SoCal Sports Hub » Dodgers

Five’s for Fighting: Fifth Starter Slot Up For Grabs

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:18:15 +0000

The fifth starter slot: a place in the pitching rotation always in flux. Most clubs don’t feel the need to go out and stabilize the last necessary spot, opting instead to use strategically placed off-days or low-end starters to make ends meet. The Dodgers have a very wide-open spot this year, just as they did last year. The candidates are:

James McDonald, Carlos Monasterios, Scott Elbert, Eric Stults, Charlie Haeger, Russ Ortiz, Josh Lindblom, Josh Towers

Vegas money says a player out of the system will get the chance: either McDonald, Elbert or Stults. Ortiz has to be absolutely magnificent during Spring Training to warrant consideration, and the same goes for Towers. The coaching staff feels most comfortable with McDonald in the bullpen, where he flourished last season, as opposed to the rotation, where he collapsed. He needs to have an impressive spring to become a horse in the race; he can’t win by default as he did last season.

Monasterios is a tough choice. Taken by the Dodgers in the Rule 5 draft after buying the pick from the Mets, Monasterios has to impress to stay. If he doesn’t make the team out of Spring Training, he immediately returns to the Philadelphia organization. The team likely does not want to make the money spent on the pick null and void, but the righty has to show he has what it takes to be on the big-league roster. If he can’t, the Dodgers will likely just send him back to Philly.

Elbert needs to start. He spent time in the bullpen last year as a reliever, but when in Triple-A, he started most of the time. If he can’t make the rotation, he needs to go back to Albuquerque. Elbert needs starters innings, not bullpen innings.

Eric Stults could have the inside track to make the club since he is out of minor-league options. If the Dodgers cannot make room for him, he will be designated for assignment, where any number of clubs could try to claim him. Stults has the honor of being the only pitcher for the Dodgers to toss a complete game in the 2009 season, which was also a shutout victory. Stults also threw a complete game shutout in 2008 against the White Sox.

Stults is my pick. He has the experience of pitching in the big-leagues, and he has the best track record of any of the possible candidates.

There’s still a lot of time left to decide who will win the rotation spot and join Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda, Chad Billingsley and Vicente Padilla. The important thing to remember is that this time is coming soon. Today, Dodger fans are blessed with the four most beautiful words in the English language: Pitchers and catchers report.

Reed Between the Lines: Johnson’s Arrival Spells Confusion at 2B

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:57:37 +0000

Reed Johnson is now a Dodger. The outfielder will fill a fourth-outfielder role after Juan Pierre was traded to the White Sox. Johnson is a good addition; he plays stellar defense in left-field, where he will presumably see most of his innings, and he has a decent bat. However, the fact that he’s a right-hander is troubling. Initial reports indicated the Dodgers were looking into a lefty outfielder. While Johnson is a much better addition than, say, Garret Anderson or Brian Giles, the bench is now all right-handers: Brad Ausmus, Jamey Carroll, and Johnson. The backup shortstop role still needs to be decided, and likely will not until after Spring Training. But even with the backup shortstop competition, that would be between Nick Green and Chin-Lung Hu, both right-handers.

Doug Mientkiewicz and Xavier Paul are both lefty options, and the team can add a fifth outfielder as well. But as of now, with the addition of Johnson, the team has little room for the three current second-basemen: Carroll, Ronnie Belliard, and incumbent Blake DeWitt. The addition could make DeWitt the odd-man out, as if he starts, the bench becomes all right-handed. Time will tell what Johnson’s arrival could mean for LA, but as of now, there’s more confusion than before.

Dodgers Add Belliard, Ausmus to Bench

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:58:00 +0000

The Dodgers did their best to shore up the bench, resigning utility-man Ronnie Belliard and catcher Brad Ausmus to one-year deals. Belliard came from Washington in a waiver deal, and proceeded to tear apart opponents. He had a line of .351/.398/.636 while with LA, and supplanted Orlando Hudson as the starting second baseman in the playoffs. Belliard had a memorable moment in the NLDS when he singled to score Juan Pierre in the bottom of the ninth of Game Two with the Dodgers down by one.

Ausmus brought stability to the backup catcher role, and his bat was just icing on the cake; the career .252 hitter batted .295 with the Dodgers, the highest batting average of his 17-year career.

According to Ken Gurnick, the Dodgers are looking to add a left-handed outfielder to the bench. They can choose between Garret Anderson, a product of Kennedy High in Granada Hills, Jim Edmonds, the eight-time Gold Glove winner, or even Gary Sheffield, who spent some of his better seasons wearing the Blue.

Dodgers Resign Padilla, Return to Hole

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:14:31 +0000

The offseason’s over for the Dodgers. Sure, they might sign a minor-leaguer here or there, maybe someone to fill up the bench. But with the signing of Vicente Padilla to a one-year, $5.025 million contract, the Dodgers are done. Unless someone falls into their lap, like Orlando Hudson last year, the Boys in Blue will return to their cave, restart the hibernation process, and awake in April fully refreshed and ready for action.

