Russell Martin is down for the count for 4-6 weeks.  The Dodgers should err on the side of caution, so we may not see Russell until May or June.  That’s OK – at least he won’t “wear-down” this year.   The workout regimen he went through this winter is extremely grueling.  My 23-year-old son tried it for half a day and said it nearly killed him.  I think that this is “just one of those things.”  You eventually get hurt, sooner or later – we’ll see how Russell responds.

NEXT MAN UP!

That should be the Dodgers Mantra.  The next men are Brad Ausmus and AJ Ellis.  We know that Ausmus is not a regular, but he can catch 3 or 4 days a week, so don’t anoint AJ Ellis the heir-apparent to Martin.  He is a very good (not excellent) receiver, but I have serious doubts about his hitting.  He’ll have to show me that part of his game.  He will certainly hit Number 8, so if Blake DeWitt wins the 2B job, we will have good balance with him at Number 7. 

I hope he can hit, but even though Martin had a bad year, his OB% was almost .360.  That’s not easy to replace.  AJ Ellis has worked hard.  He is 29-years-old and has been a career minor-leaguer.  It will be great if he can “seize the day.”  AJ Ellis is that guy who is every body’s friend, a guy you can count on, a guy who doesn’t have great talent, but maximizes it to the hilt.  He’s not the serious leader Martin is, but he’s just “one of the guys.”

Never underestimate Russell Martin’s “intangables.”

You just never know about injuries – they can linger, or recovery can be amazing.  I have no clue how fast Russ Martin will respond.  Neither does anyone else.

Tony Jackson has a good article about AJ and a video with Ned about Martin.

NOTE:  I am headed to Florida for a week (Convention) so I don’t know how much I’ll blog.

Dylan Hernandez says it’s his groin.

Tot Holmes says it’s his hip.

Tony Jackson says it’s his stomach.

He had an MRI last night and they know the results, but aren’t telling…

It may be nothing, or something.

AJ Ellis – Next Man Up!

Stay tuned!

I made my plans and got my tickets yesterday for Camelback Ranch.  I will be there on March 20th through March 27th.  My wife and son will be flying in on the 25th to see the last 3 games with me.  I haven’t gotten the away game tickets, but I’ll work on that next week.  It’s going to be a great Spring Training.   Like Roger mentioned last week, there seems to be gloom and doom by lots of commenters on this board, but that is not a concept shared by most of the national media (which worries me). 

Ride Manny Ride

There is a Mini-Camp in late January at Camelback and I was going to have Rory (Badger) cover it, but after talking with Josh Rawitch, it looks like there will be no media.  Maybe Badger can rent a helicoptor and fly around taking pictures for us. 

Voldomer will be there from March 8-13 and has said that he will provide updates and photos as well.  Badger lives near there, so hopefully he can do the same.

I plan to have LA LodgerTalk T-Shirts available by the End of January – stay tuned, because they will be VERY COOL!   At a very good price I might add….

Some fans have asked which young players have the best chance of making the team.  Here’s my list (in no particular order):

• Josh Lindblom (middle relief)
• Xavier Paul  (4th OF) – This guy has a bat with a lot of pop (great “gap” power) and the best arm in the organization. 
• Carlos Monasterios  (5th Starter) – He has looked good in the Winter League
• Armando Zerpa (middle relief) – Just because he’s LH and they have to keep him or lose him.
• Brent Leach (middle relief) – We have already seen that he has good stuff… and he’s LH
• Travis Schlichting (middle relief) – See Brent Leach, but he’s not LH

Jon Link, Chin-lung Hu, Scott Elbert (who may not be rookies), Jason Repko and AJ Ellis also have a crack at making the team.

Several sources have reported that Jason Repko signed a $500,000.00 deal with the Dodgers to avaoid arbitration.   Just a few weeks ago, most bloggers were saying that he would be “non-tendered.” 

Below is the Spring Training Schedule

… of hitters!  I mean, think about it – who do the Dodgers really have that is a major league hitting prospect who looks like  Gordon, maybe Lambo – that’s it.    Gordon has a crazy huge upside, and while I still like Lambo, this is his “make or break” year.  He has to start raking.  He regressed last year, but looked better in the AFL.   It’s wake up-time for him.

