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

Have Donnie walk the plank; Send Luis Cruz and Justin Sellers to AAA; and Recall Dee Gordon and Alex Castellanos. Rationale:  I am no longer a Dee Gordon Booster, but now is the time.  It’s only a few days until Hanley comes back from the DL – give Dee an opportunity to displace him.  If [...]

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Q.  Hey Mark, guess who’s coming to dinner? Venice Glen is in town with family and we are going to get together and head up to the Slot Canyon area around Page on Monday. I’ll be sure and tell him you haven’t changed. He’ll get a kick out of that. – Badger A.  Of course [...]

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In case you live on another planet and haven’t heard, the Dodgers have a guy who may be a pretty good player at AA by the name of Yasiel Puig.  I think it has been assumed by many Dodger fans that Andre Ethier would be the odd-man-out and he may be, but at what cost?  [...]

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Are they the Loss Angeles Dodgers or the Lost Angeles Dodgers?  Pathetic is what they are.  Lifeless, pitiful, unmotivated, morbid, dead, almost buried! The lack of clutch hitting is a continuation of the past few years, and one of the constants is that Don Mattingly has been either in charge of the offense or the [...]

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As I have said before, $220 million guarantees nothing.   This season has the potential of being a train wreck! To blame Sundays’ loss on Mattingley is really silly.  Beckett induced a weak ground ball that had eyes.  League could have gave up a 2-run shot.  You don’t know.  What we know is that pitch to [...]

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Josh Beckett was lights out and NO, Donnie Ballgame should not have taken him out.  It was a weak “seeing-eye” hit that won the game.  Beckett was awesome and Donnie did the right thing. That said, the Dodger offense should he taken outside and shot for impersonating hitters. Matt Kemp sucks! Luis Cruz sucks! The [...]

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Next week in LA, Clayton Kershaw will drill Carlos Quentin with a fastball right in the ribs.  Write it down.  I guarantee it.  Clayton doesn’t tolerate that crap.  The only way it won’t happen is if Quentin is suspended, which he may be.  It will most likely happen in the 7th or 8th inning with [...]

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This is a little complex, but stay with me people: The Dodgers trade Andre Ethier and Mark Ellis to the Texas Rangers for Mike Olt and Ian Kinsler. The Dodgers trade Chris Capuano and to the Angels for Taylor Lindsey (2B &  Angels #4 Prospect). The Dodgers send Mike Olt, Taylor Lindsey, Yasiel Puig, Josh [...]

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In case you are interested, SportingHubris.com interviewed me last night.  Two Giants fans and a Dodger fan.  Have at it… or not!      

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The San Diego Padres handily beat their AAA Affiliate, the Lost Angeles Dodgers, 9-3 last night.  The Dodgers were clearly over-matched as they had 10 hits but left 22 runners stranded.  This is typical of a AAA team playing against the big club.  “It’s early“, “we just didn’t have it last night“,  [insert other favorite [...]

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 Clayton Kershaw has won two-thirds of the Dodgers games this year.  A $200 million /8 year deal probably won’t get it done.  Clayton is looking at getting a 10 year/$250-$300 mil deal.  I am certain someone will give him that.  The Dodgers might as well pony up.  I predict at least $250 mil/10 years… maybe [...]

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Carl Crawford is looking like the best leadoff hitter the Dodgers have had since….  I can’t remember when. Justin Sellers?  What is Mattingly smoking?   Memo to Dodgers:  Forget Sellers!  Just put Cruz at SS. Prediction:  Mark Ellis will hit .300 because he won’t hit against tough righthanders.  He’ll probably have around 400 AB’s. The Dodgers [...]

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So, Yasiel Puig is hitting blah-blah-blah…  It doesn’t matter.  Use your eyes and brains,  people.  What do you see?  I see a player with level of talent that is rare (Bo Jackson rare).  I see a guy that can get it done.  I see a guy that is ready for the majors.  Forget all the [...]

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He has to.  No one expects him to continue hitting at a .545 pace with a 1.354 OPS, so he’ll probably fall back to maybe .300 and .900.  Horribe, I tell you!!!  Yaz has the most at bats of any Dodger this Spring (48) and while he has shown tremendous raw talent, we really don’t [...]

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But he’s certainly not fat now.  I was castigated by posters who only see blue when I said he was fat… BUT HE WAS!  YES, HE WAS! Ray Charles reported that he was. He’s not fat now.  Maybe he is hungry, ready to show everyone they are wrong about him. For the record, I hope [...]

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Have you seen Yasiel run, throw and hit?  P(u)igs can fly.  I was wondering who we might compare him to and Don Mattingly came up with the apt comparison – Bo Jackson!  Actually, Yas is bigger than Bo – two or three inches taller and twenty plus pounds heavier, but they both hit the ball [...]

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You don’t get a platelet-rich plasma therapy if there’s not something pretty serious wrong with your elbow.  I’m just saying… Dodger brass are worried sick. Our worst fears my be realized… Zack Greinke and Chad Billingsley are both experiments. … and I haven’t even mentioned Carl Crawford. YIKES!!! Good thing there are lots of options.  [...]

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Whenever a favorite player does good or bad, we often hear “Yes, but it’s early.” I subscribe to that same thinking.  You don’t need to worry about Clayton Kershaw or Matt Kemp – they will be OK… and they showed it yesterday. You don’t worry about Adrian Gonzalez – he’ll get it done whether it [...]

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Hyun-Jin Ryu has exceptional talent… for a Korean pitcher, but can he step into the Dodgers rotation and do a credible job?  While am pretty certain that be can be effective out of the bullpen, I am not convinced he can be a starter this season.  I see him as a pitcher who can go [...]

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Maybe he will learn to hit; Maybe he will learn to take more walks (I do see signs of a change in approach); Maybe he will become a good bunter; Maybe he will improve defensively; Maybe he’ll be better at CF or 2B; Maybe he will improve his SB%; and We all wish for that. [...]

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