Thursday, May 26, 2011 |
Angels Disable Howie Kendrick, Sign Russell Branyan
Earlier in the week, MSTI named him as a possible Dodger pickup to help salvage something like respectability, especially considering the Dodgers are getting next to no production out of first base:
Russell Branyan, 1B. Despite the protestations of DodgerTalk announcer Joe Block, whom I generally like, Branyan is without question a superior bat to James Loney. Between 2008-11, Loney has had 2134 plate appearances, with which he’s produced a line of .276/.336/.399 (.735 OPS) and 37 homers. In that same timeframe, Branyan has had 1154 plate appearances, just under half as many, and has put up .243/.334/.504 (.839 OPS) and 69 homers. Look past the batting average, which we know isn’t super important, and Branyan has the same on-base skills and is far more powerful. I believe Block has been taken in by the “RBI” narrative, which we know isn’t an accurate portrayal of skill.Earlier, Mike Scioscia again reaffirmed that the team will not call up top prospect Mike Trout.But I wouldn’t be bringing Branyan in as the everyday first baseman, or even to replace Loney on the active roster. Branyan is 35 and a poor defender, and only three times has he received 400 plate appearances in a season. He’d be here because he can murder a baseball, and on a team with the weakest bench in baseball – remember, this is the club that had to throw Castro up with the bases loaded last week – that’s an incredibly valuable skill. Branyan’s role would be as a bench power bat who gets a start at first base once a week or so. We could easily make room by DFA-ing the failed current lefty bench power bat who gets a start once a week or so, Jay Gibbons. Any flexibility lost by not having Gibbons to play in the outfield some would be minimal as Tony Gwynn is barely playing right now anyway, and both Casey Blake and Russ Mitchell can spot out there as needed. Ideally, Trayvon Robinson comes up later in the season to push Jerry Sands to first base and Loney off the team, and then Sands and Branyan can be a nice lefty/righty duo.
Update: The Times has more.
Update 2: Scioscia expects Branyan will be the left-handed half of a first base platoon, with Mark Trumbo taking the right-handed at-bats against lefties. Trumbo is hitting .222 vs. righties, but what that means is that the worse defensive glove will get most of the playing time. Dislike.
Labels: angels, injuries, transactions
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 |
Things I Wanted To Say But Got Too Annoyed To
I Will Not Mention Tuesday's Loss (Much)
Deja vu, all over again? 4-1 on Monday, an execrable 6-1 loss on Tuesday that included a rare meltdown by ex-Athletic starter Danny Haren. But today? Another 4-1 win, partly fueled by back-to-back jacks by Torii Hunter and Alberto Callaspo (of all people!). Ervin Santana got a win, something of a pleasant surprise.Dodgers Call Up Rubby De La Rosa, But Have Little Else To Crow About
The callup of top prospect Rubby De La Rosa was by far the best news for the Dodgers this week. The actual news of the series has been all but uniformly bad for the Blue; not only did they lose the first and last games of the series, but enemy of the people Frank McCourt thinks he can make payroll this month after all. I hope his loans come with a blood oath.Update 5/26: Apparently Frank was never worried about this upcoming payroll, but the first one in June, and that because there's a big bonus due to the still-not-playing-in-major-league-baseball Manny Ramirez. We'll see, but either way, I do wish he would depart.
Labels: angels, astros, athletics, dodgers, mccourts, recaps
Monday, May 23, 2011 |
More On Bryan Stow Beating Suspect Giovanni Ramirez
Ramirez was booked on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and is being held on $1 million bail. Because he is accused of kicking Stow while he was unconscious on the ground, police consider Ramirez's foot a deadly weapon....
Ramirez, who police said is a documented member of the Varrio Nuevo Estrada street gang, has at least three prior felony convictions. According to police sources, he was convicted of attempted robbery in 1998, robbery in 1999, and firing a weapon in a public place in 2005.
Labels: bryan stow, dodgers
Pickoff Moves
Injuries Galore Imperil An Already Shaky 2011: White Sox 8, Dodgers 3
Hiroki Kuroda's third big-time implosion this year (the first being vs. St Louis on April 14 and the second at Citi Field May 6) was hardly the big occasion in this game. No, it was injuries to Andre Ethier and Rod Barajas that drew the most attention in a totally forgettable game. It seems like these days, a Dodger game that doesn't end in a 15-day DL stint is a success, forget the score. The good news, such as it was, was that neither Barajas nor Ethier broke anything according to x-rays, but that doesn't mean they won't be offline for a while:Ethier suffered contusions to his left big toe, lower back and right elbow Sunday trying to flag down former teammate Juan Pierre's fourth-inning line drive in the Dodgers' 8-3 loss to the White Sox. Barajas suffered a sprained right wrist in the same inning, trying to make a diving tag at the plate as Pierre scored on Paul Konerko's sacrifice fly.I could see either or both causing soft tissue damage, with a consequence that the Dodgers end up having to play one of their quad-A players in the outfield and/or behind the dish.
Angels Go Over .500 With Series Win: Angels 4, Braves 1
A tough opponent and a hard time winning at home looked like the Angels were due for another brutal series loss, but after crushing the Braves 9-0 on Friday, the Angels shed Saturday's loss like so much water off a duck's back. Torii Hunter's two-run homer, a scoring groundout by Alexei Amarista, and a Bobby Abreu RBI double did the trick for the win, while Tyler Chatwood posted a fine rebound game following his catastrophic start in Oakland, providing the team with seven innings of one-run ball. The bullpen deeply appreciated it, because Saturday's game used every available arm.
Labels: angels, braves, dodgers, recaps, white sox
Sunday, May 22, 2011 |
A Bad Day For Joel Pineiro: Braves 5, Angels 4 (12 Innings)
Labels: angels, braves, recaps
Report: Bryan Stow Beating Suspect In Custody
Story, following. Few details (the suspect isn't named).
Labels: bryan stow, dodgers
Saturday, May 21, 2011 |
Angels End A Skid Against An Old Foe: Angels 9, Braves 0
I'm glad I did, because it picked up the narrative from April, it seemed like, all in one game. Now, granted, I think a bunch of this was because Braves starter (and former Oakland ace) Tim Hudson got hit hard from the very first batter. In fact, this was something of a historic slaughter for Hudson, because it represented only the fifth time he's given up eight or more runs in a game, the most recent being July 29, 2006 against the Mets. I think we all assumed he was going to be a multiple Cy Young winner, when what he became was merely a very good but flawed pitcher. Hudson's 2010 was very like what I assumed he would be, 17-9 with a 2.83 ERA, but the ERA and wins were both high-water marks in his time in Atlanta.
