Battle Of The Also-Rans? Nationals Preview.
by David Young on Aug 6, 2010 7:30 AM PDT
in Team Previews
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PrintWashington Nationals: 48-61, 5th place, 14 1/2 games behind in the NL East (Schedule and Results).
Manager: Jim Riggleman
Scored 448 runs, Allowed 496 runs. Pythagorean W-L: 49-60
Season series: Nationals lead 2-1
Unlike the Dodgers, the Washington Nationals knew full well that they were sellers as the July 31 trade deadline approached and they reshaped their roster accordingly, trading closer Matt Capps to the Minnesota Twins for top catching prospect Wilson Ramos and minor-league lefty Joe Testa, and moving infielder Cristian Guzmán to Texas in exchange for RHPs Tanner Roark and Ryan Tatusko.
The Nats are a decent team at home (29-23) but have lost twice as many road games as they have won (19-38). This is the second series of their current road trip and they arrive in Los Angeles having just split four games in Arizona. Over their last three games, their starting pitchers have lasted 5 2/3, 5 1/3, and 4 innings, with relievers making nine appearances; however, the Dodgers will face none of those starters. The Dodgers will also not face phenom Stephen Strasburg who is on the disabled list.
At this moment the Nats roster is one man short. Center fielder Nyjer Morgan was placed on the 15-day disabled list and a corresponding move has yet to be announced.
Position Breakdown:
Catcher - Future hall-of-famer Ivan Rodriguez is the starter. Pudge's bat cooled off after a hot start and he is hitting just .264 / .289 / .352 / .641 / .278 (BA / OBP / Slg / OPS / wOBA) and has grounded into a league leading 20 double plays, tied with Pablo Sandoval. He is still throwing out 35% of the base stealers who try to run on his strong arm. Perhaps Pudge is done.
First Base - The grass in left field has a longer life span now that big Adam Dunn is manning first base for the Nats. Dunn recently did not clear waivers, so he will not likely be traded before this series, nor before the end of the season. The NL home run leader with 28, Dunn is having a Dunnesque year, although his walk rate is down. .277 / .364 / .574 / .938 / .397, career UZR/150 of -16.4.
Second Base - Veteran Adam Kennedy with his goofy uppercut swing was splitting time here with Guzmán and will likely get at least the starts against RHPs. .262 / .336 / .349 / .685 / .318, 7.5. Roughly Ryan Theriot's mirror image, except his fielding seems to be in serious decline.
Third Base - Ryan Zimmerman is a stud, both with the bat and with the leather. He would be even busier this weekend at the hot corner, but Russell Martin is on the DL. .301 / .389 / .543 / .932 / .399, 12.9.
Shortstop - Despite a moniker that evokes images of a 1970s British heavy metal front man, rookie Ian Desmond has been the Nats starter at SS this season. While he is still learning to be a major league hitter, he does bring some pop to the plate. Scouting reports peg him as a capable fielder, though he has accumulated a rock-y 26 errors thus far in 2010. .260 / .294 / .399 / .301, sample size too small.
Left Field - Josh Willingham, one of Phil's favorites, mans left field and provides the Nats with a very capable third middle of the order bat. .270 / .392 / .461 / .853 / .381, -3.5
Center Field - Speedster Nyjer Morgan - 29 stolen bases are second in the NL, but 14 times caught leads the league - will miss the series. Curacao native Roger Bernadina, who has been platooning in RF, is likely to start in center instead. .277 / .332 / .433 / .765 / .338, sample size too small, but he was primarily a CF in the minors.
Right Field - Mike Morse, formerly a SS in Seattle, has received increased playing time in RF for the Nats, who look to be riding the hot horse here. In 111 PAs: .330 / .378 / .583 / .961 / .410, sample size too small.
Bench - Wil Nieves is the backup catcher and perhaps he starts Sunday's day game. Alberto Gonzalez is the backup infielder. The recently recalled outfielder Justin Maxwell, the versatile Willie Harris - in three years with the Nats he has played every defensive position except catcher and first base - and a player to be activated sometime today complete the bench.
Starting Pitching For This Series:
Game One - John Lannan (vs. Clayton Kershaw) recently returned from the minor league exile of AA ball and rejoined the rotation. In his first start back, the southpaw allowed 2 runs and 7 hits to the Phillies in 5 innings. For the season his ERA / FIP / xFIP is 5.63 / 5.34 / 5.37, with 36 BB and only 27 K in 80 IP. He's never been a strikeout pitcher, but that is a ridiculously low rate. Hopefully Lannan is just the tonic needed to revive the slumbering right-handed bats of Casey Blake, Matt Kemp, et al.
Game Two - Livan Hernandez (vs. Hiroki Kuroda). The 35-year old Cuban continues to confound. His low 5.0% HR/FB rate and .280 BABIP against suggest a bit of luck as does his ERA of 3.12 vs. his FIP / xFIP of 3.70 / 4.58, but he has averaged over 6 1/2 innings for his 22 starts this year. Regression to the mean anyone? Note: Rafael Furcal has batted against Livan 84 times and has hit .387 / .440 /.653 against him - get well soon Raffy!
Game Three - The Nats announced that ex-Rockie Jason Marquis (vs. Ted Lilly) will be activated from the disabled list and start on Sunday. Marquis made three starts at the outset of the season, then had surgery in May to remove bone chips from his right (throwing) elbow. Until recently, Marquis was the last man to yield someone's 600th career home run. His season stats are meaningless.
Bullpen - Collin Balester (#99!), Miguel Batista, Sean Burnett. Tyler Clippard, Joel Peralta, Doug Slaten, Drew Storen man the bullpen for the Nats. Burnett is the only pitcher to record a Nats save since Capps was traded, but the team claimed they would go with the "hot hand" and that Burnett, Clippard and Storen - the 10th overall pick in 2009 - would be "in the mix". Clippard did finish a recent 5-run victory and is still contending for the team lead in strikeouts; his 72 Ks trails only Strasburg (75) and Hernandez (78). Ross Detwiler, Scott Olsen, Craig Stammen all made starts the last time through the rotation. Your guess is a good as mine as to which pitcher moves out to make room for Marquis.
Old Friends - Bill Singer: Director of Pro Scouting (except to Kim Ng), and Devon White: Coordinator, Baserunning
Series Prediction - The Nats offer a top-notch set of middle of the order bats, good defense on the left side of the infield, a few intriguing relievers, and with Strasburg out, not much else. Not too surprising for a team with a .440 winning percentage. I would imagine that both Las Vegas and Xeifrank's simulator will have the Dodgers as overwhelming favorites for each game, but when two teams are playing out the string, anything can happen. Dodgers win 2 out of 3, managing to blow one game in some excruciating fashion, perhaps a go-ahead run scoring because Brad Ausmus commits catcher's interference with the bases juiced.
