“And you get an operation! And you get an operation!”
Blake Hawksworth, who hasn’t been able to throw a major-league pitch this year, had shoulder surgery Wednesday and is going to miss all of 2013 as well, reports Alex Angert of MLB.com.
But that’s not all. Jerry Hairston Jr. is going to miss the remainder of the season with hip surgery, though he is scheduled to be ready for the start of next season.
Here’s more from Steve Dilbeck of Dodgers Now:
… Head trainer Sue Falsone said Tuesday that Hairston would likely be examined by a couple more hip specialists before the exact nature of his potential surgery was determined, but it would likely involve an arthroscopic procedure similar to what is more commonly performed on shoulders. …
He said the hip had been bothering him to some degree for almost two months, and he had only five hits in his last 38 at-bats. …
* * *
- In the Dodgers’ next game, Nathan Eovaldi will start against his former teammates, opposing Chad Billingsley. Aaron Harang was given an extra two days of rest, moving to Sunday.
- Framework has a classic 1964 picture of Willie Davis.
Anonymous
According to Eric Stephen at TBLA, Justin Sellers also has surgery this morning and is gone for the year.
Anonymous
Here’s some good news — the Dodgers won’t lose today!
Anonymous
Yes – I’m thankful the Dodgers have an off day today – after that series I need a day off as well.
Anonymous
Yeah, this is probably the first time this season I’m glad it’s an off day.
underdog
Yep. Like the prior three days this week, the Dodgers have taken the day off. ;)
But at least today they cannot lose, bless ’em.Go Braves!
Anonymous
I’ve had enough surgery recently, thank you.
Anonymous
As an avid sports fan….I’m bummed to hear about my team losing players to injury.
….
As a professional, an employer, and as a businessman… I’m starting to become a bit skeptical about the timing and the circumstances surrounding professional athletes and the notion of injury, surgery, and time away from contributing to the team/organization.
….
“I get my surgeries done on company time.” – Shaquille O’Neal (as a Laker)
….
Yes. I can say that I’ve grown a bit skeptical.
More-so / Less-so depending on different factors….
How is it possible that an organization allows it’s employee (player) to go a full off season with no procedure (surgery) to help alleviate/fix chronic injuries…just to have the guy show up at camp and to THEN end up having surgery and missing major time, if not the entire, upcoming season?
.
If there’s a surgery (not that it’s always the best option) to be performed, the organization needs to see to it that the player receives it in a temporal manner best befitting the success of the TEAM.
ie. Get it done in the off season.
….
I wonder if some players (and it has to be in cooperation with managers) – once under contract – have the strategy of extending their careers (earning window) by spending time on the DL while still receiving their full contracted amount of pay.
I’m not accusing the above mentioned players of anything… I know it sounds awful to say.
But, you see it everyday in business….pick up a newspaper. Why not in pro sports?
Anonymous
Yes. I fully realize that some injuries happen during the course of a season, and cannot be taken care of in the off season. :-)
Anonymous
Other than Shaq (and who knows how serious Shaq was, being the joker he is), I honestly can’t think of any single incident where a professional athlete chose to have surgery during the season that could’ve been done in the offseason. If anything, I hear about guys like Kobe putting off surgery until the end of the season and playing with pain. I also don’t see how being a frequent visitor to the DL will help you maximize your earnings.
Anonymous
Jason Schmidt?!
Anonymous
Posters are constantly saying such and such left handed hitter can’t hit left handed pitching. It is said about virtually every left handed hitter. Yet right handed hitters are almost never accused of not being able to hit right handed pitchers. Why is that? I find it impossible to believe that there is that much difference between right handers and left handers.
Jon Weisman
It’s certainly a weird thing. The first answer is that obviously, there are right handed hitters that can’t hit righties – Juan Rivera just for starters is worse against righties. But since there are more right-handed hitters in general, their effect just gets watered down. Because there are fewer lefties, I think it stands out more.
Anonymous
The other answer is that there is a lot more pitching by right-handers than left-handers. About 70 percent of MLB at-bats are against right-handed pitchers, and about 30 percent against southpaws, so facing righties is the vast majority of most players’ plate appearances. As a result, if someone can’t hit right-handed pitchers, he’s usually known as a bad hitter, period, rather than someone with bad splits.
Jon Weisman
Yep, well said.
Anonymous
Yes. For the most part, they won’t even make it up to the majors unless they’re a pitcher, who isn’t expected to hit anyway. Maybe the occasional catcher fits this profile. And then some older deteriorating players like Rivera.
David Young
FTFY. And then some older deteriorating players like Andruw Jones.
Anonymous
A few threads ago there were some comments on Dodgers fans heckling Victorino. I don’t recall ever heckling a Dodgers player but I certainly recall heckling the Dodgers hitting coach years ago. I may have told this story here before so I apologize ahead of time to those who have already heard it.
If I recall correctly, I was in my early to mid-20’s, so this was sometime in the early to mid-90’s.
