It’s been so long since I’ve pointed some bullets …
- Cardboard Gods genius Josh Wilker writes, as only he can, about the Dodgers’ ill-fated No. 1 draft choice of yesteryear, Bill Bene.
- David Schoenfield of ESPN.com’s Sweet Spot traces the sad evolution of the closer.
- Grant Brisbee of McCovey Chronicles explores a question that the Giants are lucky they don’t have to answer right now — what would you offer Tim Lincecum if his contract were up?
- Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness checks out the potential trade market for James Loney upgrades, and finds it, to no great surprise, sketchy.
- “If you, like me, are sick of athletes who don’t do anything about blasting caps, and touching them, and not telling firefighters when you find them, well finally here you go,” writes Sam Miller of Baseball Prospectus.
- Make sure you’re checking out my Variety blog, The Vote.
Anonymous
Funny, I was just thinking about whatever happened to Trayvon Robinson. Maybe he isn’t going to be the second coming of Roberto Clemente after all. But there’s no room for FedEx on this team now that AJ Ellis has blossomed into an all-star caliber catcher. His ability to stand at home plate at not swing is–forgive me–statuesque.
Anonymous
FedEx is not capable of backing up AJ?
Anonymous
Don’t know if he’s capable, but he needs everyday playing time, which he wouldn’t get as long as Ellis is literally standing in his way. AJ’s motto should echo that of the zen masters: Don’t just do something; stand there.
Anonymous
FedEx can spend the year at ABQ unless there’s an injury, and be a backup-plus next year at Dodger Stadium. Depth is good.
Jon Weisman
“Adam Kennedy started two games on the week, both at second base, and the
Dodgers won each game. LA is 18-4 this season when Kennedy starts,
including 6-0 when he starts at second base.”
http://es.pn/L1kGmU
Anonymous
He’s their lucky charm. Maybe they can put him on a keyring instead of in the lineup.
Anonymous
A perfect example for explaining the difference between correlation and causation in a classroom.
Anonymous
On first base: Is Kendrys Morales any good? I know he got replaced by Pujols, but did he never really recover from his injury last year? I know he got to pinch-hit in the just-completed series, but he seems redundant on that ballclub.
Given the dreck choices out there, I’d give a Van Slyke-Loney platoon more of a chance. I thought SVS’s cup of coffee was too short. Unless there were off-the-field reasons for sending him back down, why not let him get 30-40% of the starts for the big team? I can’t believe Adam Kennedy or even Juan Uribe bring more to the table than SVS would. The emergence of Herrera and the return of Hairston make at least one of those guys, and maybe both, expendable. I guess Uribe makes a ton of money and plays good defense, so Kennedy should be the first to go.
Anonymous
Morales might be an excellent choice, but it’s doubtful the Angels would move him as long as they stay in contention. Especially now that Trumbo is showing that he is at least a servicable outfielder.
Anonymous
Yes, but when Vernon Wells returns, his Uribe-esque salary will require that he play somewhere, meaning Trumbo will have to move to DH or hope for the best at 3B. I think that makes Morales expendable, especially if they can get a decent 3B in return. Then again, if the Dodgers had a decent 3B to offer, they wouldn’t need Morales.
Anonymous
Yipes: I just looked up Wells’ salary: he’s due $63 million between now and the end of 2014. Makes Ethier’s deal look cheap, and Uribe’s ($8 million in 2012, $7 in 2013) a downright bargain.
Anonymous
What would it take to pry Trumbo from the halos?
Anonymous
The great fielding Wes Parker was a poor hitter before he was a decent hitter. At one point he was such a bad hitter Drysdale hit in front of him when he pitched.
Anonymous
That’s a tough standard by which to judge Dodger hitters in the early 1960s. In 1965, Dig Don led the team with 140 OPS+. Ron Fairly at 115 was next.
Anonymous
Where was Sweet Lou Johnson?
foul tip
“The team is 12-0 when Tony Gwynn drives in a run; all 17 of his RBI have come in Dodger victories.”
This was right below the Kennedy reference in Jon’s link. I like this much better. Let’s just ignore that other…and hope the team does.
Jon Weisman
How a group of Kenyan orphans scored a YouTube hit by recreating Game 6 of the 1986 World Series http://yhoo.it/KNIJiW
foul tip
Also, from Jon’s link:
“BILLINGSLEY PUTS DODGERS IN HOLE AGAIN
“The Dodgers trailed 1-0 entering the second inning of Sunday’s game after Chad Billingsley allowed a first-inning home run. The Elias Sports Bureau reports that it was the 11th time in Billingsley’s 13 starts this season that he allowed the first run of a game, the most such starts for any major-league pitcher.”
First impressions count a lot. Maybe this explains part of the antipathy toward Bills.
———————–
And this:
“Since interleague play began in 1997, the Dodgers have a worse record against the White Sox (4-11, .267 win percentage) than against any other American League team.”
————————–
Also:
“A league-leading 24 Dodgers base stealers have come around to score after their steals, even though the Dodgers do not rank in the top 10 in stolen bases.”
Good stuff.
Anonymous
Wait…I thought we didn’t like Bills cuz he could never hold a lead? I guess its always something.
Anonymous
No, we don’t like Billz because he has no heart. When you give up first-inning homers, you can’t plunk a guy because you’re already trailing 1-0.
Hope this isn’t a rule 7 violation.
Anonymous
A didn’t think he had to plunk someone, just throw one behind the hitter, maybe somewhere between the on deck circle and the hitters rear.
foul tip
An unnamed scout sizes up Dodger minor league pitching at link below. (Along with some from other teams.)
He seems to think Zack Lee is more innings eater than top starter. Also this–
Shawn Tolleson (No. 9 Dodgers prospect): Tolleson was called up on June 4 and the scout saw him while he was still in Triple-A. “He was really good. A late Draft pick, Tommy John surgery out of high school, arm issues at Baylor. So he hasn’t been pitching long. But he has two plus-plus pitches with his fastball and slider. He has a funky delivery; it’s not the best arm action, but he’s lights out with surprising good command.”
In his effective appearance the other day, Gameday said he got all 3 outs on curveballs, 2 of them Ks. So which is it–curve or slider? Or does he have all 3? If all 3, are all 3 plus-plus?
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120615&content_id=33341206¬ebook_id=33341220&vkey=prospects&c_id=mlb
Linkmeister
I am really wondering what event caused someone to feel it would be a good thing for Willie Mays to make a PSA warning children to take care around blasting caps.
Anonymous
They certainly don’t make PSA’s like that anymore.
Anonymous
Stony Brook is sooooo overrated.
KT
Hey Craig good to see you frequenting this site more regularly but you need to spend some game time cheer with us
Anonymous
I’ve been going to a ton of Angel games including five of the next six to hopefully enjoy slowing down the D-Backs and Giants for ya :)
Anonymous
We are just his backup. :-(
KT
The old fall back plan I see
Anonymous
Speaking of the Anaheim Angels of Orange County – was funny how the announcers at the Kings rally said finally Los Angeles has now won a Championship in all the major team sports – the Orange County Ducks Championship didn’t count for L.A., same as the Angels WS win.
Jon Weisman
NPUT