Bittersweet at best
On the plus side, there was a win on yesterday, and a pretty quality one at that. The 4-1 triumph over Houston included seven shutout frames from a newly healthy Hiroki Kuroda, a deep ball from Andre Ethier and continued productivity from Jeff Kent. Unfortunately, the mood was a considerably dampened after hearing that Raffy Furcal's bad back would require time under the knife, which means at least eight weeks' worth of time away from the field. If you happen to have a calender handy, you might not wanna grab it, because a little math will show that places a hopeful return during the first week of September at the earliest, a depressing thought on its best day. The law firm of Berroa-Maza-Hu hasn't exactly made their case as a quality replacement into the box score, meaning a move to land a more established SS could be in the works. For now, however, nothing is set in stone.
With Hiroki Kuroda now back and Brad Penny on the cusp, the pitching staff was getting mighty swole. Thus, the powers that be opted to send Clayton Kershaw back to AA. The "overcrowded" explanation was given to the youngster, but he wasn't buying what was being sold.
With any luck, Andruw Jones will be back this weekend.
Can the Dodgers take a four gamer? We shall see this afternoon as Chad Billingsley does battle with Brandon Backe.
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Maza has shown some signs of life, but what about bringing up Angel Chavez. His ops at LV are over .700 and he has 6HRs. He even hit .268 when he was in the majors with the Giants in 2005. Let's take a chance. On another topic, I think we handled Kershaw terribly. He has talent, but he wasn't' ready. So, all you did was take all the confidence out of the kid and then kick him out the door.
Posted by: Buck18 | July 03, 2008 at 10:19 AM
I'm not asking for much, but AJ and Nomar deciding on their own to come back tomorrow in the wake of the Furcal news says something about them. Let's hope they are the AJ and Nomar of old (years ago-old, not this year-old), and they aren't risking too much (with regard to re-injuring themselves) by stepping up and coming back sooner than expected.
Posted by: Brian | July 03, 2008 at 10:37 AM
With what the Dodgers have now at SS, an upgrade is needed. Maza/Nomar/Hu/ Berroa/Chavez are not everyday major league shortstops at this moment. Maza/Hu/Chavez/Berroa don't have the offensive abilities to play everyday and Nomar is now better fit for a utility role because of his fragile body. These are the shortstops that are available via trade: Christian Guzman, Edgar Renteria, Orlando Cabrera, Felipe Lopez and Mark Loretta. I hope Flanders doesn't get burned by trading top talent to acquire one of these SS. I hope he doesn't add by subtracting.
Posted by: Ozy | July 03, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Kershaw "the Paw" is starting to sound every bit of his 20 years. Grow up child, man up, and get some off speed action.
The curve that lit up YouTube didn't win in Jacksonville either. Maybe they should have him win a couple before they pull him up again.
Is it just me or am I sounding like dodger55....
Posted by: benzojones | July 03, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Pop Quiz:
Which team has the best record in baseball?
No cheating.
Hint: It's not Seattle or San Diego
Posted by: wausroamer | July 03, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Hi folks, congratulations on the recent Dodgers' run. As a Twins' fan, I am sure that Nick Punto and Mike Lamb could be easily get by the Dodgers and can be valuable as a SS and LH bat off the bench, respectively. Punto is a free agent after this year and his current contact is $2.4 mil. Lamb is on the first year of a 2 year $5 mil contract, so they are relatively inexpensive. Do you think that the Dodgers would be interested in them and what they might want in return?
Posted by: Twinsfan | July 03, 2008 at 11:54 AM
We got to make a run at Jack Wilson-&-Jason Bay from the Bucs, a package of Matt Kemp, Chin-Lung Hu, and middle tier pitcher could do it.
Posted by: Oscar | July 03, 2008 at 01:11 PM
Benzo
You are starting to sound a bit like Dodger 55. You could sound a little more like him if you would tell someone to get a life, don't cry in your beer, or just call someone moron. Just any name will do.
