Dee Gordon – Page 4 – Dodger Thoughts

Numbers from another planet

By Jon Weisman

On April 13, 2014

In Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

Some jottings before turning out the lights on the weekend, a most successful one for the Dodgers.

If someone had offered you a 9-4 start in a season that began with a cross-globe trip to Australia and was soon followed by injuries to Clayton Kershaw and Brian Wilson, I’m guessing you’d take that, right? Only surprising Milwaukee, winners of nine games in a row en route to a 10-2 record, has a better record in the Majors than the Dodgers.
The Dodgers’ offense roared this weekend in their three game sweep of Arizona, climaxing in today’s 8-6 victory (recapped here by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com), but it’s not that much of a surprise that the team would have an easier time scoring at Chase Field than Petco Park or even Dodger Stadium.
Similarly, Phoenix is going to be a tougher place to hold a lead, so don’t get too angry at the Dodger bullpen.
Not that I’m looking to take anything away from Adrian Gonzalez, who has an extra-base hit in eight consecutive games, one shy of a team record. Tied for the MLB lead in home runs at five until Mark Trumbo launched No. 6 today off Jamey Wright, Gonzalez is slugging .680 in 2014. Last year, Gonzalez hit his fifth home run in his 42nd start, May 25.
Tonight’s random trivia: The Dodgers have scored eight runs in two consecutive games. Only two seasons ago, they tallied exactly eight runs in three consecutive games.
Meet your MLB stolen base leader, Dee Gordon, with nine steals in 11 games. What a display he put on today. And in addition to his four steals, he also walked twice, raising his on-base percentage to .457, eighth in the Majors.
Also, this, from Jon SooHoo:
Meet your MLB co-leader in doubles, Juan Uribe, who has a .547 slugging percentage and a .358 OBP despite going the entire season to date without a walk. Yeah, I know — but don’t worry about it now.
You want to use a .154 batting average to judge Matt Kemp, be my guest. I’ll take the .829 OPS. After 31 plate appearances, Kemp has 14 total bases but has yet to hit a single.
Making his debut for Albuquerque today, Alex Guerrero had a three-run homer, double and single in four at-bats, as Christopher Jackson notes at Examiner.com.
One more note from the minors: Joc Pederson has a .511 on-base percentage and .714 slugging this season for the Isotopes. He has 13 hits, six of them for extra bases. But he has yet to drive in another runner. He has three RBI, each coming on a solo home run.
The Dodgers struck out 16 times today, tied for third-most in team history (the record of 20, you should recall, was set last year before Yasiel Puig hit his walkoff home run to beat Cincinnati, 1-0). Never before had the Dodgers struck out 16 times in a nine-inning game and won.
The Dodgers have now struck out 123 times in 13 games, or 9.46 times per game. a pace that would give them 1,533 strikeouts in their 162-game season. That would break the franchise record of 1,190 by more than 300. I guess I should be more worried about this, but I’m going to assume that it will taper off, unless you’re also willing to grant that all the superb offensive numbers will also stick.

Looking back at Wednesday’s roller-coaster ride

By Jon Weisman

On April 10, 2014

In Postgame, Transactions

See Jon SooHoo’s Wednesday photo gallery at LA Photog Blog.

By Jon Weisman

First, we’ll get the Kenley Jansen discussion out of the way. The Dodgers’ top reliever gave up a run for the second straight night (each one driven in by the Tigers’ Victor Martinez) and Wednesday, it cost the Dodgers with a 7-6 loss in the 10th, after Los Angeles had rousingly rallied for three runs in the ninth.

From Earl Bloom of MLB.com, in his game recap:

“He’s just a really good hitter,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “Today, it looked like they [Jansen and catcher Drew Butera] were trying to go in under his hands, and just didn’t get it there.”

Mattingly did not sound concerned about his closer giving up a lead and a tie on consecutive nights against the heart of the Tigers’ powerful lineup, citing Yankees great Mariano Rivera as an example.

“When guys struggle, it’s usually two in a row,” Mattingly said. “I’ve seen Mo do it many times. He [Jansen] is healthy — I’m not worried.”

“It’s tough, man,” Jansen told Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. “He’s a tough hitter and kept battling. I feel like I executed, and one pitch I go in there and he took me deep. He kept fouling me off away and I tried to go in there to back him off,” Jansen explained. “Nothing I can do about it. It’s a tough series, but I can’t worry about this. I just have to go now to Arizona and get it back together.”

