Wednesday, November 30, 2005 |
Pickoff Moves, Bedtime Edition
Simers Uses Tommy Hawkins To Rip McCourt
T.J. Simers, who occaisionally makes himself useful by getting something amusing in the paper, gets in an interview with former Dodger staffer Tommy Hawkins, via The Big Show with Mason and Ireland:...when the "The Big Show with Steve Mason and John Ireland" on 710 called Tuesday afternoon to ask his opinion on which franchise is in worse shape — the Lakers or the Dodgers — Hawkins said he could answer honestly with no bitterness.Much more over there, of course; Hawkins is clearly uncomfortable with Tracy's firing and such, which means the likelihood of his complaining is that much higher. But on the other hand, the "old baseball hand" nonsense strikes me as a little ridiculous; isn't that what brought the Dodgers to this precarious position in the first place? I mean, forget Fox, what prompted Peter O'Malley to sell in the first place?"I'm a loyalist, but also a realist," he said. "I don't have to walk that tightrope anymore; I'm a free agent, a knowledgeable free agent with the opportunity to say things that I've never said before."
Then he told the Mason and Ireland radio audience, "I have never seen an organization in such disarray as the Dodgers.
"This is unbelievably bad," he continued. "Every time I see some of the decisions being made or some of the people that have been fired or some of the people that were brought into positions who have never spent one hour in baseball, I want to throw up."
Hawkins wasn't necessarily breaking new ground, but coming from someone known best for so long for correctly choosing his words, it was a shock.
"I was blown away," Mason said. "This is the nicest guy in the world; I've never heard him say anything bad about anyone, and this was as blistering an attack as I've heard. I guess it reflects how bad things have gotten there.
"When we were doing this show [a few years back], Tommy came in every single week, and while a lot of guys toe the company line on the air but are different off it, he toed the line both on and off the air. He [now] convinced me how rotten things have gotten there."
Manny Unloads His Boston Apartment
The translation of Manny Ramirez to some place besides Beantown proceeds apace, with deadspin.com alerting us to this Boston Globe real estate listing for his penthouse condo. Okay, I'm sold; he's gonna play somewhere else next year. For the Angels? Oh, jeez, I hope they can do something better than that....Under Communism, It's The Reverse
Communism isn't helping to level the playing field in Cuba, according to U. Washington economist Steven Goldsmith. Cuban leagues have less turnover, more concentration of talent in the bigger cities, and compared to the salaries paid by the North American majors, exploit the holy hell out of their players. The situation has gotten so bad that the Cubans, bitten by the emigration of Kendry Morales, have opened up a limited free agency ticket to the major leagues again -- on the condition that the Cuban government gets 80% of their earnings. And you thought your taxes were bad.Quote, Unquote
Having trouble finding managerial candidates, Ned?"The calendar's not in our favor, certainly."What about Bradley?
"At this point in time, I'm open-minded. We'll see how it goes," Colletti said. "He's a very good player."Will you at some point stop adding to the list of mediocre managerial candidates, or have you collected enough already?
"As of right now, I don't have more than five (candidates). To be frank about it, I can't tell you there wouldn't be a sixth. There isn't a sixth right now."Ooh.
Travs Break Ground On New Ballpark
I was kind of shocked to read this AP story reporting the Travs have broken ground on their new North Little Rock digs. I'll have to check it out next time I'm in town. The park is expected to be ready for the 2007 season.
Brian Giles Re-Signs With San Diego
YES! Konerko Re-Ups With Chicago
Update: Look, Ken, while I'm sure getting Manny is high on your list of great things for the Angels, if it means gutting the farm to get him, I can be perfectly happy with an infield of McPherson and Kotchman at the corners.
I have to wonder whether this was Arte intentionally trying to drive up the price of free agents. The Angels already had a premium 1B prospect in Kotchman, and another one stacked up behind him in the minors in Kendry Morales. Konerko just didn't make the slightest amount of sense. The Angels are short on holes in the outfield, so Manny Ramirez doesn't make sense either... if you think about it, with the Angels' farm system in its current shape, they could be one of the few healthy franchises in a few years.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005 |
Pickoff Moves, Bedtime Edition
Colletti Speaks
For those who care, the results of Ned Colletti's chat. Nothing you didn't expect, leavened with all the conventional evasions. In other words, he hasn't done anything stupid yet, aside from the revelation that came out in Saturday's Times that Dodger execs are letting it be known the team has only $18M to spend this offseason. If that proves accurate, we can all assess Colletti's mental acuity.Dayn Perry Nails The Dodgers Farm
It's "good not great", corresponding to my own belief that the Dodger minor leaguers are wildly overrated because of early success. (Are you taking notes, Brandon Wood?) Edwin Jackson fell off his list, as he really should have. Jackson in my mind needs another year or so at AA (and success at AAA) before he realistically can get to the Show. On the other hand, Perry's willing to go out on a limb -- and saw it off from behind him -- in predicting the Dodgers will win the NL West. The team doesn't even have 25 men on the roster, dude...Eckstein Ties The Knot
David Eckstein married actress Ashley Drane. Congrats, guys.Konerko Rejects O's Offer
The Baltimore Sun reports Paul Konerko has rejected the Orioles' $65M/5 year offer. Konerko spent the day with Bill Stoneman, Mike Scioscia, and other Angels officials. Also at MLB.com.OT: Xmas In Frisko!
It's that time! Plus, these guys have a fun little winter song that you just wouldn't think is wintry.Drew Meets With Colletti
Fragile outfielder J.D. Drew met with Ned Colletti today; Drew should be available by spring training. Also, Milton Bradley will most likely be traded or non-tendered.Cleveland Courting Byrd
Dodgers To Talk To Cleveland 3B Coach Joel Skinner
Willie Sutton And The Garv
Run In Fear: More On Konerko
Update: Roch Rubatko of the Baltimore Sun reports the White Sox are reluctant to commit to a fifth year on Konerko's contract because he has an arthritic hip. Ouch.
Pickoff Moves
Rangers Interested In Zito, Moving Soriano
The Texas Rangers are interested in Barry Zito according to the Star-Telegram. Supposedly the Angels have interest in acquiring Alfonso Soriano, though I can't imagine this is anything besides posturing from the Rangers; why would Bill Stoneman acquire Orlando Cabrera, famously for his glove, and then giveth away that much more on the right side?Ausmus To Re-Up With Astros -- Or Maybe Join The Padres?
Astros catcher Brad Ausmus says he would like to stay with the Astros, or if not, to work for the Padres. Ausmus lives in the San Diego area.Manny To Mets Talk Update
The stakes the Mets are willing to pay to get Manny Ramirez in Queens just got higher, with a Bergen County Record story indicating a trio of Cliff Floyd, Aaron Heilman and Lastings Milledge could get the job done. Bob Klapisch thinks the Mets are headed in the direction of a "win now" mode a la the Yanks, but the Yankees at least have -- or had -- a core of good players. The Mets don't have that, and wouldn't have much in their farm were they to unload these guys.But how are they planning on paying for all this? Tom Verducci says the easy answer of a new cable network that starts next year isn't correct, as it's working the other way; the club wants to get subscribers, and winning is the best way for that to happen. No, it's $20M in extra stadium revenues versus 2004, an anticipated $8M more in 2006, and an anticipated $23M check from MLB for MLBAM. Color me unconvinced; the net result of this will be bad teams going after expensive, mediocre free agents. Three years from now, they'll be wondering why Manny spent 45 days on the DL.