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Ha Ha
-
Ryan Zimmerman is a stud, both with the bat and with the leather. He would be even busier this weekend at the hot corner, but Russell Martin is on the DL.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
The first sentence would be a lot better
if I had replaced “bat” with “wood”, even if it was an obvious setup for a TWSS joke.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
If we don't score five runs a game against these pitchers
this will be the most futile year since 2005, no matter what happens the rest of the year.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
i'd say something about our troubles with LHP
but now we have Reed “the Lefty Killah” Johnson back. We shall destroy them.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 8:06 AM PDT up reply actions
I just watched that inside-the-parker highlight from last night
What an exercise in futility. No idea what Pods did over there in the corner. On top of that, not that it was his fault at all, but Carroll’s relay throw to home plate was pathetic. I never realized what a weak arm he has. Another way we miss Furcal.
seriously
the blame kemp contingent is getting ridiculous.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Every team needs a scapegoat, and I guess that can’t be Garret Anderson…
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
Matt Kemp
should have been telling Ted Lilly to tell Martin to slide.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 9:49 AM PDT up reply actions
Martin should've just run the catcher over.
Don’t need instructions for that.
Is there a rule on the legality of running over the catcher? Does he have to have at least a portion of his body blocking the plate in order for the hit to be legal?
i was joking
and far as I know, you can totally lay the catcher out if you want. I think it was just a split second indecision on Martin’s part. Which ironically, has now cost him greatly.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions
Josie
your illustration of Kemp’s coverage area should have been a fanshot!
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
I laughed so hard when I saw that in the last thread
That was truly brilliant.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
I was listening on radio and Monday was bitching about Kemp not backing up the play then. But i thought it was legit at that time because Charlie was going on about a 360 foot inside the park homerun, and he did his usual terrible job of describing what happened. Naturally I was confused. Saw the replay when I git home and obviously Kemp would not be able to back that play up. Monday is at the karros level of hatin’
@soyboquense
It Is Completely Ridiculous That They Changed...
DePodesta’s name. And that they cast Jonah Hill. Whether the movie is based on the book or on an independent appraisal of the relevent history, Beane’s asssistant was DePodesta, and DePo was a skinny guy who looked and sounded the part of the prototypical nerd.
they only changed it
because DePo wanted them too.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions
And then he could have sued them
you can’t take a real person and turn him into something else without his approval. You think they said changed the name of his character because he politely asked?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Wouldn’t a former MLB GM be considered a public figure? If so, no prior approval would be needed.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions
Aren't there limits? (Any libel lawyers here?)
If they turned the character into, say, a rapist or pedophile, public figure or not, couldn’t he sue?
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Well, I would assume so. But Moneyball is a historial account of what happened.
I can’t imagine Barry Bonds gave his consent for this book
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Moneyball the book is
Don’t know about the script though.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Even DePo claimed
they didn’t have to agree to his request. But, sure, that request could be code for, “the character is so much not me at this point that I might have to consider a lawsuit.”
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
That is what I took out of it, but I could be off.
Just don’t see how even if Paul is a public figure that you can create a person with his name and completely re-engineer his actual representation without it being libel but then I no nothing about such things. Just using common sense which probably means nothing when it comes to law.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Even with Pitt attached if anyone see's this movie I'll be shocked.
I’m always amazed at the bastardizaion of the amal………. characters in history movies.
For some reason I’m even pissed it is being made. It seems so pointless.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I agree. Bizarre to think this could possibly be a hit. They’re going to end up putting some spin on the story that is going to make it suck.
ditto
I can see it being made as a more independent type movie, but being made as a big hollywood production with Brad f’ing Pitt seems rediculous
I have no problem with the actors
though Brad Pitt may have enough clout to force the tone of his character, I think the big problem will be with the constantly rewritten script and the tack taken by the director. The Coen brothers got what they wanted out of Brad Pitt.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
My favorite Pitt movie was Snatch
and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is my favorite stoner movie. Though not sure it counts.
Lock Stock and Snatch are two of my very favorite movies.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Love Lock Stock. Better than Snatch and I liked Snatch too.
But no, don’t consider it a stoner movie since the drugs were a function of organized crime and they weren’t stealing it to smoke it, they were stealing it to pay off Russian gangsters.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions
I could have lived with Hill trying to play DePo straight
but losing the ex-jock angle – you can’t possibly sell Hill that way – but the stills with Hill wearing a jacket, shirt and tie with the shirt untucked says a lot about the tone of the money. I can’t see how it won’t suck.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
playing him straight = boring
they need to sell tickets, Jonah Hill is hilarious, and he needs to be a nerdy foil to Brad Pitt’s cool ex-jock. They don’t have 12 hours of your time like the book does, it’s a movie and they need black and white and for you to immediately understand the dynamics and hopefully provide some laughs.
I am clearly in the minority in thinking this might be a good movie. I’m definitely not going to compare to the book— different audience, medium, etc.
I don’t find Hill to be all that funny.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm always impressed when an actor
with his physical appearance makes a name in the industry.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
"They always need a fat best friend, that'll never go out of style"
-Patton Oswald
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions
Actually I didn't even consider him a funny fat guy in Superbad
he was simply heavy, but funny? His character wasn’t funny, I mean he wasn’t playing the class clown, he was playing a messed up kid, where stuff that happened to him that was funny, but he himself was playing a serious role. Or am I wrong?
Not like he was doing Chris Farley
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I thought of him as the funny fat guy. I mean neither he nore Cera’s characters are aspiring to be stand-up comedians, but the movie was a comedy centered around those two, and if Hill wasn’t a fat, scruffy guy nerd and Cera wasn’t a skinny nerd, then the story wouldn’t have worked.
But that’s why the movie was shitty, IMO. It was a comedy and Cera and Hill were not funny.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
I thought they made a nice combination
two very plausible friends, but as someone said just now below me, the cops and McLovin made the movie. It wasn’t great but as far as high school movies go, it was far from shitty.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I can see why Cera can be annoying at times, but I like him enough to think Superbad was hilarious.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Cera annoys me more than Hill and Rogen combined. I’m so sick of him and that same character. Nick and Norahs infinite playlist was the worse movie I think I’ve ever seen.
The exact same character.
I didn’t like it the first go around.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
SSS :)
To be honest, I have only seen him in Superbad and thought he was really funny. I’m going more off the fact that his movies do well.
I hated Superbad, and I thought he was the worst character in Sara Marshall. I didn’t find him funny in Knocked Up or the 40 year old virgin in his small roles.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
The over the top cops were worth watching Superbad
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Cable
seen parts, but never the whole thing. Stoner movies peaked with Ridgemont High
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
If we had a TBLA Stoner thread
who would lead it?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
My All-Time favorite stoner movie is...
SUPER TROOPERS!!!
Best opening scene. Ive seen it a hundred times!!
"If your Mr. October, I'm Mr. Spring, Summer and Winter!" - Tommy Lasorda to Reggie Jackson
by Ego Crusher! on Aug 6, 2010 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions
Love Super Troopers
Never have thought of it as a stoner movie though either.
Would not call that a stoner movie.
Loved it though.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
What defines a "stoner movie"?