One other statistical oddity about Jansen, however coincidental, is this: His career ERA before June 1 is 3.81. His career ERA from June 1 on … 1.32. There are a variety of factors that could be playing into this — his past health concerns for one — but early season stumbles have not previously meant anything perilous.

But as much as everyone’s focus will be on what happened late in Wednesday’s game, there was also a pretty big moment early on.

Video: See Dee smash

By Jon Weisman

On April 8, 2014

In Uncategorized

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By Jon Weisman

Dee Gordon’s April love continued tonight with a leadoff homer off 2013 American League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer. It was Gordon’s third career home run and pushed his 2014 OPS over 1.000.

Gordon then had an infield single in his second at-bat that left Scherzer tumbling in a failed glove-flip.

I’d like to buy what Dee Gordon is selling

By Jon Weisman

On April 2, 2014

In Postgame

By Jon Weisman

With his walk and RBI double in tonight’s 5-1 Dodger victory over San Diego, converted second baseman Dee Gordon, the Dodgers’ weak link, is leading the team in batting average (.385), on-base percentage (.471), slugging percentage (.538) and OPS (1.009).

I don’t know — maybe Petco Park suits him. I know Dee is suiting me.

Yeah, it’s only been five games — four, actually, since Gordon didn’t play in the first. It’s still more success than most people hoped for.

* * *

Not to take anything away from Dan Haren, who pitched six innings with no earned runs and six strikeouts in his Dodger debut.

Dodger starting pitching in 2014: 29 2/3 innings, three runs, 0.91 ERA, seven walks, 30 strikeouts, 9.1 K/9.

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) April 3, 2014

Two victories in, Dodger ups and downs

By Jon Weisman

On March 22, 2014

In Postgame

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By Jon Weisman

Until the end, the Dodgers breezed in their second game of 2014, finally dispatching Arizona in a 7-5 victory, one in which they had 23 baserunners. Ken Gurnick recaps the particulars for MLB.com.

As the Dodgers completed their two-game sweep and prepared for a happy flight home, you could find that already, several players were already tasting both the ups and downs of the baseball season.

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In case you missed it: International Date Line edition

By Jon Weisman

On March 18, 2014

In In case you missed it, Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

Did Monday go by in a blur for you? It sure did for the traveling Dodgers, who were on a plane the entire time before landing in Australia on what for them was Tuesday morning. (Add 18 hours to the current time to know what time it is there.)

While the Dodgers are away, be sure to follow @Dodgers on Twitter for regular updates from our man on the scene, Josh Tucker. And also check in on the Dodger Photog Blog, featuring our very own eyes in Sydney, Jon SooHoo. In his first two posts, the Dodger team photographer chronicles the Dodgers’ arrival in Sydney and at the Sydney Cricket Grounds.

Ken Gurnick is also leading MLB.com’s coverage of the team Down Under, as you’ll see down under these introductory paragraphs.

In the meantime, here’s what’s been happening while you were sleeping, eating, doing laundry or otherwise going about your domestic business.

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Post-Arizona status report for the Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

On March 17, 2014

In Analysis, Spring Training, Transactions

By Jon Weisman

There’s definitely a weird feeling to this Spring Training interregnum between Arizona and Australia — not that it won’t feel even weirder next week, when the Dodgers follow their two regular season games Down Under with four off days and then a pair of Freeway Series exhibitions against the Angels.

Nevertheless, with no game action until the Dodgers scrimmage against Team Australia on Thursday, and the Dodgers having set their 30-man travel squad for Sydney, this does seem like an appropriate time to take a little bit of stock.

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March 11 pregame: A Sandy Koufax-Roger Maris trade?

By Jon Weisman

On March 11, 2014

In History, Pregame

Dodgers vs. Royals, 1:05 p.m.
Chone Figgins, SS
Carl Crawford, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Scott Van Slyke, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Justin Turner, 2B
A.J. Ellis, C
Dan Haren, P

By Jon Weisman

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Sydney …

The Dodger press notes helpfully point out that the team record for Spring Training ties is five, achieved in 2006.
Scheduled to follow Dan Haren on the mound today are Jose Dominguez, Javy Guerra, Paco Rodriguez, Chris Withrow and Jamey Wright.
Red Patterson was reassigned to minor-league camp today.
Hanley Ramirez and Andre Ethier will rest today, then be scheduled to play the next five days in a row before the team leaves for Australia, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Times.
Maury Wills, 27 when he became a Dodger regular, talked to Kevin Baxter of the Times about 25-year-old Dee Gordon.
Mark Saxon has a couple of pieces at ESPN Los Angeles looking ahead to Australia, including this interview with Australian former Dodger infielder Craig Shipley.
Sandy Koufax gets the Union Oil 1961 Family Booklet treatment (via Blue Heaven), with this tidbit: “Allegations persist that the Dodgers twice declined to swap Koufax to Kansas City for Roger Maris.” Maris was the American League MVP in 1960, remember, while Koufax was 8-13 with a 3.91 ERA.

