Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 12:10 p.m.
Shane Victorino, LF
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Hanley Ramirez, 3B
Juan Rivera, 1B
Jerry Hairston Jr., 2B
Luis Cruz, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Stephen Fife, P
Shane Victorino, LF
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Hanley Ramirez, 3B
Juan Rivera, 1B
Jerry Hairston Jr., 2B
Luis Cruz, SS
A.J. Ellis, C
Stephen Fife, P
Well, I was wrong. The Dodgers have designated Bobby Abreu for assignment to make room on the roster for Shane Victorino.
Abreu OPSed .905 in his first 33 games as a Dodger, through June 11, but since then the outfielder has been 16 for 90 with 11 walks and two extra-base hits in 37 games for a .490 OPS.
I’m genuinely surprised. In this money-is-no-object era for the Dodgers, I still see more potential for Abreu to help in the stretch run than Juan Uribe.
* * *
- Victorino will wear No. 8 with the Dodgers, with Don Mattingly switching to No. 12. The switch-hitting Victorino is wearing the same number as the switch-hitting Reggie Smith did as a Dodger in the 1970s. Smith took No. 8 because Steve Yeager already had the outfielder’s preferred No. 7.
- Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus ranked the prospects traded at the deadline this week. Ethan Martin is 11th, Scott McGough 24th, Logan Bawcom 25th and Leon Landry 30th out of 43.
- Goldstein also produced a new ranking of the top 50 prospects in baseball, with Zach Lee on the list at 47.
- In the wake of Martin’s departure, the Dodgers promoted Andres Santiago to Double-A Chattanooga, reports Robert Emrich for MLB.com. The 22-year-old righty had a 1.76 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 41 innings for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in July, while allowing only 21 hits and nine walks.
- Jerry Hairston Jr. had an obscure but memorable throw, captured by Chad Moriyama.
- Buster Olney names 10 leading August trade candidates in his column for ESPN.com.
- This past weekend, I discussed Chad Billingsley’s season-long improvement in throwing strikes. At Fangraphs, Michael Barr delves deeper, noting that Billingsley is “going to his four seam fastball far more regularly and he’s almost abandoned his cutter.”
- A year after it happened, the Trayvon Robinson trade gets a positive review from Scott Andes at Lasorda’s Lair.
- Dodger Stadium cuisine was recently reviewed by Jeanne Fratello of the Jolly Tomato.
- Former Dodger general manager Dan Evans had a post-deadline live chat today at Baseball Prospectus.
- Houston finished July with a 3-24 record, the worst July any team has had in at least 50 years, notes David Pinto of Baseball Musings.
- With no further introduction, a recent piece from Josh Wilker.
Jeffrey Thomas III
I guess we have to wait til Dee comes back for the Uribe DFA? Ugh.
Derek TC
Yeah, Hopefully…Not sure what they expect from Uribe at this point other than maybe his defense…
Anonymous
Well, maybe he’ll keep the rest of the team from overeating, but he would have been a perfect role player for the Gnats, who are missing an obese 3B.
Anonymous
and yet he manages to play short and 3rd in MLB…you…cannot. Give this garbage a rest already.
KT
Hey Grumpy…Long time no read
Derek TC
He has played 5 games at SS for the Dodgers.
Derek TC
LAT’d
JonnyTAFKAJ I feel bad for Juan Uribe….No, he hasn’t been anything close to what he was for the Giants a couple of years ago.But, he just seems like a great guy that has fun playing this game. This season has to be killing him inside. (yes, he’s getting paid very well to sit… but, he probably feels somewhat hollow) IMHO.LikeReply
10 minutes agoDerek TCCollapseI agree with you here, I just hope with Kasten here now, Ned will stop giving out contracts to players who have 1 good year or even a good half a year, when their career stats don’t match up at all. Rivera being another example of this.
