Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m.
Tony Gwynn Jr., CF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Bobby Abreu, LF
Juan Rivera, 1B
Jerry Hairston Jr., 3B
Elian Herrera, RF
Luis Cruz, SS
Matt Treanor, C
Chris Capuano, P
I didn’t come up with the thought, but quickly I realized it made sense. Presuming that Matt Kemp comes off the disabled list before Friday’s post-All-Star opener against the Padres, Scott Van Slyke will return to Albuquerque. But when Andre Ethier comes off the disabled list, it might mean the end of Juan Uribe’s Dodger career.
Since a second-inning double June 20 at Oakland, Uribe is in the midst of an 0-for-27 slump, with three walks and nine strikeouts. That happens. The problem is that when he hasn’t been slumping … well, Uribe can hardly say he’s ever not been slumping as a Dodger.
If Uribe gets an at-bat today and makes an out, that will leave him with exactly 80 hits in 400 at-bats as a Dodger – a pristine .200 batting average. He has 25 walks and has been hit by more pitches (eight) than he has hit home runs (five). His OPS as a Dodger is .546.
That Uribe, who is still owed $8 million on his contract after this season ends, is still the Dodgers’ best defender at third base has been the lone remaining argument in his favor. However, that saving grace has been weakened by two emerging factors. One is that Jerry Hairston Jr. has played capable defense at third while swinging a more reliable bat, and the other is that the injury to Dee Gordon has meant that Luis Cruz needs a spot on the Dodger roster.
Unless the Dodgers are willing to start giving Uribe time at shortstop – he played 21 2/3 innings there in 2011 after 103 games for the Giants at short in 2010 – Cruz is staying. That leaves a battle for the final roster spot between Uribe, Elian Herrera and Adam Kennedy.
The choice might seem obvious, but you can’t rule out the possibility of Herrera, who has minor-league options, going back to the Isotopes. He’s been 100 times more fun to watch than Uribe and his versatility is an asset, but once Kemp and Ethier are back in their starting roles, Mark Ellis is re-entrenched at second base and Bobby Abreu, Tony Gwynn Jr. and Juan Rivera are holding down left field, there’s going to be less call for Herrera to roam around the diamond. That’s not to say that he’s without a purpose, but with his own slump to a .326 on-base percentage and .335 slugging, the difference between him, Uribe and Kennedy (.315 OBP, .309 slugging) isn’t overwhelming.
Who will bat leadoff for the Dodgers when Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier return?
Dee Gordon is injured, and Tony Gwynn Jr. won’t start often. That leaves Luis Cruz, Bobby Abreu, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mark Ellis and A.J. Ellis.
Assuming Dodger manager Don Mattingly still can’t stomach the idea of his catcher leading off a game, I would say Abreu, Hairston and Mark Ellis all have a case. Something tells me, though, that we might see Cruz there as much as anyone.
By optioning Herrera, the Dodgers can put off making a final decision on Uribe or Kennedy, neither of whom can be sent down. The question is whether those decisions need any more putting off. Do the Dodgers see any hope left in Uribe? Before you answer, note that Andruw Jones has an .820 OPS in more than 1,000 plate appearances since the Dodgers got rid of him.
My instinct is to cut Uribe, but I wouldn’t call it an automatic decision. The defense is there, and once Ethier and Kemp are back, you don’t lose much by sending Herrera down and keeping Uribe as a defensive specialist who bats eighth, nor by just getting rid of Kennedy, who doesn’t give you defense or a bat (.617 OPS against right-handed pitching).
The best news is that the Dodgers might finally be healthy enough that they can even make the decision.
* * *
- Hong-Chih Kuo was released from a minor-league deal by the Cubs without pitching a game for them, as noted by MLB Trade Rumors.
- James McDonald might not be in the All-Star Game, but he is emerging as a Cy Young candidate, writes David Pinto of Baseball Musings. McDonald, who struck out 10 Giants in seven innings Saturday. has the lowest hits-per-inning allowed in the NL, and is striking out 8.2 per nine innings with a 2.37 ERA.
- A focus on Chris Capuano tops some other Dodger trivia about their offensive struggles in June in this piece by Dan Braunstein of ESPN Stats & Information.