The Padilla signing was obvious after the Angels swooped up Joel Pineiro. In an interview with 710 ESPN, Ned Colletti barely even spoke about Ben Sheets, arguably the best pitcher available. He called Braden Looper “Brian,” and when asked about the possibility of bringing SoCal native Jon Garland back into the fold, he returned to Padilla again. Padilla was their man, ever since he started Game 2 of the NLCS. They just had to make sure he was the best they could get.

Dodger fans can only cross their fingers and hope Sheets or Erik Bedard bring their asking prices down considerably. Right now, the first four slots in the rotation are set: Billingsley, Kuroda, Kershaw, Padilla. The last one is up for grabs, with Charlie Haeger, Scott Elbert, Eric Stults, John Ely, Russ Ortiz, and Carlos Monasterios all fighting for the chance to make the big-league club.

Mission Accomplished: Dodgers Settle Remaining Arbitration Cases

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:24:48 +0000

The Dodgers finished their most important task this offseason: locking up all arbitration-eligible players. First it was Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley. Now, the six others fell in line with them. LA came to terms with James Loney, Jonathan Broxton, George Sherrill, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, and Hong-Chih Kuo; both Broxton and Ethier agreed to two-year deals that lock up next year’s arbitration. The specifics are as follows:

Ethier: Guaranteed $15.25 million, according to Ken Gurnick. $6 million of that will be paid this season (per Dylan Hernandez).

Broxton: $11 million, according to Jon Heyman. $4 million will be paid this season (per Dylan Hernandez).

Martin: $5.05 million, according to Dylan Hernandez.

Kuo: $950K, according to Ken Gurnick.

Sherrill: $4.5 million, according to Jon Heyman.

Loney: $3.1 million, according to Jon Heyman.

With the payroll locked up at around $91 million (thanks to True Blue LA), the Dodgers now have a full grasp of what they can and cannot do. They know who’s in their price range, and after watching Ben Sheets throw for teams today, they can now actively pursue the pitching left on the market. That includes Sheets, Erik Bedard, Joel Pineiro, Jon Garland, Vicente Padilla, and Braden Looper. At this point, any of those names would satisfy me, except for Looper, who gave up the most home runs of any pitcher last year.

Dodgers Reach Agreements with Kemp, Billingsley

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:08:34 +0000

The Dodgers and Matt Kemp agreed to a two-year deal worth $10.95 million plus incentives, locking the center-fielder up for two arbitration years. Kemp won a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove last year after a season in which he batted .297 while hitting 26 home runs and stealing 34 bases.

The Dodgers also reached an agreement with Chad Billingsley for his salary this season, effectively avoiding arbitration with the righty. Billingsley started the season well, but tailed off towards the end. He made only one appearance in the postseason. He will receive a salary of $3.85 million.

The two deals are glimmers of hope in a turbulent offseason. If the Dodgers can avoid arbitration with the six players left, the payroll will have much more certainty, and the team will be able to have a better gauge on who they can sign through free-agency or trade for.

The Decade: A Brief Look at What The 00’s Gave the Dodgers

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 06:26:39 +0000

With the unofficial decade coming to an end, a close look should be given to the Dodgers’ work. After all, it’s not every day that ownership changes, a team that hadn’t won a playoff series in 20 years sweeps the NLDS in consecutive years, and the team achieves a staggering amount of attention, from injuries to trades to steroids to divorce.

2000: Kevin Brown received his $105 million contract in 1998, becoming the first player in big-league history to receive a guaranteed nine-figure deal. Brown starts the decade well, posting an ERA of 2.58 while earning an All-Star nod along with Gary Sheffield. Matt Herges opens the season with eight straight wins, matching a record set by Fernando Valenzuela. Shawn Green is acquired from Toronto along with Jorge Nunez for Raul Mondesi and Pedro Borbon, Jr. The Dodgers finish at 86-76, but fail to reach the postseason. Davey Johnson is fired from the manager position, and Jim Tracy takes over.

2001: The Dodgers again win 86 games, but finish in third place in the NL West, six games behind the eventual champion Arizona Diamondbacks. Under Tracy, Shawn Green has his best offensive season with 49 home runs and 84 extra base hits. Jeff Shaw becomes the Dodgers’ all-time leader in saves with 129. Edwin Jackson is drafted in the sixth round. Paul Lo Duca becomes the starting catcher, and Brown pitches only 115 innings.

2002: Dan Evans becomes the general manager, replacing Kevin Malone. Dodgers trade Gary Sheffield to Atlanta, and acquire Cesar Izturis from Toronto. Shawn Green belts 42 homers to become the first Dodger with back-to-back 40 homer seasons. Eric Gagne is moved from a starter role to the closer, and collects 52 saves. The team reaches 92 wins, but finishes in third again. James Loney, Jonathan Broxton, James McDonald, Eric Stults, and Russell Martin are all selected in the draft and later signed. Kevin Brown pitches only 64 innings.

2003: News Corp. begins its quest to find a new owner. Dodgers win 85 games and finish in second. Eric Gagne records a save in all 55 of his opportunities, securing the NL Cy Young award. Shawn Green sets a Los Angeles franchise record with 49 doubles. The team drafts Chad Billingsley, Matt Kemp, Xavier Paul, Lucas May, A.J. Ellis, and Andy LaRoche. Kevin Brown pitches 211 innings with an ERA of 2.39.