Package
Posted by: Package | July 03, 2008 at 01:44 PM
Can anyone possibly explain the logic of removing Billingsly? He had only thrown 92 pitches and had shown no signs of problem, so why lift him? It looks like Torre has fallen onto the trap of bringing in the closer just because it is the 9th and is expected. I have seen all to many pitching changes made that were not needed, just as in the case of Kerwin this week and it now looks like he may have made a major mistake today. Let the pitchers pitch and only lift them when it is necessary.
Posted by: Carl Creasman | July 03, 2008 at 01:58 PM
3 wins in 4 games since REPKO has been called up!
Who is being demoted when AJ and Nomar return? Maza or Berora or our beloved REPKO?
Joe Torre and Ned Colleti... I beg you... please release Sweeny... this has to stop! 0.094! The guy couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat. If that is a "quality at bat" then i don't know if i can take it anymore.
Posted by: poppinfresh | July 03, 2008 at 02:05 PM
Oscar,
You're kidding right? We could have had Bay for almost nothing last year, same with Wilson. Why in the world would the Blue include Matt Kemp? I can see moving Hu, but not much more for that package. Remember, power numbers always decrease when Chavez Ravine becomes the home park and not some riverside band box.
Posted by: dalegribel | July 03, 2008 at 02:07 PM
Hu can't see out of his right eye. That's why he couldn't hit.
Well, where are all of you now, the ones that gave up, decided to pack it in last week, 2 weeks ago, a month ago?
And yes, some of you have to be called morons because if you can't take the ups and downs of the long baseball season with the losing streaks, hitting and pitching slumps and injuries, don't follow baseball.
Or if the Dodgers losing upset you so much, follow another team.
What, do some of you think that Colleti just sits all day in his office reading the newspaper? He is on the phone like any other GM asking or being asked about players.
And if Jones' knee was the problem and he starts hitting homers, should Colleti still be fired?
Ironic that since Pierre went out, the team has, dare I say it, chemistry? And Torre has to mange like he is in the NL?
Baseball like any other sport is unpredictable. Wait until the end of the season and then whine or celebrate!
Posted by: dodger55 | July 03, 2008 at 02:24 PM
Pop,
Is it "since REPKO came up.. or since PIERRE went down?? Repko hasn't really done anything so I'd like to say it's b/c Pierre is no longer in the lineup and Ethier is self assured he will be in there everyday... 2 HR's in 2 days!! The Dodgers haven't hit consistently like this since Raffy went down but starting hitting this way since Pierre went down?? Again, maybe it wasn't NOT HAVING RAFFY but HAVING PIERRE that was the problem??!!! Coincidence?? Last year's team sucked too w/ the power numbers. Year before Pierre, Dodgers in the Playoffs... A whole lot of coincidence.
Posted by: Rob | July 03, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Dodger 55
It looks as though we have gotton off on the wrong foot. I feel that you have a lot of knowledge about the Dodgers as well as baseball in general. However, I don't think that I or any of the others are morons or any other name that comes up. The Dodgers are very close to me and I get frustrated when things do not go as many would expect them to go. If I have offended you in any way, I apolize. Perhaps, in the future you will see that most of us just want the same thing. The Dodgers to win. My opinions are based on the way I feel as well as some stats as I am sure yours are. I will never follow another team as I feel that you will not. In the future, I will respect your opinions as I hope you will mine. After all, aren't we all on the same team? Also, I am not very young.
Package
Posted by: Package | July 03, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Hey, three out of four in Houston, and the world looks good. Just PLEASE take care of the Gnats this weekend in Dodger Stadium North, willya?
Posted by: Rufus Leaking | July 03, 2008 at 03:30 PM
55,
Don't get too excited. Dodgers are still 3 under .500, hardly a juggernaut. I'm pleased that they're playing better, but I also see that AZ came back from 5-0, scored 6 in the 9th and won.
When the Dodgers start making comebacks of that nature, then I'll be more enthused.