- The latest episodes of “Between Two Palm Trees” with A.J. Ellis and Clayton Krenshaw are linked by Chad Moriyama.
- Roberto Baly of Vin Scully Is My Homeboy is out of the hospital!
Anonymous
If Uribe were released, which team would pick him up after he cleared waivers. Would the Rockies plop him down at third or are they going to stick with Pacheco.
How about the Cubs? Or is Ian Stewart actually better than Uribe?
Anonymous
Who cares, so long as he’s not a Dodger?
Anonymous
I still think Herrera is safe since the Dodgers will likely want to switch out one of their outfielders for defense and Mattingly has played Herrera a few times at short. Kennedy’s contract is less of an hassle than Uribe’s. But I think both will be gone after a deal for someone to play 3B.
Jon Weisman
I see that too, although they have Gwynn for defense, and Hairston as a fifth outfielder.
Anonymous
Hairston would actually be the SIXTH outfielder, backing up Kemp, Ethier, Abreu, Rivera, and Gwynn.
Paul
What assets do the Dodgers have to make a deal? And who would be willing to make a deal? Re the latter, the only souls I see mentioned are Headley and Lowrie, but that’s largely in SBNation and Bleacher Reports type pieces. The only soul remotely credible, stress remotely, is Buster Olney (of all people), who tweeted on some alleged trade talks on or about 12 June. Had Lowrie coming over for Zach Lee and Garrett Gould. Unless the Astros are holding out for a better offer, that would likely be the best that the Dodgers could offer, well, maybe you could sub in a Webster or some other pitcher for Gould if that was your fancy. But since we haven’t heard anything since…
By the way, as a side note, someone here commented not so long ago about Logan White. Absolutely. The minor league affiliates are largely bereft of legitimate position player prospects. The only infield prospect is some fellow named Alex Santana, a 3B, by the way, and he went in the 2nd round at no. 73 in the 2011 draft. Everybody else is either C (2), OF (6), or P. Oh, you can include Castellanos as a 2B if you wish.
And here’s the potential free agents:
http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/baseball/flb/story?page=mlbdk2k12_2013freeagents
If I was the GM, I’d simply ride it out and hope that Kemp and Ethier will be enough. Although if Zach Lee and whoever (prospects) could be traded for Grienke that would work. For the ESPN NBA trade machine type of reality (none), well, upcoming free agency period, I’d look to sign Berkman for 1B, Hamilton and Bourn for the OF, and then trade Ethier and a prospect for David Wright. Then, if I didn’t fire Logan White, I’d tell him to draft some position players in the early rounds. And as long as I’m dreaming, maybe the front office could go hog wild on us and sign Hamels and Cain as well (Kershaw, Grienke, Hamels and Cain and I wouldn’t care who the 5th starter was). But as I said initially, other than Zach Lee, this team has no prospects and no trade assets other than Kershaw, Kemp and Ethier.
Anonymous
You seem to have forgotten that we drafted position players last month. And right now that Seager guy is looking better and better.
And I disagree with your statement that we have no prospects or trade assets. Between the rest of the team and the minors, we have quite a few players who would be worth trading for (for other teams). We also have a huge trade asset that you are ignoring: a lot of MONEY.
veryolddodgerfan
seager. the guy that might be a good player in four year.s
veryolddodgerfan
i agree that little will happen this season. i think mostly hairston/cruz/herrera wi/ll be ok at third. mostly loney at first. that’s how bad the options are. but those combinations i believe will outshine whatever ned can get. Certainly NET.
next year i’m thinking it’s going to be bergman, Edwin, someone like swisher and a top pitcher.
i would never go after josh h. imagine the number of years. now imagine the number of injuries, drug rehab and possibly worse. the risk is just way too high.
Anonymous
I think it’s unlikely that the Dodgers would go after an expensive outfielder, after already committing a lot of money to three other outfielders.
Anonymous
I am amused by how well Jones has played since being given the boot.
Anonymous
I am not.
veryolddodgerfan
i am amused by how some i’m sure very nice people don’t realize how important mental makeup is in evaluating players.
Jon Weisman
That makes sense, and then you look at Ronald Belisario.
veryolddodgerfan
i understand your point but crazy and drug dependent hasn’t stopped a lot of players. weak minded and not handling the heat well has.
