Blue Crew at Brew Crew Game Thread

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 8:00 AM PDT in Game Threads Comment 32 comments

Dodgers (13-13) @ Brewers (13-9), 1:05pm

The Dodgers and Brewers face off today in Maryvale. Manny Ramirez returns to the field for the first time since tweaking his hamstring almost two weeks ago, so says Ramona Shelburne of the Daily News. Ryan Braun also makes his return, joining the Brewers after playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reported Chad Billingsley -- recovering from a groin strain -- is tentatively scheduled to throw a bullpen session Thursday and start Sunday.

Ken Gurnick reported fellow 5th starter candidates Eric Stults and Claudio Vargas will pitch for the Dodgers today. Gurnick adds that Stults will need "a strong outing to stay alive in the fifth-starter competition."

Eric Stults

#50 / Pitcher / Los Angeles Dodgers

Height: 6-0

Weight: 225

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Dec 09, 1979

Manny Parra toes the rubber for Milwaukee. The Dodgers managed three runs and seven hits in four innings of Parra on March 14.

Manny Parra

#26 / Pitcher / Milwaukee Brewers

Height: 6-3

Weight: 210

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Oct 30, 1982

Ken Gurnick gives us the Dodger lineup:

Furcal SS
Hudson 2B
Manny LF
Ethier RF
Martin C
Blake 3B
Mientkiewicz 1B
Pierre CF
Stults P

MLB.com Box Score | Gameday

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Get your Sweet 16 votes in

Go here to vote on the sweet 16 matchups to determine which historical Dodger team is most like the 2009 Dodgers.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 11:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

"Stults will need 'a strong outing to stay alive in the fifth-starter competition.'"

Makes sense. Why would Stults be given the same opportunity as the wily veterans we’re running out there?

/sarcasm

by Brendan Scolari on Mar 25, 2009 11:54 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

At first I thought it seemed ridiculous

but if they’re going by spring stats, Stults has been the worst of the four:

McDonald: 12.1 IP, 2 HR, 6/8 BB/K, 5.84 ERA, 5.71 FIP
Vargas: 14.1 IP, 4 HR, 5/15 BB/K, 6.28 ERA, 5.99 FIP
Milton: 14.2 IP, 3 HR, 5/8 BB/K, 4.91 ERA, 6.00 FIP
Stults: 6 IP, 1 HR, 4/1 BB/K, 12.00 ERA, 7.53 FIP

Small sample size obviously, but one strikeout in 6 innings is poor. Stults has some innings against minor leaguers that aren’t included here too.

So basically Stults does need a strong outing to stay in it.

Personally, my ranking of these candidates would be:

1) McDonald (clearly)
2) Stults (he’s been fine over the last 3 years, so much so to offset a poor spring)
…
297) Dreifort
298) Koufax
299) Drysdale
300) Vargas
301) Milton

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha!

Those would be my rankings too. But if McDonald doesn’t win the job I think Milton or Vargas almost assuredly will. They won’t let Stults start unless its an emergency.

by Brendan Scolari on Mar 25, 2009 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

re:

While we sort out what the future holds for Schmidt:

The only advantage I see for Stults is that he’s home grown. Nothing indicates that we can actually pitch better then Vargas at the major league level. On the other hand I like watching him hit so I hope he wins the job but I don’t think he’s an improvement on Vargas. He made 7 starts last year and the last five are more indicative of what he’d do on a regular basis. Neither is very good but Vargas has had his moments. In 2007 he won a spot in the rotation due to injury and after 15 starts had an ERA of 3.89 before imploding, including one game where he struck out 11 hitters. I think we’d be happy with that as we wait for Schmidt.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/gl.cgi?n1=vargacl01&year=2007&t=p

by meercatjohn on Mar 25, 2009 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm more worried about the HRs

as Cameron unloads on Vargas…

Stults from 2006-2008 gave up 0.9 HR/9 in Vegas and 1.42 HR/9 in 95 major league innings.

Vargas from 2006-2008 gave up 2.03 HR/9 in 237 major league innings.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

239 IP

for Vargas, not 237

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cue Emily Litella

Never mind.

