This back thing must be catching
PROGRAMMING NOTE: I was thinking about launching a live blog for tomorrow afternoon's game. Anyone plan on being in front of their computer? Well, you should. Remember, it's an early game, so make sure to stop by...
Blake DeWitt's back, which kept him out of yesterday's win in Milwaukee, will again put him on the bench. There has been improvement, he told me, but there's still a little twinge. "I told (Joe Torre) I felt good," DeWitt said. "It's nothing serious, just some tightness." Rafael Furcal, Torre certainly isn't going to take any chances. DeWitt thought he'd be able to play Saturday afternoon, and Torre seemed to agree. So that's good news.
Regarding Furcal, the news is also positive. "We're thinking in the next couple days he'll start playing catch, and then we'll see how quickly he can progress," Torre said. "The pain is gone and he's progressing well, but the original plan was to shut him down completely for about five or six days." Should he be able to come off the DL when he's eligible (next Wednesday, I believe), Torre didn't think Furcal would need any rehab ABs. Good to hear.
Other Notes:
- DeWitt's injury emphasizes the lack of flexibility the Dodgers currently have in the infield. They're short dudes who can play multiple positions. Certainly Luis Maza might qualify, and if he shows an ability to handle things at the Big League level over the next week, it's possible that Chin-lung Hu could be sent out when Furcal is ready to play. "The extra infielder is someone you don't pay a lot of attention to as far as on the lineup card, but for a manager is very important," Torre said. As I've mentioned before, having that true utility guy is often a bigger factor for what it allows the manager to do, rather than that player's specific contributions. Hu, Torre emphasized again, "needs to play everyday." It's a tough thing for a young player to be a bench guy anyway, and given how he's scuffling at the plate, that only adds to the degree of difficulty. Major League pitching isn't particularly forgiving, so it can be tough to get right, so to speak, without a lot of ABs, which Hu won't be getting.
- Nomar Update: He's feeling better, but said there was no real timetable for him to return. He's going to be checked out after this weekend's series. Basically he's status quo, which means it could be a fair time before he's back. At this point, Garciaparra would have to be sent out to get some swings in the minors.
- Jason Schmidt will two or three innings tomorrow, depending on his pitch count. Torre said it would be in the neighborhood of 30-35 pitches.
- The visiting clubhouse at Angel Stadium is a vast place relative to either one at the Ravine, so they have space for things like tables with a lot of magazines. Provided reading material includes: GQ, Stuff, Maxim, Surfing, Peterson's 4 Wheel and Off Road, Sport Fishing, Power and Motoryacht, Field and Stream, Baseball America, Beisbol America, the LAT (woo!), Entertainment Weekly, SI, La Opinion, and Maxim. I can only presume they let their subscription to the Atlantic Monthly expire.
LINEUPS:
DODGERS-
Juan Pierre- LF
Andruw Jones- DH (Originally was set to play center, but a late position change has him in the DH role. No word yet as to why.)
Matt Kemp- CF
Jeff Kent- 2B
Russell Martin- 3B
James Loney- 1B
Andre Ethier- RF
Luis Maza- SS
Gary Bennett- C
Hiroki Kuroda- P
ANGELS-
Maicer Izturis- 2B
Gary Matthews Jr.- CF
Vlad Guerrero- RF
Garrett Anderson- DH
Torii Hunter- CF
Casey Kotchman- 1B
Erick Aybar- SS
Robb Quinlan- 3B
Mike Napoli- C
Joe Saunders- P
BK
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Don't know about the Live Blog, it's my daughters 1 1/2 year old Bar Mitzvah.
BTW - I'm tired of playing the Jones advocate... he sucks.
Posted by: benzojones | May 16, 2008 at 08:00 PM
"DeWitt's injury emphasizes the lack of flexibility the Dodgers currently have in the infield. "
The operative word here is FLEXIBILITY. These guys don't stretch properly or drink enough water. Plain and simple. They eat too much meat, they are lumbering and aching and they don't have a clue.
Too many 'stiff' backs in baseball. Too little yoga.
Massages just don't cut it.
The trainers suck.
Posted by: quirky | May 16, 2008 at 08:57 PM
It's May 16th, and this whole "experiment" is starting to run its course. Andruw Jones is an embarassment.
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | May 16, 2008 at 09:42 PM
DBB-
There is a certain irony to having him serve as the designated hitter, that's for sure.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | May 16, 2008 at 09:44 PM
BK,
Please endulge and let me say that, like your brother's post yesterday, none of us are personally "Anti-Andruw." Contrary to that, we WANT to see Andruw succeed. If Andruw where hitting it out of the park like circa '05, SaMo, Brooklyn Dodger, KT, Benzo, PoppinFresh, Package, myself, and the rest of the Blue Notes lot would probably be the first to sing praises to the Count of Curaco. And while its not personal, for the first Dodger to ever receive an 18mil per year contract we, as fans, expect ALOT more.
Basically BK, you, your brother & Dylan Hernandez have done a great job of giving us fans a great job of fair and objective Dodgers' reporting this season. But the fans are restless. And we're only resltess because we fans want to see the best Dodgers team take the field every night which gives the boys the best chance to win. And contrary to Joe Torre's lineup cards, the team with the best chance to win features a starting outfield of Kemp, Ethier and Young/Pierre....
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | May 16, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Free Andre Ethier...
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | May 16, 2008 at 10:20 PM
What gives with this lineup? Gary Bennett has Mackey Sasser disease and Joe doesn’t think that’s going to come back and bite him on the ass?
The other head scratcher is Fatass at designated hitter. Whatever his shortcomings have been at the plate, Jones is still a gold glove outfielder. Juan Pierre, however, is not, and Matt Kemp is a better corner outfielder than a center fielder. Here’s your opportunity to play Jones in center and use Pierre as DH, but instead you put nancyarm in left? I don’t get it.
Hey Andy LaRoche, get your act together. DeWitt is headed for the DL and your chance to get your job back is upon you.
This was an embarrassing loss for the Dodgers. Too many guys playing out of position and no hitting except for Loney and my boy Andre. Five runs would have won this game, but they didn’t even get half that. You gotta believe more than five will be needed with Chan Ho Out of the Park taking the hill tomorrow.
Posted by: SaMo | May 16, 2008 at 10:39 PM
ugh
Posted by: benzojones | May 16, 2008 at 11:04 PM
SaMo,
good points but..... You're getting me down man! Alright so we sucked tonight. One really bad loss to the Halos AGAIN, won't kill the season. I had high hopes tonight and thought we would take 2 or 3 or all 3. But 2 or 3 is still alive! It could happen??
Posted by: Rob | May 17, 2008 at 12:01 AM
I agree DBB 100% Free Andre Ethier
I'll be there for the live blog...what time is game time?
Posted by: K T USN (feeling retired) | May 17, 2008 at 01:12 AM
DBB
Exactly right! Good Post.
Package
Posted by: Package | May 17, 2008 at 08:16 AM
DBB-
Don't feel like you can't bag on the guy on our account. We try to be fair, and I think most fans do to. Personally, I guess because I consider myself a positive person, I always (well, there is the very rare exception that I'll keep to myself) pull for players to succeed. It feels weird for me to root for a human being, generally trying his best or at the very least, generally a good enough person, to fail. Fans are the same way. They want players to do well. The allegiance is to the team for you guys, and if a guy sucks, he brings down the team. If Jones turned it around tomorrow, the fans would turn around with him (or most would, at least). You're right, it's not a question of being "anti-__________."
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | May 17, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Hi KT-
It's 12:55 sharp!
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | May 17, 2008 at 10:34 AM