Anonymous
My Spanish-English/English-Spanish dictionary says Ronald Belisario is Español for Steve Howe.
veryolddodgerfan
good point. nice call.
Anonymous
Jones’ production dropped a lot in his last year with the Braves. Then he fell off the earth with the Dodgers.
His mental makeup is secondary to the fact that he actually got in a semblance of shape.
veryolddodgerfan
didn’t say it was firstdary or secondary. i said it was an important factor.
veryolddodgerfan
Interesting ? Timmer. But i think he gets signed to a contract and gets sent to Triple A to prove himself. and of course he doesnt. gets dfa’d again. signed to try out in AAA again. and gets DFA’s again.
Anonymous
I just thought that since Orlando Hudson was picked up right away by the White Sox and given a starting job, that Uribe would be the same.
In fact, the White Sox might bring Juan back home since Hudson is not a good third baseman.
veryolddodgerfan
right now orlando hudson has bought a plane ticket to fly to your house and beat the crap out of you for comparing him to uribe.
Anonymous
Uribe is actually playing a bit better than Hudson.
veryolddodgerfan
doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be upset on general principles
Darrell Dalton
Isn’t Youkillis playing for the Pale Hose now? Dont know what o-dawgs role is on that team anymore, with Beckham at second and Alexi at short.
Jon Weisman
Gwynn is actually someone whose stats are similar to Uribe’s – .605 OPS this season – and would belong in the DFA conversation if it weren’t based on looks.
Amy
HA, now that’s an interesting perspective. I think age and Gwynn’s outstanding defense are two other factors. Perhaps there are still who hope that Gwynn will suddenly break out to be the hitter his father was, or something.
I personally would rather DFA Kennedy. At least Uribe has defense and his corkscrew swing is more fun to laugh at than greater frustration directed at Kennedy.
Anonymous
And Gwynn has also in his favor that actual, real GMs don’t randomly DFA people based on their stats from the most recent half-season. In the last four seasons, Gwynn has been the 12th most valuable LF in the entire major leagues. Who do we have to replace Gwynn if we think we are too good for Gwynn?
Anonymous
The difference between Uribe and Gwynn is that, in the case of Gwynn, he was never expected to hit much and was signed as a defensive specialist, not as an everyday starter who was expected to hit (and hit with power, too).
Anonymous
Matt Kemp had 0.4 WAR in 2010, basically the same as Uribe had in 2011. Should he have belonged in the DFA conversation then?
veryolddodgerfan
sounds like the silliness of stats to me.
Anonymous
VODF, care to explain why you think it’s “the silliness of stats” and not Kemp’s actual struggles that made Kemp’s +win value so low?
veryolddodgerfan
well if you’re comparing kemp and uribe with stats saying the’re in anyway comparable in value then yes i’m calling your stats and the horse they rode in on SILLY
veryolddodgerfan
not that there is anything wrong with that
Anonymous
Kemp of 2010 and Uribe of 2011 were comparable in value. However, they were not comparable in ability. My point is that players struggle, sometimes for an entire season.
veryolddodgerfan
i think a lot of the problem with stats is their incoherent definition of VALUE
Anonymous
You just take runs created from hitting and baserunning and add them to runs saved from fielding. You may disagree with the way those runs are calculated, but not sure how you can say WAR is incoherent.
veryolddodgerfan
it’s safe to say i believe the calculation and subjectivity of those calculations and standards make the stat seriously flawed. incoherent was likely the wrong word. i fell head first into the “lucky” syndrome.
Jon Weisman
No.
Anonymous
LAT’d:
The true story behind All-Star voting: http://www.sfgate.com/default/photo/1-Source-Sports-Corner-Don-Asmussen-3167702.php In fact, it’s a little surprising that Gnatfans didn’t vote for Uribe, as he’s helped keep them in contention.
veryolddodgerfan
WBB you know i love you like a brother but you’re getting really close on RULE NO. 8
veryolddodgerfan
but because of your recent medical issue i’m happy to give you a pass because that’s just the kind of guy i am.
veryolddodgerfan
think the analysis is solid. i give the edge to uribe getting dfa’d. if he doesn’t get dfa’d soon he might be your 3b in 2013 despite the fact he can’t play anymore. I would vote for him to play ss for a minute or two just to see how immobile a guy can be while trying to play ss. shortstops don’t age like everyone else they age in dog years especially the ones that grow into uribe’s size. wait they’re aren’t any uribe’s size. maybe a couiple.
