Summer stories

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Jon Weisman

Dodgers at Marlins, 4:10 p.m.
Kershaw CXL: Kershawn Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Shane Victorino, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Juan Rivera, 1B
Jerry Hairston Jr., 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Clayton Kershaw, P

In homage to Grant Brisbee’s terrific Baseball Nation piece today, “The Stories You’d Be Reading If The First Half Didn’t Exist,” I offer some Dodger headlines you might be seeing if the season had actually begun July 13. Go to Los Angeles Magazine’s City Think Blog.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Casey-Barker/100003908968118 Casey Barker

1.5 games behind the Padres!? Barf.
Anonymous

http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/olympicsnow/la-sp-on-relay-record-felix-jeter-20120810,0,5012663.story

Probably a fair assumption that the old DDR record involved roids.
Anonymous

Will Ramirez get more Jeers or Cheers?

Anonymous

Jeers all around
http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

Will the crowd be big enough for us to hear a reaction? Honestly I think he gets mostly cheers.
KT

mixed more Jeers than cheers those

Anonymous

How many of the 13 wins did Jansen save? Being born to save might not be a great label if the save is dismissed to begin with.
Anonymous

Has Donnie tired of waiting for the GIDP, and simply instructed the hitters to take third strikes?
http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

Hope this ump has the same generously sized zone for Kershaw as he did for Buehrle. If so, this’ll be one heck of a quick game!

Btw, nice to watch this on MLBTV via my PS3 for once, rather than on computer. Don’t have to deal with mid-inning ads that you can’t escape, which is annoying after paying $100 in the first place.

Go Dodgers!

Anonymous

Apparently not, so Kershaw grooved it to Ruggiano.
http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

Welp, looks like that big strike zone is only for Buehrle.

Anonymous

Unfortunately, it’s not raining in New York, so the Dodgers aren’t on MLB Network for most of us.
Anonymous

Hey Dodgers.com has some cool historic videos, most notably Jerry Reuss’ masterpiece against Houston in game 5 of the NLDS. IMHO Jerry Reuss delivers the greatest post season pitching performance since Koufax. I know I know. If anything you can watch memorable Dodger moments without Steiner’s voice ruining it
Anonymous

Using Chrome to view Gameday, the screen doesn’t clear off the ad after it’s over. It’s very NBC Olympics like.
Anonymous

It looks as if the Miami architects went to Vegas and said, “We can do tackier.”

Anonymous

Hey now……..

Anonymous

Occam’s razor.

Anonymous

Just a guess that is the first Occam’s Razor comment in DT history.

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

Nope

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

clever blog post
Anonymous

Wow this is a fast game so far.
KT

Come on Guys…Let’s break through this inning
KT

Good hit Matty

Come on Hanley
http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

The boos for Hanley are getting louder it seems…
KT

Good hit hanley

Come on Dre
KT

good start Jerry
KT

Come on AJ

Anonymous

You’re like a one man cheer squad tonight.

Anonymous

There’s not enough offense for more than one cheerer.

Anonymous

Why does Buehrle even bother to throw to first? Don’t the Fish have a scouting report on Donnie?

KT

schreech skip, shreech skip, shreech skip

KT

Nice hit Shane!!

thought that was going to be a 3 bagger

Anonymous

Looked like he gave up too early. But it was smart since there were no outs.

KT

Nice SAC Mark but will they walk Matty now
KT

Nice hit Matty!!!
Anonymous

The bunt, of course, made all the difference.
KT

Come on hanley
http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

Finally boys!
KT

YES Hanley / Matty connection!!!
KT

Come on Dre

Anonymous

Try laying off ball four next time.

Anonymous

What does that Marlins guy do in the Dodgers dugout?
KT

Juan Gone!!!!
http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

Juan just turned on that one, line drive home run.
Anonymous

Nice!
Anonymous

Why is FoxSports showing a rebroadcast?

I was hoping to watch the dodger game, and they keep showing this game where the guys in blue hit the ball hard and score a few runs.
KT

Come on DP
http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

uh hanley was interested in gettng out of the way of that one
Anonymous

I would have scored that an error on Hanley.

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

which time?

Anonymous

The ground ball straight at at him.

