True Blue LA

I would like to see Dee come into camp and work with Davey Lopes on stealing bases.

Dee is in camp.

Yep

Since last week or so. He was not in the clubhouse this morning when we were there, but he was here walking around later.

I don’t think there were any other position players here besides Kemp, Gwynn, and Dee today, but I could be wrong.

I think

that I could get behind the Scrappy Dee nickname I saw suggested on Twitter, but who then is Scooby Dee? I mean, Rod Barajas is gone and all.

I will always love that

Thanks, Whitney Houston.

Jamey Wright's heart has been ripped out by that comment.

Don’t bait the master.

I like SpeeDee.

See,

I want to say Kemp.

But i somehow feel like that’s racist.

The Thin Man

I miss all those conversations about Dee’s frame. (Did BA really really project him to hit for some power? They did that with Hu too.)

Dee has Myrna Loy power

DeeLite

Don Mattingly today: “I think he’s going to hit, period.”

Amazing. We could seriously have another Pierre on our hands. Good hit tool, insane speed. I don’t ever expect the extra-base power to come; plate discipline will decide if he’s good or great.

Except Dee could be a plus-fielding SS, and while Pierre had speed, Dee dusts him.

Hu did have that stretch in 2007

When he was a September callup and hit 2 homeruns

I will never forget when BA actually projected Hu to hit for “average” power.

Joe Sheehan told the world he was going to be awesome.

He also said Konerko was done two years ago.

predicting the weather is tough enough, calling baseball players is equal parts skill and luck

I saw one in person!

i did too

crushed the hell out of it

Asta la vista, baby.

underdog - February 21, 2012 reply

How about Rivera at 1B and Sands in LF and wave goodbye to Loney.

vadodger - February 21, 2012 reply

There are several reasons why you shouldn’t do that.

Mainly because 2012 is going Lonsanity

Jeremy Lin is on the cover of SI for the second straight week this week. Amasian.

I am fully on board for “Lonsanity” by the way.

Future headlines:

“Loney’s 3 run bomb sinks Giants”
“Loney’s Bases Loaded Double Downs DBacks”
“Jim Loney Slugs Third Straight Game Winning Home Run”

latenite - February 21, 2012 reply

Dodgers, Loney, Agree to Six Year Extension

No way, im all for going all in on Loney for this season, not that we have much of a choice, but this is it for him. Besides, incase we do make playoffs, he dominates in the postseason. Loney is the kinda guy I can see being a WS MVP.

You hit one grand slam to break a 20 year old post season nightmare and people think you are the next ………..

haha well, it is the biggest postseason HR since Kirk Gibson IMO…. Plus look at his playoff stats… All this talk about Kemp, Ethier, etc, but Loney was the one lighting shit up….

Loney is like the guy that sleeps everyday in class, yet gets the best test scores of the class… Its obvious the regular season just isnt challenging enough for him. But postseason, my boy Loney comes to play.

Yea, that’s it

Harper better live up to the hype

Right now he’s got a pretty huge chip on his shoulder. Incredible talent but no doubt an asshole about it.

Poor Padres and As:

@sdutPosner:

ESPN’s Baseball Tonight will visit 13 of 15 camps in Arizona and, yes, Padres will be one of those they skip (other: Oak). #hardlysurprising

That is kind of BS

Agreed

I bet Eric could hit all 15 camps if he wanted, let alone the massive ESPN Machine.

I plan on literally hitting all 10 Cactus League stadiums.

Probably will hit the Cubs complex the hardest since they denied my credential request for when the Dodgers are there.

Fuck the Cubs.

I have a month to work on them

How many are they going to in Fla?

vadodger - February 21, 2012 reply

Josie Becker - February 21, 2012 reply

They could swing by the Padre camp

since they are going to be at Peoria anyway for the Seattle Mariners.

Also, the A’s ST facility is both conveniently located in Phoenix but also rather dull.

much like the team

They have the Manny buzz in camp this year though.

Hey, home come you wrestling peeps didnt mention Shaq is gonna wrestle at Wrestlemania?? vs the Big Show…. I wonder what Shaq’s intro song will be?

Didn’t hear about this until now

I think Kobe and DHoward are going to go in the ring mid match and double team Shaq.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/02/shaquille-oneal-to-wrestle-wrestlemania-28/1

i heard it was only rumors

no concrete evidence

Ivdown - February 21, 2012 reply

because shaq is stupid

World Series MVP started in 1955

Only two first baseman have ever won the award.

They are?

First name that popped in my head was Don Clendenon.

Number one

Sorry, Donn

1979

Wilver Stargell?

Yes, kind of amazing since 55 the best offensive position has only two MVP’s.

On another note the list of MVP’s kind of reads like the HOF with a few outliers here and there.

In the photo gallery is that what is called a “cowlick” on Kershaws head?

Eric you going old school with pencil and paper? Tech up man, show those people how bloggers do it.

I say this as someone who has that problem without expensive haircuts, dear lord yes.

Also recording Kershaw, and taking notes. It’s much easier to transcribe later with notes.

