Joe Torre May Stick Around For A While
by Eric Stephen on Nov 8, 2009 7:16 AM PST
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PrintAll that talk of Joe Torre leaving after his contract expires after next season may have been premature. T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times brings the news that Torre and the Dodgers are working on a contract extension:
"We were talking about my coaches and I've been thinking about it," Torre says while mentioning General Manager Ned Colletti's name and plans to chat again once Torre returns from a charity function in New York.
"It's been fun. When I came here, I was curious about how it might go. But the last two years have been invigorating. You see progress and your ego tells you maybe you had something to do with it."
It has been rumored that Don Mattingly is being groomed as Torre's successor as Dodgers manager, especially since he declined to interview with the Nationals for their managerial job earlier this week. Simers also reveals a confirmation of Mattingly's status from the club:
"We'll discuss Don this winter as well," Colletti says. "We believe he wants to stay here and we'll see where that goes.
"When I hired Joe, I told him we wanted to develop continuity here and I would like to have his successor on his staff or at least within the organization. He suggested Don be given a chance and I've told him we'll do that."
One of the main reasons the pending McCourt divorce is troublesome is the dysfunction we all fear it will bring to the organization. At the very least, extending Torre will bring some sense of stability to the club, as did Colletti's extension last month. Good or bad, if a new owner comes in, it will be hard to fire the manager and general manager if both have long-term contracts.
Torre turns 70 next season, and is already the oldest manager in Dodger history.
| Manager | Date of Last Gm |
Age |
| Joe Torre | Oct 4, 2009 | 69 years, 78 days |
| Tommy Lasorda | June 23, 1996 | 68 years, 275 days |
| Wilbert Robinson | Sept 27, 1931 | 68 years, 90 days |
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If you are near a radio or a computer at 5:30pm tonight, I will be a guest on the Sunday Sports Final on KABC 790 with Ken Levine and Steve Lyons. You can listen online here.
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Everything else is in order for 2011
With Kuroda and Manny off the books, an insane FA class looks a bit promising. The young core should be hitting their stride. The McCourt bullshit should be all done. I’d love to have Torre give it one last shot if things don’t work out in 2010. Maybe Vinny will feel inclined to follow suit if things are looking good.
Actually
we’ll still be paying Manny in 2011
by StolenMonkey86 on Nov 8, 2009 1:28 PM PST up reply actions
Hope he's not
gonna turn into the Favre of managers. Heh. I bet Mattingly hopes that, too.
The commenter formerly known as "Dashiell".
Can you pleae tell Steve Lyons
that he is borderline retarded for referring to home runs as “rally killers”? Thank you.
I realize you probably won’t use those words, but in a mature and diplomatic fashion if you could convey the point that a home run is not a rally killer that would be great.
Actually, BABIP is pretty mainstream now adays.
Steve Mason and John Ireland used to analyze Mark Reynolds, and so did ESPN’s Baseball Tonight’s crew.
Of course they refer it to ’Balls in Play" instead of BABIP, but its the same thing.
I was thinking back to
the game when Collins tried to explain BABIP to Lyons. It wasn’t explained very well to begin with, but Lyons got visibly flustered.
by Michael White on Nov 8, 2009 12:32 PM PST up reply actions
That was awesome
and it epitomized every conversation I’ve had with my dad that involves any stat beyond avg/rbi/hr/era/w-l.
Mattingly must feel like the Anthony Eden of baseball always waiting for the guy in front of him to retire.
What Would Jack Bauer Do?
Maybe more of a help
Could this create a situation where Torre can ease Mattingly into the managerial role?
A few years from now Torre officially steps down and Mattingly is surrounded by players he helped to bring along.
Of course a change in ownership could make this type of conjecture meaningless.
by 68elcamino427 on Nov 8, 2009 2:41 PM PST up reply actions
MLBTR predicts we will sign....
Drumroll please…..
Felipe Lopez
Jon Garland (WTF?)
Erik Bedard
Thoughts?
I’m digging on the first and third.
I'd love to sign Bedard
I saw him pitch once in a game where the opposing starter was the real story. Bedard was solid, but what I remember about that game was that Cory Lidle started for the Yankees.
I forgot that he struck out 8, but I remember he was dominant.
I don’t see why we’d keep Garland; seems really random. And I’m not high on keeping Wolf – I don’t think his low walk rate is repeatable, and while he’s a little above average at striking players out, he’s always been prone to the long ball. I’m also not entirely sure we wouldn’t shoot ourselves in the foot if we kept Padilla.
Going with Kershaw, Billingsley, Kuroda, Bedard seems like a good start. I’d like to see Charlie Haeger get a shot as the 5th starter (I don’t know if we’ll see Kuo/McDonald used out of the rotation or not), but it’s more likely he’ll just be the insurance in case Bedard or Kuroda gets hurt. I can see Mr. Ned signing Bedard and then someone else that’s kind of mediocre but not too expensive. Maybe try our luck with Smoltz or a second shot with Penny (will Plaschke complain about Penny more than Manny? Will I have the pleasure of never knowing?), although Sidney Ponson is a free agent.
by StolenMonkey86 on Nov 8, 2009 9:56 PM PST up reply actions
there is no way
penny or kuo will be starting for the dodgers.. and i would also love to see haegar starting for the dodgers..