2004: News Corp. sells Dodgers to the McCourts. The new owners install Paul DePodesta as the general manager. Kevin Brown is traded to the Yankees for Jeff Weaver and others. Jayson Werth is acquired from Toronto. Milton Bradley is acquired from Cleveland. Scott Elbert, Corey Wade, and Blake DeWitt are all drafted. The Dodgers win 93 games and finish in first, securing a division title and an postseason bid. Dodgers lose NLDS to St. Louis, though they win their first postseason game since 1988 behind a complete game shutout from Jose Lima. Adrian Beltre leads the league with 48 home runs and finishes second in MVP voting. Guillermo Mota, Juan Encarnacion, and Paul Lo Duca are traded to Florida for Brad Penny and others midseason. Cesar Izturis wins a Gold Glove.

2005: Dodgers lose 91 games, the second most in the team’s history in Los Angeles. Team signs Derek Lowe, J.D. Drew, and Jeff Kent. Shawn Green is traded to Arizona for Dioner Navarro and others. Eric Gagne and Cesar Izturis battle injuries.

2006: Ned Colletti is named the new general manager. Grady Little is hired as the new manager. Edwin Jackson is traded to Tampa Bay with Chuck Tiffany in exchange for Lance Carter and Danys Baez. Milton Bradley is traded to Oakland along with Antonio Perez for Andre Ethier. Nomar Garciaparra and Rafael Furcal are signed. Clayton Kershaw is drafted. Cesar Izturis is traded to the Cubs midseason for Greg Maddux. The team wins 88 games and secures a postseason bid through the wild card. The team is swept in the NLDS by the New York Mets.

2007: The Dodgers finish at 82-80. J.D. Drew opts out of five-year contract. Juan Pierre, Luis Gonzalez, Randy Wolf, and Jason Schmidt are signed. Schmidt pitches only 25.7 innings. Russell Martin starts at catcher and makes the All-Star team along with Brad Penny and Takashi Saito. Andrew Lambo is drafted. Andre Ethier is the opening-day right fielder. Martin wins both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger for the catcher position.

2008: Grady Little opts out of contract. Joe Torre is hired as manager. Andruw Jones is signed, and bats only .158 for the season. Hiroki Kuroda is signed. Rafael Furcal misses nearly five months after back surgery. Four Dodgers drafted by the team in the decade are opening-day starters. Clayton Kershaw is called up. Jason Schmidt makes no appearances all season. In a three-team trade, the Dodgers acquire Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox while sending Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris to Pittsburgh. The team finishes with 84 wins but takes the division. They sweep the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS, but lose to Philadelphia in the NLCS.

2009: Manny Ramirez is resigned. Randy Wolf returns. Orlando Hudson is signed. Andruw Jones is released from his contract. The team moves all Spring Training operations to Glendale, Arizona. Jason Schmidt pitches 18 innings. Ramirez is suspended for 50 games after violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy. Jim Thome is acquired from the Chicago White Sox midseason. The Dodgers finish with the best record in the National League. They sweep St. Louis in the NLDS, but lose again to Philadelphia in the NLCS. The McCourts announce their impending divorce.

All in all, it was one hell of a decade, and the start certainly was not the harbinger of the end. Here’s hoping that next season brings a little more hardware and a little less heartache.

Dodgers Awaken From Slumber, Trade Pierre to ChiSox

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:32:28 +0000

Juan Pierre is a Dodger no more. The speedy outfielder was sent to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for two players to be named later, though the speculation is that John Ely and Jon Link will be shipped to Los Angeles.

Pierre signed a five-year deal in the offseason of ‘06-’07 for $9 million each season after J.D. Drew opted out of his contract. However, the amount being paid to Pierre was too much for a leadoff outfielder with a weak arm. Andruw Jones was signed in order to provide more power, and when he didn’t work out, Manny Ramirez was acquire from the Red Sox. That plus the improvement of Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier forced Pierre out of a starting job. A trade was sought last offseason, but the amount he was owed was too much for teams to consider. Pierre served a bench role, but was called into duty after Manny was suspended, playing admirably well for a two-month stretch. However, once Ramirez returned, Pierre had to ride the pine the rest of the way.

The Dodgers looked to unload Pierre this offseason for a back-of-the-rotation starter, though it appears that the need to remove him took precedence over the returns. Chicago will cover roughly $8 million of his remaining salary, leaving LA to pay the rest of the $10 million.

While Pierre is not a premiere player, he is a top go-getter. He can hit for average and run, but that’s all, and with the money he was owed and the players already in the outfield, there was no room for him. At least this gives the Dodgers two young pitchers to cultivate, as well as a chance to give someone new a shot at the fourth outfielder role, including Jason Repko and Xavier Paul.

Winter Meetings Recap: Nothing, Nothing, and…More Nothing

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:30:02 +0000

Silence. That’s all that came from the Dodgers during baseball’s annual Winter Meetings held in Indianapolis this year. Just silence. No trades, no signings, nothing. Just deafening silence. Enough to drive a fan insane. Empty rotation spots, a gaping hole at second, a bench completely devoid of help. Just…silence.