I also have no idea how Tony Jackson reads what he writes. A doctor couldn’t decipher his shorthand.

at some point could you ask Yeager if he has worked with FedEx and what he thinks of his defense? TIA

Yes, I will. I only saw him briefly today as he was in civilian clothes holding a cup of coffee in the clubhouse, and for only a few minutes at that. He had a short talk with Griff & Wallach, then bolted.

“He’s got promise but still has lots of things to learn”

he was holding in his hand the same chance Griff and Wallach will get at MLB.

Eric's first question to Yeager will be

Can you repeat the sign you gave to Willie Mays Hayes in the bottom of the 9th inning?

You’re damn right I’m asking him about Major League.

I am going to also ask permission if I can call him “Temp” from now on.

crazy, Yaeger owns the Jersey Mikes in Granada Hills near my house… Guess he has 2 jobs now.

The one behind the KFC?

http://www.jerseymikes.com/news/read.php?id=310

yeah

Sounds like maybe his wife is more the hands on owner…. Maybe a good question to soften Yaeger up would be to ask how his wife is doing with the shop. or not.

i dont think eric needs your help

was just joking bro, chill…. im sure he doesnt.

“First things first, how’s the sandwich business treating you?”

“hey steveie. can I can you steveie? how about a kickdown on some jersey mikes, huh?”

If you get Yeager alone, get him talking about the practical jokes back in Vero

he will make you pee your pants

It would be nice if you dont chew gum during your recordings like the Vin Scully is My Homeboy dude, but whatever.

My hair however: lustrous.

Clayton trying to look like his hero

who is the shoulder surgery candidate in photo #3?

someone on MLBN

Referred to Dee as “Flash 2.0”

Thoughts?

Tommy Blackjack - February 21, 2012 via iPhone app reply

He’s a USB drive

That is pretty good.

USB

Apparently

that person is not a heavy Apple product consumer

ha ha

I missed the fact that Mike Cameron retired.

I used to think we would be lucky if Matt Kemp had a career as good as Cameron’s. Now I’m wondering if any CF not named Dimaggio, Mantle, Snider, Mays, Griffy are out of his reach

If Kemp lives up to his 50/50 promise I wouldn’t consider any of those guys out of his reach.

If Kemp lives upto his promise I will

if Kemp goes 50/50 he’s a hall of famer

Right now, Matt Kemp has a career 125 OPS+. Jim Edmonds’ is 131. If Matt Kemp’s career turns out to be Edmonds with speed, I think I’ll be happy.

Edmonds for the ages that are the same as Kemp’s eight-year contract: .296 / .394 / .558 / .952, 143 OPS+

boner

Eric, man, pace yourself

At this rate you will be collapsing from exhaustion when I get out there in 3 1/2 weeks!

Plus he had to this three times

Only 5 posts today. 3 here, 2 at SBN LA

With no games, the rest of the week should peter out, but today was pretty prolific with the hour or so with Mattingly and it being the first day of camp.

Bryce Harper's truck

Of course it is

Fitting.

But he’s no Ted Lilly

He's no

Vincete Padilla.

If I was a ballplayer I’d certainly have a bulletproof badass ride.

The Popemobile

HITNG?

The dumbest looking vehicle I’ve seen in awhile

I used to have a shirt that said “Bummer”

THATS A BAD ASS

tundra crewmax right there. love it.

are those blackout lights?

what a loser

you’ve seen the way he wears his eyeblack, dude is a tool

I was disappointed you didn’t show up to the softball tournament in serious eyeblack.

had it on me, totally forgot to put it on.

I don’t see the correlation. I watched his interview on MLBN and he seems like a hardworking kid.

Pure Azure - February 21, 2012 via Android app reply

being hardworking and being a tool is not mutually exclusive

I don’t think he’s a tool, is what I’m saying. Is he cocky? Sure. I would be too.

Who cares about his eyeblack?

Pure Azure - February 21, 2012 via Android app reply

I wouldn’t be cocky until I’ve accomplished something at the highest levels. Until then, there is plenty of opportunity to get humbled. And all the old-timers say baseball is a humbling game, don’t they?

“Two types of people in baseball, those who are humble and those who are about to become humble”

Tommy Blackjack - February 21, 2012 via iPhone app reply

From the atlantic to the pacific, known as Tom terrific

Easy to say when you don’t possess all-world talent. From Babe Ruth to Barry Bonds great players have always been confident from the beginning.

I’d want to have my all-world prodigy thinking he’s the shit. Eyeblack? Call me when the guy acts like an asshole to teammates and clubhouse attendants. Until then I’ll reserve judgment.

Pure Azure - February 21, 2012 via Android app reply

seriously

Most incidents I hear of him being a dick is in reaction to something someone else did. He’s only 19.

Tommy Blackjack - February 21, 2012 via iPhone app reply

I’m more amused about this strident reaction. HOW DARE THEY CALL A KID WHO TAUNTED A PITCHER AFTER A HOMERUN A TOOL. HOW DARE THEY.

I dare. DGAF. If I saw a guy driving that truck, down the street? I would think “bro alert.”

you might think “my, what a hardworking, mightly talented gentleman.” and then when i am surprised that you’re right, you get to say “But didn’t you see the interview? If you had seen it, you would have known.”

I’m the one being strident?