If Tommy Lasorda ran the show
He’d go for Sheets, who pitched a shutout to give the US the gold in 2000.
by StolenMonkey86 on Nov 8, 2009 10:01 PM PST up reply actions
Lasroda would proceed to wreck Kershaw, billingsley, and Kuo's arms to the ground.
I half think the reason why Pedro was traded because Claire knew that Tommy would wreck his arm like he did with Ramon Martinez.
Lasorda would also run Sheets into the ground
So maybe it’s best that he’s not. But I still would like Sheets.
by StolenMonkey86 on Nov 8, 2009 10:06 PM PST up reply actions
Olney says that the Dodgers
Are expected to move at least one of their may arbitration eligible players by trade!
I have never had the feeling that would happen or read it anywhere. I wonder where he gets that from.
What do you think of this possible trade?
Purely off the top of my head, but what about trading Sherrill for Kawakami from the Braves? The Braves need a closer and are looking to trade a SP from all the rumors floating around. Kawakami will make 6.5m next year and Sherrill should be around 3.5m.
I'd pass
Kawakami wouldn’t give much more (if anything) than McDonald/Elbert/Haeger. I’m not necessarily against moving Sherrill, but I don’t see Kawakami as much of an upgrade.
by Michael White on Nov 9, 2009 8:31 AM PST up reply actions
But would you rather him than Garland?
Because you know we’ll probably end up signing some cheaper, veteran SP to start the season in our rotation.
oops
Meant that as a reply to the “I’d pass” comment above.
by CarolinaDodger on Nov 9, 2009 8:41 AM PST up reply actions
Neither
but if you sign a PVL (Garland or someone else) starting pitcher, at least your not moving Sherrill. I wouldn’t trade an asset for a mediocre starting pitcher.
by Michael White on Nov 9, 2009 8:46 AM PST up reply actions
GM meetings start today
and run through Wednesday in Chicago
Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune recounts some moments from GM meetings past:
In 1999, Toronto traded Shawn Green to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Raul Mondesi.
The trade was memorable because both players were represented by the same agent – Jeff Moorad – who now owns a large chunk of the San Diego Padres, and that the deal resulted in an exchange between Tommy Lasorda and Jim Fregosi, who at the time was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Shortly after the trade was announced, Lasorda boasted that Green was “born to be a Dodger” because he attended high school in the Orange County town of Tustin. Fregosi quickly reminded Lasorda that Green spent his younger years in the Bay Area, grew up a San Francisco Giants fan and that his favorite player growing up was Will Clark.
For one of the few times, Lasorda was speechless
I loved Will Clark too. Well, loved is probably too strong a word. But to me Clark was exempt from normal Giant hatred when I was growing up. He was always one of my favorite non-Dodgers
same here, I couldn’t really tell you why other than I was a 1B. I also liked McGwire as a rookie, which a couple years later caused a conflict when the Dodgers finally made it to a series and played against my 1B idol.
I had the SF hate going early. I could not do that.
I liked AL guys as a kid. I used to make my Grandpa take to to Big A to watch Ryan, Griffey, Bash Bros, etc about once a month. Those are the types of things that interleague play killed.
TV also killed those typed of events.
I am glad I am just young enough to still know how special it was to actually see the guys from the other league that never came to DS.
I Say We Go for John Smoltz
Because veteran guys like Greg Maddux, Jeff Kent, Louis Gonzalez, Jim Thome, Nomar Garciaparra, David Wells, Andruw Jones, Derek Lowe, Mark Sweeney and guillermo mota have done us such good over the past few years.
how about we sign smoltz, charm Glavine back to MLB, and convince Maddux to come out of retirement. Then have all 3 compete in a former all-star braves deathmatch to be the 5th starter.
“Let’s see if these bastards can do 90.”
by Eric Stephen on Nov 9, 2009 10:10 AM PST up reply actions
This part of the offseason sucks
Unless there’s an unforseen trade, there won’t be any big Dodger news for a month.
Yeah, it makes for very long days at work too.
The long winter freeze starts. Well, I like the Raiders if anyone wants to talk about the Raiders. I also like Kurt Warner. I like this Beethoven Sonata I am listening to. I like Joe Torre and his large head. The topics are just endless when baseball season is over. Boo.
by Ian Capilouto on Nov 9, 2009 10:12 AM PST up reply actions
Dodgers not pursuing Aroldis Chapman
per MLB Traderumors
I’m sure that news surprises nobody on this board.
by Michael White on Nov 9, 2009 10:20 AM PST up reply actions
Not surprised but I wish they would.
I read he may have some mental make-up issues to overcome, and needs to develop a 3rd pitch. But he has never been trained like he would in the US. I am sure he will blossom. His WBC innings prove he has a chance.
OT: Charter internet
Anyone in the San Gabriel Valley use Charter “high speed” internet? The speeds have been miserable since Saturday. Just wanted to find out if it was just me.
Updated post on the available free agents
http://www.truebluela.com/2009/11/9/1122707/window-shopping-the-2010-free
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
With ownership in limbo, I find it hard to believe the Dodgers will add anything of significance this off season.
Manny’s back. The proverbial long shot starters, maybe Belliard to battle at 2b…and arbitration for the core.
Its too bad because Uggla can be had(1b and move Loney) and Halladay will be on the move IMO.
Still, sometimes boring is good. Maybe they’ll find some extra $ in January for the bargain bin if the ownership situation and ticket sales picture become clearer.
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