Dodger Thoughts

Pod person: Talking shop with Jonah Keri

On July 21, 2011

Happily coinciding with the ninth anniversary of Dodger Thoughts, I am a guest on The Jonah Keri Podcast, hosted not as coincidentally by the Canadian Crusher himself, Jonah Keri (author of “The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First” and the upcoming “The Definitive History of the Montreal Expos”). Here’s the rundown:

0:30-2:16: This episode is brought to you by the comedy stylings of Wyndotte Street (on Twitter @WyndotteStreet)

2:17-7:44: The Moneyball movie

7:45-11:26: Friday Night Lights

11:27-18:42: This year’s Emmy nominations

18:43-25:43: Baseball blogging O.G. Dodger Thoughts, celebrating its 9th anniversary today!

25:44-26:59: Having a dual baseball-entertainment persona

27:00-33:09: Frank McCourt

33:10-36:15: The Dodgers’ salvation: Clayton Kershaw

36:16-41:08: Food Pick of the Week
Jon’s pick
My pick

41:09-end: Funny how Clark Kent and Superman are never in the same room: The time that Jon interacted with Michael Schur and his secret identity Ken Tremendous without realizing they are the same person

Player embedded below. To download, right click here.

Or, subscribe on iTunes.

Thanks again to everyone for joining me on this ride with the Dodgers for any part of the past nine years. Today, as always, it really has meant a lot.

Dodger Cogs and Dogs 2011: Edition 7

By Jon Weisman

On July 21, 2011

In Dodger Cogs and Dogs

Jayne Kamin-Oncea/US PresswireUnsung shining light: Kenley Jansen

This is a good time to wonder if the Dodgers will reach the magic number of 50 players in a season. It’s only happened twice in Los Angeles Dodger history: 53 players in 1998, and 50 players in 2006. Last year’s team fell one player short, finishing at 49.

Juan Rivera became the Dodgers’ 44th player this season. Trayvon Robinson is sure to get a promotion before season’s end. Can they get five more? Others who might be candidates, as rewards for fine minor-league seasons, include pitchers Dana Eveland and Nathan Eovaldi and first baseman-outfielder Scott Van Slyke. (Each would require a 40-man roster move, but that’s doable.)

But to get to 50, the Dodgers will probably have to be involved the trade market. For example, if Hiroki Kuroda were sent somewhere, they might get a prospect who would get a look in the majors, or create an opening for Eveland. If Jamey Carroll were traded, that could open the door for Justin Sellers before season’s end.

In short, 50 is reachable, but the Dodgers are gonna have to want it. Do they want it? Do they feel lucky? Well, do they, punk?

* * *

Reminder: The Dodger Cogs and Dogs rankings are a mixture of subjectivity and objectivity and encompass season-to-date major-league performance, not what they’ve done lately. And it’s still really hard to do these days.