Pure Azure - February 22, 2012 via Android app reply

Saw him at Fanfest in 2010. He was wandering around the Negro Leagues Exhibit like a kid, in awe of the memorabilia and stuff. I was the only person who seemed to recognize him. He seemed to have a sense of his place in the world. Between the lines, I think he has a Jordan-Kobe sort of fire to win that is seen only among elite athletes.

To your last point, for sure, but that doesn’t mean that Kobe isn’t a dick.

To be honest, I like that about Kobe. I like that he’s a dick. Cos he’s on “my” team. If Harper were a Dodger, I’d be like YEAH BUDDY! But he’s not. I think Ethier’s a tool, too, but I think that he’s hilarious cos he’s on my team.

Yeah, I’m not sure where I stand on Bryce’s dickitude, but I wish he were our possible-dick and not somebody else’s.

he’s been raised from a very young age like a prodify. He’s bound to be a tool.

where are the flood lights, gun rack and tackle box?
Surprised he didn’t paint it like the old Bigfoot monster truck

Mike Cameron = Chet Lemon?

I think better

but I could be discounting Lemon

you won't get a Lemon

at Mike Cameron Toyota

Not a bad comp

I think Cameron’s defensive rep probably is bigger, Lemon probably the better batter.

Darvish threw 30 pitches today

His catcher, Luis Martinez, said there’s nobody like him. The hype is ON.

Yu should buy a tricked out truck

biting tongue so hard!!!!!

Almost forgot

The main moral I get out of this gif

is don’t sign the batter

Pujols would have hit that 539 feet

Pujols ~~would have~~ will hit that 539 feet

I forgot...

Lilly is still on the team..I really get scared everytime I watch him pitch..

DannyDodger - February 21, 2012 reply

except for that stretch from

july 29-sep 28 where he was outstanding?

You never do that for Loney:)

i am not a loney basher.

i kinda sit silently on my thoughts about him. but Lilly really grew on me

Always liked his ability to put up a good K rate considering his velocity.

Yes, he’s the left handed Shawn Marcum. Cagey bugger, will pitch a bunch of innings, but last thing I want is him facing a good right handed hitting team.

I will always remember Ted Lilly as the guy Matt Kemp took over the LF bullpen wall and onto the concourse. Tremendous shot.

no one noticed

the season was over at that point

Come on, who didn’t other then a few jaded individuals not enjoy the last eight weeks of the season?

nfl has trained me to root for losses

once my team is out of it

I don’t disagree with this, though it is an unpopular view.

Would make a 162 game season painful if most of you had that view. When it comes to baseball I take a game by game view, each one has the propensity for some memories. We may not have been a post season team in 2011, but the games in Aug / Sept were very enjoyable.

There just comes a point when it’s all about next year, but I know what you’re saying.

You are talking to a 25 year Clipper fan

Bingo

I routinely watched Clipper games when the season had essentially been over for months. I could never bring myself to root for them to lose. I enjoy watching my favorite team win.

IMO I think wanting your favorite NBA team to lose out when postseason hopes are over to get a really good pick on a guy who will most likely help you the following season is different then wanting an MLB team to lose out, for what? a better 1st round pick on a guy you might not see for 5 years??

Both drafts are full of busts and surprises. No guarantee of either just because you decided to lose more.

right, true. But I still rather have a high pick in the NBA then MLB. You at the least should get a productive NBA player right off that bat unless you really fucked the pick up, or its a Euro player.

The success rate isn’t that high in the NBA. Unless you’re talking overall number 1 pick. But if you’re talking lottery the floor is not productive NBA player right off the bat.

Boy, don’t we know it:(

True if the draft was static but those damn balls have wrecked all sort of havoc on that theory.

yep

there’s a point of dimishing returns when it comes to getting enjoyment out of wins that hurt future draft position while not changing the present circumstances..

Sometimes I just want to clean house.

Depends if postseason is the only goal.

I think if anyone is hoping for the postseason this year and success in the postseason will define how much they enjoy this season, they are going to be in for a long season. But if you are looking at this season to see what happens with Loney / Andre, Gordon / Sands, Kemp/Kershaw, Ellis/Ellis, Withrow/Webster, Rubby/Eovaldi it will have moments well worth watching. Lots of stories are going to unfold this summer, some will disappoint, some will amaze, in baseball it is all about the ride not about the destination.

No argument here. I’m not the best fan in the world. When the Ducks won the N.I.T. (I think they did) a few years ago, I don’t even remember it.

Who cares about the NIT

The NIT would be so much cooler if Hans Gruber said the three letters with the same cadence as FBI.

This year, UCLA.

(Note: USC wishes it could care about the NIT)

Just after I graduated from UCLA

The BB team missed out on the NCAA tournament and then declined an invitation to the NIT.

We had price once upon a time. And a basketball program.

It’s a fine line between pride and arrogance. In 1984 we were not yet 10 years removed from the John Wooden years. At some point you have to accept that the Wooden years are the outliers, things will be cyclical, and sometimes the NIT is where you belong. In 1985 they accepted an NIT invite and won the tournament behind Reggie Miller, IIRC.

When I was at UCLA

I remember looking out of the Lot 32 bus and seeing Rod Foster driving a Trams Am with Rocket Rod or something like that on the license plate.