Posted by: Chunkdog | July 03, 2008 at 03:39 PM
REPKO's mere presence elevates the rest of the boats.
He levitates with his thoughts... he's the Chriss Angel of Baseball.
Dodger55 - I prefer to think Colletti munches on a cigar and watches old Magnum PI episodes that he knows by heart, and mouths the words a la Bugsy.
Posted by: benzojones | July 03, 2008 at 03:52 PM
Dear Ned:
Please trade Matt Kemp to a team with a small ballpark, and a team who has a manager who wouldn't think of playing Andruw Jones over him (maybe Colorado). Thanks
Plus, who are the doctors who wasted 2 months rehabbing Furcal's back?
Posted by: Eric | July 03, 2008 at 03:58 PM
Yup. Pierre was 'the cancer' not Gonzo or Kent or Nomar last year AND this year!
We went to the playoffs with Drew on the team. When he opted out, probaly from reading all the 'Miss Drew' posts here, Coletti failed to get Soriano too much money and Lee who didn't want to come to LA.
SO HE GOT PIERRE TO REPLACE DREW!!!!!
Like SaMo says, you don't need a speedy guy to leadoff. That's old style baseball when teams would bunt runners over, hit and run. That was before steroids took over and everybody could be Brady Anderson!
Besides, the leadoff hitter might only leadoff to begin the game, he needs to have some power to drive in runs with extra base hits with runners on.
Pierre did seem to be effective batting behind Furcal, but as the leadoff hitter and what with his arm, he has become a joke and a crutch for Torre to whine about the younger players' at bats.
Over the last 3 games you can sense that Martin, Loney, Eithier and Kemp form a core for the Dodgers' offense. DeWitt seems to be holding up too. Pierre just does not fit in with his style of play.
One thing that is a little worrying is that with Hu having vision problems and Abreu injured, our double play combo of the near future like next year probably won't happen.
Posted by: dodger55 | July 03, 2008 at 04:19 PM
2 idiots cost billz a complete game shutout:
1. maza (error)
2. torre (giving pitcher "hook")
Posted by: dodger55 | July 03, 2008 at 04:31 PM
I did not post the '2 idiots cost us ' etc post...someone used my blog name!!!
Moderator please look into this!!!!
Whoever did this is pretty pathetic.
Posted by: dodger55 | July 03, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Seeing that someone is posting under my name..the 4:31pm post is not mine, I will not post here anymore.
Good luck to you all!
Posted by: dodger55 | July 03, 2008 at 05:31 PM
[I always post right before there is a new thread!!!]
Buck,
YES, we handled Kershaw sooo terribly. I am embarrassed for the organization.
Someone else,
Did someone call Coletti FLANDERS? Pretty funny, though they are alike in mustache only.
DANG D-BACKS!!!
If Ethier and Loney continue to heat up, we may be in for a sweet July.
Posted by: Steve M. | July 03, 2008 at 05:32 PM
What is not a coincidence is Andre Ethier starting to hit for power now that he's assured of being in the lineup every day for the next month or longer. Getting Pierre out of there has indeed paid dividends. We can only hope that Torre and Flanders aer paying attention: bat a guy who actually gets on base in the leadoff spot and runs will follow. bat Juan Pierre there and no runs will come.
Sending Kershaw down was the right thing to do. He's not going to do anything in the bullpen, and he'll get more seasoning in the minors. And you'll protect his young arm. There will be plenty of time for him to impress again in September.
Things are looking pretty good from the Dodgers' point of view right now. And they're not even at .500 yet.
Posted by: SaMo | July 03, 2008 at 05:39 PM
Dodger 55,
I apologize for someone posting under your name. It certainly didn't get through by design.
Folks, let's not stoop to behavior this stupid and immature. Post under your name/handle and that name/handle only and be adults, please. The blog will grow considerably worse if BK and I have to devote our energy towards babysitting.
Thank you
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | July 03, 2008 at 05:48 PM