Today	6/30	6/16	5/26	5/5	4/28	4/7	Player	Comment
1	1	1	1	1	1	2	Matt Kemp	Had a 20-game, .694 OPS “slump” in April-May. Current slump is worse, but nothing to panic over.
2	2	2	2	4	4	1	Clayton Kershaw	This is probably closest Kershaw has been to top Cog in some time.
3	3	3	3	3	3	4	Hiroki Kuroda	For Dodgers with above-average ERA, Kuroda has lowest winning percentage since Tom Candiotti (7-14) in 1995.
4	4	5	4	2	2	3	Andre Ethier	Surprisingly, has become NL leader among RF UZR/150.
5	5	4	5	9	6	5	Jamey Carroll	MLB leader in pinch-hitting BA since 2002 (39-for-110, .355)
6	6	7	13	20	21	20	Aaron Miles	Hit .185 for ’09 Cubs, hitting .303 in 157 games (411 PA) since.
7	7	16	6	6	7	18	Chad Billingsley	No shortage of good moments this year, but right now it’s his worst season ever (88 ERA+, 4.07 ERA)
8	9	8	22	—	—	—	Rubby De La Rosa	His 3.87 pitches per batter: on par with other Dodger starters, not as bad as I would have thought.
9	11	22	17	18	20	24	Kenley Jansen	Opponents are 3 for 38 with seven walks, 17 strikeouts since he returned from DL.
10	10	15	15	10	15	22	Blake Hawksworth	With scrap-heaper Miles milesdly outperforming Ryan Theriot, Dodgers win the Hawksworth trade.
11	12	10	19	—	—	—	Javy Guerra	His easy save of Kershaw’s Wednesday start was much appreciated.
12	18	29	28	14	17	12	Tony Gwynn Jr.	.393 OBP in 118 PA since June 1.
13	23	19	8	11	11	13	Mike MacDougal	Turnaround: Has stranded 10 of 12 runners since June 12 with 0.73 ERA, two walks in 12 IP.
14	13	9	—	—	—	—	Dee Gordon	Has .368 OBP, .463 slugging since returning to minors.
15	8	14	23	32	23	17	James Loney	Perhaps not since Willie Davis has there been a Dodger who fiddled more with his batting approach.
16	14	11	—	—	—	—	Josh Lindblom	Fine year continues with eight baserunners, 13 strikeouts in 12 innings in July.
17	15	12	16	7	5	10	Casey Blake	Had 571 PA last year, probably won’t break 200 this year.
18	24	18	11	5	8	—	Jon Garland	Was the youngest player in the American League in 2000.
19	16	30	—	—	—	—	Trent Oeltjen	I almost forgot he was on team when he came up to pinch-hit Wednesday: 0 for 2 with two SH since July 5.
20	17	6	10	17	18	14	Ted Lilly	Hasn’t gone seven innings or 100 pitches in past eight starts (5.82 ERA).
22	22	17	7	16	14	—	Jerry Sands	Struggling in July with .633 OPS for Albuquerque, including 3-for-33 slump.
21	19	13	9	13	9	6	Rod Barajas	Seven HR, .736 OPS by May 13/one HR, .451 OPS since.
23	20	20	12	8	10	25	Juan Uribe	0 for 4 Wednesday, knocking slugging percentage below .300.
24	21	23	21	—	—	—	Scott Elbert	Still finding his way, but seven strikeouts, only one walk in seven innings since June 12.
25	26	21	14	12	12	8	Matt Guerrier	Since June 7: 6.39 ERA, six of 10 inherited runners scored.
26	32	35	27	27	29	—	Dioner Navarro	Thanks to his Wednesday homer, his 2011 OPS almost matches Ellis.
27	25	28	20	21	22	15	A.J. Ellis	No extra-base hits in 45 MLB at-bats this year.
28	27	25	18	30	—	—	Jay Gibbons	With Gwynn and Rivera on board, he’d now have a safe role as PH.
29	—	—	—	—	—	—	Juan Rivera	Marichal, Castro, Encarnacion, Pierre, Uribe, Rivera.
30	35	32	31	—	—	—	Juan Castro	Passed over for hitting coach position.
31	29	26	24	15	19	—	Vicente Padilla	Still a safe bet to finish third on team in saves.
32	30	27	25	19	16	9	Jonathan Broxton	Has not resumed throwing, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
33	28	34	26	22	13	19	Marcus Thames	Ended up doing better against righties than lefties as a Dodger.
34	37	36	29	25	27	11	Xavier Paul	Not doing anything special … except playing for a pennant contender.
35	36	33	30	29	—	—	Russ Mitchell	Followed 5-for-5 game Monday by going 2 for 2 with two walks Tuesday.
36	31	24	33	35	33	—	Ramon Troncoso	Remains inconsistent in Triple-A.
37	38	37	32	26	26	—	John Ely	Will compete with Dana Eveland for promotion if Dodgers trade Kuroda?
38	40	39	34	28	30	21	Hector Gimenez	Has 114 chances at 1B, 114 chances at C for Chattanooga.
39	41	40	35	31	31	—	Jamie Hoffmann	Tied for 26th in MLB history for career hits by players born on August 20. Blake DeWitt is eighth.
40	—	—	—	—	—	—	Eugenio Velez	Pointless.
41	34	41	38	24	25	16	Hong-Chih Kuo	As rough as his season has been, would a contender take a flyer on him?
42	39	38	37	33	27	26	Ivan De Jesus Jr.	Having his best month, reducing doubts that he’d remain on 40-man roster next season.
43	42	42	39	34	32	23	Lance Cormier	Had 3.02 ERA over final two months of 2010.
44	33	31	36	23	24	7	Rafael Furcal	I’m guessing he has one last finishing kick of greatness in a Dodger uniform before he goes.