Anonymous
Hairston should have 3b locked up- his defensive play there has been nothing short of great, and he’s hitting around 300 all season- a better average than all the 3b trades people are drooling over
veryolddodgerfan
yup. hairston’s only downfall is like all old guys he gets tired. so play him 4 or 5 starts a week and he might be your best net option at 3b for the rest of the year.
Anonymous
Lost in the shuffle of the last two games is that Abreu has 4 hits! Nice for a guy who, IMO, hadn’t contributed very much with the bat. Which is why I didn’t understand not batting him for Hairston in the 8th with Cruz on first. But that was last night hopefully we can end the first half in first place.
Anonymous
Lincecum’s gopher ball continues to work, as Neal Walker extends the Corsarios’ lead to 3-0.
Anonymous
I’ve been meaning to say thanks for the new vocabulary word. I can honestly say I have never heard Jaime use that word; piratas and bucaneros yes but not corsarios.
Cheers matie!
Anonymous
It’s a word I’ve heard in Chile, where there’s a bus company by that name.
Anonymous
I thought when Kemp was coming back in May and Gordon was struggling that Abreu had a shot at leading off.
veryolddodgerfan
Okay picking a fight before i got and do some ranting:
C CAP is one of the best free agent signings this year in the major leagues and only one of several good moves by Ned and Co. this season. C CAP is not as good a pitcher as Kershaw but this year he’s pitched every bit as well.
Pop Quiz. Who hasn’t given up as many home runs as Clayton Kershaw. Of course that would be the BIG SHOW, A Harang. Ok i have my helmet on.
Anonymous
>> Pop Quiz. Who hasn’t given up as many home runs as Clayton Kershaw.
The correct answer is, everyone except Capuano. (And although Lilly has been hurt so he has fewer starts, he had given up fewer on a taters per start basis than Clayton, too.)
Anonymous
So Uribe, Herrera, and Kennedy are basically a wash when it comes to hitting, except Herrera has options. This doesn’t seem like much of a quandary, really.
Anonymous
Herrera provides far greater versatility, and offensive production.
Anonymous
Herrera has been lucky. Doesn’t mean his contributions so far are worthless, but, since no one can control luck, there’s little reason to believe Herrera, going forward, will be a better hitter than Uribe or Kennedy.
Versatility is fine, and that’s why he should be sent down as organizational depth. We don’t need a guy who can play every position when we have a full bench.
veryolddodgerfan
i am so amused by how very fine people drawn to stats and the hobby of evaluating players from their computers have the Gohans to use the word lucky to disdainfully dismiss a professional baseball player.
Anonymous
Perhaps “Lucky” is not the right word, and I do agree that it sounds condescending. However, there’s no getting around the fact that there are things in baseball that a hitter cannot control. You are knowledgeable enough that I don’t need to explain to you what they are.
veryolddodgerfan
i understand luck and i understand the game such as it is and what’s apart of it. i also understand that some of the basic principles of the luck stats are flawed because they’re subjective. thus making them not worth talking about in my own humble opinion. the idea of throwing out rbi totally because well the batter can’t control whose on base when he comes up is borderline absurd in my own opinion. production stats do mean a lot. but i digress.
Anonymous
>> So Uribe, Herrera, and Kennedy are basically a wash when it comes to hitting,
I don’t think Uribe, Herrera, and Kennedy are a wash:
Uribe .194 .252 .271 .523
Herrera .246 .326 .335 .662
Kennedy .228 .315 .309 .624
Those differences are pretty significant.
Anonymous
Only if you think they will produce like that for the rest of the season. I expect Herrera’s production to fall off and Uribe’s to rise, albeit not too much in either case.
Anonymous
Herrera, we just don’t know. But Uribe’s numbers this year sure aren’t very different from last year’s: .204 .264 .293 .557
Anonymous
Mr. Lincecum’s day is done. Bucs pouring it on with a 6-0 lead.