I’m an idiot. Vargas has thrown 339 IP over the last 3 years. His HR/9 is a Stultsian 1.43.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It comes down to health

If Vargas is healthy, I don’t mind him over Stults. But is he or will he be healthy?

2006-2008
Vargas 4.94 FIP
Stults 5.12 FIP

2009 projections
Vargas from 4.57-5.03 FIP
Stults – from 4.48-4.81 FIP

Perhaps a better question is can either one handle a bullpen role, as the mop up man? That could happen I suppose.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

meer

I think I remember you tossing out those first two sarts before when talking about Stults. What’s your thinking?

by Bob Hendley on Mar 25, 2009 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stults out after 2.1 IP

bases loaded, 1 out. Safe to say Stults will not be our 5th starter to start the season. But we already knew that.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Updated FIP

Stults sits at 8.48 after his performance today, in 8.1 IP.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Sweet

Bill Hader is the guest on Bill Simmons’ podcast today. I will listen while at the gym later.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Ethier!

bases clearing double…5-5

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Vargas

6 HR this spring so far.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 2:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

re:

I think when you visit you will notice how the ball carries in March in Arizona. Fly ball pitchers do not fare well. Still I doubt if Torre is thrilled with the choices Ned has given him. Bet he’s lobbying for Pedro every night.

by meercatjohn on Mar 25, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, crazy wind out there

the one good thing is that McDonald is emerging more and more. I believe J-Mac is starting tomorrow.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who is pitching right now?

I didn’t catch who gave up the massive shot to Prince.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 3:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

My fantasy team weeps

Ryan Braun left today’s game with “right side stiffness,” according to the Brewers’ broadcast team.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 3:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

re:

Braun winces while Prince trots. We need some kind of bet in our league to make it interesting?

by meercatjohn on Mar 25, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

How do you spell relief?

From the LA Times, pre-game notes from today:

Claudio Vargas will pitch today in relief, something Manager Joe Torre said he might want him to do during the regular season. If Vargas’ move to the bullpen is permanent, James McDonald will likely be the Dodgers’ fifth starter.

by Eric Stephen on Mar 25, 2009 3:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

by meercatjohn on Mar 25, 2009 3:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

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2010 Dodger Payroll

Pos	No	Player	2010 Salary
C	55	Martin	$5,050,000
1B	7	Loney	$3,100,000
2B	33	DeWitt	$410,000*
3B	23	Blake	$6,000,000
SS	15	Furcal	$8,500,000
LF	99	Manny	$7,267,760
CF	27	Kemp	$4,000,000
RF	16	Ethier	$6,000,000

2B/3B	14	Carroll	$1,350,000
2B/3B/1B	3	Belliard	$825,000
C	12	Ausmus	$850,000
OF	5	Johnson	$800,000
SS	60	Hu	$405,000*

SP	22	Kershaw	$425,000*
SP	58	Billingsley	$3,850,000
SP	18	Kuroda	$14,100,000
SP	44	Padilla	$4,025,000
SP	50	Stults	$405,000*

CL	51	Broxton	$4,000,000
LHP	52	Sherrill	$4,500,000
LHP	56	Kuo	$950,000
RHP	67	Troncoso	$425,000*
RHP	54	Belisario	$425,000*
RHP	31	McDonald	$425,000*
RHP	68	Monasterios	$460,000*

		Pierre	$4,000,000
		Andruw	$3,600,000
		Schmidt	$2,000,000
		Wolf	$2,000,000
		Hudson	$1,440,000
		Nomar	$1,250,000
		Ohman	$200,000
		Zerpa	$35,000
		Hoffmann	($50,000)

Others on 40-man roster (total: 39)
RHP	37	Haeger
RHP	73	Link
RHP	47	Wade
C	9	Ellis
C	71	May
SS	87	DeJesus
OF	75	Paul
OF	17	Repko	$500,000
RHP	64	Guerra**
RHP	74	Jansen**
LHP	59	Leach**
RHP	49	Schlichting**
LHP	57	Elbert**
OF	62	Robinson**

Totals			$93,522,760
Red = arbitration Asterisk () = estimated * = currently in minor league camp
For more detailed information, click here.

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