Casey Blake retires

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Giants at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Kershaw CXXIII: Kershmeatballs
Dee Gordon, SS
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
Juan Rivera, LF
James Loney, 1B
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P

Former Dodger third baseman Casey Blake told the Des Moines Register he is retiring from baseball.

Blake told the Des Moines Register that he has been leaning toward retiring, but stopped short of a decision until now.

“My wife (Abbie) has been telling people I’m retired, but I’ve kind of been giving her a look,” said Blake, 38, who has played parts of 13 seasons in the majors with five teams before attempting to make the roster this season with Colorado.

“But I think I knew in my heart that I am (retiring), but I just haven’t announced it.” …

… “My career has to end at some point. … If I was going to play, it would probably only be one more year anyway.

“I just decided to shut it down. And I’m OK with the decision.”

Blake had a .768 OPS in 406 games with the Dodgers, hitting 10 home runs in 58 games down the stretch in 2008 and OPSing .832 in 2009, both playoff years for the Dodgers. Despite not becoming a full-timer in the majors until age 29, Blake ended his career with 167 home runs.

He was a quite likeable player in my view, and I wish him all the best.

It’s worth reminding people at this point that as far as his acquisition goes, the Dodgers did not use Carlos Santana as a throw-in to avoid paying extra cash to the Indians. It has been established that the Indians would not have done the trade with the Dodgers without getting Santana. Jonathan Meloan was the throw-in to save the Dodgers money.

  • Anonymous

    The Man From Indianola!

  • Anonymous

    I will remember Blake’s walk in the 9th in Game 2 of the 2009 NLDS.  He seemed to be one of those great club house guys and was along with Juan Pierre, good influences on the young Matt Kemp.

  • Anonymous

    LAt’d:
    “Indifferent Restaurant Server Square”  
    Do they run a blase check before you can rent one of the studio apartments there?

  • Anonymous

    Remember when we all thought Jonathan Meloan was going to be the next James McDonald.

  • Anonymous

    >> the Indians would not have done the trade with the Dodgers without getting Santana
    .
    So far this year, Carlos Santana’s OPS is almost 100 points lower than our AJ’s.  And it’s not just because of OBP; AJ’s slugging percentage is higher, too.
    .
    Oh, and with AJ doing so well, the need to trade for FedEx may not have been there last year, although that’s 20-20 hindsight.  Then again, Trayvon is struggling at AAA this year, so we may not have given up as much as we thought at the time, either.

    • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

       And Russell Martin’s OPS? .672

      • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

         In 24 games this year, Martin has nine singles.

    • Anonymous

      If I’m reading the stats right, for NL players with a minimum 90 PA, the Dodgers have 3 of the top 15 in OBP.  Not too shabby.

  • Anonymous

    I tip my hat to the true owner of the best beard in baseball.

  • Anonymous

    A true NHL playoff beard in baseball.  Best wishes Casey.

  • Anonymous

    His mocking TMAEITW made Casey a Dodger immortal.

    • foul tip

       If I ever knew, have forgotten what TMAEITW means/meant?

      • Anonymous

        The Most Annoying Exhibitionist in the World, currently preparing for Tommy John surgery.

        • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

          The fact that Wilson’s gesture evolved to mean different things at different times made me feel even better about it being mocked, and bless the Real Beard for doing it. 

          • Anonymous

             Let’s call Casey the “Genuine Beard.”

  • Anonymous

    Shook ‘n Blake!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5PLVK7VEIPQAIVYZVS2J5NGUEA Joe Pierre

    I see Casey lowered the boom for the last time. He had some really fine moments in his time with the Dodgers. Good Luck to him in the future.

  • Anonymous

    So far this season, in 60 ABs, Rod Barajas is batting .131 with an OPS of .383, and zero RBI.

    • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

       Yikes!

      • Anonymous

        After an 0-for-3, make that .127. Still, when you’re that far down, an o-fer doesn’t affect your average that much.

  • Anonymous

    Andrew McCutchen has just tied Gordon and Pujols in the HR derby.

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    Kershaw has 8.1 K/9 this year, compared with 9.6 K/9 in 2011.

    • Anonymous

      Perhaps attributable to his starting the season in a flu-weakened state. I wouldn’t call it alarming.

  • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

    Bleh, I just got back home from brief trip to SoCal and realized I have to watch Kruk and Kuip if I want to watch the game live tonight, instead of Vin. :(  

    • Anonymous

      Kruk and Kuip calling a game in front of the worst fans in baseball to boot!

  • Anonymous

    Josh Hamilton is 4 for 4 tonight with 3 HRs and 6 RBI. And he still should get another swing.

    • http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

      Make that 5 HRs.

    • Anonymous

      Now up to 4 and a double, but probably won’t get another AB so Green should be safe.