We used to buy cheap seats back then and just head straight to the box seats a few rows from the field, behind either the Dodgers dugout or the visiting dugout. Back then nobody ever questioned us and we never had a problem doing it – if anyone ever showed up saying we were in their seats we’d just hop into the closest vacant ones – and there were always a few close by.
So this time we were right behind the Dodgers dugout and the Dodgers were in a slump – not hitting, not playing well, looking uninterested. We’d had a few beers in the parking lot, I’m sure, and no doubt a few more once inside. Reggie Smith is coaching 1st base and after a few innings of futility by the Dodgers “sluggers” I decided to let Reggie have it whenever he’d jog into the dugout after the 3rd out.
It’s not something I’m proud of looking back on, but, oh man, what a laugh-riot my friends and I were having over my idiotic yelling at Reggie : ” C’MON REGGIE ! What are teaching these guys?! That was TERRIBLE ! You call yourself a HITTING COACH ?”
After a few innings of this, every time Reggie came jogging to the dugout, he’d stare up at me with a murderous scowl on his face.
I can’t remember if it was the next game or a few after , there we were back in “our” seats just above the Dodgers dugout. 1st inning, as Reggie is jogging back to the dugout, my friend leaps up and points at me yelling, “Hey REGGIE! You remember this guy? He’s baaaack!”
Reggie looks over, and before he descends into the dugout, he drops his head, covering his eyes with both hands and shakes his head.
jasonu
I am embarrassed to admit this.. but I was a t a game long ago and the dodgers were getting beaten pretty bad. It was late in the game and I was able to sneak down to the seats just above the first base dugout. It was like 1998 or something. Anyhow I was trying to impress a girl. That’s my story. But Mondesi came to bat and was 0-4 the dodgers were down I believe 10 runs. Nobody was hitting. Mondy was my favorite dodger at the time. Out of nowhere and against my personality type I stood up and yelled while he was in the box with his hand back digging the dirt to get ready to hit, “come on Mondy, bleeping do something” And I said it so loud and the park was empty…on the first pitch he hit a bullet into the left field bullpen..he got to home plate and pointed right at me and smiled.
Casey Barker
Reminds me of the Jim Rome-Kevin Mitchell kerfuffel wherein Rome yelled at late career, overweight Mitchell to mix in a salad from time to time, and Mitchell promptly hit a homerun.
Anonymous
Ah, the thrown chair in oakland in ’04… the frozen batteries at shea at Rocker…
Good times! Baseball games are pretty tame these days.
Anonymous
Kemp and Kershaw. That’s who I wouldn’t trade for AGon. Wonder if Boston has any interest in Ethier? If so, then we take Soriano (with Chicago paying most of his salary), Soriano to left, Kemp in center, Sands to right field. Or keep Victorino…
Anonymous
I think Gonzalez would flourish in Los Angeles. But who do the Dodgers have that the Red Sox would want? Kemp and Kershaw are clearly untouchable.
I’ve been a big Andre Ethier supporter over the years, but I’m beginning to sour on him. His numbers against lefties aren’t improving, and his second-half swoon is becoming a trend. If Boston would take him straight up for Gonzalez, you’d have to do it. They’re the same age, but Gonzalez if truly the better player.
Would Boston do it for salary relief and to get rid of a malcontent?
Would a clubhouse with Hanley and Gonzalez be terrible for team chemistry?
Anonymous
If Boston is going to shed pieces for salary relief, they’ll start with Crawford first and also won’t take a guy with $85 mil. extension back, is how I see it.
Gustavo Mungaray
it looks like they are saying delaRosa, webster, sands, and someone else.
victorino
ellis
kemp
gonzalez
ramirez
andre
cruz
ellis
this is pretty scary
Jon Weisman
I don’t know who “they” are, but there is no way the Dodgers are trading Rubby. They would trade Zach Lee first. And I also don’t think the Dodgers would trade Lee AND Webster.
veryolddodgerfan
you wouldn’t trade Lee and Webster for Adrian?
scottF
Did Ely fall off the depth charts to take him off the 40 man roster? Blanton ok not great.
History of the lefty starter we signed name I forgot, not great stats in second half.Agon come on Ned get it done. Loney & Uribe & Rivera = done at least in Los Angeles
Anonymous
Ely ended 2011 on the 40-man roster. Last November he was outrighted to ABQ and removed from the 40-man roster, and that’s where he’s been ever since.
Anonymous
Dilbeck reporting the Dodgers might have to eat contracts of Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett besides to get Gonzalez.
No thanks.
Gustavo Mungaray
wonder if a change of scenery for beckett would make a difference?
Anonymous
Beckett worth thinking about, though I have my doubts; Crawford, no way.
Anonymous
OK, OK… Gonzo for Gordon, Uribe, Kennedy and Loney… final offer!
Anonymous
Is Hairston on a two-year contract?
Anonymous
I believe so.
Anonymous
I believe he’s got $3 mil. coming to him next season.
Anonymous
$3,750,000 to be more precise.
