RIP James Loney and the Dodgers’ Offense
We all knew that James Loney was loved and respected by his fellow Dodger teammates, but there was no way anyone could predict that almost the entire Dodger team would dedicate the season to James and decide to all do their best James Loney impersonations since the trade. Once told about James Loneys’ inexplicable hitting struggles, even Adrian Gonzalez decided to pay James Loney homage by hitting just like him. Evidently, Mark Ellis and Andre Ethier are James Loney Haters. Haters!!! Ethier and Ellis need to get with the program and quit hitting too. Quit disrespecting James!!!
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw was examined by a hip specialist yesterday, but in typical Dodger fashion, very little information about it was released. The Dodgers under Ned Colletti are close-lipped when it comes to personnel moves and injury reports. I get that. It’s OK by me. I think Clayton can pitch and not hurt his hip any more, but an unnatural motion can cause him to hurt his arm. Maybe he can pitch with a slide step, but I don’t think the Dodgers will risk it. Clayton is done for the year, if the Dodgers are smart… and I think they are.
Worst Case Scenario
Hope for the best, plan for the worst. That should be the mantra of the Dodgers going into next Spring. Here’s the worse case side of it:
- Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly miss the entire 2013 season with arm problems
- Kenley Jansen retires due to heart problems
- Clayton Kershaw is slow to recover from hip surgery and comes back in late July
- Hanley Ramirez becomes a clubhouse cancer after being put back at 3B
- Dee Gordon fails to hit over .230 and has 40 errors
- Matt Kemp continues his injury spree and misses 80 games
- Carl Crawford shows up at Spring Training 30 pounds overweight and re-injures his arthritic left wrist which has plagued him for years
- Andre Ethier hits .190 against LH pitchers
- Zach Lee quits baseball and returns to LSU
- Adrian Gonzalez experiences decline in his game and hits .270 with 15 HR and 80 RBI
Of course, some of those things could happen, none of those things could happen or all of those things could happen. I think there are more questions about this team than any Dodger team in the past 10-12 years. Just my opinion…
I actually agree with Mark here. Kershaw should be shut down for the year. Arm injuries begin with lower body issues. The kid with the golden arm needs to be protected from himself. Clayton is such a fighter/competitor I could see him trying to plow through this and blowing out his arm. The sad thing is this issue will no doubt put off any talks of a contract extension until at least mid-season 2013 or the winter of 2013. What was once a no brainer (extending Kershaw) has become a $200 million question mark!
I know we are technically still in this. But somehow I feel it is coming to an end soon. This year was gravy to me and I am extremely excited for this bunch of guys to hit the ground running in 2013. This turn over in July/August was a crap shoot but was built for next season. I believe that. This offseason will see more turnover but geared to build depth in the system and get pitching! We will have to cut some dead weight besides Uribe. More specifically Harrang can’t start here anymore. He is a #6 for me. Assuming Kershaw is on the shelf for a while. Bills is gone until 2014? We have huge holes at 1 and 2. Beckett is a solid #3 and I stick with Cap at the #4. Fife has done well enough to have the #5 spot to lose.
I see Ned and Stan targeting Grienke and Dempster. When Kershaw comes back we slide everyone down.
As for Gordon, he is very very special. BUT he has to earn his way back in. I love Cruz. The guy hits and plays a damn good 3B/SS. I don’t see Hanley as “the cancer” he has been made out to be. In fact he hasn’t done that bad since he has been here and it seems as though the team loves him. So I would be curious if we find a buyer for Gordon. We need to face the facts with him. He is not as young as he should be to be just breaking in to the big leagues. He can steal bases like a star but like Vinny says “you can’t steal 1B!”
Happy days are coming and this year has been a success! EVEN IF WE DON”T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
I have to disagree with you regarding Harang. The dude is a pretty good #5 IMO. In his last 10 starts he’s given up more than 3 ER’s only once, and he hasn’t pitched less than 5 innings in any of his starts. Plus he actually makes all his starts.
“He’s enjoyed throwing the ball well every time he’s got it. So we’ll look at him right there right now.” D’oh!
“If there’s chances to skip somebody, then we’ll talk about it. We’re not going to throw anybody on short rest.” D’oh!
“In certain points, he knows he can’t pitch. When he can’t go out and throw, he knows he can’t compete. So it brings you to realism. When you can’t throw, you can’t go out and compete. So at that point, you know you’ve got to take care of it.” D’oh!
Only a fool of a GM would allow the dodger plaeyrs to risk more injury o that they can lose a one game Wild Card playoff. I thought that Stan has a long-term plan. any long term plans balances the current season and the future seasons especially when there ar so many players on the 60 day DL, on the 15 day DL and players that should be shut down like Kemp and Kerhaw.
Shut them down and play the scrubs. Start spring training 2013 today.
Mark – Loney is hitting .263 with Boston. Please do not insult him by comparing all of the dodger prima donnas with him. I agree with 47% of your predictions above.
I bet Hanley can not even touch his toes. Well maybe, if he was playing catcher.
Now Hanley is out of shape? Wow!
Maybe I missed something? What has Hanley done wrong in LA?
