I can't remember watching them do a worse job at holding onto/catching the ball in the last 5 years
3 fumbles (lost all 3) 2 more fumbles I remember seeing that were lost but overturned. Then just countless balls tipped or dropped by GB WRs. I couldn’t believe it.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
“Should have been”
are words I do not understand. The Packers are lucky the game was that close, it could have been even worse
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
yep
they don’t get that gift on the replay tthat game is a blow out at the half
nolander - January 16, 2012
Better team winning and all that. I’m going to be sick to my stomach when the Giants inevitably make it to the Super Bowl and win as an 9-7 team.
Really I blame the Cowboys for failing so hard, lol.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
Where you sick to your stomach last year when the Pack won the SB?
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
at least the giants won their division
nolander - January 16, 2012
you see right through me
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
HITNG
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I think the reason no one takes Eli seriously is because he still wears those ridiculous loose sleeves on his jersey like it’s the 80s.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
Defensive battle would be great in a year of NFL “Arena Football” records. BAL/SF all the way.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
kuroda
I was at that near perfecto/no-no he pitched against the cubs like 2-3 years ago? I blame the lady sitting in front of me calling her daughter about being at a no hitter for ruining it.
hee came hee seop'd he choi'd - January 16, 2012 via mobile
what a bitch
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
braves?
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I was at DS two seasons ago when he took a no-no into the 8th against the Phils. Fucking Victorino broke it up with one out. Closest I’ve ever come to seeing a no hitter.
JB 8 - January 16, 2012
I was there too!
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
My wife’s a trooper but doesn’t know much about the game. After the Victorino hit, I stood for a standing ovation and she couldn’t figure out why. Now she gets the significance. I’ll bring her around.
JB 8 - January 16, 2012
As was I. Looking at the box score, I get reminded that the first two hitters in the Dodger lineup were Podsednik and Theriot – ugh.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Rod Barajas > Roy Halladay.
Was that the first day of the divorce trial? I remember there being some bad/depressing news that day.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
That was both the day of Manny’s departure to Chicago, and the first day of the McCourt divorce trial.
Kuroda, coming up big when we needed a pick-me-up. Yet again.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I was at the Dennis Martinez perfect game against the Dodgers. Standing O by the fans. It was a good game, even though we lost.
iiidown - January 16, 2012
I was at a game in 2010
Padilla had a 5 inning no-hitter against the Cubs. Closest i’ve ever come.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN201007110.shtml
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
Phil
fun Ramona Shelbourne article about one of the potential dodger bidders.
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/7455184/josh-macciello-wants-own-los-angeles-dodgers
Josh Macciello is a 36 year old gold mine owner who says he has the money and passion, but lacks the contacts to get through the MLB vote/pre-approval process alone.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
That guy is a fucking tool.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I’m confused.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
he has no fucking chance.
delias man - January 16, 2012
Did you know
Pasadena claims to have invented the Cheeseburger, and is holding a competition for best cheeseburger this week as part of Cheeseburger week?
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
I’ll tell you what I did know.
I knew this was a Josie story before I ever got to your name
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
is it just something in my sentence construction that puts my voice in your head before you know it’s me?
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Josie, for Clips
http://twitter.com/isaaclowenkron/statuses/158987849964859392
Paul, Mo out today
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
cool, working on the probable starter article now
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
also, I read over the Clips “how to request a credential” rules. Archaic
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Funny, because I thought it was silverwidow at first.
David Young - January 16, 2012
I can’t believe that a) it wasn’t him b) he hasn’t commented about it yet c) delias man hasn’t said how stupid this is.
:)
keithc13 - January 16, 2012
was not that intrigued to comment
delias man - January 16, 2012
I can, as it’s not about fast food and entirely about history and civic pride : )
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Cheeseburger? The Rite Spot seems like the fast food of its day.
David Young - January 16, 2012
thanks captain semantics
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
chains
you needed the word “chains” somewhere in there I think
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
piss off, silverwidow can’t match my syntax
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
and it would have been
“pasadena is the egg mcmuffin of cheeseburgers”
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
So it’s shitty, cheap and easy?
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
why we gotta bring the girls I dated in high school into this?
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Poor advertising brings out the worst in me. I apologize………………………
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
What
you don’t think it’s an awesome line of thinking that since you are genius enough to buy cheap food that you are smart enough to do other shit?
:)
Mcdonalds commercials are idiotic
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
And Subways are a lot worse. Please stop trying to invent new “hip” word. The food sells itself.
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
Those are pretty bad
Geico’s gecko commercials are the worst, they just aren’t funny or interesting. At least the non-gecko ones are funny sometimes.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
It’s a perfectly cromulent word
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
Yes I did
and I knew the location too. It is now a restaurant called Stoney Point
mleadman - January 16, 2012
the Stoney Point is built on top of The Rite Spot?
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
where The Rite Spot was 100 years ago
mleadman - January 16, 2012
I ate at the Stoney Point on New Year’s Eve. Pretty great.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Last time I ate there
they told us the souffle machine was broken. The fuck is a soufle machine?
mleadman - January 16, 2012
an oven?
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
the french dude broke his wrist
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I had a blind date at Stoney Point once, many years ago (obviously)
As I recall the food was good. The girl had a huge chip on her shoulder though.
