Jon Weisman, Stealer of Thunder
With the "Blame the kids!" drumbeat gaining a little volume these days (accompanied by the always infectious rhythms of "Will they learn?", "Do they listen?", and "High Gas Prices are Matt Kemp's Fault"), I was all set to make a big cry for balance in explaining the mediocrity of the current Dodgers squad when I came across this gem from Jon Weisman over at Dodger Thoughts, who basically saved me the trouble:
Things That Went Wrong for the Dodgers That Have Nothing To Do with Listening Skills
In no particular order:
1) Rafael Furcal was injured.
2) Andruw Jones was out of shape, incompetent and injured.
3) Brad Penny lost effectiveness and was injured.
4) Tony Abreu was injured.
5) Chin-Lung Hu had vision problems.
6) Takashi Saito and Jonathan Broxton blew a few saves in otherwise effective seasons.
7) Chad Billingsley's first start of the season was derailed by a Los Angeles rainstorm.
8) Hong-Chih Kuo was underused in critical situations.
9) Hiroki Kuroda was injured.
10) Gary Bennett was signed.
11) Nomar Garciaparra was injured while Furcal was injured.
12) Jeff Kent is 40.
13) Andy LaRoche can't get more than two starts in a row to prove himself, which would be okay if Blake DeWitt had a batting average of more than .217, an on-base percentage of more than .277 and a slugging percentage of more than .263 over his past 46 games.
14) Juan Pierre was overused at the expense of Andre Ethier.
15) Mark Sweeney could not buy a hit even on layaway.
16) Brian Falkenborg gave Hanley Ramirez an easy pitch to hit.
17) The Dodger front office made some sloppy decisions.
But by all means, let's blame those insufferable kids who can't listen for everything – the kids who represent a great deal of everything that's good about the 2008 Dodgers. Players are getting hurt left and right, players are old, players are ill-chosen – but who cares? The kids aren't perfect, so they must be the problem.
You know, in my own life, I'm not accomplishing everything I wanted to. I think I'll blame my kids. Because I've seen other 3- and 5-year-olds who are perfect. So it must be my kids' fault.
Look, you can trade Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and Carney's for all I care if you can get a proper return. But good luck trying. In the meantime, if you're going to scapegoat, get a clue. This isn't my approach, but if you want to advocate a culture that espouses professionalism, responsibility and effectiveness, then demand the release of Andruw Jones. If it's those values that matter, if you want that kind of shape-up-or-ship-out integrity, blame Jones for reporting to the team without any of them.
Otherwise, just shut up.
I agree. This relentless focus on whether or not "the kids" (in this context usually, but not always, simply code for "Matt Kemp") creates a framework for this season in which success or failure of the squad is tied only to players under 25, ignoring the fact that for all of Kemp's inconsistency- he's 23 and has all of 236 games and 771 ABs under his belt- or questions about the attitude of a James Loney (hitting .300 and tied with Kemp for the team lead in RBIs, also with fewer than 1,000 career ABs), which are certainly fair game and worthy of discussion, the disappointing performances in LA this year have been overwhelmingly belonged to veteran players. Jeff Kent has been a black hole in the four spot. Juan Pierre has a .296 OBP as a leadoff hitter. Andruw Jones is batting .169, including a shocking 3-43 with runners in scoring position. Nomar has been hurt all year, Rafael Furcal for most of it. Brad Penny has been the team's least effective starter, and has struggled with health.
Trade "the kids" for whatever veteran you want, but if those other numbers don't turn around, the Dodgers won't win a thing. Again, I'm not saying anyone under 25 should be untouchable, given a free pass, or held to a low standard, and if the Dodgers are going to hitch their wagon to these guys, it's reasonable and wise to have them fully vetted.
But let's get some balance in how the team is covered.
BK
Subscribe to this Blog | What is RSS?
BK,
Thank you for the link to a great point. I agree that the younger players should not get a free pass, but let's have some equality of criticism around here.
Posted by: kbl | July 11, 2008 at 03:40 PM
BK,
I don't think all blame is going to the kids. I think the article is saying that the ENVIRONMENT that is now present is partially due to the kids. Kemp is a bit standoffish... even in post game interviews, he comes off a little slow, arrogant, and carefree.... it might just be his personality but I can see where it might come off as someone who is full of themselves and not really listening.
Again, maybe Kemp just doesn't get it after repeatedly being told... however this is common and some things in life, you just don't get until one day a light goes on and you wonder why you didn't get it all those years.... some things are just things that a person might have to experience to get. Kemp isn't getting what the coaches are telling him right now but someday it'll click... hopefully that someday will be soon.
On a different note. I STILL DON'T GET why Folkingberg is still with the Big Club??!! There's a reason the LOSER hasn't had a second win in like 7 years?! He SUCKS!!! Let me tell you how I really feel. HE SUCKS!!! He is the sole mole / hole in the Dodgers pen. He single handed killed two Dodger games in less than a week. Bring up Miller, Meloan, ... anyone... just drop this loser. Why must we keep Tomko II on the roster?
Posted by: Rob | July 11, 2008 at 04:03 PM
Why can't you guys or Jon write for the Times (in the paper) instead of Plaschke?
Posted by: Scott | July 11, 2008 at 04:09 PM
The kids are not the problem. They are making "Kids style" boo-boos.
It's the grown ups that should know better.
My hope is that Donne B's stache will make them cower in fear, and carry them to Gibsonian heights.
Posted by: benzojones | July 11, 2008 at 04:20 PM
Outstanding take by Weisman.
You could point the finger (any one will do, hehe) right back at Ned for surrounding the "kids" with players who do not help them. Even a dodo bird knows the young guys should be picking things up from their peers. You think no one showed these old guys anything when they came up?