That 79-80 team was officially removed from all NCAA Final Four records per their probation.

When I was a freshman

they was almost literal wailing and gnashing of teeth because the team got eliminated from the tournament and the senior class, led by David Greenwood, became the first class since the early sixties not to win at least one championship.

Larry Brown

was very popular on campus during his two years there.

Does the NIT cost the university money or do they make money from it?

No idea. I imagine the coaches like getting to work with their players for a few more games though, at least the players they expect to return for next season.

costs money

delias man - February 22, 2012 via iPhone app reply

who cares about playing out the string

on a major league team?

basement dwellers

major leaguers

I’m fairly certain Jon Weisman taught me such things.

JonWeisman - February 21, 2012 reply

Nice write-up on the O’Malley’s Jon.

nice

who is this guy posting as Phil?

Give me some hope for the future and I’ll be perfectly happy rooting for the Dodgers to win all of 83 games this year.

New Owner
Long Term Kemp Contract
Kershaw will follow
Dee Gordon
Jerry Sands
Chad still battling
Rubby
Eovaldi
Jansen
Guerra

David Wright:)

All of these things (except I don’t want Wright) would be or will be great. I was mainly just saying that I’ll be happy with all 83 wins we get as long as I have stuff like that to root for.

Gordon and Sands showing they deserve to be full time starters in MLB as well as a young pitcher or two (Withrow? Webster? Maybe some other young guy who makes the jump from AA late in the year?).

I’m not expecting this team to make the playoffs. I’m fine with that. I damn sure don’t want my team to lose as much as possible just to get the #1 pick like Joey Joe would have us do just because we don’t have a shot at winning the WS.

those memories are from individual achievement tho..

You can still cheer for individual accolades and team losses…best of both worlds..

rooting for Kemp to reach 40/40

and Kershaw to win his Cy Young was exciting.

Fans who root for their team to lose should be shot out of a cannon into another cannon

How about we slow dip them into overflowing septic tanks?

Add in “hanging upside down” and we have a deal!

How about we slow dip them into overflowing septic tanks hanging upside down?

Deal

Oh yay ohh yay oohhh yayyyy!

call back

i'd trade that rams win this year over the cleveland browns

for Andrew Luck..

call me crazy

Crazy

Football is also not like baseball where there is a wider diversity opinion amongst those that select where players should be drafted. A bad baseball team will still win 4 out of 10 games. Outside of literally tanking games, which the commissioner will take a very dim view of, it is hard to imagine that picking up an additional loss here and there is going to change draft position all that much. Is drafting 13th a substantial difference from 15th?

I don’t ever root for my team to lose whether it’s the Dodgers, Titans, Lakers, or any other college team I might like. Screw rooting for losses.

I’m certain TBLA did.

yawn

I don’t get scared, but I do shrug and wonder how he is able to get by with his stuff against the best offenses in the world.

Didn’t Michael do his fab five right about now?

It is a spring training project, yes.

Actually, I’ve got time between player profiles that I’ve signed up for, so you might see some Fave 5 action soon.

what year?

I feel pretty confident it will be 2012. I make no promises though.

But seriously, it’ll be out fairly soon.

fair enough

When do we get Brandons final top 20?

I thought he said last week

it would be by the end of the month meaning that maybe one this week and one next week.

Eric said it was

Thursday-Tuesday-Thursday when asked when the top 30 was coming out.

So i guess we should have had the 20-11 guys today

Next post will be tomorrow or Thursday. Top 10 is next week.

LIARRR.

That is drawing it out. Luckily I only choose to write about stiffs so I probably don’t need any quotes from him.

March 22

Considering we’re involved in some kind of game from March 5th through opening day, does March 22 (no game) has any special meaning as a cut day?

It has special meaning as a day I will sleep in.

You can spend the day putting gunpowder in your cannon.

Two cannons.

But back to your question

There isn’t much of a clamoring to make roster moves on a spring off day.

For instance, last year they had an off day on March 16. They cut four guys on March 15 and two more on March 17.

But they also cut eight guys on March 14. March 22 will be roughly around the time where they start to really pare down the roster so some moves could happen then, but it is not likely to be related to the fact that they are off.

Thanks. I can’t wait for the games to begin.

One more note

Don Mattingly’s oldest son, Taylor, had a baby three weeks ago, Cash Michael Mattingly, in Evansville, giving Mattingly his first grandchild.

That’s money

Cash in hand.

berkowit28 - February 21, 2012 reply

D3G

Future tweet

Burp’d him

I can't think of a worse scenario

than Steve Hartman taking over as Dodger play-by-play man. THIS IS NOT REAL. It’s just a nightmare.

Where did that come from? Did I miss something?

JonWeisman - February 21, 2012 reply

A chili-dog addled mind.

No, that is what we call SilverWidow being Silverwidow. It is not always a pleasant experience.

I think in the future we call these utterances a TBLA Spasm or TBLA Hairball

Just a warning: if this ever happens in real life I will ban you. :)

In the Dodgers offices where the PR department works there is a TV on the wall, and below the TV there is a piece of paper listing four channels and their numbers: CBS, TNT, TBS, and Tru TV.