David Young - January 16, 2012
most of your ladies
had huge something else not on her shoulder?
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Salt and vinegar?
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
and water
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
One of these guys
David Young - January 16, 2012
Dave's Date
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
James West
had a tighter ass than she did.
David Young - January 16, 2012
did she
dare you?
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Like Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids.
/not really
David Young - January 16, 2012
Cue John Belushi
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
no Coke, Pepsi
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Two wild and crazy guys from………..
Grimjack - January 16, 2012
Ultra cool in downtown LA
Bottega Louie
Food very good
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
ate there a few times. i like it.
delias man - January 16, 2012
my wife really likes that place
and Huell Howser had an episode about it too
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I went after Laker game – scene was packed
great time
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Heard it was good
mleadman - January 16, 2012
small plates were the best
Pizza ok – better than most, but just ok
small plates rocked. White beans with Sausage, Polenta with ’shrooms, shaved brussel sprouts, and maybe my favorite brocollini with garlic and red chillies. All were fantastic.
wine list was small yet fairly priced with good selections
Went big and had a great Borolo
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
did pork chops with sweet potato pancackes last time
delias man - January 16, 2012
Another QB that everyone hates but I find hilarious
Jay Cutler
nolander - January 16, 2012
I hate him but find him hilarious. So, both.
underdog - January 16, 2012
The “I’m better than Elway” thing turned me off to him for good. Elway is a HOF, you aren’t even top 2 in your division.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Dioner Navarro got a minor league deal with a spring training invitation with the Reds.
Padilla’s deal with the Red Sox is also a minor league deal, with a salary of $1.5 million in the majors.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
Why exactly could we have not given him that deal?
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
I’m assuming you are talking about Padilla. Probably because of his injury history and they simply didn’t want him back
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
They may think he’s done. He might be.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Yeah, but a minor league deal?
Not much risk there.
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
Padilla was refusing requests to button his shirt one or two holes higher. Malcontent.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Navarro gets $800,000 if in the majors, per Heyman, plus up to $200,000 in incentives.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I wonder if Walt Jocketty outlooks on philosophy are better aligned with Splash’s.
David Young - January 16, 2012
once Braun gets suspended, if Navarro strolls into the clubhouse whistling in celebration, he will make the team.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
Arbitration settlements
Any thoughts on percentage chances that Dodgers settle their three cases either before tomorrow’s deadline or hearing date? I’m thinking Loney and Kershaw get settled for sure, with Eithier going to a hearing.
JB 8 - January 16, 2012
I expect all three to be settled in the next day or so.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
and if they could wait until later this evening to get those deals done, I would appreciate it, as I have some work still to do at the office. :)
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
this is why you have a girl Friday : )
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
I figured you had Ned on speed dial and could make that happen. :)
JB 8 - January 16, 2012
Seriously? I expect the opposite (i.e. tough cases with all three). Perhaps settlements closer to the hearing.
silverwidow - January 16, 2012
Eric wrote earlier that the Dodgers haven’t gone to a arb hearing since 2007. SSS, but it seems like the best odds are they all settle before it gets to the arb board.
David Young - January 16, 2012
It just seems that Eithier can be so quirky sometimes that they may not come to an agreement. Nothing more than a hunch, plus no Kim Ng.
JB 8 - January 16, 2012
“plus no Kim Ng” was EXACTLY what I was thinking
VeroJoe - January 16, 2012
She’s not the only good negotiator in the world.
David Young - January 16, 2012
It did get down to the last minute with him before.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Over at ESPN
they rank the NL West by position based on starters. They have the Dodgers above second to last only at SS, CF, RF, 4 of the SP spots, and overall bullpen. I think I would rank Ethier over Cuddyer though.
David Young - January 16, 2012
I wish they had ranked Ethier 10th out of 5. Totally, mercilessly, bash the guy. Dude needs a chip to play hard, so be it.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
and a bottle of Paul Mitchell to keep those curls in check
VeroJoe - January 16, 2012
He’s gonna need Propecia more pretty soon.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Paul got traded and Mitchell won’t make the team.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Huh, we rank 1st at 3 of the SP spots.
Interesting.
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
he said literally nothing about Kershaw despite ranking him first in SP
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Well, he didn't have to
He won the Cy Young.
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
Don’t have to defend putting the Cy Young winner first.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Most teams don’t have a very good 4th or 5th starter. We at least have guys who have at some point had success.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
I don't know enough about the other 5th starters to say this for sure
But i feel like harang is gonna suck enough to not end up more than the 3rd best in the division.
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
5th starters
Hard to pin down who they are in our division, but they are of the likes of….
Zito – SF
Pomeranz – COL
Miley – ARI
Volquez – SD
Harang – LAN
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
He went with
He really hedged with the Rockies, having White/Pomeranz as the No. 4 starter.
David Young - January 16, 2012
BUT HOW DOES GUILERMO MOSCOSO CHANGE THE MATH?
regfairfield - January 16, 2012
wonder why he didnt rank bench?
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
The Reds haven’t been in the West since there were only two divisions and Bench retired awhile back.
David Young - January 16, 2012
we dont know what the benches look like today
delias man - January 16, 2012
GFY
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
It was weird to see that in the list of shortstops.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Interesting comment on Jansen being the No. 1 closer if he gets that role. Agree on Eithier over Cuddyer. I know I am probably higher on Ellis than most, but I would have him higher on this list I think, maybe as high as 2.