• Ivan DeJesus, Jr.?  Not enough pop to justify his lack of speed.  Forget him as a starter at 2B, and he’s certainly not a starting SS.  Utilityman is the best he will be.
• Trayvon Robinson?  4th Outfielder, although he could possibly play LF, if we needed a leadoff hitter, but Gordon should fill that role in two years, so Robinson looks like a 4th outfielder to me.
• Xavier Paul?  This guy could surprise – if there’s a sleeper here, it is the X-Man!
• Lucas May?  He’s not that good as a Catcher and his bat is probably less than Martins.  That doesn’t bode well for him.
• Kyle Russell?  He’ll need at least three more years.  He’s too far away to project anything, although he has crazy power.
• Pedro Baez?  He’ll be on the mound before the season is over!  He can’t hit, but he has a cannon on his shoulder.
• Scott Van Slyke?  He had a nice year, but let’s see him do it at a higher level, then I might say he’s a prospect, but right now, he’s not!
• Brian Cavazos-Galvez?  Jonathan Garcia?  Steven Caseres?   Gorman Erickson?  Too early.  Way too early to even predict, but I lean towards NO!  Don’t get excited.
• Jerry Sands?  Career AA Player!
• Tony Delmonico?  Not as a Catcher, well he doesn’t look like a Catcher.  He has a bat that could be good.  Can he play 2B?
• Austin Gallagher?  Ha!
• Nick Buss?  Probably not!  No, NOT!
• Preston Mattingly?  Please!
• AJ Ellis?  Sub, probably a #3
• Jamie Hoffman?  5th or 7th OF.

The cupboard is bare right about now, which is precisely why the Dodgers need to offer arbitration to Wolf and Hudson.  We should find out very soon.  They need to start drafting some hitters.  Fortunately, the Dodgers are stocked with good young arms, which I shall address in my next column.

• I think that Frank and Jamie McCourt need to learn that hate is not the opposite of love, because right about now they are loving to hate each other.   When you get to
  

  His Game IS Over...

  apathy,  then you are at the opposite of love.  Look, I don’t know who did what to whom… and I don’t care.  Move along.  Get on with your lives and quit acting like idiots.  It’s all very boring to most of us.

• Old friend Jonathan Figueora died at age 26 of lupus, according to Diamond Leung.  You just never know…
• Diamond Leung also reports that Eric Gagne wants to come back – maybe with the Dodgers and that he’d be open to a minor league deal.  Well, I’d sign him to that and it  sounds nice, but Game Over’s game is over!  Too bad!
• I don’t put much stock in the George Sherrill for Edwin Jackson rumor, although the Dodgers would do that in a second.  I can’t see the Tigers doing it straight up.  I’d trade James McDonald AND Sherrill for Jackson in a heartbeat!
• Ditto on the AJ Ellis for Alberto Callaspo.  Why would KC do that?  I doubt that AJ Ellis can hit .150 in the majors, and even I can run faster than him.
• Scout Mitch Webster left the Dodgers to become scouting director for the KC Royals.  Read the full story

The Dodgers have improved over 2008.   They won more games, but they still couldn’t get past the Phillies, and the Phillies will still be good next year.  I suspect that Raul Ibanez had his career year and will slip back to reality next year and the Phillies will have some holes to fill, just like the Dodgers.  Like the Dodgers, the Phillies have a former ace who needs to come back and I believe both will.  It would not surprise me to see either one win a Cy Young Award in the future, even as easly as next year.  I fully expect Hamels and Billingsley to both win 16-18 games next year.  Both pitchers have too much talent.

Manny will return as Manny, because he’s playingfor Manny,  and the Dodgers should benefit from his quest for a new contract, in what will certainly be his last year as a Dodger.  Look for Manny to hit .320+ with 35 HR and 130 RBI.  I look for more growth by Kemp and Ethier as both become perennialAll-Stars.   Russ Martin?  He’ll be back with a vengeance!  Count on it!    I do see two areas in which the Dodgers need to improve:  They need more power from 3B and 1B and they will get it from James Loney at 1B, who I believe will hit around 25 dingers.  He has shown he is capable.  3B is another issue.  Casey Blake had a better year than I expected, but he’s still a journeyman at best.   We need a big HR bat at 3B and will will get robbed if we try and trade or one.  Here’s what we do:  Sign Adrian Beltre!  Sign Adrian Beltre.   He loves LA and is a cinch to hit 30 for the Dodgers.  Yeah, I know you don’t believe me, but he will!    If you want to look at stats, then I’ll use the year he hit 48 HR as a stat!  He’s young enough that we can sign him to a 5 year deal.   That means we need to dump Blake, and we can do that in a deal for Roy Halliday. I purpose that we trade Jon Broxton, Casey Blake, James McDonald, Ethan Martin,  and Chris Withrow to Toronto for Roy Halliday (pay a lot, get a lot).  I am not a Blake hater, but we need to get younger and better at 3B! Read the full story

Los Angeles Dodgers Announce
August Winners of Dodger Pride Awards
 
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the August winners of the Dodger Pride Awards.  The Dodger Pride Awards were created in 2008 by General Manager Ned Colletti, and are given on a monthly basis to the players at each level of the club’s minor league system who play the game with a hustling, smart, aggressive style. The players and staff on each respective club vote for the awards. 
 