Forget it, Jake: It’s Kershawtown

By Jon Weisman

On July 20, 2011

In Game wrap

Kyle Terada/US PresswireClayton Kershaw retired 25 of 29 batters, striking out 12, in eight shutout innings, outdueling Tim Lincecum, who allowed a seventh-inning home run into McCovey Cove by Dioner Navarro. Javy Guerra pitched a perfect ninth to save the Dodgers’ 1-0 victory. Navarro (who had two throwing errors today) has 11 RBI all season, but this was the third time in 2011 that he had the only RBI in a 1-0 Dodger win. If not for three Dodger errors, the Giants would not have gotten any runners past second base today.

Dodgers fire hitting coach Pentland

By Jon Weisman

On July 20, 2011

In Game chat, Offense

Dodgers at Giants, 12:45 p.m.
Kershaw CIV: Kershawrks and Recreation

Tony Gwynn Jr., LF
Rafael Furcal, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Juan Rivera, 1B
Dioner Navarro, C
Juan Uribe, 3B
Jamey Carroll, 2B
Clayton Kershaw, P

The Dodgers have fired batting coach Jeff Pentland and replaced him on an interim basis with Dave Hansen.

This was Pentland’s fourth year in the organization and first as major-league batting coach (replacing, of course, Don Mattingly). He has had hitting coach jobs with the Royals, Cubs and Mariners dating back to 1997.

Hansen, who holds Dodger records for pinch-hits and pinch-homers in a season and pinch-hits in a career (ahead of Manny Mota), came back to Los Angeles last winter after four years in the Diamondbacks organization.

James Loney and Juan Uribe are the most noteworthy Dodgers who have performed below expectations this year, though an ongoing issue with the team is that you couldn’t expect much from the offense at other positions, such as catcher and left field. Essentially, Pentland is getting blame for the poor performances while not getting credit for players like Matt Kemp. That assessment might be deserved — I honestly have no idea.

Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com has more, including quotes from Ned Colletti:

… “It was a very tough decision,” Colletti said. “This is a good man. Pent has always been a good man and a very good hitting guy. … (But) this is a reflection on how we’re hitting.”

The Dodgers entered Wednesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park hitting just .250 as a team, and they were next to last in the National League in runs scored. They have been particularly bad at hitting with runners in scoring position.

Pentland was told of his firing in a meeting with Colletti and Mattingly immediately after Tuesday night’s 5-3 loss to the Giants. Mattingly broke the news to the team a couple of hours before Wednesday’s game.

Pentland wasn’t made available for comment.

“Donnie and I had talked about it for a couple of weeks,” Colletti said. “My hope was that after the (All-Star) break, we would come out refreshed a little bit and become more productive. But the focus hasn’t been there, and the at-bats haven’t been there. The production with runners in scoring position is near the bottom of baseball.”

* * *

“Major League Baseball has not reached out to AEG about building a downtown stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite Internet reports,” AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke told Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Comeback kids? Dodgers rally once but fall

By Jon Weisman

On July 19, 2011

In Game wrap

When the Dodgers fell behind 2-0 in the second inning tonight to the Giants, and you thought the game was over, you were wrong, but your pessimism would be understandable.

