Question of the Day
The signing of Roger Clemens by the Astros today got me thinking. First, about how sick I was of the whole saga.* Second, this is almost like a magic fantasy deal for the Astros. Bring back a Hall of Famer, give up nothing (but money), plug him in and go.
So with that in mind, here's today's question. The magic baseball genie is granting you one wish. You can bring back one Dodger. Any Dodger. And you don't need a prorated $22 million to do it. Head back to Brooklyn if you want, or take a guy who wore the Blue last season (considering the '05 results, that may not be such a good idea, but hey, it's your choice). Raise the dead, dip old timers in the Fountain of Youth, magically lift a player from another team's roster. You decide. Who will it be?
*The image of one history's greatest pitchers window shopping to try and win/carpetbag to another World Series was incredibly disheartening. While I think it was ridiculous it took this long for Clemens to figure out if he wanted to play, that he went back to Houston at least makes it tolerable. Had he gone to New York I'd have thrown up on my keyboard. The other issues — how much he's getting paid, how much the game has changed to allow a player no matter how great to essentially rent himself out for half a season, etc., are all points for a different debate).
First, you have to decide what the Blue need most. Another dominant arm? Perhaps a Koufax, Drysdale, or Valenzuela. Maybe a Pedro? Martinez (more pitching) or Guerrero (solid bat). If sticks are your concern, maybe it's Snider. If you prefer a crabby bat, perhaps Sheffield is your guy. Kick it old school with Zack Wheat or Wee Willie Keeler (small man, played big).
Kick it obscure, if you prefer, with Hub Northern, or Carden Gillenwater. You have your reasons, right? My understanding is Gillenwater was a soothing presence in the clubhouse.
Whatever your methodology, you can pick one guy, and one guy only. And don't worry about the whole "What year do I get him?" question. If you take Ron Cey, you get the ideal Ron Cey. Whoever you take is at the top of their game. Get technical if you want, but there's only so much time you can use to research career stats while at work.
With all that in mind, I'm going to go out on a limb, take a major risk, think outside the box, question the conventional wisdom and take...
Sandy Koufax.
Not that you really need to justify bringing back Sandy Koufax, but here goes. I'm actually not worried about the lineup. Assuming guys stay reasonably healthy, the Dodgers will score plenty of runs. They have offensive depth coming out the wazoo. Plus, as guys inevitably head to the DL, they have about 42 guys coming off it who can help. The Blue will score.
The rotation, on the other hand, has been rock solid but I'm less confident it'll stay that way. Lowe and Penny at the top are nice, but they're not playoff style aces. Guys who make other teams wish they could leave the bats on the rack just to save the trouble. As for the rest, Sele has been great, but unless after more than a decade in baseball he's ready to counter his career trends of fast starts and ugly finishes, he's due to take a downturn. Seo is still shaky, and while Tomko has had success at Dodger Stadium, he's also pitching far better than his career numbers say he should. Oh yeah, there's Odalis, right?
Plus, think how much better a dominating No. 1 would make the pen? Every game he pitches is basically a night off for the still-combustible relief corps. That can't hurt. And finally, I never had a chance to see him pitch, and I want to. How's that for a reason?
So who do you have the genie conjure? And more importantly, why?
BK
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Don Drysdale, for the above reasons and to see him go inside (whoops missed) on Barry.
Posted by: Pho 06 | May 31, 2006 at 12:03 PM
I'm with you: Koufax.
I got to see him pitch (on television).
Magic. I'd love to see it again.
-- stan
Posted by: Stanley Krute | May 31, 2006 at 12:24 PM
Definately going with pitching. The current line-up and the tremendous cast of young talent waiting in the wings is VERY capable of scoring runs and winning games. That being said, I also choose Koufax. He is the greatest. To see him in in prime throwing for my 2006 Dodgers would be truly special. If I had to choose a pitcher from my era of Dodger fandom, I would go with Orel Hershiser. To see the Bulldog again putting up the scoreless innings, shut outs, and dubs for LA would be awesome. Good question, Thanks.
Posted by: ray ray | May 31, 2006 at 12:29 PM
With a doubt it would be Sandy. The starting rotation is filled with number 2 starters. The Dodgers are one ace away from contending for the world series.
Posted by: Brian | May 31, 2006 at 12:29 PM
I would bring back Eric Karros the guy was a consistent 30-100 guy before back injuries.
or
Darren Dreifort w/o injuries and being the closer he was meant to be. He would have been the greatest closers all time
or
Pedro Martinez any questions?
or
Jose Lima that guy had to be the most animated picter ever. Love it. Remember when he shut out the Cardinals in the playoffs. MAN I LOVED HIS DANCING and everything he was doing. We need another clown on our team. Baseball is already boring as it is. We need entertainers. Not classy boring white men.
or
Davy Johnson haha the laziest manager in the history of the game.
or
Chad Fonville never seen a guy get more infield and bunt singles in my life. That guy was one of the best leadoff hitters all time. Bunt single, Steal second, Steal third, Sac fly and SCORE!!!
the list can go on finding the all time great Dodger players. And O lets not forget
RAUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLL Mondesi. The greatest waste of talent of all time. Maybe this time he can fulfill what he was expected to do. That guy had a cannon of a arm. Could steal hit etc etc. BUt that faggot needs to come back because when Dodger players gave their signatures he never gave us one. He would always tease us by smoking a damn cigar in front of our faces. YOU OWE US A DAMN SIGNATURE!!!!
Tom Prince- greatest backup catcher of all time. Whenever I saw him back up Pizza he hit a homerun.
Hansen-greatest pinch hitter of all time. We could bring him back to get a good back up to this injury riddled dodgers..