Anonymous
We are hoping for 3 WAR per year from Hanley, we would be happy with 2. That’s from a guy being paid $16 mil. per year. Uribe? Uribe was coming off two 3 WAR seasons when he signed his 3/24 mil. contract with us. He had two more good seasons with the White Sox before that. The deal turned out to be a mistake, but it’s just incorrect to say Uribe was given a contract after one good season.
Derek TC
I don’t think there was anyone, other than Uribe and his agent, and maybe Ned, who thought Uribe had earned the type of contract that he was given. As per your comment, He had 1 good OWAR season with the Sox way back in 2004, and 1 good OWAR season with the Giants in 2009 and both of those were just 2.5. I don’t think you can count the 2004 season when giving out a contract in 2011. His OWAR was 0.5 or lower in 3 of the other seasons. So I don’t think I am wrong saying the contract was given based on one good year.
Derek TC
As for Hanley, his current production is a big improvement over what the Dodgers have right now. We are hoping he improves back to his all-star level and that would be a great bonus.
Derek TC
Also, in those two 2.5 owar seasons, his OBP was under .330 and he has never had an OBP over .330. So, I think I was exactly accurate in my original statement.
Anonymous
No Derek, you are about as far from accurate as anyone can be in your original statement, and you managed somehow to stray even farther in your elaboration. You felt that you were accurate; that’s very different from actually being accurate. Uribe was coming off two very good seasons. This is fact and not something that’s up for debate.
Of course, if you want to argue that .350 wOBA and .320 wOBA are not good numbers for a SS, feel free. And if you want to pretend like baseball is a glorified batting practice, feel to continue to believe that Uribe’s defense at 3B and SS had no value. I just find it odd that people will go so far as to resort to self-delusions to denigrate a player just because he’s performing poorly right now.
Derek TC
I am sorry for thinking that hitting .248 with a .310 OBP and a .750 OPS was a poor season…LOL
Uribe is still a good defender so his defensive capabilities aren’t really a part of this discussion, he his hitting terribly now and has always hit poorly except for some streaks with the Giants. We could replace Uribe’s name with Loney and have this exact discussion.
Derek TC
The facts are, Uribe has never been a good hitter and got this excessive contract that he is currently playing under based on a hot streak he had for the Giants.
Anonymous
.320 wOBA would be the 8th best among SS this season. .350 wOBA would be the 2nd best. In 2010, Uribe was the 5th best hitter among SSs (adjusted for the park). In 2009, his .350 wOBA would’ve made him top 10 among 3Bs or SSs. So yes, you should feel bad that you are trying to manipulate numbers to make up a fan narrative that doesn’t corresponded to reality.
Derek TC
Really? I am manipulating numbers? I posted his BA, OBP and OPS to show he didnt have a good year. What exactly is being manipulated?
Anonymous
He was never any good, but parlayed a lucky hot streak into a contract he never deserved. Sooner he’s gone, the better. Abreu is far more useful off the bench.
Anonymous
That’s just wrong, especially since the Gnats would probably pick up Uribe if he were DFA’d.
Anonymous
That would be addition by subtraction by the associative property.
KT
^_^
Anonymous
Maybe the Dodgers’ evil plan is to fall behind Arizona in the standings until the waiver deadline passes. that way, they can pick up Soriano, Lowrie, Garza, and Carlos Lee without Towers blocking them.
Anonymous
I don’t think anybody’s gonna claim Carlos Lee.
Anonymous
I’m stunned. Don’t we need a lefty off the bench? It’s like Ned & Don would rather use Kennedy for that. Sheesh.
Anonymous
Also, you can add “took the manager’s number” too Victorino’s tooliness stats.
Jon Weisman
Ha.
veryolddodgerfan
what’s the number?
KT
it was 8
Anonymous
Well, the Phils have DFA’d Fontenot, so maybe the Gnats will go with him instead.
Jon Weisman
” It was Victorino who took over as the Phillies’ starting right fielder after they traded Abreu to the Yankees in mid-2006.”
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/01/dodgers-cut-bobby-abreu-to-make-room-for-shane-victorino/
Anonymous
Abreu got cut 2 SBs shy of 400 for his career.