You’d think it was Father’s Day

By Jon Weisman

On March 10, 2014

In Postgame, Spring Training, Transactions

By Jon Weisman

Why yes, I have noticed that a certain Even Steven approach to the Dodger exhibition season. Cyndi Lauper is putting out her new single, “Tie After Tie,” as we speak.

Today’s 8-8 deadlock with Oakland widened the Dodgers’ Cactus League record to 4-6-4 and gave them ties in nearly 30 percent of their contests. In their past 10 games, the Dodgers are 2-4-4. Their past six games have been as easy as 1-2-3.

Last year, Los Angeles played 15 extra-inning games out of 162 in the regular season.

The Dodgers allowed a game-tying five runs in the eighth inning today, but it could have been worse. Brian Wilson, still mixing the occasional knuckleball, had a visit to the mound from an assistant trainer in the eighth inning (no, I’m not making a connection there), but the team reported no trouble to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

Wilson was charged with two runs, while Carlos Frias, who retired none of his four batters, was charged with three.

Los Angeles looked great at the outset, with Andre Ethier lovingly smashing a three-run home run in the first inning, Juan Uribe following with a solo shot, and Hyun-Jin Ryu scattering a run and four baserunners over five innings, striking out four.

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Miguel Olivo added a three-run double (not to mention a stolen base) in helping boost the Dodgers’ lead to 8-3. In addition, J.P. Howell and Dee Gordon each turned in fine defensive plays.

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Following the game today, the Dodgers optioned pitcher Matt Magill and reassigned Frias, J.C. Boscan, Brendan Harris and Clint Robinson to minor-league camp. Harris is the second of the pre-Spring Training infield candidates to miss the cut, following Justin Sellers, who was sent to Cleveland.

Magill has had a nice exhibition season, with six strikeouts against five baserunners in 5 2/3 innings.

And, a postscript: I know the story here is Zack Greinke and Matt Kemp progressing in their rehab, but what really tantalized me was the thought of seeing Kemp bat against Julio Urias. The 17-year-old gave up a sacrifice fly to Kemp in the intrasquad game, but also struck him out.

In short, call it Even Steven.

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The ‘What if’ gang

By Jon Weisman

On March 8, 2014

In Spring Training, Thinking out loud

By Jon Weisman

The last time I had this level of anticipation in March for a Dodger season was in Manny Ramirez’s brief but shining heyday with the team, and perhaps not even then.

There are the fears, as I briefly alluded to Friday with Hanley Ramirez, that potential could go poof in a moment’s broken bone or ligament tear. But it’s not every year that the sky’s the limit with a team. And with this team, it kind of is.

The possibility of a great pitching performance every night. A lineup that, while not quite Murderer’s Row, has strength after strength.

With question marks even so.

And so when I follow these Spring Training games, games that in and of themselves don’t mean anything, I see them through the prism of what might happen in the regular season. It doesn’t matter that the Dodgers blew a lead in one game Saturday or missed rallying in another. It just makes me play “What if?” over and over again.

Take Joc Pederson, who bridged both split-squad games today. The prospect struck out in all three at-bats in the lidlifter, then absolutely torched two balls in the nightcap: a drive over the fence in center field, 410 feet away, that looked like a home run to my eyes but was called a double, then another shot that was a no-doubt tater. In case we needed the reminder, when Pederson’s number is called sometime this year, whatever the month, it could be heartbreak or heroics.

Justin Turner went 2 for 2 with a walk … and an error. Paul Maholm was effective; Josh Beckett, not so much. Seth Rosin had another three innings without allowing an earned run, and still we don’t know how exactly there will be a roster spot for him.