I first thought, “why they hell is Tru TV on there?” but then I remembered the NCAA tournament is a mere three weeks away.

We must get our TBLA March Madness on

UCI is going to win it all

in… is there a 3rd tournament after the NIT?

Yep, the CBI

Cock and balls invitational?

http://www.gazellegroup.com/events/cbi/index_main.htm

Greatest sports event. I go from not watching any college basketball to following every single game.

going to vegas for the second weekend

of the tourney

I always like the first weekend

The first two days of the tournament, especially, are so great.

The first weekend, from 64 to 16, rules beyond words. Vegas is a great call.

i always have two family birthdays the first weekend

The best birthday present you could give them is to be out of town. At least that is what my wife tells me.

maybe in about 5 more years that will be the situation

no way

in five years the situation will be nothing but a trivial pursuit answer.

I didn't post this earlier

but both Gwynn and Kemp said they tried to recruit Prince Fielder to LA, and both thought he would end up a Dodger until Detroit blew everyone out of the water. Gwynn is especially close to Fielder and went to Bora Bora this winter together.

Dylan Hernandez wrote about it earlier, a pretty good summation.

Sound like you and Nolander were correct.

Like the man who got 50 – 1 on the safety being the first score of the superbowl, one has to wonder what the odds are that Loney has a higher OPS+ then Prince Fielder in 2012?

Vegas pulled that game off the floor.

I thought that said Tora Bora and was confused.

I hear it’s lovely this time of year

We’re going to need a bigger cave.

I read that earlier,a nd as I posted on DT that mostly just makes me mad at Fielder and cursing the bad luck of the VMart injury

Seems like Dodgers tried pretty hard…

underdog - February 21, 2012 reply

Delias - cheer up

Bill Shaikin @BillShaikin
O’Malley out of #Dodgers bidding: lat.ms/yxc3J0

made my day

His penance for selling to Fox.

Though he won’t travel with the team during the season, longtime Dodgers catcher will work with L.A. backstops this season while the team is at home.

Is this referring to Yaeger?

yes

That’s sick.

Is he referring to

tennis star Andrea Jaeger.

or NFL great

kicker Jeff Jeager

dam, old school Jeff Jeager, thats a name I havent heard in a long time… thanks for the memory.

I’m not.

An informal coach, in uniform. Sort of like Manny Mota with more responsibility.

I gotcha.

I completely forgot a first sentence there, mentioning Steve Yeager’s full name. Refresh for the updated version.

I had, by far, the best meal of my life today. It’ll draw skepticism here as it did with me when I was told where we were going for a vendor meeting today, but this sushi place in valencia blew my mind away. I’ll have to get the name.

I had a turkey and havarti sandwich on a croissant that was pretty kick ass.

I have no idea what havarti is

cheese

Havarti

is Danish cheese, melts well.

is a particular

Danish cheese

Humma might come kill you…and teach you a few things…

That sounds like Moe

“Wake up and go to sleep, you numbskulls.”

My idea of a great meal is simply assloads of fish sticks.

with mac and cheese? yeah buddy!!

Fries, tarter sauce, lemon. Kicks ass man.

My great meal starts with steak and baked potato, and then either shrimp, crab, or lobster.

Fuck, my brother makes steak and lobster all the time.

Dodger family multiplying like bunnies

Ted Lilly’s wife had a baby today…Nora Grace

so Lilly won’t be throwing his bullpen session tomorrow. Story updated above.

another fucking Zobrist

Ted Lilly's wife even hits a HR

Congrats!

Once the Clippers lost last night I put in my George of the Jungle / Super Chicken DVD. The shows suck but goddam if those intro songs did not kick ass. buck buck buck has been buzzing my brain all day. Watch out for that treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Caption: 50

Winner for reading

Rec’d

50 ABQ

And 30 in LA

I feel like Ned doesn't want to start Sands

but that Mattingly does

Mattingly just called Rivera one of his clean-up hitters, essentially.

his quotes last spring were also funny

Touché.

against lefties

Nonetheless.

I don’t think Mattingly wants to start Sands every day, but rather is trying to find ways to play him enough to stay with the big club.

I have some more quotes that I haven’t gotten into just yet, but essentially Mattingly said he believes Ethier and Loney can hit lefties but knows full well the numbers say otherwise. He sounded like someone who didn’t want to go full platoon for both guys but was trying to convince himself to sit Ethier/Loney more against LHP.

Donnie throws lefty and was a LH batter. Why doesn’t he throw them a bunch of BP and teach them how to hit against a lefty? Mattingly himself hit less against lefties, but his split was hardly terrible:

vs LHP: .296 / .344 / .448 / .792
vs RHP: .314 / .366 / .484 / .850

He’s always thrown BP when I’ve been there but if you want to learn to hit lefties shouldn’t you be facing a real major league left handed pitcher?

Ted Lilly throws BP one or two times a week too.

I’m being a bit facetious. If I were Ethier with his 8-figure salary, I’d hire an AAAA lefty to throw a shit-ton of pitches to me.

Fucking A, I’d hire Ledesma, he needs the money

Exactly.

put the screen at 30 feet and it doesn’t matter who is throwing as long as it’s strikes

Buster Posey had a funny quote yesterday. Something about, “Four-seamer coming in at 55 mph—yeah, I tend to crush those.”

it’s certainly easier, but the problem isn’t that neither of them can hit a lefty slider, it’s the early recognition of such.