Anonymous
I am shocked. Somebody could have taken a large sum of money on that one. So Gwynn is now our left handed pinch hitter.
Jon Weisman
Well, Loney also.
Anonymous
Equally disturbing. Maybe there is a trade in the works so they will only eat the majority of Uribe’s salary next year, not all of it. Otherwise this just makes no sense. Even with Abreu slumping he works the count, making the pitcher get him out. A foreign concept to Uribe.
Anonymous
Where would Abreu play, though? We don’t need 5 outfielders with Hairston able to play LF, and Abreu isn’t so good that we can justify carrying him as a PH bat.
Anonymous
1st base would have been a good option but don’t think he’s ever played there.
Anonymous
Well, as a bat off the bench, he’s far better than “three lunges and out.”
KT
As WBB said Pinch hitter specialist…for when we need a walk or single to put a man on base (an occasional Hr here or there)
Anonymous
Looks like Ned’s ego is getting in the way of DFA’ing Uribe, i can kind of see his point, i mean the guy is owed a ton of money…
i liked Abreu as an off the bench type ‘o player good on base guy, career .396 obp.
KT
We all see the writing on the wall except for the management who are too close
Anonymous
How about this ????
….
Perhaps Juan Uribe is one of Ned’s “PTBNL” ‘s …. :-)
Anonymous
Doesn’t a PTBNL have to be a minor leaguer? Maybe even someone not on the 40-man roster? Or did I just make that up?
Anonymous
In the case of the PTBNL, there is a list to choose from. If Uribe is on one of those, that’s a pretty ugly list.
Jon Weisman
“Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said the team is hoping to hold on to
Abreu, but to do that he would have to accept an assignment to Triple-A
Albuquerque until major league rosters can expand on Sept. 1. The
Dodgers could also trade or release him in the next 10 days.”
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/8222844/los-angeles-dodgers-designate-outfielder-bobby-abreu-assignment
veryolddodgerfan
thanks for the links. excellent
Anonymous
Wilker is like a great musician, he just knows how to hit all the right notes.
Jim Hitchcock
Aw, shoot, RIP Gore Vidal.
Anonymous
A better bat off the bench than Uribe.
Anonymous
why do expansion teams pick the worst colors & designs? anyways, just for fun here is the Arizona Diamondbacks original opening day starters ->
Jay Bell
Andy Benes
Brent Brede
Edwin Diaz
Karim Garcia
Devon White
Matt Williams
Anonymous
sorry Jon but why have your rules if somewhere somehow you don’t point some here to the whole Rule 8 thing about Uribe. I stopped reading before and after reading again for a while I see this place might be on the verge of devolving into LADodgerTalk
Jon Weisman
I have asked this before and will ask this again.
Anonymous
>> I have asked this before and will ask this again.
Doing so constitutes a Rule 8 violation! :)
(just kidding – you probably already had the irony in mind when you posted that)
Jeffrey Thomas III
I don’t understand the complaint when Jon himself speculated Uribe could be DFA’d today only to be disappointed when it was instead Abreu. Are we not aloud to talk about that? I get being annoyed at Uribe being brought up every day for no apparent reason, but today his name was relevant.
Anonymous
I don’t think for a second that grumpy meant Uribe shouldn’t be discussed. He meant WBB should stop what I think can best be described as a long running performance art project that has failed.
Anonymous
Nice to see a 1-2-3 inning in the first.
Anonymous
early on Fife is keeping the ball up which is something you don’t want.
Anonymous
Hitting Ethier 2nd v. a lefty makes little sense.
Derek TC
Maybe they think they are giving him a chance to see better pitches batting ahead of Kemp?
Anonymous
exactly what Mattingly said when Ethier hit second the first time.
KT
Nice not to see Goldschimdt in the 1st
KT
Come on Matty
KT
good hit matty
Come on Hanley
Anonymous
Bad link above the lineup again. (September 1 game?) The correct link for Gameday for today’s game is http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_08_01_arimlb_lanmlb_1&mode=gameday
Jon Weisman
“After efforts to deal Alfonso Soriano never materialized before Tuesday’s trade deadline, Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said there is still a chance the outfielder will be moved through the waiver process this month.”
