• David Koh

    don mattingly should switch ether and adrian gonzalez in the lineup. they produce similar stats and gonzalez speed, or lack thereof, would be better suited after kemp, ethier, and ramirez. his lack of speed makes him a base to base runner which hurts the other guys in the lineup.

    thoughts?

    • Anonymous

      My first thought is that I am amazed that they do indeed have similar stat lines.

      • Jibin Park

         Why not throw either Gonzalez or Ethier in the #2 spot?  And put Victorino or Ellis at 6?

        • Anonymous

          We need to slip the batting order around. We need some kind of threat at the 2 hole. I think Ethier would be great at 2 being protected by Kemp at 3. I also think Mattingly is a nice guy but not a personality that can motivate a team or shake up a team. When players say they respect the coach and that he is easy to play for sometimes is a cover for poor leadership under bad times.  

  • Jibin Park

    Both Kenny Lofton and Kevin Kennedy are trashing “Moneyball,” and saying that it doesn’t work.  I don’t think either of them has a clue what “Moneyball” actually is.

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

      I’m confident they don’t. 

    • Anonymous

      Wonder if Depodesta had any input into the big payday that Lofton received with Cleveland?

  • https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

    routine

  • Anonymous

    Donnie sent a runner?

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

    First things first. Stop making every opposing pitcher look like the reincarnation of Cy Young, Walter Johnson, or Christy Mathewson. 

    • Anonymous

       and how would you go about that?

      • Jibin Park

        We’ve got to do better.

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

         I don’t know, I’m a 60-year-old retired softball player!

  • Anonymous

    So platelets are OK? Has mlb made a ruling?  How about blood thinner?

  • Anonymous

    Donnie does it again!

  • Anonymous

    Welp, at least football is back, now the Dodgers can’t ruin my sports weekends anymore.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah great.  Now the Raiders and the Bruins can shoulder part of the load.

      • Anonymous

        Bruins looked GREAT!
        OK it was Rice, but still.

        • Anonymous

          Isn’t rice that stuff you are not supposed to throw at weddings cuz it makes pigeons explode?

        • Anonymous

          They scored more points in that game than the Dodgers might score this month, ugh

  • Anonymous

    I wonder if we will score tonight, or will it be another pathetic display of hitting?

    • Anonymous

      Its the 5th, so you ar half right.

  • Anonymous

    I really hate it when we give up RBI’s to the opposing pitcher

  • Anonymous

    So far it’s a replay of last night’s game – decent pitching and a completly inept offense.
    Cohesion, indeed.

  • Anonymous

    Well, that team meeting sure lit a fire.

    • Anonymous

      Would be nice to see something happen in the bottom half.

  • Anonymous

    Well deserved boos from the crowd

  • Anonymous

    even the Padres can beat the rockies at Coors

  • Anonymous

    now we need RBI’ s from our pitcher! (utility infielder)

  • Anonymous

    Is this really our best option?

    • Jibin Park

      We’re saving our lethal weapon (Kennedy) for later innings.

  • Anonymous

    Cmon Mark, I have a feeling ‘it’s now or never’

  • Jibin Park

    Punto’s headfirst dive is evidence of putting in maximum effort.  Too bad it also slows you down.  But that’s the “hustle” that looks good, probably, to Donnie Baseball.

  • Anonymous

    Got to go the other way against Cahill’s sinker. All (three) of the Dodgers’ hits have gone the other way.

  • Jibin Park

    Let’s see if Mark Ellis can do better here….

    • Jibin Park

       Yes, he can.  Yes, Ellis did!

  • Anonymous

    runs, wow :)

  • Anonymous

    The bottom showing the top how to do it. (Well, with a little help from Mellis)

    • Anonymous

      That’s what SHE said…

  • Anonymous

    Hey, I’ll take my cohesion it little chunks, as long as it all adds up in the end!

