Calm down everyone. This is a better team than last year and last year the Dodgers were one of the TOP 5 teams after the All-Star break. Yes, I know that the Dodgers were just whipped like rented mules. They had never lost three in a row this year, until the day before yesterday – now it’s up to 4 in a row. File this under “STUFF HAPPENS.”
On November 1, 2009, I put out my Dodger Top 10 Prospects and omitted Jerry Sand while saying this: “Jerry Sands? Forget about him!” Of course, I had Andrew Lambo on that list, as well as Scott Elbert, Charlie Haeger (I am getting ill), and IDJ2. I did have Nate Eovaldi, Aaaron Miller, Dee Gordon, Josh Lindblom, Ethan Martin and Garrett Gould on the list too. I omitted Chris Withrow and Sands. I still feel the same way. I will be surprised if Sands makes it. Van Slyke has a shot, but who knows?
I know the Dodgers have a plan, but a trade for Wright, Youkilis or Konerko would seem to be outside the realm of probability at this time. All of their respective teams are doing well, and Youkilis has been hot since returning from the DL. Boston will want major league ready pitching and unless the Dodgers want to give up Chad Billingsley, I can’t see it happening. The Sox may not want Bills, but I suspect they would be intrigued. Justin Morneau would be the most likely acquisition, but it would take several TOP PROSPECTS. If healthy, he might be worth it. It’s going to take until the All-Star break to see what shakes out. A deal right now is going to be difficult. What needs to happen right now is simple. This needs to be the lineup:
1B – Platoon Loney & SVS (Give it a month)
2B – Castellanos 2B
SS – Gordon
3B – Hariston
LF – Platoon Rivera and Abreu
CF – Gwynn
RF – Ethier
C – Ellis
Hererra can spell 2B, SS, 3B and CF
Tonight, we have a LH going against the Dodgers, so I’d roll out this lineup:
- Hererra SS
- Castellanois RF
- Ethier CF
- Rivera LF
- Ellis C
- Hariston 3B
- SVS – 1B
- DeJesus – 2B
That’s an All-RH lineup.
Next man up!
Here’s something to think about:
Ethan Martin is closer to the majors than you think.
Jared Massey’s Minor League Report – 5/31/12
When did Ethier learn to hit right handed and play center field?
Ethier is hitting .319 against LH Pitching this year, so he must be right-handed. He plays CF in a pinch. We’re in a pinch tonight.
I see Ethan Martin has been really good this year.
You think he’ll come up as a middle/long reliever or get the chance to start?
I think he’s a starter.
I think he\’ll be a starter as soon as NEXT Season.
He has very few innings on his arm.
Selective memory. I recall watching a video of you asking Logan to turn Jerry into a 3rd baseman last Spring training.
Yes, I did and I said it over the winter again, but I still don\’t have a lot of confidence in his hitting.
Has Herrera every played SS?
Yes, in the Minors obviously. He is on the bench tonight. Hopefully he makes more than a PH appearance.I really like what I’ve seen of him. He should play everyday as I previously stated after his first game.
Gwynn is leading off playing CF.
You know things are bad when Youk seems like an improvement but one writer said the Blue isn’t that high on him[MLB Trade rumors.
I like that lineup Mark except for Gwynn should be in CF. He is by far the best defensive CF we have and I don’t like the idea of putting Ethier out there….especially in Coors Field where you have to be able to cover a lot of ground. Also, Gwynn doesn’t seem to be bothered by LH pitching. He’s hitting .281 and RH and .279 against LF.
CF Gwynn (L)
3B De Jesus
RF Ethier (L)
2B Hairston
1B Van Slyke
LF Castellanos
C Treanor
SS Gordon (L)
P Capuano (L)
Good Article. Like you say even if you are not 100% correct, if the logic is good than it is a good post.
The Dodger need is TOO great and therefore the Price is TOO high until Kemp returns and thus lowers the Dodger’s needs. No team is going to trade with the Dodgers when the Dodgers have the their current winning percentage, and no team is going to do anything but give NED a colonoscopy.
Play the kids. The Dodgers are going to lose anyway until Kemp returns. See who is good and who is trade bait, if any.
What we need is more pretend GMs in here correctly thinking about both now and the future.
The secret is to score 5 runs
April record 16 – 7
5 runs or more 8 – 0
Less than 5 runs 8 – 7
May record 16 – 12
5 runs or more 14 – 1
Less than 5 runs 2 – 11
That’s the point: New ownership with big bucks to spend. Good record. The other teams will try and rape the Dodgers right now.
I am not a trainer — but a week or so ago, at pre-game batting practice — Matt Kemp was in the cage taking live batting practice.
That has to put some strain on the legs and all that goes with hitting.
Maybe that was a no-no. Rest is rest. Not just toned down workouts . . .
I do not think that teams in the hunt right now — would want to trade a key player.
On the other hand, teams lost in the standings might consider for bright new up and coming stars or whoever they can get:
Minnesota, Kansas City, Oakland, Seattle, Cubs, D-Backs, Rockies, San Diego
All of the other teams are feeling they have a chance.
6 of 8 are scrubs. Not good at all. I hate this lineup. Hairston batting 4th are u kidding me. I understand mattingley making this decision but when Hairston is batting 4th. One word WOW
See what happens when players are playing out of position.
De Jesus is a make-shif 3rd baseman. Treanor is out of position by catching in the major leagues. Not sure about Van Slyke, but is he a real 1st baseman or an outfielder?
I hate it when an announcer or sports writer makes a comment about a player, like: “He is a solid left fielder, but he can play a bit of centerfield went necessary and a bit of 1st and 3rd.”
Stuff always seems to come to them that they cannot handle, and tonight two gift runs by the Dodgers.
Well, let us hope that these present Dodgers can come back and score a bunch of runs.
The 5 game leaf the dodgers have will be gone by the end of next week. I don’t want to see what are farm system has. I’m a very impatient person. I wish the dodgers would do what they need to do to get to the post season. With this lineup no way they make it do unimpressed with the young guys van Slyke is garbage get rid off him. Sands get rid of him. So pissed off. New ownership needs to do something and do it fast. They weren’t shy on spending 2 billion. So make a splash and give dodger fans some hope
Lets lose ten in a row with this lineup.
If Wright can not finish this game then he is not the long reliever that the Dodgers need. The Dodgers need TWO long relievers during June 2012.
I’m calm. I am not the least bit surprised with the Dodger scoring drought. I said they would be run challenged and need to win the 3-2 games. I am a bit surprised they gave up 13 runs.
It’s way too early to start talking trades. Like I said, we may be sellers at the deadline. Who knows what is going to happen in June.
In the mean time, we get to see what the young Albuquerque studs can do with real games on the line. They will keep the lead, or lose it, and then we know who it is that is a keeper.
Gonna be an interesting month.
I calmly plan on ragging on Donnie when he writes down a moronic lineup with players at the wrong positions.
Wright was the wrong choice to be the Dodger’s long reliever.
Ned doesn’t even understand the importance of a long reliever in today’s MLB environment where staring pitchers are babies, and they do not know how to repeat their throwing motion for more than one inning and do not know how to return to their current throwing motion in less than 2 innings (Bills), thus being pulld afer 4-5 innings.