The Dodgers officially placed Rafael Furcal on the disabled list and chose to call up Nick Green instead of Chin-Lung Hu to take his place on the roster, according to their daily press notes. Furcal will be eligible to come off the DL on May 13. Cory Wade was moved to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Green on the 40-man roster.
Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness argues why Hu should have gotten the call.
John Ely is expected to start Thursday for the Dodgers, but is James McDonald ready to reclaim his roster spot? McDonald, who entered the season as a potential member of the starting rotation, is back from his fingernail-induced hiatus and takes a 3.57 ERA into his start today for Albuquerque against Memphis at 5:05 p.m.
McDonald has 16 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings for the Isotopes, but has allowed 25 baserunners despite his five innings of no-hit ball last week. On the other hand, outside of the one-inning start that sent him to the DL, McDonald has allowed four runs and 20 baserunners in 16 2/3 innings (2.16 ERA). The 25-year-old’s career major-league ERA is 3.65.
My wife gave me the most extraordinary anniversary present. It was a 96-page, hardcover photo album (with accompanying text) celebrating our courtship and first 10 years of marriage and nearly eight years as parents. For a guy who finds self-pity less than a hop, skip and jump away, it was like being handed my very own “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
The words she wrote were obviously sentimental and loving, but they didn’t hide the struggles we’ve had or the disappointments we have encountered. Sometimes we make bad choices; sometimes we aren’t good enough. Sometimes we do everything right, but it just isn’t meant to be. Marriage isn’t one World Series championship after another, and within it there are frustrations large and small.
But in the most mundane moments can come the most diabolically precious memories.
When I paged through that photo album and saw so many dagger-to-my-heart images piled on top of each other, I was staggered. And it was amazing how many of them occurred on the most uneventful days, days that had no meaning other than bringing smiles to our faces then, and now, and in the future. It’s a book of tear-dropped happiness, not a book of triumphs.
When we’re up against it, when the dreams and peace of mind are deferred, we have to remind ourselves (some days I’m better than this than others) that the little things add up. It isn’t done fairly, and the calculus isn’t comprehensible. But we have to remember. I have to remember. Otherwise, when the time comes, I’ll go straight into missing them without having appreciated them.
Dave Roberts, who ranks 10th in Los Angeles Dodger history in stolen bases, is suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Still only 37, Roberts has had two rounds of chemo and says his prognosis is good.
With Roberts, the question always comes up about why he was traded by the Dodgers. The Dodgers entered the 2004 stretch run with an overload of outfielders: Steve Finley, Jayson Werth, Milton Bradley, Juan Encarnacion and Shawn Green. Dodger general manager Paul DePodesta basically did Roberts a favor by sending him somewhere where he wouldn’t be buried on the bench, but DePodesta was quoted later as saying it was a trade he truly regretted.
Roberts’ last season was in 2008, and he now works for the Padres as a special assistant.
Elsewhere, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com has posted the most in-depth feature in my memory on all-time Dodger Thoughts favorite Pedro Guerrero. Guerrero dug quite a hole for himself off the field, so it’s nice to see some hopeful news about him.
The third edition of Dodgers Cogs and Dogs was the hardest, in large part because now the injured players have become a bit more relevant than Brad Ausmus. The absences of Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal and Vicente Padilla, among others, complicated matters and made me revisit what exactly I was ranking. The answer: most valuable Dodgers this season to date, though if a little “what have you done for me lately” creeps in here and there, you’ll have to forgive me.
I also factored in what a player’s responsibility has been, which is why, for example, Carlos Monasterios’ sizzling ERA doesn’t place him higher.