Anonymous
According to MLBTR, “The Dodgers signed left-hander Julio Urias, Ben Badler of Baseball America
reports. Urias, a 16-year-old from Mexico, signed for an unknown amount
that will only partially count against the Dodgers’ $2.9MM spending
pool for 2012-13. The prospect’s rights were transferred from Mexico
City of the Mexican League, so only a limited percentage of the bonus
applies to the Dodgers’ pool.” Supposedly he throws 92 mph at that age.
Jon Weisman
Just read Dilbeck’s piece, in which he suggest that the Dodgers would need to trade De La Rosa, Webster, Sands and more AND take on bad contracts like Crawford’s. That’s overestimating the price.
Anonymous
That does not sound reasonable.
Anonymous
I agree. In fact, it’s not just unreasonable; it’s clearly idle speculation on Dilbeck’s part, and NOT anything that their respective GM’s are seriously discussing. So really, it’s no more based on reality than the comments any of us would make here.
I don’t see the Dodgers acquiring any big-money outfielders right now, with Kemp and Ethier signed long-term and Puig waiting in the wings. And I don’t see the Dodgers taking on any contracts just for the sake of providing “salary relief” to another team. We’ll do it if it makes the Dodgers better. Hanley did. Crawford or Beckett wouldn’t.
Terry Pruett
I see Boston trying to shed Crawford and Beckett…but I can’t for the life of me understand why they would trade Gonzales. To me, he’s a “plug-in” player: just plug him in at first and forget about that position for years…he’s just the kind of guy that will hit and field well for years and years. I see no benefit for Boston in getting rid of him.
If some miracle were to happen and they could actually get Gonzales…then absolutely back up the truck: Lee, Sands, Webster. But I make no trade if we have to take Crawford.
Anonymous
I agree.
Oh, and it’s also worth noting that AGon is having something of an off year (for him, anyway). His current OPS (.818) is down 139 points from last year and 63 points from his career average. Of the 17 qualified first basemen in MLB this year, his OPS ranks him 8th. If he were hitting his career OPS, he would rank 4th; his 2011 OPS would rank him on top this year.
I’m not saying I wouldn’t want him as our first baseman; I would, and I would be willing to give up significant value in return. But his current off year doesn’t help his trade value.
Anonymous
As good a solution as Gonzales would be, The group of De la Rosa, Lee and Webster can go a long way towards a good and cost controlled young pitching staff for many years to come.
I also think John Ely would be at least as good an option as Blanton at least for the rest of the season. I know this looks like hindsight but I felt the same before Blanton pitched.
Anonymous
I’ve often thought the same about Ely. I was disappointed that they didn’t try Ely when they gave Fife a couple of starts. I think it was on this board that someone mentioned that they were always happy when Blanton was pitching against the Dodgers. I was happy too because it was always better than facing some of the alternative, unless it was Jamie Moyer.
I hope the Dodgers don’t trade RDLR, It seems like he is the real deal; superstar potential.
Anonymous
Of coarse I agree. Last time Ely was good for at least a months worth of games until the league figured him out. And I really think he has improved to keep dominating PCL hitting.
Anonymous
Is it unreasonable to imagine a power hitting 1B for our boys in blue?
Anonymous
It seems less likely now than it did when we almost snagged Fielder.
Anonymous
I don’t want to be accused of violating rule 8, but I mentioned the tear that Corey Seager is on a couple of threads ago. Well, I see he was 4 for 5 last night with 2 2Bs and and HR. At this rate is it reasonable to expect him in the bigs in 2015? I think he would only be 21 at that time so it’s probably optimistic It would be cool to see the Dodgers have a third baseman again after so many misfires. Not counting HanRam if that’s where he ends up for the next couple of years.
underdog
I’m loving it. I loved the pick of Seager and will keep my fingers crossed for the next two years. With Seager, Puig as well as Joc Pderson really coming into his own, the Dodgers finally have some good young position players coming with high ceilings.
Anonymous
Agree. Hopefully none of them are given up (I know Puig is not going anywhere) for two months of some gritty veteran middle infielder, or 5th starter quality pitcher next July. Good thing we already have Harang, Cappy and Lilly.
Anonymous
Gritty middle infielders and #5 starters. Yeah, I’d say we have that covered and even could shed a few.LOL
Anonymous
He’s only at Ogden, so it’s hard to predict what might happen as he develops. He will have to do well at each level to be promoted, and it will take several promotions before he makes the bigs. Also he will have to learn to play third if that’s where he’s headed; he’s only played short at Ogden. I don’t think 2015 is out of the question, but there are too many variables and things that would have to happen between now and then to be giving much thought to it. Of course, it’s a good thing that he’s been doing so well! (His current OPS in 40 games is .914.)
Thanks for bringing it to our attention. It’s great that we finally have some promising position players in the pipeline!