“I didn’t turn down any team, but I told my agent to tell the Cubs I
would only go to one West Coast team, and that was the Dodgers,” Soriano
told ESPNChicago.com. “They never came to us with anything else.”
http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/8222869/chicago-cubs-jed-hoyer-alfonso-soriano-traded
KT
Good eye Hanley
Come on Juan
Jon Weisman
Stipulated: Juan Uribe is not a good hitter and his place on the Dodgers is questionable. The point is made.
KT
Beautiful catch AJ…and almost got the DP
Anonymous
Great play by Ellis. Smart play by Goldschmidt, who continues to annoy.
Anonymous
No kidding, enough of this guy already
Vail Beach
A.J.’s play was not a good play. It allowed Goldschmidt to go to second, meaning it was the equivalent of a successful sacrifice. Then it was cashed in. How is that a good play?
KT
He would have scored on the double anyway…Johnson almost scored from 1st
Anonymous
We don’t know what would have happened. Goldschmidt was smart to tag and take second, but Ellis still made a fine play.
Vail Beach
Perhaps so, but up until that moment, calling it a good play failed to recognize that the hitter accomplished his goal — advancing the runner with a bunt.
KT
good they only got 1 out that mess
Anonymous
this isn’t factual but i like you played in team sports, you can’t help & wonder how long if any it takes for a team to re-jell after the chaos of july.
Alex Chavez
Only takes as long as a few wins coming their way. You win, you’re announced as Jell-o. You lose, people make chemistry excuses.
Phillies won last night despite all the trades.
Jason Ungar
Yah, plus it’s baseball. Not to much chemistry between team mates is needed.
Anonymous
Looks like Victorino didn’t have time to go to the sporting goods store, still with the red batting gloves & bat.
Anonymous
Same for Hunter Pence, who showed up in the ‘ants clubhouse last night with his red Fillies duffel bag.
Anonymous
Can somebody throw inside to Goldschmidt?
Anonymous
Looks like Guerra read your post. :0)
Jeffrey Thomas III
Your wish is Javy’s command.
Jason Ungar
I doubt he meant to. He’s a gas can. This game will be out of reach soon. Just my take. A wrong take :)
Anonymous
Why do the Snakes’ innings seem to last forever?
Jon Weisman
Dodgers, you can’t expect Stephen Fife to hold the opponent to one run every time out. I command you to score some runs!
Anonymous
Especially off whoever Patrick Corbin is. Pitching against the Snakes is different from pitching against the Gnats, unfortunately.
Anonymous
right. Dodgers stick to basics, take a walk & build from there.
Anonymous
JHJ heard you.
Alex Chavez
DBacks have 5 starters with slugging % over .450.
Dodgers have 2.
Jason Kubel is the type of underrated player I don’t think our GM looks for or appreciates.
Anonymous
We’ve been outhomered 5-0 in this thus far bleak series.
Anonymous
Wrong. M Ellis homered yesterday.
Jibin Park
Terrible move. Terrible. Uribe’s contract is a sunk cost, Ned. SUNK COST!
KT
Come on DP
KT
Nice of Montero to help us out
KT
Uribe into 3rd and Hanley to SS?
Anonymous
Unbelievable.
Anonymous
So Mattingly is conceding the first out of the bottom of the inning.
Jason Ungar
and the third. Ethier vs the lefty looks like Uribe
Anonymous
this could have been DISASTROUS, instead it was a standard DP. 2-0 Zona.
Anonymous
Nice turn by Hairston, on a hard slide by Upton.
Anonymous
F(l)ail.
Anonymous
Prediction: Uribe if DFA’d tonight, and we bring up someone from the minors or acquire someone who has cleared waivers. Colletti cannot be that thick.