Dee Gordon has taken us down this road for a few years now. As much as he might struggle to get on base, the electricity he generates when he does is too much to ignore. Perhaps the truly compelling aspect to Gordon in 2014 is that rather than be demoralized by having his native shortstop position closed off to him, he seems galvanized. Second base seems to suit him, marking a potential new beginning rather than an end.

Certainly, uncertainty remains. Gordon has had better springs than this as precursors to disappointing regular seasons. In the 2012 Cactus League, he had a .446 on-base percentage and .485 slugging, and throughout his exhibition career with the Dodgers, he has stolen 26 bases in 30 attempts. Reality has its way of insinuating itself in unpleasant ways.

But isn’t this why we come back to baseball each year? To say, “What if this year is different? What if this year is the one?” Isn’t this why Dodger fans keep burning the candle, 26 years removed from 1988?

Remember this: Every team has weaknesses and anxieties. The best you can have at this time of year is fewer of them than the next team. After that, it’s just seeing where the ride takes you.

The Dodgers fell to 4-5-3 in Spring Training (so close to the improbable 4-4-4). And still, this team fills me with anticipation. What if? What if?

In case you missed it: Diving Dee

By Jon Weisman

On March 4, 2014

In Health/injuries, History, In case you missed it

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By Jon Weisman

I don’t have any special insight into where Dee Gordon stands in the competition for playing time at second base (as well as backing up center field), though I don’t feel he’s done much to hurt himself. At a minimum, I can say I’ve really enjoyed watching him this spring.

Gordon went 0 for 1 today but had a couple of nice diving stops, including the inning-ending play shown above.

Meanwhile, Justin Turner has quietly been going about his business of attempting to cement a spot on the roster. Turner started at short today and had this grab.

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The Dodgers suffered their first home loss of Spring Training 2014, falling 4-1 to Seattle, with Los Angeles’ only run coming on a home run by minor-leaguer Trayvon Robinson. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com has the recap.

In other news …

Tommy John surgery scheduled for tomorrow morning. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Everything happens for a reason!

— Ross Stripling (@RossStripling) March 4, 2014

Fears about pitching prospect Ross Stripling were confirmed: He will be having Tommy John surgery Wednesday, reports Gurnick. Stripling injured himself throwing batting practice February 21, but still pitched in a game February 26.
A couple of notes on Australia via Ernest Reyes of Blue Heaven: A history of baseball in Australia from John Thorn and a report on the conversion of the Sydney Cricket Grounds to baseball from MLB field and facilities coordinator Murray Cook.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports likes the Dodgers chances in the National League West — a lot.
Former Dodger Bill Buckner is retiring from baseball. He has been a Single-A hitting coach in the Cubs’ organization.
Some upcoming SportsNet LA programming:
- Wednesday, 10 p.m.: “Talkin’ Blue: State of the Dodgers”
- Saturday, 10 p.m.: “Connected With…Adrian Gonzalez”
- March 14, 8 p.m.: “Connected With…Ned Colletti”
- March 21, 8:30 p.m.: “Talkin’ Blue: Dodger Pitchers”
- March 26, 8 p.m.: “Connected With…Stan Kasten”
- March 31, 8:30 p.m.:“Talkin’ Blue: 2014 Season Preview”
- April 1, 8 p.m.: “Connected With…Brian Wilson”
Today in Jon SooHoo includes son and father combo Scott and Andy Van Slyke.

Dodgers win (and lose) but most importantly, win

By Jon Weisman

On February 23, 2014

In Spring Training

By Jon Weisman

What’s not to like about a Dodger intrasquad game? No matter what happens, you’re a winner.

Hyun Jin-Ryu allowed two home runs in the first inning today, his team never got the lead back — and the Dodgers still won.

Dee Gordon hit a leadoff homer off Ryu, and then Hanley Ramirez followed a Juan Uribe double with a two-run shot, as the Dodgers’ Team Wills, drafted by Matt Kemp, defeated the Zack Grienke-drafted Team Koufax, 3-1.

Matt Magill was the winning pitcher in the four-inning affair, with Brian Wilson striking out two in his inning of work. For closing it out, Chris Perez earned a save by my reckoning.

Scott Van Slyke had two hits to lead all platesmen, driving in Yasiel Puig (who doubled) with one of them.

More details on the game are available from Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. and J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News. From Hoornstra:

… Gordon turned quickly on the second pitch he saw from Ryu and skied it over the right-field fence. “I got lucky,” Gordon said afterward. …

Hoornstra added that Alex Guerrero might have had the best defensive play of the game, “charging a ground ball to second base and throwing on the run, across his body, to retire Nick Buss.”