How does the thrower with the 30-foot screen help with that?

Dave Hansen, the batting coach, had 2101 career PA, but only 154 against lefties, flailing for .188 / .286 / .293 / .579 against them.

I know he was a pinch-hitter forever, but damn that percentage of PA is amazing.

Off the top of your head who do you think was a left handed hitter who hit lefties with no problem?

I kind of remember Garrett Anderson being able to jack left handed pitching.

Mike Davis.

He didn't hit them with no problem, but close to even on the split

vs LHP: .255 / .307 / .421 / .727
vs RHP: .261 / .315 / .413 / .728

Can’t believe I ever was excited about getting him as a free agent.

24 jacks in 1987!

Sure everyone was hitting them that year, but still.

Babe Ruth.

Chase Utley?

barry bonds

Donnie 2X, Bonds, Jr (the early years)

Okay non HOF -

So, you don't think Dave Hansen is HOF worthy?

HOF coach after Loney has 28 jacks this year :)

Juan Pierre?

And that is why I follow you on twitter

Because he’s insufferable here?

No, because he is a comic genius

vs. LHP: .305 / .363 / .345 / .708
vs. RHP: .293 / .339 / .369 / .708

I think if Dee Gordon hits .305 / .363 / .345 for the season, I’ll be happy with that.

he’ll steal 80 bases if he gets on base that much

I’ll be happy with that.

i almost wouldn’t be surprised if he pushes for triples digits if his OBP is that high. 600PA at .363 would be him on base 217 times.

He’d have to take off way, way more often than anyone else if he wanted to hit triple digits.

The most times someone attempted to steal last year when they could (on base with the base in front of them open) was 38%, Dee was at 30%.

who is someone

I did minimum 10 steals, so Jason Bourgouise. Michael Bourn went 23% of the time.

700 PA at .363 = 254 times on base. 34% of that is 86. About an 80% success rate will be about 70 steals.

Dee will end up with way more than 254 opportunities (reaching on fielders choice).

ah that makes sense

I was trying to make these numbers make sense but was coming up with a very low amount of steals for him.

also errors

dee seemed to ‘force’ a ton of errant throws to 1st base

Twice last year.

That is an interesting idea for a post though, going through at some awesome ROEs

had to be more then twice

I remember a lot of shitty throws going towards first when he was batting

maybe they where ruled hits

Your data would be mixed with botched plays and dropped fly balls and the like as well as rushed throws though. I assume the leaders would still be fast guys though.

I'm seeing 3 on BR using their events thingy

can’t figure out how to find out if he advanced to 2nd on an error in an at bat ruled a base hit

I’m really not sold on that being a skill. 9 guys in the NL reached on error 10+ times last year and that includes Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, and Aubrey Huff. Only 3 of the 9 had 10+ steals last year.

“It’s Carlos Lee, I have time..oh not that much time SHIT”

hm

it would seem to logically happen with a guy like dee bunting a lot. Maybe what I should be looking for is how many times did he advance from first on a bunt base hit to 2nd on an errant throw

That would get lumped into extra bases taken, I think.

no way to figure this out, since he’ll get on base with a pitcher or AJ Ellis a base in front of him sometimes too.

It’s still fun to think about.

Baseline Michael Bourn lead the league in opportunities with 319. Had 720 PA and a .345 on base.

If Dee does that, attempts 30% of the time (94 tries), and is successful 80% (I hope), that is 75 steals.

bernie williams

i’m stupid.

Not really

Williams had 1 walk in his 1 career PA as a LHB against a LHP :)

bernie was a switch hitter. he faced lefties as a righty.

Also, tino martinez.

I knew that. I was trying to help you here.

also, i didn’t read your comment, just the header.

Just noticed your signature

Fado’s pub slogan this year “You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning”

my best friend’s 88 year old grandmother said that to me a couple weeks ago.

So much awesome in that statement

I have some more quotes

I love you, brother, but man!

#pissedoffjealousbrother

Quote fail

I probably should have just said make the team out of spring training

I agree with the first part (Mattingly) but not necessarily the second part (Ned)

It just seems to me if Ned wanted Sands to make the team out of spring training

he wouldn’t have put so many obstacles in his way

If Juan is to big an obstacle then Sands simply was a lousy hurdler

Exactly. Don’t need Edwin Moses to clear that speed bump.

Olympic Chills

then why are we paying juan so much?

You asked for a miracle

I give you the R…B…I

Rec.

1/$4M doesn’t look so bad when I compare it to some of the infielders and back-end starters on this team.

thats 4.5 million to you

It’s as if you’re talking directly to Harang.

Does Ned

even ask Mattingly what he thinks when going after free agents?

funkyjam - February 21, 2012 reply

It would be a shitty relationship if GM and manager don’t speak about personnel, needs, and available players.

Right

I’m sure they discuss.

GM has final say on personnel, manager has final say on lineups, but if the GM wants a lineup used and the manager doesn’t do it, there’s still a chain of command for firings. This is why most clubs use a President and an Owner. We chose neither :)

And yet both Jim Tracy and Paul DePodesta got fired.

owner

Yup.