The Dodgers hadn’t taken the lead after trailing by at least two runs in a game since way back on June 12 in Colorado. In fact, in 29 games between then and tonight, Los Angeles had only scored more than two runs in an entire game 14 times.

Tonight, the Dodgers came back right in the top of the third, with an RBI double by Tony Gwynn Jr. and a two-run single by Rafael Furcal, his first hit since July 8. They had a 3-2 lead. Just like that.

And then, after Juan Rivera overran first base on his single and was thrown out, 16 Dodgers in a row went down against San Francisco 21-year-old Madison Bumgarner. Rubby De La Rosa showed his stuff but couldn’t hold the lead, and then Hong-Chih Kuo couldn’t hold the tie, and the Dodgers fell behind in the bottom of the seventh, 5-3.

That meant the Dodgers would have to do twice in one game what they hadn’t done once in the previous six weeks: rally from down two runs to go ahead.

Brian Wilson came in to pitch the ninth inning for San Francisco and retired the first two batters, before Matt Kemp singled to end a 10-pitch at-bat, his first career hit against Wilson.

Andre Ethier, out of the starting lineup to rest his knee, came up to pinch-hit as the tying run. But he flied out, sealing the Dodgers’ 5-3 loss. The Dodgers trail San Francisco by 14 1/2 games, their biggest deficit since the end of the 2003 season.

The Giants pitched seven perfect innings out of nine. But the Dodgers had that one comeback. No one can take that away. Not that anyone would bother to try.

Bankruptcy hearing on tap

By Jon Weisman

On July 19, 2011

In Game chat, Ownership

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15 p.m.

Tony Gwynn Jr., LF
Rafael Furcal, SS
Juan Rivera, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Aaron Miles, 2B
Juan Uribe, 3B
James Loney, 1B
Rod Barajas, C
Rubby De La Rosa, P

At ESPNLosAngeles.com, Josh Fisher previews Wednesday’s bankruptcy hearing for the Dodgers:

… On Wednesday, Judge Kevin Gross will decide whether McCourt can shepherd the Dodgers through their bankruptcy using McCourt-arranged financing. In McCourt’s favor is the strong deference bankruptcy courts usually show debtors who secure their own financing. Working against him is Major League Baseball’s proposal to fund the team’s operations at a much lower cost. Coupled with allegations of McCourt mismanagement, baseball could increase its influence on the Dodgers by convincing the court to deny McCourt his own financing.

Gross’ ruling on the issue has two layers of importance. First, from a technical standpoint, forcing McCourt to accept MLB financing paves the way for Selig to exert control over the Dodgers should McCourt fail to follow baseball’s terms. Second, because of the great deference typically shown debtors to exercise their own business judgment in these scenarios, a ruling against McCourt would be a strong message that Gross lacks faith in McCourt’s ownership. A pro-MLB decision Wednesday would not end the McCourt era, but it would be a damaging blow. …

Bill Shaikin of the Times has more.

The early-in-the-day bankruptcy hearing will be followed by a probable bankruptcy of runs at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday when Clayton Kershaw faces Tim Lincecum.

* * *

Shawn Green will be signing copies of his book, “The Way of Baseball: Finding Stillness at 95 mph” at 6:30 p.m. August 3 at downtown’s ESPN Zone.

Could Frank Capra save the Dodgers’ season?

By Jon Weisman

On July 19, 2011

In Uncategorized

Right now, I think we’re near the end of the second reel …

Fate accompli?

By Jon Weisman

On July 18, 2011

In Status report, Uncategorized

This poll was originally planned for this morning.

Then it was held for Tuesday.

Then I felt, with the Dodgers down 5-0 to the Giants in the seventh inning, what better time than the present?

Chase Carey: We knew him when …

By Jon Weisman

On July 18, 2011

In Game chat

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15 p.m.