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

he really needs to know what base to throw it to

Anonymous

No, Buck’s ball. Hard hit, but he needed to field it cleanly.
http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

or you know get close enough to it to knock it down. it was pretty hard hit. but you gotta make an effort at knocking it down. he’s really to big and strong and less quick to play shortstop. Dee will be back soon hopefully.

Anonymous

He was safe, unfortunately.
KT

come on 1-2-3 DP
http://www.twitter.com/ElJefedor Jeffrey Thomas III

Man, that one scared me.
KT

Nice…could have been a Lot worse
Anonymous

Exhale….
Anonymous

Who’s got eyes? How deep did Stanton’s fly out go?

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

way out

Anonymous

Scary.

KT

middle of the warning track

Anonymous

Got out of that cheap enough
KT

Nice start AJ

Move him around Clayton
KT

Nice Clayton!!

KT

Come on Shane

KT

Come on Hanley

Anonymous

Come on Matt

Anonymous

Never mind. Looks like my source is a bit lagging.

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

Wow, they are now chanting Hanley sucks. Their feelings toward him have gotten worse and worse throughout the course of the game.

Anonymous

Going 2/3 will do that.

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

Make that 3/4 for with two RBI.

KT

Swinging bunt!!
KT

well we got that run back…Let’s hold them guys
Anonymous

Great to get the run back, but hope this didn’t take anything out of Kershaw.
Anonymous

Kearns is a terrible hitter who should even make contact v. Kershaw.
KT

Come on DP
Anonymous

Not again!
KT

Mark is a little gun shy there

Anonymous

He’s acting as timid as the Gnats’ so-called catcher.

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

How’d they get an FC and no out?

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

Twice the Dodgers have gone to Ellis at second on a ground ball for the force and twice Ellis has had to come off the bag (though at least one of them would have been safe regardless).

Anonymous

The first would have been safe, the second is debatable.
http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

Thanks.

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

Wright rather than Kershaw? Really?

KT

he pitch pretty well

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

Well, maybe, but I know whose stuff I’d trust more.

KT

Come on Belli

KT

YES!! way to go Belli

Anonymous

Wheeeeeeeeeewwwwwww!
Anonymous

Fine play by Hairston, good strike-throwing by Belisario, and I can exhale again.
KT

Nice play James
KT

1 more Kenley
Anonymous

Get the K, KJ!
Anonymous

Doesn’t seem to ever be easy . . . but GREAT start to the road trip!
KT

Good start to the road trip
Anonymous

Well done tonight, boys.

Anonymous

It was exactly pretty, but at least there was some normal offense.

Anonymous

I see that Konerko was placed on the 7-day concussion disabled list. Until I looked it up, I had never heard of the 7-day concussion disabled list, which MLB began last year for concussions and possible brain injuries.
http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

As KT says, a very good start to what is going to be a tough, key road trip. Odds are they won’t sweep any of these series but if they can just win 2 out of 3 series, that’d be nice. And hope the Giants trip up at home again.

Also a good start: to Machado’s career in Baltimore. Two homers tonight!

KT

And the same guy caught both Homers…calculate those odds ^_^

Anonymous

Allen Webster is one of our top pitching prospects. He started tonight at Chattanooga. There’s good news and bad news. The good: he didn’t allow a hit! The bad: he walked six, giving up two runs in three innings. Okay then…

In the same game, 27-year-old free agent minor leaguer C. J. Retherford went yard twice.

The ‘topes are losing early.

Yasiel Puig’s AZL Dodgers were idle.
Anonymous

Got in the car after work just in time to hear Jansen close out the game – made getting off late on a Friday all the sweeter.
Interesting that that Ruggiano guy is a former Dodgers farmhand – traded with Dioner Navarro and Jae Seo to Tampa for Toby Hall and Mark Hendrickson way back in 2006 – didn’t remember that one, only found out from reading the wrap up on the game over on mlb.com.
Anonymous

nice win
Anonymous

The Nats are winning, and the Gnats are losing. Works for me.
Anonymous

Lincecum and the Gnats down 2-0 after 4 – 1st place is beckoning.
Dirty Snakes down 5-1n the 7th.
Anonymous

Mike Trout – this year’s AL Rookie of the Year AND MVP has 5 RBI’s tonight – 3 on a HR, and 2 on a sac fly – yep 2 on the same out - Eric Aybar scored from 2nd on a long fly into the corner of deep RF.