Since I started writing for TBLA

First spring without Rafy Furcal

First spring without Broxton

First spring without Kuo

First spring without Kuroda

First spring without Casey Blake

First spring with Jim Loney.

I'm going to cry now

First without Frank

/sort of

Damn, again

...

Reggie Jackson was one big dude.

Damn. He was here for six years.

Gurnick

link

Mattingly said A.J. Ellis is his primary catcher, with journeyman Matt Treanor the backup. Ellis is out of options, as are Scott Elbert, Trent Oeltjen, Ramon Troncoso and Ronald Belisario (who also must serve a 25-game suspension once the season starts).

Someone has some false information here, right?

Does it really matter though?

OT – Feel free to Z
Last summer in a pennant move which gave me the league title but I lost in the playoffs, my Dodger ScoreSheet Root team traded Josh Johnson, Dee Gordon, Nathan Eovaldi, and Chris Reed for Miggy Cabrera.

In Scoresheet root league you must keep seven players from your root team. The guy I traded to just announced his non root keepers for 2012. And left Dee Gordon off the list. So I get to make a claim for him since Gordon is on my Root team.

Even better he also decided not to keep Chris Reed even though that would only cost him a 36th round draft pick. So I also get Chris Reed. So basically I traded Josh Johnson and Eovaldi for MIggy. I’m quite Miggy about the whole thing because I really needed a SS and was bummed my Dodger root team did not have Gordon.

My seven root keepers are going to be Kemp, Andre, Gordon, Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, Rubby, and Jansen
My pitching is light with Javy Vazquez retiring and Kuroda heading to the AL but my non root keepers are studly with Justin Upton, Miggy, Zimmerman.

seemed to work out well for you

Wait

AJ Burnett is 35?

That is rather shocking

I was shocked.

His no-no was one of the strangest games I’ve ever seen pitched. He was all over the place.

oh my goodness

there is a website called “projectswole.com”

Oeltjen

Optioned by AZ on 8/29/09
Called-up by AZ on 9/08/09 (Under 20 days; no option officially used)

Signs minor league deal with LAD on 7/05/10
Assigned to Triple-A on 7/06/10
Called-up by LAD on 9/07/10

Non-tendered by LAD on 12/02/10; elects free agency
Signs minor league deal with LAD on 01/26/11
Called-up by LAD on 6/09/11

The first time he was ever put on a 40-man roster was by the D-Backs in 2009, so these are all of his transactions. I see no options used at all.

I should note, Oeltjen’s contract was first purchased on 8/06/09.

I defer to Eric’s expertise on these things, but he may have used up his options in other ways. Been 11 years since he first signed a contract – don’t you use up option year just by being around long enough? Been a minor-league free agent. He’s also been outrighted before, per Cot’s/BP:

sent outright to AAA by Arizona 11/4/09

You can only use options if you're on a 40-man roster

I checked Trent’s history with the Minnesota organization, and he was never put on their roster. So the transactions above with Arizona are the first of their kind (to the best of my knowledge).

It really doesn’t matter how long he’s been playing in the minors; just look at John Lindsay for instance. When the Dodgers called him up for the first time in his career, he had a fresh slate of options ready to be used in the ensuing years. Of course, that never happened because he wasn’t good enough and they dumped him.

Back to Oeltjen — because he’s been outrighted before, he can become a free agent if the Dodgers DFA him and he clears waivers. I think that played into why he’s been kept around; the Dodgers value him as minor league depth. And as long as he’s on our roster (with options), we own him, for lack of a better word.

Nice story about her being named the AP writer of the year in 2006.

Eric told me that Janie McCauley

is the writer in the photo with Eric and Dylan Hernandez She is a 1998 graduate of WSU and per the article below, got her start as a stringer eventually leading her to a staff job on the local Spokane paper which eventually led to the Bay Area.

She is the San Francisco Bay Area AP beat writer who covers baseball, college football and other sports, her husband is also an AP sportswriter who covers the Oakland Raiders. They have two young children and live in the Bay Area.

Also not that this really matters

but she is 12 years younger than Suzy Kolber.

we can call her “future Josie”

Josie Becker - February 21, 2012 reply

“I want to kiss you.”
“Huge compliment, Joe.”

She was super nice too

For Mattingly’s meeting it was just the big three plus McCauley, me, and Tim Keown of ESPN. That was pretty much it for today.

Eric Stephen - February 21, 2012 via mobile reply

When does Simers arrive and who will his target be this year?
Last year was while we were there.

Guessing TJ Simers’ target of his first attack is a TBLA Contest in and of itself.

Aaron Harang

And Jerry Hairston will be who he talks to first.

big 3 being Dylan, Tony and Dilbeck?

Yup, that’s who he means. Kinda funny it’s down to one newspaper and two internet outlets (albeit big ones).

Sorry, I misread your comment. He means Dylan, Tony J, and Gurnick.

yeah i couldn’t remember the third. Gurnick.

Is Gurnick the Humma-sized fellow?

Yes.

David Young - February 22, 2012 reply

Loved the pic of you and Kershaw. I wonder if they know how much you know, y’know?