The Angels pretty much had their way with Hudson after the second inning, and you could tell it was coming, too. The outs were all but consistently hard-hit: Maicer Izturis, a screaming liner to right, Erick Aybar, a scorching grounder to first, and so on. They broke through in the third by pushing six across in a punishing display of offensive fireworks that came about despite lacking Howie Kendrick in the lineup due to a hamstring pull in Thursday's game. Three of those were due to a homer from Mark Trumbo, a no-doubter in that eventful third that put an exclamation point on the Angels' W.
The rest of it was largely denouement for Ervin Santana's complete game shutout, the sixth of his career, and something of a surprise to me; but Ervin has always been full of surprises, good and bad, the whole time he's been an Angel. More of this sort, please.
Labels: angels, braves, recaps
Thursday, May 19, 2011 |
Tim Brown On How A Billboard Man Helped Spread The Word
Lamar Advertising has some 5,000 billboards in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Curious one morning and feeding a gnawing helplessness, he checked his inventory, knowing spring would be slow, that there would be vacancies, that the busy summer months were weeks away.Baker contacted his corporate lobbyist, who put him in touch with LAPD Chief Charlie Beck to discuss donating the billboards. Lamar had 200 sites available that day, and another 100 would come free shortly thereafter.
One of the billboards, near the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Marion Avenue a half-mile from Dodger Stadium, looks like the rest. “WANTED,” it pleads across the top, “Attempted Murder at Dodger Stadium.” It offers a reward, lists a phone number, and bears the police sketches of the two alleged attackers.
Labels: bryan stow, dodgers
Padilla Disabled, Ramon Troncoso Called Up
While You Were Cheering For Jamie McCourt's Sale Bid...
Jamie McCourt is pushing for a private sale -- rather than one facilitated by MLB if it invokes its power to sell the team -- because she believes it will result in the highest possible sales price. Frank McCourt's attorneys have said the team and its properties are worth between $800 million and $900 million, while his ex-wife's lawyers believe the potential could be more than $2 billion.Never forget that Jamie has a primary role in this fiasco of sucking the Dodgers dry. If she pushes for a sale and tries to hold out for an unreasonably high figure, that could be just as catastrophic to the team as current ownership — if such a move doesn't delay the sale of the team by months or even years.
Pickoff Moves
Dirtbag vs. Dirtbag: Mariners 3, Angels 0
A pair of former CSULB Dirtbags on the mound last night, and it was Jason Vargas for the M's who walked away with the win. Vargas has been up and down with the Marlins, Mets, and now the Mariners for the last three years. He missed all of 2008 because of hip surgery, from which he finally recovered and, if this game is any indication, he's now actually living up to his promise as a quality third starter.Of course, the Angels' tepid lineup had a lot to do with that. The Angels rookies are now looking like rookies, Mark Trumbo especially, hitting an anemic .159/.191/.254 in May. The Angels managed eleven baserunners and stranded all of them.
Jered Weaver took his fourth straight loss, but at least it was a quality start (and then some).
The Angels have been shut out in consecutive games. Ugh. Third place — and after that enticing but apparently misleading hot April, too! — beckons.
Dodgers Show Life But Not A W: Giants 8, Dodgers 5
The Dodgers looked like they were gonna get creamed again after los Gigantes posted a 4-0 lead after four off an especially shaky Clayton Kershaw, who even granted them the favor of walking in a run. But the Dodgers somehow reached back to tie thing in the eighth, chasing starter Matt Cain, yet it wasn't enough. If Lance Cormier is on the mound, bad things happen, and sure enough, Cody Ross took him yard for the margin of victory, a three-run jack. This is a tough team to watch.More On Jamie's Attempt To Force A Sale
Multiple reports coming across the transom this morning from ESPN's Molly Knight and the LAT's Bill Shaikin. Jamie "resolve this situation for my family in a way that also advances the best interests of the Dodgers fans, players and franchise". She is asking for a sale of all Dodger assets, land, team, and other property; if the court declines to force a sale, she wants MLB to take over. Jamie apparently didn't want to sell but now feels it's inevitable. Meanwhile, Frank is doing a Hail Mary and asking Judge Gordon to force MLB to approve the Fox TV deal.Labels: angels, dodgers, giants, mariners, mccourts, recaps
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 |
Jamie McCourt To Ask MLB To Force Frank To Sell Dodgers
Update: And here it is. Looks like such a move could give MLB a nice out: they won't have to find an excuse to force a sale if one of the owners asks for it.
Related: Via Abort McCourt, a Forbes story from Mike Oznanian indicating that the Dodgers are days away from defaulting on player salaries. We knew that, of course, but what I didn't know is that there's a 48 hour window from missing payroll to the time that MLBPA can start the 10-day free agency clock.
Labels: dodgers, mccourts, woo hoo
Brian Stow Opens Eyes, Still In Critical Condition
The Dodgers increased the reward for information leading to the arrest of the assailants by $100,000, making the total now $200,000. The LAPD yesterday revealed a woman drove the getaway car of the suspects. Bryan's mother Ann Stow praised the support she received in Los Angeles, saying "This truly is the city of angels" as her son was transferred to a San Francisco hospital.
Labels: bryan stow, dodger stadium, dodgers
Eliminating The McCourts, One Blog At A Time
Labels: blogs, dodgers, mccourts
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 |
The Fans Have Spoken
Dodger Stadium on Clayton Kershaw Bobblehead night. Via Chad Moriyama on Twitter.
Labels: dodger stadium, dodgers, mccourts
Cubs On Pace To Out-Draw Dodgers?
How New Astros Owner Jim Crane Is Like Frank McCourt
The similarities between McCourt and Crane cover two areas. For lack of a better term, they were both bridesmaids in club sales. For McCourt, it was the Red Sox. For Crane, it was the Cubs and Rangers (and technically, the Astros once prior). Baseball has a tendency to bring in owners that truly want in, if they meet the financial muster.What's disturbing about this is how MLB is bringing in one heavily indebted owner around the same time it's trying to kick out another one. Brown asks, "Is McLane and MLB more concerned about setting market value than possibly setting themselves up for another debacle, such as McCourt wound up in?" I would be inclined to answer "yes". Though the Red Sox eventually went to a group led by John Henry, they were not the high bidder, and concern around Massachusetts was that MLB steered the team into their hands.Which brings us to what will likely be the most concerning aspect of any approval by the league’s 30 owners. Crane’s purchase, like McCourts’, is heavily debt-laden.
Of the $680 million purchase, just under half ($300 million) is going to be financed with debt. According to Mike Ozanian of Forbes, “In 2010 the Astros had operating income of $14 million, so if Crane parks $300 million of debt on the team the franchise would be in technical default of the league’s debt limit, which is 10 times earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.”