He likes the back end of the rotation pretty well, too.
JB 8 - January 16, 2012
I do agree with his conclusion that this division could go almost any way.
Even though our team is a lot of meh, there’s still enough interesting prospects/youngsters down there in Webster, Withrow, Rubby, Eo, Sands, Castle, Tolleson, Fed, etc, etc that this team could see a turnaround and make it exciting for us.
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
Humma’s First Law. Anything can happen, but it won’t.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
you’re an arrogant prick if you’re going to try to rank intangibles.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
haha I was just thinking how to you rank intangibles.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Isnt the Dodgers getting a new owner, probably new GM, and most likely the ability to make a major aquisition during the season an intangible? If so we should be higher then 5th…
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Also I dont think im ready to say its a sure thing Gibson gets the most out of his players in 2012 just because he did in 2011…. maybe he does, but I wouldnt just assume so, yet.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
i think its more lazy then anything else
nolander - January 16, 2012
should have just left it off
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
but then he might have to come up with better reasons
and that takes effort
nolander - January 16, 2012
The dumbest part
Is that he uses tangible evidence as part of the so called “intangibles”
“and while their offense doesn’t appear great, guys like Cabrera, Pagan and an improved Belt could provide big upgrades over 2011.”
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
The more I think about it, the more Cuddyer over Ethier is ridiculous.
Cuddyer: 111 career OPS+, last 3 years hit .276 / .341 / .465 / .806, 117 OPS+, age 33 season in 2012
Ethier: 123, last 3 years .284 / .364 / .477 / .841, 128 OPS+, age 30
David Young - January 16, 2012
You know
Hawkeye, Gopher, Hoosier, Wolverine, Buckeye…these are all familiar state nicknames, all of which were adopted by the state university.
Less familar early nicknames include the Sucker State, the Puke Sate, and the Greaser State
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Radar State?
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Article above made me want to throw down a prediction
Kershaw: 2.50 ERA/220 IP
Billingsley: 3.80 ERA/190 IP
Ethier: .270/.350/.475/.825
Kemp: .300/.375/.525/.900
Loney: .280/.340/.475/.815
Rivera: .270/.320/.400/.720
Guerra starts off shaky, gets better, but blows 4 saves in May and flip-flops roles with Jansen.
Harang: Arm falls off after two supbar 4.50 ERA months, Eovaldi: 4.00 ERA/120 IP
Kennedy gets injured in spring training and never stays on the active roster for more than a month.
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
Others
Lilly: 3.90/160 IP
Capuano: 4.10/160 IP
Rubby: 3.40/50 IP
Uribe: .250/.315/.400/.715
Gordon: .280/.320/.360/.680
Taylor Maricle - January 16, 2012
3 minute video
of the prospects from the minicamp visiting “A Place Called Home.”
Observations: Griff and Fife seem like good dudes, and Webster looks like he’s 14.
silverwidow - January 16, 2012
I am working on a monster Kuroda fan post
I’m still in the 2008 playoffs and i’m 1,100 words in. lol
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
tl;dr
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
You may want to edit that down a bit.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Hiroki Kuroda: was pretty good but the most notable thing he did was get hit in the face with a baseball.
regfairfield - January 16, 2012
oh and that one time
he dressed as a pimp
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
Kuroda pitched the clinching game of the first series win in 20 years for the Dodgers, go the only win against the phillies in 2008, and also helped Manny carry the team down the stretch in 2008. Just 2008 alone Kuroda was badass
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
hey hey
he threw at Victirino!
nolander - January 16, 2012
December 12, 2009: Today: Hiroki Kuroda ate a tuna sandwich. This man is a warrior.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
I LOVE tuna sandies
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
age 5-24: mayo, dill pickles, tuna, original doritos on white
age 25: grey poupon, mayo, diced dill pickles and celery, tuna on wheat.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Add mustard, onions
gouda cheese and jalapenos to that
mleadman - January 16, 2012
also
has your season started already? i need someone to play catch with on the weekends.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
it has – but I might be off this weekend
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I'm curious
Cortisone (a flesh-eating steroid) shots to the wrist before every game so one can play better (or at all) make one person “courageous” and “tough”, while taking steroids like HGH to recovery from injuries faster, or simply to play better (or at all) make you a cheater and a plague on your psort. Is it just the difference between baseball and other sports? Is it because people have a set expectation and image of Kobe as a tough competitor who will do anything to play and to win and this is just one more example of that? I don’t get it, why is one PED-user a hero and another a cheat?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
If he was healthy would cortisone make him a better player?
nolander - January 16, 2012
to the extent that loading up on ibuprofen would let a reliever pitch everyday, thus increasing performance.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
I like 4 advils on Sunday morning
I am sure I run faster and throw harder because of it
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
i'm in the same boat
it certainly increases my performance. Not because it builds any muscle between 9am and 10am, but because i get sore later that night, rather than in the 4th inning.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
You should try an experiment. Over a year’s time, have Mrs. Joe substitute placebos for the ibuprofen for 12 different random weeks. Record how felt each Sunday. At the end of the year, see if there is a correlation or not.
David Young - January 16, 2012
Anabolic steriods (that boost testosterone) and corticosteroids (cortisone, an anti-inflammatory) are different things.
