What Are You Thankful For?

by Eric Stephen on Nov 26, 2009 7:00 AM PST Comment 55 comments

Nick Ut - AP

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

I am thankful for Vin Scully, among many other things. He has provided me with hours and hours of enjoyment throughout my life, and I am lucky to be able to listen to him call a game.

What Dodger-related things are you thankful for?

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thankful

I’m thankful for Tommy Davis’ magic year, Pedro Guerrero and Fernando lighting up my honeymoon in 1981, Orel in ‘88, Vin’s poetic lament over Tom Niedenfuhr’s meltdown in 1985 and all things Dodgers. Wait til next year!

by preacher roe on Nov 26, 2009 9:11 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm thankful for Vinny, Gibby, and Loretta coming through in the most important at-bat in his life.

by Dr. Geek on Nov 26, 2009 10:18 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

TBLA, DT

and all the other great Dodger blogs.
vr, Xei

by Xeifrank on Nov 26, 2009 10:28 AM PST reply actions 2 recs

Yup

by Michael White on Nov 26, 2009 11:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

For all of the insightful ideas and good times and fun shared here
It’s like being covered in the diamond dust from a Bison head first slide into second base

by 68elcamino427 on Nov 26, 2009 11:50 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I am thankful for over 40 years of dodger memories

going to watch Sandy with my granpa, garvey lopes russell cey, fernando, orel, gibby, 4+1, going to see the current edition with my kids, and so many other dodger memories. I am very thankful for Vinny! also for a healthy and happy family (at least as happy as a 15 year old boy will allow us to be) Oh yea and I am thankful for finding the great dodger site True Blue LA

by MammothDodger on Nov 26, 2009 10:31 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Thankful for/that

Stumbling on to Dodger Thoughts a few years ago, which ultimately led to
Playing a small role in this here fine blog.
Vin – ’nuff said.
The 1973 Dodgers – my age 12 season, and the Dodgers first 90+ win season in my years of fandom. Damn that Big Red Machine though.
My parents moving from SF to LA while I was in utero, otherwise I might have ended up a Giant fan! (ugh).
I got to see “DYoung” in a Dodger box score.
My wife likes baseball and the Dodgers.
My dad hitting me tennis-ball fungoes on our street (no nearby park) after getting home from work on summer evenings.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.

by David Young on Nov 26, 2009 11:01 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. Hope everyone has a great day and stays safe.

by Dodgermanramon on Nov 26, 2009 11:25 AM PST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Happy Thanksgiving People!
Be thankful were not the Washington Nationals!

Leave Chad Billingsley alone!!!

by shaqfor3 on Nov 26, 2009 12:12 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I am Thankful

For My uncle and his Suggestion to My dad in 2003 that we get season tickets for the 2004 baseball season that lead to many Father Daughter outings during 3 seasons of baseball and has continued to allow for many great outings with my Aunt, Uncle and Husband since my parents moved.
I am thankful for being able to witness the Dodgers clinch the National League west Division in person twice in the last 5 years.
I am thankful I got to See Lima Pitch the most amazing game of his career at Dodger Stadium.
I am thankful for Vin Sculley, he is the only Dodgers announcer I have ever known and I hope he sticks around a while longer, Dodger Baseball won’t be the same without them.
I’m thankful to my family for raising me as a Dodgers fan.
And I’m thankful that my husband came around and became a Dodgers fan, I have to thank my Uncle for that again I don’t think it would have happened if he hadn’t had the opportunity to go to so many games in the past 3 years.
and I’m thankful to all the people that put this blog together, you’re amazing, I don’t comment often (because most of the time I don’t understand the entirety of the post) but I do come to this site at least once a day to see what new goodies have posted.

by Lidlbit on Nov 26, 2009 12:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I’m thankful for you and that you married well.