Giants Letting Tomko Walk
Not much of a surprise.Jays After Giles
Another ridiculous contract, but again, the Blue Jays are getting paid in Canadian dollars, they now own Rogers Centre free and clear, and they're the only Canadian team in baseball. They could be the club to beat in the AL East next year.Furcal To Speak To Colletti Tonight
ESPN reports that Ned Colletti and free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal are to meet tonight.Another Late Post: Dodger Thoughts, The Book
Angels Spring Training Schedule
Monday, November 28, 2005 |
Rumor, Rumor, Go Away
Update: Now in the Times, which reports a price of "about $60 million". The Orioles supposedly have made a five-year, $60 million offer according to the Baltimore Sun. The Chicago Tribune reports that recent acquisition Jim Thome has called Konerko and asked for him to stay in Chicago.
Dodgers To Interview Mets Coach Manny Acta
Angels Extend Coaching Contracts
Dodgers, Angels Asking About Joey Gathright
What I Learned In Arizona Fall League, By Jered Weaver
Weaver got some good advice from his older brother, Jeff, who pitched in the AFL in 1998 when he was in the Tigers organization."He told me whatever I do, to keep the ball down," Jered Weaver said. "If you don't learn anything else in this league, you learn that pretty fast. And if you don't, you learn it over and over and over again until it's been stamped into your brain."
Rosenthal: A's Close To Landing Loaiza
Update: Reaction at Athletics Nation is cautiously optimistic. Loaiza's numbers were padded by the fact that he pitched in one of the league's most extreme pitchers' parks, a circumstance heavily aided by erroneously long fences. Even in the cavernous McAfee Coliseum, he won't have that behind him; on the other hand, he turned into a groundball pitcher for the Nats, and Oakland's defense is very, very good -- in fact, their .715 DER was the best in the majors this year. The third year is a risk, and if he reverts to his 2004 form, so is the second; the A's may have just bought an albatross, but considering they're looking for back-of-the-rotation starters, it's not a bad signing.
Update 2: looking at his splits, maybe not such a good idea. .233/.275/.342 against at home, but .306/.358/.435 on the road. Having honest fences apparently hurts him. Plus, he's 33... at least you can say he's an innings-eater.
Update 3: Blez passes on a Susan Slusser article in the San Francisco Chronicle suggesting the signing is a prelude to a trade of Barry Zito.
OT: Ship This, Amazon
Sunday, November 27, 2005 |
Roster Notes
- The Rangers are looking at Juan Pierre to play left field, possibly because the team is shopping Kevin Mensch for pitching.
- In that same Star-Telegram article, the Rangers also are expected to get a deal done with A's free agent Octavio Dotel by the end of the winter meetings.
- Not a roster note per se, but the Rangers are investigating how to make Ameriquest Field less hitter-friendly.
- The Red Sox are trying to get the Angels and Dodgers involved in a deal with pitcher David Wells, who has requested a trade to a west coast team, and preferably to the Padres. The Padres aren't especially enthusiastic about a trade.
- The Orioles have offered Paul Byrd a two-year contract worth between $10M and $13M.
- Erick Aybar went 4-6 with a double and three runs scored for Licey.
- The White Sox want an answer from free agent Paul Konerko on whether he will re-sign by December 8. As Rotoworld observes, it's kind of ridiculous for them to say this considering they haven't issued him a contract offer yet.
Mondesi Wants Back
Mondesi is running for mayor in his hometown of San Cristobal, in the southern Dominican Republic, but said he has been training hard and plans to play for the Escogido Lions in the Dominican Winter League next month."I've done my work and I'm in shape," said Mondesi, who declined to say if any major-league teams have contacted him.
Dodgers To Speak With Grady Little
So far, the least objectionable choice of a bad list, though I reserve judgement following a closer look at his record; superficially, he had two winning seasons with Boston (93-69 and 95-67 in 2002 and 2003 respectively). Allowing Pedro to stay in the game in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS didn't seem so smart. Letting your players run the roost isn't a good idea, generally, even if they are future Hall of Famers.
Manny To Mets Talks Start Up
While one Mets official characterized their chances to squeeze Ramirez into their budget as "not impossible," he acknowledged that a deal for Ramirez, which would necessitate clearing significant salary space and involve "several moving pieces," won't be easy. And that's only if Ramirez consents to coming home.Via BTF.
You Can't Win, Frank
From prep school to old school, the Dodger focus flips today; smartly and solidly and finally.November 27, 2005:His name is Ned Colletti, and he's an old-time baseball guy, from his affection for snakeskin boots to his love of snake-free clubhouses.
Thirteen days, it has been.Is this some kind of record? The guy's been in office thirteen whole days and Plaschke runs an attack column with the usual fact-evading tripe. What happened to the snake-killing hero of yesterweek? Guess that guy hasn't delivered a World Series winner in under two weeks.Unlucky, unruly, unwatchable 13.
Since Ned Colletti became general manager of the Dodgers, a team has used minor leaguers and cash to acquire a top starting pitcher and veteran third baseman.
It wasn't the Dodgers.
A team has acquired a power-hitting first baseman who is smart at the plate and great in the clubhouse.
It wasn't the Dodgers.
A team's new general manager has traded a popular star to acquire a championship center fielder.
It wasn't Colletti.
Throughout baseball, managers have filled hot stoves and sold season tickets with talk of future hopes and heroes.
Not the Dodgers, who are in their 55th day with no manager.
Since Ned Colletti became the boss, only one thing of note has happened with the Dodgers, and somebody with the team apparently tried to hide it.
Saturday, November 26, 2005 |
The Crazy-Like-A-Fox Contract Of B.J. Ryan
That's the exchange rate for the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar. The Ryan deal makes a lot more sense if you think of it as a currency arbitrage. Notice how the Canadian dollar has gained 30% over the last three years? A big reason for that is easily accessible oil and natural gas resources in the U.S. are on the decline, while Canada still has large supplies of natural gas, large (but also dwindling) supplies of oil, and a simply staggering amount of non-conventional oil in the form of the Athabasca tar sands. So there's plenty of reason to think this appreciation will continue for some time. If your customers pay you in Canadian dollars, and you pay your employees in U.S. dollars, that's a big deal; it's essentially the same as a 9% compounded annual discount on employee salaries no other club gets. Is the Ryan contract expensive? In years, definitely; in dollars, not hardly.
