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The Changeup
by Robert Timm
07.04.09
Timm's Two Cents
So what was it like last night? It felt like a home game - at Angel Stadium. There were certainly more Dodgers hats, shirts, and jerseys at Petco Park last night than those of the Padres - it was a wonder that the camera men found enough Padres fans to put up on Jumbotron between innings. The cheers were louder, and the boos were stronger, from the Dodgers fans as well. The biggest problem with Friday night was the canned music, sound effects, and noise makers that were blaring throughout the night - obviously ripped off from Angel Stadium - in an effort to subdue the L.A. crowd. Didn't work, though. And, thankfully, there was no Rally Monkey in sight.
During the Seventh Inning Stretch, the "...root, root, root..." part was clearly won by "the Dod-gers" and then, with Broxton on for the save, the everybody-stand-up-and-cheer-in-the-bottom-of-the-ninth-inning-with-two-outs routine was played to perfection. But alas, "I Love L.A." was missing from the loudspeakers after the final out. No matter, the fans in my section sang it anyway.
07.03.09
Timm's Two Cents
And now we can exhale. Manny returns to action tonight - finally - at a time when the Dodgers are ready for an offensive jumpstart. The timing couldn't be better. In fact, Manny's supsension couldn't have gone better as the Dodgers learned that they can win without him - at least for a while.
So what will Manny do in his first game back? My prediction is that deuces will be wild tonight. Manny goes 2-4 with two doubles, two strikeouts, two RBIs and two runs scored. For good measure, I predict Manny hits two homers over the course of the weekend.
Make your prediction in the SHOUTBOX at left: What will Manny do tonight, and how many home runs will he hit this weekend?
Minor League Report
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR STARS – 3B Josh Bell, LHP Scott Elbert, OF Andrew Lambo, C Lucas May, and RHP Matthew Sartor were selected for the Southern League North Division All-Star Team…to check out their All-Star credentials, head over to the latest MLR - here!
07.02.09
The Rumor Mill
- Jayson Stark suggests that Ned is on the prowl for a starting pitcher. Roy Oswalt and other "tier one" pitchers are probably out their reach, but Stark feels that pitchers like the caliber of Jarrod Washburn are more realistic. (ESPN)
- The Dodgers are seeking bulllpen help, according to MLB Fanhouse, and the Pirates are dangling Matt Capps and/or John Grabow to those looking to upgrade.
The Wire
In case you missed it, the Dodgers made a handful of roster moves on Wednesday involving Eric Stults, A.J. Stults, Mitch Jones, and Claudio Vargas. (Dodgers.com)
07.01.09
The Wire
- The Dodgers lost, but Chad Billingsley did something no pitcher had done before this season: Billingsley recorded 23 swings-and-misses, the highest total of the season. (ESPN)
- The Trolley Dodger points us back to Manny's May 7th statement. Emphasis is made on the fact that Manny was directed not to say anything further regarding his PED incident. Furthermore Manny did, in fact, apologize to Dodger fans. Both points, I believe, have been forgotten over recent weeks as many fans (myself included) have wanted something more from Manny.
06.30.09
Little Know Fact
The Dodgers now have nine walk-off wins this season - the most in baseball.
Things That Are Dead
Wondering if Jeff Weaver is legit.
The Wire
In case you care, Shawn Estes is not actually retired. Essentially, he quit. "Mentally, I wasn't into it," he told a newspaper the other day. Now he's blaming the Dodgers and, specifically, Ned Colletti for doing so. Truth be told, Estes did not have an "out clause" in his contract, so Triple-A was his fate unless the Dodgers called him up. Recently, he asked for his release and was denied. (Apparently Ned still values him as an insurance policy.) Estes went home to Arizona and is still technically under contract with the Dodgers. But now Estes has decided to whine about his situation in this article at the Reno Gazette-Journal. It's worth the read.
06.29.09
Timm's Two Cents
Matt Kemp continues to bat at the bottom of the order. And Matt Kemp continues to produce. In fact, Kemp seems to produce primarily when he's batting near the basement. Let's break it down a bit...
While batting seventh (139 at-bats), the young center fielder is hitting .309 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. In the eighth spot (31 ABs), Kemp is batting a whopping .484 with one homer and three RBIs. And in 11 at-bats in the 9-hole, Kemp is batting .545, clubbed two homers, and knocked in five runs. Combined, that's a .354 average with eight home runs and 26 RBIs over 181 at-bats.
His numbers tail off considerably as he moves up in the order. When batting cleanup (19 ABs), Kemp is hitting .158 with zero homers; in the fifth spot (21 ABs) he's batting .190 with no home runs; and when batting sixth (59 at-bats), Kemp kicks it up a notch and is hitting .271 with two homers and nine RBIs. Added up, that's a .232 average with two home runs and 15 RBIs over 99 at-bats.
Sure, one could argue that the sample sizes aren't quite even here as Kemp has nearly twice as many at-bats at the bottom of the order as he does in the middle. Still, there are two conclusions one can draw from all of this: (1) Joe Torre knows what he's got in Matt Kemp and continues to play him to his strengths. (2) The return of Manny Ramirez will likely have zero effect on Matt Kemp.
06.28.09
Timm's Two Cents
Don't look now, but the San Francisco Giants boast the National League's second best record. Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, both with 2.57 ERAs, have become the 1-2 punch that every team craves. Meanwhile, Pablo Sandoval (.335/9/36), Aaron Rowand (.295/8/33), and Bengie Molina (.256/10/41) are leading the soft - but effective - attack. The Giants have played well at home, against the NL East and Central, and are 9-6 in Interleague play. Their defense (.986 fielding percentage) is solid as well. Not too shabby for a bunch of battery chucking fools.