Rafael Furcal, SS
Aaron Miles, 2B
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Juan Rivera, LF
James Loney, 1B
Juan Uribe, 3B
Rod Barajas, C
Chad Billingsley, P

Will the next leader of scandal-ridden News Corp. be the man who traded Mike Piazza?

Diamondbacks’ Danny H. does Dodgers in

By Jon Weisman

On July 17, 2011

In Game wrap, Uncategorized

Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesOne-man band gets a hand.

In a down season, at least the Dodgers had the best-hitting pitchers in the National League. They couldn’t take that away from them, could they?

Meet Daniel Hudson of Arizona. Nine innings pitched, one run allowed, three runs driven in. While throwing his complete game, Hudson went 2 for 3 with a home run and a two-run, two-out, bases-loaded single to manhandle the Dodgers today, 4-1.

Dan Haren might be a distant memory for the Diamondbacks, but they’ve found his replacement and don’t even have to change the monogrammed spikes.

The hits gave Hudson a .375 on-base percentage and .513 slugging percentage this season, not to mention 12 RBI, in 47 plate appearances. That puts the 24-year-old righthander, who also lowered his ERA to 3.56, in prime contention for the pitchers’ Silver Slugger award that, along with Matt Kemp’s, figured to be one of the few consolation prizes arriving at Chavez Ravine this year.

Did I mention consolation prize? San Francisco defeated San Diego in 11 innings today, dropping the Dodgers to 12 1/2 games out of first place in the NL West. The Dodgers’ five-game winning streak ended just Saturday night, and yet Los Angeles now faces its biggest deficit of the season.

The Dodgers avoided a shutout only after Diamondbacks shortstop Stephen Drew failed to catch James Loney’s hit-and-run line drive in the seventh inning. Instead of a double play, it put Loney on first and Matt Kemp (1 for 4) at third. Kemp then scored on a wild pitch.

That cut the Dodgers’ deficit at the time to 2-1, with Arizona scoring its runs on solo homers by Ryan Roberts in the second inning and Hudson in the sixth off (this won’t surprise you) Ted Lilly, who otherwise pitched well enough, striking out nine and walking none unintentionally. In fact, Lilly was in better position than Hiroki Kuroda on Saturday to find a way to win when the bottom of the seventh came, but after a single and ultimately two intentional walks, Blake Hawskworth allowed Hudson’s big hit.

* * *

This is truly neither here nor there, but Juan Uribe’s batting average stubbornly refuses to drop below .200. He has ended every game since June 24 with a batting average between .210 and today’s .204.

Rafael Furcal, heal thyself

By Jon Weisman

On July 17, 2011

In Game chat, Uncategorized

Brent Davis/US PresswireRafael Furcal has a .217 on-base percentage and .210 slugging in 107 plate appearances this season.

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m.
This season, Miles has started in the No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 slots in the batting order.

Tony Gwynn Jr., LF
Jamey Carroll, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Aaron Miles, 2B
James Loney, 1B
Juan Uribe, 3B
Rod Barajas, C
Ted Lilly, P

Rafael Furcal’s post-disabled list slump has reached 3 for 34 (.088) with three walks and no extra-base hits. It’s the kind of slump that can happen to the best of ’em – and as far as the 2011 Dodgers are concerned, consistently seems to.

On balls hit beyond the infield this entire season, Furcal is 16 for 40 (.400) with a .900 OPS. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, compare that OPS to his previous five seasons as a Dodger on balls to the outfield.

2010 1.573
2009 1.388
2008 1.817
2007 1.222
2006 1.494

It’s probably not overstating to say that Furcal is not hitting the ball with much authority this year. Is it physical? And if so, how permanent?

Old Dodgers return in 3-2 loss

By Jon Weisman

On July 16, 2011

In Game wrap

Hiroki Kuroda had one inning to regret, allowing a single, double and three-run home run to Brandon Allen, and the Dodgers (despite Matt Kemp’s 24th home run) couldn’t rescue him and lose to Arizona, 3-2, ending their five-game winning streak.

