Dodgers part ways with Chin-Lung Hu

two days ago it was announced that the Dodgers Traded infielder and failed prospect Chin-Lung Hu to the Mets, for marginal crap prospect lefty pitcher Micheal Antonini.

Hu signed with the Dodgers in 2003, and was once considered a top prospect. but since then he has fallen out of favor with the Dodgers despite being called up in september over the last few seasons.

Hu put up good numbers in the minors, and at 26 is still young enough to improve. spending most of the 2010 season in the minors he batted a mostly empty .317 in AAA. he batted just .130 during his september callup for the dodgers while battling an injured thumb. he was also the dodgers minor league player of the year in 2007.

as said ealier in one of our previous posts, and originially pointed out by MIke from http://www.mikesciosciastragicillness.com/   that the Dodgers fascination with Juan Castro could cost them Hu, and here we go. now Hu is gone, and its looking likly that the Dodgers could give their last bench spot to Castro, who is in his fourth stint with the Dodgers and 17th season in the majors.
as you well know Castro is one of the worst hitters in baseball history with an absolutly attrocious career .228 avg. it is still unclear as to why the Dodgers have such a fascination with him, a possibility could be that he is just so terrible and so useless, that the dodgers just cant resist such a useless washed up veteran like Castro who is on an auto out level, kind of like a moth to a flame. Castro is so bad, that he will actually make us miss theriot. let me just write this again so you have an idea of just how bad he really is.   Castro is likly to make us miss ryan theriot........ just let that one sink in for a moment.

in other ridiculous news, the Blue Jays have signed ex-Dodger and professional Meatballer octavio Dotel (Bumtel) to a 1yr 3.5 mil dollar deal. this is laughable. Bumtel who was traded to the dodgers at the trading deadline, pitched a terrible 18.2 innings, and blowing several games, including an unfathomable horrible 3 wild pitch 3 walk performance one inning. he was then put on waivers. the Rockies claimed him as the Dodgers just said, here take him please. he was just as useless with the Rockies and is now joining his fourth team in just over a year. the Blue Jays desperate for relief pitching after losing a couple of their solid pitchers to free agency. Dotel is one of the worst relief pitchers in baseball, and like ive said before has no business pitching on any level in any way whatsoever.

Dotel provides zero value to the bullpen

thats all for now. spring training is just around the corner! keep checking in for more dodgers news as we wait to hear those beautiful words we love every year......ITS TIME FOR DODGERS BASEBALL!
until next time Dodgertown.......

The Shopping Binge for Pitching Continues...

The Dodgers officially signed right hand relief pitcher Matt Guerrier to a 3 year $12 million deal. Interestingly this is the longest contract given to a relief pitcher by the Dodgers since 1998 when they signed Jeff Shaw for 3 years and $15 million. Guerrier is a 32 year old who has been playing solely with the Minnesota Twins since 2004 when he debuted. Last season his record was 5-7 with a 3.17 ERA in 74 appearances. His career stats, in 393 games and 472 innings pitched with the Twins, record is 19-25, 5 saves, 3.38 ERA, and 310 Ks. He is mostly a 7th or 8th inning guy rather than a closer.

So our bullpen is beginning to be standing room only now with Broxton, Kuo, Jansen, Hawksworth, Padilla, Guerrier, Belisario, and don't forget Troncoso, Monasterios, Schlichting, Elbert, and Ely. No doubt the later half of those mentioned may be destined to wait in the wings in AAA. Belisario and Hawksworth are out of options, so trading one of them may be a possibility unless Broxton can be traded for something of value which may be doubtful. For now we have some much needed depth to the pen with the exception of a second lefty. Kuo's delicate arm may warrant a trade for another lefty. The spending binge by Colletti on pitching is obviously in response to the bullpen's meltdown of last season. After performing excellently in 2009, the bullpen plummeted to the bottom of the barrel in 2010. It was a year of memorable meltdowns including Broxton's denouement after saving the All-Star game to his remarkable implosion during the Yankees series. We won't know if Broxton's picked up the broken pieces until the start of the season. Then there was Belisario's mental breakdown. If he has battled his demons during the offseason perhaps we will get the Belisario of old who is often very effective.

The Dodgers might not have enough funds to sign Bill Hall or another left fielder. Colletti said he may just let Gibbons, Paul, Gwynn, Hoffmann, Oeltjen, and Robinson compete for platooning jobs. At least I don't see Pod's name in that bunch.

It looks like the offense, especially Kemp and Ethier, will have to step up and take the bull back by its horns so to speak. Although this pitching cast is quite capable of throwing shut-outs, we as fans can't take another season of 1-0 losses.

Stay tuned for more Dodgers news and Blue Bios!

hes baaaaaaaaack! Juan Castro just wont go away.....

just when we thought we had seen the last of Juan Castro.....guess what? hes baaaaaack!



NOOOOOO! NOT AGAIN! Castro provides zero value.

yes its true, in what appears to be what we only hope is some sort of cruel sick joke. ealier this week, the Dodgers signed IF Juan Castro to a minor league deal, and an invite to spring training. if Castro makes the club he will recieve 500K. This is Castro's fourth stint with the organization. normally this would be nothing major, as alot of teams give spring training invites to players, most of the NRIs dont even make the roster usually, however this is Castro, and we all know the Dodgers have some kind of sick fascination with the 39 year old 16 year vet.
Castro is a walking Dodgers history guide. Castro signed with the Dodgers in 1991, and came up to the Dodgers in 95. he played alongside Mike Piazza, Erik Karros, Raul Mondesi. He has also played alongside, such legendary 90's bums like Tom Prince, and Billy Ashley. In Castro's first season, tommy lasorda was still manager, and the O'malleys still owned the team. Garret Anderson (auto out) was in his second season with the Angels.
Castro quickly established himself as one of the worst hitters in baseball history, really its true! check out MSTI,

MSTI- http://www.mikesciosciastragicillness.com/

as he explains how the Dodger's sickening fascination with Castro, might cost us Chin-lung Hu. as Hu is out of options, and Castro could concievably take his roster spot.
Castro a career .228 hitter, played five years with the Dodgers, including attrocious .197 .147 and .195 performences from 1996-1998 respectivly. Castro, then signed with the Reds, playing from 2000-2004. he Played parts of two years with Minnesota, then came back to the reds in 2006. played in Cincy until 2008. played a part of a season in Baltimore, before returning to the Dodgers in 2009. Castro hit .277 in 2009 for the Dodgers, and played all infield positions and 2 games in the outfield. he signed with Philadelphia in 2010, and was predictably horrid, hitting .198 in limited playing time. he was DFA'd, and after Furcal got hurt again in august, the Dodgers desperate for an infielder, claimed him once again. Castro only played in 1 game last year, and it was 1 game too many, before finally being released again. Imagine at how we laughed at Auto Out's existence in 2010. that was only one season, Castro has been an automatic out his entire career. just think about that for a minute......

we had thought we had seen the last of Castro, but then this week the Dodgers once again resigned him.
now alot of things would have to happen. Castro would have to make the team, and Hu would then be put on waivers, a team would most likly claim him, and then of coarse he would have to be productive. I know I at one time called him useless last year, but he is no where near the Jaun Castro type of incompetence. plus he is still young, and has time to improve.
I think I have written enough about Juan Castro, so I will stop at this point.