David Young - January 16, 2012
(such as cortisone…)
David Young - January 16, 2012
True
but just allowing someone to play without (or with less) discomfort/pain is increasing their performance.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
let's make this simple
One steroid is accepted as business as usual and one isn’t. Also though no direct connection can be made to PEDs, the performances of 39* years olds Bonds, Sosa , McGwire and Clemens gave “evidence” that something was amiss.
If you are looking for a logical or fair reason, you won’t find one.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
one
Is a banned substance and one isn’t. Also players being shot up is certainly not new and being numbed up to play vs taking something to gain an edge are two different things.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
I get what gary is driving at though
HGH would be greatly beneficial to helping players recover faster would it not? But how can you draw the line and say, hey he is just taking it to recover from injury, but that other guy was using it to cheat.
nolander - January 16, 2012
Right
if breaking the rules kept you out of the hall of fame, there wouldn’t be a hall of fame. It’s an issue of principle for the BBWAA writers/voters, so why is taking one steroid to get back on/stay on the field okay, and one isn’t? it can’t just be about the rules, can it? It has to be about some sort of injustice that is damaging to the game and/or our sensibilities.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
The simplest answer and maybe pedantic, is because cortisone isn’t outlawed by the sport. HGH is. If you break the rules you are cheating.
nolander - January 16, 2012
Ive actually thought about this too…. but im probably one of the few that dont mind PEDs.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
There is a big perception difference between using something to heal and using something to build muscle mass.
David Young - January 16, 2012
what about if you are born with shitty eyesight and you use lasik to see better?
or you are born with perfect eyesight and you use lasik to see even better than that?
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
does lasik shrink your testicles?
nolander - January 16, 2012
I don’t think the BBWAA measures testicle size when voting.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Some do with regard to Jack Morris.
David Young - January 16, 2012
thats not the point
I don’t like steroids because they are harmful to your body, and once one group of players starts doing it everyone else is pressured to do it to keep up.
nolander - January 16, 2012
Absolutely true. Prolongued anti-inflammatory usage can damage your kidneys, does that count?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
I dont see how thats our problem though. They know what they are getting into, if they feel shrunk balls is worth it, who am I to say no??
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I want to watch baseball without other people having to ruin their bodies for my enjoyment
I know its not 100 percent possible, but I have something called empathy and I think of the players as more then just hunks of meat playing a game for my enjoyment.
nolander - January 16, 2012
man cannot live on OPS+ alone
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
and then you go
and watch football
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
I'm not against attempts to reduce helmet to helmet blows
I am against the unfair and inconsestent way it is currently being enforced.
nolander - January 16, 2012
See, I dont have that. These players dont give a shit about you or me, but im suppose to care about them??
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
empathy
nolander - January 16, 2012
They didn’t give a shit so much that a bunch of Dodger players came back out onto the DS field with champagne bottle to spray the fans and celebrate with them. Packers Lambeau Leap because they don’t give a shit about the fans.
There are certainly those that don’t seem to give a shit (Kevin Brown), but a lot of players at least like to be liked. If nothing else, they might get paid a bit more for being likeable as well as good and putting even more butts in seats.
David Young - January 16, 2012
I wouldnt take it too literal, but I just dont have any feelings torwards people I dont know personally. Matt Kemp isnt at home right now thinking “I wonder if David Young will be able to pay his bills this month” or “I would sure hate to see David Young’s balls shrink over doing roids to play better for TBLA”. I meant more they have no clue who we are but im suppose to feel bad if they chose to do HGH/roids because of the healthy issues it may cause?? They knew exactly what they are getting into and obviously feel the reward is worth alot more then the risk to them. However as far as other players who dont want to do it but are forced to, to compete. Yeah thats a good point, not really sure what to say about that.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I try to remember how lucky I am
And on this day, I am reminded of the great Jackie Robinson quote “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
That quote hangs in the Dodgers clubhouse.
Right above the whiteboard that says “no fat chicks”
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
The whiteboard does not say this.
Probably.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
there are three whiteboards, stacked one on the other. The top one says “Visitors Please See Attendant Before Entering”. The middle one says “no fat chicks”. The third says “no really, no fat chicks”
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
some hitters
could use a slumpbuster or twelve during the season…
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
So you wouldn’t do things that help people that you don’t know, like raise money to help the poor?
David Young - January 16, 2012
I havent done anything like that, but yes I would….
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Why?
You “dont have any feelings torwards people I dont know personally.”
David Young - January 16, 2012
well, I guess its grey area… obviously I see someone killed on the news, im sad… I see kids lose a father or mother, or vice versa, im sad, even if I dont know them.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I’m just going to say as far as sports goes, I do see players as here for my entertainment and dont feel any more or less attachment to them other then that.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I guess it comes down to situations like the 2011 MVP. We all want our team to win, but when we lose and the winner cheated, don’t you wish they were playing on a level playing surface? Would you rather your guys cheated to keep up or the other guys have to play fairly so we truly know who is better?
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
What about the ones that don’t think it is worth it? Do they end up forced to risk it in order to keep up with the rest of the league?
David Young - January 16, 2012
And corrective contacts are probably an equally, though less convenient, alternative for the competitors that don’t want to take the risks of laser eye surgery.