The Dodgers’ problems are definitely not few and far between. The divorce heard ’round the world is only off the front page because of another prominent sports figure’s alleged infidelities. And while nobody in the front office wants to admit things have hit a rough patch, it’s difficult to suggest otherwise when the team declined to offer arbitration to seven players, including Type-A players Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson. Wolf is gone; the starter jumped ship to Milwaukee when the Dodgers displayed little to no interest in the San Fernando Valley native. Hudson won’t come back, not after the treatment he received at the end of the season where he was benched without any notice. And if the two make their departures official, the Dodgers receive no consolation prize: no players, no draft picks, nothing. At least if they had offered arbitration, they’d either get two picks from another team or they’d fill an empty hole. Unfortunately, the financial problems of Frank McCourt have handcuffed GM Ned Colletti and the entire team.

Rumors are abound about what the Dodgers want, but nothing about what they are actually doing. Juan Pierre is on the trading block for a back-of-the-rotation starter, but the $18 million he’s owed over the next two years makes a deal unlikely. A surprisingly active Winter Meeting left the market much more barren than before, with Rich Harden, Edwin Jackson, Andy Pettitte, Kevin Millwood, Brad Penny and Matt Lindstrom off the table. The big-ticket players in John Lackey and Roy Halladay won’t happen, so don’t even dream about it. Any deal for a free-agent would be incredibly cheap, most likely a one-year deal worth about $5 million plus incentives. And with the activity that took place, no pitcher would settle for that until Spring Training approaches. They may have even lost during the four day span, with Jamie Hoffmann getting plucked out of LA by the Yankees during the Rule 5 draft.

Get used to the silence, Dodger fans. It’s going to be a quiet winter.

Why No Arbitration is Bad (& Bad Sign) for Dodgers

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:40:07 +0000

Tuesday was the deadline to offer arbitration to eligible players, and most of the time the process is just a formality. A free-agent gets arbitration from a team that wants draft-pick compensation if the player signs elsewhere, and the free-agent usually declines to test the market. Last year, all of two players actually accepted arbitration, which would yield an automatic one-year deal with the financial terms to be settled later. Sounds like a risk-free move, no?

Apparently for the Dodgers, the idea of offering arbitration to any of its seven eligible free-agents was strife with risk, forcing the team to decline for each one, including Type-A players Orlando Hudson and Randy Wolf. Now, instead of taking your oats and enjoying the two possible draft picks that might have come had Hudson and Wolf left LA, there is absolutely no solace for the Dodgers if the two sign with another team. To make matters worse, those other teams do not have to sacrifice draft picks in order to sign Wolf or Hudson, making them even more attractive. The decision to not offer arbitration is one of the worst moves the McCourt ownership has committed not related to free-agent signings, if not the worst. It was common knowledge that the two free-agents would have jumped ship for lucrative deals no matter what, and arbitration would merely ensure some kind of consolation prize. Now, the Dodgers will gain nothing this offseason in the draft market, and may even lose a few key picks if they decide to sign a Type-A player from another team.

The declining of arbitration is also a sign of things to come. The Dodgers assured us, the fanbase, that the day-to-day operations would not change with the McCourt divorce. However, this recent move is a harbinger of doom, the first true indication that money is in fact a problem. If the team was so afraid of bringing back Wolf or Hudson on negotiated deals, then what does this bode for the free-agent market? The rotation is littered with holes, and second-base is still an issue. One can’t help but wonder what kind of cheap glue will be used to patch up the lineup and fill the gaps.

Torre in Talks to Extend Contract

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:45:48 +0000

Joe Torre is in talks with the Dodger management to extend his three-year deal into 2011. Extension talks further complicate the situation of hitting coach Don Mattingly. Mattingly interviewed for the managerial job at Cleveland before losing out to Manny Acta. While the former first-baseman is considered to be the heir-apparent, an extended wait to inherit the position of manager could send him into the arms of another team, though when asked by T.J. Simers of the LA Times about the situation, Mattingly expressed his desire to stay with the club.

Torre previously managed the New York Yankees for 12 seasons, taking the Bronx Bombers to the playoffs all 12 times, to the ALCS seven times, and the World Series six times. However, controversy surrounded his departure, as the Yankee front office wanted to resign Torre to only a year in order to keep him on a short leash. He signed with Los Angeles for a three-year, $13 million contract, and has led LA to the playoffs twice, with the postseason ending at the hands of Philadelphia in the NLCS both times.

Manny’s Return to the Dodgers Purely Financially Motivated

Joey Kaufman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:14:09 +0000

As of last Friday, Manny Ramirez is expected to remain a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010, as the 37 year-old outfielder will not exercise the escape clause in the two-year, $45-million contract he signed last spring according to his agent Scott Boras. Last season, Ramirez hit .290 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs despite missing 50 games while serving a suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy.

“Obviously, he enjoys L.A.,” agent Scott Boras told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times shortly after the decision was announced on Friday. “If he went into the marketplace, the real negative was that he could end up playing in a place he wasn’t comfortable playing.”