The winners for August are as follows:
 
Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
 
Pitcher – RHP Scott Strickland was a perfect 10-for-10 in save opportunities and struck out 12 with a 2.31 ERA (3 ER/11.2 IP) in 13 August games…the 33-year-old was named to the All-Pacific Coast League team after posting a league-best 34 saves…the Texas native set a record for most saves in a season by an Albuquerque pitcher, surpassing the Dukes’ Dennis Lewallyn’s 24 saves in 1980…overall, he went  2-1 with 32 saves in 34 opportunities and a 2.98 ERA.
 
Player – C A.J. Ellis batted .354 (28-for-79) with eight doubles and 15 RBI in 25 August games…he had a 14-game hitting streak from August 8-24, batting .422 (19-for-45) with eight doubles and eight RBI…the 28-year-old hit safely in 20 of 25 games in the month…overall, he hit .341 (28-for-82) with runners in scoring position…he was recalled for his third stint with the Dodgers on September 1 and was selected in the 18th round of the 2003 draft.

Other Award:

OF Mitch Jones was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week for the week ending September 7, batting .480 (12-for-25) with four doubles, two homers, and 10 RBI in seven games…Jones was also selected as Player of the Week for the week of May 18-24.
 
Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts
 
Pitcher – LHP Alberto Bastardo went 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA (8 ER/31.2 IP) in five August starts…the 25-year-old tossed a complete game on August 5 against West Tennessee (Mariners), allowing two runs on three hits and striking out eight in the Lookouts’ 7-2 win…the Venezuelan was promoted to Triple-A Albuquerque on September 6 and overall is 12-5 with a 4.00 ERA (66 ER/148.1 IP) in 28 games (27 starts) for Single-A Inland Empire, Chattanooga, and Albuquerque.
 
Player – IF Russell Mitchell batted .306 with two homers and 18 RBI in 29 August games…the 24-year-old hit .297 (51-for-172) in 50 post All-Star break games after batting just .208 (59-for-284) in 81 games before the break…the Georgia native will play for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League…overall, he led the Lookouts with 13 homers and 63 RBI.

Single-A Inland Empire 66ers
 
Pitcher – LHP David Pfeiffer earned two saves and allowed just one run in 14.2 innings (0.61 ERA) in 11 August games…the Vero Beach, FL native limited left-handed batters to a .177 (11-for-62) average…overall, he went 3-3 with four saves and a 3.56 ERA in 34 games for Inland Empire after opening the season with the Rookie-level Arizona Dodgers…the 24-year-old was selected in the 13th round of the 2003 draft.

Player – OF Scott Van Slyke batted .264 (24-for-91) with eight doubles, five homers, and 19 RBI in 27 August games…he became the first player in San Bernardino professional baseball history to have 40 doubles (42), 20 home runs (23), and 100 RBI (100) in a season…the Missouri native is also just the third player in club history to reach the 40-double mark, setting a team record with 42 doubles, which also ranked fourth in the California League…the 23-year-old finished the season with Triple-A Albuquerque, going 1-for-6 (.167) with two RBI in three games.
 
Single-A Great Lakes Loons
 
Pitcher – LHP Cole St. Clair went 1-0 with seven saves and did not allow a run in 10.0 innings over nine August games…the 23-year-old limited opposing hitters to a .194 average (7-for-36) and struck out 11 in the month…overall, the 23-year-old is 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA in 30 games…he was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 draft out of Rice University.
 
Player – OF Alfredo Silverio batted .275 (28-for-102) with seven doubles, five home runs, and 16 RBI in 28 August games…the 22-year-old hit safely in nine straight games from August 27-September 5, going 13-for-34 (.382) with four doubles and seven RBI in that span…overall, the Dominican batted .284 with 34 doubles, 13 homers, and 61 RBI in 132 games.

Rookie-advanced Ogden Raptors
 
Pitcher – Matt Magill went 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA (8 ER/29.0 IP) in six August starts…overall, the 19-year-old is 6-3 with a 4.00 ERA in 15 starts and received honorable mention honors on the 2009 Post-Season Pioneer League All Star Team…he was selected in the 31st round of the 2008 draft out of Royal High School in Simi Valley.
 