Anonymous

He shortened his swing on a change up and still hit it out!

Anonymous

And we are now tied at the top of the division. Rocks 3 Giants 0

Anonymous

Order is returning to the world.

Anonymous

More respect maybe should be given to great players playing to sparse crowds that can stay motivated and continuously excel. Hanley may not have been one of those players. The fact that the crowd booed him last night is testimony that they don’t understand their role as a motivator of players.

Yes, Hanley is flawed in that he allowed himself to withdraw from the game but the Marlins fans are equally flawed and as such didn’t deserve him.

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

So Hanley’s remarkable tailspin over the last two years is due to the fans?

Anonymous

Why choose to draw that conclusion. Hanley lost interest. He lost it, the crowd never had it.

Anonymous

I am not a Gordon or Victorino fan yet but should they start hitting and fielding, I would really enjoy the speed the Dodgers would have with Vic, Dee, Hanley, and Kemp at the top of the lineup.

Anonymous

At least when the managerial veto that prohibits running is withdrawn.

Anonymous

Whats really amazing is that dee Gordon still shares the NL lead in steals with 30 even though he hasn’t played in forever.

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

When future All-Star Dee Gordon gets back to playing the only Dodger holes will be 1B and a No. 2 starter (although Chad is making a belated run at being considered the latter). That would be a pretty good team.

Anonymous

No holes elsewhere? You must be assuming that (a) Gordon will OPS something higher than .562, and (b) Victorino will OPS something higher than .612.

Remember, Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

yes i think those two things will happen
Anonymous

>> When future All-Star Dee Gordon gets back to playing the only Dodger holes will be 1B and a No. 2 starter (although Chad is making a belated run at being considered the latter). That would be a pretty good team.

Number of position players on the Dodgers with OPS over .829 this year: 1
Number of position players on the Cardinals with OPS over .829 this year: 7

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

did you edit to alleviate a breakage of the rules

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7VN5CNNJSLBZQXS3NX7DTIUTA4 jasonu

pretty soon the takes will be

donnie no like to run and Kershaw just threw a great curve

I think he was out at home it was a good throw and he blocked the plate and the dodgers lead baseball in GIDP

I was reading the paper this morning and did you hear about that terrible accident, Donnie didn’t, it was a hit and run.

I love ya WBB and agree with ya..But we get it!

Anonymous

In a nod to realism, this morning’s SF Chronicle (print edition) places the Dodgers above the Gnats in the standings.

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

I’m assuming it’s a nod to alphabetical order.
http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

that never would have happened back in the day. a copy desker would get a reprimand from the slot

Anonymous

As a lifelong Dodgers fan, it was interesting for me to be a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner in the early 1980s.

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

I loved the Examiner of the 80s and 90s

Anonymous

It was a great place to work. We would often save our best stories for Sunday, when there was a combined Examiner-Chronicle edition with a circulation of 600,000 or more. The Examiner purchased season box seats to Giants’ games and made them available to the staff at 50 percent off. I was at the first Croix de Candlestick game, which the Dodgers lost as Guerrero made a key error at third in extra innings.
Anonymous

I just looked up the box score. It apparently was a fielder’s choice, not an error by Guerrero, that ended the game.
http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

i admired the examiner for several reasons. they with a couple other large newspapers led the newspaper business out of the dark ages into an exciting world of graphics, layouts and somewhat the use of color..

I admired them also for the chances they took with guest columnists and real top writers. not to mention some of the house writers. I considered the Chronicle an editor’s paper and the Examiner a writers paper.

didn’t like the Ex Ed much even if he was married to sharon stone. that came a little later of course

KT

I worded for the LA Herald Examiner in the 70′s of course at the lowest level…I was a paperboy

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

A reprimand for using alphabetical order?

Anonymous

I’ve seen lots worse happen for even less.
http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

yes if you were a san francisco area newspaper

Anonymous

Check out the improvement for twenty-year-old OF Joc Pederson for the Hi-A Quakes:

Apr OPS .462
May OPS .728
Jun OPS .785
Jul OPS .982
Aug OPS 1.350

FedEx is also having a suddenly-hot August for the ‘topes, but in his case it may just be a matter of small data, since it came out of nowhere (and he’s also got that home park advantage, with huge home-away splits, also huge lefty-righty splits):

Apr OPS .828
May OPS .874
Jun OPS .768
Jul OPS .723
Aug OPS 1.410

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

Is small data the same as “getting hot?”