I remember there being bricks of pot stacked like a pyramid. Also, I really laughed my ass off while being stoned!!
"If your Mr. October, I'm Mr. Spring, Summer and Winter!" - Tommy Lasorda to Reggie Jackson
by Ego Crusher! on Aug 6, 2010 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Sure, but that was a comedy based on idiot cops trying to track down drug traffickers.
The cops were more drunks than stoners.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions
Stoner Movies
Revolve around the characters getting high and being “stoned”. Something where you don’t really want to watch it unless you’re getting high every time they do. I.E.
Up in Smoke
Half Baked
Friday
etc.
That movie tried to hard to be funny.
For the record, I like Jonah Hill more than Seth Rogen.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Neither one float my boat.
but I’m glad they are acting if that makes any sense.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Me too
the main thing I don’t like about Rogen is his laugh really annoys me.
I enjoyed his role in Funny People.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions
I’m a Hill lean, but really do admire Rogen.
by Julio Nievas on Aug 6, 2010 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Do we really lead the series?
I coulda sworn the nats took 2 of 3 when we played them in D.C.
by SeanMillerSavior on Aug 6, 2010 9:31 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
That was the beginning of the swoon
right out of the Big Red series. I did an interview at the time and said Matt Kemp was on his way to becoming the super star we all envisioned. Fooled me.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Yeah, you're right, I'll fix that
I was reading the Nats game log, saw two "W"s and got confused.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Can we please kick the nats ass! I’m sick of losing, and hungry for more wins.
by Skunkburner on Aug 6, 2010 9:34 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Dunn is such a miserable fielder
He apparently can’t get low enough to field pretty simple ground balls. I watched the highlights of last night’s Washington-Arizona game and in just the 60 sec highlights 2 ground balls go under his glove.
For all he adds in offensive he takes away a good part in defense
Tailor made for the AL where he’d all about his offense.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
You'd have thought he would have fulfilled his destiny as an
Oakland A’s DH by now.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
I find it strange that he wants to stay in the NL
You would think he would realize just how much he hurts a team by wearing the glove and want to focus on what he’s actually good at. I guess he’s one of those that feels a DH isn’t a real baseball player.
Most players like to play the real game and not the fake version
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Aug 6, 2010 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
And with a declining Kennedy at 2B
When Podsednik rolls over grounders to the right side, we shouldn’t automatically groan.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Convo before the Pods trade
Frank: So Ned, what’s out there? We gotta get some life here or fans will stop coming.
Ned: Well we could get this guy Scott Podsednick.
Frank: Is he expensive?
Ned: No, not really.
Frank: Well tell me more then.
Ned: He’s gritty, can play CF, he’s fast, no arm, bats leadoff, has a good average.
Frank: Hmm sounds familiar.
Ned: Yeaaaa, he’s like Juan Pierre.
Frank: Didn’t the fans love Juan Pierre?
Ned: Yea when he was in beastmode.
Frank: Beastmode huh? I like it!!
Frank: He won’t cost much right?
Ned: Nah just a couple prospects.
Frank: Ha! Whatever, sounds good lets do it!
For Silverwidow
Is Strasburg headed for a future more like Prior’s?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soBuruoIT4o
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Great Video Phil
When I saw Stasburg pitch during my DC trip in June, I kept thinking that his delivery reminded me of Prior.
Same kind of hype too – people were designing Prior’s HOF plaque before his injury too.
any word on who claimed Dunn?
or will we not know until something definitive happens like him being pulled back or traded?
We may never know
Even when he is pulled back, they don’t have to announce the claiming team.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
yeah
but someone will probably dig it up.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions
I haven't realized just how fucked our minors really are
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/8/6/1607290/top-20-pre-season-los-angeles
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
I think
our minors guys are just having a bad year along with the big club. No reason to think they can’t all rebound.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't think the guys who are doing bad won't do better next year
But I didn’t realize just how bad everyone was doing until now. About half of that top 20 will be replaced next year.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
What did I say last week that Phil call me out for?
“Rotten from top to bottom?” That’s still probably too strong. But there’s a lot not to like.
I hope Tommy’s right and next year is a rebound year.
The Omar Moreno of this blog
seems the small and big clubs have something in common
the talent is there, but now they have to put it together.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions
The thing is
That there are people not on that list that are doing very well who will be on that list next year, it’s just that they weren’t well known before then.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
But
even if that’s true, will the system be producing enough players to fill the holes of the ‘11-’12 teams, and even more importantly, provide the next wave of talent as Kemp/Ethier/Loney/Martin/Broxton/Billingsley become unaffordable?
It seems like the system was thin and the players that were there didn’t perform. Sure, new names will be in there next year — we know more now than we did four months ago and things have changed. Why do those names represent better prospects than the guys on the list last year? Why isn’t that just a game of musical chairs, in which somebody has to be a top-20 prospect?
I’m not trying to be snarky, I really want to know if the Dodgers have hope on the horizon or are totally screwed for some time.
The Omar Moreno of this blog
by Humma Kavula on Aug 6, 2010 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
if anything really bothers me about the ownership situation
it’s that attitude. I hate that we have all these young talented guys, and instead of being hopeful that we can have a good team for a long time, we’re thinking they’ll most likely be gone in a few years because they won’t be paid. I can understand with someone like Broxton as a reliever is hardly ever worth that much money, or Martin as he’s been steadily declining. But Kemp and Ethier and Billz are guys I would definately like to keep around.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions
Well...
I dunno.
I’d sign Kemp to a long-term deal. But I could be wrong. If he hits over that deal like he’s hitting now, in ‘10, rather than like he hit in ’09 or better, then that’s not a good deal. Especially if he can’t play CF.
Also, I’d have signed Russell Martin to a long-term deal, and that would have been a disaster.
Ethier is an 850 OPS guy with bad defense in RF and the reputation of an All-Star. He will demand a larger contract than he is worth.
And I’m not even gonna get into Loney.
There’s certainly a case to be made that all four of those guys should be kept through their arb years and only then make a decision on who to keep.
The Omar Moreno of this blog
by Humma Kavula on Aug 6, 2010 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Kemp and Kershaw are my definites.
Billingsley is my probably, and would be a definitely if I thought the Dodgers could swing a turnaround during the time they are locking him up.
Ethier, Martin, Loney, Broxton are nos.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions
I am definitely with you here
By the way Ethier is playing he will be a type A free agent (if that is still around by then), and I say that because I doubt we’d trade him before he reaches free agency.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
And I think we should trade him (I didn't really finish that though, lol)
But it’s not going to happen.
I am definitely ready to lock up Bills, Kershaw, and Kemp, though.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
Lets put it this way. If the answer to the question of, “will the Dodgers be good in the next 4 years such that it would warrant locking up Billingsley to a 4 year deal” is “no”, then Ethier, Broxton and Billingsley should be on the trading block. If the answer is “yes”, then you lock up Bills and probably don’t trade any of them (or maybe just Broxton.)