Player – OF Brian Cavazos-Galvez was named Pioneer League MVP and was chosen as one of three outfielders on the league’s post-season All-Star Team…he leads the league with 18 homers and 29 doubles, ranks second in the league with 63 RBI, and is ninth on the circuit with a .325 average and 16 steals…he batted .350 (41-for-117) with nine doubles, four homers, and 26 RBI in 27 August games…he was selected in the 12th round of the 2009 draft out of the University of New Mexico.

Other Awards:

C Gorman Erickson, 3B Brian Ruggiano, and OF Jerry Sands were each selected to the Pioneer League Post-Season All-Star team at their respective positions.

Rookie-level Arizona Dodgers
 
Pitcher – Carl Webster went 0-1 with a 1.62 ERA (3 ER/16.2 IP) in four August games…he was promoted to Ogden on August 19 and has gone 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA (7 ER/21.0 IP) in four games (three starts) for the Raptors…overall, the 19-year-old is 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA in 16 games (11 starts) for Arizona and Ogden.
 
Player – Jonathan Garcia batted .354 (23-for-65) with eight doubles, a homer, and 10 RBI in 18 August games…the 18-year-old had a 15-game hitting streak from August 2-24, batting .393 (22-for-56) with eight doubles, a homer, and eight RBI in that span…overall, he compiled a .304 average with 16 doubles, three homers, and 21 RBI in 41 games…the native Puerto Rican was selected in the eighth round of the 2009 draft.
Rookie-level Dominican Summer League Dodgers
 
Player – INF Alexis Aguilar batted .333 (16-for-48) with a home run and nine RBI in 14 August games…the 18-year-old had a 10-game hitting streak from August 4-14, going 15-for-39 (.385) with eight RBI during that span…overall, he hit .275 with four doubles, a homer, and 19 RBI in 45 games.

“We know we are a good team.”- Andre Ethier

Just shut up and do it!

“The one thing I found out about them, is every time they’ve been tested they’ve done all right.” – Joe Torre

“We’re just going through a bad stretch right now.”  – Russell Martin

“We’re all right.  We’ll come back tomorrow and have a better game.” – Matt Kemp

“We have more games to play.”- Ramon Troncoso

I DON’T WANT TO HEAR THE RHETORIC!  QUIT TALKING AND START CHALKING. 

If you are a good team, step-up and show it. 

If you are a bad or mediocre team, shut-up and go home, you bunch of losers. 

The time for talking is over.  Someone needs to pitch a shutout, someone needs to hit a 3-run homer.  Read the full story

•  The ball looked like it was gone, but suddenly Spiderman aka/Andre Ethier, shot out his net, scaled the wall and brought it back into the
  

  The Real Spiderman

  park, all this after walking to deliver the winning run for the Dodgers.  It was the Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp show.  Get used to it.  

• After a rough start, Padilla looked pretty good, hitting 97 MPH on the stadium gun (Gameday had him at 94, which is what I believe).
• Repko, Elbert and Ellis were recalled.  I wonder why they kept Repko over Hoffman – there has to be some reason – Repko is out of options and Hoffman wasn’t.  Travis Schlichting was moved to the 60-day DL to make room for Garland.  If that looks fishy to you, it’s not.  He’s been in Arizona for a couple of weeks getting treatment for a back problem that has bothered him all year.  He hasn’t pitched in AAA for a while.
• It looks like Kuroda will be back Sunday.
• Cole Hamels pitched a 1-0 shutout last night and now has three good starts in a row under his belt.  Il we want to win this thing, HoneyBunchesOfOats needs to get Billingasley “FIXED” like now!  Get it done TONIGHT!
• Garland pitches against his old team Thursday.  How wierd is that?
• Kensai at Memories of Kevin Malone rates the Dodgers top prospects.
• Did you see Russell Martin flying around the bases and sliding into home?  He was flat-out moving.
• Keep Repko in RF and away from our SS. Read the full story

I know that we are in the midst of a pennant race, but it always is important to look ahead, and plan ahead.  I have a few ideas as to how the team will look next year and I’m sure Ned has some of the same thoughts, but first:  Ronnie Belliard for Minor League pitcher Luis Garcia and another Minor Leaguer to be named later?  I don’t get it!  Belliard is essentially Mark Loretta.  Ned has lusted after him a a couple of years now and I still don’t get it.  Garcia isn’t really considered a prospect  and I still don’t get it.  Belliard isn’t a bad player, but he’s not a SS, and I still don’t get it.  No matter how I look at it, I still don’t get it, and then we have to lose someone from the 40-man roster and I really don’t get it!   Joe Torre said that Belliard will be used primarily to back up second baseman Orlando Hudson.   Now, I really, really don’t get it!