This is Loney’s line with Boston: .263/.282/.329 with .611 OPS
With the Dodgers it was: .254/.302/.344 with .646 OPS
I see no insult to Loney at all. He’s performing as expected.
I’ll just ignore the prima donna nonsense. I know there have been questions in the past about some of the players the Dodgers acquired, but nowhere have I ever heard “prima donna” mentioned in the same breath with Adrian Gonzalez. And I suspect that Matt Kemp is suddenly being cast as a prima donna as well. Then again, maybe only 47% of Matt Kemp has suddenly turned into a prima donna.
I agree that Kershaw should be shut down, and probably should have any necessary surgery ASAP in order to get the rehab clock started. Along the lines with what Romey said, if he pitches he could alter his delivery and hurt is arm. I believe it’s best to get a fully healthy Kershaw back next year. In fact, given his character, he’s the kind of player that will likely use rehab to bring himself back in the best condition of his life. It could even turn out to be a catalyst that will make him that much better.
Harang is OK, but definitely not someone I’d hang my hat on. Same goes for Capuano. Fact is, with Kershaw maybe losing some time next year, Billingsley maybe out the entire year, and Lilly also a major question mark, the Dodgers definitely need to spend this winter acquiring some pitching. And the bullpen too looks a bit unsettled going into next year. Then again, maybe someone on the farm surprises.
All in all, I expect the offense to be much improved next year, and that should help the pitching. But no sense in prognosticating. I’ll just sit back and let it happen. I’m hopeful, but at the same time I do know that there is only one guarantee, and that is, that there are no guarantees.
We interrupt this program to bring you an important message;
“Jon Weismann” of “Dodger Thoughts” has unplugged his Dodger keyboard. For those who never had the chance, Jon was a Picasso with his blog and never resorted to ridiculing ex-Dodgers or any other human being. Jons biggest demons are in himself with his continued battles with depression. He will surely be missed on my end and by anybody else who had the pleasure.
Now back to the regularly scheduled program of lies, half truths and innuendo
sucks man , wish him n his family the best.
This place is starting to sound & look like a dodger bashing site &^%$ that till the very end i will roll with the dodgers we will win a world series within the next 4 years and Hanley has been better than most dodgers….so enough said!!! Lets go L.A!!
The Loney Juniors are 1-6 with RSISP. Same old Mr. Softies
Maybe I should find something else to watch
Tanked – Nah that is probably a show about the 2012 dodgers.
The Five – Nah that is probably about the 5 guys who make $20 mil per year and have tanked.
Sons of Guns – Nah that is probably about the dodger minor league system and their season is over
Abandoned – Nah that is probably about all of the dodger batters that have abandoned the hitting approach that Ned talks about so often during interviews
How do they do it? – Nah that is probably about the dodger scrubs who hit .285 in May and are not allowed to play any more.
48 hours mystery – Nah that is probably about the typical dodger offense that is shutout on a weekend
Celebrity Ghost Stories – Nah that is probably about who has invaded the bodies of the dodger hitters
Well now, I am looking at the standings in the N.L. West. And you know, the Dodgers should finish in 2nd place. And call it a nice season.
But, they could drop to third behind Arizona: only 3 games separate them.
Also, they could drop 4th behind Arizona AND San Diego: only 6 games separate them in the lost column.
So far, today, these Dodgers just cannot play as a team, hitting wise. Some of these players better come to life. Or . . .
RISP 1 – 10
Microsoft bats
Should have recruited Paul Allen to buy the Dodgers
RISP = Rest In Silent Peace
Complete waste of time watching this team play.
and on and on and on
Rest In Sissy Peace
1-14
1-15
Play the Scrubs in game 2
The good thing about losing both games of a double header on the road is that it is less innings for the dodger pitchers.
With all of the injuries to our pitching staff they are holding their own.on the other hand, the offense has got to be the worst in baseball. I can’t think of another team that has the crappy numbers the dodgers batters have.
Can anyone tell me y fed x hasn’t gotten any play yet
He played in an extra inning game but only defensively.
I figure Donnie thinks treanors bat is better then FedEx.
Something happened between the 1st game and the nightcap today. All of a sudden the hops and calls are going our way. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride.
I smell a metamorphisis has taken place.
Maybe what you smell is a dead body?
Finally kemp broke the streak!!!!!!
easy win!!
Your blogs are so depressing! You are the ultimate Denny downer!
YOU CAN’T STAND THE TRUTH!
I got in my car after teaching a class last night just as Kemp scored on that play at third base (listening to the game on the radio). Announcers were saying that Kemp kind of dogged it to the plate.
Now, this morning I just looked at the video on Dodgers.com and he did somewhat dog it.
He has done that in the past as I recall. A final out somewhere on the bases he Kemp is not running hard. In this case he was looking back at the play.
When is this guy going to play hustle baseball when it needs to be played!!! But since the writers and broadcasters have named this “Kemp’s team” I guess he does what he wants.
Amen. Bad call by umps bailed him out.
Get over yourself Roger! If Gonzalez knew how to run the bases this wouldn’t even be an issue.