I really have to wonder if the kids have been put in a position to succeed.
Posted by: Andy B | July 11, 2008 at 06:09 PM
instead of blameing the kids lets look at this at another angle ... tampa bay, oakland, milwakee ... these are young teams that are succeeding and winning. why can't the dodgers? are we less talented? less experienced? less driven?
that being said lets take a look at the mets and there 'turn around.' a mets player said that a change from randolph's hard line 'yankee' philosophy to the more laid back style has created a better atmosphere for the players to succeed.
question ... is the current coaching philosophy hindering the growth of our young player? i would argue that our young players had better numbers last year under Grady's guidance ... and a better record.
let me just say this about Oakland. every year they get what seems to be a new and younger team ... but each year they win. WHY? maybe because they are altogether young and foolish with an 'us against the world' philosophy. whatever it is one thing is for sure ... they know its THEIR team and its up to them to make it work.
how can our young dodgers have that same swagger if colletti keeps bringing in these 'over the hill' players or kent keeps reminding them they're not ready or the coaches keep reprogramming to do things other than what got them there? i'm not saying our players don't have room to grow ... i'm just wondering what would happen if we give them the keys to the car.
Posted by: 88 | July 11, 2008 at 06:20 PM
Wow, Jon Weisman hit that right on the nose. He is correct in all of those. The first part of the year we all wondered why Torre would not use Kuo and he is lights out. He wouldn't trust Park and he has done well. He played FAJ thru his "slump" but couldn't do it with Eithier. Kent is old and isn't doing his job. Now all of the sudden he will let Dewitt play thru a slump but won't try LaRoche.
I think a lot is cover up/loyalty to the boss for crappy free agent signings. I think it is time to dump FAJ, Flanders, and Conte (distributor of roids). Maybe he isn't used to non- roid injuries and that is why he can't spot them or prevent them. Bennett was a waste of money, at least Flanders dumped his other mistake Loaiza.
Torre needs to make some better decisions or it looks more like the talent/ $$$$ in NY is what gave him his repuatation.
Posted by: TimDodger | July 11, 2008 at 06:28 PM
Yes! Dead right. I'm sick of everything being blamed on the younger players because they're not all becoming stars all at once, immediately young man, right this minute! It's ridiculous and way overblown, especially in light of the why-don't-they-just-line-'em'up-and-shoot-'em year the Dodgers have had with injuries.
Might this attitude have more to do with a lack of proper deference to reporters than a lack of deference to their elder teammates?
No, Kemp, Loney, Ethier, DeWitt, Broxton, La Roche/LaRoche/Laroche, and even Martin are not perfect. But I don't have too many worries about the future of the Dodgers with these guys at the heart of the team.
None of them (except Martin) should be untouchable, of course. But it'd be nice to get through July without half of them being traded for some hired-gun starter in his free-agent year or a broken-down outfielder who hit 50 home runs, oh, just three or four years back.
Posted by: Tuxer | July 11, 2008 at 06:29 PM
What makes people think Kemp doesn't get it? Okay, so he had an error last night, but it was his first error in center this season, he has a very low caught stealing percentage. Yes, he's striking out a lot. The fact that he's regressed since last season makes me think someone in the clubhouse (Torre, Easler, pick one) has screwed him up. He's been doing a fantastic job in the leadoff spot, far better than Pierre was, so someone tell me, why doesn't Kemp get it?
Posted by: Scott | July 11, 2008 at 07:08 PM
AK/BK Before yesterday's game I posted that you jinxed this series by calling the Marlins -fading. I said they still lead the league in homers.
David
Posted by: David S | July 11, 2008 at 07:56 PM
Rob-
I think people need to remember that there's a difference between ignoring instruction and not being able to put it into practice with consistency. Baseball is hard, and knowing what to do and being able to do it aren't the same thing. Sometimes Kemp is able to execute, sometimes he isn't. He's likely never going to be a model of fundamental play (not particularly surprising, since he came to the game relatively late). But the point is he has a chance to be very good, and is already an above average player. And he's 23, with under 1000 big league ABs. Too early in my book to declare him a lout, uncoachable, and destined to disappoint.
As for the attitude, is he cocky? Yeah. Like most 23 year olds who are successful. He's growing up, and has room to grow more. But if standoffishness is a problem, there's no better model for him than the guy who sits in the corner of the locker room reading magazines.
I don't think the young guys are infallable, or shouldn't be held accountable. I just wish the focus would spread around to the players who are truly underperforming.
Scott-
While I agree with the sentiment that people focus on the stuff he does wrong more than anything he does right, i will say that defensively, by MLB standards Kemp isn't a good CF. He's actually pretty bad. Not that he isn't trying or doesn't care, he's just not all that natural a CF. His routes to balls are bad, and he doesn't get good jumps. Hopefully he'll improve.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | July 11, 2008 at 08:00 PM
David-
Not sure what you want me to say. Good call? Sorry?
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | July 11, 2008 at 08:01 PM
Bk,
Just don't jinx us again.
David
Posted by: David S | July 11, 2008 at 08:08 PM
David-
At this point, they're my World Series favorite.
(how's that?)
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | July 11, 2008 at 08:10 PM
Sweet!!!
David
Posted by: David S | July 11, 2008 at 08:17 PM
As far as Dodger kids "getting it", I only know what I hear from others. Evidently some inside people feel there is a problem.
When it comes to performance I am generally satisfied except that Kemp is hitting below .280 and has now collected 100 Ks. If you want to say we were just overestimating his ability, that's another story.
As for Laroche, when he is hitting under .200 it's hard to make a case for him to play every day. The only position players that are really doing their jobs are Martin, Loney and Ethier.
Posted by: uclart47uclart47 | July 11, 2008 at 10:12 PM