David Young - January 16, 2012
it certainly gets blurry at a different points on the chart
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Another good reason to wear shower shoes. Cortisone is contraindicated if you have a fungal infection.
David Young - January 16, 2012
don't get me started
PED inconsistencies is the tip of the bullshit iceberg
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Publc Perception
It could also be that the lack of physical contact in baseball does not lend itself to public sympathy the way football and basketball do? Football’s violence typically leads the public to look the other way in terms of PEDs. Though not nearly as violent as football, basketball is a very physical sport that most have played growing up. While millions of kids play baseball, the injuries are typically of the “wear and tear” variety, and most have not played enough games at a high enough level to truly know how is excruciating it could be to pour a cup of coffee the day after a game. Now, if pitchers were getting injured because they had to tackle hitters before they reach first-base, the public would probably be okay with them taking PEDs to heal up for the next game. I don’t know where I’m going with this. I thought I had a point when I started writing, but I think I’ll just shut up now.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
what a nice day
Today I ran some errands, practiced yoga and had a nice pork ramen lunch with Marty and Maddz.
Love sunny but brisk days.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
If anyone wants to read a tribute to Kuroda
http://www.truebluela.com/2012/1/16/2711823/why-hiroki-kuroda-is-a-dodger-hall-of-fan-fame
I had an idea a couple of weeks ago that people in here should write fan posts about players who weren’t necessarily Hall of Fame or perennial All-Star talents, but who have done enough to make a difference in the history of the Dodgers.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
I know it’s really long, and if people would actually consider reading it if shorter I’ll see about taking some stuff out.
Some how I’ve had one of my more productive days in a while today while writing this at work.
Ivdown - January 16, 2012
No Paul, No Williams
Clippers beat Nets by 10 anyway.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Seats pretty comfy on the bandwagon?
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I've always sorta almost rooted for the clippers!
except the part where I don’t really like basketball
nolander - January 16, 2012
I don't like basketball either.
I love the Lakers and I love my Bruins, but I’d rather watch Animal Planet than watch an NBA or NCAA game that doesn’t involve my teams.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
FWIW, I’m also still interested in the Lakers doing well. I’m not all WOOOOOOO GO CLIPPERS SUK IT LAKERS YOU SUCK.
I just find these Clippers fun to watch and am happy they’re not a punching bag for the NBA anymore.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
according to NBA media tweets they kept saying Deron didnt show up to play at all…. guess he is trying to play his way out of NJ….
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
They can just leave him here for us, take Gasol with them to NJ if they’d like.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
Hate to thread-jack
but is it just me or do Bynum and Pau have a hard time fighting for position? So much is made of Kobe jacking up shots, but our bigs just don’t seem committed to establishing position.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
i’ve seen kobe and the guards given shit lately for not using the bigs, and even when they do get the ball it’s in the wrong spots. I too think this is more about their ability to get to their spots than kobe somehow needing to force them the ball. I’d rather see kobe shoot 50% on 28 shots than give Pau or Bynum the ball at the elbow a dozen times.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Exactly
The Lakers are still learning the offense after being stuck in Triangle mode for the past decade.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
rumor going around today that Kobe is doing this to recruit Howard. Howard had concerns about Kobe’s age, and so people think this is Kobe showing Howard I still got it… I dont buy it at all though.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
I think NBA players know how to get into position to score from a young age.
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
Insert Wilt/Shawn Kemp joke here
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
There was certainly inserting going on
with those two.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
James Worthy liked to post a double-double in Houston.
David Young - January 16, 2012
and on his way to the LAKERS!!!
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
Amazing
I can’t think of a good player in MLB who, if they purposely faked injuries or played poorly to force a trade, that I’d actively root for him to be on my team.
Oh wait, Manny happened.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
So did Gary Sheffield.
David Young - January 16, 2012
I didn’t get a chance to hope he was on our team because to me the trade just kind of happened.
Also, I didn’t know Sheff was a prick until much later.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
NBA is different… players play their way off teams all the time… but the give max effort once they know they can do something as a team. Not saying I like it, but thats how it goes.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
yay basketball!
nolander - January 16, 2012
shouldnt have said all the time… but just meant it happens.
uschris0304 - January 16, 2012
same reason i hate NFL players who have a contract and then holdout before that contract is over to get more money.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
The NBA is the premier ME-Sport in the world other than individual sports. An NBA teamis like having 12 wide receivers on your roster.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
Would really love DWill on the Lakers
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012 via iPhone app
Over at
Dodger Thoughts, Jon noted several ex-Dodger draftees high on the BA list of college players for the next draft:
David Young - January 16, 2012
so we really should try to sign the guys with the draft picks they use. I realize we can’t give a 45th rounder 1st round money, nor can we convicne them to sign in lieu of college and potential draft status, but considering a 5-10th rounder gets smewhere between 50-100k to sign, and a 45th rounder gets $500 bucks and a handshake, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to hand these guys 75k and the promise to pay for schooling later to keep them from being someone else’s lottery pick later.