But while most fans and Boras are excited to see #99 back in Dodger blue, it’s important to keep his signing in proper perspective.

Manny Ramirez is not returning to the Dodgers based on the simple facts that he loves playing in Los Angeles and wants to chase a World Series title under Joe Torre. As most baseball experts will clearly note, it’s not his comfortability that was the deciding factor in his decision not to exercise that escape clause. In all reality, the Dominican Republic native is set to suite up for the Dodgers in 2010, because it guarantees him the highest financial earnings next season.

Judging by his actions over his professional career, it is quite clear that Manny has always placed a premium on the monetary aspect of the game. When he forced the Red Sox to trade him away from Boston midway through the 2008 season, the move was orchestrated in large part, because he felt that a trade would enable him to receive a more lucrative contract at the end of the year if he was playing elsewhere.

Now, after a season in which he missed significant playing time due to a suspension and underwent a slump midway through the second half of the season, it is quite clear that Manny would not have received a big-time contract if he were to have declared for free agency. Ken Gurnick of MLB.com emphasized this point over the weekend as well:

However, finding anything close to a $20 million salary in an uncertain economic climate, combined with the baggage of his 50-game PED suspension this year, made free agency an unattractive proposition for Ramirez, who hit .290 with 19 homers and 63 RBIs in 104 games this season.

I’m not pretending to be extremely insightful when making the statement that a professional athlete such as Ramirez was merely looking to make a decision that would protect his own financial interests. However, I do want to make it clear that all those Dodger fans running around Southern California explaining that Manny’s decision was based on his love of playing in the city of Los Angeles are a little delusional at this point.

Manny Exercises Option; Returns for 2010 Season

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:41:53 +0000

Manny Ramirez wasted no time, announcing he will not opt out of his two-year contract so he can remain in the Dodgers’ fold for 2010. Agent Scott Boras confirmed the announcement. It was widely accepted that Manny would return, knowing that his value would be at its lowest after a year in which he was suspended for using a banned substance and put up mediocre numbers upon his return. Manny signed a two-year deal with a built-in opt-out clause for the second year during Spring Training this season with the Dodgers, the first year worth $25 million and the second worth $20 million. The suspension cut out approximately $7 million of that total.

The decision slightly eases the Dodgers’ burden this off-season. With holes in the rotation and at secondbase, LA could not afford to deal with Manny’s hijinks as well.

Los Angeles baseball stars apply for free agency

Joey Kaufman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:58:27 +0000

On a day in which the Angels announced that starting outfielder Bobby Abreu would return to the club, the organization also learned that they will be in fierce competition with other organizations to resign some of their other players, who declared for free agency earlier today.

The Halos’ ace John Lackey, who happens to be the top starter in this year’s market, officially filed for free agency today along with reliever Darren Oliver and infielder Robb Quinlan. Third baseman Chone Figgins is expected to follow suit as well.

The team just north on the interstate-5, the Dodgers, received news that infielders Ron Belliard, Orlando Hudson and Doug Mientkiewicz and pitchers Jon Garland, Randy Wolf and Eric Milton, had all filed for free agency.

According to the Los Angeles Times, today was the first day of a 15-day window in which players can file for free agency. They are unable to negotiate with other teams until the window closes.

End of the Beginning: Yankees’ Win Means Free Agency Begins

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:32:50 +0000

The New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3, clinching the World Series title for their 27th title. From the Dodger perspective, the victory signals the official beginning of the offseason, and more importantly the beginning of free agency. The Dodgers have many looming questions, starting with the rotation. While the team has expressed interest in retaining Vicente Padilla, that’s not where the market ends. They must also begin a strong search for an “ace”: some kind of dominant pitcher to take control of a young pitching staff. Randy Wolf is almost assured of a big contract somewhere else, and with a thin market for starting pitching, the odds of finding this rare ace are not in LA’s favor. John Lackey is a free agent, but his demands could exceed $100 million over four years. The team could pursue Roy Halladay through a trade, but that would require top-of-the-line prospects, and the front office has already shown reluctance at the idea of depleting the already pilfered farm system.

For the pitching, the best bet might be either Joel Piniero or Jason Marquis. The two pitchers are consistent, healthy, and had very strong 2009 campaigns. The Dodgers could try a high-risk, high-reward pitcher like Rich Harden or Erik Bedard as well. Those kinds of pitchers usually yield short-term, incentive-laden contracts, though injuries will be a recurring concern.

Second base raises another issue. Much like Wolf, Orlando Hudson will likely find a big contract for his services. Ronnie Belliard could be retained, or the Dodgers may look outside at someone like Chone Figgins. The 2B market is thin, just like the starting pitching market, but there is one appealing item dangling in front of the Dodgers: Dan Uggla. The Marlins’ second-baseman is due a large raise, and for a small-market club like Florida, they cannot afford him and Hanley Ramirez. Uggla is a hard hitter, and while his defense lacks the dazzle Hudson brought, it is negligible when coupled with his offensive might.

The Dodgers have many questions, and with the McCourts’ divorce drama, it will most likely shape up for one of the most high-maintenance offseasons yet. And it starts with Manny Ramirez, who has little time left to make a decision regarding his $20 million option for the 2010 season.