A good half or more of the Dodgers' attendance problems can be directly attributable to the poor quality of the team on the field, but much of this can be laid at the feet of a historic reluctance to pay for international talent and underspending on the Rule 4 draft. Last year's surprise signing of LSU pitcher Zach Lee was the first time since the 2006 draft that yielded Clayton Kershaw that the team has spent more than $2M on a signing bonus. Some of that can be explained by the team's veteran lust that fritters away top draft slots for dubious free agent acquisitions, but it's hard not to see how the McCourt's personal extravagance is steadily corroding the team and the fan experience at the ballpark. One hopes, for the sake of Astros fans, that Crane isn't like McCourt in that way — and more, that this doesn't become yet another talking point in the coming legal battle between MLB and Frank McCourt.
Labels: astros, dodgers, mccourts, owners
Angels Gag It Up In Extras, Again: A's 5, Angels 4 (10 Innings)
I left after that, to walk the dogs, knowing the next man in line would be Fernando Rodney, and that he would take the loss. Mike Scioscia is nothing if not predictable.
Labels: angels, athletics, recaps
Saturday, May 14, 2011 |
How To Kick Frank To The Curb
So go ahead and buy the Dodgers. Then give Tim Leiweke a call and tell him you’re ready to bring the team downtown. Then call Anaheim and get a price on rent for three seasons or so of Dodger baseball in Orange County while Leiweke builds a new stadium. Tell them you’ll match what the Angels pay: $2 million a year. What the heck! Make it $3 million. In an era of tight budgets, Anaheim will take it – and you’ll save $11 million a year in rent. That’s enough to buy a very good ballplayer – or make a nice down payment on Dodger Stadium renovations if you owned the stadium.Now call Frank McCourt. Tell him you’ll buy Dodger Stadium and the parking lots. Tell him about your calls to Tim Leiweke and to Anaheim. Tell him you’re ready to move to Anaheim for three years so you can fix up Dodger Stadium, or so Leiweke can build a new ballpark four miles away. It doesn’t matter which. Now tell him the price you’ll pay for Dodger Stadium and the parking lots goes down every minute.
Remind him that if there’s no sale, he loses his sole tenant right now. Tell him when his property taxes are due.
Then hang up.
Labels: brilliant ideas, dodgers, mccourts
Pickoff Moves
Weaver, Mediocre: Rangers 4, Angels 1
I missed much of this game, but the parts I missed I either didn't want to see anyway or wished I had. Jered Weaver has, despite my flawed memory, pitched fairly well in Arlington, with a career 3.73 ERA in 71 IP. He gave up four tonight in six innings of work, not great but hardly terrible.The major good news was Kevin Jepsen and Trevor Bell each providing a clean inning in the seventh and eighth innings respectively. Otherwise, the Angels' offense fell down on the job, save for a fluke solo homer by Erick Aybar, causing the Halos to drop their third straight game, and slicing another win off their division lead, now only a half game over Texas. Nice while it lasted, I guess.
Dodgers Barely Hold On To A Kershaw Win: Dodgers 4, Diamondbacks 3
Kershaw was masterful through seven, giving up only five baserunners while striking out eleven. Unfortunately, the bullpen nearly gave it all back, as anointed closer Vicente Padilla left the game in the ninth with the tying run in scoring position, and the winning run at first. That was that, and Don Mattingly pulled him for Kenley Jansen, who somehow managed to finish the game without further incident. Yow.Sad News: Harmon Killebrew Nears Death
From esophageal cancer; the great Twins slugger was their cleanup hitter in the 1965 World Series against the Dodgers. A great player and a nice guy by all accounts.Late: Is Howie Kendrick For Real?
Yes, but we'll see how real; his BABIP is awfully high in early going.Just For Fun: Harry Shearer Does Vin Scully Announcing The McCourt Fire Sale
Starts at about 32:00. Great fun.Labels: angels, diamondbacks, dodgers, funny, history, rangers, recaps, twins
Friday, May 13, 2011 |
Meta: Test Post: Is Blogger Really Back?
It's weird — I don't remember whether I wrote anything yesterday, but I think I did. Hopefully it will come back as Blogger restores posts made since 7:37 AM PDT Wednesday.
Labels: meta
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 |
Bullety Lunchtime Stuff
- The Dodgers have confirmed that Scott Elbert will get the callup to replace the injured Blake Hawksworth. Hawksworth had a strained groin muscle in last night's game.
Update: Dylan Hernandez claims the return on the Elbert callup is not Hawksworth but Hong-Chih Kuo. Ken Gurnick says the team is staying mum about why Kuo is going down. The Dodgers need league approval to tell us why Kuo is going down? WTF?
Update 2: His problem is related to the "yips" he had two years ago and is psychological in nature, Dylan Hernandez writes.
- Bill Shaikin tweets that Frank McCourt has left the owners' meetings and is not talking to the press.
- Steve Dilbeck: "Frank McCourt not only has a plan, he has dozens of them. All with one thing in common: desperation."
- Willy Aybar wasn't signed in the offseason because he was in prison for beating his wife so badly that she had to go to the ICU.
- Update: Bill Shaikin tweets that ex-Angel Kevin Frandsen has tested positive for ritalin. Really, MLB? A 50-game suspension for ritalin?
- Update 2: The Angels have disabled Francisco Rodriguez with shoulder inflammation; Kevin Jepsen got the callup.
Labels: dodgers, ex-dodgers, injuries, mccourts, transactions
Advice For Cleveland Sports Fans
Sully Baseball has some advice for Cleveland sports fans. Concur.
Jay Jaffe at BPro says the Tribe is a serious contender. Surprisingly enough, the Angels aren't made of tissue paper, either.
Labels: angels, funny, indians, predictions
Pickoff Moves
Don't Make A Correia Out Of It: Dodgers 10, Pirates 3
As humiliating as yesterday's loss was, today's win was equally amusing, not least because of its unlikeliness. The offense scored ten runs for only the second time this year, while recording only their fourth win since April 25. The Dodgers haven't won a series since, and wow.Ted Lilly kept the Buccos off the board until the sixth, when Andrew McCutcheon hit a leadoff blast to nudge Pittsburgh to a 4-1 deficit, and later gave up a sac fly to Neil Walker to make it 4-2. But that was as close at the Pirates ever got, because the Dodgers got one of those back on Jerry Sands' infield single that scored Rod Barajas from third in the seventh, and then proceeded to blow the game open in the eighth against Mike Crotta (who failed to make an out) and Chris Resop (who allowed all three of his inherited baserunners to score). Resop even graciously allowed consecutive bases-loaded walks to Jerry Sands and — I am not making this up — reliever Matt Guerrier, for whom yesterday's plate appearance was his third all-time. When you're cold, you're cold.
Update: Bad me, reusing a hed.