Scott Griffee
I vote for Victorino hitting leadoff when the Dodgers acquire him over the AS break. At least that what my crystal ball told me.
As bad as Uribe has been, he still plays decent defense at 3B. His recent HR aside, I don’t know what Adam Kennedy does well, so he is my vote to be DFA’d.
veryolddodgerfan
No
No
Victorino
is that like a sonnet?
Scott Griffee
I don’t think Abreu and Rivera will be able to hold down LF, and Victorino will come cheap. This allows Dodgers to still go after a top pitcher and perhaps chase Headley.
veryolddodgerfan
the chase headley that plays for SD is not getting traded to the Dodgers ever. he’ll have to change teams first.
Jeffrey Thomas III
I don’t think I could bare to see the guy I’ve spent years hating back in the Dodgers organization.
But I agree with you on Kennedy being DFA’d first, if not only for financial reasons.
Linkmeister
I can only think of one good (selfish) reason to get Victorino: my local sportscasters would suddenly show me Dodger highlights during their 4 minutes of screen time during local news half-hours. I’ve seen more Phillies highlights in the last four or five years than I ever did before Maui-born Victorino started playing for them.
KT
If I was in the same perdicament I would wish for the same
Anonymous
There are no financial reasons involved in DFA’ing anyone. The Dodgers will still be on the hook for their contractual salary. Less the league minimum if they find a place elsewhere.
Jon Weisman
Gwynn’s OPS this year is about the same as it was last year, unless you think .660 is a big difference from .605. And the year before, it was .591. Since 2010, Gwynn has a .621 OPS. Since 2010, Uribe has a .661 OPS. Gwynn has never had an OPS above .700.
I’m not arguing for cutting Gwynn, but the case for him on a roster is strikingly similar to the case for Uribe. It’s almost entirely about defense. Gwynn has the edge of speed, while Uribe plays a more important defensive position. If anyone thinks Gwynn is a roster lock, then cutting Uribe shouldn’t even be a consideration for them.
Anonymous
Baseball is a game of speed. That is the only reason Gordon is a major league SS. I wouldn’t compare Gwynn and Uribe and say they are similar ballplayers. Not at all. IMHO Gwynn’s speed in the outfield and on the basepaths make him a much more valuable player, and thus a lock. While for our buddy Uribe, as I said yesterday, I’ll take Vinny’s philosophy and assume Uribe does everything effortlessly.
Anonymous
If you think baseball players can be reduced to OPS, sure, cut Gwynn, but baseball isn’t played in a batting cage, and even so, OPS would not be the best metric. There are metrics developed to measure a player’s defensive contributions. They may not be perfect, but they at least acknowledge that there are many aspects of the game in which a player can help a team win, and give us a better idea of what a player is worth than merely forcing everyone through the OPS cubbyhole.
Jon Weisman
I don’t underrate Gwynn. I greatly value his defense. My point is that people don’t tend to cut Uribe the same slack even though he is an above-average defensive player.
Anonymous
Gwynn isn’t the automatic out that Uribe is.
Anonymous
Last I checked, neither Gwynn nor Uribe has OBP of 0%.
veryolddodgerfan
and you people talk about me.
Jon Weisman
Gwynn .301 OBP as a Dodger, Uribe .260. Not much of a difference given the sample size.
Anonymous
Fair enough, Jon. It’s just one of those things that always irked me, the undervaluing of defense, whether in baseball or any other game. With baseball, I partly blame OPS, which puts an absurdly high value on power and yet gives people the illusion that they are seeing players through the lens of advanced metrics.
Anonymous
TG the only bad thing about Gwynn in left is no power. At least on paper Rivera and Abreu provide some type of threat. I hope Abreu can fulfill that as it appears he is starting to hit.
Anonymous
Power or not, I know that I feel much better with Gwynn out in left than Rivera or Abreu or Hairston. Those guys made a bunch of trick catches these last few games, but I can’t help but think if Gwynn had been playing those would’ve been far more routine plays.
Anonymous
And Hairston did boot the ball yesterday allowing a run to score.
