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Saturday, October 01, 2005 |
Two Games
Angels 7, Rangers 1
I almost thought this would be a shutout. That was one incredible game Lackey pitched, and an interesting decision by Mike to shuffle Washburn into the five slot; that's as strong a no-confidence vote as they come, especially when the toll was starting Lackey on short rest. If you're a believer in Angels Kremlinology, Washburn's done with the Halos.Nice to see a little power from GA, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he hit one into the jetstreams in the power alley.
Padres 3, Dodgers 1
So Jim Tracy flipped off the rest of Dodger management, and by extension, the more avid fans out there by claiming that the team wouldn't win even if it did have good health. I guess in order to prove it he had a bunch of 0-fer guys out there.Derek Lowe must have figured he had cashed in when he arrived in Chavez Ravine, but now wonders where the chicks all went:
After a 3-1 defeat to the division champion Padres at PETCO Park, Lowe spoke softly about watching his former Red Sox teammates in a meaningful game on television earlier in the day, thought about how his professional life changed in one year and how he'd like it to change back in the year upcoming.That 12-15 record, Ken Gurnick reminds us, is the worst since Tom Candiotti posted an 11-15 record in 1992. Lowe's comment that the team's anomalous attendance "helps us, financially, to get guys" has to be tempered by the fact that the upcoming free agent class is widely considered to be one of the worst in recent memory. That is, we will rapidly discover what DePodesta is truly made of: will he do something insanely stupid just to fill a hole, dollars be damned? Or is he going to get creative? It seems to me that Lowe represents something of the former, a reaction once Matt Clement came off the market and every other team pursuing him saying, "oh, sh*t". If panic grips the Chavez Ravine front office, the Dodgers will rapidly acquire, not "help" in any meaningful sense of the word, but Darren Dreifort II."We're 70-90 and I'm 12-15 and I'm running out of positive things to say," said Lowe. "This is an organization with a lot of pride and history. You think of them, you think of winning. I hope this doesn't happen again. I hope they add whatever they need. This shouldn't happen again."
Comments:
Also, the HR that GA got was a knuckeball that had no movement and was way up in the strikezone. I think every player on the Angels bench would have sent that pitch to the bleachers. GA still is stuggling at the plate. Honestly, at this point, I would rather see Kotch as the DH > GA in the 3rd spot come Tuesday.
# posted by 
: 10/01/2005 10:47:00 AM
: 10/01/2005 10:47:00 AM
Tracy told the truth about this roster. Everyone knew at the beginning of the season it was a .500 plus or minus a few games team if healthy.
Now, fortunately, in this division it may have gotten you to the playoffs, but it was a step back from last years team, and an average club.
Los Angeles deserves better.
Now, fortunately, in this division it may have gotten you to the playoffs, but it was a step back from last years team, and an average club.
Los Angeles deserves better.
# posted by : 10/01/2005 11:15:00 AM
: 10/01/2005 11:15:00 AM
anonymous, your comment implies the following:
a healthy
jd drew
jeff kent
derek lowe
jose valentin
jason phillips
dj houlton
ricky ledee
dioner navarro
is worse than
adrian beltre
alex cora
shawn green
steve finley
jose lima
hideo nomo
mike venafro
scott stewart
brent mayne
dave ross
give me a break.
a healthy
jd drew
jeff kent
derek lowe
jose valentin
jason phillips
dj houlton
ricky ledee
dioner navarro
is worse than
adrian beltre
alex cora
shawn green
steve finley
jose lima
hideo nomo
mike venafro
scott stewart
brent mayne
dave ross
give me a break.
Andrew --
the HR that GA got was a knuckeball that had no movement and was way up in the strikezone.
Actually, looking at it on the game highlights online, it seemed to me to be a hanging curve up in the strike zone. Definitely up, but not a flat knuckler. But yeah, certainly a "hit me" pitch.
the HR that GA got was a knuckeball that had no movement and was way up in the strikezone.
Actually, looking at it on the game highlights online, it seemed to me to be a hanging curve up in the strike zone. Definitely up, but not a flat knuckler. But yeah, certainly a "hit me" pitch.
Vishal,
your comment implies a healthy JD Drew actually exists. If it does, Noone has ever seen it, except the year before free agency. Everybody in baseball knew he doesn't play hurt, and is frequently injured. Everyone that is, except Depodesta and his moneyball cult.
Jose Valentin is terrible, and has been for his last couple of years. The thought of getting a declining vet and making him play out of position is laughable. The guy batted under .200 for crying out loud.
Jason Phillips is garbage, but better than Ishii, so that's a wash.
Hee Sop Choi is average, and only average when batting against right handed pitching. If he actually played every day, he would be a below average first baseman.
Tracy was given an average roster, which with injuries became below average. There were some good pieces, but even if healthy, this team was not a pennant contender.
your comment implies a healthy JD Drew actually exists. If it does, Noone has ever seen it, except the year before free agency. Everybody in baseball knew he doesn't play hurt, and is frequently injured. Everyone that is, except Depodesta and his moneyball cult.