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on Nov 26, 2009 10:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm thankful for the 2009 season

To finally have something tangible to put into perspective for how it feels to watch the Dodgers be legitimate contenders, something I’d never witnessed in my time as a fan of the team.

by goodlucksaturday on Nov 26, 2009 5:40 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I’m thankful
that Eric joined TBLA and for all of you who make writing for this blog enjoyable
Kuo and Broxton
Kemp and Andre
Kershaw and Billingsley
Vinny & Joe Posnanski
Josh Rawitch and his staff
Jon Weisman, Kensai, SOSG, and all the other Dodger blogs that we link to so we don’t have to write so much
Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs
Dodger Stadium

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on Nov 26, 2009 10:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

All the wonderful Dodger Blogs and Bloggers

Vinny, Charlie and Rick, Dodger Stadium, Philippe’s

Lima Time, Loney Granny, fly ball to the Groin, Loretta walk off

and I’m thankful I can always wait for next year, one day I’ll witness us hoisting the Commissioner’s trophy

William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.

by Ollie on Nov 27, 2009 2:00 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm thankful

for Phil, Eric, David, and Brendan for giving Dodger fans a place to hang out where the dodger dogs are always grilled and the parking isn’t $15. Thanks dudes.

by LA Taco on Nov 27, 2009 6:25 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Your 2010 Dodger 2B

Photo courtesy of Diamond Leung

by silverwidow on Nov 27, 2009 3:47 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

haha

there is no way..

by matthewmafa on Nov 27, 2009 5:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

How about

Scott Elbert, Josh Lindblom, Lucas May, some other guy for Josh Johnson?

by Julio Nievas on Nov 27, 2009 5:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

a loogy, middle reliever, and horrible defensive backup catcher...

for an ace 96 mph fastball machine….

i bet the dodgers would love that deal

by matthewmafa on Nov 27, 2009 5:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

add mcdonald?

by Julio Nievas on Nov 27, 2009 6:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

JMac
Elbert
Lindblom
Luke may
Guerra

For JJ. We get 2 years of JJ for “cheap” and the Marlins would appreciate that those players wont enter arbitration soon.

by Julio Nievas on Nov 27, 2009 7:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like the basis for a Johnson/Uggla package trade.

Trade for Johnson/Uggla, you get your SP and 2B while adding roughly $11-12m to the payroll, and other than filling out a couple bench spots the offseason is done.

Then you have a top 3 in the rotation that are 26, 22, and 25 years old next year.

by Eric Stephen on Nov 27, 2009 7:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like a younger 2004 “Big 3” squad.

by Julio Nievas on Nov 27, 2009 7:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oakland A's "Big 3"

by Julio Nievas on Nov 27, 2009 7:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

there is no way that that is enough for josh johnson...

we have to include either withrow or ethan martin… And we have to include trayvon robinson or lambo…

i wish tho that we could trade jmac elbert lindblom luke may and guerra for johnson.. 4 relievers and a backup catcher for an ACE

by matthewmafa on Nov 27, 2009 11:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s why I said “the basis for” a trade. It’s a starting point.

I don’t agree with your “4 relievers” comment, but I do agree that more would have to be added for both Johnson and Uggla.

by Eric Stephen on Nov 28, 2009 9:19 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

johnson and uggla together?

i thought its only johnson..

well uggla wont cost that much in a tradfe in my opinion anyways.. its johnson who will cost huge amount.. like the dan haren trade amount..

by matthewmafa on Nov 28, 2009 10:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Elbert and Lindblom

Absolutely ridiculous calling these guys a “LOOGY” and “middle reliever.”

At WORST, Elbert ends up a #3 starter and Lindblom is a set-up man.

by silverwidow on Nov 27, 2009 8:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, And Best Case Scenario...