The Doomsday List
| Who (Title) | Status | When | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Beane (GM, A's) | No interview | 2/5/04 | Then-owner Steve Schott refused to let Beane interview. Beane instead suggests DePodesta. |
| Ruben Amoro (AGM, Phillies) | Interviewed | 2/11/04 | Rejected shortly thereafter for Paul DePodesta. |
| Pat Gillick (consultant, Mariners) | Interviewed? | 2/14/04 | Giants AGM Ned Colletti said "If it's not going to be Dan Evans, I have no doubt that Pat Gillick would be the best guy for that job." Changed his mind after expressing a lack of interest in the position on 2/4/04. |
| Dan Evans (GM) | Fired | 2/17/04 | Fired after being allowed to "interview" for the job he already had. |
| Paul DePodesta (AGM, A's) | Hired | 2/17/04 | "I spoke with some very capable candidates, all of whom would have been valuable to the Dodger organization," McCourt said during a news conference in the Dodger Stadium Dugout Club. "But during the search, there was one person who stood out to me and my wife [Jamie], and that was Paul DePodesta....
"He loves the game, he's a student of the game, and he's a hard worker. He said he doesn't have all the answers, but he's willing to ask all the questions. He's a very bright man who has a strong desire to win.... In the end, I found this to be a clear choice, if not an easy one." |
| Bob Graziano (President) | Resigned | 3/5/04 | "I met with Frank and Jamie at the beginning of February, at which time we decided that would be an appropriate course of action because we had decided to go our separate ways." |
| Kris Rone (VP Business) | Resigned | 3/5/04 | |
| Mike Dee (VP Business Affairs, Red Sox) | Interviewed, rebuffed | 3/7/04 | Turned down the Dodgers after extensive negotiations. |
| Derek Hall (VP Communications) | Resigned | 3/14/04 | Left due to "philosophical differences", as did Kris Rone and Bob Graziano. The McCourts asked him to reconsider after Jamie embarrassed herself to the press. |
| David Walkley (VP Human Resources) | Resigned | 10/21/04 | Due to a change in responsibilities. |
| John Boles (senior advisor) | Resigned | 10/21/04 | Boles was a senior advisor to Dan Evans; along with Jeff Schugel, Matt Slater and Mark Weidemaier, all resigned at the end of their contracts. |
| Jeff Schugel (?) | Resigned | 10/21/04 | |
| Matt Slater (?) | Resigned | 10/21/04 | |
| Mark Wedemaier (?) | Resigned | 10/21/04 | |
| Doug Duennes (VP stadium operations) | Fired | 4/30/05 | Then-team spokeswoman Kelly Mullins denied he was fired over complaints about the stadium renovations. He was replaced by Lon Rosen. |
| Ross Porter (Radio broadcaster) | Non-tendered | 10/22/04 | Porter's contract expired and was not renewed. |
| Charlie Steiner (Broadcaster) | Hired | 10/22/04 | For the love of God, it's "Encarnacion", Charlie, not "Encanarcion". |
| Al Downing (Radio broadcaster) | Hired | 10/22/04 | |
| Steve Lyons (Broadcaster) | Hired | 10/22/04 | |
| Lon Rosen (XVP and chief marketing officer) | Fired | 4/2/05 | |
| Gary Miraneau (VP communications) | Fired | 4/2/05 | |
| Jim Tracy (Manager) | Released | 10/4/05 | Tracy "was not fired." |
| Paul DePodesta (GM) | Fired | 10/29/2005 | |
| Jim Colborn (Pitching Coach) | Non-tendered | 10/5/05 | |
| Jim Lett (Bench Coach) | Non-tendered | 10/5/05? | Along with Colborn, hired by Jim Tracy after the Pirates hired Tracy. |
| Pat Gillick (consultant, Mariners) | Rebuffed | 11/1/05 | Ultimately signed with the Phillies. |
| Jim Bowden (GM, Nationals) | Never interviewed | - | |
| Theo Epstein (erst-GM, Red Sox) | Rebuffed | - | Epstein remains without a position, but never signaled any interest in joining the Dodgers. |
| Gerry Hunsicker (former GM, Astros) | Rebuffed | 11/2/05 | Reported to have accepted Tampa Bay's GM position on this date; officially announced November 3. |
| Rene Francisco (director of international scouting) | Resigned | 11/6/05 | Now with the Atlanta Braves in the same position. |
| Bobby Valentine (manager, Chiba Lotte Marines) | Rebuffed | 11/10/05 | Friend-of-Tommy's Valentine signed a deal with his Japanese league club and is out of the running. |
| John Hart (ex-GM, Rangers, Indians) | Rebuffed | 11/14/05 | Hart decided to stay within the Rangers organization, shutting the Dodgers out. |
| John Olguin (VP Public Relations) | Fired | 11/14/05 | |
| Chris Gutierrez (baseball information coordinator) | Fired | 11/14/05 | |
| Paul Gomez (broadcast publications supervisor) | Fired | 11/14/05 | |
| Camille Johnston (VP Public Relations) | Hired | 11/14/05 | |
| Ned Colletti (AGM, Giants) | Hired | 11/15/05 | |
| Orel Hershiser (pitching coach, Rangers) | Rebuffed | 11/18/05 | Hershiser accepted a promotion within the organization, taking him off the table. |
| Jim Fregosi (special assignment scout, Braves, former Angels manager) | Interviewed | 11/18/05 | Still waiting on an answer, but doesn't meet the requirements of "knowing how to win" and "being a Dodger". |
| Lou Piniella (manager, Devil Rays) | Rebuffed | 11/20/05 | |
| Bud Black (pitching coach, Angels) | Rebuffed | 11/22/05 | Immediately said "no", then did a 180, saying he'd sleep on it, and then said "no" again. |
| John McLaren (bench coach, Devil Rays) | - | 11/25/05 | So far, only an announcement that the Dodgers are interested. |
As always, if there are any omissions or corrections anyone wishes to offer, please do so in the comments below. It's getting to be quite a list.
Friday, November 25, 2005 |
Dodgers To Interview Devil Rays Bench Coach McLaren
Also at dodgers.com.
Thursday, November 24, 2005 |
Rangers To Make Two-Year Offer To Byrd, Morris
Elmer Dessens Near Deal With Royals
High Campy
Campanella was with me through his entire career. I think I knew Campy better than anyone else. He was a manager's delight. I venture to say had he not been injured he would have been in line to manage the Dodgers. He would have been a good one. He knew his own limitations and would apply this practice to his players.By 1957, Roy Campanella's skills were obviously deteriorating, and of course in 1958 he got in the car accident that prevented him from ever playing again (and nearly took his life). It's unlikely he would have played past 1958 if the accident hadn't happened. So let's assume that he was taken seriously as a managerial candidate, though it's not at all clear that would be the case. Remember, this was the same Dodgers front office that would allow Roberto Clemente to go unprotected on the 40-man roster rather than calling him up to the big club because two of O'Malley's partners thought the team already had too many minorities.