Anyway, it’s all in good fun, at least until you get near the bottom …
| 5/03 . | 4/19 . | 4/12 . | Player | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 11 | Andre Ethier | Holy cow, our little “Can he beat out Juan Pierre?” has become a monster, leading the NL in OPS. |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | Hiroki Kuroda | Showing what he can do when healthy, averaging seven innings per start. |
| 3 | 1 | 5 | Matt Kemp | Despite the mental whiplash of last week, a major key to the team. |
| 4 | 4 | 9 | Manny Ramirez | Here’s where rankings start to get tricky, but Manny superb in limited minutes. |
| 5 | 6 | 13 | Jonathan Broxton | Takes the 0.00 ERA into May. |
| 6 | 10 | 20 | Clayton Kershaw | Walks are crazy, but a 3.07 ERA over five starts helps. |
| 7 | 8 | 4 | Rafael Furcal | Only once in his career has injured Furcal had better adjusted OPS than current 116 – in ’08, of course. |
| 8 | 9 | 24 | James Loney | Is the Mark Grace version of Loney on his way? |
| 9 | 11 | 12 | Ramon Troncoso | Holding himself and bullpen together: In 16 games this year, 17 baserunners allowed over 14 innings. |
| 10 | 5 | 2 | Russell Martin | Slumping but still above-average this year. |
| 11 | 7 | 6 | Casey Blake | See Martin. |
| 12 | 12 | 10 | Chad Billingsley | Season numbers lag, but in last two starts averaging six IP, 2.25 ERA, 91.5 pitches per game. |
| 14 | 13 | 7 | Ronnie Belliard | Team’s top bat off the bench so far. |
| 15 | 14 | 14 | Blake DeWitt | With .408 OBP, will Joe Torre turn to him as No. 2 hitter? |
| 16 | 18 | 21 | Carlos Monasterios | Despite 1.84 ERA, 18 baserunners vs. eight strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings. |
| 17 | 20 | 8 | Reed Johnson | Playing as advertised, including .940 OPS vs. lefties/.571 vs. righties. |
| 18 | 21 | 18 | Jamey Carroll | On base in 13 of last 26 PA, raising season OBP to .404. |
| 19 | NR | NR | Xavier Paul | .933 OPS in 15 AB since starting call-up 0 for 5. |
| 20 | 15 | 25 | Vicente Padilla | 7.06 ERA, 9.6 K/9. He’ll be the uncertain arm for the stretch run again? |
| 21 | 17 | 15 | Jeff Weaver | Last pitched April 21. When he returns this week, workload should be tamer. |
| 22 | 19 | 19 | A.J. Ellis | Still eminently adequate backup catcher. |
| 23 | 24 | 17 | Ramon Ortiz | Future of extremely inconsistent Ortiz could depend on how Ely does in next start. |
| 24 | 23 | 23 | Brad Ausmus | Now trails Ellis in 2010 hits by two, but leads in career hits by 1,562. |
| 25 | 16 | 3 | Charlie Haeger | 9.49 ERA since April 14 – desperately needs to string some good innings together. |
| 26 | NR | NR | John Ely | If nothing else, the kid knows how to play leapfrog. |
| 27 | 26 | 26 | George Sherrill | Just when you think you’re back in, they pull you back out. |
| 28 | 25 | NR | Jon Link | Savior after his first game, sinner after his second. |
| 29 | 27 | 22 | Russ Ortiz | Highlight: Pitched two shutout innings to preserve tie in Pittsburgh on second game of season. |
| 30 | 22 | 16 | Garret Anderson | Adjusted OPS of (-1)! His .156 OBP, .214 slugging below lowest expectations. HR in Cin. only hit in past 26 AB. |
The magnificent Andre Ethier is the Dodger cover boy these days, a fact you’ll see reflected in Monday’s edition of Dodger Cogs and Dogs. Either homered in his third straight game – homered twice today, in fact – and has an OPS this year of 1.161. But in a quick post summing up today’s 9-3 romp over Pittsburgh, a big tip of the hat must go to two others.
Hiroki Kuroda cruised for eight innings, allowing one run on a walk, four singles and a double over 98 pitches to lower his 2010 ERA to 2.08. Meanwhile, Blake DeWitt had his first career four-hit game, capped by a two-run double that lifted his season on-base percentage over .400 and his OPS to .767.
Kuroda seemed well-positioned to give the Dodgers their first complete game of the season, but Joe Torre brought in George Sherrill to close it out – leading to the day’s one sour moment. Sherrill allowed two runs on three hits and a walk and was bailed out by Ronald Belisario, who got the final out to end the game.