Since Billingsley is my favorite player, I have a hard time saying they should trade him, but as an armchair GM, the logic holds.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions
For the record, the more I think about this (since we discussed it earlier) I think 4 years is such a long time that you are safe in saying the Dodgers will be competitive to some degree during that time. So that’s why I am a “probably” on Billingsley.
So, with that assumption, I lock up Kemp, CK and Chad. Shop Broxton, let Ethier play out his arb years, non-tender Martin and offer Loney another year of arbitration.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree with all of this
If we are prepared to use Kuo or Jansen as the closer next year in place of Broxton, lets get something that really helps our farm system, or someone who could step right into the lineup or rotation next year.
I think we need Ethier if we want to win anything, but if we aren’t in a position to, then trade Ethier as well.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
I agree with this.
I think it comes down to replaceable-ness. Even if you’re iffy on Bills, who is going to come down the pike and be as good? Even if he is just above average, he’s hard to replace.
Well, I don’t think Ethier is replaceable, but I would consider trading him. He only has 2 years left on his deal and will be too expensive to re-sign. So even if he is moved and GA is playing RF in his place, if I don’t think the team will be competivie the next two years, trading Ethier is the smart play.
it doesn’t matter if you win 60 games or 80 if they both result in post-season misses. With that logic, you move Etheir for a player that will be able to help when its time for the next run.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
Good points. The difference between Ethier and Bills is what you might get back for him. Ethier could bring back a major haul, not sure sure about Bills.
Yup, that’s a key difference too, and a key difference as to why one is re-signable and the other isn’t. I mean, if I could lock Ethier up with a 4 year deal that I am going to give to Billingsley, I would do it, even with Ethier being older.
But the perception is why Ethier has the higher trade and free agency value. Both could be used for the Dodgers advantage by signing Chad to a reasonable deal and turning Ethier into a haul of prospects.
BTW, 2010 WAR:
Ethier: 1.0
Billingsley: 2.6
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions
it doesn’t matter if you win 60 games or 80 if they both result in post-season misses. With that logic, you move Etheir for a player that will be able to help when its time for the next run.
This might work in theory, but I just can’t see that strategy being attempted in LA, at least with the current regime. 2005 was a bridge year, and everyone knew it, but it happened to have everything possible workout the wrong way and I don’t see McCourt willing to go through that again.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
I understand that point. I was approaching it exclusively from an analytical angle.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions
It wasn't at the beginning
but when Werth broke his wrist on the first pitch, the dye was cast.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
It could have been much more
I meant bridge to the prospects coming up.
The pieces were in place to have a good year, and Kent, Drew, and Lowe were all signed to long-term deals.
I loved the Valentin signing.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
Heading into 2005
the top four starters and their 2004 ERA+…
Penny (131 ERA+ in 2004)
Odalis (126)
Weaver (102)
Lowe (90)
I remember cursing the signing of Lowe when it happened, but talked myself into it with his sinker ball tendencies and lack of HR allowed. Even then, I couldn’t have imagined how good that signing was in retrospect.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions
Me two but I wanted him to play 2nd not 3rd
Didn’t understand him being signed to play 3rd.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I was OK with it because I figured we would have lock down defense at SS & 3B, and at that point a reasonable argument could be made that Jeff Kent wasn’t a statue (that he had good defensive numbers because he was so good at positioning, etc) plus he was still an elite hitter.
Valentin was coming off a 31-homer season; I was downright giddy.
Then again, I was looking forward to Norihiro Nakamura too :)
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions
much as I like Dre and Loney
this is probably the best course of action.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions
My problem with trading Bills
Besides that he is right behind Kershaw and Kemp as my favorite Dodgers (no other Dodger is even close to those guys in my book), is that no team will give fair value for him really. He’s just as good as Roy Oswalt this year yet the Astros wanted him straight up in a trade I believe, which is just crazy. To trade Bills we’d have to find a gm that doesn’t just think Ned is insane or dumb, which may be a task in itself.
Now if we go Bills for some top prospect from KC, as Dayton Moore is one of the few worse GMs than Ned, I wouldn’t be as sad.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
2011 is gonna be tough, but its pretty plausible we have guys contributing in 2012/2013
I liked the Loons’ rotation. They might have more going for them than the IE guys from last year who were on the top this year (Withrow, Martin, Eovaldi).
Rubby is already in AA, Magill, Webster – looking good. Of Course, Pimentel and Wallach are gone now, but they were the most expendable of the bunch. Even Josh Wall could end up being a long man or something.
Trayvon/Gordon/Sands – Hopefully 1 or 2 of them becomes a starter.
Well just from off the top of my head, Baez, May, Lambo, Paul, and Wallach will all be off the list for next year (all of them traded away, losing rookie eligibility, or just plain are too shitty like Baez).
Then we will have to add Sands and Rubby for sure. I’m also thinking Blake Smith, Brian Cavacos-Galvez (sp?), Mario Songco, Jt Wise, Josh Wall, Matt Magill, Shawn Tolleson, Leon Landry, and possibly Jake Lemmerman could be additions to the list (not all, but some).
So it looks like there could be quite a few newcomers to the top 20 list.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
Maybe BA just had a crappy top 20 list:)
I see your point, maybe the Sands, MaGills, Rubby’s, Solano’s will disappoint next year as the Gordon, Withrow, Lambo, Gould did this year. I’d rather look on the positive and just be thankful some players stepped up when the top prospects did not.
The only player who has sucked this year that irritated me was Withrow, as I really expected him to blossom this year. I had tempered expectations for Gordon, Martin, and Lambo headed into this year. On the glass full side if the top prospects of 2009 (the ones still here) can rebound, while the 2010 class continues to improve, along with the top prospects who didn’t disappoint (Trayvon Robinson, Webster, Paul), 2011 could be much more then rotten from top to bottom.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
where the hell
is Jerry Sands? Why is he not on that list?
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions
He was not a top 20 prospect at the beginning of the season.
The Omar Moreno of this blog
by Humma Kavula on Aug 6, 2010 10:03 AM PDT up reply actions
Sands wasn't in the Top 20 prior to the season.
Even though he raked last year, he was considered a little too old for the level he was at. Plus he wasn’t highly coveted because he wasn’t a top draft pick, import, or “toolsy” guy.
yeah,
I got confused. I see now it was a “where are they now” type thing. my bad. Thanks peeps.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions
Go through
and read Sickels’ retrospectives for the other teams. Most read just like ours if not worse, other than a few like the Braves, Royals, etc. who have outstanding systems. That’s why they’re prospects – they fail more often than not.
Our system as a whole is still probably middle of the pack IMO.
Last night's thread got very silly
but I will be happy to raise a glass of gin in toast of K3vo and Maddz. L’chaim!
The Omar Moreno of this blog
In the realm of fandom
isn’t silly one of the extra stages of grief?
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
I would actually be incredibly ok with this
lol.