But -- for now, forget that. Assume it took him about as long as it took Mike Scioscia to get through the minors and come up to get his shot at managing, eight years. Had he wanted to stay with the Dodgers, he would have had to wait another ten years, as Walter Alston didn't retire until 1976. At only ten years Alston's junior, he would have had a shorter career, but would we be discussing how much influence Tommy Lasorda has inside the organization anymore? Would Pedro Martinez still be pitching for the Dodgers, and Paul Konerko still be in the fold? Dodger fans dream of better days ahead; so can we dream of the better days that might have been.
Pickoff Moves, Thanksgiving Day Edition
Manny An Unlikely Mariner
Unsurprisingly, the Seattle Times reveals what I already suspected, and that is that the M's aren't having any discussions with the Red Sox about Manny Ramirez. Look, Luccino, it's becoming more and more obvious that this is all about raising the price for the guy. Either trade him or don't.More In The Top 100 Angels Series
Today's entry is George Hendrick, the almost-but-not-quite washed-up slugger the Angels picked up in 1985 as part of a salary dump from the Pirates. Hendrick recently joined Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay as a first base/outfield coach, and the Rev provides an anecdote about how he indirectly ensured David Eckstein would arrive on the team.Happy Turkey Day, All
6-4-2 wishes everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Regular posting resumes tomorrow, or if somebody makes a really big trade today.Wednesday, November 23, 2005 |
Werth Still Hurting Despite Surgery, May Miss Spring Training
"I'm very interested in getting the wrist healed and as close to 100 percent as possible before I try to play. I've shown what I can do with it injured and nobody wants to see that again. I want to be the Jayson Werth that hit 16 home runs and helped the Dodgers win the [NL West]. I'm looking forward to that for myself, for the organization and for the fans. I love playing in L.A. and love being a Dodger. My agenda right now is to get healthy."
Pickoff Moves, Nighttime Edition
Dodgers After Furcal
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Dodgers are pursuing Braves free agent Rafael Furcal. The Braves, Cubs, and Mets are also in the hunt.Cubs Acquire Bobby Howry
The Cubs have agreed to a $12M, 3-year deal with 32-year old righty reliever Bobby Howry, driving the price up for relief pitching everywhere.Arizona Nabs Another From Boston's Front Office
This time it's Peter Woodfork coming in; he was Boston's director of baseball operations, and will be the Snakes' AGM.Blackout
Quote, unquote:The situation I'm in with the Angels, I think we have a special thing going. The owner, the front office, all of that is top-notch.
On Third Thought, No Thanks, Frank
Football, Baseball -- It's All The Same To Plaschke
Such is the character who helped to run DePodesta out of town.
Thome To Chisox, For Rowand And Cash
Update: on ESPN.
Frank, You Cheapskate
Update: ...yes, and Credit Where Credit Is Due Dep't, thanks to Dodger Thoughts commenter Mark for pointing this out.
Aside: Congratulations, Steve
Pickoff Moves
Delgado To Mets, Stoneman Smokescreens, And Migrating Fish
Earlier in the week -- just yesterday in fact -- the newspapers had me frightened that the Angels might actually pick up somebody like a Paul Konerko or a Carlos Delgado, expensive first basemen whose offensive value in certain frequently-occurring circumstances was questionable (Konerko outside of his launching pad ballpark, Delgado against lefties). Scratch Delgado off that list, as the Mets took on his contract, trading first baseman Mike Jacobs and pitcher Yusmiero Petit for the slugging first baseman.Now, if you believe -- as I increasingly do -- that these maneuvers are only a smokescreen from Bill Stoneman designed to get negotiating leverage from Boston (and possibly others) whilst haggling over Manny Ramirez, you can sleep better at night. I, for one, would like Kotchman to get an honest chance and think, despite Scioscia's protestations to the contrary, that he's earned the starting first base job without question. But after a 2004/5 offseason where virtually all the Angels' free agent dollars were wasted on high-profile mediocrities like Orlando Cabrera and Estaban Yan, and outright busts like Steve Finley, the level of trust I have with Bill Stoneman isn't always that great.
But if I feel queasy with Stoneman at the helm of the Angels, imagine how Marlins fans must feel about their club's recent announcement that the Fish will explore relocation after 2008 because they can't get a retractable roof baseball-only stadium like Houston's. Claiming to lose $20 million on revenues of $60 million, the Marlins have shamelessly tried to squeeze Miami for an indoor ballpark for years, instead of building it themselves. Absent that, the organization has decided to field a team in name only out of replacement level scrubs, in effect telling their fans exactly what the Expos -- who were also owned by Jeffrey Loria -- told their fans, namely, show up or the team leaves. At times, I wonder that owners are any better than bank robbers.
Better Make That Two
Camille Johnston is a UCLA grad, and so unsurprisingly, the Daily Bruin has a piece on her. "Johnston believes her job with the Dodgers is the best fit and hopes to be with the organization for years to come", the article says, and if Frank's track record means anything, it means she needs to brace herself for disappointment; at the outside, she'll be with the team for no more than two years.Idle Threats
Count Register columnist Steve Bischeff among those who think Arte's relocation threat is "contrived". "By the way, where exactly would Moreno even consider moving the team, Rancho Cucamonga?"More Dodger Defections
Will the last guy out please turn off the lights? Man, this is getting weird. In this dodgers.com article about the Bud Black situation, we learn the Dodgers have lost:- Minor league hitting coordinator George Hendrick, to the Devil Rays, as a first base/outfield coach
- Single-A manager Scott Little, now the Nationals minor league field coordinator
- AAA pitching coach Roger McDowell, now the Braves' pitching coach
- Rookie league pitching coach George Culver, now head coach at CSU Bakersfield
- Single-A coach Dan Radison, who is now with the Cards' minor league system.
Rosenthal: Pads Likely To Let Giles Go
The Padres likely won't be re-signing Brian Giles, according to Ken Rosenthal. The free agent has asked for $30 million over three years, and it's unlikely the mid-market Padres would spend that much on a single player.Tuesday, November 22, 2005 |
Dodgers After Matt Morris
Reminded the Dodgers lost 91 games last season, [agent Barry] Axelrod said, "I can't imagine the Dodgers won't be a winning team soon. I have a lot of confidence in Ned."Upon hearing this, Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty couldn't stop laughing long enough to comment.
Welcome To Your 2006 Marlins
Dodgers Get Permission To Speak To Bud Black
Update: Bwaaaahahahahahaha!
Update 2: So now Buddy says he'll sleep on it. Would you like your "no" now or on the layaway plan, Frank? Hypothetical phone conversation:
Black: Of course I'm going to say "no". They fire guys faster than the Gong Show went through contestants!
Scioscia: But... Buddy... you say "no" immediately like that, it looks bad on you, like you think they're poison or something. That's like saying something bad about them. You know the Angel Way is like Home on the Range: never a discouraging word!
Black: Well, they are bad! How do you fire your GM and your manager and all your coaching staff in under a month?
