What’s the deal with Adrian Beltre and people trying to touch his head? Amy K. Nelson of SB Nation investigates in the clip above.
Elsewhere …
- Chasing October, a book by David Plaut that focuses on the 1962 pennant race between the Dodgers and Giants, is getting a three-part review by Scott Andes of Lasorda’s Lair.
- Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness offers his midseason report card on the Dodger position players.
- James McDonald’s rise to prominence could be the result of increased use of his slider, writes Ben Duorino of Fangraphs. (Wasn’t the slider the key to Clayton Kershaw’s Cy Young season?)
- ESPN Sweet Spot bloggers preview the second half of the season for National League teams. Oh, and here’s the American League.
- Matt Kemp is having a post-ESPYs bash tonight to benefit “Kemp’s Kids,” which provides support to underprivileged youth, writes Roberto Baly of Vin Scully Is My Homeboy.
- Meanwhile, Lyle Spencer of MLB.com writes about Kemp’s visit to the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City.
- Ben Nicholson-Smith of MLB Trade Rumors looks at starting pitchers potentially on the trade market.
- Farewell, Kenny Heitz.
Christopher Jones
That clip is awesome! Wouldn’t it be nice to have Beltre back? I miss him — and the 3rd base stability he gave us (even while he was going through those growing pains). I still find myself rooting for him.
Anonymous
According to MLBTR, the Dodgers and Cubbies are conversing about Dumpster and Garza.
Anonymous
Rather it be Soriano.
Anonymous
I tend to agree, even if Soriano’s streaky they need offense more at this point.
Anonymous
Soriano hasn’t hit in over 3 years, and he’s owed $36 mil. after this season. That’s a big “do not want.”
Casey Barker
I like Garza.
KT
The Kenny Hietz era at UCLA was the only time I actually attended basketball at the Pauley Pavilion or anywhere else
Anonymous
In 1968, after a close UCLA-UW game in Seattle (where I was an undergraduate), some friends and I directed Heitz, Shackleford and Vallely to a pub where nobody would check the then-underage Vallely’s ID. All of them were very personable.
Anonymous
Again according to MLBTR, the Dodgers are looking for a LH reliever not named Brandon Fuentes (fortunately, since he’s utterly awful).
David Farinella
What about Brian?
Anonymous
Sorry, wrote that after waking up from a nap.
David Farinella
just never thought i’d catch you … hopefully you know my message is in fun
Anonymous
Surprising outcome last night in the All Star Game last night…. (at least, IMHO)
I mean… I’ve heard the phrase, “Good pitching stops good hitting” … just as many times as any of you, but …. Wow!
…
I’m looking forward to the 2nd half….
I miss my Dodgers already…. feels weird with no game to watch tonight.
…
Finally, as far as any potential acquisitions go…..
“Go big or go home.” I say that in a nice voice, but I believe it.
This club may not have the prospects, the willing trade-partners, etc. to get a big deal done.
If that’s the case…. then, bummer…. but, fine.
Keep this club, wait for Kemp and Ethier to return….
Let ‘er rip! Because Garzas and Dempsters simply don’t excite me.
And, I feel that Dodger fans deserve more than that.
Or, at least let us root for the club we’ve been rooting for all year and don’t mess it up.
(Somehow, I think I was compelled to write that last line by my “inner Juan Uribe” … Ha.)
Anonymous
Not sure I agree with the “go big or go home” sentiment. Always nice to go big in thinking about the long term, but if we had a chance to go smaller, even having an average guy at some of our weaker spots would be a good complement for the return of Kemp and Either and perhaps enough to get us there this year in this division..
Anonymous
Nice to hear from you Bob……… Hope you had a nice 4th. :-)
David Farinella
Let’s just say Dempster and/or Garza get to the Blue. What do they do with Chad? And I don’t quite understand why, in the rotation reset, Cap isn’t the #2 pitcher….
Anonymous
Don’t want to throw two lefties in a row. It’s the biggest stumbling block to acquiring Hamels.
Jeffrey Thomas III
I doubt the Dodgers would have any reservations about starting Kershaw and Hamels 1 and 2.
Anonymous
I should have said “only.” Problem is Capuano is their next best pitcher, so you’d be starting three lefties in a row. A best-case scenario I wouldn’t mind seeing nonetheless.
Anonymous
I’d rather start three outstanding pitchers in a row without worrying whether they’re LH or RH.
Anonymous
Not interested to trade away all young pitching for Dempster or Garza if no bat is available.
foul tip
From si.com. Just pasted instead of linking.
Kershaw delivers recruiting pitch to Hamels in person
Views12709Comments24
08:17 AM ET 07.11 |
With the lockers of Cole Hamels and Clayton Kershaw next to each other
at the All-Star Game’s NL clubhouse, Kershaw pounced on the opportunity.
“You’d look good in Dodger blue,” Kershaw told him. Hamels, the premier
pitcher eligible for free agency, grew up in San Diego. He said he
would be interested in the Dodgers or Angels, although he was not so
sure the Angels would be interested in him. … The Dodgers have five
starters under contract next season — Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Chris
Capuano, Aaron Harang and Ted Lilly — but Kershaw wants the Dodgers’
new owners to pursue Hamels. “I would love to have him there,” Kershaw
said. “Our whole team would love to have a guy of his caliber. I hope we
make a run at him.”
Los Angeles Times
Anonymous
Players recruiting each other? Has baseball turned into the NBA?
Anonymous
Don’t anybody tell Ned, but the Cubs have released MacDougal.
Anonymous
I have a question for you…..