Did I mention that I don’t get it?  Maybe they just like the sound of “Belliard and Belisario.”  That sounds like Dewie, Cheatham and Howe.

OK, that is reality, now back to fantasy! Read the full story

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers’ minor league report is a weekly window into the Dodgers’ minor league system, with updated standings, league leaders, team and individual player stats, and the latest team and player news.  Player bios can be found in the Player Development section of the Dodgers’ Guide (Pages 411-478). by Jon Chapper, Dodger PR DepartmentTriple-A Albuquerque Isotopes
Pacific Coast League American South Division
73-59, 1st Place, 7.0 Games Ahead
Playoff Picture: In lead for playoff spot – Magic number is 7

DON’T BE J-ELLIS: C A.J. Ellis has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games, batting .377 (20-for-53) with eight doubles and nine RBI…the 28-year-old is batting .358 (24-for-67) with eight doubles and 13 RBI in 21 August games…he is hitting .338 (27-for-80) with runners in scoring position…overall, he is batting .314 with 13 doubles and 37 RBI in 86 games…the Missouri native was selected in the 18th round of the 2003 draft. Read the full story

After his last start I had relegated him to the scrap heap and if anyone says that they thought Jason Schmidt would pitch 6 innings of 1 hit baseball last night, they are either lying or delusional!  But, he did it  and I couldn’t be happier – maybe that’s a tear in my eye.  If anyone deserves it, it Jason who has worked so hard to get back.  Maybe he can build on this and be even better…  He didn’t have great control (never has), but he was effectively wild (always was) and make the big pitch when he needed it.  Schmidt is a “fly-ball pitcher” (2 ground Read the full story

Bill Shaiken of The LA Times makes a compelling argument for the Dodgers to trade Russell Martin, Lindblom and Gordon (among others) for Roy Halladay.  Russell may want to return to his roots.  it’s worth considering.  I do know that the Dodgers have had scouts at Halliday’s last two games.  This is not going away for now.  I guess I would do that.  Shaiken says that the fact Dodger attendance is down could be a factor in whether the Dodgers will take on more salary.  This trade does make sense in that the Blue Jays could justify to their fans that they traded Halladay and brought home Canadian Russell Martin – he’d be a Rock Star there. Read the full story

Great Lakes Loons – Low A

The Loons lost 6-4 without much fanfare, but it is worth noting that since May 1, Ethan Martin’s ERA is near 7.00.  Last night he pitched 4 innings, giving up 5 hits and 6 runs and raising his over ERA to 4.43.  Not what he expected.  Not what we expected! Read the full story

“Hey, how is your team doing, Buddy?”

“The good news is that attendance is down, but not too much.  The bad news is that our MVP candidate has missed nearly half the season, our All-Star leadoff hitter when the season started, is hitting .240, our opening days starter has been on the DL for most of the season, the two vets signed for the bullpen (Mota and Ohman) have been arsonists, the rookie who was supposed to be our #5 starter is back in AAA, and the man annointed to be our cleanup hitter who had 22 RBI in April has only 8 in May!  Read the full story

RANTS & RAVES

• I am not sure if AJ Ellis has made it to the game as yet, but his call-up and Ohman going to the DL leaves only two arsonists in the bullpen (Mota and Wade) – those guys are four-letter words right now.  
• No one seems to know if Joe will move Russ to 3B at times now that we have 3 catchers and I doubt he will say.  We will just have to wait and see. 
• I really think something is wrong with Raffy.  I watched him closely last night and he just didn’t move right at times.  I just can’t put my finger on it…  But not playing in a day gime following a night games tells you something. Read the full story

First of all, I am a Russ Martin fan, but foremost, I am a Dodger fan.  Earlier this year, I suggested that James Loney may be trade bait, but now I am also going to suggest that Russell Martin could be the one to be traded.   First of all, you should trade from a position of strength and we have AJ Ellis, Lucas May, Tony Delmonico, Matt Wallach and others moving up the ladder.  Russ Martin may also have peaked – we may have seen his best.  He was an overachiever, and maybe he will just continue to be a very good catcher, but not a star.   He will always be a good player, but trading him now may net us the most value in return.  Read the full story