Posted by: petey | May 31, 2006 at 12:40 PM
BTW AK n BK where is the blog particpators disppeared too ????? where is KAVULIC , TENIENTE, FAITH. This blog is soo dead..
Posted by: petey | May 31, 2006 at 12:45 PM
Sandy Koufax, of course. It is still the pitching
Posted by: morry levin | May 31, 2006 at 01:03 PM
I love the Sandy Koufax pick, but I would have to go with FERNANDOMANIA!!!! Odalis is in a funk right now and imagine Ferny in the starting lineup??? Sombreros and Fernandomania T-Shirts all over the place............It would be awesome, cause you know we'd get some quality pitching from him
Posted by: Roy Lopez | May 31, 2006 at 01:13 PM
that one is easy . . . koufax. anyone need a perfect game in the world series? he's our man . . .
Posted by: Dodger Fan | May 31, 2006 at 01:13 PM
I'd put Kirk Gibson back in uni, then immediately injure the guy's knee. He has a 1.000 average when batting with a bum wheel in clutch situations. And he ONLY hits homers. How can you lose with those odds?
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | May 31, 2006 at 01:14 PM
I would bring back Branch Rickey along with Koufax. Brad Penny, Milton Bradley, etc. would never get away with their temper tantrums under Ricky in place.
Posted by: Steven | May 31, 2006 at 01:23 PM
With the premium on pitching, Oral Hershiser from the championship season in '88. That year he was one of the best pitchers ever. He was almost unhittable during the shutout streak.
The way the Dodgers are playing, don't anybody make any loud noises! I don't want to wake up...
Posted by: Andy B | May 31, 2006 at 01:37 PM
While Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale are the chic pics, and rightfully so, give me Orel in his 1988 form. That’s 59+ scoreless innings and a World Championship. It’s like playing with house money!!!
While Gagne’s consecutive saves record is amazing, I need a pitcher than can go 9 innings. Enter Orel. I’m sure the Mets and the A’s would agree with my pic. Haha!!!
Posted by: LoLo | May 31, 2006 at 01:56 PM
I would bring back Paul DePodesta. Championships start with the GM, boys and girls. And if you ever need a Topps Hee Sop Choi rookie card (Hello Honus Wagner $$$), you know who has them by the dozen.
Posted by: LoLo | May 31, 2006 at 02:02 PM
Only .100? What a bum! (Maybe you were thinking of his 1.000 average in the '88 World Series, though...)
I never liked Karros, and he was far worse than the guy they got rid of to keep him on the roster, Paul Konerko. Karros was the master of the empty counting stat, the late season fade, and the meaningless solo homer in a blowout game.
Posted by: Rob McMillin | May 31, 2006 at 02:07 PM
CHAD FONVILLE? Hahahaha. There’s a name I never thought I’d hear again. My favorite lovable loser is Jeff Hamilton.
How about Greg Brock, Bill Madlock, Ken Landreaux, or Tom F’n Niedenfuer (hello AK/BK)?
Posted by: LoLo | May 31, 2006 at 02:10 PM
Rob,
Damn decimel point typos. haha. Thanks for the pick up.
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | May 31, 2006 at 02:20 PM
Fernando, La Duca, Cey, Duncan, Sax, Garvey, Sheff, Guerrero, Monday. Tracy can run this ship.
Posted by: alex | May 31, 2006 at 02:32 PM
Hands down! I'd bring back Sandy Koufax without thinking twice. All of the other's mentioned here, including Don Drysdale, would be great. However, Sandy's the Greatest and best of them all and with him in the rotation, not even the Yankees could beat us!
Posted by: Rob Boysen | May 31, 2006 at 02:43 PM
Bring back Garvey! You need hit, Garvey will deliver. Who plays every game and gets 200 hits
a year? Nobody. Bring back #6.
Posted by: john roach | May 31, 2006 at 02:55 PM
I'd go old school and bring back Davey Lopes. The guy knew how to get on base, and how to get around the bases. I went to a game years ago where he stole 5 bases, was atempting to steal his 6th of the game, and Garvey grounds out. Garvey was booed the rest of the game.
He was a decent fielder as well.
The Dodgers need someone like a Davey Lopes to inject more life and aggression into the team.
Posted by: Tom Moore | May 31, 2006 at 03:02 PM
Koufax, no question.
Posted by: MollyKnight | May 31, 2006 at 03:02 PM
Fernando Valenzuela.
He changed the baseball world. He animated the baseball fans in L.A. AND he was an awesome pitcher.
Nomo.
His rookie year.
Sandy.
don't need to say a thing.
& to coach.....
Tommy Lasorda
The greatest coach/person in all of baseball.
Posted by: MrsThinkBlue | May 31, 2006 at 03:02 PM
Orel Hershiser.
Post season perfection. I never saw Koufax play, so my perspective is slightly skewed, but I never saw a pitcher dominate the way Hershiser did in '88. 59 consecutive scoreless innings and then untouchable in the playoffs. Gibby hit the big HR in Game 1 of the World Series, but Hershiser is the one who dominated the series. That's what's missing from the current Dodger team.
Posted by: Brad Askew | May 31, 2006 at 03:02 PM
My pick would be either Fernando or Jose Lima. The offense on this year's team is solid, and the defense is coming around, so the only significant need is another lights-out starter. While Drysdale, Koufax, or Bulldog Hershiser could easily provide that, there's something else the Dodgers are missing this year -- a larger-than-life personality. Someone whose exuberance and boyish excitement at just being able to play the game would rally the fan base even higher. This is L.A., the media capital of the world -- we need someone worthy of that stage.
That being said, the best real-life alternative to that I see right now would be acquiring Dontrelle Willis. Pitching in Dodger Stadium, I think he'd get his groove back, and also provide that little extra spark.
Posted by: Eric B. | May 31, 2006 at 03:04 PM