She

Also covers the 49ers.

the play me or trade me route.

Watch…Eric will be wearing her hat (a much larger version of it, at least) in another week.

KellyStephen - February 21, 2012 reply

Bobby Abreu is going down

Classic dick move.

I’m guessing that if there was any interest they would have already traded him.

KellyStephen - February 21, 2012 reply

they almost did for burnett

burnett blocked it

They tried to for AJ Burnett

Tommy Blackjack - February 21, 2012 via iPhone app reply

agree

Especially with such an old player. Sign the contract and play the game. The rest is out of your hands. To me, this is twice the dick move of anything Bryce Harper’s allegedly done.

hell the angels would be happy if they could void his contract pay him nothing and let him walk free

he is not going to perform up to his contract.

I am trying to figure

Out why they think Trumbo can play 3B especially since they still have the two guys who payed 3B for them in 2011.

Dodgers had lots of guys who played 3b for them last year

Callaspo had a career year, Izturis is servicable but a walking injury risk. Trumbo has a good chance to develop into a much better hitter then either of them and they have nowhere else to put him, so why not try?

I don't blame Bobby for wanting to play

It is both in his best interest and I am sure in his mind, the team’s best interest that e us playing rather than sitting.

seriously?

he turned into a singles hitter last year and is going to make 12 milliond dollars this year. What does he expect them to do? No one wants him all that much and the angels aren’t going to get much by trading him and eating his salary

apparently 9 million instead of 12?

still not good

Great post, Eric

one of the many reasons tbla is the best dodger blog on the web

court168627 - February 21, 2012 via Android app reply

First softball game of the season tonight, we went down 13-7. 16 foot pitch height so much tougher to hit than in the blogger tourney. Need Robotmadeofnails for a softball umpire ruling.

Reminds me of when I played softball. I am absolutely horrible at softball. Can’t judge where the ball is in the air, can’t hit for power, have a weak arm. But I’m fast, at least.

Our team was terrible and I was one of the better players (which is so sad). We were getting beat something like 12-0 in the 3rd inning and I took a good cut at a pitch but pulled it just foul. Probably the hardest I hit a ball ever, over the left fielder’s head (I normally don’t even get the ball out of the infield. I’m a soccer player, not a baseball or softball player). So then the pitcher decides he’s had enough and throws a knuckleball to me. I swung, flailed, missed and sat down a sad and broken man.

I played on/managed two teams under unlimited arc slow-pitch rules that my pitchers threw no hitters. Nearly unheard of. These guys could throw the ball 30 feet in the air and drop it on the back of the mat. These opposing batters looked terrified while swinging and either popping it up or missing entirely. It’s an entirely different skill to hit that kind of pitch.

iiidown - February 21, 2012 reply

If I remember correctly, one of the girls that I saw pitching was pitching USSSA style. Max height 10 feet, must pass through the strike zone. But in the tourney ie must land on the plate and /or mat. With most slow pitch players, it looks too good to pass up, so they swing at it. But with the speed it’s thrown, the ball can be made to do many things: knuckle, curve drop. etc., etc.

iiidown - February 21, 2012 reply

Pop up in front of home plate. Batter not happy with his popup so he puts out of the box and stands out in front of home plate holding the bat. Of course he is standing in between the catcher and where the ball is going to land. Catcher has to take the route around the batter and not being a very athletic person (as most softball catchers aren’t) he muffs the ball and it spins back towards home plate past the feet of the batter who is still standing out in front of home plate holding the bat. The catcher scrambles around the batter again to go get the ball, meanwhile the batter drops the bat and takes off for first base and makes it safely before the throw. Interference or tough shit?

I think – I don’t know, but I think

if the catcher runs into the batter then interference, but if the catcher avoids the batter then tough shit

I told the catcher to run in to him next time to make it obvious.

and this play cost us the game tonight as it opened the flood gates to a big inning.

yes – good advice

run in to him and then grab your groin and say the guy kneed you in the nuts on purpose.

Is the paypal thing for donating for Eric to be in AZ still there?

You

Can always use PayPal to send something to Eric

I guess what I was asking is… what’s the link to send him stuff?

Info

www.paypal.com
mof328
@
yahoo.com

thx

delias man

Got my sons down, turned on “Luck,” my wife starts crunching around in the kitchen. Yargh! I think I’m hooked, though I’m not sure what’s happening all the time. The two doofuses of the gambling four are my favorite characters.

Yeah, I watched three episodes in the past two days. Kind of confused and the normal reviews (Onion AV Club, Alan Sepinwall) don’t help all that much.

Still, enjoyable.

i am now 3 episodes in

I am hooked. This shit is gonna get real next week.

delias man - February 22, 2012 via iPhone app reply

Matt Kemp: No MVP by default

“I feel like that would be by default,” said Kemp, who already is in spring training several days before the Dodgers’ position players are required to report. “I wish I would’ve won it just by them voting me and me being the MVP. That would be special. But hopefully, I will have the same type of year or even better and win it straight up this year, with us making the playoffs.”

link

was this posted earlier?

I may have missed it

Yesterday? Might be a different quote though??

Eric

Mentioned at the top and aso wrote it up in a SBNation LA piece

haha

for some reason I only read the 2nd half of the post