At this point though I think it would be more realistic with 84-90 million over 7 years. I don’t care if you were kidding, I love thinking about locking Kershaw’s contract up for the next 7 or more years.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
The trick is to make it sound possible enough for Ned Colletti to consider it.
Like Dodgers sign Dotel to two year extension for $8.5 million
As a Dodgers fan who lives in DC
Watch out for Mike Morse. This guy is an absolute stud with the bat, and he’s on fire.
Part of Pech's Posse since 2007.
by OleksiyPecherovsHomeboy on Aug 6, 2010 10:47 AM PDT reply actions
Yeah, I probably jinxed him
Part of Pech's Posse since 2007.
by OleksiyPecherovsHomeboy on Aug 6, 2010 7:23 PM PDT up reply actions
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/mcdonald-shows-the-stuff-of-a-top-prospect/
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
The crux of why that deal was stupid
But for starters, a 0.3 WAR night will do just fine. It might be better than what Dotel produces for them the rest of the season.
I haven't not watched every inning
but has Dotel even pitched as a Dodger yet? Gotta get his 10 innings per month in somewhere.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
yes
he’s the one who game up the inside the park homer last night. well him and Podsednik.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions
As Eric says, total crap that there was no error on that play.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
I was laughing when the official scorer ruled that a HR. Perhaps he felt it was just bad luck that it got by Podsednik, but it looked to me like the ball hit Podsednik’s glove.
Either way, it was a chop to 3B that ended up being the greatest or worst home run of all-time.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Yup missed that
heard my neighbor yelling at Kemp for not backing up the play:)
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Well, gosh, anything can happen in small sample sizes.
He was given 1 start in PIT and 1 start in LAD. He was poor in 1 and great in the other. Neither of which is enough to say how he was with either club.
JMac was a solid reliever last year.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
Still sucks that in his debut with the Pirates
he is fucking awesome. We could have used that last year or this year. If someone asked me right now what the hell is different I’d simply say “he can’t pitch in a big market” . Because I’ve got no other answer. He used his change up, who told him not to use his change up with us? Martin, Honeycut? or did the pitching coach for the Pirates say, Listen James our scouts say you have a killer changeup, use the goddam thing.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Starting a new blamewagon
It was Martin’s fault for sure. Bad game-caller.
The answer is small sample sizes (IMO.) There was no reason to spend all that time developing him as a starter this season to scrap it after one start. That is stupid Dodger shit. He is obviously capable of throwing like he did last night and I don’t personally believe the city size is the difference.
He used his changeup in his start against SF and it looked good.
One other note from what I read. He started out throwing very hard yesterday. Touching 95. He’s never showed that as a starter in LA (though he did as a reliever.) If the pitching coaches told him anything, it was don’t worry about pacing yourself.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
J-Mac was converted
Not to Judiasm but pitching. The thought of how many years went into his developement…wow if he turns out to be above avg
“What the Dodgers gave up: It seems like James McDonald is pushing 40 by now, but he’s only 25. One of the last Dodgers’ draft and follows, J Mac actually spent a few seasons in the organization as a left-handed hitting outfielder. He finally converted to pitching full time and put up pretty decent numbers in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he broke out in a big way and was named the #56 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America.”
LADODGERTALK.COM
I was speaking more toward
Everyone now thinking he’s awesome now that he’s not a Dodger prospect. That was, of course, without reading the article yet.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
Who makes comments without reading the article:)
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Aug 6, 2010 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Thats my problem with it though
he got ONE start with us, gave up 4 runs, one of which could have been prevented by good defense, and we shoved him to the pen, and then traded him away for a guy who is arguably not that much better out of the pen, and has no chance of becoming a decent starter, unlike j-mac. HORRIBLE trade.
Road Rockies
It should be noted as well that the Rockies have a much lower average on the road than at home so let’s let sample size increase a bit before we look with regret at losing J-Mac
I just watched his highlights
Boy, where was that stuff when he was with the Dodgers? His third strike out, a curveball, was the nastiest I have ever seen…
by Julio Nievas on Aug 6, 2010 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions
Weren't we all saying
when he pitched that first time how great his stuff worked? He obviously ended up making some bad pitches in his start, but this shouldn’t be a huge surprise based off what he did when he got his ONE start with us.
Even in the start I thought the change looked good.
That was the big thing since we saw his good curve the year before. He didn’t throw the change in relief (in 2009.)
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
I was surprised he threw the change on 3-2!
by Julio Nievas on Aug 6, 2010 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions
thought I'd post this little tidbit from MLBTR
talking about Carl Crawford and where he may be next year
Dodgers ($49.2MM) – Manny Ramirez’s contract will be coming off the books, so the Dodgers could look to replace him with Crawford. That would give the Dodgers a star-powered outfield, but until their ownership situation becomes more stable, the team won’t necessarily be able to make a nine-figure commitment to any free agent.
The number in parentheses is the 2011 payroll commitment.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 11:20 AM PDT reply actions
that’s not really how much we have committed in 2011 is it? I thought there was more because of the deferrements.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions
Is Crawford really gonna get 100 mils?
Yankees are going to give Cliff Lee the Brinks truck. Who else is left with that kind of money?
Red Sox maybe?
The article I referenced has a bunch of teams who are potential landing spots. But this is a Dodger blog, so that’s why I posted that part here.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions
Reg thinks he is Boston's left fielder
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Fail
Manny Ramirez will be paid more by the Dodgers in 2011 and 2012 than in 2010. I wish more people would realize this.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions
fail indeed
people don’t need to be experts on every little detail about the Dodgers, but at least get the big ones right, if you’re gonna analyze the team. Today on Andrew & Mychael’s show on ESPNRadio, they had the new guy replacing Showalter on Baseball Tonight, and Andrew asked whether the Angels or Dodgers were the bigger underachievers. The guy said Angels, because he thought the Dodgers had problems heading into the season. Fair enough. But then he added something like, ‘I looked at the starting rotation and saw it had wasn’t very good.’ ?! At least acknowledge where the problems really ended up being (injuries, offense, bullpen), if you’re going to talk about their failings. It’s not like the starting pitching can give up no runs every night- this ain’t the San Francisco Giants!
I get your points. I wish people did know the team better.
Though, my perspective has changed a bit since I started writing the series previews this year. Dave does an excellent job above of giving a breakdown of WAS, but it is pretty tough to paint a strong picture for every team in the league. I can do pretty well with other NL West teams, but it is definitely a challenge.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Dodger 2011 Commitments
Players Still Here
Blake: $5.25 million
Furcal: $12 million
Kemp: $6.95 million
Ethier: $9.25 million
Carroll: $2.5 million
Broxton: $7 million
Total Under Contract: $42.95 million
Dead Money
Manny: $8,633,880
Pierre: $3.5 million
Andruw: $3.375 million
Schmidt: $1.5 million (deferred signing bonus)
Padilla: $1 million (deferred signing bonus)
Dotel: $250,000 (option buyout)
Total Dead Money: $18,258,880
Total 2011 on the books: $61,208,880
Of course, none of this accounts for the arb-eligible players
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:45 AM PDT up reply actions
Nice Jersey shore reference!