…is that Elbert ends up a lefty version of Billingsley and Lindblom succeeds Broxton as our closer when Brox hits free agency after 2011. That is reasonably high ceilings and the FLOOR is high enough that we should be planning on these guys being Dodgers, not trade chips. I’m sick of the damn trades.

by CanuckDodger on Nov 27, 2009 8:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

same with me...

keep everyone…

i would have loved to see an infield of Bell Gordon Dejesus Loney and Santana in 2012… but too bad it will never happen..

by matthewmafa on Nov 27, 2009 11:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i think you got it backwards...

at best elbert becomes a #3 starter and at worst he is a loogy..

so it really isnt “absolutly ridculous” as you state…

and lindblom at best would be a set up man for broxton or someone else and if he really becomes that good.. can absolutly at bestest be a Closer… But at worst he is a hittable RHP middle reliever who throws 94 kinda like mota…

so yea

by matthewmafa on Nov 27, 2009 11:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nope, it is in fact ridiculous

You have made it clear in the past that you think both of these guys are overrated. So it’s no wonder that in your mind they have low values. But a team that scouts as well as the Marlins, for instance, wouldn’t be dumb enough to dismiss them.

As for their ceilings, Canuck said it best that Elbert can be a LHP version of Billingsley (a strong #2 on a good team). Just because you’ve only seen him as a reliever doesn’t mean he’s a 2-pitch guy.

And with Lindblom, if you really think a 22-year-old who was lights out in one of the toughest hitting environments in baseball will end up like ‘09 Mota, I honestly don’t have anything else to add but to repeat what I said earlier: ridiculous.

So yeah.

by silverwidow on Nov 28, 2009 8:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

did you say anything different then what i said?????

everything you said in your post i also said… i just said what they could be at their worst too… and it is possible for them to succeed and fail so i put both…

i dont think you said anything in your post i didnt say..

by matthewmafa on Nov 28, 2009 10:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

by matthewmafa on Nov 27, 2009 11:37 PM PST: “at best elbert becomes a #3 starter”
by silverwidow on Nov 28, 2009 8:44 AM PST: “Elbert can be a LHP version of Billingsley (a strong #2 on a good team)”
So yeah, silverwidow wrote something that matthewmafa didn’t, namely a strong #2 ceiling for Elbert.

The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.

by David Young on Nov 28, 2009 11:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m down with a trade for Johnson, for sure. It would likely take another player to get the deal done, IMO. Johnson fits into the “affordable” mode, in that he is probably not gonna make $5m (he made $1.4m last year but was limited prior to that due to Tommy John, so he’ll get a bigger raise than normal, but not a 250% raise).

Johnson is basically Chad Billingsley, minus one walk per 9 IP. Since Johnson’s return from TJ in July 2008 (1st game back was at Dodger Stadium), here are stats for the two 1984-born starters:

JJ — stat — Bills
47 — starts — 46 (+2 relief apps)
296.1 — IP — 287.2
8.14 — K/9 — 8.29
0.64 — HR/9 — 0.72
2.58 — BB/9 — 3.63
3.34 — ERA — 3.66
3.19 — FIP — 3.65

by Eric Stephen on Nov 27, 2009 6:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Idk what’s more impressive, the two pitchers or the way you made your stat lines :)

by Julio Nievas on Nov 27, 2009 6:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

How about adding Jmac into the mix?

by Julio Nievas on Nov 27, 2009 6:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

withrow or ethan martin

and a hitter needs to be added..

by matthewmafa on Nov 27, 2009 11:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What’s the over/under on the number of starts before Johnson’s arm gives out again?

The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.

by David Young on Nov 28, 2009 11:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

How About We Keep Elbert, Linblom, and McDonald....

…and let them pitch for the Dodgers?

What was Johnson when he was 23, like Elbert was in 2009?

Johnson in 2007 for the Marlins:

15.2 IP, 26 H’s, 12 BB’s, 14 K’s, 7.47 ERA.

Doesn’t look like a guy with much of a future.

by CanuckDodger on Nov 27, 2009 7:29 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I agree with your overall point

but you are cherry picking stats here. In 2006, a year younger than 2009 Elbert, Johnson put up a 139 ERA+ in 157 innings, and his career ERA+ was 123 through 2007 (in 185 innings)

Looking back to 2007, the Tommy John surgery would be what scared anyone off of Johnson, but not past performance.

by Eric Stephen on Nov 27, 2009 7:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

…and Elbert of course had a surgery in his past too, on his shoulder, that basically wiped out his age-21 2007 season

by Eric Stephen on Nov 27, 2009 7:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Clearly, from my last line...

