McDonald Hopes to Seal the Deal
by Eric Stephen on Mar 31, 2009 6:31 AM PDT
in Game Threads
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Dodgers (14-18) at Diamondbacks (12-19), 1:05pm
The Dodgers travel to Tucson today to take on the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks. James McDonald makes his final Arizona start of the spring, and while he hasn't officially been named the 5th starter, the job appears to be his. If all goes as scheduled, McDonald should also start the Dodgers' final exhibition game Sunday in San Francisco.
Starting for the Diamondbacks will be Billy Buckner. Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports that Buckner is fighting for a spot on the Arizona pitching staff with two other pitchers who will also pitch today, Leo Rosales and Bobby Korecky.
Some notes:
- Xavier Paul won the Jim and Dearie Mulvey Award as the Dodgers' top rookie of spring training, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
- Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times gives us the Will Ohman contract details:
If Ohman gets called up -- something General Manager Ned Colletti says will happen unless the pitcher is injured -- he'll earn a base salary of $1.35 million this season. Ohman can opt out of the contract if he is not promoted by April 14.
The contract includes a $2.2-million club option for 2010 that the Dodgers can buy out for $200,000. Ohman's base salary in 2010 would increase to $2.3 million if he pitches in 80 games this season.
Ohman can earn an additional $425,000 in incentives this year -- $325,000 based on games pitched and $100,000 based on games finished. He can receive $475,000 in bonus pay in 2010 if his option is picked up -- $375,000 based on games finished and $100,000 based on games finished.
- Ramona Shelburne of the LA Daily News profiles Ned Colletti's offseason. For those of you that have asked for details of our sit down with Colletti on Saturday, here is an excerpt from Shelburne's article that sums up one of the themes:
"When we met with Joe (Torre) an the coaches after the LCS, we put together our wish list," he said. "With only a couple of exceptions, we were able to sign nearly every one of them. Every decision we've made had been driven by the evaluation of our manager, coaches and baseball people.
"Our payroll remains very strong and flexible in unprecedented times."
- Manny Ramirez will not travel with the club today, but will play against the Giants in Scottsdale on Wednesday.
Also, remember to get your Elite 8 votes in for the 2009 Dodger prediction bracket contest. Voting for this round runs through Wednesday night.
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Should be Billy Buckner.
Billy Butler is a first baseman with the Royals.
by Brendan Scolari on Mar 31, 2009 9:55 AM PDT reply actions
D'oh
I was even thinking early how I could make a “behind the bag!” joke, too. Good looking out. )
by Eric Stephen on Mar 31, 2009 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions
AP Photos'
Eric is the first to play with our new AP Photo toy. SB Nation now has rights to all the AP photo’s, look for them to enliven the True Blue game threads and recaps.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Past winners of the Jim and Dearie Mulvey Award
2008 – Blake DeWitt
2007 – Tony Abreu .
2006 – Hong-Chih Kuo
This will take some research but it isn’t easy to find these past winners.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Media Guide to the rescue!
Past Mulvey Award winners:
2005 – Repko
2004 – Loney
2003 – Chin-Feng Chen
2002 – Cesar Izturis
2001 – Luke Prokopec
2000 – Tony Mota (completely forgot about him!!!)
1999 – Onan Masaoka
1998 – Paul Konerko
1997 – Wilton Guerrero
1996 – Todd Hollandsworth (won ROY)
1995 – Antonio Osuna / Jay Kirkpactrick
1994 – Raul Mondesi (ROY)
1993 – Mike Piazza (ROY)
1992 – Mike PIazza
1991 – Eric Karros
1990 – Jim Neidlinger
1989 – Chris Gwynn
1988 – Craig Shipley
1987 – Mike Ramsey
1986 – Reggie Williams
1985 – Sid Bream
1984 – German Rivera
1983 – Orel Hershiser
1982 – Mike Marshall
1981 – Fernando (ROY)
1980 – Rudy Law
1979 – Pedro Guerrero
1978 – Bob Welch
1977 – Rick Sutcliffe
1976 – Glenn Burke
1975 – Rick Rhoden
1974 – Jerry Royster
1973 – Eddie Solomon
1972 – Steve Yeager
1971 – Bob Darwin
1970 – Bill Buckner (not today’s AZ starter)
1969 – Ted Sizemore (ROY)
by Eric Stephen on Mar 31, 2009 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions
re:
Thanks – some real hit and misses on that list. I have no memory of Tony Moto or Kirpactrick, everyone else is burned into the memory banks.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Today's lineup
Pierre, LF
Ausmus, C
Ethier, RF
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
Blake, 3B
DeWitt, SS
Hu, 2B
McDonald, P
J-Mac will be facing a close approximation to Arizona’s opening day lineup.
DeWitt at SS
Seems to indicate they’re willing to carry him as an extra infielder. I’d imagine he’d get three starts a week (2B, SS, 3B). That would be ideal.
by silverwidow on Mar 31, 2009 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
re:
If it happens I will buy you a well deserved beer for calling it.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Wish this game was on video feed
lots of banging going on. Loney hits his first, and the Blake’s both have bombs. Nice to see Rauch still having problems. Looks like McDonald ran out of gas and Sturtz did nothing to help his cause to make the team.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
He's really making a case
for being the utility infielder. It would really strengthen the team having him on the bench instead of Castro. A year ago we didn’t even think he could handle 3rd base defensively and now he’s bloody Tony Philips.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I think I’d still like to see him get some more seasoning with the bat in the minors rather than rot on the bench. I remember reading about how DeWitt was the best pure high school hitter (or something like that) in the draft, as well as working at 2B on a daily basis. DeWitt will never be Chase Utley, but he’d still be a good asset even as a very poor man’s Chase Utley.
Dodger Fever: Catch it every summer; head to the ER every October.
by Tango and Cash on Mar 31, 2009 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions
re:
I told BHsportsguy last summer that I thought DeWitt might be able to blossom into a Chase Utley but I didn’t have to balls to write the story.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
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