From Stephen:

… What stood out in the four-inning contest was how much fun the players were having, finally out on the field in a quasi-competitive setting, free from the shackles of pitching screens, batting cages, and even coaches. …

In case you missed it: Zach Lee’s strain, Dee Gordon’s gain

By Jon Weisman

On February 11, 2014

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it

By Jon Weisman

Zach Lee’s spring has been slowed by a mild right lat strain, reports Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. “Lee said he suffered the injury during the ‘Young Guns’ pitching mini-camp two weeks ago while doing pull-ups,” Gurnick writes.
Yahoo Sports ranks the Dodgers second among the 30 Major League teams entering Spring Training. Tim Brown has the write-up. The next-highest National League West team in the Yahoo rankings was Arizona at No. 15.
Sam Miller of Baseball Prospectus chronicles Yasiel Puig’s issues with fastballs. “The surprise is that fastballs are actually, arguably, possibly, Puig’s relative weakness,” Miller writes. “Since 2009, there have been 26 players who got 350 plate appearances or more in an age-22 season. Puig’s whiff/swing rate on fastballs was the worst of them.” Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles has his own take on Miller’s article.

Infielders Dee Gordon, Miguel Rojas and Brendan Harris were among the position players reporting to camp early for voluntary workouts.
Gurnick writes about Gordon’s significant weight gain — 29 pounds in three years — and strengthening program.

“I eat six meals a day,” he said. “I’ve done this on my own. I just want to be stronger. I was nervous that it would slow me down, but I played in Puerto Rico and I saw that nothing happened to my speed. That was a relief. And I’m hitting the ball with more authority.”
Clayton Kershaw, Dan Haren, Chris Perez, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brian Wilson, J.P. Howell, Javy Guerra, Seth Rosin, Jose Dominguez, Matt Magill, Ross Stripling, Chris Reed, Daniel Moskos and Sam Demel each had their second bullpen sessions of the spring.
Saturday is a scheduled day off for every pitcher in camp, a plan (according to the Dodger press notes) conceived in the offseason because there is no other regularly scheduled off day in the Spring Training season before the team leaves for Australia.
Hungry for baseball? Here you go:

College baseball takes center stage at Camelback Ranch-Glendale this weekend when Seth Rosin’s Minnesota Golden Gophers face Dodger general manager Ned Colletti’s alma mater, the Northern Illinois Huskies, in a three-game series to open their 2014 seasons. The Gophers and Huskies will meet in the Camelback Ranch main stadium at 1 p.m. Friday-Sunday, February 14-16. Fans are invited to arrive after 9 a.m. to watch the Dodgers and White Sox morning workouts and stay for bonus college baseball in the afternoon. Admission is free and food and beverages will be available for purchase during workouts and the college games.
Twice a former Dodger Randy Wolf is close to finalizing a deal to attempt a comeback this spring with Seattle. The 37-year-old lefty had Tommy John surgery in September 2012.
The rest of Jon SooHoo’s photo gallery from Tuesday is here.

Marching toward April

By Jon Weisman

On March 30, 2013

In Blogging, Dodgers, Family, Life, Status report, Thinking out loud

Feeling Opening Day excitement and the writing bug late on a Saturday …

• I’m reasonably excited about this year’s Dodger team, but part of that is a perverse excitement about just how bad on offense that left side of the infield might be, at least while Hanley Ramirez is out. That makes the decision to go with Justin Sellers fun for kicks, however dubious. Still, I have always liked the idea of emphasizing defense where offense isn’t an option.

• It only just now occurred to me that I was in the stands last year at the game in which Sellers was hurt and the one in which Dee Gordon was hurt.

• Do you realize this will no doubt be the fourth consecutive year that Kenley Jansen isn’t the Opening Day closer but eventually moves into that role?

• One thing I don’t miss about baseball season is the whining whenever a save gets blown, as if it should never happen. Heaven knows, though, it will happen.

• Carl Crawford has me excited. Truly didn’t think he’d be ready this fast, but this is the one case where I’m allowing myself to be swept away by past success and heady Spring Training numbers.

• I think lingering effects of his labrum injury will keep Matt Kemp below 25 home runs this year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be productive.