Anonymous
There are a couple of differences between Gwynn and Uribe, one of which I noted above. One difference is, the difference in offense really is significant, IMHO. For example, their OPS is .605 this year for Gwynn, and .523 for Uribe. .605 isn’t great, but .523 is putrid. The other difference is expectations. Uribe was never hired as a defensive specialist, and his salary reflected his expected offensive contributions.
I realize that expectations don’t drive the decision on whether someone deserves a roster spot – and Uribe is not the only person who suffers from not meeting expectations (Right, Chad?) – but they’re still a factor, especially in whether the person can meet the role that they were expected to play. And of course expectations drive how much slack people are prepared to give.
Anonymous
Lincecum out of the game after surrendering six earned runs in 3-1/3 innings. Season ERA now 6.42.
Scott Griffee
6-0 Pirates. Lincecum ERA now 6.42. what do Giants do with him?
Anonymous
Well, they pay him a $20 million annual salary through 2013, because they declined to sign him to a longer contract.
veryolddodgerfan
find a reason to DL him
foul tip
D-F-A U-ri-be! It even rhymes!
None of us can imagine how tough it is to play in the majors. So there’s that. But we know how tough it is to watch him at the plate–and can imagine how tough it must be on Ned, who just had to sign him, and on the team when he doesn’t produce.
Too bad there’s not a 365-day DL to put him on.
Absent that, maybe the team should check into DFAing him for “team health” reasons.
Sometimes you see businesses listed for sale where the owner says he’s selling for health reasons. A closer look may reveal that the owner is sick all right–sick of losing money and worried about his financial health. So, the Dodgers might try to claim they’re sick of watching Uribe try to play offense ;-])
I’ve never accused a player of dogging it once he has a sizable contract. Sometimes players struggle under the weight of one, try too hard to prove they’re worth it and such.
But the way Uribe goes about things, it makes me wonder. If he comes across to teammates as maybe dogging it, that’s a bad situation.
Jon Weisman
Uribe by all accounts has a reputation of being a good teammate. I see no reason to believe he is dogging it. I’m not sure what “the way Uribe goes about things” means. What do you see that indicates he isn’t trying, other than him not succeeding?
veryolddodgerfan
i definitely don’t think he’s dogging it. perhaps he was able to get away with his style of play when his body was more fluid and just, you know, young. reflexes overcame bad fundamentals. he obviously has great hand eye coordination because he proves it while playing 3base. he’s definitely changed his approach at the plate the last little while. but it’s hard to change what you’ve been doing forever. i still don’t think he can play ss anymore. they tried it a couple times in spring training and i believe they saw enough.
Anonymous
I don’t think he’s dogging it. He’s trying. He’s just not succeeding. And I bet he’s pretty darn unhappy with himself.
It happens. Sometimes to very talented ballplayers with plenty of previous success. Look at Adam Dunn 2011. But when it happens, it’s pretty darn unusual that they can turn it around, a la Adam Dunn 2012. More often they just can’t do it any more, and that’s that.
Anonymous
Jon, you touched on it (and immediately dismissed it), but I don’t think it’s mentioned enough that Juan Uribe IS a shortstop. He came up as a SS and has played 2/3 of the games in his career there. So I don’t see why he isn’t the primary backup there, defensively. Any insight into that?
I’d proffer playing Cruz there primarily until he cools off – while Uribe works on that which ails him) – then go with Uribe. DFA Kennedy – I don’t see one single reason to keep him.
Jon Weisman
I don’t know why other than I’m assuming the Dodgers observed something that makes them not want to put him there. I have no idea.
Anonymous
We signed him as 2B who can fill in at SS and 3B (and given that we had Furcal and Blake, we needed such a guy). However, he’s been very injury-prone since joining us and out of shape.
Anonymous
In the past few years he has certainly changed physically. I know he is good defensively—but can a guy that weighs that much(for his height cover SS?
Anonymous
Maybe Fields is an average, very lucky hitter in incredibly hitter-friendly parks in the past couple of years. Maybe he plays mediocre defense (they moved him a little to 1B even in his brief Japan trip). Still, you’d think a AAA >.500 hitter for the month would at least enter the conversation. It’s the last I’ll mention it in the spirit of rule 8.
Anonymous
Seems like a September callup.