The Dodgers also extended minor league contracts and spring training invites to two other players. IF/OF Eugenio Velez, the 28 year old ex-giant, and journeyman Catcher J.D. Closser.

news sources are also reporting that the Dodgers are close to a deal with Red Sox OF Bill Hall. Hall 30 could be the Dodgers primary left fielder according to reports. Hall hit .248, with 18 HR last year for Boston. he could also bring the Dodgers more valuable versatility as he can also play 2B/3B/SS.

Keep Posted for more Dodger news at your number 1 source for all things Dodger Blue!

Dodgers bring back Dioner Navarro for some reason

as the Dodgers continue their agressive offseason renovations this winter, Ive been generally optimistic. the Dodgers have solidified pitching depth, added a power bat in Uribe, and even got rid of useless players like Theriot, and Sherrill. Ive been generally defending Ned's moves this winter, as hes focused on improved pitching and defense, and marginally improved power. that is until the Dodgers dropped this little nugget on us today.

the dodgers close to agreement with Catcher Dioner Navarro.........

now terms of the contract have not been disclosed yet, but didnt we try this already before?

yes yes yes now I remember. Navarro played for the Dodgers in parts of two seasons from 2005-2006

The right handed hitting catcher (26) was acquired by the Dodgers whil estill in the minor leagues, and recieved limited playing time. he wasnt terrible with the Dodgers the first time, actually he was decent. putting up avgs of .273 and .280 respectivly, with OBPs of .353 and .374.




Navarro bitched his way out of a starting job in Tampa Bay

 

then he was traded to the rays in mid 06 to make room for Russell Martin.  he had to bad years, before becoming an all-star in 2008. in 08 he batted .295 with an OBP of .349, with 7 home runs and a .717 OPS. then he went on to have two horrendous years in 09 and 10. batting .218 and .194, and having many questions raised about his wieght and conditioning. his tenure with the rays ended badly last year, after he was demoted to the minors, and continued to play poorly after being called back up. Navarro was left off of the playoff roster, and instead of choosing to stay with his team, Navarro chose to act like a whiny little bitch, as he packed up his equipment and left the team. this doesnt give me alot of confindence.

this certainly marks the end of Russell Martin's tenure as a Dodger. he is already talking with other teams, (Yankees red Sox), and has said he would like to play for an east coast team, as he has family in Montreal.

The Dodgers are no longer in communication with him or his agent, according to sources.

I know why the Dodgers did this. they needed a third catcher, and if Big rod or ellis were to get hurt they would be screwed. and since Ellis is the only one that has options to be sent down to AAA, and they cant start the year with three catchers on their roster, someone has to start the year in ALBQ. unfortunatly that is AJ Ellis. Ellis will start the year in AAA, while Big Rod will start 60% of games, as Navarro backs him up. according to reports. this dismays me. I think this is a mistake, as I think Ellis should get a shot to prove himself at the big league level.

The Dodgers are also still looking for a right handed hitting left fielder to possibly platoon with Jay Gibbons.

after Matt Diaz signed with the Pirates, and Jeff Franceour signed with Kansas City, this leaves us with slim pickens in free agent pool. rumors are swirling about the Dodgers signing either Austin Kearns, or Bill Hall.

Hall would be interesting, the former Red Sox, can play 2B, 3b and SS along with LF, and has power, after hitting 18 home runs last year.



Hall

we will keep you updated on any and all Breaking Dodgers news. same dodger station, same Dodger time, same dodger channel........

Dodgers bring Gwynn Jr. into outfield fray, Padilla close to returning, as bitching continues accross the internet

 The Dodgers made more moves ealier today as they continue their agressive offseason push. adding an outfielder, and appearing close to resigning Vicente Padilla, while also continuing ongoing discussions with the Royals about acquiring Zack Greinke.

The Dodgers stole the third player from an opposing NL west Team. after already signing Jon Garland away from the Padres, and Juan Uribe from the Giants. The Dodgers signed Tony Gwynn Jr. son of hall of fame Padres OF Tony Gwynn Sr.. Gwynn Jr. is nothing at all like his father. while his father won many batting titles and has a statue of himself on display in front of Petco Park.

Speedster gwynn jr. can be a pest on the basepaths.

Gwynn Jr. is a speed and defense guy. that is hes not much of a hitter. hes 5'11 and 195, bats left and throws right. after playing three seasons in limited playing time with the Brewers, Gwynn came over to the Padres, and to live forever in the shadows of his father. Gwynn is not a good hitter, and many people wondered why the Dodgers signed him. I can kind of understand why, even though he bats left, he can be a very useful guy on the bench as a fourth or fith outfielder. 

My son signed with which team now!?!?!

Gywnn Jr. who is 28, has a career avg of .244 with a .323 OBP and a .637 OPS. last season he hit .204 with 3 HR 20 RBI and 17 Stolen bases. in 2009 he batted .270 with 11 SB. while gwynn is not a good hitter he makes up for it with alot of speed, and very good defense. the terms of the contract were for 1 yr at 675K. this could signal the end of Xavier Paul's career as a dodger. as the dodgers probably wont need another lefty hitting outfielder on the bench. since Paul is also out of options, he could wind up playing somehwere else next year. but still, this doesnt automatically rule him out for a potential roster spot.

basically Gwynn is kind of like a POD both left handed bats with speed, both are crappy hitters with no power, but Gwynn plays much better defense, and is way cheaper.

according to reports, the Dodgers have finalized a deal to bring back Vicente Padilla. the deal would be for 1 yr and 2 Mil, with incentives, pending a physical on thursday. I am absolutly thrilled with this, very smart move. reports are saying Padilla would be a staff utility guy, providing the Dodgers with much needed depth. Padilla will mostly pitch out of the Bullpen in long releif, but could also spot start, or even close out games, if Broxton falters and starts with the meltdowns again. looks like the pitching is going to be very very good next year. Padilla is coming off of a injury plagued season in which he missed significant time due to forearm and neck injuries, limiting him to only 16 starts. Padilla was 6-5 with a 4.07 ERA. everyone will be most happy to know that we will be seeing more of the "soap bubble" once again.

there are also rumors floating around about the Dodgers expressing interest in former cy young winner Royals pitcher Zack Greinke. Greinke who won the cy young in 2009, is coming off a 2010 where he battled injuries and inconsistencies. the Royals have been toying with the idea of trading him, and the Dodgers are one of several teams involved in the discussions.  ummm yeah may I say yes please!!!