Sometimes I look it over to remind me how fucked the future is.
@soyboquense
bleh
well that sucked, stranded so many runners on board, especially with RISP. Bad night for Loney and I have no idea how Denorfia’s hit turned into an inside the park home run. It wasnt hit deep at all. At least I got to see Jansen, he looked a little rusty, but pitched nicely.
Adam Morrison has more rings than Lebron, Bosh, and Wade combined?
poor Loney even got his own highlight reel for his failings
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=10664675
I really don’t think it’s entirely fair, though. His last two at bats were lousy, but his first one (not shown), I think was a line drive right at the center fielder. His second one (the first on the video), was almost a 3 run homer, and would’ve been at many other parks. Had that happened, we may have been singing his praises today. That’s baseball for you.
BA Prospect Hot Sheet
The best prospect in the Dodgers system who you might not know that much about? That could be RHP Rubby de la Rosa, a 21-year-old Dominican who jumped from low Class A Great Lakes to Double-A Chattanooga. How did he do in those two starts? He’s struck out nine and has yet to allow a run in 11 innings, and with a fastball that can reach the mid-90s, he has the live arm to back up the performance
that's only sad if Ned ends up trading him for 2 months of (insert veteran name here)
with that undervalued reputation. Otherwise, it’s good that he’s under the radar!
He hasn't had a hot stretch
to get into the Hot Sheet, just a nice consistent improvement.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Those are Trayvon's numbers???
Holy shit!
by Julio Nievas on Aug 6, 2010 11:52 AM PDT up reply actions
Most important is that he improves his OBP. That lit a smile on my face.
by Julio Nievas on Aug 6, 2010 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Just a little inside info. The Dodgers LOVE Rubby and are very, very, very high on him.
by UCLADodger32 on Aug 6, 2010 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions
i love rubby too.
lets all rub one out for rubby.
by npurcell on Aug 6, 2010 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
there was a time when that would mean something to me. At this point, what they think doesn’t seem to matter as much.
I hear ya. But i also head hes one of the guys they wouldnt talk about moving.
by UCLADodger32 on Aug 6, 2010 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions
it’s good info to know, don’t get me wrong! I guess I’m just not wowed with their decision making of late.
I think we've been wowed
in the wrong way.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions
So where does this rank de la Rossa among Dodger pitching prospects? I mean: I don’t expect that he has the ceiling of Withrow or Martin, but does his (limited) success at AA mean that he is already more advanced than those guys?
His AA success is too small of a sample size at this point. Withrow lit up AA in his first couple starts there last year if I remember correctly. From the scouting reports we’ve heard on Rubby, I don’t think there’s any reason to assume he doesn’t have the same ceiling though. Just because he wasn’t a 1st round pick, doesn’t mean he can’t have the same ceiling.
I just didn’t think his ceiling was as high because I’ve never heard of him spoken/written about as a dominate front end guy. Not to say thats always right, but there must be some reason he has been under everyone’s radar.
Last year he actually got sent home for disiplinary problems
so it was a question mark as to what would happen to him. Plus he had a 6.06 ERA last year. Even still I still had him #35 overall, which is higher than most I believe
by Brandon Lennox on Aug 6, 2010 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh thats what it was? I had just assumed it was injury and that led to his poor numbers. Do you know what he did to get sent home?
From what I heard
they didn’t disclose the reason
by Brandon Lennox on Aug 6, 2010 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions
The 2010 Dodgers kinda screwed themselves over.
Not starting McDonald when you had just as worse, or worse options at 5th, shifting DeWitt to 2nd when he’s a natural 3B as they come, trading for Scotty Pods, Dotel, Lilly, and Theriot when they were most likely already out of it.
No, this is not me being jaded, this is me trying to objective analysis. Yes, I know its not working. See everyone at the game tomorrow.
And we’ll likely be priced out of getting Lilly back for next year. Its just sad that Ned was able to do this and still have job security.
by UCLADodger32 on Aug 6, 2010 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions
From a purely objective standpoint
Should the Dodgers offer Lilly arbitration? In answering this question, you have to live in the real world and acknowledge that the Dodgers have a budget for next year.
Do you think he’d accept? If he did, what would he receive? I forget — could he then be traded, leaving someone else to pay the bill? What would you do if you were the Dodgers?
P.S. I know what the Dodgers WILL do. They will decline to offer him arb. Just wondering if they SHOULD.
The Omar Moreno of this blog
by Humma Kavula on Aug 6, 2010 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions
They probably should. This might be Lilly’s last time to get a long term deal, but he would have to turn down like $15 mil in arby if we go that route. It would be a tough decision, but hed probably decline and get 3/30 from someone.
by UCLADodger32 on Aug 6, 2010 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions
From Lilly’s perspective, he will have a nice ERA and other numbers, but he’s at 4-8 right now and it’s hard to expect him to finish with 10 wins. Like it or not, it’s tough to pedal your wares on the market with single digit wins in your jump off year, especially heading into your age 35 season.
I believe Lilly would accept arbitration if offered, and since he will end up somewhere around $12-14m or so, I would decline to offer it if I were the Dodgers.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions
I really dont think his win total will matter much on the open market. Now, his semi-lucky era probably will, but i dont think the wins will. Or maybe i just give other gms too much credit.
by UCLADodger32 on Aug 6, 2010 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions
What are the rules on trading players who you’ve offered arb?
The Omar Moreno of this blog
by Humma Kavula on Aug 6, 2010 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Then this is the question
Would other teams — contending teams that do not have the Dodgers’ budget problems — want Lilly at (say) $15 million for one season? Would most teams offer Lilly arbitration?
If the answer is yes, there is no danger in offering it to him, right? He would still have a ton of value on the trade market.
The Omar Moreno of this blog
by Humma Kavula on Aug 6, 2010 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions
I don’t think Lilly is very marketable at that high of a potential salary. The best scenario would be to agree to something like a 2/$16m deal or something like that, but at that point he’d be worth keeping.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions
under NORMAL circumstances, I'd hope they'd offer
but given everything else going on now, I actually hope they don’t, because you know the money would be coming out of some other area where it’d be put to better use.
If DeWitt could hit, he would still be at 3B
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Asking for the world
Lilly better be offered arbitration. He’s better than Wolf although older. Lilly will get a multi-year deal and I wish it were here.
Either way, this payroll ceiling thing is really bumming me out. We are killing the franchise with a thousand small cuts. We need the type A picks, we need Lee signed for our farm system, we need to have 5 starters not 4 at the start of the year, we need to be buyers taking on salary in a market of paupers not replacing prospects for cash, etc ad nausem.
We need all these things or we will fall behind SD, SF for years and watch too many of these guys we’ve grown to love leave as free agents. If we lose Billz, Kemp or someone like that because LA has no money…pitchforks….
Lilly better be offered arbitration.