End of the Line: Dodgers Fall Flat In Final Game

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:12:59 +0000

It was a wild and crazy season. They won 13 straight home games. Manny was suspended for 50 games. They carried the best record in the majors for a while, and hardly ever surrendered the best record in the National League. There were come-from-behinds and blown leads. There were offensive outbursts and deep lulls. There were near no-hitters and there were pitching nightmares. One pitcher was sent to the hospital after getting struck in the head by a line-drive. An All-Star closer was acquired, and a 21 year old sophomore posted the fifth-best ERA in the NL. Three players attended the All-Star Game. Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle in the opening home game. Andre Ethier collected six walk-off hits. Manny Ramirez hit a pinch-hit grand slam. The offense scored a run off Cy Young winner Jake Peavy in the very first inning of the very first game of the season. It was a season to remember.

Unfortunately, it was not an NLCS to remember, as the Dodgers fell to Philadelphia 10-4 to complete their second straight series loss to Philly. Orlando Hudson, Andre Ethier, and James Loney all had solo-homers, but Vicente Padilla lost the game in the first inning on Jayson Werth’s three-run homer. Werth and Shane Victorino did most of the damage; the former had four runs-batted-in and scored three runs, hitting two home runs, and Victorino drove in three and had his own home run.

Padilla lasted only three-plus innings, giving up six runs over that span. The bullpen could not hold fort, combining to surrender four runs in six innings of work. The offense could not muster much, leaving seven men on base. It was a disappointing series, where much of the Dodgers’ most heralded aspects could not match expectations, including the much-maligned yet ERA-leading rotation, and the normally sure-handed bullpen.

Next season brings new opportunity, and the Dodgers will look to add a few new members to shore up a few holes, including in the bullpen, the rotation, at second-base, and on the bench. Pitchers and catchers report in late February, Spring Training starts in March, and the regular season begins April in Pittsburgh. As Vin Scully would say, until then, have a pleasant good evening.

Blue in the Face: Dodgers Stunned in Ninth

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:23:38 +0000

The Dodgers are now down 1-3 in the NLCS, basically recreating the series from last year, only switching a few things around. LA wins Game 2 instead of Game 3. LA starts at home, instead of the road. But the Phillies and the Dodgers did not regress fully to last year’s pennant race than in Game 4, where Jonathan Broxton blew a one-run lead and gave up a two-run double to Jimmy Rollins with two out in the bottom of the ninth that won the game for Philly. The Dodgers had the lead since the fifth after Matt Kemp’s solo-homer, and added insurance in the sixth. The Phillies came back, scoring a run in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to one. The Boys in Blue could not add insurance, and after the ninth, they have to win every game to make it back.

Randy Wolf gave up a two-run homer to Ryan Howard in the first inning, and did not allow another baserunner until the fifth, by which point the Dodgers had retaken the lead. After the Phillies snatched a run in the sixth, Wolf was pulled for Belisario, who was then pulled for Kuo, who finished the inning. George Sherrill was shaky in the eighth, but after getting two out with two on, Broxton was brought in to get the final four outs to tie the series. He forced Jayson Werth to fly out, and the Dodgers were three outs away from a 2-2 tie.

But Broxton fell apart in the ninth. After one out, he walked Matt Stairs on four pitches, the same Stairs who hit a crushing home run in Game 4 of last year’s NLCS that gave Philly a win. Broxton then hit Carlos Ruiz on the first pitch, and the winning run was put on first. Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs lined out softly for the second out, and Broxton had only one more out to record in Jimmy Rollins. With the count at 1-1, the big closer left a fastball out over the middle and Rollins smoked a line drive into the gap, scoring both runners without a play.

Game 5 is on Wednesday, with Vicente Padilla to go for LA and keep hope alive. Cole Hamels will try to repeat his success against the Dodgers. Hamels also closed out Game 5 of last year’s LCS.

Game 3: Blowout Sets Dodgers Back

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:53:05 +0000

It was no contest as soon as the second inning ended. The Phillies hit Hiroki Kuroda harder than a ton of bricks, and the City of Brotherly Love cruised to a 11-0 drubbing of the Boys in Blue. Cliff Lee dominated from beginning to near end, allowing only three hits, two to Manny, while striking out a staggering 10 en route to his second postseason victory. Chad Billingsley gave up two runs in long-relief, and Ronald Belisario surrendered a three-run homer to Shane Victorino in the eighth that sealed the victory.

There’s not much to say about this loss. However, there is always hope in history. In 1960, the New York Yankees outscored the Pittsburgh Pirates 55-27. Game 2, New York won 16-3. Game 3, Yanks win 10-0. Game 6, it’s the Bronx Bombers taking it 12-0. And yet, the Pirates won the series. Philadelphia could have won 45-0, but as far as the record books are concerned, that has no extra value than a 1-0 win. All you can do is tip your cap, and get ready to play the next day. Hopefully, the Dodgers can do that.

Randy Wolf takes the hill for the Dodgers on Monday, and Joe Blanton will start for the Phils. The game will be at 5:07 PST.