Anonymous

Only if it’s small data that’s substantially better than the big data which preceded it.
Anonymous

That’s what … said.

Anonymous

Chowds 3B breaks wrist. Ned, get on the phone and offer Uribe for a bowl of chowder and and order of Oysters Rockefeller. Too much, ok, a bag of oyster crackers. I’ll supply my own chowder.
http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

I wonder if the Gould/Lee trade would have made any impact on the Dodger’s current record?

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7VN5CNNJSLBZQXS3NX7DTIUTA4 jasonu

good question. to make it easier on me, not counting Lee’s first 4 Marlin games (so since all star break) he is hitting .309 with a .391 OBP in 28 games. 1 homerun and 23 rbi. Our platoon is hitting around .240 with a .260obp and 3 homeruns and 15 rbi ..obviously different factors for everyone involved (park, lineup, being platooned etc)

Anonymous

Nolasco – todays starter for the Marlins – has lost his last 5 starts with opponents hitting .325 and his ERA at 7.16 during that stretch.

Anonymous

It was encouraging to see the Dodgers break through against Buehrle, who’s really a pretty good pitcher.
Anonymous

>> Nolasco – todays starter for the Marlins – has lost his last 5 starts with opponents hitting .325 and his ERA at 7.16 during that stretch.

That sounds like a lot of pitchers the Dodgers have faced this season, and we have scored very few runs in such situations. I’m predicting we lose 5-0 today.

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

WBB, listening on the radio, it sounded like the Dodgers yesterday did a successful hit and run with Ellis on first and Kershaw at the plate.

Anonymous

I was in my car listening to the radio as well. Almost drove straight into the ditch.
KT

Actually they had the SS basically on 2nd base the 2nd baseman covering first and the firstbaseman charging. The 3rd baseman was in close and Kershaw just chopped the ball into the hole at SS for the hit
Anonymous

I could only see Kershaw at the plate, and could not tell whether or not AJ was running.

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

TL/DR

OK everyone agrees that the whole Uribe/Sands roster spot debacle is a mystery. A lot of talk now about a colletti/mattingly tug of war. I’m going to offer up another theory however unlikely.The first thing is a pissing match like this supposed one happens often enough in the real world. But not in a situation like this. Kasten is in charge. A good executive manager is not going to allow for childish antics like this. He’s going to insist on a group decision being made and moving forward. In addition Colletti and Mattingly are both theoretically working this season for a job next season. Can’t afford to look stupid like that in front of your boss.

Colletti is a politician by nature. He’s certainly not going to go out on a limb like this given the Dodgers are in first and he still has a chance to retain his lucrative position. And you certainly don’t do it out in the open. So for many reasons that are related to what I just described I think it highly unlikely that the tug of war exists to the extent of this Uribe roster thing.

Here’s my unlikely scenario. When Sands was called up the first time last season he didn’t hit. His bat was on his shoulder and the major league staff demanded a change. He went back down. Came back up having made an adjustment and started hitting in September.He has a bad spring. He has a bad first half in the minors. A lot of talk about how stubborn he is about his stance, etc. Finally he decides to go back to his old ways which are good enough for the crazy offensive pacific coast league. His old bat on the shoulder, slow, longish swing has always worked in the minors. He starts hitting.

The Dodgers are desperate. The minor league staff says he’s back to his old ways but he’s hitting. Again, the Dodgers are desperate. The major league staff brings him up to see what they think. It’s what they consider to be the same old Sands. Can’t square up a major league pitch because of the long, bat-on–shoulder deal. They put him in the game. He looks over-matched like he did before.Now what do the Dodgers do.

If Sands can’t hit major league pitching they might as well send him down and Kennedy is coming back so…. Uribe is still a defensive option at 3B for the beloved Mattingly mix and match. And when it comes down to the last pinch hitter who does Mattingly/Colletti want up there Uribe or Sands. They choose Uribe.

Too bad it’s not a good player. But the Dodgers don’t currently have one.I would choose Uribe also in that select scenario. He has a better approach now then Sands and he’s experienced. But more basically he has A Chance where Sands doesn’t look like he does. And I don’t buy the he didn’t get enough chances argument. It’s not a matter of at bats it’s a match of approach.Sorry about length. But i did save you from a speech on executive management.