  • Anonymous

    05/08/07 = 5 yrs, subtle thank you to Ken, Jon, Bob, Rob, Molly & everbody else, Just for being you. :0)

    • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

      Awesome. Congrats :)

    • Anonymous

      Good job!

  • Anonymous

    Henry Rodriguez of the Nats (not the Gnats) has wild-pitched the potential tying run from first to second to third.

  • Anonymous

    I did a reverse jinx on Barajas, who hits a two-run walk-off against the Nats (not the Gnats).

    • Anonymous

      Do it again.  I’d like to see the Pirates have a good year.

      • KT

        me too…just not against us ever

  • KT

    Good inning CLAW

  • KT

    Great Hustle Dee

  • KT

    EXCELLENT…MLB network has KCAL…Yes no giant homers to listen to

    • http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

      You said no giant homers too soon…

      • KT

        I said listen too…I didn’t hear them yell and cheer did I …nope Vinny was calm, cool and collective

        • http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

          Sorry I was trying to be clever because the giants hit a home run.

          • KT

            No problem…I understood…I just hate listening to the gnats and snakes announcers….everyone else I can deal with

      • Anonymous

         Flukes happen. Pill is one of the worst outfielders in the majors, could give it and more back.

  • http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

    Dagnab it! “Blackout restrictions apply. Programming will resume after the game.”

    I was just thinking I should hop a plane and go to LA for the game tonight. Sheesh!

    • KT

      sorry link…hope my joy didn’t get you too anticipated

      • http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

         Heh, no. It was my morning paper which did that. I’m still annoyed, though, no matter the source. We’re 2,500 miles away and yet we’re claimed as “territory” by the Giants, the As, maybe the Dodgers and the Padres, and for all I know the Mariners too (Air Alaska flies between here and Seattle, so why not?).

        • KT

          I know…I lived in ewa beach from 93-97

  • KT

    Something wrong with clayton…leaving balls up getting behind in the count…throwing a lot of pitches

  • Anonymous

    I wish Loney had Belt’s plate discipline.  Then at least he would have something.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah. Greg Brock

      • KT

        ^_^

      • Anonymous

         Belt will be lucky to match Greg Brock’s achievements.

        • Anonymous

          Actually Brock had much more power than Loney

    • http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

      Or he can just hit RBI doubles :)

  • KT

    not as bad as it could have been…I just hope we can touch Vogelsong

  • KT

    Nice hit Dre…Come on Juan Gone

  • KT

    BGJ!!

    • Anonymous

      BGJ, indeed!

  • KT

    Come on AJ

  • KT

    Make them pay Clayton

  • Anonymous

    The Gnats want no part of AJ.

    • Anonymous

      They want the part with passed balls.

      • KT

        ^_^

  • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

    From previous discussion re Schulman (catching up late since I was out of town), it’s frustrating enough to deal with Giants fans who stereotype Dodger fans as all this or that without having pro journalists do it, too.  Just adds fuel to the pointless fire. 

    And then I have to listen to Kruk and Kuip tonight instead of Vin Scully (local blackout rules), guys who express their admiration for the latter but don’t seem to have learned anything at all from him as far as homer-ism. (As I watch them scribble over tommy Lasorda’s face during a long mocking discussion about him as Tommy ate lemon ice in the stands. 

    Anyway, much nicer inning from Kersh there. This is anyone’s game now.

  • KT

    Much better inning

  • KT

    Good hit Mark

  • KT

    Vinny being a “dirty old man” there wanting to see Sue jump more than Matt

  • KT

    Nice hit Matty

  • Anonymous

    If Steiner had been calling the second inning, the Dodgers would have had four home runs.

  • http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

    Nice play by James!

  • KT

    Great PLAY Loney

    • Anonymous

      GPJ!

      • Anonymous

        Ellis wanted to help.  WGJ just ignored him.

  • Anonymous

    Do you think Loney is the best fielding 1st base in MLB? He always seems to come up with some remarkable plays

    • KT

      He’s definitely thinking out there…Not many would have intentionally dropped that ball for the DP

    • Anonymous

      He seems pretty good to me, but don’t see the others much at all.  He makes the hard plays and no longer makes the silly mistakes he used to make before, and also has a better idea of what he should leave for the second baseman (helps to have Ellis there).

  • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

    Basically turned into a nice pitcher’s duel here.

    • Anonymous

      hopefully our bats can give Clayton a hand, because more often than not he helps the batters shortfalls in games

  • KT

    Come on Mark…start it off

  • KT

    Let’s run up vogelsong’s pitch count this inning

  • Anonymous

    As an aside, just a few minutes ago Kobe Bryant stepped up to shoot free throws and there were no “MVP” chants. Perhaps they’re all being shipped out to Chavez?