Game 2: Ethier’s BB Proves to Be Difference

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:52:59 +0000

It was a tight pitching matchup, featuring two pitchers facing their former clubs. Vicente Padilla against his old Philly squad. Pedro Martinez against the Dodger Blue. It was an intense pitcher’s duel, but in the end the bullpens were the deciding factor. The Dodgers struck the Phillies’ defense and ‘pen hard, scratching out two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take Game 2 2-1, and send the now best-of-five series to Philadelphia all even. Padilla’s only mistake came in a home run from Ryan Howard in the fourth. However, he only gave up four other baserunners while striking out six. Pedro Martinez was even more effective, allowing nothing but two base hits, one of which was erased on a caught stealing.

In the eighth, Casey Blake and Ronnie Belliard stroked back-to-back singles off ex-Dodger Chan Ho Park. With Juan Pierre in to run for Blake, Russell Martin hit a would-be double-play ball. However, Belliard made a hard slide into Chase Utley at the bag, and the second-baseman’s throw sailed wide of first, allowing Pierre to score the tying run. Jim Thome hit a long single off Scott Eyre that pushed Martin to third, and with Ryan Madson in, Rafael Furcal drew a walk to load the bases. Matt Kemp struck out, and with two away, the lefty J.A. Happ was brought in to face Andre Ethier. Happ got ahead of Ethier 1-2 before the slugging right-fielder worked out three more balls to earn a bases-loaded walk that drove in the go-ahead run. Jonathan Broxton shut down the top of the Phillies’ order, and the Dodgers earned a split.

Hiroki Kuroda will take the rubber for the Dodgers in Game 3 on Sunday, while reigning AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee will start for Philadelphia. Kuroda beat the Phils last year in the NLCS to earn the Dodgers their sole win in that series, and Lee pitched seven-plus innings last year against LA while with Cleveland in interleauge play.

Game 1: Kershaw, Sherrill Implosions Cost Dodgers

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:43:28 +0000

In a matchup that was meant to be decided by the bullpens, the Dodgers appeared to have the edge. However, a rare poor outing by George Sherrill cost the Dodgers a game, as LA fell to Philadelphia 8-6, putting them in a 0-1 hole in the best-of-seven series. Clayton Kershaw cruised for four innings before hitting a brick wall in the fifth, giving up five runs on a three-run homer from Pedro Feliz and a two-run double from Ryan Howard.

The back-breaker came in the eighth with Sherrill on the mound. The lefty walked the first two batters, and on the first pitch to Raul Ibanez, the left-fielder crushed a three-run homer to give Philly a four-run lead. The Dodgers added two in the bottom of the frame, but it was too little, too late. In the fifth and eighth combined, the Phillies collected two home runs, one double, five base hits, and five walks. Sherrill and Kershaw were the only pitchers to surrender walks for LA.

The Dodgers struck first in the second on James Loney’s solo-homer, and scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to bring the game to within a run. The offense struggled in the clutch though, going 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position, including leaving the bases loaded in the sixth. Manny Ramirez had a two-run jack, and Loney scored twice. Andre Ethier had three hits and drove in a run.

Game Two is Friday, starting at an early 1:07 PST. It’s a battle of the exes, as Vicente Padilla will take the hill for the Dodgers to face his former team, as will Pedro Martinez for the Phils.

Hollywood Divorce: What McCourt Saga Could Mean for Dodgers

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:28:31 +0000

Frank and Jamie McCourt have called it quits, releasing a statement to the Associated Press and Yahoo! Sports on the eve of the NLCS. It was a stunning announcement, though the signs were there: there was little news regarding Jamie McCourt’s involvement in the team (she is the team CEO), the two had not been seen together for months, and it was a relationship filled with turmoil to begin with (he’s of Irish Catholic decent, and she’s of Ashkenazic Jewish, not something her parents were happy about). However, when Frank purchased the struggling Dodgers from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., things took a very positive turn.

The McCourts have been dedicated to maintaining and refurbishing Dodger Stadium. They have been committed to the farm system as opposed to filling gaps through free-agency. The team has reached a plateau not seen since 1988. However, the ownership will always be mired in controversy. Andruw Jones. Jason Schmidt. A five-year deal for Juan Pierre. Ned Colletti is one of the most embattled general managers in the league, and it’s pretty darn difficult to say that about the GM who has taken his team to the playoffs three out of the four years of his tenure. People will always remember the moves gone wrong, and the moves never made. But despite all that, Colletti has been one of baseball’s best honchos, and Colletti has been one of baseball’s best owners. As Vince Lombardi said, winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. And the only thing consistent about McCourt’s ownership has been winning. That’s enough to satisfy me.

Divorce is ugly. You don’t have to tell me twice. But it becomes ten times the hell it is when it involves baseball owners. Everything falls into the equation. Player contracts, managerial staffs, concession stands, everything. The San Diego Padres’ former owner Jeff Moorad knows all too well how a breakup hurts a team. His divorce cost the longest tenured GM in the NL - Kevin Towers – his job, it forced the Padres to part with Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, and the subsequent cost-cutting measures slaughtered revenues. Attendance hit record lows, no player was safe from trade, and profits dropped like a stone. And according to FOX Sports, this divorce will be just as ugly. With a young stable of Dodgers reaching arbitration, and eventually free-agency, there’s no telling what the effect could be on the team’s ability to sign contracts. It’s going to be a confusing time for the Dodgers, and there’s no sign of the trouble that can be stirred. For now, let’s just root for the Boys in Blue to reached the World Series, and worry about this mess when it becomes pertinent.