Anonymous
Oh, and Lee, Reed, and Webster may be our top three pitching prospects, but all three are struggling this year at Chattanooga. They’re all quite young and have plenty of time to develop, but none of them looks like they would be ready within the next year or so, and that affects their trade value. (If we need someone in the ‘pen, though, their teammate Steve Ames has been fantastic this year.)
underdog
Bummed about Hairston, I really liked having him around, gave the team good at bats, was very versatile and useful off the bench. Damn. Herrera’s probably the closest guy in the minors they have to a Hairston and would seem to deserve a spot on the bench right now to replace him. They can send down another reliever for a week to make that happen.
Anonymous
Herrera has a higher OPS with the Dodgers this season than Loney, Victorino, Rivera, Gwynn, Gordon, Treanor, Uribe, Van Slyke, Sands, and Castellanos. Just sayin’… :)
veryolddodgerfan
ya but herrera is a career minor leaguer and the second half of his stats is obviously who elian is not the first half or so i’m told.
Anonymous
I’m with you – Hairston is the type of player nobdy will confuse with a superstar, but the type that is needed on all good teams to advance deep into the postseason – a solid roleplayer who plays multiple position well and provides a decent bat. He’s the type of player the *average* fan somewhat takes for granted and wouldn’t think to miss, but for those who really know baseball – including the team – he will be missed.
Anonymous
There’s no bigger Hairtson fan than I, but Kershaw is the type of player that is needed to advance deep into the postseason.
veryolddodgerfan
well in a couple more days the minor leaguers will arrive to save the Dodger season as their stats dictate they are better than the major leaguers currently being used. but still i think there is frustrated feelings ahead because you still have to get Don Baseball to play em. Whether the minor leaguers are the answer or not major league managers – for whatever reason (there must be some reason right?) are loathe to play em unless they arrive on fire and instantly light up the field. I hope all the minor leaguers do well and do in fact save the season. i’m just saying you’ll have to convince don baseball and that seems unlikely no matter how right you are and how wrong he is.
and of course we’re not talking here of superman prospects that come up occasionally. the dodgers don’t have any of those.
Jon Weisman
I have not seen one person in these comments say that Dodger minor leaguers will save the season.
Anonymous
Obviously you’ve missed at least one of my rule 11 tributes to Josh Fields.
Anonymous
Josh Fields can save the Dodgers only if the Dodgers can play all their games in Albuquerque. :)
Anonymous
Still, playing with a 24-man roster is a self-inflicted handicap.
Anonymous
The 25th man on the roster is not going to make a significant difference in the team’s success. And that’s true of every team in baseball.
Anonymous
No no no. The 25th man is the fans! Didn’t Frank McCourt teach us anything?!
(Normally, the fans would be the 26th man, but Colletti liked our depth and proven veteranness. So we get to play ahead of Jerry Sands.)
underdog
It won’t save the season but adding a few more guys to both the (currently very thin) bench and the bullpen certainly can help. Gives them more options and you never know, one of them might surprise us. No one thinks they’ll make or break the season but more depth would be nice right about… last week.
Plus a couple of the additions likely won’t be young prospects anyway– Guerrier, maybe Tony Gwynn again…
Anonymous
Guerrier could come back if we moved JHJ to the 60-day DL, but it’s not likely that we’d DFA someone to make space for Gwynn.
Bob Bartholomew
Ed say’s it all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ui0uAkH-cA
Anonymous
Bob: Thanks. That Mr. Ed video made my day. The portraits on the stable doors are prints of the Dodgers that the late artist Nicholas Volpe painted in 1962 and, I think, for two more years. You could pick up a different one — for free — each week at the Union Oil 76 gasoline stations in Southern California. It was the unofficial duty of someone in my family — mom, dad, aunt or uncle — to get one every week. As a kid, I thumbtacked them to the wall above my bed. In cleaning out some stuff years ago, I found out that I still have a couple of them.
jasonu
Given how hard headed they were about keeping Gordon or Uribe in the line up and then seeing how good Cruz has been since giving him a chance I just don’t understand why they wouldn’t at least try ANYBODY at 1b over the garbage that is there now. 10 homeruns and 29 GIDP between Loney and Rivera. A combined .630 OPS. Can it hurt to try. If you say it cuz were in a pennant race i’d say even more reason to try something else.
Anonymous
If there is one thing that this season has shown us, is the “James Loney will figure it out” ship has finally sailed. I know for many, that ship sailed years ago, but I was always of the mind, and hope, that James’ breakout was just around the corner, especially after the second half of last year. He always seemed to give us just enough to have hope, but just couldn’t live up to our expectations.
He seems like a good guy, and a good teammate, but his future is elsewhere, if he can even have a future in MLB. I’m sure someone will give him a chance next year, but it is hard to imagine James in Dodger blue in 2013. At least we’ll always have Coors.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL200609280.shtml
Terry Pruett
James Loney has been a very fortunate player in my view, given that he’s been allowed to try and “figure it out” for 6 years as a regular at a position calling primarily for offensive production, on a major market team, while rarely actually being productive. To me, he’s played his entire career under a lucky star. I root hard for him, because his success is the Dodgers’ success, but if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now. There just wasn’t enough there…
veryolddodgerfan
yup. i thought he would make a last rush too. and he still may. but he’s got to go.