Either had an RBI single in addition to his two-run homer in the fifth and solo shot in the eighth. Matt Kemp singled, doubled, walked, scored three runs and made a diving catch in center. (He was also caught stealing for the sixth time this year on a close play). Ronnie Belliard made a great over-the-shoulder catch while playing third base. James Loney had a double and two singles to raise his home batting average to .500 (19 for 38), and reserves Xavier Paul and Jamey Carroll each had two hits.
The Dodgers are now 7-3 at home, 4-11 on the road.
It’s May 2 – the last day of the year that the Dodgers will play the Pirates unless they meet in the National League playoffs! With the 2010 season series tied, 3-3, this one’s for all the marbles.
Hiroki Kuroda has two victories and a 4.19 ERA in 14 career daytime starts.
Update: Joe Torre told reporters today that he did not expect Vicente Padilla back before June. Thursday’s starter has not been decided. Torre added that Manny Ramirez and Jeff Weaver will begin rehab assignments Tuesday in San Bernadino.
Fluke or find? Carlos Monasterios continues to make the question an intriguing one.
From a town called Obscurity come the man who continues to make it across the tightrope when the Dodgers need him to, Monasterios this time pitching four innings of one-run ball – while also keying a game-changing three-run third inning with his first career hit – in the Dodgers’ 5-1 victory over Pittsburgh tonight.
Working with a 75-pitch limit, Monasterios didn’t avoid trouble, giving up three hits (including a first-inning Andrew McCutchen home run) and a walk while hitting two batters in the first two innings, but he held strong in adversity. And in his final two innings, he retired six of seven batters.
In the bottom of the third, Monasterios and Russell Martin singled ahead of Andre Ethier’s three-run homer that gave the Dodgers a lead they didn’t come close to surrendering.
Ramon Ortiz succeeded Monasterios and was even more impressive, striking out five in three innings while allowing two baserunners, and Hong-Chih Kuo pitched a perfect eighth. I haven’t gotten to the Ramon Troncoso story yet, but inexplicably the righty pitched a one-hit ninth in his 16th appearance in 24 games – a 108-game pace. Yeah, this is worth exploring.
In the meantime, the Dodger bullpen, counting the nine innings tonight, has allowed one run in its past 14 2/3 innings.
Ethier and James Loney each added two doubles, and Reed Johnson had a double and a single.
Andrew Lambo, ranked No. 3 among Dodger prospects in the 2010 Maple Street Press Dodger annual, was suspended for 50 games for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The violation was for a second positive test for a “drug of abuse,” rather than a performance-enhancing substance, according to Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com, who adds more details.
Lambo, a 21-year-old in his second season playing for AA Chatanooga this year, had an on-base percentage of .390 and slugging percentage of .566 (the latter fifth-best in the Southern League). He transferred from Reseda’s Cleveland High School to Newbury Park High School because of a marijuana-related incident.
Jackson also has other notes about the team here.
* * *
I’m just getting back into the swing of things after my anniversary sojourn. Tonight’s game is basically all hands on deck for the bullpen, started by reliever Carlos Monasterios. Ramon Ortiz figures to get some action assuming Monasterios doesn’t last five innings, although Charlie Haeger, whose Dodger future is an open question and whose next start has not been officially scheduled, could also get a call before the front end of the relief corps gets into it. It would be nice if Dodger manager Joe Torre was willing to use a key reliever early in the game, if necessary, to keep it close.
It’s an interesting test for Monasterios, but Dodger fans do need to keep expectations in line. (After the past week, I suspect that won’t be a problem.)
As for who starts in Vicente Padilla’s place next, James McDonald made a push after returning from the broken-fingernail disabled list with five no-hit innings (two walks, five strikeouts) against Round Rock on Friday. Keep in mind that the Express are among the poorer-hitting Pacific Coast League teams.
What happens when three old friends in crisis fall into an unexpected love triangle? In The Catch, Maya, Henry and Daniel embark upon an emotional journey that forces them to confront unresolved pain, present-day traumas and powerful desires, leading them to question the very meaning of love and fulfillment. The Catch tells a tale of ordinary people seeking the extraordinary – or, if that’s asking too much, some damn peace of mind.
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