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
They have to be willing to sign for that, too. I would bet none of those guys would have signed for anything close to $75,000 out of high school.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
And now with
The new CBA, any bonus over $100K counts against your assigned draft bonus pool regardless of where you were drafted.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012
Vincent Catricala
Wish we could get Catricala to play 3B for us (down the line). He’s one of the best hitters in the minors and nobody knows about him.
silverwidow - January 16, 2012
Never heard of him, but when I looked him up I noticed that Baseball-Reference now has minor league service time listed, at least in whole years. That’s kind of cool.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
From BA chat on 9/7/2011
Moe (New York): Hey Jim, I have a question about a lesser known prospect: Vincent Catricala. The guy had a RIDICULOUS season hitting .351 in high A then .347 in Double A with a lot of pop and good SB:CS ratio. The only thing is even after he proved it in Double A I don’t hear anything about him. Is he a prospect? What are scouts saying about his hit / power tools and what defensive position would he be most apt to play? Thanks Jim!
Jim Callis: Catricala’s numbers are a lot better than his tools, though hats off to him for having the .349/.421/.601 season he did. He’s an all-bat guy who belongs at first base, and scouts aren’t sold he has the bat speed to produce on an everyday basis in the big leagues.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012
I like that he's a paisano
Otherwise, never heard of him
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
Born in Maui, bet Chad knows about him. :o
David Young - January 16, 2012
Played LF as much as 3B in AA in a half-season last year. Guessing that’s not a good sign about his defensive viability at the hot corner.
David Young - January 16, 2012
the new Ryan Braun
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
He’s having unprotected sex with lots of Annies?
David Young - January 16, 2012
Just watched the UFC fights from Saturday. Pretty good card, but not much relevance in the bigger scheme of things outside of Aldo-Mendes and maybe Vitor-Rumble.
fbihop - January 16, 2012
I saw the one knockout kick to the head early. That was pretty sweet.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
Yeah, that was one of the best knockouts I’ve ever seen.
fbihop - January 16, 2012
From MLBTR - no comment needed
Giants Avoid Arbitration With Angel Pagan
By Mike Axisa
The Giants and Angel Pagan have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $4.85MM, reports The Associated Press (via ESPN). He can earn an additional $50K each for 550, 600, and 650 plate appearances. MLBTR’s Matt Swartz projected the Legacy Sports Group client to earn $4.7MM next season.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012
Would you drop $1,000 on a watch you had never seen in person?
Remember how I wanted to spend $500 on a watch? And remember that “$500” watch I posted a couple of days ago?
Well, turns out the watch I found isn’t $500. It’s more like $750 from web discounters. But I talked myself into it. I said, “You know, Humma, you never spend money on yourself. Just do it. You’ll love it. Go see it so you can see it in person, make sure it’s what you want, know what size to get, then get it.”
Well, it turns out that the web discounters aren’t authorized dealers, so you don’t get the manufacturer’s warranty. Seems like a bad idea. Maybe better to buy from an authorized dealer. They will want more money for it.
So I go to the authorized dealer. He doesn’t carry the watch. Only special order. So I have to decide, sight unseen, which size I want (when size is a big factor for me and my tiny wrist), and the price he wants (no returns, it’s a special order) is $1,000.
Would you do that? Am I just being too conservative here? I know it’s a good watch — the brand is very good — but………
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
no
I would not
nolander - January 16, 2012
something that looks great in a picture can look totally different in person
nolander - January 16, 2012
I wouldn’t spend $1,000 on a watch if it was my best friend since kindergarten.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I am in the wrong demographic here though, so I recuse myself.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
i would spend
$1,000 on incredible food but a watch? no.
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
If i'm spending a grand
its not on something as fleeting as my next bowl movement
nolander - January 16, 2012
I spent $1,000 on food earlier this year. It is the most memorable meal I’ll ever eat in my life, a truly special night. No regrets, really glad I did that.
Huh. When you look at it like that, spending $1,000 on a watch that I can enjoy for 40 or 50 years and then give to my grandson someday doesn’t seem like a big deal….
Hmm. Makes me wonder why I am bickering with myself over the matter of $500.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
you cant see it
you cant test it. if you drop a k… and then it doesnt fit. you better hope your grandson has thicker wrists and gets here quick.
mintxcore - January 16, 2012
because you have never seen the darn thing in person
spending the grand makes sense to me, this is a long term investment. Doing it sight unseen though, doesn’t.
nolander - January 16, 2012
Go for it - but see it first
I don’t have a problem with the $1,000 – I think for somethings it pays to buy quality. I have a pair of dress shoes that are 18 years old, I paid $500 bucks for them 18 years ago. Do the math, quality is a bargain.
That said, I’m obsessive and would likely do the leg work on put that sucker on my wrist before I bought it.
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Oh, of course — I gotta see the thing first. But I think I have talked myself into the price.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Price isn't the issue
Who cares what it costs if its what you want. But a no see it before, no return policy is a deal breaker for me
mleadman - January 16, 2012
strangely enough - when I was a single man
I had the same policy with hookers
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
Im sure they responded well to being asked if you could see under the hood before you buy. :D
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
Go for it
Completely different but my last car through a broker. So he found the car at the price and he was picking it up from the dealer. I had fill out the paperwork and fax it back to him. The next morning, my car was my font door.
The no returns worries me though.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012
Another difference
Had you test-driven that make of car at a dealership before telling your broker what you wanted? I mean, I assume that you relied on the broker to get the specific accessories/color/fine tuning that you were looking for, but that you had already seen and driven another version of the car, right?