Return Of The Offense: Angels 6, White Sox 2
A real lollipop of a win compared to yesterday, the Angels held the lead from first inning on, drubbing John Danks for three runs and never looking back. Plus, rally masks, and a game I wish I could have attended. Joel Pineiro pitched another home gem — the announcers mentioned that in his last seven home starts he has some unearthly one point something ERA. The funny part of all that was seeing Howie Kendrick penciled in as a starting left fielder; but the canny Mike Scioscia knew the groundball-inducing Pineiro wouldn't allow any fly balls to left, and so it was. No balls even found Howie, and the only ball hit to left was Alexei Ramirez' single in the eighth, by which time Howie had been safely switched back to first base.The Angels will get to face Jake Peavy in the finale, which could be great or terrible, considering. Peavy was a winner in his May 5 rehab start with AAA Charlotte, giving up five runs over seven innings, all earned.
Frank Will Try To Charm The Other Owners After All Other Options Exhausted
Good luck with that. Great story by Bill Shaikin that really gives us some more insight into why the owners would fall in lockstep behind Bud Selig on the takeover of the Dodgers, and the eviction of Frank McCourt:Among baseball's owners, McCourt appears to have what the Lakers' Andrew Bynum would call "trust issues."Josh Fisher has more thinking on the possibility of a bankruptcy filing.Some owners did not appreciate McCourt and his ex-wife, Jamie McCourt, contesting their divorce so publicly and bitterly. The revelations about all that spending on estates and hairdressers and private jets have threatened the credibility of every other owner who pledges to funnel profits back into his team.
The owners were disturbed to read that McCourt had set up a mechanism by which the Dodgers paid rent to play in a stadium they owned, millions of dollars that might otherwise have gone toward baseball's revenue-sharing plan. The owners were more disturbed to learn that the league had approved the mechanism, apparently without the due diligence that Schieffer has now been installed to provide.
The owners grew concerned when McCourt proclaimed he had stadium security under control after the Bryan Stow beating, only to see the Los Angeles Police Department temporarily take over and Selig dispatch a six-man task force. The owners do not need fans wondering whether their favorite team employs a full-time head of security, since the Dodgers had left the position vacant for four months.
The owners are astonished that McCourt needed a loan to make his first payroll of the season, even more surprised by the plummeting attendance at Dodger Stadium, all those empty seats meaning millions more dollars disappearing from the revenue-sharing pool.
One major league owner referred to it as a "fan boycott."
Labels: angels, bryan stow, dodgers, mccourts, pirates, recaps, white sox
Tuesday, May 10, 2011 |
Dick Walsh Passes, Former Dodgers Exec And Angels GM
Labels: angels, dodgers, history
Some Bullety Stuff
- Beyond The Boxscore has its preliminary 2011 defensive catcher ratings out. Hank Conger and Rod Barajas are both in the upper half, while Jeff Mathis is one of the worst, as is (surprisingly) ex-Dodger, current Yankee Russell Martin. #1? Baltimore's Matt Wieters.
- Rafael Furcal is nowhere near ready for a rehab stint, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. (Via Aaron Gleeman at NBC's Hardball Talk blog.)
- Maury Brown says the Astros sale is down to the details, and should complete soon. Jim Crane will buy the club for $680 million.
Labels: analysis, angels, astros, dodgers, injuries, ratings, sabermetrics
MLB "Looking Hard" At Bankruptcy? That's The Plan!
The embattled owner would almost certainly face opposition in bankruptcy court from the league, which could use a "voluntary termination" clause as empowered by the MLB constitution to revoke a franchise upon a bankruptcy filing.It has always been my position that the league (okay, in this case, "league" = "MLB") is going to force the Dodgers through bankruptcy proceedings by preventing the Fox money from rescuing Frank. (Such a rescue that would be temporary at best even if it proceeded — he and Jamie can spend a lot, and faster than the Dodgers can earn the revenue to support it.) The trigger will be unmet player salaries, the whole colossal edifice with all its myriad operating entities will get decapitated and dismembered, and Frank will be on a flight to Boston, or in irons to Leavenworth. I am not worried about bankruptcy — I embrace it. The one real hazard, though, is this:Also, Jamie McCourt would argue that ex-husband Frank has no right to take the team into bankruptcy without her approval, since she claims half-ownership of the team, according to a person familiar with her thinking but not authorized to discuss it publicly.
"If I were McCourt, I'd take a shot at getting the court to approve the [Fox TV] contract," said Rob Kampfner, another attorney at White and Case.I have to think the banks aren't too happy to see the internal machinations of the McCourt companies, though they might be better aware of them than we know, given the sums involved. Still, I'm optimistic that McCourt will have to kneel before MLB under the "best interests of baseball" clause, and this coming bankruptcy is prelude to a forced sale that includes all assets of the Dodgers.However, the large banks that are the Dodgers' primary creditors might not authorize whatever reorganization plan McCourt might put forth, Kampfner said, in the interest of preserving business opportunities with other teams and with the league.
"If the creditors were completely supportive of Mr. McCourt, he would be in a pretty strong position," Kampfner said. "But they're probably inclined to see their portfolio in a much larger sense than people that sell pencils to the Dodgers."
Monday, May 09, 2011 |
Angels Recall Reggie Willits To Replace Vernon Wells
Why You Shouldn't Panic About Frank Owning Dodger Stadium And Its Surrounding Property
If MLB seizes the Dodgers from McCourt and puts them up for sale, the league would be obligated to try to get the best price possible, lest McCourt sue MLB for failing to obtain maximum value for his property.Yet maximum value would be difficult to obtain if McCourt did not include the stadium and/or the land in the sale, according to a sports investment banker who declined to be identified because he might represent potential bidders.
Angels DL Wells Following An Embarrassing Shutout: White Sox 8, Angels 0
Vernon Wells didn't make it to first base before pulling up lame, and unsurprisingly, was placed on the DL. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), Mike Trout won't get the callup.
An awful game.
Labels: angels, recaps, white sox
Col. Kurtz Loses It: Pirates 4, Dodgers 1
Pittsburgh... shit; I'm still only in Pittsburgh... Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back in the jungle.I used the above (slightly incompetently) at MSTI, but really, Chad Billingsley was very good through six, but imploded for three runs in the eighth. Astonishingly, both Juan Uribe and Don Mattingly — the latter for the first time in his brief major league career — were ejected from the game, so go them.When I was home after my first tour, it was worse. I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce. When I was home after my first tour, it was worse.
[grabs at flying insect]
I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back into the jungle. I'm here a week now... waiting for a mission... getting softer. Every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Doumit squats behind the dish, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around the walls moved in a little tighter.
— Willard, or Chad Billingsley
Dodgers pitching gave up three straight doubles — one by Billingsley, and two, worrisomely, by Hong-Chih Kuo — in the eighth, and that was the end of things. Kuo looks especially bad, leaving pitches middle in, and coughing up the win, though he didn't take the loss.
Kind of brutal, really. The Pirates end the day at 18-17 (above .500, by the way), and the Dodgers, 16-20. Chad Billingsley? His first quality start in PNC Park in his career.
Labels: dodgers, pirates, recaps
Ex-Padre Exec Fills In For Tom Schieffer
Said 1 team official: "It's like we have a substitute teacher."No running with scissors, Frank.
Update: Bill Shaikin reports MLB has rescinded the appointment due to a potential conflict of interest. You think?
Labels: dodgers, front office
A Tardy Shout-Out For MSTI On James Loney
Milton Bradley's Professional Career Almost Over As Mariners DFA Him
He doesn’t provide any flexibility on the roster, and in actuality, his injury-prone body and angry-prone personality actually hamper roster construction, as the team always has to be prepared for Bradley to come out of the game – either via pain or ejection – at any given moment. And, let’s be honest, Bradley is not on this team for reasons related to team chemistry or leadership. He might not be the worst teammate ever, but he’s definitely not in the running for the best, and I don’t think you can make a case that he’s an asset in the locker room.Lookout Landing informs us that the return is OF Carlos Peguero, a AAA outfielder whose minor league numbers make him appear as though he'll have a hard time catching on as even a fifth outfielder. Oh, well.
Labels: ex-dodgers, mariners, transactions
Sunday, May 08, 2011 |
Mike Scioscia's 1,000th Win: Angels 6, Indians 5
I could bore you with the details of this game; the Angels mounted not one but two thrilling comebacks, the first in the sixth after having been blanked by Tribe starter Fausto Carmona. The whole damned thing, in fact, started with two out, as did both Angels rallies. A double by Alberto Callaspo, an infield single by Howie Kendrick, and a single up the middle by Hank Conger got the Angels their first lead of the day.
That wasn't enough to guarantee a win, as Fernando Rodney erased Dan Haren's potential win by surrendering a couple runs in the eighth — he'll never be reliable, and keeps reminding me of Antonio Alfonseca, or maybe more relevant to recent Angels history, Esteban Yan: a one-trick fireballer with a tendency to fall apart with repeated exposure.
Well, no matter: the Halos came back and got 'er done, albeit once again with two outs, this time in the eighth. Peter Bourjos (infield single) and Erick Aybar (booming double to left center) were the heroes of the afternoon, and though Jordan Walden wasn't brilliant — surrendering a run to Asdrubal Cabrera's RBI double — he managed to finish out the game without further damage. Thanks to a 12-5 Yankees rout of Texas, the Angels are back to a two-game lead in the division. Well, hip, hip, hoooray, especially as it was Mike Scioscia's 1,000th's career win as a manager.
Labels: angels, indians, recaps
Saturday, May 07, 2011 |
No Seppuku For Frank
Any involuntary termination requires a three-fourths vote of the owners. None of the other 29 owners has spoken out publicly in support of McCourt, and one said Selig has all the votes should he recommend the Dodgers' franchise be terminated."The vote would be 29-0," said the owner, not authorized to comment publicly because of the possibility of litigation. McCourt has not ruled out a legal challenge to Selig, most likely centered on the allegation that the commissioner has abused his powers.
Friday, May 06, 2011 |
Singles Night: Angels 2, Indians 1 (11 Innings)
Cleveland took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Pronk's scoring groundout to first in the fourth inning. The Angels battled back to tie the game in the sixth, and could have taken the lead but for a brilliant play by Shin Shoo Choo in right, who converted a Torii Hunter fly ball out into a double play at third, erasing Maicer Izturis and effectively ending the Angels' threat. Eventually, things went into extras, and despite the appearance of Fernando Rodney, no catastrophes occurred (for the Angels). The Angels eventually won the affair on four straight singles, including Torii Hunter's first hit of the game.
Two games over Texas — and, shock! Oakland — now. Can we believe, a little?
Mild postscript: the Friday fireworks show was dogged by synchronization problems with the music (Katy Perry, though I doubt that was significant). People left in the middle of the show for the first time in memory, and even booed. Wow.
Labels: angels, indians, recaps
Blue Skying The Dodger Free Agents If Frank Don't Pay Up
Clayton Kershaw – This one is obvious, right? No one is going to outbid the Yankees for Kershaw’s services. At 23 and already a dominant force, having posted a 3.19 ERA in 90 career starts, Kershaw is one of the most valuable properties around and it’s make perfect sense for the Yankees to go all in for him. Still four years away from actual free agency, Kershaw would stand to benefit more than anyone from this chain of events. The injury risk is significant, but I imagine he’d get at least $100 million for six years as a free agent. Prediction: Yankees – six years, $108 million.Fangraphs says Kershaw's been worth about $20M annually, so I would actually call that deal insanely undervalued, for two reasons: first, the guy is only 23 years old, and second, he has proven himself as a front-of-the-rotation player. Six years and $120M is the starting point for negotiations.
Labels: dodgers
Broxton Disabled, Jansen Back Up
Labels: dodgers, injuries, transactions
Heather Beyer Passes, Memorial Service Set
Why Steve Soboroff Needs To Be Fired, And Why He Probably Won't Be
Schieffer responded via email within two minutes of the request, granting it. Frank McCourt apologized late yesterday, admitting that Soboroff’s claim was baloney. Soboroff has not commented. Which is understandable, because what is he gonna say? “I hereby retract the bullsh** statement I made that was clearly calculated to make it seem like Schieffer is not on top of his duties in overseeing the Dodgers. I will attempt to offer less baldly false propaganda in my efforts to help Mr. McCourt keep his team in the future”?I still am baffled by what Soboroff gets out of being Frank's mouthpiece, and more, by so transparently dissembling in his service. Frank is not an artful liar by any stretch; if he were, he would be in politics. As it is, he is only good enough to score, temporarily, a major league baseball team. If anything, Soboroff appears a sort of second-rate copy of Frank, only less competent in public relations skills. And if that's the only reason he's around, as Craig points out, he needs to be fired; but there'll be time enough for that at the end of the month, when MLB takes over the team anyway.
Red Letter Day For The Dodgers: 1960's Spring Training Uniforms
Also, at the bottom of that article, it appears that the Tigers will be wearing pink shoes for Mother's Day. Hmm.
Thursday, May 05, 2011 |
That Would Make You The Dope, Frank
“The question is, do we deserve a chance?” Steve Soboroff, the new man on owner Frank McCourt’s staff, said. “We’re getting the death penalty for, maybe there were some traffic tickets.”Mr. Bryan Stow would disagree, were he conscious to do so. So:
“If they’re doing an investigation, where are the people?” Soboroff demanded. “Unless they’ve already figured out the answer and this whole thing is a rope-a-dope.”Bingo.
Labels: bryan stow, dodgers, mccourts, stfu, stupid ideas
OBL vs. Frank vs. MLB
Dodgers Vice Chairman Steve Soboroff told several media outlets Thursday that Tom Schieffer, the trustee appointed by Commissioner Bud Selig to run the team, did not respond promptly to a request for upgraded stadium security. The allegation outraged Major League Baseball officials, for whom Schieffer produced an email in which he granted authorization two minutes after the request from Dodgers general counsel Sam Fernandez.Late: Tony Jackson at ESPN:In addition to issuing a statement, McCourt apologized in a telephone call to Rob Manfred, the MLB executive vice president and Selig's point man on the Dodgers.
Soboroff did not return messages from The Times. He spoke Thursday with KPCC, Yahoo Sports and the New York Times.
As I got up to leave, shaking hands with McCourt and a couple of his top lieutenants who sat in on the interview, it occurred to me that this final answer was vintage McCourt. He has been accused at times of being arrogant, an adjective that would seem to fit a man who never believes he needs a Plan B because he never concedes in the slightest that his Plan A won't work exactly as he envisions it.Seven years after McCourt bought the Dodgers, though, it is difficult to imagine that back on Jan. 29, 2004 -- the day McCourt's purchase of the team was finalized and right around the time I was moving to town and taking over the beat at one of the local newspapers here -- that he envisioned his Plan A leading him to where he is today.
Gazpacho Isn't The Only Dish Served Cold: Angels 11, Red Sox 0
If the first two games of this series were depressing catastrophes, the second two were revenge served in long form, yesterday's a record-setting game that saw pitches thrown at Fenway well past 2:00 AM. Today's was a serial whupping that had the Angels utterly annihilate their former teammate John Lackey — who famously left the Angels for a bigger payday at Fenway — while posting crooked numbers in three straight innings against him. Lucha libre couldn't have been more libre than it was today.
Mark Trumbo drove in a pair on another epic homer that recalled the blasts Troy Glaus used to hit at Fenway. Not only that — he doubled his season walk total with a pair of walks. I'm not sure which is better, but either way, it was teh awesome.
The offense finally found its groove against Red Sox pitching; almost everything worked, and Lackey looked like he was throwing batting practice. Contrariwise, the Angels pitching — even, dear God, Francisco Rodriguez (not the good one) — managed clean innings. It was the largest blanking the Angels have ever managed against the Red Sox, and to do it in Fenway was something special. Extra bonus points to take the AL West flag all by their lonesomes. (As I write this, they could be a whole game up, as the M's are leading Texas 3-1 with one out to go in the top of the 9th.)
Update: The M's won it, so the Angels are a game up in the division.
Labels: angels, recaps, red sox
Two Games
Dodgers Find It's Ethier To Lose With Your Starting Outfielder Sidelined: Cubs 5, Dodgers 1
Andre Ethier a late scratch due to elbow trouble, and what is it with elbows this year? First Casey Blake, then Jonathan Broxton, and minutes later, Ethier all had elbow troubles that kept them off the field. As the rules for hitting streaks make no mention of whether the streak is logged by consecutive team games or player games, I assume this means that the latter is favored over the former. It's a question MLB.com columnist Anthony Castrovince asks but frustratingly never answers.So, the Bud Selig Dodgers after getting out to a 3-0 start are now back down to 7-7. The Dodgers were done in by Ted Lilly's propensity to give up gopherballs, and while he does that normally, I note he does not lead the club in this aspect, that being Clayton Kershaw's dubious honor.
The Dodgers' only run came on Jay Gibbons' sac fly in the sixth. A disappointing outing, to be sure.
Update: I should add something pointed out by Eric Stephen on Twitter yesterday, namely that the Dodgers' 28,419 listed attendance was the fourth sub-30,000 game this year; the Dodgers hadn't had a single game with less than 30,000 listed attendance since 2004.
Announcer Rally Masks Help Angels Win In Extras, Extras, Extras: Angels 5, Red Sox 3 (13 Innings)
Not only an incredibly long game — there was a 2:35 rain delay, and the overall time to completion was a butt-numbing five hours — but the outcome was more than welcome despite a bullpen implosion from closer Jordan Walden, who gave up the tying runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extras. I don't think I've ever seen Fenway that empty before, and given the ultimate outcome, I just can't complain.Stuck in a scoreless tie during a duel between starters Ervin Santana and Josh Beckett, the rain delay — which started in the top of the fifth — took both out of the equation, and the game henceforth became a battle of bullpens. The Angels took the first lead off, improbably, a two-run homer by Vernon Wells in the seventh, who gifted Dan Wheeler with an 11.32 ERA afterwards. The Angels got what looked like an insurance run in the top of the ninth after Hideki Okajima gave up a bases-loaded sac fly to Erick Aybar. Boston had previously scratched out a single run in the bottom of the eighth on Fernando Rodney's ill-advised wild throw to the plate on what was ruled an infield single; Rodney would have been better served to keep the ball in his pocket, though it's not clear to me that the baserunner at third, Adrian Gonzalez, wouldn't have scored anyway.
Bobby Abreu's bases-loaded single off Daisuke Matsuzaka finally won the game in the 13th, but the most fun part of this game was the lucha libre rally masks the announcers wore in the booth. Pure awesomeness, and I expect to see them in the team store presently.
Update: Last night's 2:45 AM EDT finish time is the latest finish for any game, ever in available Red Sox records.
Labels: angels, cubs, dodgers, recaps, red sox
Wednesday, May 04, 2011 |
Rebutting Frank's Claim That The $100M Figure Is "Inflated"
According to documents filed by Jamie McCourt in connection with the McCourt divorce last year, the sparring couple took at least $108.9 million out of the organization since purchasing the club in 2004. In an exhibit to the same filing, the family's banker once characterized Jamie McCourt's philosophy as "why have a family business but to support the family lifestyle?" Frank McCourt has recently blasted the $108.9 million figure as grossly inflated, claiming the McCourts have really taken only about $50 million of salary and distributions from the club. However, in his calculations, Frank does not include the Dodgers' de facto guarantee of a nearly $50 million dollar loan to the McCourts, which is secured by two parcels of land currently used as Dodger Stadium parking lots.It is for these reasons that I have for some time basically assumed that it would not be enough for MLB to take control of the team. MLB would also have to push the team into (and extract it from) bankruptcy, and then sell the team after all the various machinations had been unwound. And it is a very complex web; Fisher says that there were 22 separate entities as of last spring, assuming no new ones had been created hence.When an issue central to the divorce went to trial last fall, further evidence of how the McCourts viewed the Dodgers came into focus. At one point in the preceding years, the couple strategized about how to fund their $15 million-plus annual budget to support their lifestyle. Unable to set aside $250 million to invest for that purpose, Jamie McCourt took a note during a meeting with a financial adviser: "[R]ather, we will bake the annual number into our operating budget."
It is clear that the McCourts did not separate their personal finances from club operations, and figuring out how to keep Dodgers revenue inside the organization might be both Schieffer's most important and most difficult task. Potentially complicating his efforts are the numerous debt instruments encumbering various revenue streams, such as ticket sales.
I want to comment on Josh's point 5, "Be transparent":
For too long, Dodgers staffers and fans have dealt with uncertainty. Schieffer should -- within understandable limits, given a potential McCourt lawsuit against MLB -- be open and honest with the club's employees, fans, and media. He should also communicate to the greatest extent possible with Frank McCourt. This will improve the club's relationship with all stakeholders.For their own reasons, this is not likely to happen entirely. I mainly believe that one of the few areas where Frank is largely correct is in his surmising the point of the MLB "investigation", namely, as a stalling tactic to find out which McCourt entity stops paying its bills first, and then to use that as a pretext for forcing the whole octopus (doicosapus?) into bankruptcy. They can't come out and say this, of course — this speaks to Joshua's point seven, "Have a disaster plan". Yes, they're planning on a disaster for Frank. That's the point. But they can't come out and say it.
Update: Bill Shaikin summarizes yesterday's whirlwind PR tour. More eventfully, McCourt has fired off a letter to MLB demanding they let the Fox deal proceed. This is going to be fun.
Update 2: Yahoo's Tim Brown reports that MLB executives, including Tom Schieffer, will meet in Milwaukee to discuss the Dodgers.
Update 3: MLB now says the Dodgers' woes are all due to Frank McCourt (duh!).
Fabforum "Any financial problems faced by the Los Angeles Dodgers are the result of decisions made by Mr. McCourt and his management team over a period of years," MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred said in a statement.Oh, and Frank isn't playing nice:
"The pace of the commissioner's investigation has been adversely affected by the Dodgers' failure to produce documents in a timely manner and by the complexity of the financial structures surrounding the club," Manfred said. "The commissioner intends to complete the investigation promptly but will not accept less than a thorough investigation."Jon Heyman:
Word also is that iconic former manager Joe Torre, a good friend of baseball commissioner Bud Selig and who was hired by MLB to be executive vice president of baseball operations, is one in the growing camp who lost faith in McCourt. Same apparently goes for ex-Dodgers executive Kim Ng, who was brought in to MLB by Torre. Torre is said to have been unhappy with McCourt not following through on promises to improve the team (which, as we now know, came at a time he was using money on himself).Update 4: Bloomberg News has obtained the letter McCourt sent, and MLB's response.
“The commissioner’s continued delay and his conscious decision to put the Dodgers in this state of distress and make it a matter of public discussion is harming Mr. McCourt and the Dodgers,” according to one of the letters, which were reviewed by Bloomberg News. “Mr. McCourt reiterates his request that the commissioner immediately approve the Fox transaction.”Update 5: The New York Times:
If baseball does not help McCourt — and he finds no other revenue source to pay his players — the players would be able to file notices of default with baseball. If McCourt does not pay within 10 days after May 31, they could become free agents.It occurs to me that MLBPA might be the crowbar that Bud Selig uses to pry the Dodgers from McCourt. While Dodgers player salaries are right around $100M ($104M this year, $95M in 2010, $100M in 2009) in recent years, they're not keeping pace with the bigger spenders in the league. MLBPA certainly wouldn't mind if the Dodgers became another factor driving free agent salaries higher. A different owner might be more inclined to do that, especially one that isn't as encumbered with debt as Frank is. Both parties have their reasons for wanting Frank gone, and with ownership unified behind Selig, McCourt's exit is a fait accompli.Michael Weiner, the executive director of the Major League Players Association, said in an e-mail, “I am confident that all contractual obligations to players will be honored.”
Jonathan Broxton Shut Down, To Have MRI
Mattingly said one of the immediate issues was to find an MRI tube large enough for Broxton to get his 300-pound frame into.Also, Andre Ethier is a scratch for today's game, also with elbow trouble."I'm serious," said Mattingly.
Labels: dodgers, injuries, transactions
White Sox Sign Released Angels First-Rounder Jon Bachanov
Labels: angels, transactions, white sox
Pickoff Moves
Can We Just Stop Playing The Red Sox Already? Red Sox 7, Angels 4
The AP recap claimed this amounted to a "thumping" of Danny Haren and the Angels; the latter was true (oh, how it was true), but the former -- four runs over seven innings? Not a quality start, but hardly a "thumping".Another night, another no-show from the offense. I've really had enough of this. Somebody needs to wake Mike Scioscia up from his slumbers. That's, what, one game they've won from the Sawx in the ensuing time since their 2009 ALDS victory?
Broxton Bombs, Ethier Goes 29: Cubs 4, Dodgers 1
Once more, the league's worst bullpen coughed up another loss, with Jonathan Broxton featuring front and center, and showing why he can't be counted on anymore, walking two batters on eight consecutive balls. Both scored after Blake Hawksworth entered the game, sealing Broxton's fate as the losing pitcher.The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead on Matt Kemp's RBI single in the sixth, but that was the only lead they had in the game. It was quickly erased in the top of the seventh on Carlos Pena's solo bomb off starter Chad Billingsley.
Andre Ethier's sole hit, a single to right, came in the fourth, to no effect; he was stranded on base. That takes him to 29 consecutive games, putting him alone in second place in franchise streaks, with two left to tie Willie Davis in 1969. It seems to me meet that he's chasing a record set in what was basically a lost year, the team going 85-77 and finishing fourth behind the Atlanta Braves (remember that craziness?). It's a sideshow.
Update: Jon thinks Broxton might be hurt, especially with his fastball down around 91.
Jon On The McCourt Fiasco
His word against everyone else's, and what's interesting to me is just how little effort McCourt seems to be putting in to convince people he's sound. Instead, he either openly dissembles or answers questions that weren't asked. As I tweeted yesterday at the conclusion of the Mason and Ireland show, McCourt will keep showing up to not answer these questions. We have to reckon that the main reason is that he wishes to appear contrite without ever expressing it that way, because that means confessing his actual mistakes. (It's funny that he keeps wanting absolution without ever describing what it is that he did wrong.) McCourt was on another talk show this morning, on 1360 AM, and pulled more of the same sort of non-responsive answers, followed up by much fawning from whoever it was behind the mic at the radio station. These guys don't see a lot of owners, and so they extend much flattery to any that do show up. I don't see why; Frank will cease to have that title presently.Update: Molly Knight was following McCourt's appearance on KTLA today (that's four in less than 24 hours), and tweeted
McCourt tells KTLA: "The Dodgers do not have a financial problem." I will re-tweet this in a month.
Why Vernon Wells Sucks
Toronto is a nice field for right-handed power hitters, while Angels Stadium de Anaheim isn't. But more than that, I expect we're seeing a significant regression from Vernon, perhaps of the career-ending variety. What a terrible trade.Labels: analysis, angels, cubs, dodgers, mccourts, recaps, red sox
Tuesday, May 03, 2011 |
Words For McCourt; Bankruptcy This Month Possible, Says LAT
You have been sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!The Times analogue of the WSJ story I shared earlier says that McCourt could run out of money this month.
The cash shortage was confirmed Tuesday by two people familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the possibility of McCourt filing suit against MLB.Yay. Not that I think the players having to go through some weird payroll processing is any fun, but jettisoning Frank is infinitely preferable to any future with him running the team.McCourt received a $30-million loan from Fox last month, which provided funding for the Dodgers' two April payrolls and is expected to carry them through the first May payroll. The second May payroll, due at month's end, is the one that appears problematic at this time.
If McCourt were to fail to meet payroll, the league would cover the expenses and would have the option to seize the Dodgers from him, according to one of the people familiar with the situation.
Apocalypse Soon For Frank As Dodgers Payroll Checks Could Bounce, Some Tweets From The McCourt Interview
The Los Angeles Dodgers may not have enough cash to cover their expenses at the end of this month when a round to paychecks to players are due, according to two people familiar with the team's financial problems. The team also certainly will face insolvency by July, they said.As a result of the cash crunch, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has offered full cooperation with monitor Tom Schieffer, the former ambassador appointed last month by Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig to oversee the franchise.
A lawyer for McCourt earlier this week sent a letter to Bradley Ruskin of Proskauer Rose, which is representing Major League Baseball in the matter, to make it clear that that Schieffer would have immediate access to all the financial material he needs for the ongoing investigation of the franchise's viability.
In the letter, which was described to The Wall Street Journal, McCourt attorney Robert Sacks pledges to make all financial documents available and to set up a password-protected computerized database for Schieffer and representatives of Major League Baseball to review.
For McCourt, the speed of the investigation is crucial because Selig has said he will not approve a new broadcast rights deal McCourt reached with News Corp.'s Fox unit until the financial investigation is complete. The 17-year, $3 billion deal includes a $285 million up-front payment that McCourt needs to cover the team's cash needs. News Corp. also owns The Wall Street Journal.
In an interview Tuesday, Schieffer said that despite McCourt's cooperation, it wasn't clear yet how long the investigation will take.
"It's a complicated web of companies, and we have to follow one dollar in the door and out the door," he said. "We have to figure out what's going on the best we can and get to facts everybody agrees on. Then the options will define themselves."
The KSPN interview of McCourt went about as I figured; he largely evaded all the significant questions, his hosts fawned over his answers (remember, it's a huge deal to get a sports team's owner on a call-in show like this, and an even bigger one when it's a franchise the size of the Dodgers), and he sputtered. My favorite tweets during the show (inexplicably, the chat at Dodger Divorce wasn't working for me, or else they decided to censor me, something I sorta doubt):
- Eric Stephen: "I don't need a lot of houses," says Frank McCourt, owner of a lot of houses
- Craig Phillips: McCourt suddenly sounds like Porky Pig when asked about the 30 million loan he needed.
- Fake Ned Colletti: You people disgust me. Poor Frank McCourt just slammed down his diamond encrusted phone and threw a Fabergé egg across the room. #Dodgers
Molly Knight & Josh Fisher To Live Chat McCourt Theater Of The Mind
Marcus Thames Hits The DL, Jay Gibbons Called Up
Labels: dodgers, injuries, transactions
What's Wrong With Vernon Wells?
Milton Bradley Suspended Again
The Dodgers A Drag On MLB Attendance
4. The Dodgers are a drag on the game.The "next owner" part is just assumed here. Gotta love that.Through May 1, the Dodgers alone accounted for 63 percent of the decline in MLB attendance [emphasis mine -- RLM]. They are down 95,843 fans through 15 dates, or 14.5 percent. One scout said before the Dodgers hired Los Angeles police to address security issues, Dodger Stadium was "the most dangerous ballpark in baseball -- 30th out of 30."
According to baseball sources, Selig seized operational control from owner Frank McCourt for issues that have been "ongoing" and harm franchise value, including the ballpark security problem and accrued debt. Baseball is concerned that McCourt's plan to take payments from future television revenues will leave the next owner without proper operational funds. McCourt appears positioned for a protracted fight with Selig, which leaves the franchise, which hasn't played a World Series game in 22 years, which has none of the 20 most popular players in the game according to 2010 jersey sales, in a state of uncertainty.
Meta: Formatting Trouble
Update: Fixed. Blogger somehow let me publish a post with an incomplete <a tag.
Labels: meta
Two Games
Weaver Takes His First Loss — Where Else? — At Fenway: Red Sox 9, Angels 5
I stopped listening to this game not long after Dustin Pedroia's epic 13-pitch at-bat that ended in a two-run RBI single for the Boston second baseman. Ironically, it was the only hit he got that day, but it was a huge two-out blow. Weaver threw over thirty pitches that inning, and just couldn't get one past Pedroia when he needed to. If your lone bad outing consists of a quality start in Fenway, you're doing something right, loss or no.Though the Angels scored five runs, two on a Vernon Wells home run (yay, maybe he'll actually prove to be useful, though I'm not holding my breath), the score was by then 9-2 thanks to bullpen implosions by Hisanori Takahashi and Francisco Rodriguez in the seventh. That is to say, the offense looked better in the box score than it really was, and the bullpen let this one get away.
This One Goes To 28 As Dodgers Cruise Past Cubs: Dodgers 5, Cubs 2
Andre Ethier extended his hit streak to 28, getting there on a fifth inning infield squibber that drove Jerry Sands home from third base. The Dodgers got to Cubs starter James Russell in the second inning, quickly inverting an early 1-0 lead Chicago picked up off Clayton Kershaw on Geovany Soto's two-out RBI single. All of the Dodgers runs scored against Russell, an emergency expedient whose time appears to have passed.Noted: a good outing for Jonathan Broxton, who pitched a clean ninth.
Monday, May 02, 2011 |
Kendrys Morales Stops Batting Practice
Update: Spelling corrected above. I keep forgetting the "s" in "Kendrys".
Sunday, May 01, 2011 |
Dodgers Reinstate Hong-Chih Kuo, Option Kenley Jansen
Update: Looks like management thinks Jansen needs to mix his pitches better and he'll be sent to AA Chattanooga rather than AAA Albuquerque.
Labels: dodgers, injuries, transactions
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