Anonymous
I have always preferred Loney over Ethier. Loney has never been the weakest link on the team. Loney at first and somebody new in left and third has always been better than Uribe at third and somebody new in left and first. Same with Rivera in left and someone new at third and first.
Loney can be brought back one year at a time until a real replacement is obtained. We are stuck with Ethier.
Anonymous
>> Loney has never been the weakest link on the team.
I think we’re just going to have to agree to disagree on that one, because I think he is by FAR the weakest link. It’s not that he’s awful at the plate – it’s that he’s awful FOR A FIRST BASEMAN. And so is Rivera.
For this season, I think we’ve got a decent third baseman in Cruz, and in Hairston before him. And while it’s a bit too soon to tell for Victorino, he seems to be a step up from Abreu and Gwynn. Thank goodness we’ve got both Kemp and Ethier locked in for the next few years, so we’ve got plus defense and plus offense for two thirds of our outfield. But first base has been a dead zone all season, with no solution in sight. Please, don’t bring back Loney! I’d rather have Sands or Van Slyke be given a chance all season, even if they don’t work out (and they still might).
Anonymous
The Dodgers could make bigger improvements with a change in left and third than first. Loney has been better than Victorino and better than Uribe. Cruz has been better than Ellis since Victorino joined the team. Again if Cruz moves to second, left and third remains a weaker link than Loney.
Anonymous
>> Loney has been better than Victorino and better than Uribe.
Better than Uribe, yes. Better than Victorino, no. Their OPS with the Dodgers this year is virtually identical.
Second base is not a problem; Mark Ellis is about average, FOR A SECOND BASEMAN, in the field as well as at the plate.
Anonymous
I blame Donnie for the mancrush on Rivera. Yes, I know he had a killer last half of 2011, but magic hasn’t struck again. Donnie calls him a “professional hitter.” He might be ok off the bench but he can’t field at 1B or OF and he is not hitting for power this year. The real shame is another year lost for Sands. Yes, I know he started off ugly in spring training, but he could have least matched the power numbers of Loney + Rivera combined. Also, Ethier will be Rivera in two years, only at about $18mil a year.
Anonymous
On the other hand (though I agree with you), man-crushing on Rivera was what it took to break the taboo of benching Loney. I mean, if Mattingly (who has waxed poetic about Loney’s tools) was willing to bench him for Juan Rivera, then clearly, it’s OK to contemplate going out and getting a decent first baseman. Whatever Mattingly’s reasons, I’m glad he finally gave up on Loney’s mystical potential.
Anonymous
I agree that he was never the weakest link on the team. He just never lived up to what we hoped he would be. And he always seemed to offer just enough for us to keep hoping. At the risk of violating rule 5, he reminds me of Bill Clinton. I know many were done with James years ago, perhaps it’s just that I have given up on James now too.
Anonymous
In both cases the alternative offered was not better.
jasonu
Loney will not be brought back, that ship has sailed.
Anonymous
Ethier and Pedroia are best friends and no doubt would love to play on the same team. Swapping Gonzalez and Ethier should help both teams. Boston has to do something.
The Mets need some excitement. It would be nice if Gordon were that excitement and Wright came the dodgers way.
I am not saying these are straight up trades.
Anonymous
Swapping Ethier for Gonzalez doesn’t make any sense. It only creates a different hole in the lineup.
Anonymous
I hate to say it, but Ethier is becoming a hole in the lineup. His agent is a genius. Boston would be insane to trade Gonzales for Ethier, especially now that they’ve lost Youkilis.
Anonymous
A lot of credit should probably go to Werth’s agent Scott Boras, the others just fall into line and pick up their checks.
Anonymous
Mike Petriello found that this year over 40% of Ethier’s PAs have come against lefties.
Anonymous
Yes, he indeed confirmed that the majority of his plate appearances have come against righties, as is true of most players.
Anonymous
Well let’s hope that this increase in lefty pitching is temporary.
Anonymous
“He seems like a good guy, and a good teammate, but his future is elsewhere ”
That’s why God created the Kansas City Royals.
Anonymous
File under “irony” – I’ve actually been impressed with his last month.
Anonymous
So you’re saying that his OPS of .661 in August has impressed you, even though his OPS of .646 on the season hasn’t impressed the other 99.99999 percent of Dodger fans? Really?
Anonymous
Sure! I thought he was heading under the Mendoza line back in June. He hit well over .300 in July.
He’s still clearly the worst 1b in baseball in terms of batting and fielding.
Anonymous
Batting, one of the worst. Fielding, though, one of the best.
Anonymous
I really wonder where that impression comes from.
Certainly not from his 1B league-last FP or Es per inning.
Anonymous
The impression comes from watching him in umpteen different Dodger games this year.
And your statement is just plain FALSE. First basemen with worse FP than Loney and higher errors per inning include Alonso (SD), Wigginton (PHL), Jones (PIT), and his own teammate, Rivera.