Scioscia: Sure. You know that. I know that. But you can't come out and say it, even if you know it's true. Call Ned back, tell him you'll sleep on it or something.
More Fodder For The Rev: David Ortiz Says Manny Is Gone
Update: The Boston Herald says Seattle is also a team Ramirez is interested in going to. Sure, just like the Angels are pursuing Paul Konerko and Carlos Delgado. It's called negotiating leverage...
OT: Quality? The Box Has A Holographic Sticker, Right?
Update: speaking of: snark.
Pickoff Moves
Extrablogular Activities
Those reading this site principally for Dodgers content (it seems there's rarely any other kind lately) might be amused to discover that the Rev has been publishing a series on the top 100 Angels players of all time, and I've been one of the principle contributors. A few samples:- Reliever Greg Minton
- Early slugger Lee Thomas
- Littlest outfielder Albie Pearson
- Reliever George Brunet, whose entry includes a wacky Hardball Times interview (written by Steve Treder) with his left arm.
Who Says The Angels Are Afraid Of Computers?
Arte's spending $22M to add a big "A" by the 10 next to the Angels' winter practice facility in Tempe, but maybe the biggest change is coming, not on the field, in the locker room, or in the clubhouse, but in the press room, where they're adding extra power outlets in the coach's office. Why? "Everything now is computers," Arte said, and while that doesn't necessarily mean the Angels are anybody's idea of a sabermetric team, it sure goes a long way to dispel the myth that the club's run by a bunch of tobacco-spitters.You Say "Los Angeles", I Say "Anaheim", Let's Call The Whole Stadium Off
If Arte could get a tow truck big enough, I gather he'd move the team and the stadium elsewhere, if this Times story is to be believed. Tired of the lawsuit (hey, Arte, remember that name change?) and its concomitant headaches, Arte's posturing to move the club to different facilities (the Rev thinks it could be the old La Mirada Drive-In). Arte: you started it.Colletti To Help Take Out Marlins' Trash
Having lost out on Josh Beckett and with no word on the status of free agent A.J. Burnett, Ned Colletti is making calls to the Marlins, who want to move some old, expensive, run-down players, guys like Carlos "Ineffective Against Lefties" Delgado and Juan "Decline? What Decline" Pierre, whose OPS just dropped 100 points over the last year. As pointed out yesterday in the comments, the big difference between this year's fire sale and the one in 1998 is that the Marlins had just won a title with their players, whereas the 2005 squad was a barely above .500 team. How many home runs did that heart and soul buy the team, Mr. Beinfest? If Colletti does something stupid -- like take back Paul LoDuca, or worse, take back LoDuca in exchange for a top prospect or three -- I won't be a bit surprised. Of course, that isn't to say the other "Los Angeles" team is any smarter, not while rumors that Stoneman's pursuing Carlos Delgado are afoot.Monday, November 21, 2005 |
Roster Notes
- The A's signed free agent minor leaguer Matt Roney to a $340,000, one-year contract. The A's also purchased the contracts of minor league outfielders Andre Ethier and Javier Herrera from AAA Sacramento, and RHP Shane Komine from AA Midland.
- The Padres re-signed former Dodger Eric Young, to a one-year, $700,000 contract.
- The Pirates dealt former Cub Bobby Hill to the Padres.
One Of My Prouder, If Accidental, Moments
Pickoff Moves
M's Sign Jojima
Looks like the Mariners have signed Kenji Jojima, to a $15M, three-year deal.Snakes Interested In Paul LoDuca?
The East Valley Tribune reports on what appears to be an attempt by the Diamondbacks to reunite the infield of the 2004 Dodgers, one player at a time, by way of bringing Paul LoDuca to the Valley of the Sun."I’m a Florida Marlin now, but I would love to play here,’’ Lo Duca, a former Glendale Apollo High and Arizona State player, told KTVK-TV (Channel 3). "It’s my home town, and I grew up here.’’Six home runs, guys...
Update: Jon notes that Paulie might be headed to Queens, with the catcher pipeline running from the Dodger farm to the Mets backstop. This time, it's not a future Hall of Famer they're getting, though...
Hey, This Beckett Thing Could Happen
The Rangers are openly discussing Danks and Diamond in their talks with the Fish. I don't see how they can't make this deal if they want to be competitive in the division; they need somebody to replace Kenny Rogers.Update: The Dallas Morning News on a two-sentence update on their mast says the Marlins have eliminated the Rangers as their trade partner. More from the Dallas Star-Telegram, which says Beckett is headed to the Red Sox, in exchange for unidentified minor league prospects. ESPN says it's Hanley Ramirez and top pitching prospect Anibal Sanchez. The Angels were bidding on Beckett but have dropped out, and the Dodgers were believed to have been involved.
Sunday, November 20, 2005 |
Jered Weaver To Get A Look For 2006 Rotation?
"When this guy (Weaver) finished up at Long Beach State that spring, he was ready to pitch in the major leagues," Boras said. "He had great command of four pitches, and he had the velocity and the approach to help the Angels in the second half of that year.But if it were only Boras saying Weaver was near to ready, I wouldn't be so concerned. Some of the Angels' staff is saying it, too:"I had a client (Craig Hansen of St. John's) who was drafted in the first round by the Red Sox this year, and they had him up at the end of the season and he was helping them. He has two pitches. Jered has four. But I think the Angels have realized that Jered is ready to help them now."
Weaver was 1-3 with a 5.47 ERA in the Fall League, which generally was a hitters' paradise. "He would make one mistake with his breaking ball and he'd pay for it," said Kernan Ronan, who was his pitching coach here and works with Angel minor-leaguers. "But based on the way he threw in his last outing, I'd say he's very close to the big leagues. That was the best he looked in terms of energy and aggressiveness."Whether the Angels can afford to have him in the rotation is another matter.
Pickoff Moves, Bedtime Edition
Dodgers Interview Fregosi; Collins Out Of The Running
GM Ned Colletti and three other Dodger executives interviewed Jim Fregosi regarding the team's open managerial spot. Both Colletti and Fregosi said the interview went well.Terry Collins no longer appears to be a candidate for the manager post, though he did meet with Colletti about the farm. Other names under consideration are Angels pitching coach Bud Black, Padres hitting coach Tony Muser, and Braves third base coach Fredi Gonzales. Muser has a 317-431 record in six years with Kansas City (1997 through 2002), and is the only one of the three to manage at the major league level. So much for proven winners.
Olympic Qualifier Pix
Brian Clevinger once again snaps some good photos of the USA/Canadian Olympic qualifiers.Olympic Qualifiers: USA 5, Canada 2
Speaking of the Olympics, Team USA swept their first round of qualifiers. Howie Kendrick hit a two-run shot that temporarily gave the USA the lead, and Brandon Wood doubled and scored the go-ahead run, going 2-4 overall. Jeff Mathis went 2-3 and scored a run. Angels system pitcher Eric Cyr, now a minor league free agent (so far as I know, anyway) and presently representing Canada, gave up a pair of runs over an inning and two thirds.The Great Florida Fire Sale Of '05
It's 1998 all over again in Florida as virtually the entire team from Paul LoDuca to Josh Beckett to Carlos Delgado -- in fact, everyone except Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera -- is up for sale thanks to orders from team owner Jeffrey Loria to cut the team's payroll to as little as $40 million, which would easily make it the lowest in the majors if it indeed got so low. Talks of decreasing payroll follow on the heels of stalled negotiations for a new stadium for the Fish.Saturday, November 19, 2005 |
Marlins Look To Move Beckett To Texas?