As a fellow Dodger fan, my advice for you is that you start preparing for the fact that he probably won’t be. He’d be even more costly than Wolf, probably with a higher chance of accepting, and if anything, the overall financial situation is likely worse than last year.
One start, for the Dodgers.
Fuck it, lets make it rain on Lilly.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions
We can recognise his talent and atleast offer him arb,no? We’ll need 2 or 3 SPs anyway
Forget the one start, he’s got a track record no?
No.
His x-FIP is 4.45. That makes him the 5th best starter on the Dodgers. With a budget, you can’t risk a 1 year $12MM contract for that performance.
I’d probably refuse arbitration to all the free agents, and I’d sign the 2 cheapest of Lilly, Kuroda, Padilla, and De La Rosa.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Lookouts in Lizard Lick
The Chattanooga AA team will be playing the Carolina Mudcats starting tomorrow for 5 games, and I can go to 1 of Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. I’d like to go to one featuring one of the better starting pitchers, but I’m having trouble figuring out the rotation. Anybody know a way to see who’s pitching which game?
As an aside, I’ve been a longtime reader of DT but here I find out where the cool kids hang out — cussing, drinking and whatnot. It’s fun over there but more of a party over here. Great site.
If all goes to plan
Tuesday will be Withrow and Wednesday will be Rubby
by SeanMillerSavior on Aug 6, 2010 12:11 PM PDT up reply actions
Another tidbit I can't resist posting
Just sayin’, if you’re in a game that isn’t going to extra innings and hasn’t seen any catastrophic injuries, and you still find yourself needing to stick Andre Ethier at first base, then you need to rethink the way your bench is put together.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:19 PM PDT reply actions
if only
call up Gibbons, I’ll have some hope of a home run. OOOOOORRRRRRRRR, sign Blalock(but he’s not an OF)
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Holy crap
The Giants were not the team awarded the waiver claim for Adam Dunn, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Henry Schulman.
Schulman believes the Dodgers put in the priority claim. Others have suggested it might be the Phillies. Both were ahead of the Giants in line for a chance at Dunn.
The funniest part of that is that it was likely to block the Giants or Padres since, you know, the Dodgers are in contention.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions
and completely shocking, given Ned’s history, if true.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Dunn at catcher!!!!
Seriously, this would be awesome, would he play left if we made a play for him?
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
this is what I was saying. I’m sure it was done as a blocking move. Wouldn’t it be (somewhat) funny if a trade for him was like Garland last year. “Yeah, just go to the other dugout”
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions
More from Schulman:
The whole waiver process was probably moot anyway. the Nationals still have designs on re-signing Dunn. If they don’t, I think they’ll be happy to offer him salary arbitration in the winter and get the two compensatory draft picks (assuming he remains a Type A free agent). I don’t think they were going to let him go on a waiver claim or deal him, unless they were wowed by what the claiming team offered them
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions
isn't it obvious?
salary relief
(watches everyone fall down laughing.)
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Nothing
I would bet money he won’t be moved.
a) it was a blocking move
b) the Nats asking price is too high
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions
maybe we can get them to take Belliard back
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Purely hypothetical
but if Dunn were to move today, and the new team took on his entire salary, the new team would be on the hook for ~$3,868,852
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions
didn't Ned get like 3-4 mil to play with?
just kidding, I know it’s all gone.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions
How would we know how much Ned was given to play with?
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions
didn't Tony Jackson report it before the July deadline?
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
or are you saying he might have gotten more? (unlikely)
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions
OT
Does anyone else find themselves hopelessly pressing “Z” on other websites expecting it to scroll to the next thing you want to read?
yes
but only when I’ve got TBLA going with four other tabs
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
by Josie Becker on Aug 6, 2010 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Sick
I’m going to see that movie tonight, possibly with some alcohol in me, so I don’t see any way it can be bad. I love Will Farrell, love the Rock, love love love Eva Mendes…oh yeah, lol. Mark Wahlberg is pretty awesome too.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
you are drinking?
yessssss…….you have been corrupted…..come to the dark side…….
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions
do what you want
i’m not shaving mine.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions
I'll be there tonight with English freinds and relatives
I cant decide if I should tell them how grim the outlook on this season really is..
William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.
I'll be following on my Iphone
I always do when I can’t watch. Especially for Kershaw starts, i’ve gotta know how my boy is doing :)
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
so if you're wondering who the guy in the hockey mask is
now you know.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Hmmm, That's a distinct possibility (especially since I'm younger)
But at least we know that I’m goody-two shoes and you’re evil.
"Stop exploding you cowards!!!"
Mike (Pitt): I know he doesn’t really count as a prospect anymore, but what is new Pirates’ starter J McDonald’s ceiling? Higher, lower, or same as Brad Lincoln?
Ben Badler: Higher, partly because I see Lincoln as a No. 5 starter or a middle reliever, and partly because I think the Dodgers sold way, way low on McDonald. He’s a three-pitch guy whose stuff wasn’t conducive to a bullpen role, so I never understood the way the Dodgers used him. He could be at least an average or better starter in the big leagues.
and he'll be
able to develop into that on a team with no expectations. He wasn’t gonna learn anything more in the minors, and the Dodgers always have a win now mentality.
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
by Josie Becker on Aug 6, 2010 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions
sad, sad, SAD about losing J Mac for a dude who has pitched once so far for the Dodgers. Way lame deal.
"Go fuck yourself" -Eric Stephen 6-29-2010
"Oh honey, I'm chalk full of juju" -Maddz 7-15-2010
Dotel also pitched Sunday, but point taken.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
But we needed a veteran 6th inning guy! Those are the ones who really help you come back from a 7 game deficit!
by UCLADodger32 on Aug 6, 2010 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe we are going to trade
Broxton for Dunn and they needed “closer” insurance:)
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
You were kidding, but such a move would basically be trading Broxton for draft picks.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Not if we don't offer Dunn arbitration. Picks cost money
I can get as negative as Tripon if I don’t keep my concentration.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Referencing
Thursday’s Phillies-Marlins game example: http://es.pn/c2Pttu /via from @espn
Is it just me, or does a lot of ESPN’s editorializing sound like a family arguing over the rules of scrabble, more so than people who know baseball forwards and backwards.
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
Even moreso
A family that can’t spell arguing over scrabble :)
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly
I spelled trainger and it crossed over the double word score, but Billys spelled usp and crossed a triple word score, so he gets more points, where does that get fair?
Well those are the rules, Uncle Joe, we met before the game, talked about them, printed them in a book, which you should read sometime.
Dagnabit! Why isn’t Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame?
Wait, what?
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
Isn't it more likely that the Phillies put in the claim for Dunn then the Dodgers?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
They could have as well
There isn’t necessarily just one claim. For all we know, the Dodgers, Giants, and Phillies all put in a claim. But since the Dodgers have the worst record of the three, they would get awarded the claim.