Bad News Dodgers

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:59:09 +0000

With Walter Matthau at the helm, the Dodgers cannot fail.

Jack Lemmon will most likely be the bench coach, but that is tentative.

Game 3: Padilla Sweeps Cards Under the Rug

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 05:22:58 +0000

It was the impossible dream: Defeating the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers were 2-5 against the Red Birds in the regular season, and since the NLDS in 2004 they have always had trouble against the team next to the Mighty Mississippi. The Cardinals had two Cy Young Candidates, the NL MVP, and an outfielder who was ranked as one of the best mid-season pickups of all time. The Dodgers? They had a lefty with a career ERA of 4.13, a slugger in a tailspin, and a closer with less than two years of experience. And yet, the Dodgers swept the “vastly superior” Cardinals 3-0, capping the series with a 5-1 victory. Vicente Padilla dominated in the most important start of his career, shutting St. Louis down for seven innings while allowing only four hits, walking only one, and striking out four.

Andre Ethier broke out in the three games, batting .500 during the NLDS. In Game 3, he came a single short of the cycle, and hit a two-run homer that gave LA a 3-0 lead. Manny Ramirez had two doubles and two RBI’s, and Rafael Furcal had two hits, a run batted in, and a run scored. All five runs were scored with two out. The Cardinals didn’t have such luck. The Red Birds were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, running the count up to 4-for-30 for the series.

The Dodgers will move on to the NLCS for the second straight year in a row. There, they will face either Colorado or Philadelphia, and will start the series at Dodger Stadium.

Game 2: Miracle Ending Puts Dodgers in 2-0 Spot

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:55:38 +0000

The keys to winning are very simple: execute. The team that can execute is the team that wins. It doesn’t matter whether or not your the better team on paper. That title isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. It all counts on execution, and for the Dodgers, they executed when St. Louis could not, leading to their 3-2 walk-off win against the Cardinals. With a 2-1 lead, Matt Holliday dropped a fly ball from James Loney with two out in the bottom of the ninth, keeping the inning alive. Red Bird closer Ryan Franklin walked Casey Blake on nine pitches, and Ronnie Belliard stroked a single up the middle to tie the game. Russell Martin drew a walk to load the bases, and Mark Loretta hit a flare into center that dropped, giving LA another Hollywood ending.

Clayton Kershaw made his first career postseason start, and it was touch-and-go for a while. He managed to hold St. Louis in check, but gave up a homer to Holliday in the second that gave the Cards an early 1-0 lead. Adam Wainwright was near perfect, allowing only three hits and one walk over eight innings of work. However, one of those hits was a homer from Andre Ethier that tied the game in the fourth. Colby Rasmus hit a long double with Mark DeRosa at first, scoring the go-ahead run in the seventh.

Both offenses struggled. St. Louis could not create a clutch hit, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Dodgers struggled to get base runners in the early going, and with the bases loaded in the eighth, Matt Kemp grounded out weakly to end the threat.

Game 3 is on Saturday, again at 3:07 PST. Vicente Padilla will get the ball for the Dodgers, and Joel Pineiro will go for St. Louis in the possible clincher.

Game 1: Dodgers Storm Carpenter

Mr. LA Sports Fan — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:51:26 +0000

The pitching was awful. Both teams struggled on the mound, with neither starter able to make it past the fifth inning. However, the Dodgers were just good enough to win Game 1 of the NLDS 5-3 against St. Louis, giving them an early 1-0 advantage. Chris Carpenter was nowhere near his dominant self, giving up four runs, nine hits, four walks, and striking out only three. Things appeared to be going the Cardinals’ way when they loaded the bases against Randy Wolf in the first inning with nobody out. However, Matt Holliday struck out, and after a bloop single that scored a run, Yadier Molina hit a ground ball up the middle that Ronnie Belliard turned for a double play. In the bottom of the frame, Rafael Furcal singled to leadoff, and Matt Kemp crushed a home run into centerfield that gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.

Despite a poor offensive showing, the Dodgers managed to score five runs. However, the team combined to go 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position while leaving 16 men on base, an NLDS record. St. Louis was not much better, going 3-for-13 with RISP with an LOB of 14. The Dodger bullpen shut down the Cardinal offense when Wolf could not get out of the fourth. Jeff Weaver had an inning and a third of scoreless work, Ronald Belisario had a perfect inning of relief, and Jonathan Broxton pitched a four-out save to seal the victory.

Rafael Furcal had three hits, a run scored and a run batted in. Andre Ethier scored twice, and Casey Blake drove in a run. Russell Martin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to force a run home. Every starting position player had a base hit.

Game 2 is Thursday at 3:07 PST. The Dodgers will send the young lefty Clayton Kershaw to the mound, while St. Louis will send 19-game winner Adam Wainwright.

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