• At first, I thought that with no true right-handed outfielder in reserve, the Dodgers would need to keep Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier spaced out in their lineup, or lefty relievers will just crush the team. But Gonzalez has had success against left-handers, so that helps. It’s still not necessarily a bad idea to insert a right-hander between them, though – as long as it’s a decent one.

• My initial plan for any free writing time that emerged this spring was that I would spend it offline on a long-term project. I did begin work on that project early this month, but with baseball season starting, I’m wavering. What might happen is a mix, where I post on Dodger Thoughts not infrequently, but not comprehensively. The risk is feeling like I’m doing both things halfway.

• Another intervening factor in my life is that Youngest Master Weisman, now 5, is six days away from his first T-ball season, and he is raring to go. (His team: the Tigers.) After playing with a pretend ball inside the house several times, we made it out to the park for the first time, and he was knocking balls through the infield and reaching the grass. Also in the past day, I’ve begun trying to teach him how to scoop balls on defense. It’s crazy.

• Older brother Young Master Weisman, now 8 1/2, took a few swings, but piano is his game. He’s composing his own material for his May recital performance. Young Miss Weisman, a whopping 10 1/2, is also wonderful on the keys.

Uribe is home free

By Jon Weisman

On August 9, 2012

In Dodgers, Managing/strategy

Jerry Sands’ latest stay in Los Angeles has turned out to be ever-so-brief, as the Dodgers have sent him back to Albuquerque — where he will meet up with Tony Gwynn Jr., who cleared waivers and accepted a minor-league assignment — to make room on the Dodger roster for Adam Kennedy coming off the disabled list.

The moves mean that with 23 days to go until MLB active rosters can expand to 40, Juan Uribe is probably going to defy Damocles’ dagger and remain a Dodger though the end of next season and, presumably, on into 2013. This is the case even though Uribe has only three plate appearances in the past 17 days.

One position-player move that remains for the Dodgers to make is the potential activation of Dee Gordon from the disabled list if he’s ready before September 1, but at this point, I expect the Dodgers would send Gordon or Luis Cruz to the minors for a brief time and then recall the player when rosters widen (or just keep Gordon on the DL until then). As far as I can tell, the breaking point with Uribe for 2012 has come and gone.

Cruz, by the way, is in a 3-for-22 slump with one walk, lowering his 2012 on-base percentage to .286 (nearly identical to Gordon’s .280) and his slugging percentage to .385. According to Baseball Prospectus’ True Average statistic, which factors in baserunning, Cruz is at .245 compared to Gordon’s .224. Cruz, four years older, might be a better player than Gordon right now, but I still am interested in seeing how Gordon can develop, even if the next opportunity doesn’t come until next year.

* * *

Bobby Abreu has also cleared waivers, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. He can accept a minor-league assignment like Gwynn, or become a free agent.
Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. got a great shoutout from T.J. Simers of the Times.

… MATTINGLY LIKES to joke that truebluela.com’s Eric Stephen knows more about the Dodgers than anyone else in the media.

“Go ahead, Eric,” I tell him after Mattingly speaks highly of Stephen again, “ask him about some minor leaguer.”

“All right, I’ll ask about Juan Rivera,” says Stephen …
In his review of the Dodgers’ second 54 games of the 2012 season, Stephen highlights how severe the team’s offensive dropoff was, player by player.
James Loney should really, seriously, consider converting to pitching, argues Evan Bladh of Opinion of Kingman’s Performance.
Bluetopia, the 2009 movie about the Dodgers and their fans in which I had a brief appearance, will be screened August 16 at the Craft and Folk Art Museum, which has an ongoing baseball exhibition this summer. A Q&A with director Tim Marx follows.
One of my favorite baseball articles of the season comes from Russell A. Carleton of Baseball Prospectus, for which he dramatizes how much more difficult the job of baseball manager is than we typically comprehend.

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

Tag: Dee Gordon (Page 4 of 8)

Numbers from another planet

Looking back at Wednesday’s roller-coaster ride

Video: See Dee smash

I’d like to buy what Dee Gordon is selling

Two victories in, Dodger ups and downs

In case you missed it: International Date Line edition

Post-Arizona status report for the Dodgers

March 11 pregame: A Sandy Koufax-Roger Maris trade?

You’d think it was Father’s Day

The ‘What if’ gang

In case you missed it: Diving Dee

Dodgers win (and lose) but most importantly, win

In case you missed it: Zach Lee’s strain, Dee Gordon’s gain

Marching toward April

Uribe is home free

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