Anonymous
I’d like to think you’re right.
veryolddodgerfan
i don’t think you should necessarily believe colletti is calling the shots
Anonymous
with this score, 1 swing of the bat can change the score, just one swing of the bat.
Anonymous
Depends on the bat, but there’s one I’m pretty certain can’t change things.
KT
Ump got to matty with that 1st called strike
Jeffrey Thomas III
Buster Olney tweeted earlier:
“The Dodgers did good work before the trade deadline, but they did leave one spot in their rotation unfilled.” He then posted a link to today’s box score…. Is he saying Dempster would have knocked in two or more runs for us today? I don’t get it. Fife pitched well, the offense isn’t producing today.
Anonymous
Fife pitched well, the offense isn’t producing today.<< nor yesterday, i hope we can get to there pen at this point.
Anonymous
a little bird told me we might score moving forward.
KT
Come on Jerry
Anonymous
Looks like League is coming in…
Anonymous
Every time I look in on the game, the Dbacks are getting baserunners on, and the Dodgers are making outs. This is an extremely one-sided two-run game. So far, anyway.
Anonymous
Brandon League is Hawaiian for “Danys Báez.”
Anonymous
Jeeze, what a lackluster bunch the Dodgers have been since coming home.
Anonymous
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” — all within a week!
Anonymous
What the Dickens is going on with this team?
Anonymous
From great expectations to bleak house.
Anonymous
The perfect cure for insomnia
Anonymous
The bench needs help if Uribe (now 4-for-45) and Gwynn (now 7-for 51) are our first two options.
KT
Hope it’s not the same thing as Mark Ellis
Anonymous
Dodger bats are missing in action playing & simple.
KT
Nice to see some speed in LF…Jerry’s not bad but not as fast as shane
Anonymous
Feels like the dbags have more homeruns than we have hits this series
Jason Ungar
They are just making us look like a triple A team right now. Sad. We are fighting for 3rd place as much as were fighting for first.
Anonymous
The Snakes will finish second to the Dodgers.
Jason Ungar
I wish I had your optimism! Right now, I couldn’t say I have any idea on how things will go!!
Anonymous
The decision to not just keep Juan but actually bat him is sliding from the stupid into the bizarre.
Giving Shane more ABs than Jerry is already looking a little mush-brained, as well.
Jason Ungar
Victoriono is gonna get his 4 at bats a day for the rest of the year! Get used to it.
veryolddodgerfan
there are a lot of games left. don’t quite understand though that the dodgers did not get a starting pitcher at the deadline. to me that was a mistake.
Anonymous
No starting pitcher in the world can win a game when the team only gets no runs, two hits and two walks at the plate. Heck, another starting pitcher probably wouldn’t have gotten one of those two hits. You can’t blame the starting pitcher for this loss.
veryolddodgerfan
i don’t believe i did
Anonymous
F(l)ail.
Anonymous
Gee it seems to happen to the Dodgers more than some teams. They get into a stretch where they can’t hit(trying too hard?,), and they cant get a great pitching effort.
Anonymous
We have had many stretches this season similar to this one, and I expect we will have others, unfortunately. They are hard to fathom.
Anonymous
Hopefully they aren’t as common next season
Anonymous
Pitching and hitting weren’t a problem against the Mets. Were a problem against the Cards. Weren’t a problem against the ‘ants. Were a problem against the Dbacks.
Anonymous
“…and they can’t get a great pitching effort.”
Wouldn’t have mattered had Fife gone 9 innings and given up a single run today – woulda been a loss.
Anonymous
Time for a 52-hour break.
Anonymous
Win 3, lose 3, win 3, lose 3… I think I sense a pattern here!
Jon Weisman
NPUT
Adam Luther
3B Johnson of to a solid start with the Dbacks, hot when they acquired him and still going strong. Solid line-up, sans Drew with the .193 avg.
Anonymous
We can’t be sure Abreu would have done any better than the other bench players who got a chance to hit today, but I’m sure he would have been a tougher out.
Anonymous
posted in next thread