Kuroda, who struck out seven and allowed six baserunners over six innings, combined with Scott Elbert (two innings) to retire the final 15 Diamondbacks. But following a gift run on a bases-loaded walk to Rafael Furcal, Los Angeles didn’t threaten after Andre Ethier popped out to end the top of the fifth.

Despite making his 12th quality start of the year in 19 tries, Kuroda’s record fell to 6-11.

Dodger Thoughts Tragic Illness chat: Act 2

By Jon Weisman

On July 16, 2011

In Game chat, Uncategorized

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 5:10 p.m.

Tony Gwynn Jr., LF
Rafael Furcal, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Juan Rivera, 1B
Aaron Miles, 2B
Juan Uribe, 3B
Dioner Navarro, C
Hiroki Kuroda, P

Hey kids! It’s time for another chat between myself and Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness. It’s kid-tested, mother-approved!

Rivera, Kemp power Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

On July 15, 2011

In Game wrap

Juan Rivera homered on his first pitch as a Dodger, Matt Kemp threw out a runner at the plate, hit his 23rd homer and drove in four runs, and Clayton Kershaw allowed no earned runs over seven innings.

Yet thanks to a Juan Uribe error that paved the way for four unearned runs off Kershaw in the bottom of the seventh (including a three-run homer to deep center by Xavier Nady), the Dodgers had to sweat out a 6-4 victory.

The error effectively cost the Dodgers their fourth shutout in their past five games.

Hong-Chih Kuo started the ninth and was in position to become the eighth Dodger to get a save this year, but the final out ended up going to Javy Guerra (with the tying run on first base) on a called strike three. By the way, the Dodger team record is 11 pitchers with a save in a single season, last achieved in 1979.

The Dodgers have won five in a row, but all that’s done is get them to 11 games out of first place in the National League West, with a half-game drop imminent because San Francisco is romping over San Diego.

Kershaw CIII: Kersharmageddon and the Deathly Hollows

By Jon Weisman

On July 15, 2011

In Game chat, Uncategorized

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m.

Rafael Furcal, SS
Juan Uribe, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Juan Rivera, LF
James Loney, 1B
Dioner Navarro, C
Jamey Carroll, 2B
Clayton Kershaw, P

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

Page 294 of 381

Pod person: Talking shop with Jonah Keri

Dodger Cogs and Dogs 2011: Edition 7

Forget it, Jake: It’s Kershawtown

Dodgers fire hitting coach Pentland

Dodgers at Giants, 12:45 p.m.
Kershaw CIV: Kershawrks and Recreation

Comeback kids? Dodgers rally once but fall

Bankruptcy hearing on tap

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15 p.m.

Could Frank Capra save the Dodgers’ season?

Fate accompli?

Chase Carey: We knew him when …

Dodgers at Giants, 7:15 p.m.

Diamondbacks’ Danny H. does Dodgers in

Rafael Furcal, heal thyself

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m.
This season, Miles has started in the No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 slots in the batting order.

Old Dodgers return in 3-2 loss

Dodger Thoughts Tragic Illness chat: Act 2

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 5:10 p.m.

Rivera, Kemp power Dodgers

Kershaw CIII: Kersharmageddon and the Deathly Hollows

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m.

Buy ‘The Catch: A novel’

Buy ‘Brothers in Arms’

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Attendance

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

Page 294 of 381

Dodgers at Giants, 12:45 p.m. Kershaw CIV: Kershawrks and Recreation

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m. This season, Miles has started in the No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 slots in the batting order.

Buy ‘The Catch: A novel’

Buy ‘Brothers in Arms’

‘Brothers in Arms’ coverage

Instagram

Twitter

Recent posts

Other writing by Jon

Archives

Commenting guidelines

Attendance

Dodgers at Giants, 12:45 p.m.
Kershaw CIV: Kershawrks and Recreation

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m.
This season, Miles has started in the No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 slots in the batting order.