I have never seen the watch in real life. I was ready for the special order — ie not seeing my specific watch before plunking down the money — but not for not ever seeing anything like it.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Not that I would ever root for anything negative to happen to you, Humma, but let’s consider this a $1,000 investment toward you eventually taking over for David Horowitz as television’s most tenacious consumer reporter. Your show’s name: “Watch Out.”
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
Not to mention that high end watches are one more thing about which prices are negotiable. Cars, mattresses, watches. You walk into the store, you see the price tag, and then he says, “Yes, $1,200, but for you, $1,000.”
Fuck that shit. I am bad at it and always, always feel like I’m getting ripped off, whether I am getting ripped off or not. Tell me how much it fucking costs, and I will decide if I want to pay that price.
When I run the world that shit will be outlawed.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Watch Out!™
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
Rolex takes a dim view of this – a Rolex dealer that bargains can have the privileged of selling the watches revoked
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I
Had driven a Prius about 3 years before but not the model I needed up buying. But of course I had seen them.
bhsportsguy - January 16, 2012
The real question is, did the authorized dealer open both sides of his oversized leather jacket to show you his inventory in stock, or just one side?
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
what are you buying stranger?
nolander - January 16, 2012
He buzzed open both sides of the locked front door when I rang. And I almost yielded my place in line to a very big Hollywood big shot. But he yielded to me instead.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
why don’t you just get a Longiness? Also expensive, but at least you could walk in and try it on
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
a what now?
nolander - January 16, 2012
Longines, they used to sponsor the clocks in a lot of stadiums.
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
nobody is going to notice their watches if they keep getting such attractive models
nolander - January 16, 2012
I like Longines but they are even more expensive than the watch I’m looking at.
That is my problem. Everything is being made big now. I have a tiny wrist so I can only go up to 38mm, and I’m into retro styling, and the watch makers who are into that are at a price point higher than I’m willing to go.
That is a gorgeous watch. At 39mm, I could make it work. It is $2,200 from the web discounters (no warranty).
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
classy
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
it is a very sexy watch
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
This is my $1,000 watch
Oris Big Crown Pointer Date.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
that’s much more stately, less sexy
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Well, I like it. I think. Have to see it in person!
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
can’t really go wrong there. I just printed it and taped it to my wrist, Nice bleeping watch
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
If it's a trusted watch-maker
You can go test-drive the watch model at a jeweler. Just make sure the model number match up.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
That is my problem. It is only available from authorized dealers. My local authorized dealer does not carry this particular model. So now I have to call around to a ton of authorized dealers to find it, and test drive it. And then I have to talk myself into spending twice as much as I’d originally planned.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
I think the extra legwork finding an authorized dealer, settling the matter in your heart with the watch in hand, then saving money through the online distributor will be well worth it. Dropping a grand on accessories just isn’t the laissez faire activity it used to be.
ishXdavid - January 16, 2012
Bill Singer
Was a heck of a pitcher before he got hurt,better than Sutton. No hitter, 20 wins etc. 2 bad years after comeback hurt overall numbers a lot like Hershiser.
David Dapper - January 16, 2012
His numbers from '67 - '70 are quite good
Too bad in 3.5 season he accumulated 882 IP, including 315 in ’69.
David Young - January 16, 2012
since it was so hotly debated yesterday, from the mouth of kubiak himself
http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-2/Quotes-Monday-press-conferenceopen-locker/fbe08f88-09c7-40cf-8aae-ac77b40534da
nolander - January 16, 2012
and addressing the hail mary on 4th and 2
nolander - January 16, 2012
this one is for chris
nolander - January 16, 2012
Jason Kidd this season
13 of 35 on three-pointers (37.1%)
1 of 6 on two-pointers (16.7%)
9 games. A total of 6 two-point field goal attempts
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
I am wearing progressive lenses for the first time
these suck
getting old sucks
I heard rumor of a testosterone and HGH cocktail that in addition to making you fit and yoked, also improves eye sight
I am close to going full Sammy Sosa
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
the old people commercials keep touting testosterone replacement as a way to get youth and vitality back
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
my progressives
are 7 levels, different prescription in each eye after cataract surgery in both.
mleadman - January 16, 2012
is it normal to hate them the moment you put them on?
fuzzy shit man
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I'm never a bellweather for normality
I loved mine the first time I put them on
mleadman - January 16, 2012
no figuring you Marty
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
I was a teenager when my dad got progressives. He hated them for months. But then he got to love them.
That day is coming for me. I have also been told by the retina specialist that the cataract surgery day is coming for my. I am thirty-seven years old. Fucking hell.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
I was 39 and 41 when I had mine
mleadman - January 16, 2012
I have a huge floater in my right eye. If I shut my left eye, I cannot read. This can be solved by draining the fluid from my right eye and replacing it with a synthetic fluid. This will result in a series of cataract surgeries for the rest of my life. Or I can live with the floater.
Right now, I am living with the floater, but the day may come when, say, I fail a vision test, and when that day comes…………….
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
In other words
you decided to float on?
David Young - January 16, 2012
Well, I am wearing powder blue right now.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Or
You know this won’t work forever, so it’s a folly floater?