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    Mark Ellis has 53 errors in his career (9,593 innings). Dee Gordon has 19 (682 innings). 

    • Anonymous

       Ellis is the only NL second baseman without an error this season.

  • KT

    Good job Juan

  • KT

    nice James

  • KT

    Bad Bunt Juan…but he was safe at 1st

    • http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

      Looked safe to me.

      • KT

        he was…dvr rewind

  • Anonymous

    Uribe is clearly a double agent.

    • KT

      no he’s clearly a spy…he gives us nothing

    • Anonymous

      Maddening. 

    • Anonymous

      Is that a bomb in your underwear? (does this break a rule?)

  • KT

    Come on AJ

  • Anonymous

    Uribe is beyond useless. Just painful. He was safe but still.

  • Anonymous

    I try my hardest not to boo players, since they can do things that I know I’m not able to do and I acknowledge they are trying their hardest, but uribe (he no longer deserves capital letters in my house) is really putting that philosophy to the test. 

  • Christopher Jones

    I gotta question Mattingly’s decision there.  Either you treat Uribe like a 3rd baseman and let him hit in a spot where the Dodgers need runs — or just don’t play him at all.  What a joke to have a 3rd baseman sacrificing in that situation.  Is Mattingly sending a message upstairs that he doesn’t like the pieces he has?  It just feels like small-minded managing.  It’s like he doesn’t believe a big inning is within the realm of the possible (a self-fulfilling prophecy with this approach).

    • Anonymous

      What’s his option? Uribe swings so hard he pulls 17 oblique muscles (NOTE: I do not know how many oblique muscles one has.) and strikes out or he tries to get something going any way possible?

  • KT

    Nice Dp

  • Anonymous

    Though that was a hit, btimmer was saying earlier that Pagan leads the NL in reaching first base on infield errors.

  • KT

    Come on Bobby

    • KT

      Good Eye Bobby
       
      Come on Dee

      • Anonymous

        Bobby makes it easy for the ump.  If he doesn’t swing its a ball.

        • KT

          That’s the way I like it…Automated Umpire ^_^

  • KT

    DEE!!

    • KT

      Come on Mark

  • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

    Man, Vogelsong’s pitched so well it’d be a shame if he lost.  (No it wouldn’t.) 

    • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

      If Donnie bunts here he’s really gonna make me Hulksmash. If runners move over they’d IBB Kemp. 
      Update; HULKSMASH. ;)

  • KT

    Vogelsong is at 103 pitches

  • Anonymous

    Guess we don’t want Kemp to bat.

  • KT

    Almost threw it away

  • KT

    Come on Dre…at least a sac

  • Anonymous

    Way to take the bat out of Kemp’s hands.

  • Anonymous

    Aubreu just seems like a trade deadline acquisition. I think he’ll do very good for us all year.

  • Anonymous

    Gah

  • KT

    Expletive

  • Anonymous

    Rule 1 Violation. Rule 1 Violation. Rule 1 Violation. Rule 1 Violation. Rule 1 Violation. 

    Rule 8 Violation

  • Anonymous

    I like Ethier but I isn’t think he had a chance against Lopez.

  • Anonymous

    Mattingly just butchered that inning. And the previous inning.

  • Anonymous

    Oh, this should be interesting. C’mon Javy.

  • Christopher Jones

    We’re just giving away outs with those sacrifices!

  • KT

    Can’t say we didn’t have our chances

  • Anonymous

    Okay – Guerra pitching so well here – makes this game even more frustrating somehow.
    Although I would gladly have Guerra get the win.

  • KT

    SD trying to break the game open against the Rocks

    • KT

      they end up with the same results as the dodgers but at least they are up 2-1

  • KT

    Come on Tony…start it off

  • KT

    thought that one was through

  • KT

    come on james serve it to lf

  • KT

    it’s up to the spy now

  • KT

    night all

  • Anonymous

    Mad.

  • Anonymous

    No one takes hitting into that DP harder than Ethier but still…. I am very disappointed.  Thought he was at least going to get a sac fly.

  • Anonymous

    This one was almost as frustrating as the one on Sunday in Chicago. Or more so, I don’t know. Bah.

  • Anonymous

    I do not object to bunting in all circumstances, but when you know it will take the bat out of the hands of baseball’s best players, it’s demonstrably foolish.

  • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

    Honestly Donnie + bench staff just not on top of game tonight. Don’t think players in some cases aren’t to blame as well but they really did not give them best chances in several different opportunities, with predictable results. Very frustrating. And also makes us all overlook that it was a great pitcher’s duel by both SPs. Sigh. Hope they tee off on Timmeh tomorrow.

  • Anonymous

    Mattingly was out-managed by Bochy tonight. 

    • Anonymous

       Agreed.

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    NPUT