Update: Lone Star Ball forwards a Palm Beach Post story indicating that the two teams are bypassing their respective GMs. Adam Morris asks "what happened to Hicks' adamant insistence that Jon Daniels was his general manager?" Indeed, and considering that Hicks was really the one who got the Rangers into trouble with the A-Rod deal, it's a shock, and not a good one, for Texas fans.
Friday, November 18, 2005 |
AFL Photos
Pickoff Moves, Bedtime Edition
Hershiser Booted Upstairs In Texas
Orel Hershiser resigned as the Rangers' pitching coach and assumed the title of executive director, thus apparently ending any hopes the Dodgers might have had of picking him up for a Front Office Job To Be Named Later.Angels Move Seven Prospects To 40-Man Roster
And I thought the five the Dodgers pulled up was a lot! The Angels placed seven players on the 40-man roster, and there were a few surprises among them. Oh, sure, Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick, and Nick Gorneault made the cut, as did Mike Napoli, but the surprises were Tommy Murphy, Reggie Willits, and Jose Arredondo.To make room, the Angels requested release waivers on Matt Hensley, who had shoulder surgery this year and was never consistently effective. The Angels also outrighted Dustin Moseley to Salt Lake. Moseley's K/9 collapsed this year (4.15) but it had never been very impressive.
I'm going to speculate a bit here and suggest that the addition of Gorneault, Murphy, and Willits means two things: first, Curtis Pride has played his last game as an Angel, and second, that Jeff DaVanon may have to work to keep his fourth outfielder job next year. Granted, it's far from clear that any of the outfielders just promoted would be as skillful at the plate, but DaVanon's inability to hit has hurt his cause seriously this year. Willits looks to me like he could be another Orlando Palmiero type, with inconsistent offense but still a useful bat off the bench nonetheless. Gorneault is more interesting; he's had the charge of owning an inconsistent and hard-to-repeat swing, yet he's hit for decent power, hitter's league or no. Still, he strikes out a ton, but that's common to all three.
Brewers Sign Rick Helling, Claim Sorensen
The Brewers may have just made one of the steals of the offseason by locking up Rick Helling for the paltry sum of $850,000 on a one-year contract. Helling, whose previous stints with Florida and Texas were not terribly successful (prior to this year, his career low full-season ERA was 4.31), managed a 2-1 record in seven starts with a 2.18 ERA. Sure, he's going to be 35 next year, and it's almost certain that his 2005 represents a fluke year, but if, as has been reported, he's scrapped one or more ineffective pitches and he's fixed his cutter (see comment 6), this could work out well for the Brewers. Even the Brewers can afford to release him on a one-year contract for less than a mil.The Brewers also acquired SS Zach Sorensen from the Angels off waivers. With owner Mark Attanasio promising an incrementally higher payroll next year, the Brewers are becoming more and more interesting.
Mariners Add Six To 40-Man
The M's added six players to their 40-man roster: RHP Renee Cortz, RHP Emiliano Fruto, LHP Cesar Jimenez, LHP Bobby Livingston, INF Oswaldo Navarro and OF T.J. Bohn. Jimenez (18th), Navarro (24th), Livingston (22nd) were listed as top prospects in the Baseball America Prospect Handbook 2005. More commentary at U.S.S. Mariner.Olympic Qualifiers: USA 9, Panama 3
Team USA clinched a slot in the August Olympic qualifier on Thursday, but they didn't play like they already had things wrapped up, pounding Panama hard. Howie Kendrick went 2-5, Brandon Wood 0-3 with three strikeouts (ouch), with Jarrod Saltalamacchia going 3-3 and driving in a pair. Ryan Shealy drove in three, going 4-4 with a homer and two doubles.More On Complex Leagues Changes
Okay, so there won't be any changes to the complex leagues in 2006, but it could still happen in 2007, says Alan Schwartz in his latest chat with MLB executive vice president Jimmy Lee Solomon.(In case you forgot: the complex leagues -- the Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League -- are being slated for termination or at the very least conversion to "co-op" status, nearly the same thing. This is probably not a good thing for either the Dodgers or Angels, both of whom tend to take flyers on risky players who can be weeded out at lower levels like these. You can read a summary of the proposed changes here.)
Angels 2006 ZiPS Projections
So it turns out that everyone was overly optimistic about Dallas. Now, how this will work out for the Angels' regulars who aren't rookies is another matter, but it's worth a look-see.System AB H 2B 3B HR BB K BA/OBP/SLG SB CS =============================================================== JSPS-2 445 118 24 5 22 36 115 .265/.320/.490 6 4 PECOTA 324 88 19 2 16 36 98 .272/.351/.496 5 2 ZiPS 501 138 26 6 27 47 153 .275/.341/.513 14 8 Actual 205 50 14 2 8 14 64 .244/.295.449 3 3
Mastering The Art Of Duckspeak
"You need a great leader who has won, who knows how to win the last game of the season, who can relate to every player young and old, who won't be outmaneuvered by the other manager," said Colletti. "Somebody well-rounded who will communicate with me daily. We won't manage the manager, but we have to all know what we're doing."Uh huh. So now we find out that the Dodgers are interviewing Jim Fregosi -- and, holy merde! -- Terry Collins? Well. They might be able to conjugate Sweet Lou's full name into a sentence, but that doesn't mean he's a-comin'. And as for the others, we don't know if Collins is really a candidate, and Fregosi doesn't even meet the new Dodger honcho's alleged standards.
But one by one, those standards have disappeared. Only three weeks ago, McCourt said "we want Dodgers here", a specification that, if followed to its logical conclusion, would pack the court with Tommy Lasorda cronies. So once Ned Colletti made the cut, we knew this was never really a criterion, but words that probably came from Lasorda just a few minutes before the press conference. Unsurprising, then, that Fregosi's name is now in the ring. Fregosi, in case you forgot or didn't know, had an undistinguished managerial career, with an overall losing record (1028-1095), losing records at each franchise he's run (save Toronto), and postseason losses comprising a first round exit with the '79 Angels, and a 4-2 World Series loss with the '93 Phillies. Call it the Lake Woebegone Effect for managers: in the new Dodger universe, every manager, no matter what his career win-loss record, is above average. Whatever happens, you can be certain Colletti will hire a grade-A pasteurized Holstein, i.e. a certified baseball man, for the job, and that public announcements made even last week will go out the window once the right glad-handing goes on.