David Young - January 16, 2012
… forever, but you can still see your kid now, so …
David Young - January 16, 2012
A folly floater would be disturbing.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Yes. I hated progressives. Tried them out for a month once. I wear bifocals instead, and like them.
berkowit28 - January 16, 2012
Try playing softball with them. Makes catching a line drive near your head lots of fun.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
Russell Westbrook
love his game
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
a very smart man
thinks he is destined for Forum Purple and Gold
Hollywood Joe - January 16, 2012
who is this man?
and where can i subscribe to his newsletter?
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
I think that’s the GScott Gazette
G.Scott - January 16, 2012
Hollywood Joe
thanks for the rec’s on the Pugliese wines. I bought the Sangiovese for 4 bucks and the Salice for 6, they are both full-bodied and went well with my homemade soppressata and bufala mozzarella!
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
Ryan Ludwick
to the Reds
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
one year plus an option, says Rosenthal. I forgot Ludwick was a FA
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
must be jumping for joy
gets to go from Petco to GAB
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
He couldn’t even OPS .700 on the road last year, dude is donezo.
regfairfield - January 16, 2012
Nice pickup
No clue on price, but odds are he came pretty cheap after the last couple years. Should do well in Cinci.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
2.5 mil
with another $500K in incentives
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
standing O for Odom
who says Laker fans have no class?
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
They were throwing skittles on the floor
:)
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
did they?
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
in his dreams!
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
Kobe is not
getting #40 points tonight.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
nope
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
Famous last words! :)
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
haha, true. The team won’t hit 40 points for the first half either.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
Gonna be close
need 3 points in 1:16. Probably make it.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
LAL 39-35
reminds me of the 49ers/Saints game. :)
Hope Kobe gets 40+ but it will be a long road to hoe and Kobe loves his hoes.
Xeifrank - January 16, 2012
Hoeing roads is fruitless. Rows on the other hand…. ;-)
David Young - January 16, 2012
matt barnes would have been a perfect character
on Welcome Back Kotter.
Joey Joe - January 16, 2012
22 years ago Clipper fans had their heart broken but it ended up working out for the Lakers and Bulls
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
No idea what this means. Did Danny Manning get hurt in 1990?
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
i was 5
whatchoo talking bout Willis?
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
Ron Harper?
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
ah the Danny Ferry deal
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
how did that work out for the Lakers and Bulls
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Rings
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
nope, needs more fleshing out
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Cue Christina Hendricks
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
If the brilliant Ronny Harper does not blow out his knee he goes on to have a brilliant leading man Clipper career instead of simply becoming a brilliant side man for multiple title teams.
Phil Gurnee - January 16, 2012
Ron Harper, Loy Vaught, Danny Manning, Gary Grant. The Clippers almost had something there.
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
instead, two 500 years and then caputski
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
matt barnes
he’s gotta be the dirtiest player on the Lakers since Kurt Rambis
Joey Joe - January 16, 2012
At least until this guy suits up
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
Rodman?
David Young - January 16, 2012
Hey Joe
How were those seats at Clippers-Lakers the other night?
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
This is a combo I wouldn't have thought of
There is a new food truck out there that specializes in Belgian waffles and french fries.
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
Sure. Just like in Belgium. Make sure you get the mayonnaise on the fries.
NB: I hate mayonnaise, but when in Bruges… and I gotta say, I don’t know what they put in their mayonnaise, but it was good.
Humma Kavula - January 16, 2012
In Amsterdam, there were fries stands everywhere with a chunk of mayo and ketchup on top of the fries. Good stuff when mixed
Julio Nievas - January 16, 2012
I made fun of
Homeland winning Best Drama last night, and I still believe they should give cable series and broadcast tv series different categories, but now that I’m watching Homeland, it’s really damn good
Josie Becker - January 16, 2012
Wow this Laker game
is seriously ugly to watch.
EMDarrow - January 16, 2012
7 points
in the 3rd q.
Joey Joe - January 16, 2012
Heyman tweet
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
Is he a cinnamon-flavored treat or chocolate?
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
sounds a rugelach to me
yum.
JLS23 - January 16, 2012
Yeah, he's a hottie
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
i was referring to the delicious ethnic treat. thanks for killing my appetite
/wedding diet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugelach
JLS23 - January 16, 2012
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION AT STAPLES
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
Well, I'm officially moving to enemy territory in June... damn
JLS23 - January 16, 2012
By the way, a friend of mine says his Dad just sold his house to Jaime Jarrin in SD
had no idea how rich this dude was, cause I assume Jaime’s doing pretty well for himself.
JLS23 - January 16, 2012
sweet
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
FISHYRIM!!!!
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
Derek Fisher’s still got it.
Pure Azure - January 16, 2012
Hell of a fourth quarter from Fisher
Eric Stephen - January 16, 2012
messy game, but came out on top
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
Carter hurt himself
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
hahahaha
Julio Nievas - January 16, 2012
underdog?
was that our underdog?
Tommy Blackjack - January 16, 2012
no arb for Andre
Agrees to one year deal for 10.95 mil
Tommy Blackjack - January 17, 2012 via iPhone app
sweet
G.Scott - January 17, 2012
Eric estimated $13M, we gotta a bit of a break.
OB12 - January 17, 2012
w00t
Tommy Blackjack - January 17, 2012 via iPhone app
new post
http://www.truebluela.com/2012/1/17/2712503/andre-ethier-dodgers-avoid-arbitration
Eric Stephen - January 17, 2012
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