…I was being facetious, but at age 23 Johnson was worse than he was before — and worse than Elbert in 2009. But he got better. That is the serious point. Phil kept saying this year that he looks at Elbert and sees nothing more than a “wild ass lefty.” But why think that a 23 year old is a finished product?

My real point is that we shouldn’t envy other clubs with “proven” players and think that we would be best off getting those players by shipping off our “unproven” players in exchange. Let’s give our unproven players the chance to prove themselves.

by CanuckDodger on Nov 27, 2009 7:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em

its a gamble, an “unproven player” could easily prove himself to be a below average player.

I just have to trust that the front office is evaluating ceilings on players accurately, and making sure when we do trade, we’re getting something in return that was worth the prospects.

basically i just think you have to gamble if the deal makes sense

William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.

by Ollie on Nov 28, 2009 3:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

dodgers called scutaro?? asked him to play second base...

Boston is interested, like the Dodgers, Seattle and Texas,‘’ Scutaro said. "They have just called to say they have interest, but they haven’t made an offer yet.

“The Dodgers want me to play second base, shortstop in Boston, and there are other teams who have called to play third.”

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2010376166_marco_scutaro_confirms_mariner.html

by matthewmafa on Nov 28, 2009 10:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

2009 salary $1,100,000.00
He’s been placed on waivers twice
Good glove – not too much bat
Last year was his “career year” with 12 hr’s vs. an average of around 7 previous
He’d be a good bench guy, insurance for DeWitt

by 68elcamino427 on Nov 28, 2009 11:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Plus Scutaro is a Type A. No thank you!

by Eric Stephen on Nov 28, 2009 12:32 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Could this be an example where this rating system can get cock-eyed?
How can this guy be a Type A?
Wonder if he’ll go unclaimed.
Start a pool – who’s gonna give up a first rounder for the honor of having Marco on their roster?
Geez, rather have Izturis off the Angels roster.

by 68elcamino427 on Nov 28, 2009 12:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The rankings are pretty dumb…Eddie Bajek of Detroit Tigers Thoughts has done yeoman’s work in reverse engineering the data.

In each league, all players are split into groups. 2B/SS/3B are all together.

There were 69 total AL players in these positions on MLB rosters or DL on August 31.

Here are the categories used:

PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI, Fielding percentage, Total chances at designated position

Each category is ranked at each stat. I did a quick Baseball Reference search, which includes some other players, but it gives a rough idea of how Scutaro scored so well. For 2008-2009, he ranked…

10th in PA (1272)
34th in AVG (.275)
10th in OBP (.362)
t-20th in HR (19)
19th in RBI (120)

I can’t do a multi-year search for chances or fielding percentage, but it looks like he was somewhere around the top 10, or maybe top 15.

Since there are 69 players, each stat gets points based on ranking: 69,68,67,…1. So let’s say Scutaro was 15th in chances and fielding percentage (low estimate), he would get:

PA – 60 points
AVG – 36
OBP – 60
HR – 49.5
RBI – 51
Fld % – 55
Chances – 55
Total points – 366.5

That’s out of a possible 414, giving Scutaro a score of 366.5/414, or 88.5. Now that was just an estimate…Scutaro’s actual score was 83.069, which was 6th highest among all AL 2B/3B/SS

by Eric Stephen on Nov 28, 2009 1:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That should be 483 possible points, not 414. Meaning Scutaro ranked higher than I estimated in some categories (makes sense, since I didn’t check each player on the B-R list).

by Eric Stephen on Nov 28, 2009 1:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If one could reasonably assume Marco would meet or exceed those numbers again next year, then he would have more worth.
Career season at just the right time. Could this be a definition of a season long “clutch” if you’re playing for a contract?
Mabye the situation just implies more focus when money is involved?
Show me the Money!

by 68elcamino427 on Nov 28, 2009 1:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs