Dodger Dawgs http://www.dodgerdawgs.com Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:17:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 en Finally!!! http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2008/02/26/finally/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2008/02/26/finally/#comments Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:17:29 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2008/02/26/finally/ it’s baseball time!  Can’t wait to get the 2008 season kicked off.  I think the Dodgers made moves to put them in a position to be competitive in the NL.  The west is by far the toughest division in baseball though.  Hopefully the breaks go the Dodgers way and they can take the pennant.

In news that’s usually always positive at this time in camp, pitching coach Rick Honeycutt has detected a mechanical flaw in Esteban Loiaza’s motion.  Which means he’s been sucking in camp.  Hopefully this makes him not suck, but I doubt it.  Jason Schmidt seems to be recovering nicely, but I will wait until they put the speed gun on him for my own judgement.  Sounds like Pierre will be the left fielder, so instead of guys going 1st to 3rd on him they will be going 2nd to home.  He blows.  Hopefully Torre has the gonads to stand up to management and say they made a mistake and put Either out there before to late in the season.  There are few reports out on Andruw Jones reporting being fat.  Hopefully it comes off before the season.  On another note; it sounds like Mike Easler is doing a fine job as the new hitting coach, I just wish things had worked out with Donnie Baseball! 

Well, everybody is 0-0 and we have as good a chance as any in the west!

Go Dodgers!

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2008/02/26/finally/feed/ Hiroki Kuroda a Dodger http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/18/hiroki-kuroda-a-dodger/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/18/hiroki-kuroda-a-dodger/#comments Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:15:47 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/18/hiroki-kuroda-a-dodger/ Great pickup for the Dodgers.  Didn’t have to give up anyone got a veteran 4th guy in the rotation.  He was throwing at about 91 in the game footage below.  It’s an all-star game, you’d think he’d be letting it all out, which worries me.  He doesn’t have the deceptive delivery that most imports have.  He may have to work on hiding the ball on his delivery, it’s kinda just out there for all to see what’s coming. 

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/18/hiroki-kuroda-a-dodger/feed/ Signs are pointing to Kuroda http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/12/signs-are-pointing-to-kuroda/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/12/signs-are-pointing-to-kuroda/#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:32:40 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/12/signs-are-pointing-to-kuroda/ There are whispers that Hiroki Kuroda has chosen the Dodgers.  According to Tony Jackson of the Daily News he’s on a flight to LA this morning and may be coming to put his pen to paper.  This would be huge for the Dodgers.  You would know have one of the best staffs in the NL with Lowe, Penny, Billingsley, Kuroda & Schmidt/Loiaza.  If someone flames out you have the best minor league left hander in the business to bring up later in the season in Clayton Kershaw.  This is a major move…Now the Dodgers can move Andre Eithier for a 3rd baseman or better yet move Juan Pierre for Joe Crede (reported in a chicago area paper yesterday).  This move should help on another front…Get off of Frank McCourt’s back.  The man spends money and is trying to bring a winning franchise to the Dodgers.  Yes he switches people around too much, but it’s all in an effort to make the Dodgers better.  To this point Ned Colletti has been checking his needs list and marking them off…Hopefully there’s a Crede for Pierre trade for Christmas!

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/12/signs-are-pointing-to-kuroda/feed/ Dodgers Add Thump http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/06/dodgers-add-thump/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/06/dodgers-add-thump/#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:51:26 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/06/dodgers-add-thump/ In the wee hours of the night Dodgers GM Ned Colletti was finally getting the big bat he wanted.  The Dodgers inked Andruw Jones to a 2 year $36 million deal.  This is a win-win deal for Jones and the Dodgers.  Andruw gets to raise his value (while getting paid well) for another run at free agency in 2 years, while the Dodgers get a gold glove center fielder and some thump in their lineup.  The move will allow the Dodgers to hide Juan Pierre in left field, but at this point what good is he?  With a surplus of outfielders the Dodgers will most likely move Andre Eithier for a 3rd baseman, I don’t believe there is a 3rd baseman out there that’s better then Matt Kemp.  I would much rather have an outfield of Either, Jones, Kemp and ship Pierre out.  Pay part of his contract whatever you have to do, you are better with Either over Pierre. 

So the Dodgers patched up one of their holes and by doing so giving themselves a chip to fill the 3rd base hole.  Ideally the Dodgers trade for Joe Crede (Eithier) and sign starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.  Otherwise Andy LaRoache and Kuroda would be fine.  Overall I’m very happy the Dodgers added Andruw, hopefully more additions are on the way…

UPDATE:  I found it very funny how much bashing Juan Pierre is taking in the Jones siging articles:

FoxSports:

“Light-hitting Juan Pierre, who had been in center field, could switch to left - potentially reducing playing time for Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier.”

LATimes:

“The Dodgers are expected to move weak-armed Juan Pierre to left field, leaving Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier for right.”

OK so he can’t hit and he can’t throw, AWESOME.

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/12/06/dodgers-add-thump/feed/ Colletti’s Gun Shy http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/27/collettis-gun-shy/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/27/collettis-gun-shy/#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:24:38 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/27/collettis-gun-shy/ Reports are out today that the Dodgers are looking for improvement from within as their main way of winning the NL in ’08.  You have got to be kidding me.  You are the freaking Dodgers, you don’t wait around hoping some young kid is good.  You get proven talent.  The city supports the Dodgers like no other franchise, drawing the 2nd most fans in the Majors to the stadium in ‘07.  Only the Yankees were more attended.  So there is money, something else must be amiss.  Ahh yeah, the 06-07 off-season.  The one that GM Ned Colletti spent wildly, sometimes it seemed spending just to spend.  The final bill for that fiasco was roughly $125 million, and you’d be safe to say that the Dodgers would like nothing better then to not have any of those players (Schmidt, Pierre, Garciaparra, Gonzalez) on the books or roster in ‘ 08.  So Ned has gotten cold feet, who would blame him?  He struckout…got no-hit.  One thing I know is that if Colletti stays pat it will be his last season as a Dodger.  So swing away Ned!  The fans opened their pocketbooks for their beloved Dodgers in ‘07 and this year the McCourts and Colletti are stuffing it away.  An improved stadium and a new Manager will not put bottoms in the seats or bucks in your wallet, winning will.  Go win.

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/27/collettis-gun-shy/feed/ Do Something! http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/26/do-something/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/26/do-something/#comments Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:44:54 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/26/do-something/ Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports wrote a column today that summed up my thoughts exactly.  What are the Dodgers waiting on?  While the other “LA” team keeps trying to get better by gobbling up players and filling needs, the Dodgers add a Non-Player.  Hopefully the Dodgers aren’t banking on Joe Torre turning the team around.  I understand not trading for Cabrera at that asking price, but go upgrade CF and Pitching.  Winter Meetings start next Monday 12/3 maybe Ned will get busy there.

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/26/do-something/feed/ Bad Feeling http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/15/bad-feeling/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/15/bad-feeling/#comments Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:29:15 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/15/bad-feeling/ It’s really early in baseball free agency, but i’ve got some bad vibes.  A-Rod looks to be heading back to the Yanks and Lowell is most likely staying with the BoSox.  This leaves the Angeles and Dodgers still looking for a 3rd baseman.  I was hoping A-Rod would go to the Angeles to take them out of the market and leave the Dodgers and the Yankees in the market.  Then with the Marlins wanting prospects and the Dodgers with the most fire power left going out and landing Miguel Cabrera.  Now with the Angeles still in, with lots of prospects, the price will either climb or stay the same for Cabrera.  He’s the only legitimate 3rd baseman left…So you either ship the future to the Marlins or Andy LaRoche is your guy.  I think the Marlins are asking for way too much, so hopefully Colletti doesn’t get desperate and ship the farm over or overpay someone just out of need for a 3rd baseman (like he did with Pierre).  This is a worst case scenario for me.

 Buster Onley is reporting that the Dodgers are hot and heavy after Aaron Rowand.  RowandLooking at his numbers on baseball-reference, he had a career year on his contract year.  Every other year has been average.  Don’t get me wrong he’s great defensively, but with the likes of Torii Hunter and Andruw Jones available, Rowand would be my 3rd choice. 

This is a make or break winter for Colletti and the way the tea leaves are looking…it’s break.  Lord I hope I’m wrong.  I don’t want to see this next year:

1 Furcal

2 Martin

3 Kemp

4 Kent

5 Rowand

6 Loney

7 LaRoche

8 Pierre

Yuck!

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/15/bad-feeling/feed/ Bye-Bye Jeff Kent http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/bye-bye-jeff-kent/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/bye-bye-jeff-kent/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:24:15 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/bye-bye-jeff-kent/ Over the last week it has been reported that Jeff Kent is excited about Joe Torre and he’s coming back in 08′.  To that I say why.  I’m not a Jeff Kent guy.  Back in the day he was a great 2nd baseman, a hall of fame 2nd baseman, but those days have past.  Now he’s a grouchy 40 year old who needs several days off to take care of his brittle body.  Kent is a HUGE liability defensively, his offensive numbers have dropped dramatically, and he’s bad in the clubhouse.  Publicly the Dodgers are opening Kent with welcome arms, hopefully privately there are questions weather they want him and his 9mil a year to return.  Today Kent, via his agent, has said he’s not sure about returning.  Good thought…go with it!  Hopefully he isn’t trying to get leverage for another year.  Look the Dodgers have a young capable 2nd baseman in Tony Abreu.  Abreu is much better defensively but not as good yet offensively, but that’s OK.  Abreu committed zero errors at 2nd base and had a couple hrs in much less at-bats then Kent.  If the Dodgers follow my free agent plan then they won’t need Kent’s bat and bad attitude.  Jeff Kent you’ve had a hall-of-fame career…it’s over.

]]> http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/bye-bye-jeff-kent/feed/ Dodger Needs for 2008 http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/dodger-needs-for-2008/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/dodger-needs-for-2008/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:37:38 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/dodger-needs-for-2008/
  • CF - The Dodgers are supposedly going to hide the flea, Juan Pierre, over in left field so that leaves a gap in center.  I don’t know why you’d move him when he sucks, is he better than Andre Eithier or Matt Kemp?  Not even close.  Anyway Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, or Aaron Rowand would be great replacements.
  • 3B - Nomar doesn’t have the pop or durability to play on the 3rd bag.  Andy LaRoche failed in his 2 attempts to take the job which led to a platoon at 3rd.  Alex Rodriguez, Mike Lowell, or Miguel Cabrera would stop the platooning.
  • SP - With last years free agent “gems”, Jason Schmidt and Randy Wolf, breaking down, The Dodgers need to help Lowe, Penny, & Billingsley.  I’m not sure Esteban Loiaza is the answer at 5 so you need 2 starting pitchers.  As GM Ned Colletti has stated the FA market for pitchers is pretty weak so an infusion of talent will have to come via a trade.  Joe Blanton, Carlos Silva, Johan Santana, or Hiroki Kuroda would help…maybe Clayton Kershaw by mid-season??

    • If I were GM…I would sign Andruw Jones to man CF at appx. $15mil.  Shore up 3rd base by trading for Miguel Cabrera (Pierre, LaRoche and Hu as the bait).  Sign Hiroki Kuroda to be your 4th pitcher and hope Schmidt, Loiaza or Chan Ho Park can be your 5th.  If they all fail at midseason you bring up Kershaw.  There is risk with this.  Andruw Jones struggled mightily last year and is getting up there in age.  Cabrera is fat, but can knock the ball.  You would need to put some weight parameters in a new contract with Cabrera.  You could shore up your entire team for about the cost of one A-Rod…

    ]]>     http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/11/13/dodger-needs-for-2008/feed/     Dodgers Need a New Skipper http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/10/30/dodgers-need-a-new-skipper/ http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/10/30/dodgers-need-a-new-skipper/#comments Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:49:33 +0000 Top Dawg http://www.dodgerdawgs.com/2007/10/30/dodgers-need-a-new-skipper/ Grady Little resigned due to personal reasons Tuesday night.  Grady says that news of his demise had  zero impact on his decision.  Ned Colletti supposedly tried to persuade Little to reconsider, but Grady had enough.

    Grady’s 2 year reign over the Dodgers had mixed reviews.  Year one The Dodgers finished with the wild card and were a hot team in the second half.  Although the Dodgers were swept by the Mets everybody in the organization felt good about where they were and the direction of the team.  After the season everybody was looking forward to the next year.  Year two was a different story.  With high expectations after a strong 2006 and the addition of a “1″ pitcher the Dodgers got out of the gate strong.  Midway through the 2007 season the Dodgers were in or around the lead for the best record in the entire national league.  After the break the wheels fell off.  The young players were brought up (and played well) and the infighting with the veterans began.  Little was never able to mend the clubhouse.  During the season Little was questioned on his ever changing lineups and his lack of effective game plans.  He was also pledged by a down year (Garciaparra), injuries (Schmidt, Wolf, Garciaparra), and bad signings (Pierre, Gonzales).  So although the team had a disappointing season the players, strength, training, and personnel staff need to shoulder a lot of the responsibility of the dreadful year.

    Although I question his baseball moves, Grady Little deserved a better effort from his support staff and players.  Whoever the Dodgers bring in as manager the character of the players must be overhauled.  They gave up on the season and their manager, the Dodgers deserved better.

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