  • Anonymous

    Friday Night Notes…
    ….
    1.  “Is it just me, or does the name Aaron Harang and World Series Champion Dodgers just seem worlds apart?” …. I asked this of my die-hard Dodger fan wife.  She reminded me that he’s pitched well this year for the Dodgers and added, “Hey, anybody can get hot in the playoffs….Jonny, I’ll give you two words…..Jeff…..Weaver…..”   (how could I argue?)
    …
    2.  Nice to see Matty back….
    …
    3.  Giants lost….. the door is cracked fellas…. bust it down!  Go 3.5…. :-)
    …
    4.  Who the heck is that guy I’ve heard the last two nights screeching his “Let’s go Dodgers?”
    Sounded like he’s speaking into a megaphone?  I haven’t been to a game this year (new baby) So, any of you guys know who this is?  :-)

    • Anonymous

      Your wife should post.  Seems to know her ball.

      • Anonymous

         I’ll be sure to let her know, Bob… :-)

  • Anonymous

    At the end of this season, I don’t think Dodger fans will be yelling, “Shane, Shane.  Come back!”  (With apologies to the late Brandon DeWilde).

  • Anonymous

    OK, we have the meat of the order coming up.  It is time to do something big.

  • Anonymous

    Kemp looks very sore

    • Anonymous

      He is very sore. But he’s trying to become the first African-American not named “Juan Pierre” to be called a “gamer.”

      • Anonymous

        Huh?

      • Anonymous

         Buck O’Neil wasn’t a gamer?

    • Anonymous

       Sliding with a bone bruise is not fun.

  • Anonymous

    great heads up running by Kemp

  • Anonymous

    Dre flares the lefty!

  • Anonymous

    I was a little surprised Wallach sent Kemp on Ethier’s ball.

    • Anonymous

      There were two outs, no?

      • Anonymous

         Irony trumps sarcasm.

  • Anonymous

    crap.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, a little of the captain in him tonight again…

      Can’t say the man is boring.

      • Anonymous

         it is indeed thrilling.  I give them that

  • Anonymous

    This Hernandez kid has good numbers.

    Wish we could rummage through the Dbacks pitching staff.

  • Anonymous

    So glad Victorinos contract is over after this season

    • Anonymous

      He has not added much to our lineup.

  • Anonymous

    A’s lead Boston, 18-2, in the 8th inning. 

    • Anonymous

       Make that 20-2, in the ninth.

  • Anonymous

    Going by gameday, that Gonzo out was the farthest hit Dodger out/hit of the evening.

    I guess a half-billion isn’t what it used to be.

  • Anonymous

    Risky proposition, trying to get two innings out of Belisario.

  • Anonymous

    Cruz, the new Solution?

    • Anonymous

       he is already the solution

    • Jibin Park

       Now, he’s DEFINITELY trying harder.  Great play.

    • Anonymous

       I assume he’s eligible for ROTY – good candidate for the NL

  • Anonymous

    Dodgers are 10-for-62 through 18 innings vs. the D’Backs in these two games.  All 10 hits are singles.

  • Anonymous

    League terrifies me.

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

    RT @truebluela: Brandon League struck out the side. His last 6 outings: 6 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts

    • Anonymous

       The danger is that Donnie will think he’s actually that good.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t trust League, but that inning will do.

    • Anonymous

      That, and the last five.

  • Anonymous

    Punto, Kennedy, Rivera, Treanor and Uribe.  Have the Dodgers ever had a weaker bench?

    • Anonymous

      Didn’t that used to be our starting line up?

  • Anonymous

    Adrian Gonzalez M.I.A. since his first AB.

    • Anonymous

       No one at all has driven the ball tonight.

      • Jibin Park

         Does Jason Kubel’s drive count?

        • Anonymous

           Maybe we should give him a pass – he as a more real connection to SoCal than most of the dodgers…

          Hope he has a nice place in Palmdale – you’d think a few million bucks could buy half the town

  • Jibin Park

    Welcome back to the big leagues, Mr. Guerrier….

  • Anonymous

    So, they gonna win this thing or keep taunting us

  • Anonymous

    If Mattingly had let Ramirez run, that could have been a tie.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, with a split finger guy who Vin said is easy to run on.