Terry Pruett
I think the “answer” for this season rests in the Dodger clubhouse. It’s in the hands of Kemp, Ethier, Ramirez, and AJ Ellis, our 4 best offensive players who must hit the rest of the way, and it’s in the hands of Kershaw, Billingsley, Harang, Capuano, and Blanton, our starters. In particular…and it’s terribly unfair to put this on them but also terribly necessary…it’s on Kemp and Kershaw. Kemp is the only player under contract to the Dodger organization who can put the ballclub on his back and carry them. He’s done it in the past and he must do it now. An Kershaw must be an automatic win every 5th day…just as he was in the latter part of last season. There’s no cavalry coming from ABQ…and likely not from the waiver wire either. 27 and 22 must do it…with great gifts come great responsibilities.
veryolddodgerfan
absolutely.
Anonymous
Standings Question: wild card games behind reflect games behind the second wild card?
Anonymous
That would make sense in theory, but in practice I think that depends on whose standings you’re looking at. It should be pretty obvious if you just look at the differences in wins and losses.
For example, the Yahoo standings at http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/standings?year=season_2012&type=wild+card show games behind the second wild card team.
Anonymous
Looks strange seeing how many games your team is behind second place.
Anonymous
There may not be a cavalry from ABQ but does anyone remember the contributions of German Rivera, Cecil Espy, and of course RJ Reynolds during the 1983 playoff race. I want to throw Sid Bream in there as well. I believe he got a 9th inning hit to tie a game against Cincinnati. My simple point is that we’ve had late season heroics from our minor league corps before. Let’s keep the faith in the kiddies :)
Anonymous
How about the Stuntmen in 1988??
Anonymous
They were part of the reason the Dodgers were baseball’s best team in 1988.
Anonymous
So this was the biggest series of the year with the Giants – and Mark Ellis needs a rest in game two – when he has today off? That had to be Donnie’s call but why? Unless A. Kennedy had great numbers vs. Lincecum. The Giants are for real! I am shocked as others are that they roared back to sweep the D’s at home and seemed to steel themselves in wake of the Melky suspension. Still wondering about HanRam at SS. He appears to better suited at SS and Cruz the slightly better defender there. Maybe the Dodgers just need to hit the road again. Who knows what they’ll do vs Evoldi on Friday.
Anonymous
I really don’t know if the “Giants are for real” – but I think the Dodgers still have some of that June gloom in their system that makes rookie leaguers look like Nolan Ryan.
KT
What a headline Jon…Just to think I found out today they are going to have to redo my back fusion surgery
The thing about it I was complaining to my doctor since the surgery in August of last year and it took a referral to another doctor 3 weeks ago for that doctor to order a CT scan and find out the problem
Anonymous
KT: Here’s hoping that you won’t be on the disabled list long. Wishing you a successful surgery and a full and speedy recovery (and a Dodgers World Series crown for you to celebrate).
KT
Thanks Scoop…Hopefully it won’t take another year
Still not sure when surgery will be done yet…everything has to be approved through WC insurance and a couple of tests 1st
Anonymous
Please keep our Dodgerthoughts family up to date.
Anonymous
All the best KT, buddy. One of my knees didn’t respond to treatment (injections), so I may have a partial replacement in my future. Maybe I can have it done during the WS so that I have an excuse to stay home. Oh, wait that was my gambit as a kid when they were day games.
KT
Thanks Bob
What type of partial knee replacement? They replaced my knee cap and then did it again when it didn’t track right
Anonymous
Hang in there KT. Hopefully you’ll be ready for the Dodgers first playoff game :)
KT
Not sure if I want it done before or after the season especially since I have fantastic seats for the 9/25 game in SD right next to the Dodger dugout
Anonymous
Sorry to hear it. I had to have my hip replacement surgery re-done last November. But I’m back to playing softball three nights a week. (The LFP tournament in February was my coming-out party). Back surgery is also in my future some day, but the thought of it failing terrifies me.
KT
You still play softball? They told me no more running after my 1st hip replacement…I hated hanging up my cleats
Anonymous
My doctor told me I could play any time after three months. I don’t slide any more, and I’m not as fleet as I once was, but I can still run around the outfield. Low, hard grounders to my backhand side still give me a hard time, especially third base. But the exercises I do to loosen up the hip joint have actually made me more flexible than I was in the past. I’ve actually improved at digging out low throws when I play 1B. Can’t do the splits, but I’ve got a pretty decent reach (6’2″, plus long arms).
I play in my local leagues here in Santa Monica three nights a week, and pickup games on Saturdays.
When was your replacement?
KT
3/2006 for left and 8/2008 for right
Anonymous
Why in the world are the Anaheimers playing Vernon Wells in the outfield?
Anonymous
Maybe the “tragic illness” is real?
Anonymous
Because it looks bad to pay someone $21 million a year to sit on the bench.
Anonymous
Looks just as bad to pay someone $8 million a year to strike out once a day.