Jose Valentin is terrible, and has been for his last couple of years. The thought of getting a declining vet and making him play out of position is laughable. The guy batted under .200 for crying out loud.
Jason Phillips is garbage, but better than Ishii, so that's a wash.
Hee Sop Choi is average, and only average when batting against right handed pitching. If he actually played every day, he would be a below average first baseman.
Tracy was given an average roster, which with injuries became below average. There were some good pieces, but even if healthy, this team was not a pennant contender.
# posted by : 10/01/2005 05:34:00 PM
: 10/01/2005 05:34:00 PM
Anon -- I can't disagree with you too much on Drew, except to say that the problem that had sent him down was mostly about his knee. The Dodgers apparently knew about more injuries than just that.
Jose Valentin is terrible, and has been for his last couple of years.
He was expected to be a one-year placeholder who would platoon against lefties. What did you expect?
Hee Sop Choi is average, and only average when batting against right handed pitching. If he actually played every day, he would be a below average first baseman.
His record in Florida and Los Angeles says otherwise, as Choi is a 15.0 VORP player this year, and a 27.5 VORP player last year with the Marlins. Had Tracy played him more consistently, he would have been probably about the same -- 15 runs better than replacement.
Jose Valentin is terrible, and has been for his last couple of years.
He was expected to be a one-year placeholder who would platoon against lefties. What did you expect?
Hee Sop Choi is average, and only average when batting against right handed pitching. If he actually played every day, he would be a below average first baseman.
His record in Florida and Los Angeles says otherwise, as Choi is a 15.0 VORP player this year, and a 27.5 VORP player last year with the Marlins. Had Tracy played him more consistently, he would have been probably about the same -- 15 runs better than replacement.
i don't want to rehash the debate on jd drew's health for the millionth time, so i won't.
tracy was not trying to make the point that it was IMPOSSIBLE for the roster to be healthy. he was saying that EVEN if everyone was healthy, the roster still sucked. and you made the same assertion. that assertion is untrue.
those guys we let go, except for the overpaid shawn green (now playing in a hitter's ballpark and hitting a substantial number of his home runs against the dodgers, something it would be impossible to do as a dodger himself), all suck. the guys we got, more or less, are all better.
valentin has been hurt most of the year, sure, but our offensive production at 3rd base is pretty much the same as what beltre has given seattle this year, i believe. and remember, the plan was to platoon perez and valentin, and tracy flat out rejected it. by the way, the "last couple years", while he was healthy, valentin hit 58 home runs. if that's "terrible", i'll take terrible any day.
also, your assertion that hee seop choi can't hit lefties isn't very strong. he hit lefties just fine in the minors, but tracy barely ever lets him see any left handed pitching in the majors. he has had a grand total of 29 at-bats against LHP this year and has an OPS of .722 against them. so, keeping in mind that it's a small sample size, it's not so bad. reason enough to give him more practice against them. frankly, if he played every day he would probably do a lot better, not worse. as it is now, choi has to approach every at-bat as if he's not going to get another one for a week. that's no way to develop a young player. look, nobody is saying choi is going to be the next albert pujols, but it's not farfetched to say choi could hit 30+ homers maybe have an OPS in the .850+ range if he had some regular playing time all season.
the fact is, tracy was given an above-average roster that was absolutely DECIMATED by injuries to an extent that i've never seen before. and it doesn't matter whether jim tracy likes the players or not, it's his job to get the most from the kind of roster he's given, and he didn't do that.
tracy was not trying to make the point that it was IMPOSSIBLE for the roster to be healthy. he was saying that EVEN if everyone was healthy, the roster still sucked. and you made the same assertion. that assertion is untrue.
those guys we let go, except for the overpaid shawn green (now playing in a hitter's ballpark and hitting a substantial number of his home runs against the dodgers, something it would be impossible to do as a dodger himself), all suck. the guys we got, more or less, are all better.
valentin has been hurt most of the year, sure, but our offensive production at 3rd base is pretty much the same as what beltre has given seattle this year, i believe. and remember, the plan was to platoon perez and valentin, and tracy flat out rejected it. by the way, the "last couple years", while he was healthy, valentin hit 58 home runs. if that's "terrible", i'll take terrible any day.
also, your assertion that hee seop choi can't hit lefties isn't very strong. he hit lefties just fine in the minors, but tracy barely ever lets him see any left handed pitching in the majors. he has had a grand total of 29 at-bats against LHP this year and has an OPS of .722 against them. so, keeping in mind that it's a small sample size, it's not so bad. reason enough to give him more practice against them. frankly, if he played every day he would probably do a lot better, not worse. as it is now, choi has to approach every at-bat as if he's not going to get another one for a week. that's no way to develop a young player. look, nobody is saying choi is going to be the next albert pujols, but it's not farfetched to say choi could hit 30+ homers maybe have an OPS in the .850+ range if he had some regular playing time all season.
the fact is, tracy was given an above-average roster that was absolutely DECIMATED by injuries to an extent that i've never seen before. and it doesn't matter whether jim tracy likes the players or not, it's his job to get the most from the kind of roster he's given, and he didn't do that.
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