      • Anonymous

        This is why, though I want Mattingly to succeed, it would not upset me if he didn’t return. This team could use a manager with a Dodger pedigree.

    • Anonymous

      I was screaming at my TV the whole time he was standing on first.  Maddening.  

      • Anonymous

         Mattingly had it set up for the GIDP, but it failed this time.

  • Anonymous

    I really don’t get how Donnie B is a sure thing next year when he puts Uribe on deck.

  • Anonymous

    Uribe next?

    • Anonymous

      Only in theory. Only in theory.

  • Anonymous

    Gonzales, Kemp, Ramirez and Ethier combined to go 1-for-16, and that one was a flare single.
    This team is rather pitiful right now.

    • Anonymous

      embarrassing 

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

    I don’t think this is our year. We’ve looked inept with the bat for what seems like a month.

    • Anonymous

      I fear that you are correct.

  • Anonymous

    Steve Lyons just said it best: “I haven’t seen a smile in a week.”  Matt Kemp suddenly has a perrenial furrowed brow.  I’m tellin’ you, we can’t keep Dee Gordon stashed in Albuquerque til their playoffs are over.  He needs to be on the top step of the dugout, taking guys’ helmets off after they score.  Same goes for TG.  They’re not having fun, and it’s not fun to watch.

    • Anonymous

      I think there could b e a little truth in what you say, which probably means you’re wrong, but it is an easy thing to try…

  • Anonymous

    The reason Uribe was in the on-deck circle is because Treanor was the other option.  Also, the latter is our only other catcher.  At least the rosters expand on Satuday, and our bench will improve.  It is hard to imagine it getting any worse.

  • Anonymous

    Up until about 10 days ago I thought Mattingly was a lock to return as manager next season.  But based on how the team has been performing lately and the fact that the Dodgers have new ownership, I think that is much less of a certainty.  I think Colletti’s status is even more fragile than Mattingtly’s.

    • Anonymous

      I trust Kasten if he decides he wants his own manager/GM, he’ll make the move that’s best for the franchise.

  • Anonymous

    Tomorrow is another day.

    The Giants looked as though they collectively put their feet back on the ground today, hopefully that will carry over.

    Meanwhile…  hit the ball.  Seriously.   

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/MW2R2Q72LP22HKPEXB2ZZPHSZM dud dew

    With the work he’s done so far, trust and Kasten are not nouns I find
    in the same neighborhood.

    I’ve always seen Adrian as a complementary piece, whatever his stats.
    Plunking down a quarter billion, with him as the big prize, was a mis-reading
    of how he’s made, what he brings – at least to this point in his journey.

  • http://twitter.com/nrmnbates Eric Enders

    New beginnings, same as the old beginnings. Grrr.

  • Anonymous

    This is the point where Donnie needs to bring everyone together, and talk about how even though he played with a constellation of overpaid prima donnas on the Reagan/Bush Yankees, they still found a way to coalesce and produce championsh….  no…. wait….

  • Anonymous

    In the bottom of the 11th, with Hanley on first and one out, Vin cites the fact that baserunners have a high success rate v. Putz. Ethier K’s on a running count of 3-2. If Hanley steals second, he scores on Cruz’s single.

  • Anonymous

    Herrera!, Gwynn Jr! Abreu! Dee Gordon!
    Hurry, bring ‘em up and get ‘em in the game – that motley group of guys won more often than this collection of over-priced underachievers.

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

    I love that Dee Gordon, who has absolutely gotten trashed by most of the commenters at Dodger Thoughts for most of the year, is now considered a savior. 

    Gordon, by the way, was in the Dodger dugout and clubhouse most of his time on the disabled list. 

    • Anonymous

      From this mornings’ Times :
      “Shortstop Dee Gordon …. will remain with AAA Albuquerque until the end of it’s season. The Isotopes end their regular season Monday but could make the playoffs. OF’s Tony Gwynn Jr and Bobby Abreu are also in AAA and could be called up but would first have to be added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster.”

    • Anonymous

      I don’t see him as a savior.  I like him as a pinch runner, but the offense will take a significant step down with him in the lineup.

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

    NPUT