In what really comes as no surprise, Jo Torre announced that Doug Mientkiewicz will not make the team.  His days were probably numbered when Garrett Anderson was signed.  Joe

Doug Mientkiewicz Leaving Camp

expressed interest in keeping Doug at AAA in case he is needed later in the season, but Joe also understands that Doug wants to play in the majors.  The end result is that Mientkiewicz will take a couple of days off to decide what he wants to do.  As we speak, his agent is speed-dialing and spamming every other major league club, looking for a fit.

What it all means (pick one):

1. The Dodgers will carry 3 catchers – Martin, Ausmus & Ellis – Doubtful;
2. The Dodgers will keep Hu or Green – Unlikely; or
3. The Dodgers will keep 12 pitchers – Most Likely!

What’s your opinion?

Manny is sporting a T-Shirt that says “I got 99 problems, but my swing ain’t one.”

Today’s Lineup:

1. Furcal SS
2. Kemp CF
3. Ethier RF
4. Ramirez LF
5. Loney 1B
6. Blake 3B
7. DeWitt 2B
8. Ausmus C
9. Haeger P

Substitute Martin and Padilla in the last two spots and that is probably our Opening Day lineup.

James "The Gazelle" Loney Doubles

The Dodgers and A’s tied after nine innings last night 3-3. Hiroki Kuroda pitched 5.1 strong innings allowing just 1 Hit and 2 BB to go with 2 Strikeouts.  In addition to the two strikeouts, he had 8 fly outs and 6 ground outs.  With Joe Torre set to name the 5th Starter today, it would be hard to argue against Kuroda getting the call, although most expect it will be Clayton Kershaw. I could make an argument for Kershaw, Billingsley or Kuroda. Joe is supposed to name the Opening Day Starter anytime…

Some are reporting that Russ Martin “will be” ready on Opening Day.  I’ll still say “could be” with all due apologies to AJ Ellis.   By the way, it should not be lost on anyone that AJ Ellis does a lot of the “little things” very well.  As an example, last night with one out and a runner on third, he picked a pitch he could hit in the air to RF to plate the runner.  That’s solid!

Speaking of nice hits, Reed Johnson had a nice hit with RISP – right up the middle, which plated a run.  Again, he’s fundamentally sound and a great pickup for us.

Doug Mientkiewicz also had a solid (clutch) single to leadoff the 10th inning.

James Loney had a really solid double, and I was amazed as he ran into 2B – he looked visibly faster than last year – MUCH FASTER! What’s up with that?  I’m going to ask him today…

Josh Lindblom

Jason Repko is hitting .087 and has NO CHANCE at making the team, but made a diving catch which saved a loss.  He has an option left…

For the first time on the Major League Level, Josh Lindblom struggled (although he ultimately struck out 4 in 2 innings).  To me, it looked like his release point and windup were just not clicking last night.  The Dodgers don’t want to have to put him on the 40-man roster right now, because they would have to drop someone else, but he has to be a consideration for the pen and maybe even the 5th Starter Spot (some of the Dodger brass think he should be the #5 starter).  Last night’s game will have no bearing on his ability to make the roster.  He’ll pitch another time or two…  I love him as a closer, but many of the Brass think he’ll be an excellent Starter.  I can tell you this:  Josh Lindblom WILL BE pitching for the Dodgers at some point THIS year!  (another Indiana Boy)

Does it worry you that Ramon Troncoso has a 7.94 Spring ERA?

Ramon Ortiz and Josh  Towers pitch today…

I have read extensive analysis of which match-ups are the best for the Dodgers in the NLDS, which is a lot like all the baseball pre-season predictions.  I read all those magazines (and save them, which shows how stupid I am) and then go back and see how the prognosticators fared.  A monkey throwing darts at players names would be more accurate. 

These people PRETEND to have some special ability to foresee the future because of their vast baseball knowledge.  PURE RUBBISH!  To try and analyze (AND PREDICT) that the Cardinals are the best match-up for the Dodgers is like doing your taxes by starting at the bottom line and working up.  It’s silly and dis-honest! 

Look, no one knows what will happen at a time when ANYTHING can happen.  Who will step up?  It could be someone like Raffy or Russ Martin, who have had less than stellar seasons.  Casey Blake could be the MVP.  Vicente Padilla could be lights out.  Chad Billingsley could pitch a perfect game (OK, I got carried away on that one).   Maybe Manny will find his stroke and hit like last year (OK, now I am really delusional).  The point is – we play the Cards.  We have to beat the Cards to go on.  Read the full story

It’s tempting to only write about Chad Billingsley’s meltdown in the 5th inning, but really, what lost the game for us was again a lack of hitting.   Andre Ethier had 3 hits and the rest of the team didn’t show up.  We do have a new LH pinch hitter: Doug Mientkiewicz.  With Jim Thome on the roster is it possible that we will keep both for postseason play?  I doubt it!   The Dodgers have been in a malaise for a while, except for and occasional outburst.  I am not panicking at this point because I would rather get hot LATE!  The Cards are white hot -it’s doubtful they can stay that way.  The same thing happened to the Rox.  Hopefully we will get HOT at the right time.

Which brings me back to C-Bill.  He was pitching a perfect game through four innings, then a one-out double (it broke up his perfect game), and then he pitches out of the stretch – BANG first pitch HR!  Is that the inside book on C-Bill?  When he goes to the stretch does he automatically come in with a fastball strike?  Maybe he shouldn’t pitch out of the stretch and maybe he shouldn’t throw a fastball strike on the first pitch after a base-runner gets on.  Of the first 12 batters he faced, he had 9 first pitch strikes (8 were fastballs).  They were sitting on that pitch and that was the game.  The other two runs were of the ticky-tack variety.  If Blake were at 3B, both might not have scored.  Belliard is not a Read the full story

• With 94 games down, we have just 68 games to go.  If we just go .500 the rest of the way, we will in 94 games.  No too shabby.  However, I don’t see us dropping off that much.  If we play just 6 games above .500 we will win 100 games and frankly, I would be surprised if we don’t win 100 after watching this team all year. Read the full story

… which is why it’s a good thing we don’t have to play any “perfect teams.”  Yes, we have flaws, and so does everyone else, but I am going to suggest that while we have a pretty good group of players, the sum of our parts is greater than any other team, and our record happens to prove that.  For that matter, we may not have even played our best baseball yet.  We are due to get one of the best players in the game back next week, after a 50 game absence, and we have the best record in baseball despite that fact that three of our stars (Martin, Furcal and Ethier) have “all but disappeared” for extended periods this year.  There is still hope that all three can rebound with a vengence.  Read the full story