Jon Weisman
Angels 12, Red Sox 12, ninth inning.
Anonymous
Angels won, 14-13, in 10 innings. Giants lead the Braves, 5-0, in the 7th.
Anonymous
Boston is very bad.
Anonymous
Looks like a trade for some pitching may be in order. Any 3 prospects not named RDLR + Guerra do it??
Anonymous
3 games back, we better get a winning streak going and soon
Anonymous
Another day, another series. Go get those Marlin!
Anonymous
Is Mike Trout hurt a bit? He did not look as fast as he normally does when he scored from second in the 9th. He scored from first on a single against us. Still what a player!
Anonymous
One last thought about the Giants series. Where were the crowds? This is heralded as one the strongest rivalries in baseball, if not sports, and the only sellout was on Fernando bobblehead night.
I live in Philly and eventhough the Phils are 10 games under .500 and a million games behind the Nats, the crowds are still near sell out (45M) every night. It looks like the crowds were around 40M for the Giants games 2 and 3. The team has been a contender all year, with new ownership and new money and Magic Johnson (for cryin’ out loud) and the Giants come to town (in late summer) and the fans stayed home. Will someone please explain?
Jon Weisman
Well, for one thing, public school start date in Los Angeles was moved up to mid-August this year.
Rob Carnachan
Really? Whose bright idea was that? I grew up in LA and school never started before mid-September. As most of us know, August and September are the warmest months of the year in LA. School should never start before Labor Day.
Anonymous
Some theories:
1. School in Los Angeles started earlier than normal. Many students started on August 14 this year.
2. There really wasn’t much talk about this series in the local papers or on television.
3. Dodgers attendance has gone up, but there still is a lot of residual resentment. Winning back the casual fans is hard to do.
Anonymous
I don’t think Vinny referenced “the colllision” for this series. But he will eventually :)
KT
They started July 25th here in SD.
When I originally purchased Tuesday night game tickets for 9/25 I thought “Well my daughter could stay up late 1 night during school year”. Lucky for us it just happen to fall during Fall break.
Anonymous
I would contend that 40K for a mid week game is typical.
Anonymous
The Dodgers have such high hopes for the final series of the year in October, that they gave my workplace several hundred tickets for the October 3 game to give away.
veryolddodgerfan
dodger stadium beloved as it might be is not on par with the rest of the major league stadiums experience-wise or traffic-wise.
veryolddodgerfan
i have not clamored for tickets in recent years due to getting in and getting out, make up of the crowd, bathroom issues, weak concession experience and direct tv. my spouse gets a pretty important vote and she doesn’t like the total package at all.
jasonu
right or wrong she wont let me take my kids there (they are 4/2) but has no problems with me taking them to Angel Stadium. And that has nothing to do with traffic, just overall safety. I think she is a bit over the top at times but that is her perception and her exp from us going a few years ago..
Anonymous
Attendance is a lagging indicator. A team usually has to be good for a year or two before casual fans start noticing. The diehard baseball fans in L.A. can’t fill Dodger Stadium, even for the Giants. But give people a toy doll and you’ll get casual fans to come out. That also explains why the Phils still draw even though they’re terrible.
Dodgers 2009 attendance was higher than the 2008 figure because they were good the year before. 2010 attendance fell off to 3.56 million, a much slower decline than the corresponding fall in the quality of the team. So many of those tickets had been bought before the beginning of the year, in anticipation of a strong season.
Gustavo Mungaray
the dodgers were awarded the claim on Adrian
Anonymous
Wow.
veryolddodgerfan
i believe this event falls into the phillies putting cole hamels on the wire category. red sox can’t let adrian go just for the contract. bad for the franchise. fanbase would storm the tower. if the dodgers get crazy silly maybe they just might. i say 10 percent chance.
Anonymous
errr… well… I don’t know many BoSox fans, just because I don’t tend to associate with those kinds of people… but how deep can the roots go after just two years there?
veryolddodgerfan
think it has to do more with him being a great offensive threat than roots. and don’t post this year’s stats ok. they are meaningless to the situation.
Anonymous
OK, I’ll give you just the past month’s: OPS 1.011.
veryolddodgerfan
you’re a funny guy bob. keep up the good work
underdog
judging by comments from some BoSox fans related to me by friends, a lot of them seem happy to get rid of AGon. Maybe that was just never a good fit (Fenway fans with West Coaster AGon) but he sure has been raking as of late. It’s not his fault they’ve had injuries and horrific pitching. We’ll gladly take him off their hands.
Anonymous
I am sure it will cost us a ton of young arms, but even at 9 percent enough to be me excited these days given our current options.
Anonymous
This could be interesting..
Anonymous
we’re getting gonzo?!
Anonymous
I’m thinking no… This sounds too good to be true. The asking price will be enormous, right?
Philly wouldn’t let us buy Cliff Lee, why would Boston be any more eager to rid themselves of Adrian?
Anonymous
Cheaper than a dozen acres of parking lot from Frank…
Anonymous
Fair point. I’m thinkin they’re going to want some of our young arms as well though, no?