Anonymous
If there’s room on the 40-man, which has gotten pretty tight lately.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Ned just said on Dodgers live that the biggest need he sees is getting production from the corner infield spots where it has been non-existant. So I think he will be trying to acquire some guys that fit that need. Not that we didn’t already know all of that.
Anonymous
Well, he already missed out on Youkilis.
Anonymous
Off-topic, it is nice seeing the nats and bucs in front as of the ASB. As of a couple of years ago, this was totally unimaginable. It also makes a nice counterpoint to those who would rather have a nfl-type pay structure for imagined greater team equality.
Anonymous
Did you intentionally spell his name Clayton Krenshaw?
Anonymous
Lol, that’s how a hardcore blood would spell it (the somewhat gang-infested street). Tres Angeleno.
Jon Weisman
Watch the video.
Anonymous
>> Who will bat leadoff for the Dodgers when Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier return?>> Dee Gordon is injured, and Tony Gwynn Jr. won’t start often. That leaves Luis Cruz, Bobby Abreu, Jerry Hairston Jr., Mark Ellis and A.J. Ellis.
And our first baseman. Not that I would choose him, but if you’re naming the possible choices, …
Anonymous
I really don’t see Mark Ellis on that list in any case. He’s going to be a fairly slow and conservative base-runner for the time being.
KT
Come on DP
KT
Herrera miss played that one
Anonymous
I write off a lot of our recently mediocre defense as a natural side-effect of all this platooning.
Jeffrey Thomas III
It’s like he was just waiting for it to go over the fence but it didn’t. Strange that you’d turn and look away from the ball that close to the fence.
KT
I really think Herrera is better suited for the infield…His route running in the outfield is not his strong point
Anonymous
He’s made some excellent catches in left.
KT
Made 1 excellent catch in LF
The other catch looked like an excellent catch but he took a circle route to get to the ball so what would have been an easy catch turned into a hard catch
veryolddodgerfan
well i don’t think they were playing that guy to hit it there. thus elian had to go a long ways and was not there in time. when you’re late and in an unusual spot you’re going to look bad. but obviously it could have been played better. but they weren’t playin him defensively to hit a bomb to the rightfield corner half way up the fence.
Anonymous
Wasn’t going to catch it any event.
KT
that was my point..He should have pulled up on the ball and made it a double…the run would have scored either way
Anonymous
Can’t disagree with that, but he’s a rookie being moved around a lot in unfamiliar parks.
KT
true
KT
Thought Montero was going to argue again with the ump…He definitely thought it was ball4…I guess Gibby had a talk with him yesterday
KT
Good hit Juan
Come on Elian
Jeffrey Thomas III
Ump took his time with that third strike call.
Anonymous
Very late call, on that third strike to Treanor.
veryolddodgerfan
sheesh that ball wasn’t too far outside. crucial place to call that K
Anonymous
Incidentally, I don’t think Gordon’s injury has anything to do with Uribe’s status right now. Gordon’s on the DL, and Cruz is up in his place. Same 25-man roster spot.
If we want to keep Cruz around when Gordon comes back, that’s a different story. But not right now.
Jon Weisman
That’s true – the point was to address the fact that Cruz might seem like someone in the demotion camp – last in, first out.
KT
Chris being effective…Ground rule double = no running!!
Anonymous
So Lincecum got lit up again – this time by Pittsburgh. Very frustrating that the Dodgers go into hibernation against pitchers who get continually annihilated by the rest of baseball. Does not bode well for them considering this guy they are facing right now – he came in with an ERA of 9.82 in his two starts.
Will he be the next to dominate the Dodgers bats, then end up getting creamed again upon facing the next team he goes up against?
Uuugh.
veryolddodgerfan
C Cap the maybe best free agent signing of uh the western division of the national league. man can bunt and rake.
veryolddodgerfan
this dback pitcher isn’t going 7
veryolddodgerfan
did we get a final on the Monopoly game?
Jon Weisman
Yes, I won after another 90 minutes today.
veryolddodgerfan
so where does that put you for the season?
Jon Weisman
I’d say the three of us probably have similar W-L records.
veryolddodgerfan
always the diplomat
Anonymous
More wasted opportunities.
Linkmeister
“Can you spell futility, boys and girls? I knew you could!”