while bitching continues around the blog community, I reamin optimistic with a positive outlook for next season. Im not sure why so many fans online are unable to see a much improved team for next year. I mean if we cant have confidence in our team, how can we expect the players to have any? It looks as if Ned is still wheeling and dealing, making sure the nightmares of last year are never ever again repeated.

in the divorce trial, the judge ruled in favor of Jaimie MCcourt, ruling that the divorce settlement agreement was invalid, giving Jamie her claim that she was involved in the teams day to day operations. this could lead to the team being sold. I wouldnt expect this to be settled anytime soon, but if you would like more information you can check out the Dodgers web site for more details regarding the divorce case between mr. scumbag, and his bitch of a wife.

the winter meetings continue, and the Dodgers arent done making moves just yet. theres more rumors swirling about the Dodgers adding another OF, and possibly another relief pitcher.
what will happen next? stay tuned, we will be here to provide you with any and all Dodgers news as it happens. this is your number 1 source for all Dodgers news......stay tuned!

Big Rod Returns

After the Dodgers non-tendered Russell Martin last night, they announced that they re-signed Rod Barajas tonight. He agreed to a one year, $3.25 million deal. On the Dodgers website they state he will replace Russell Martin and team up with A.J. Ellis. Big Rod is 35, and has played 12 seasons in the majors for many teams including Arizona, Texas, Philadelphia, Toronto, New York Mets, and now his favorite childhood team, the Dodgers. We all enjoyed the heartfelt story last season of Barajas living out his dream of playing for the Dodgers. He even hit a HR during his first home game wearing blue. He only has a career .239 BA, but he does swing a power bat giving the Dodgers some much needed HRs. Last season he hit 17 HRs, which was 2nd among catchers in the NL. In 2009 he hit a career high 19 HRs.

Bitching has commenced regarding the amount of the salary given to Big Rod once the news broke. The thing is the Dodgers needed a catcher. We couldn't rely on the inexperienced A.J. Ellis as the solo backstop. With Martin's uncertainty and the slim pickins' for catching prospects amongst the free agent pool, we really didn't have much choice. Let's move on, accept that Big Rod and Ellis will be our catchers for 2011, and concentrate on filling the offensive needs we desperately must address.

Ya know thinking about it more, we really don't know how A.J. Ellis will turn out. He's only played in 53 games! Let's give the guy a chance! Maybe he will actually hit his first big league homer this season. He showed some potential in the last part of the season with a surprising hitting streak.

Will Vicente Padilla be back? Will the Dodgers snatch up more free agents like Diaz?

Stay tuned for more  offseason deals and news!

Dodgers face tough decisions as arbitration deadline passes

The Deadline to offer players arbitration came and went tonight, and just less than an hour ago, we learned the fate of several Dodgers who were eligible. The big decision for the Dodgers was one of the toughest theyve had to make.....What to do with Russell Martin? unfortunatly Martin was one of the players that had their contracts non-tendered, which could signal the end of Martin's career as a Dodger.

There were six players eligible for arbitration, thery were as follows-Martin, Oeljten, Sherrill, Bills, Kuo, and Loney. the Dodgers offered Arbitration to Bills, Kuo, and Loney. meaning that those players will be signed through 2011, and exactly how much they will make will be decided in arbitration. normally they take whatever the player made the previous season, and then it either increases or decreases by no more than 20% I believe. players that accept arbitration are not allowed to negotiate with any other teams.

as the Dodgers continued their aggressive offseason approach by signing, Lilly, Kuroda, Garland, Uribe, and of coarse trading away the utterly useless Ryan Theriot to the Cardinals for Blake Hawksworth. They also faced touch decisions as to who to offer arbitration. they had already decided not to offer to POD, Big Rod, and Vicente Padilla. (Ill get to Padilla later).

it looks like Uncle Ned is busy at work, weeling and dealing trying to make sure that the nightmares of last season are never again repeated. but of coarse in order to do that in complete, the punchless offense must be improved.
a cloud of uncertainty hangs over catcher. as of right now, Aj Ellis is the only catcher signed udner contract. the farm system is picked clean, and the free agent market is terrible. so after Varitek resigned with Boston (yay! hes too old!, retread!), AJ Pierzynski  resigned with chicago. there is three options, resign Martin at lower cost, resign big rod as backup to Ellis, or sign someone outside the organization like Migue Olivo. whatever the Dodgers decide it could go either way. I would understand if they dont want to take a chance on Martins health, and his declining numbers. then again with the market as bad as it is resigning Martin might be the best choice. there is reports that Ned is still negotiating with Martin. it would very sad to see Martin play for another team. he was a good catcher and a good hitter before torre played him to death. we all like martin and were hoping to see him finish his career in Dodger blue, but alas we may have seen the end of Martin as a Dodger. whatever happens the Dodgers need a catcher.

in other news, theres unconfirmed reports that the Dodgers have either resigned Vicente Padilla, or are close to resigning him. well have to watch this story to see what happens, but if it is true, the Dodgers pitching staff is really shaping into one hell of a....one hell of a.....well PITCHING STAFF! the reports say that Padilla would be used as a staff utility guy for depth. he could be a spot starter, pitch in long relief, or even close if necessary. as I said earlier they declined to offer him arbitration, so they are free to sign him. I like this move as we all know that when Padilla is healthy he is a very effective pitcher.

in other baseball news, Adam Dunn also known as the ogre, has signed a 56 million dollar contract with the White Sox. waiving his no DH clause. so there goes that plan! eh the dodgers werent going to sign him anyways, but im glad hes in the american league, and we wont have to pitch to him!

There are also reports the Dodgers are very close to resigning big rod, so there you go. The Dodgers are also reportedly interested in Johnny Damon for LF.

rumors are flying! hot stove is swirling! dont step away, we will be providing you with all the hot stove breaking news, and more Blue Bios! so stay tuned to your number 1 source for any and all Dodgers news!

Blue Bios: Juan Uribe

Juan C. Uribe Tena  5

Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 6'0"  Weight: 230 

Career Stats: 1256 games, 1114 Hits,151 HRs, 599 RBI, .256 AVG

Welcome to the newest installment of Blue Bios! Today we look at our new second baseman for 2011! 

Juan Uribe was born on March 22, 1979 in Bani, Domincan Republic. Juan was signed in 1997 as an amateur free agent by the Colorado Rockies. He made his MLB debut on 4/8/2001 for the Colorado Rockies playing in 72 games during his rookie season. He batted .300, had 8 home runs, and 53 RBI. He also had 11 triples, tying a club record. He tied three other franchise records, with two hits, two extra base hits, and six total bases in a single inning during an October 7th game against the San Diego Padres. In 2002, he played his first full season starting 150 games at shortstop. He had a career high 17 game hitting streak during April and May of that year. In 2003, he suffered an injury during Spring Training and his play time was limited. He played in Colorado for 3 years before being traded to the Chicago White Sox for Aaron Miles where he would play from 2004-2008.