Sorry, Deb
The moral is, a good story is more emotionally satisfying than the truth.
Four Angels, Two Dodgers In Baseball America's Top 20 AFL Prospects
1. Brandon Wood, ss, Surprise Scorpions (Angels)When managers and scouts saw Wood for the first time this fall, most were taken back that someone with his body-type—tall and wiry strong--led the minors in homers and amassed 101 extra-base hits. But once they saw him get in the cage and take his hacks during BP, perceptions quickly changed.
Wood has an outstanding combination of bat speed and leverage that allows him to generate loft power, as balls just fly off his bat. Pitchers had some success against him by working fastballs in on his hands and then setting him up away. Wood tends to chase pitches out of the zone, especially when he’s behind in the count, which led to many of his 31 strikeouts, which were the second-most in the league. His swing can get long. Defensively, Wood is average to above, with good hands, decent range and plus arm strength.
4. Howie Kendrick, 2b, Surprise (Angels)Kendrick was widely considered the best hitter in the league. One scout referred to him as “The Generator” for his approach with his hands—he holds them high next to his head, waving the bat in a circle that intensifies as the opposing pitcher goes into his windup. He rarely swings and misses, and his compact stroke coupled with quick hands, wrists and excellent hand-eye coordination allow him to make adjustments to any pitch, anywhere in the zone.
Kendrick’s biggest weakness has been his defense, but in the AFL he showed good range, soft hands, and a plus arm on the right side of the diamond. He needs to be more aggressive on the bases.
11. Andy LaRoche, 3b, Phoenix Desert Dogs (Dodgers)LaRoche went through a power outage at the end of the regular season—he didn’t hit a homer from August 20 until the AFL championship game on November 12—and fatigue is the greatest reason. The ball wasn’t jumping off his bat the way it normally does, and even though LaRoche has a fairly compact swing, he had the tendency to drop his hands and uppercut.
When he’s fresh, LaRoche is one of the best third base prospects in baseball. He has a low center of gravity in his swing, with a lot of his plus raw power coming from excellent use of this lower half in his approach. LaRoche is an average defender at third, moves well to either side and has above-average arm strength.
16. Matt Kemp, of, Phoenix Desert Dogs (Dodgers)Kemp had one of the best packages in the league in terms of overall tools, and he put them to use, hitting over .400 and adding two homers in the championship game against Surprise. But for as much success Kemp had this fall, he is still very raw.
Kemp has plus raw power, but tends to leak forward with his front leg and will pull off pitches over the inner half. He worked on getting his hands further back to stay through the ball more consistently. Kemp runs surprisingly well for a big man, but his routes to balls in the outfield were questionable at times. He has classic right field tools, with more than enough power and arm strength to stick at the position.
18. Kendry Morales, 1b, Surprise Scorpions (Angels)Morales remains somewhat of an enigma. Since signing for a $3 million bonus as a Cuban defector last winter, Morales had a decent debut season and followed that up by raking his way through the Fall League. But for as much as there is to like about the potential middle-of-the-order run producer, scouts felt he may be living off his reputation as an overpaid international dynamo.
There is no question about Morales’ savvy—he works counts well and pitchers in the AFL tended to go after him cautiously, which plays directly to his strength. He’s a below-average athlete and some scouts had questions about his defensive abilities at first base. While he has plus pitch recognition and plate discipline, there are a lot of moving parts to Morales’ swing—his head, hands and feet are all in motion, which affects the amount of bat speed he’s able to generate. He could be exposed as he faces more quality pitching at the higher levels.
19. Jered Weaver, rhp, Surprise Scorpions (Angels)Weaver was in the Fall League to get more innings, as his season didn’t begin until June after his long holdout as a 2004 first-round pick. And while the overall results weren’t exactly pretty—he went 1-3, 5.47 in 24 innings—Weaver’s secondary numbers were outstanding, with a 35-5 strikeout-walk ratio.
Weaver has excellent command of four pitches, starting with a two-seam and four-seam fastballs. His two-seamer has great late life, diving down in the zone, and is anywhere from 86-89 mph. His four-seamer is harder, in the 91-95 mph range. He also throws two variations of a slider, and a changeup that showed flashes of being a plus pitch at times with nice, downward tumble. Weaver struggled to stay consistent with his mechanics at times, which was a sign of fatigue in his first full season after nearly a yearlong layoff. He tended to get around on his slider, and it would flatten out as a result. He worked on improving his time to the plate out of the stretch, which should help him control the running game.
Dodgers Squaretable
Update: Rich Lederer, auteur.
Pickoff Moves, Morning Edition
Like Frank Needed Reminding
Colletti, on wearing a certain piece of jewelry to his first press conference as Dodgers GM:"It took me 22 years to get it," he said, when asked how he had the audacity to wear his San Francisco Giants 2002 World Series ring to his first Dodger news conference. "Any time I see somebody wearing this, I know they've been part of something special."
He sighed.
"But this is the loser ring," he said. "The guys down the road, they have a little bigger one."
6-4-2 Has An Ally
... in Paul Oberjuerge of the San Bernardino Sun, mostly. Certainly, I appreciate his comments about OBP and the "antediluvian" LA press, which puts him centuries ahead of and a major league apart from Plaschke and Simers, though I'm of an opener mind than he is about Terry Collins as a manager; maybe he'd be good, maybe not, but he has lost a couple of teams before. It doesn't matter anymore anyway, now that Sweet Lou Piniella is on the Dodgers' radar, as are Jim Fregosi and Lasorda favorite Bobby Valentine. Mercifully, it looks like none of the above are liable to become the next Dodgers manager. Still, I continue to wonder why it is that the best reporting on the LA teams -- in or outside of LA proper -- is being done by papers not named the Times.How To Make The M's A Contender In 2006
U.S.S. Mariner has a plan to fix Seattle, and it mostly involves breaking out the monkeywrench to their offense. But if you believe this analysis -- hinging on the nearly direct correlation with team OPS to runs scored -- Seattle could be a 90+ win team, not in 2007, but next year. Next year. I thought they looked awfully good against the Angels this year despite being a basically lousy team the rest of the time."Otis Redding Was Right"
It's been up for a couple days now, but if you haven't read Alex Belth's sweet tribute to his dear friend Marylou, cut down young by cancer, it's well past time.Hey, Anti-Drug Zealots!
Which would you rather have: your kids doin' the weed? Or a "drug-free" alternative?Thursday, November 17, 2005 |
Pickoff Moves, Bedtime Edition
Loney, LaRoche, Three Others Added To 40-Man Roster
James Loney and Andy LaRoche were added to the Dodgers' 40-man roster today, as were LHP Greg Miller, INF Joel Guzman, and RHP Jose Diaz. Miller, who was previously shut down from the AFL with shoulder tendinitis, has been cleared to pitch again, as the condition was not considered serious. Miller is expected to contend for a bullpen slot in spring training.Olympic Qualifiers: USA 7, Nicaragua 5
Team USA continues its unbeaten streak; Howie Kendrick, Brandon Wood, and Jeff Mathis all went 1-4, with Kendrick scoring a run. Nationals 3B prospect Brendan Harris slammed a two-out, two-run homer to give Team USA a lead it would not relinquish.Something To Be Thankful For?
