LADodgerTalk.com – Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Vin Scully, Andre Ethier and the Dodgers

Will Joe change or not?  That’s the question.  Insanity is doing the same thing and thinking you will get different results.   Here’s the Dodger’s insanity:  for whatever reason, Rafael Furcal is not the same offensive player he used to be.  He is 6 for 11 in stolen bases and he rarely attempts a steal anymore (two [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Read the full story

Joe Torre doesn’t have it “in” for Charlie Haeger and said Haeger will continue to be in the mix of the rotation as the team moves toward the  postseason.  Here’s what Joe said (Steve Gartner of mlb.com) “He’s a hot hand.  He’s pitched well two times in a row now. I trust him at this [...]

Read the full story

Rumor has it that after Tuesday’s extra-inning loss, the reporters were not allowed into the Dodger clubhouse for quite some time as Ned Collottimet privately with Joe Torre.   What was said?  Look, Ned could have called Joe or had a beer with him later, but he chose to come to the clubhouse and talk to [...]

Read the full story

Sabermetricians seem to be all the rage in baseball.  There’s a stat for practically anything and more are being invented by the minute (maybe second).  It’s no longer ERA, BA, SLG %, OB%, it’s WHIP, OPS, BAbip, OWn%, XBT%, BABIP and on and on it goes.  There are literally HUNDREDS of more statistics that sabermetric [...]

Read the full story

Randy Wolf pitched a masterful game and the Dodger bats came alive just in time to add some separation between the Dodgers and the Giants.  After last night’s loss, the Giants are now  7.5 games back with the Rockies 6.5 games back.  Neither team has the horses to catch us.  Our malaise is behind us [...]

Read the full story

After last night’s debacle of the pen, the Yankees led by a walk off home run by A-Rod, claimed the best record in baseball from Joe Torre and the Dodgers.   That says it all. I felt early in the game that Billingsley was still favoring his hamstring and did not have his normal “follow-through” during [...]

Read the full story

 One of my favorite sayings is “Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life.”  A classic case in point to that is Andre Ethier.  He used to look tight, nervous and scared when he walked to the plate in pressure situations.  By Joe Torre’s and his own admission, Andre was his own worst enemy because of “stinkin’ [...]

Read the full story

Chad Billingsley was roundly criticized last year in the playoffs against the Phillies for failing to hit a  batter after manny had been hit.  I can see the logic, but do you really want your starter ejected in that situation?  Maybe, maybe not, but someone does have to hit their guy at some point.   Russ [...]

Read the full story

Dear Joe, First of all, I respect your record and the air of professionalism you bring to the Dodgers.  I know we have the best record in baseball and the players like you.  I just have a laundry list of things I want you to consider: Don’t bring Mota in with runners on base.  He’ll [...]

Read the full story

I want you to think about this for a minute. What constitutes a good team? I mean, a really, really good team? I think there are two (2) major things that you can point to in an attempt to identify what makes a really good team: They respond to adversity; and They refuse to lose [...]

Read the full story

Here’s a quote from Andre Ethier: “I’m here competing for a job next year any way I can.  I’m not sure if it’s going to be here or with another team, so I have to go out there and perform well. Minus one guy or not, I still have to go out there and play [...]

Read the full story

This is really simple – call me names, say I’m an Ethier hater, say I am biased.  Say what you want.  Make yourself feel good.  Cite some obscure stat.  Say he has a great swing.  Say I’m not objective.  Say I don’t know what I am talking about.  Say something (make it up) that will [...]

Read the full story

The Blue  Jays have hung a FOR SALE sign on Roy Halliday, and Dodger fans are clamoring for a trade to be made.  Let me suggest that it’s not that simple, and the price we would have to pay would be the blood of our first-born, Clayton Kershaw!  I will say right off that I [...]

Read the full story

We got 2 for 1.  At least that’s what it looks like to me.  Not only did we get Manny Ramirez back (who looked like he han’t played for about 50 games), but it appears that he brought Rafael Furcal back with him.  What a great deal.  I mentioned that this was a possibility yesterday.  [...]

Read the full story

That mighty buzz-saw that was the Colorado Rockies rolled into LA, thinking they would no longer be the Dodgers “whipping boys.”  The Dodgers had lost two in a row and the offense was woeful.  There were also whispers about the Dodgers pitching being on the wane.   Well, the boys would have nothing of that, and [...]

Read the full story

Jared and Jeff Weaver were the storyline going into yesterday nights’ game, but Russ Martin was the real story.  It has been painful watching Russ Martin the past month when he was at bat.  I almost had to turn my head a few times as I felt alien had abducted the real Russ Martin, and [...]

Read the full story

On July 3rd, the Dodgers will still probably have a substantial lead in the NL West, at which time they will get two additional All-Stars for their lineup:  Manny Ramirez and Andre Ethier.  We all know Manny has been gone, but so has the Andre Ethier who hit behind Manny.  With Manny in the lineup, [...]

Read the full story

Randy Wolf has whooping cough?  A wolf should never whoop! Ohman and Vargas are pitching but the Dodgers will leave them both a full 30 days, I believe.  If you remember, I said Ohman should have started the season in the minors. Jason Schmidt may resume his rehab – yeah and I might run a [...]

Read the full story