Uribe played well from 2004-2006. He collected his first World Series ring in 2005 when the Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros in the Fall Classic. He made two memorable plays during the last two outs of the series. First he caught a ball while crashing into the third base stands, and then he made an off-balance throw on a slow grounder to beat Astro Orlando Palmeiro to give the White Sox their first title in 88 years.

In 2006 there was a controversy regarding a shooting incident he was allegedly involved in in the Domincan Republic. Two people were shot near his home. "I'm completely innocent," Uribe told ESPNdeportes.com. "They're trying to extort me because they know I play in the major leagues. They sent word to me that if I give them 1,000,000 pesos [about 33,000 U.S. dollars], all of this will go away."His name was cleared of any involvement in the case when he reached a settlement with the accuser, but it is unknown what actually occurred.

In 2009 he joined the San Francisco Giants after signing a minor league contract with them. He played with them for 2 seasons, winning his second World Series ring in 2010 when the Giants defeated the Texas Rangers. 

In 2010 Juan finished the season batting .256, with 24 HRs, and 85 RBI. He had 129 hits in 521 AB. In the 2010 National League Championship Series, Uribe played a key role in two victories, getting the walk-off sacrifice fly in Game 4 and hitting the go ahead home run in the top of the 8th to put the Giants up 3-2 in Game 6, which sent the Giants to the 2010 World Series. Uribe played a vital role for the Giants in the 2010 World Series, hitting a 3-run home run in the sixth inning of Game 1 and producing an RBI in the seventh inning of Game 2. 

He signed with the Dodgers for a 3 year $21 million contract about a month after winning the World Series with the Giants to the dismay of the San Francisco fans. 

Speaking of Giants Fans...after skimming through some ignorant musings on www.mccoveychronicles.com (yes a *gasp* Giants blog) I found these comments on the Uribe deal highly amusing:

"From beloved to hated within a matter of weeks

I wish him nothing but failures."

"I'll be so conflicted next year if he goes to the Dodgers

I mean, I love the guy. He was so clutch for us in the playoffs. Without him, no WS. But to see him wear the most despicable, lowly jersey ever? Pure evil."

"No Uribe, don’t do it! Don’t repeat Jeff Kent’s mistake!"

Then they go on to analyze how much money we are still paying on past players like Pierre, Dreifort, Manny, Jones, etc... Does it really matter? We still have more money than you! 

With the clear uselessness of Ryan Theriot, the Dodgers desperately needed a second baseman who could hit. Uribe said Manny Mota had been calling him everyday since the conclusion of the World Series and met with him in the Domincan Republic.

Ned Colletti commented on Uribe when he said, "As we witnessed, he can change a game with one swing of his bat," (Uribe drove in nine runs in the recent postseason.) "He has great enthusiasm for winning, defensive versatility and thunder in his bat."

Uribe, seemingly very happy to join the Dodgers organization said, "The Dodgers had a lot of interest in me to have me here and I'm very proud of that," said Uribe. "I hope I can help take the team to the playoffs."

Juan is married to wife, Anna, and has 3 children Juan Luis, Juanny, and Janny. His uncle is the former Giants shortstop Jose Uribe from the 1980's. 

So long Theriot, and welcome Juan Uribe! I have no problem with him being a former Giant. This not only allows us to bolster our lineup but now makes the Giants a weaker team. 

Stay tuned for more Blue Bios:)

Goodbye Mr. TOOTBLAN!

The Dodgers announced today that they traded Ryan "TOOTBLAN" Theriot to the St. Louis Cardinals for RHP Blake Hawksworth. Hawksworth is 27, and went 4-8 with a 4.98 ERA for the Cardinals. He pitched 90 1/3 innings with 37 relief appearances and eight starts. Even if the Dodgers had non-tendered Theriot, I would have been just as happy not to see his uselessness next season. But hey, we got a pitcher for him! Hawksworth could be valuable in the bullpen as a long reliever or even a starter in a pinch. We knew the end of the road was coming for Theriot, since Juan Uribe's 3 year $21 million deal was finalized today after he passed his physical. Stay tuned for a more in depth Blue Bio on Uribe later this week! Hawksworth, born in North Vancouver, Canada, has appeared in 75 career games with the Cardinals. He has a 4.07 ERA. Back in 2003 he was named as the Cardinals top prospect. Injuries limited his playing the following years. He made his MLB on June 6, 2009. 


Other rumors swirling include the Dodgers interest in both Johnny Damon and Jason Varitek. I don't like the idea of either. How old are these guys? Oh 37 & 38...no thanks! The Dodgers have until Friday to decide the fate of Russell Martin, who is still a week away from running and 6 weeks from resuming baseball activities. The Dodgers are looking at all possible catching options out there. If they decide to part ways with Martin, why not just sign Big Rod? Adding an even older catcher doesn't seem logical. 


I'm very happy that Ned is actually, ya know, making deals and getting rid of the black holes. Last year's nightmare of a season can't be repeated. The Giants won the World Series for God's sake. 


Things are heatin' up! We will keep you posted on any breaking Dodgers news:)

Dodgers ink Juan Uribe to 3yr deal

earlier today it was announced the Dodgers have Signed now former giants infielder Juan Uribe to a 3yr 21 million dollar deal. as the Dodgers continue their aggressive offseason approach.

Uribe is coming off a seaosn where he helped the hated giants to their first ever world series title, as he batted .248, with a .310 OBP,  .749 OPS and 24 home runs 85 RBI.
Uribe is 31 years old and will be 32 next summer. Uribe has played 10 seasons with the rockies, white sox, and now the last two with the giants. he is a career .256 hitter with a .300 OBP and 151 HR.