….
Is Carlos Santana the only Dodger farm hand to be dealt in the last 7 or 6 years that has proven to be really good?
….
I’m thinking, 3B Bell… don’t hear much about.
PS -James McDonald for Octavio Dotel is looking really good right about now…..
But, I just read an article about how Andew Lambo got suspended for doin’ the “whacky tobackey”
Anonymous
To me, calling Carlos Santana really good is still a ways off. He has shown promise, but career OPS of .783 doesn’t get “really” placed before good. Solid ball player no doubt.
Josh Bell so far is all prospect and seems to be turning to Andy LaRoche II. 100 games, .192 average with .488 OPS.
Anonymous
That said, who is in fact the best Dodger prospect to get away?
So many have been lauded here before their time, only to turn into Edwin Jackson at best. I’m never opposed to trading prospects for proven players; I do hate it, however, when you trade them for players who’ve proven that they are terrible (Uribe, Schmidt, Dotel, et al.)A year ago, many here would have cringed had the Dodgers traded away Jerry Sands. Today, could he even bring much in return?
Anonymous
How had Schmidt, Uribe, and Dotel proven that they were terrible before coming to the Dodgers? Schmidt and Dotel were pretty much always good at what they do, and Uribe was coming a very good two year run.
Let’s not forget Trayvon and DeWitt among the Dodgers failures. As much as it annoys me to see us pick a pitcher after pitcher, perhaps that is for the best.
Anonymous
Uribe had a .731 career OPS when Ned signed him, and was averaging 109 Ks per year. Schmidt was hurt, which everybody outside the Giants organization seemed to know, yet Ned, who was within the org, did not. Dotel has actually had his best years SINCE leaving the Dodgers.
But the point remains the same: The Dodgers have not exactly traded away Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps.
Anonymous
Best to get away was a Rule 5 draftee, not via trade.
Geoff Stevens
In the past 20 years I would have to say Paul Konerko is the best product to get away from the Dodgers. Yes, he was behind Karros on the depth chart but just think of the numbers he would of put up with the Dodgers if we would of moved Karros instead of him. It is mind boggling. Karros had decent numbers but Konerko dwarfs his numbers in a heartbeat. .283 career avg, 410 hr, 1300 rbi’s compared to Karros .268 career avg, 284 hr, 1000 rbi’s. we missed on that one.
foul tip
Long, so maybe bring lunch. But worth it.
This probably is representative of many things in this story that are hard to believe. But it isn’t fiction–
“Get him out of here. Get him off my field. He’s losing all of my baseballs.”
Also, Josh Hamilton might have made the bigs as a power LHP if his hitting talent wouldn’t have been wasted the other 4 days.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/the_bonus/06/29/josh-hamilton-tim-crothers/index.html#ixzz20Lsn0v5n
Anonymous
If Hamilton and Hamels make it to free agency next year, the Dodgers could sign them without giving up any players.
If patience worked for the Dodgers, they would sign Hamilton and Hamels when they become free agents; trade Ethier for Upton after signing H & H, and give up prospects etc for Wright whenever they can make the deal.
David Farinella
The Ghost of George Steinbrenner!
Anonymous
Well, it isn’t my money they would only be spending deferred payroll never committed.
Anonymous
Free agents are not “free.” You give up the first round pick when you sign a free agent like Hamilton or Hamels. AZ is not taking Ethier for Upton. If Ethier can be traded, it will be for someone over 30 years old signed to a multiyear contract paying above the market rate.
Anonymous
I would add that the Dodgers probably don’t have enough prospects to acquire Wright either.
Anonymous
I left out details because they are boring. AZ has a couple of outfield prospects they would prefer to take Upton’s place and want a pitcher, shortstop, and a third baseman. The detail would be a multi team trade and the addition of other players from both AZ and LA. Have some fun before sharing the obvious.
Anonymous
I’d be more than willing to part with Gordon and pitching, but someone to play third is a Dodger need too. Gordon, Billz, prospect pitcher for Upton. 3 for 1.
Anonymous
Well as long as we are fantasizing, why stop at Upton? Let’s get Longoria for Uribe. Also Mike Trout for Zach Lee.
Anonymous
Agreed
Anonymous
Got 3 bottles of Cold Duck. How bout we trade for your bottle of Dom?
Anonymous
Read Chasing (Blue) October a couple of years ago. While I had a keen interest in the subject, I recall that it was not put together in a very engrossing manner. Don’t see how it would deserve a three-part review on literary grounds, so I will check this out with interest.
Anonymous
It was a distressing season, with all the injuries to a team that was dominating the league.
Jon Weisman
Hank Aaron on the set of “42” with its star, Chadwick Boseman yfrog.com/h833500082j
Anonymous
Aaaah, Beltre. I remember after he left and signed with the Mariners – 5 years / 64 Mil – reading how he was constantly depressed living in Seattle – didn’t know anyone, had no friends – missed his “family” – the only team he had ever known – the Dodgers. I got the feeling that he really regretted leaving L.A. I remember thinking that if he wanted to stay with the Dodgers so bad, he should have told his agent to “do whatever it took” to go ahead and get a deal done with the Dodgers. Now, I’m thinking all that stuff was probably overblown by either Beltre and/or the reporter who wrote the story or both. He was just doing what the majority of ballplayers do – following the money.
Tony Gwynn and more recently Jered Weaver are the exceptions to the rule.
Jon Weisman
NPUT
Anonymous
Interview by Patt Morrison with Vin: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-0711-morrison-vin-scully-dodgers-20120711,0,7556962,full.column