I am trusting Schulman has his sources (about the Dodgers claiming Dunn) and is not simply posting based on a casual look at the standings, but I could be wrong.
he did say
it was a guess based on “things he heard around the league”.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions
well
as much as everyone is resigned about the season, having a threat like Dunn in the lineup could be just the thing to allow the Dodgers to go on that run they need to make the playoffs. You know, the historic one.
It’s probably all moot though, as the Nats will probably just pull him back.
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions
The White Sox didn't get Dunn because the Nat's
wanted Beckham. Can’t even imagine what they would want from us.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Billingsley
they alllllllllll want Billz
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Burn out
I have reached 2010 Dodger burn out. I think I’m going to take the next 24 hours off before getting revved up for TBLA Night. (The McDonald game was the final nail in my coffin.)
I was hoping for a four win streak headed into TBLA night, but
last nights pathetic showing, swung me beyond Mr. White’s pessimism for the season. At this point:
1. I’m rooting for Pod to suck, get hurt, not reach his at bats, not be an option for LF in 2011
2. Hope DeWitt kicks ass
3. Hope McDonald kicks ass
4.
5. Hope Lucas May shocks everyone but Michael and myself and become Napoli II
6. Eric is wrong and Sands see’s some Sept BS time along with Trayvon
7. AJ Ellis to hit his first major league home run
8. Jansen continues his imitation of young Broxton
9. Kuou continues to be healthy
10. Manny ends up in Tampa in waiver deal ( more and more unlikley since he’d have to be unclaimed by every other team)
11. Rubby continues to rub out hitters
12. Andre and Kemp make Aug/Sept fun
13. Pitching staff continues to sparkle
14. Xavier Paul is given the LF platoon side in Sept for a month full of at bats.
15. The Padres win over the Giants
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Podsednik is 55 PA away from having the right to void that option. I would think him having fewer PA this season would make it more likely for him to be back in 2011, as the Dodgers would just exercise the option for $2 million.
Ah
I should get off the Pad dislike,not his fault Ned traded for him. He is what he is. May he go 5 / 5 tonight.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
mostly agree (especially #4), but
- was tongue and cheek, right? At least the part about getting hurt, I hope!
“more and more unlikley since he’d have to be unclaimed by every other team”
He’d clear waivers because of his contract.
by Taylor Maricle on Aug 6, 2010 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Almonds are the worst thing in trail mix
when ii grab a handful of mix and it is mostly almonds, it just ruins the next 30 seconds.
"Go fuck yourself" -Eric Stephen 6-29-2010
"Oh honey, I'm chalk full of juju" -Maddz 7-15-2010
I hate
when folk put cashews in trail mix. Like what this snack needs, is a bland off tasting nut
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
Dan (East Brunswick, NJ): Rubby De La Rosa has earned two hot list mentions this year, but there seems to be little scouting data on him other than his fastball mph. What does he offer in terms of repertoire movement and make-up, and what’s the ceiling?
Ben Badler: Hard, heavy fastball up to the mid-90s, a slider with sharp bite that grades out around average and feel for a changeup, although as a reliever for most of the season he hasn’t used that pitch as much. He’s still learning how to mix all three pitches as a starter and I know some scouts see him as a late-inning reliever, but I see him developing more feel for how to pitch with experience and sticking as a starter.
I just googled Rubby de la Rosa video and found nothing but
I this caught my eye from Keith Law on 3/31/2009:
Notes from my last day in spring training, at the Dodgers/Brewers A-ball games:
The best stuff of the day belonged to Rubby de la Rosa of the Dodgers, who turned 20 earlier this month and has yet to pitch in a pro game in the United States. De la Rosa sat at 91-95 mph with a solid changeup from 84-86 that he turns over hard. His breaking ball was a slow curve in the mid-70s, although the harder he threw it the sharper the break became. He clearly has the arm speed to throw a good breaking ball and the laxity in his wrist to throw a curve, so it might just be a matter of development with better coaches as he moves up. The two red flags on de la Rosa were poor command Monday and the fact that his listed weight of 170 might be generous.
This might be a big hinderance
so it might just be a matter of development with better coaches as he moves up
unless we trade him.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I'm copywriting this headline, if you wanna use it, I get royalities
The Dodgers are Dunn
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
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I put up a quick post about it on SBN LA, and I was debating about using the headline, “Dodgers Claim Dunn, Don’t They Know They’re Done?” :)
It's gotta be snappier
Like Done Dodgers Claim Dunn.
Come on, you’re my editor : )
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
It does
But it’s a bit too clear. Variety would be more like Big Wig Makes Mig Pic, to mean Tom Cruise to Star in Top Gun
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
or
Does Dunn Don Done Dodgers Duds?
by Eric Stephen on Aug 6, 2010 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
yes
+ 900 exp. level up
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
Good thing
Eric picked up that cunning linguist proficiency back in high school ; )
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
She meant for it to sound like what you are thinking.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 1:49 PM PDT up reply actions
think its supposed to be a bit of a dirty joke, notice the ; )
William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.
I can make dirty jokes
right? That’s not destroying your image of me?
How would you define your approach to management, apart from being brilliant?
Kershaw/Strasburg
This is the baseball equivalent (in my mind) to Pacquiao/Mayweather. And it’s only a few hours away!!!!
Oh wait…
But Strasburg and Kershaw are so young that we’ll get to see that matchup eventually.
Every fight those two idiots take that isn’t against each other, is time ticking away.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions
for the armchair GMs
what would be a reasonable trade for Dunn?
I know no one really thinks he’s worth it or necessary yadda yadda yadda. Humor me.
Someone is gonna throw something at you ;)
"Go fuck yourself" -Eric Stephen 6-29-2010
"Oh honey, I'm chalk full of juju" -Maddz 7-15-2010
Great movement on that shoe!
"If your Mr. October, I'm Mr. Spring, Summer and Winter!" - Tommy Lasorda to Reggie Jackson
I love Dunn, always wanted him with the Dodgers, but his only value now is the two draft pick haul if the Dodgers offer him arbitration.
So basically, the Dodgers can’t give up anything for Dunn.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 1:58 PM PDT up reply actions
truthfully, the Nats can’t be expecting a huge return for 3 month rental. I still say it’s more likely they’ll pull him back.
but the powah…..
by Tommy Blackjack on Aug 6, 2010 2:01 PM PDT up reply actions
They are expecting a huge return, that’s why he wasn’t traded. From their standpoint, they want to re-sign him, but worst case scenario they get the 2 draft picks.
by Michael White on Aug 6, 2010 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions
Well if Pods and Dotel get Lambo,May,Jmac, and Pimental.. I will say it would take some package of Withrow, Gordon, Sands, Kershaw, Eric Karros’ Hair, and maybe Russell Martin as a PTBNL. And by package I mean them all.
DFA JAMES LONEY
Donny Baseball on ESPN Radio right now
http://espn.go.com/espnradio/player?rd=1#/live/?callsign=ESPNRADIO
theres a guy on the Tigers named Wing Rhymes? I was not aware of this..
by hee came hee seop'd he choi'd on Aug 6, 2010 2:11 PM PDT reply actions
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