Tool Time with Roger McDowell - Dodger Player of the Day
by Phil Gurnee on Dec 21, 2009 9:09 AM PST
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Roger McDowell was born on 12/21/1960 and came into the league when relief pitchers were still men, throwing 127 innings in only 62 games as a rookie in 1985. While McDowell had his moments on the mound he was probably better known for his pranks.
While McDowell was a stable major league-level pitcher, he was also notorious in the league and among fans as a prankster who would light firecrackers in the dugout and light matches hidden under teammates' cleats. This was known as the Hot Foot. During a nationally televised game, he was filmed with his uniform on upside down – his pants over his head with his shoes on his hands. He also took part in an on-field mariachi band and wore earrings in the clubhouse to protest Cincinnati Reds' owner Marge Schott's banning of earrings.
McDowell joins other well known Dodger pranksters such as Jerry Ruess and Jay Johnstone. McDowell didn't join the Dodgers until 1991, and pitched for us for four unremarkable years. Primarily a groundball pitcher his success or failure was predicated on luck and the defense behind him, so with Jose Offerman as his shortstop he didn't have his best years with us. As an example of that in 1993 he gave up 32 runs of which only 17 were earned. Almost 50% of the runs he gave were unearned. McDowell retired in 1996 and rejoined the Dodgers organization as a minor league pitching coach from 2002 - 2005 before joining the Braves as their major league pitching coach. Some of our best young pitchers tutelage'd under McDowell during his tenure as one of our minor league pitching coaches.
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A few notes
a) I really liked those NL and AL umpire logo caps
b) I loved Roger McDowell. He was king of the hot foot.
c) McDowell was really sporting the mullet in that photo
d) Keith Hernandez’s performance on Seinfeld was iconic, but McDowell’s role as “the second spitter” was great too
The 2nd spitter
made the episode. I almost went with this that in the title when I found the toolbelt photo.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Dec 21, 2009 10:45 AM PST up reply actions
He seems to think the divorce
is the cause of the money issues, I say that’s a smokescreen because no one has been able to say why a divorce in and of itself, can cause the payroll to drop.
Look South
for that answer. The most recent baseball divorce was the Padre’s and so most people are wondering if that could happen here. It is easier for Tony to blame the divorce then to dig deeper. Digging deeper would mean working harder.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Dec 21, 2009 11:04 AM PST up reply actions
That was exactly my thought
Jackson’s first column is doom and gloom, because its a simple article to write. Nothing earth-shattering involved. First column, and he’s already mailing it in.
by Michael White on Dec 21, 2009 11:23 AM PST up reply actions
Maybe he was busy for the past few weeks…oh wait.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 21, 2009 11:26 AM PST up reply actions
Also
Check out DodgerDivorce.com’s post from last Friday.
There is reason to believe that the Dodgers have an additional expense: $700,000 per month in legal fees. Seven hundred thousand dollars per month.
That may be why payroll could be dropping now. (Note: it’s not clear that payroll is dropping now, and even if it is, this may not be the reason.)
Looking ahead, whether one of the McCourts holds on to the Dodgers or the team is sold, payroll could be affected in any number of ways.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Dec 21, 2009 11:07 AM PST up reply actions
Key distinction
Frank McCourt has an additional expense of $700k in legal fees.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 21, 2009 11:10 AM PST up reply actions
…some of which may or may not be paid by the team of course, depending on relevance, as Josh alluded.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 21, 2009 11:13 AM PST up reply actions
Right -- that's what I was saying.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Dec 21, 2009 11:14 AM PST up reply actions
'Course
It’s just as likely that it’s debt service, unrelated to the divorce, that is ham-stringing the franchise.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Dec 21, 2009 11:16 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah
although I can see a situation where Frank has kind of put everything on lockdown until the whole divorce and legal battles are settled. Maybe not wanting long-term or big-money contracts for anyone, until he has an idea of his endgame. Keeping all of his options open, giving him flexibility in case he needs to sell (even if some of the short-term strategies backfire in both short and long term).
by Eric Stephen on Dec 21, 2009 11:20 AM PST up reply actions
Probably
a combination of:
1. Debt Load
2. Divorce
3. Bad luck with large FA contracts
4. Declining revenue – remember contrary to what the Dodgers said last December, many season ticket holders did not renew, and even more will not renew this season. They are not selling the expensive seats on a regular basis. Not saying they have declining revenue but I bet if we looked at season ticket revenue at the beginning of 2008 compared to where it is going to be in 2010 I’m betting you will see a decline.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Dec 21, 2009 11:27 AM PST up reply actions
While that's true
The counter argument would be that he knows that the Dodgers are his most valuable asset and one would think he’d be loathe to do anything that devalues that asset. However, he’s just saying “business as usual” then trading Pierre and signing Carroll…
The story right now is the story of an owner in trouble, and Frank is not giving anyone any reason to tell a different story. There’s surely more to the story than Jackson is writing, but the takeaway is right: the Dodgers will still be competitive in 2010, but fans don’t see the kind of major move that would really help the team take the next step that has eluded them for two years. And the future is, at best, murky. That is a reasonable assessment of the team.
And the fact that that is the perception at the moment devalues McCourt’s most valuable asset, the one he is fighting so hard to keep.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Dec 21, 2009 11:39 AM PST up reply actions
that column is pretty simplistic
while the divorce has some effect, if it were not for the debt load and the cost to service it the divorce would be a side show, instead it takes on increased import because it might cause an ownership change as neither has any financial wherewithal to own the team on there own after the split (if it is declared community property). while this is playing out it hurts, but if the long term outcome is a better more financially capable owner comes along then in a few years we can put this whole fox-mc c era behind us.
by MammothDodger on Dec 21, 2009 11:42 AM PST up reply actions
Just a tease
but if you are looking for some optimism this winter Baseball HQ loves our outfield and even thinks Loney’s skill set might be setting him up for an impressive 2010 campaign. I’ll have the the lowdown later this week but all in all the offense has some solid projections with little bouncebacks expected from Martin/Furcal, Blake staying close to the same, monster outfield, and of course Jamey Carroll.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Double A
Dodgers announce Carlos Subero, who managed the Hi A 66ers in 2009, will manage at Chattanooga in 2010. That will be a loaded team.
Subero seems highly thought of in the organization. In September, both he and Triple A manager Tim Wallach had lockers at Dodger Stadium and were with the team during homestands, once the minor league seasons ended. I don’t know if any other minor league coaches and managers were there with the team during that period, but I just saw lockers for those two.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 21, 2009 11:44 AM PST up reply actions
NPUT
http://www.truebluela.com/2009/12/21/1210934/tbla-holiday-song-contest
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Cross another name off the "whew" list
Jason Marquis to the Nats
http://masnsports.com/2009/12/nats-to-sign-jason-marquis.html
Roger McDowell??
sounds like the name of a carpenter or handyman
whatever you call that job these days…
"Just by the aura of D.J. Mbenga being there, the shot missed."
A carpenter is to a handyman like Chris Carpenter is to Brett Tomko.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Dec 21, 2009 2:53 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
carpenter:tomko
Picasso compared to…well uh, Tomko LOL
by VeroJoe on Dec 21, 2009 4:34 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
no no no
I’m sorry let me please clarify, I was referring to Chris Carpenter being like Picasso. I was a carpenter’s assistant for the summer during my freshman year of college. I have the utmost admiration of their craft.
no no no
my comment was to shaqfor3. I fully understood your joke, which is funny; I did LOL myself.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 22, 2009 10:44 AM PST up reply actions
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