I first heard of the idea of signing Uribe from another blog site.- http://mikesciosciastragicillness.com/

if you havent checked out this site yet you probably should. it has a ton of information on it. mike is a terrific writer and very knowledgeable especially with the advanced stats (sabremetrics). so go check it out and say hi to mike. and go watch the softball episode of the simpsons to learn about why the site has its name.

so MSTI had come up with the idea of signing Uribe. I liked the idea and I will explain why.

first of all there is alot of negative reactions about this signing and I can understand why, but I think alot of them are misplaced. did Ned overpay for Uribe? absolutly of coarse. will the money owed to Uribe hinder the Dodgers from going after an adam Dunn or Adrian Beltre, probably, but then again the Dodgers werent likly to sign those guys anyways.
MSTI's plan called for loney to be traded and the signing of Dunn, while our plan called for keeping loney and signing Beltre for 3B. I would take either player, although I think Beltre is an easier fit. but dont get me wrong here I have no problems with Dunn being in dodger blue. The complaint that the money spent on Uribe is money wasted and could be spent on Dunn or Beltre, I can understand this train of thought. but those guys arent going to sign with the dodgers.

so while all the complaining begins online about how ned overpayed as usual and I dont argue that he didnt, I think alot of people are missing the positives about this signing.

first off the Dodgers are looking for power and Uribe has a lot of it. he hit 24 homeruns last season with 85 RBIs, and hes normally a lock for between 16-20 homeruns per season. plus hes a solid fielder. one of the better defensive infielders in the NL. another plus is he is versatile. he can play second third and short, and can give the Dodgers much needed infield depth. its likly he will be the starting second baseman, and one of the greatest parts about this signing is it brings us another step closer to a world without the completly useless ryan theriot who will now probably be non-tendered later this week.

the bads? well Uribe is terrible at getting on base, career .300 OBP proves this, and his OPS has gone down almost every year except the last two, after he rebounded from three terrible years with the white sox from 2006-2008.


is it too much money for decent power and solid glove? sure probably, but at least its a step in the right direction. and if the Dodgers dont start signing some players with some pop, then all of the pitching in the world wont make much difference, as the dodgers were second to last in home runs in the National League in 2010. at least this is a first step.
im still holding out hope the Dodgers will sign Beltre, but I know its likly to not happen. sigh......a guy can dream right?

on another note, former dodger charlie haeger who was absolutly horrific in 2010 signed with the mariners earlier this week. I cant tell you how happy I am with this. ive made my feelings about how much I dislike heager well known.
hes never been any good ever. look at his numbers, although he did have a decent strech in his first stint with the dodgers about two years ago. still hes always been awful, and I just dont see that ever changing. and with the knuckleball hes even more of a liability. hmmm a 27 year old knuckleballer, who walks the world and cant get anyone out? no thanks......BUH BYE!

today is Vin Scully's birthday! he turns 83, lets all wish him a very happy birthday! we love you Vin, please dont ever leave us....ever!

the hot stove is heating up, im excited to see who the dodgers are gonna pick up next, lets hope its not another retread. until next time dodgertown! GO BLUE!

are the Dodgers reading our blog? Dodgers welcome back old friend

so after last week, when I announced my plan for 2011, with several ideas about which players to sign, one of the ideas I had was to sign Jon Garland as the number 5 starter. well this just in earlier today......

the Dodgers signed Jon Garland to a 1 year deal, with an option for 2012.

no really! its true! the dodgers really did sign garland! "well this shores up a great rotation" Stac said very astutly after hearing about the signing. indeed it does. as I said earlier, the Dodgers needed a solid number 5 starter to round out the rotation. now we wont have to worry, or have to deal with another year of the monasterios/ely/charlie haeger nigthmare again. the rotation is done, and the Dodgers have a very solid one, and can now concentrate on fixing the offense, and getting some bats.

after the Dodgers resigned Kuroda, and signed ted Lilly, it seemed as though Vicente Padilla would be the odd man out, and after this pick up, it will almost be certain now that Padilla will sign with another team. however we will all miss Padilla and his "Soap Bubbles".
the Dodgers could have resigned Padilla, but there looking for someone a little more consistent, and less injury prone, as Padilla has a long list of injuries, and Garland has pitched 200 innings almost every year, and is never hurt. Its no question that when healthy, Padilla is a more effective pitcher, however Garland is more reliable, and more likly to give the Dodgers what they so desperatly need from their back end starters, alot of innings.....lets take a closer look at our old friend Garland........

Jon Garland was drafterd by the Chicago Cubs, in the first round of the 97 draft, or the 10th pick.

Garland has pitched with 5 teams over the last ten years, this being his 12th season coming up. Garland has pitched with the WhiteSox, Angels, Arizona, Padres, and now two stints with the Dodgers.

Garland is 31 years old, and will be 32 next september. he was born in Valencia CA, so he is a local boy.
Garland began his career with the White Sox, and pitched from 2000-2007 with the White Sox, before signing with the Angels.
Garland pitched for one year with the Angels, before going to Arizona in 2009. in late 2009, the Dodgers traded Tony Abreau for Garland. Garland made several solid starts for the Dodgers, going 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA, in 6 games, and a little over 32 IP. Garland was then left off the playoff roster, and eventually signed with the Padres for 2010.
Garland has a 131-114 career record, with a 4.32 ERA. Garland has pitched inover 2000 innings, and pitched 6 shutouts. his best year came in 2005 for the White Sox, when he went 18-10 and a 3.50 ERA in 221 IP. in 2010 he had a similar year for the Padres going 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA in over 200 Innings. Garland has pitched in over 190 innings in 10 of his 11 seasons. and has pitched in over 200 innings in 7 seasons. the Right Hander was an all-star in 2005, and he has won 18 games twice, while having a career 1.380 WHIP.

Garland will make 5 million dollars this season, and can make as much as 8 million with some incentive bonuses next year, which can kick in if he pitches 190 innings or more. and as I pointed out earlier its pretty much a lock he gives you 190 innings. its strange how the Dodgers will resign former pitchers, but rarly resign former position players. lets just hope they resign one more former Dodger, a third baseman.......ok just fricking resign Beltre already!
this also allows the Dodgers to move Carlos Monasterios back to the bullpen for good, which is where he pitches best.
garland isnt going to blow hitters away, or look flashy, he wont pitch Soap Bubbles, or 100 MPH heaters, nor will he be Halladay perfect. He isnt flashy, doesnt stand out, and very solidly and quietly goes about his business. hmmmm sounds like a couple of other veteran back end starter guys that eat up alot of innings, that we have in our rotation. hey there is nothing wrong with collecting arms, while we look for some bats.

now only if the Dodgers would start listening to us more often......enjoy the rest of the holliday weekend everyone, and enjoy the hot stove league transactions! Go Blue!

Dodgers Announce Coaching Staff, Holes in Lineup Still Remain

Yesterday the Dodgers announced Don Mattingly's official coaching staff for the 2011 season:

Dave Hansen - Hitting Instructor (first season)
Trey Hillman - Bench Coach (first season)
Rick Honeycutt - Pitching Coach (sixth season)
Ken Howell - Bullpen Coach (fourth season)
Davey Lopes - First Base Coach (first season)
Manny Mota - Coach (32nd season)
Jeff Pentland - Hitting Coach (fourth season)
Tim Wallach - Third Base Coach (first season)
Rob Flippo - Bullpen Catcher (10th season)
Mike Borzello - Bullpen Catcher (fourth season)

Hillman was the former manager of the Kansas City Royals, and was managing in Japan before his 2008-2010 tenure for the Royals. He will be replacing the useless Bob Schaefer.

Rick Honeycutt will return for his 6th season as the Dodgers pitching coach. He is the longest tenured coach now. During the time he has coached for the Dodgers, our pitchers have had the best ERA in baseball.

Ken Howell will return for his 4th season as bullpen coach. Let's hope he can squelch anymore meltdowns.

Davey Lopes once again will wear Dodger blue when he returns to Chavez Ravine as first base coach replacing Mariano Duncan. He was a Dodger from 1972-1982 and was part of the dynamic infield that consisted of Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey. He can be valuable as a base running instructor as well. He has the second most stolen bases in Dodger history behind Maury Wills. We welcome him back!

Jeff Pentland has worked under Don Mattingly as a hitting instructor, but now has been promoted to hitting coach.

Tim Wallach has been managing Albuquerque the past two seasons, and has been very impressive. He will be the third base coach. I'm glad he will be staying in the Dodgers organization. If Mattingly faulters, I hope that they will give Wallach the chance to manage someday. Let's hope he doesn't leave eventually and it turn into another Mike Scioscia situation. He will be replacing the useless Larry Bowa.

Manny Mota has been in the Dodgers organization for 42 years, 32 of them as a coach.

Dave Hansen, a former Dodger, will be a hitting instructor. He will add valuable pinch-hitting instruction.

Flippo and Borzello will remain as bullpen catchers.

Overall, I feel this is a very strong coaching staff. The addition of some younger personnel like Dave Hansen enables them to freshen up some of the aging and useless coaches of past seasons. They now may be more able to communicate easier with the younger players like Matt Kemp. 

Now that the coaching staff is cemented in place, and we have 4 solid starting pitchers set with Kershaw, Billingsley, Lilly, and Kuroda we really need to look at filling up some of these black holes we have in the lineup. 

The Dodgers are not going to go for Adam Dunn, so they desperately need a power bat at either left field or third base. Colletti mentioned that he probably will go with Gibbons, Xavier Paul and Jamie Hoffman in left field. That's fine, but we can't have the rusted anchors of Casey Blake and Ryan Theriot weighing down the rest of the lineup. For the love of god, please sign Beltre! They are also still debating on what to do with Martin. They have until Dec. 2 to work something out, or he will become a free agent. I have a feeling we will be saying goodbye to Martin and dealing with Ellis/Barajas platoon behind the plate. I have no idea what they are going to do about second base, but anyone is better than Theriot. I just assume starting Jamey Carroll at 2nd. 

Stay tuned for more offseason news and more Blue Bios to come! Happy Thanksgiving everyone:)

my plan for 2011

The Dodgers made it official today. they resigned Hiroki Kuroda to a 1 year 12 million dollar deal. I am very happy to hear this. Kuroda has been one of the most consistent starting pitchers for the Dodgers in recent years, and is now the Japanese MLB career leader for best ERA with a 3.60. some people feel the Dodgers are paying too much for the right hander, who turns 36 next year, and set career bests in innings pitched (196.3) strikeouts (159), and held opposing hitters to a .204 BAA after the all-star break.

Im glad Kuroda is coming back as he now rounds out a pretty formidable starting rotation in 2011. with Kershaw, Bills, Kuroda, and Lilly, the Dodgers have a strong rotation. although there are still many questions and holes to fill. which leads me to think, what should the Dodgers do for next year? better yet what would I do if I were the GM? well here is my plans for 2011. Please note this is only what I would do, not what the Dodgers are going to do. However, take it as you will, here is my two cents....

This will be broken down in several parts. the Outfield, the infield, Cather, starting pitching, The Bullpen, and the Bench. as I will be posting each players projected salary for 2011. please also note, we dont know exactly what the Dodgers payroll will actually be in 2011.

OUTFIELD

we all know the Dodgers need a left fielder, now that Manny is gone. the Dodgers are sorely lacking Power in their lineup, which before had come from LF. there going to need to sign someone. they dont need to have ruthian power, as they will be getting there power elsewhere (ill explain later). but someone who has some pop in their bat, and who can play a decent outfield. Heres the issue, the free agent pool for outfield this year is pretty thin, its slim pickens. the Dodgers are too cheap to sign anyone big like Carl Crawford, or Jayson Werth. were going to have to take a chance on someone. I like Marcus Thames.

Thames, has played most of his career for the Tigers, and played 2010 with the Yankees. he had an .841 OPS in 212 AB, while hitting 12 home runs. he was making 900,000 last year. hey a million for a year to an OF who has a career .802 OPS, and a solid glove is not bad. I think we could do worse.

of coarse Kemp and Ethier will be back. hopefully Kemp can build on his strong finish, and Ethier can have another solid season. I really like Jay Gibbons, and he could get some playing time in left, however hes a terrible outfielder and I think his power can be better served on the bench in late inning situations.

I have no problem with resigning POD for another year for cheap, but NOT AS A STARTER. I dont mind him staying on as a lefty bat off the bench with speed. otherwise dont sign him, and give Xavier Paul a chance to play. everyone else on every single blogsite aggrees with this.

OUTFIELD
LF-Marcus Thames-1Million
CF-Matt Kemp-6.95Million
RF-Andre Ethier-9.25Million

INFIELD

lets start at third base as this is really where the core of my plan is at. The Dodgers should sign Adrian Beltre. do I really need to explain why? hes kind of you know.....good. The former Dodger has become one of the best hitters in the American League and one of the premier third baseman in baseball.
yeah a third baseman who can actually hit! they are out there, you just have to find them. I know he will be expensive, but we could show him the money, and then penny pinch on everything else. this is the power bat the dodgers so desperatly need. it also allows casey blake, who is clearly cooked, to move to the bench, to become the lefty killing corner power bat off the bench.
im not sure how much Beltre would command, but its going to be pricey. time to break out the wallet! lets see last year he made 9 mil with the red sox. would 15 mil sound likly? remember Beltre batted .321 with a .919 OPS 28 home runs and 102 RBI. He will prolly sign for somwhere in the neighborhood of 12-15 mil.

I think that Jamey Carroll should be the starting second baseman for 2011. its not only cost effective, but very beneficial. Carroll filled in off the bench just about everywhere in 2010, and proving to be the Dodgers unsung hero. with a solid glove and great OBP skills Carroll should at least be considered. but we all know the Dodgers will bring back Mr. Tootblan, Ryan fucking Theriot, who is an attrocious hitter, and generally sucks balls. im predicting rampant tootblans in 2011. sigh

INFIELD
1B-James Loney-4mil
2B-Jamey Carroll-1.5 mil
3B-Adrian Beltre-12-15mil
SS-Hit Machine-12mil

CATCHER

this is another position surrounded by uncertainty. what do the Dodgers do with Russell Martin? who has sucked for the past two years. is Big Rod worth keeping? what the hell is with AJ Ellis? is he a hitter now?
lost of questions, the first decision to make is on Russell Martin, and I hate to say this but I think it is time we say goodbye to him. hey I like Martin too, but Torre played him to death, and his numbers have deteriorated over the past two seasons. seriously look at his numbers. he only drove in 26 runs all of 2010, before breaking his hip in early august. he should be healthy by spring training, but that doesnt matter, its time to let him go, besides he will prolly be non-tendered anyways.

this means that the starting job goes to AJ Ellis, and big rod remains as a backup. IM intrigued at looking at Ellis as he had that hot streak to finish the last month this year. however he did suck before and his defense was not good. but then again, in order to afford Beltre, we have to cut costs elsewhere, and paying 5 mil for a catcher who cant hit anymore, and has average defense is throwing money out the window. although the other guys cant throw anyone out on the bases, and Martin does have a good arm.

CATCHER
AJ Ellis-500,000K
Rod Barajas-500,000K


Starting pitching

so we know now that the top 4 is set. just that pesky 5th starter to fill. people shouldnt really worry about this too much. the 5th starter isnt of vital importance, and can sometimes be skipped over with off days and pushing guys up in the rotation. I would love to see Padilla resigned, but he might be the odd man out. with the budget restraints, and he is old and injury prone. im sorry to say Padilla wont be coming back, however we will all miss him and his soap bubbles.
so what to do about number 5? well lets see. obviously no one can stand another year of the monasterios/ely/reclamation project, or whoever the Dodgers dig up from the grave number 5 wormhole.

free agent pool is slim once again however there is an old friend that could help us. welcome back Jon Garland. now he was making about 4.7 mil last season, but I dont think he could get that much this year. im guessing 3-4 mil, although he did have a solid year, 14-12 3.47 200IP. but he is 31. he can eat up alot of innings which we need. we can still keep monster in the bullpen as a long man/emergency starter

STARTING ROTATION
Clayton Kershaw-500,000K
Chad Billingsly-3.85Mil
Hiroki Kuroda-12mil
Ted Lilly-11mil
Jon Garland-4mil

THE BULLPEN

I think the bullpen will see better times in 2011 once all of the bums are gone. you know who im talking about. time to say goodbye to Sherrill,Troncsucko, Dotel, and the rest. the bullpen should look like this.

Jonathon Broxton-7mil
Hong-Chih Kuo-1mil
Kenley Jansen-400,000K
Ronald Bellisario-400,000K
Jeff Weaver-500,000K
Scott Elbert-400,000K
Carlos Monasterios-400,000K

notable changes include replacing Sherrill with Elbert as the lefty specialist. obviously Sherrill is making 4 mil to be a complete and utter bum. elbert is young and cant do any worse. its time the Dodgers give him a chance. also resign Jeff Weaver as he is reliable when healthy. as long as Brox rebounds and doesnt start imploding again, and Kuo stays healthy, along with Jansen, who looked very impressive. I think this could be a much improved bullpen.

THE BENCH

this was one of the Dodgers biggest weaknesses in 2010. the bench was completly worthless, especially with bums like auto out and belliard wasting roster spots. now that those pieces of crap are finally gone, we can begin to rebuild the bench. remember were going for more power, although it is cheap power.

Gibbons, Blake, Big Rod provide some much needed pop from the bench. X man gets a chance to prove himself, and because we have to go cheap here, Mitchell can get the last spot.

LF/1BJay Gibbons-650,000K
LFXavier Paul-400,000K
3B/1BCasey Blake-5.25mil
LF/3B/1BRuss Mitchell-400,000K
C/Rod Barajas-500,000K


ok so lets add this up. remember this is all a guess. some players may be non-tendered, or arbitration, so I have no idea how much they will make in 2011.

total projected payroll-97-100 million

remember im not sugesting any trades, just smart spending. it is clear the dodgers can not contend next year without an improved offense.

at around 100 mil this gives an improved team. Beltre provides the all-star power bat in the middle of the lineup, and a solid 3B, the cooked blake goes to the bench, thames is a solid LF, Garland can eat up alot of innings in the number 5 spot, and the bench has improved power. all the while keeping the core lineup of Kemp/Ethier/Loney/Furcal intact.
well that would be my plan anyways. well continue to post throughout the winter. There isnt alot going on right now though. Stac will be back with her blue bios, so stay tuned, and go blue!

Blue Bios: Ted Lilly

Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Lilly 29

Bats: Left Throws: Left  Height: 6'1"  Weight: 195 

Career Stats:

Win-Loss 113-96

ERA: 4.18

Awards: 2004 & 2009 All-Star

The first signing of the offseason was announced to be starting pitcher Ted Lilly. He was acquired at the trade deadline from the Chicago Cubs along with Ryan Theriot for Blake Dewitt and two minor league pitchers Brett Wallach and Kyle Smit. Lilly will get $33 million, including a $3.5 million signing bonus, $500,000 on April 1st and $1.5 million on each following April 1st. He gets salaries of $7 million next season, $10.5 million in 2011, $12 million in 2012, and $13.5 million in 2013. There's a full no-trade clause through the 2012 season. Let's look at the negatives. This is a long contract and a lot of money for a almost 35 year old pitcher. He also gives up a lot of homeruns. Let's just hope we aren't regretting this come 2012 and 2013. There are some positives. Ted is a veteran who can balance out the rotation since Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley are still young. This may fill up the black hole 5th starter issue we had this past season. If everyone stays healthy then we can hopefully not see batting practice starters Monasterios and Ely much. It's always good to have another lefty in the rotation. If the Dodgers also resign Hiroki Kuroda and Vicente Padilla I may be more optimistic about this deal. I can't help to cringe at the past notorious multi-year signings of Kevin Brown, Darren Dreifort, and Jason Schmidt. Let's hope Lilly can transcend that ugly list. What also is surprising is that the Dodgers actually offered Lilly this deal. They rebuffed the idea of signing Randy Wolf last year who is basically the same caliber as Lilly. Ned Colletti claims the Dodgers will have an increased payroll for next year. Let's hope they still have some cash left for a desperately needed power bat. Lilly went 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts for the Dodgers, and was 10-12 with a 3.62 ERA overall during the season. 


Lilly was born January 4, 1976 in Torrance, California, and actually was drafted by the Dodgers in 1996. He was traded to Montreal in the minors, and has bounced between 6 different ball clubs before landing back with the Dodgers this year including Montreal, the New York Yankees, Oakland, Toronto, and the Chicago Cubs.


Lilly made his MLB debut for the Montreal Expos on May 14, 1999 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He pitched 1 inning in relief. His first start came on September 19th vs. the Braves. He only pitched in 9 games with the Expos, including 3 starts. 


The next year, in 2000, he was traded to the New York Yankees. After two years with the Yanks he was traded in a 3 team deal to the Oakland Athletics which sent future Dodger pitcher Jeff Weaver to New York and Jeremy Bonderman to Detroit. Lilly pitched in the ALDS in 2002 & 2003 for Oakland as a starter. Lilly was then traded to the Blue Jays for Bobby Kielty. In 2004 Lilly was named to the All-Star team representing Toronto. The highlight of his career as a Blue Jay was a start on August 23, 2004 against the Red Sox. He pitched a complete-game shutout and struck out 13 batters in a three-hit 3–0 victory.


On August 21, 2006 Lilly and Blue Jays manager John Gibbons had a little bruhaha. The Athletics were up 8-0 in the 3rd inning. When Gibbons decided to get the hook, Lilly refused to leave the mound. He finally gave Gibbons the ball, and they fought later in the locker room. This fueled Lilly to reject a 4 year  $40 million contract offered by the Blue Jays thus becoming a free agent. He later signed a equally lucrative deal with the Chicago Cubs instead.


In 2009, Lilly was named to the All-Star team for the second time representing the Cubs. Lilly became a Dodger after a July 31st trade. He won his first 5 starts as a Dodger. His best outing was on August 19th against the Colorado Rockies when he pitched a complete game shutout.


In his career Lilly has pitched 5 complete games and 3 shut-outs in his 310 games. He's pitched a little over 1,718 innings striking out 1,474 batters. 


Earlier in the season, an interesting controversy surrounding Ted Lilly was abuzz. In May, Casey Blake got fired up after he accused Ted Lilly of pitching in front of the rubber rather than having his foot on it during a 1-0 loss to Chicago. Blake tried to get the umpires to call him on it unsuccessfully. The umpires ignored the issue. "I know he doesn't have an overpowering fastball," Blake said. "I know he's trying to get as much of an edge as he can. But he moved in. That's cheating. You've got to stay on the rubber." Lilly responded by saying, "Sometimes a batter will get in the box and he'll step out, and behind the box, and on the lines. I don't think he's trying to cheat. It might not be intentional. I might have done it a couple times, just trying to gain my footing," he said.


Here are two photos of Lilly during the game in question. You be the judge.

It will be interesting to see how Lilly's temperament is since there are a few videos of him grabbing a bat in anger and retreating to the dugout in a hissy fit and another of him slamming his glove down in frustration during a game. 

Ted Lilly and his wife Natasha have one young son appropriately named Theodore Roosevelt Lilly IV.

The next few weeks should be very interesting since we should know the fates of the Dodgers' free agents here soon. They have exclusive rights to negotiate with them up until 5 days after the conclusion of the World Series. 

Stay tuned for more Blue Bios! 

The 10th man



Matt Holiday drops this Loney fly ball as it hits him in the balls :)

 Where were you one year ago today? The Dodgers remember where they were. I believe it was october 9th. game 2 of the division series against the cardinals at home. Dodgers leading the series 1-0, down by a run with 2 outs in the 9th. Ryan Franklin, the Cardinals closer on in the 9th, Loney hits a room service sinking fly ball to left field. The Dodgers had lost that game, if Holliday had caught that ball, the series is instead tied and everything is different. but you know what happened? yes magic happened, awsome wonderfulness happened.
the Dodger fans distracted Matt Holiday, causing him to drop the ball. Could this be true? well lets consider the possibility. the ball never touched Holiday's glove, hitting off his groin and rolling a few feet in front of him. Loney ended up at second, and the Dodgers had gotten a huge break.
I had attended the game 1 in person. I remember white Dodger rally towels were passed out to all the fans, and everyone was waving them during the game. The small towels were completly white with the exception of the Dodger logo in the center. I remember telling the fans sitting around me to not wave the towels while the Dodgers were in the field, as it would be distracting. the towels reminded me of the homer hankys the twins fans used during the 91 world series.

remember Matt Holiday up until that game had only commited only 1 error in his last 63 regular season games. and he also had hit a home run earlier in that same game.

after the game Holidays teammate and game 2 starter Adam Wainright had commented about the rally towels, he said......
"That ball got lost in 50,000 white towels shaking in front of Matt's face," [Cardinals starter Adam] Wainwright said. "It doesn't really seem fair that an opposing team should be able to allow their fans to shake white towels when there's a white baseball flying through the air. How about Dodger Blue towels?"

Holiday commented saying that it was the lights that had caused him to lose sight of the fly ball.

what happened next? well Casey Blake had an epic at bat. fouling off like 10 pitches, eventually drawing a clutch walk to extend the inning. This seemed to take all the gas out of Franklin's tank. Belliard then lined the first pitch into center field for a hit scoring Pierre (who was pinch running) tie game.
the struggling Russel Martin came up and drew a 4 pitch walk to load the bases. Franklin was rattled by then. next Mark Loretta pinch hitting blooped a base hit to center, in the same area of belliard's hit, scoring the winning run, and the Dodgers would go onto to sweep the heavily favored Cardinals, in three. Go Blue!
but in looking back at it, it is possible that Holliday was distracted by the waving white towels, and the lights, causing him to misplay that fly ball. if that is true, the Dodger fans are truly the 10th man.


lets take a look at the postseason bracket as of today


NL
Cinncinati    0
Philadelphia 3

Atlanta           1
San Francisco 2

AL

Yankees   3
Minnesota 0

Texas         2
Tampa Bay 2


for the first time in 5 years a division series will go 5 games, as the rays beat the Rangers today in arlington. the Rays are trying to become only the 6th team to ever come from down 2-0 to win a best of 5 playoff series.
The lame ass Yankees beat the twins again yesterday, sweeping the series, and going to the ALCS again. the twins have lost like 10 playoff games in a row, and like 1000 in a row to the yankees.

in the National League, after Halladay's incredible no hitter in game 1, the Phils shutout the Reds 2-0 behind former world series MVP Cole Hammels. they swept the Reds, and move on to their third straight NLCS, and this time IM afraid there may be no stopping them.
what a nightmare series for the Reds, they were no hit in game 1, commited 4 errors and blew a four run lead in game 2, and then for good measure were shut out in game 3.

in the other series, in one of the most horrific disgusting scenes, Ive ever seen, the Giants came from behind with 2 outs in the 9th to beat the Braves in atlanta and take a 2-1 series lead. down 1-0, eric hinske hit a two run home run just inside the foul pole to give the braves a 2-1 lead. in the 9th though Brooks Conrad, playing out of position at second base, commited his record third error of the game, and 7th error I think in the last four games. actually I can remember an NLCS game back in 08 for the Dodgers where furcal commited three errors. so it does happen, but Conrad is terrible, and you have to wonder why Bobby Cox left him in that late in the game to make more errors. hopefully the Braves will win to force a game 5, and then send those bastards to the golf coarses. although one downside to Atlanta advancing to the NLCS is having to listen to another playoff series of the annoying tomohawk chant.