San Francisco does, however, have their weak spots. The Giants are 15-16 versus NL West foes, have an 8-10 record in 1-run games, and are six games under .500 on the road. Barry Zito (4.54) and Randy Johnson (4.68) have only 13 quality starts in their 29 games combined, though they've managed to keep the Hated Ones believing the playoff are within reach.
So the question is, Are the Giants for real? As for most teams, the month of July will answer this question. GM Brian Sabean is certainly capable of making a deal for the big bat that they so desparately need and the pitching is there to support such an acquisition. If that pitching holds, the Giants are definitely contenders for an October playdate. But if the Giants hit a rough spot over the next three weeks and suddenly find themselves fighting for their lives, Sabean is likely to sell off parts (Randy Winn, Bengie Molina, Bobby Howry, and Jonathan Sanchez can all be had for the asking) and start looking to 2010 and beyond.
Prediction: With no Barry Bonds, Joe Morgan, or Bobby Thompson coming to the rescue, the Giants stay within range of a playoff spot through July and August, but run out of steam in September.
06.27.09
Minor League Report (courtesy: Los Angeles Dodgers)
- RHP Hyang-Nam Choi has tossed 10.0 consecutive innings of scoreless relief over his last five appearances…the 38-year-old has struck out 33 in 22.2 innings in 11 appearances overall…
- LHP Scott Elbert was promoted from Double-A Chattanooga on Monday after striking out 47 over his last 29.0 innings (five starts) for the Lookouts…the 23-year-old still leads the Southern League with 87 strikeouts in 62.1 innings…he went 2-3 with a 3.90 ERA (27 ER/62.1 IP) in 12 games (11 starts) with Chattanooga...
- CF Trayvon Robinson, RHP Tim Sexton, and LHP Alberto Bastardo were selected to represent Inland Empire in the California League All-Star’s 10-inning 2-1 triumph over the Carolina League All-Stars on Tuesday…see how they fared in the MLR...
- There's a boatload of info on your favorite Dodgers farmhands in this week's edition of the MLR! Check it out here!
06.25.09
The Rumor Mill
The Dodgers like Cliff Lee. They have discussed him internally. But their chances of meeting the Indians' price for the ace left-hander are slim, according to major-league sources. (FOXSports)
Timm's Two Cents
So we're 44% into the season. Let's take a look at how a few players project to finish the season if they continue on their current pace:
- Andre Ethier - 25 HR, 98 RBI, .815 OPS
- Matt Kemp - 20 HR, 91 RBI, 41 SB
- James Loney - 11 HR, 110 RBI, .742 OPS
- Casey Blake - 23 HR, 108 RBI, .878 OPS
- Russell Martin - 2 HR, 51 RBI, .667 OPS
These guys, along with Manny, were expected to be the run-producers. Most of us would have gladly accepted the numbers of Ethier, Blake, and Kemp if we had a crystal ball in Spring Training. Loney has been a bit of an enigma, while Russell Martin's struggles are well documented.
It's foolish, however, to take much stock into these projections. The Dodgers have played 60% of their games without Manny Ramirez. Andre Ethier, obviously, stands to benefit the most from Manny's return. Could 30 homers be within his reach? Of course, much depends on where these guys bat in relationship to Manny but it's plausible that Kemp, Loney, and Blake could all benefit from Manny's return as Joe Torre seems to shuffle the lineup every other day.
Russell Martin, on the other hand, is waiting for a different player to return: Doug Mientkiewicz. Slot Dougie ahead of him in the lineup on a daily basis and Martin's ineptitude with the bat may just be solved. (Article)
06.24.09
The Rumor Mill
Jerry Crasnick talked to a West Coast scout Monday night and the scout said the Dodgers really do have some interest in lefthander Jarrod Washburn. (ESPN Insider)
The Wire
Shortly after arriving in Albuquerque, Manny Ramirez vowed that he wouldn't do interviews until his suspension ends. "I ain't talking today, baby," he declared. "Write what you want." Manny being Manny, that lasted about an hour. You can read the interview here. (hat tip to Dodger Thoughts)
06.23.09
The Wire
It's the Return of Manny! You can follow the action in Albuquerque by tuning into to today's game or by checking out the Isotopes' blog.
06.22.09
The Rumor Mill
- Dodgers.com suggests that Jarrod Washburn is on Ned Colletti's radar screen. Washburn is pitching well for Seattle this season, boasting an ERA of 3.24 over 83 innings (3.00 at home, 3.52 away). He's holding opponents to a .240 average (.147 vs. lefties, .280 vs. righties) and a 1.10 WHIP. A free agent after the season, Washburn is sure to get a lot of attention over the next six weeks especially with Jake Peavy and Eric Beddard's recent health issues. He'll be owed roughly $5 million for the second half of the season and he has full no trade protection.
- On Pedro Martinez' recent workout: The Dodgers did not scout the workout, and Manager Joe Torre said that the team has not discussed Martinez since spring training. (LA Times)
Fantasy Focus
Jonathan Broxton's ERA has risen nearly a full run over his past two outings, going from 1.36 to 2.29 after Sunday night's save. Certainly, no one is in a panic over a strikeout closer who dominates with a sub-2.50 earned run average. Broxton owners should, however, consider this: his ERA on the road is a microscopic 0.46. But on the road, Broxton's ERA balloons to 4.60.
DodgerDugout.com
SHOUTBOX
The Changeup is a cacophony of features that include: Timm's Two Cents; Things That are Dead; The Wire; The Rumor Mill; Fantasy Focus; and Little Known Facts.