Anonymous
In deference to the old TV series, the back of Bauer’s uniform should read:
BAUER
24
Anonymous
The end of the line for Uribe should have been after he surprisingly was somewhat useful in the Giant’s World Series victory. The Giants certainly new this.
With this snake pitcher’s ERA and his propensity to throw too many pitches, I hoped we would win with our superior bull-pen. but I forgot we can’t score much after the first inning—anyhoo
GO DOGERS!!!
Anonymous
Uribe was an excellent player for the two years he played with the Giants, producing at a level equal to Ethier’s best years with the Dodgers. They offered to bring him back on a contract comparable to ours and also offered arbitration. While he has been awful for us, that doesn’t give us the license to rewrite history.
Anonymous
OK, what you say is true. But you don’t address what happens when a player goes to pot physically. You could say the same things for Andruw!
Anonymous
And Ethier’s OPS+ is way beyond Uribes. It’s true Uribe plays good defense at a more premium position—but calling that “producing at a level equal to Ethier” seems misleading!
Anonymous
Well Uribe was playing SS and Ethier’s RF defense was worse than now. I just like to use Ethier as a baseline because his ~WAR production matches up with a lot of people.
Anonymous
He was always mediocre or less for the Gnats, but had a couple timely hits that made Ned think he was far better than he ever was.
Anonymous
He had 2.9 WAR and 3.3 WAR seasons with the Giants.
KT
Come on DP
Jeffrey Thomas III
Or 2 K’s.
KT
Either way but the DP would have been less pitches
Jon Weisman
“Shane Victorino’s day off is apparently due to a temper tantrum”
http://bit.ly/LHuoXq
Jon Weisman
Farewell, Ernest Borgnine
KT
RIP McHale
Anonymous
Man, the D’backs organist is really unbearable. Painfully sloppy, and incessant. I appreciate the effort to steer clear of canned in-game music, but when you give your organist a couple Casios and shove him out on the outfield concourse, you get what you pay for.
Anonymous
Actually, this game itself is unbearable.
Anonymous
We can’t all be Nancy Bea.
Jon Weisman
I’m not sure there was a livelier pregame chat this year at DT than this one. Thanks, Juan Uribe!
KT
Bauer isn’t struggling with his command like earlier
veryolddodgerfan
yes he’s going to make me a liar. looks like he’s getting through 7
KT
CSULB is the answer to Vin’s question
Jeffrey Thomas III
That’s my guess too.
Anonymous
“hotter than the price of gold”
cant wait for the offense to come back and hopefully stay healthy after the break.
*cuts on xbox*
Anonymous
Gold is down, Vin.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Chris Reed is pitching in the All-Star Futures game over on ESPN2 right now.
Anonymous
Making another pitcher look like a Cy Young winner? Why do we keep doing this…
Anonymous
CF blew that play in the futures game
Jeffrey Thomas III
Defense not helping Reed out at all. Ill advised throw to third let a runner go to 2nd, then the CF comes in first on a ball over his head, now an infielder throws the ball away.
KT
good to see AZ pulling Bauer….maybe we can come back now
KT
good inning Javy
Anonymous
According to his IMDB bio, Ernest Borgnine was the first center square on “Hollywood Squares.” He did it for the first week before Paul Lynde got the job.
KT
I hope Upton does get his chance for the cycle now Vin
KT
Kenley Jansen’s last 8 outings: 8 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 14 strikeouts
As per Eric Stephen of TBLA
KT
Good hit Bobby…way to start the rally
KT
good hit Juan
Come on Jerry
Not Juan U
KT
Nice Jerry
Switch pitchers so they bat for Juan U
Jeffrey Thomas III
Ok Uribe, here’s your last chance…
Jeffrey Thomas III
That’s it, DFA’d.
Anonymous
Not with a bang, but a whimper.
Anonymous
who wants to bet he hits into a triple play?!
KT
RBI for an out is costly
Come on Luis
Jeffrey Thomas III
Hey we’re in first at the All-Star break! And we get Kemp and Ethier back next week!
KT
welll 1st place at the break
Here’s to a great second half
Anonymous
5-15 to close out the 1st half, yikes.
Jon Weisman
NPUT