Anonymous

How many credits do we get for reading it?

http://veryolddodgerfan.blogspot.com/ veryolddodgerfan

don’t read it. it’s hopelessly long. and the software jams it up even more than my unwillingness to use grammar, etc.

Anonymous

That and Uribe is better suited to sitting and watching than Sands.
Anonymous

maybe it was just a good ‘ol fashion brain cramp, those things do happen you know.

foul tip

Was any reason given for switching Rivera to RF late in last night’s game? Could there even be a logical reason? Does not compute.

Also, has there ever been an analysis of how relievers Ned signed off the scrapheap at the equivalent of the neighborhood player flea market compare to ones he’s traded for or signed as PVL FAs?

Seems to me like more of the better ones have been the ones more or less stumbled upon.

There’s a third category, those who came through the system. But Ned has to do just with the first two.

Anonymous

Ethier made the last out that inning. Best use of double switch is putting pitcher in that spot.

Anonymous

It might have made more sense to move Victorino to right, and Rivera to left.

Anonymous

Rivera has played RF this year, when is the last time Victory did?

Anonymous

I dunno but, by any standard, he’s a better outfielder than Rivera.
Anonymous

5 games in 2008.

foul tip

All I have to go on is the box. Looks like Loney subbed for Rivera at 1B, so what was the point of Rivera’s staying in the game and moving to RF? Sure wasn’t for his defense.

When I saw that I wondered if Ethier had been hurt.

KT

the pitcher went into Ethier spot in the order

foul tip

Wade Miley may be a Snake. But he’s colorful–and good. Likely to be many future stories about him, on and off the field.

From linked story: once Miley approached a hotel front desk to ask how long a cab ride to Alcatraz would take. The clerk replied with a straight face: “Seven hours.” The team was in San Diego.

Guess there are amphibious cabs in Miley world.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/albert_chen/08/08/wade-miley-diamondbacks/index.html?sct=mlb_wr_a2

Anonymous

Is his brother’s name Cyrus?
Anonymous

Maybe next year Billy the Exterminator will join their rotation (I know, you think I never watch any TV other than baseball).

Anonymous

Lineup: Victorino LF, M Ellis 2B, Kemp CF, Ethier RF, Ramirez SS, Loney 1B, Hairston 3B, AJ Ellis C, Blanton P

Anonymous

Fourth consecutive game with Hairston at third, third consecutive game with Cruz on the bench…

KT

2-0 gnats w/ 2 outs bottom of 2nd …runners @ 1st and 2nd

KT

Cain with a 2 out rbi
Anonymous

5-0 in the sixth

Anonymous

well that isn’t good.

Anonymous

Infielder OPS in August:

Cruz .369
Ellis .777
Hairston .269
Loney .412
Ramirez .693
Rivera .478
Uribe .000

Anonymous

What about the other Ellis, the one that Mattingly likes to hit behind whoever plays first and whoever plays third?

Anonymous

any predictions on what prospects they might call up when rosters expand? i’m more excited & curious about De La Rosa. Wondering how his arm is coming along.

Anonymous

Abreu
Gwynn
Gordon
Herrera
Fedex
A couple of pitchers…

Anonymous

It’s not clear to me that they would call up Abreu or Gwynn. The problem is that they would need to put them on the 40-man roster, where there isn’t a whole lot of room, especially if the 60-day guys (Lilly, Guerrier, Rubby) come back.

I agree with Gordon, Herrera, and FedEx. Also Castellanos, Sands, SVS. As for pitchers, probably Fife, possibly Wall, probably not Withrow. Anyone else, and again, the 40-man is a problem.

Rubby was on a rehab assignment at Rancho Cucamonga, but was pulled from his second start on August 4 with a groin injury. I haven’t heard anything since then but I know he hasn’t been in a game since then.

Anonymous

KT
I worded for the LA Herald Examiner in the 70′s of course at the lowest level…I was a paperboy

KT: The L.A. Herald-Examiner had an excellent sports section — Bud Furillo, Merv Harris, Mel Durslag and others. As a p.m. paper, it took more of a reflective approach in its game stories on the Dodgers, Rams and Lakers. On the newsside, it was always nipping at the heels of the L.A. Times.
http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

NPUT

Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers and baseball.

Summer stories