We read on MLB.com that Ned Colletti brings stability to the Dodgers, probably in much the same way that an anchor brings stability to a ship in a hurricane. For that reason, I'm grateful to learn that the Dodgers are giving away turkeys, and though the sign don't say whether Frank's among them, we can always hope.Eyre On A C String
The Cubs have signed former Giant Scott Eyre, in a two-year deal worth up to $11 million, with a third year option. Geesh. Just like last year when the Mets signed Kris Benson for stupid money, the first guy to make a move is the first guy to burn everyone else -- and maybe himself, too. That's a lot of dough for a guy who hasn't had two seasons under 3.00.The Dodgers Still Aren't Learning
Apply the following McCourtisms to Mike Scioscia, ca. 2000 and see what you come up with:McCourt said the manager should be "somebody who, when the game is on the line, brings victory home for us. Somebody who brings people together, who's a good collaborator, an experienced person who knows how to win."Mike Scioscia was 65-74 with AAA Albuquerque in 1999.
Angels Release Sorensen
The Perils Of Padres
“The thing that was tough is the Angels are a first-class operation from top to bottom and I’ve worked for enough teams to know they’re not all like that,” said Gamboa, who has 30 years of experience as a manager, coach, instructor and scout at all levels. “I’m going to miss that part and I’m certainly going to miss the managing part.”
Ahab Speaks
"To do my job and do it well, I need to tune out criticism," Frank McCourt said. "I can't be persuaded by being pulled and tugged in different directions."
Wednesday, November 16, 2005 |
Pickoff Moves, Bedtime Edition
Experience Keeps A Deer School, But Fools Will Learn In None Other
Seriously: Rob Deer is the Padres minor league hitting coach?Roster Notes
- Will 2007 be another year where 82 wins takes the NL West? Maybe. Certainly, the Pads aren't removing many doubts with offseason trades like 26-year-old Xavier Nady for 32-year-old Mike Cameron. It's the Dave Roberts mistake all over again: Cameron played in just 76 games this year, leading me to wonder: instead of the DH (which the senior circuit doesn't have one of), could they maybe have a Designated DL player?
- Also, the Pads re-signed the once and future Padre, Geoff Blum. Must be that clutchness, or something.
Olympic Qualifiers: USA 6, Mexico 5
A close one for Team USA, starter Jered Weaver struck out the first six batters he faced. In the third with two outs, Weaver gave up two runs on a walk, a triple, a single, and a double before retiring Francisco Mendez to end the inning. Weaver only posted four innings before getting yanked. Former Angel Steve Andrade got the win with a single out in the ninth. Howie Kendrick went 1-4, and Brandon Wood went 0-4 with three strikeouts. Ouch. Braves prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia won the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.Brandon Wood Does Not Use Steroids, Honest
You hit that many dingers, and people notice. Lo: see the article saying Wood doesn't fit the stereotype of a bulked-up 'roid user:"He's tall and skinny, not very big and I can beat him in arm wrestling," Team USA second baseman Howie Kendrick said. "People wonder where his power comes from, but he knows how to release the head of the bat, and hits to all fields with power."The only thing missing from the article is an announcement the team's checking his blood on a daily basis for stanozolol...
Update: Brandon made MiLB.com offensive player of the year. As if there were another choice...
Worth Reading: Bob Timmermann's Quit Letter To The Times
Angels Tag Dino Ebel As New Third Base Coach
Jose Guillen's Shoulder Tear
Scenario
Then, they could have a true Dodger blue manager in the guise of ... Dusty Baker, destroyer of arms.
Pickoff Moves
Minor League Notes
- AA Arkansas Manager Tom Gamboa left the team to join the Padres as a roving instructor.
- Joe Maddon has asked for Angels minor league roving pitching instructor Mike Butcher to be his new pitching coach in Tampa Bay. The Angels have not yet responded to the request.
- Here's an MILB.com article on the Jacksonville Suns squad that Baseball America tapped as the most talented in the minors.
- Being Brandon Wood means every stadium is just a different fence to hit a ball over. At least, that's how it feels, 'cause Wood knocked one out in the first game of the Team USA qualifiers (also at ESPN, MILB.com, and USAbaseball.com). Howie Kendrick collected three RBIs on a triple, and Jeff Mathis also chipped in with three RBIs of his own in a seven-inning game that was called because of the ten-run mercy rule (final score: 23-0). Panama and Canada won their first-round games; Jered Weaver is expected to take the mound against Mexico next, the team that knocked the U.S. out last time.
No Surprise: Plaschke Likes Colletti
Well, at least we now know that the Dodgers' (and more importantly, Frank McCourt's) idiocy has the imprimatur of monosentence paragraph scribbler Bill Plaschke, who today spouts his huzzahs for the selection of Ned Colletti as the Dodgers' GM.He helped build a 2002 World Series team with a lineup that featured Benito Santiago batting fifth, David Bell playing third and Shawon Dunston doing whatever.This is a recommendation? Heya, Bill, didja notice what happened the year after, moving Livan Hernandez to the Expos for essentially junk, letting Kenny Lofton walk, and signing Neifi Perez? And did you also notice they lost the next year's Division Series 3-1?
Here's guessing that Kent recommended Colletti and will give him the clubhouse support to make tough decisions. And here's guessing that if Colletti spent last season with his finger on the clubhouse pulse, maybe the Kent and Milton Bradley feud ends before it starts.Ah, instead of looking at his actual record, we have this kind of stuff. Sweet.
While the last Dodger regime didn't see the value in Adrian Beltre, Colletti was signing Omar Vizquel.See above. Vizquel is a 38-year-old who gave the Giants .271/.341/.350 last year, and to whom the Giants owe an additional $7M in a heavily backloaded contract. I could point to a couple cheaper, younger guys on the Dodgers -- Antonio Perez, Oscar Robles -- who gave them as good or better production than that. Once again, it's the kind of garbage we've come to expect from Plaschke. Personally, I think Steve's right, in that McCourt views himself as the Dodgers' sun-king, the axis of the Blue universe upon which all else spins. Minus a quality team -- and who knows what Colletti will field -- McCourt will rapidly descend to one of the most reviled men in Los Angeles, the real one or the "of Anaheim" one.
Update: Steve Dilbeck writes the column one expects from a more competent journalist. Money quote:
... the "A" guys weren't interested in these Dodgers, which is telling in itself. Once they were kings. Now they are suspected pretenders to the throne.Update 2: Steve has more Plaschke deconstruction.If you don't have a real plan when you begin, you make it up as best you can. Welcome to Frank McCourt's world.
More Stupid Steroids Punishments
Three strikes and you're out, but so long as jackasses like McCain are around and there are election coffers to fill, this won't be the last you hear of steroids. |