Anonymous
Interesting article here on “attendance shaming”. It’s in relation to the White Sox, but it applies everywhere:
http://www.platoonadvantage.com/2012-articles/august/attendance-shaming-in-chicago-the-myth-of-fan-disloyalty-on-the-southside.html
Anonymous
The Dodgers will gain ground this weekend regardless of the results up north, if THEY win.
An LA victory means improving in either the NL West or the Wild Card race.
So, as always, it comes down to the same: take care of business and get the “W.”
Anonymous
There’s only one place, and that’s first place.
Anonymous
So if the Dodgers make it into postseason as a Wild Card, you won’t follow them because that “doesn’t count”?
Anonymous
I might enjoy individual games, but the term “wild card” should always have an *.
Anonymous
Let’s say the Red Sox are willing to deal Gonzalez, do we have enough to get the deal done?
veryolddodgerfan
it’s one thing to have enough it’s another to be willing to part with the players the other team thinks is enough.
Greg Potenza
Dee Gordon, James Loney, Jerry Sands plus a high level prospect and a two mid level guys.
Anonymous
I am guesing that they would want Rubby for starters and might be convinced to take Lee, but may want guys closer to the Bigs, along with maybe Sands.
veryolddodgerfan
just because dodger fans are willing to over value sands doesn’t mean the team you’re trading with will – even if they did.
Anonymous
Sure, Sands is just tossed in there as filler, cuz they are not gonna want any of our known disasters.
veryolddodgerfan
seems unlikely to me
veryolddodgerfan
i mean the main reason for the sox to consider a trade is to get rid of at least one of the big monster horrendous contracts they have. Adrian is not one of those. Adrian is, uh, GOOD. Why trade him when he’s under your control and his contract isn’t out of line compared to others they have. you’re considering it to get rid of crawford’s contract also, at least. this isn’t a hanley situation where the red sox believe adrian is the MFing DEVIL himself and killing the team. just the opposite.
Anonymous
The other reason is arms. We would need to overwhelm them with an offer.
veryolddodgerfan
hey i’d give em 5 pitching prospects out of the top 20 if that helped. if you want to get all staty and stuff 1 of those 5 pitchers are likely to be a good major league pitcher. seems fair. i doubt any of the true prospect believers would do that but i would.
veryolddodgerfan
but no bad contracts.
Anonymous
Juan Uribe has a pretty good arm, I hear.
Anonymous
Doesn’t Loney throw a slider?
Greg Potenza
That would get
Greg Potenza
That package would get it done, but it’s not worth it.
Anonymous
They are going to ask for our young pitching. I don’t like the idea.
Anonymous
I wonder if Lilly could be in play in the talks?
Anonymous
Maybe they will let him take notes during the discussions, if he does shorthand.
Anonymous
He probably would be smarter than most of the other guys in the room.
underdog
While I’m not keen on the idea of having to acquire Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett would certainly be interesting, and anyway needless to say I’d love AGon. I would not trade Joc for him, nor Puig nor Webster but anyone else is fair game and that’s not counting if the Red Sox are asking Dodgers to eat most of his salary, in which case I think that’s a “we’re rebooting and cleaning slate” deal that wouldn’t cost as much in prospect trade.
Man, that’d be a good lineup… going into next year, too, not just the end of this year.
Anonymous
Crawford just had ‘successful’ TJ surgery. Does it take a full year for a position player, same as a pitcher to be ready? Would as soon have a healthy Crawford as Victorino, who has proven he is no leadoff hitter either. As long as I don’t have to trade Rubby I’m in.
Anonymous
You know with all these people getting busted for PED’s how BIG would it be if Mike Trout got busted for PED’s
Anonymous
I could care less if the Dodgers had to take on Crawford’s and Beckett’s salaries, as long as the Dodgers don’t have to gut the farm, it’s all good – bring on Yankees West – ain’t my money.
Anonymous
1 of the companies I sell insurance for is EquiTrust life, a Guggenheim co. Spend it, I’ll go sell some more!
Jeffrey Thomas III
So reportedly the Dodgers also claimed Beckett. This just got more interesting.
Anonymous
The Dodgers have also been awarded the claim on Beckett – could there be a monster deal in the works?
Anonymous
Somebody has claimed Justin Upton on waivers.
Rob Carnachan
I have no interest in Beckett — I’ve loathed him since 2003 when he was a Marlin and acted like his upcoming hunting trip was a far more important thing to him than winning the World Series. A-Gon, on the other hand… I’ve been puzzled concerning his power drop off since his move to Boston though. This is a guy that hit 40 homers playing half his games at Petco. How has he not hit 50 since joining the Red Sox? Assuming that he can regain his power, he would be a great fit in LA since Dodger Stadium is a much easier HR park than Petco. Closer to Fenway, in fact, for a lefty pull hitter.
Jon Weisman
NPUT
Anonymous
http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/2012/08/24/quick-thoughts-on-adrian-gonzalez/