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

Look, Joe Torre is nor a cerebral manager. He is a Hall-Of-Famer, but sometimes being a Hall-of-Famer is just being in the right place at the right time. Maybe Joe Torre was the perfect manager for the Yankees and their big contracts and big egos and the bigger pressures of playing in NY. I am not going to take away his HOF status, but this team has quit on him.

Read the full story

There are a variety of reasons for this, but the not the least of which is the disconnect between the coaches and the players. Joe Torre and Company are not known for being brilliant strategists, and that issue was readily exposed this season. In my opinion, none of the coaching staff should be back. There needs to be a clean sweep. I would give Ned Colletti one more year. I think he has learned a lot, but I still think giving up James McDonald for Dotel was a bonehead move. I believe that James McDonald IS BETTER RIGHT NOW than Octavio Dotel.

Read the full story

We have all heard the term “Little Man Syndrome” used in connection with someone who might try to overcompensate for a lack of physical stature in some other fashion.  I think that just the opposite is true in the case of Jon Broxton, and in a minute I will explain why. But first, let me [...]

Read the full story

It pains me greatly to say this.  I never raise the white flag, but Ned tried and it was too little, too late.   Podsednik, Theriot, Lilly and Dotel arrived at the fort after the troops had already been massacred. This year is done.  It’s time to hop on the Bus Gus, we don’t need [...]

Read the full story

We have all watched the hitters on this bipolar team for 3 years, and it seems that they are all smoking hot or all ice cold. Some of it was predictable.  When Andre Ethier was hitting .393 we all knew he couldn’t keep that up.  That his batting average has dropped a .100 points is [...]

Read the full story

I will preface what I am about to say, by stating that the Dodgers are capable of reeling off a 15 game winning streak! Jon Broxton can be a great closer, but he just lacks the “C” in closer, which makes him a loser.  According to some pin-headed bloggers (Jon Weisman not included), I have [...]

Read the full story

Pavolv had this dog who heard a bell ring and he proceeded to salivate all over himself. That sometimes happens when you see an young attractive lady walking down the street too.  In the instant case, I think that Russell Martin is “Pavlov’s Dog.” Jeff Pentland, Joe Torre and Don Mattingly work with him, and [...]

Read the full story

Charlie Haeger cleared waivers (nobody, but nobody, wanted him).  That sums it up pretty well. Andre Ethier will be a starter in the All-Star Game.  Good for him. Other Dodgers who should be on the team:  Clayton Kershaw, Jon Broxton, Rafael Furcal. 5 – The over and under on how many games Manny misses.  Vote [...]

Read the full story

There isn’t much difference between a dude and a dud – One Little Letter! An offseason ago, it was proposed that the Yankees trade Robinson Cano for Matt Kemp.  It made sense for the Yankees:  Cano was under-performing and they needed a CF.  To me, it made no sense for the Dodgers – after all Matt [...]

Read the full story

I think there comes a time when you have to assess what you have and what you could have if you are willing to roll the dice. Sure, the hitters have been slumping lately, but that’s only temporary.  This is a very good hitting team, especially when all the parts are in place.  I think [...]

Read the full story

I was going to do a post about how, no matter how microscopic his ERA, no matter how dominant he has been, no matter if he’s struck out everyone he’s faced, no matter what the stats say, that if you need that ONE BIG OUT, Jon Broxton won’t deliver.  I was going to write that [...]

Read the full story

Several months ago, I was already sick of hearing how the Dodgers would not spend any money, the divorce was crippling the Dodgers, the Dodgers need a new owner and blah, blah, blah.  I was on-board with all their off-season moves – the non-tenders of Wolf and Hudson, the trade of Juan Pierre for Link [...]

Read the full story

An Ace:  While no one on the Dodgers will say it publicly, Clayton Kershaw is morphing into that Ace the Dodger fans covet, probably sooner that most expected.  As Tony Jackson of ESPN/LosAngeles points out, he is 6-1 with a 1.83 ERA in his last 8 starts and is pitching much deeper into games.  He [...]

Read the full story

It looked for a while that the Dodgers might have squandered a 3-0 lead through 4 innings in Cincinnati last night, so after a 2-1/2 hour rain delay, the Dodgers took batting practice and tacked on 9 more runs to spank the Reds 12-0.  That score in itself, doesn’t mean much.  What means the most [...]

Read the full story

The Dodgers got out their brooms and proceeded to sweep the Cardinals, which is historic in the sense that this was something they had not done in LA since… Yes, 1988!   The last “Magical Year.”  Now the writers are staring to get on the Dodger Bandwagon… driven by Yours Truly.    Tony Jackson of [...]

Read the full story

How sweet it is! It took the Dodgers exactly 59 games to take first place in what is, so far, the second toughest division in baseball. The National League West has 4 teams with 30 or more wins and better than a .500 records.  The teams of the NL West have more wins than any [...]

Read the full story

Everyone seems to use the W.I.N. philosophy in business, in sales and motivation, but I don’t see that acronym much applied in sports. What’s Important Now is something the Dodgers need to focus on.  Their hitting (actually the lack thereof) is the direct result of ignoring the Don Mattingly Plan which is to work the count, [...]

Read the full story

The Knucklehead:  Getting shot in the leg is enough to cause you to get branded as a knucklehead, but there’s a lot more to it than that.  Vicente Padilla arguably has some one thebest stuff you will ever see, but it’s his “knuckle-headedness”  which has kept him from achieving his potential.  Obviously, something happened in [...]

Read the full story

Suddenly, the Dodgers starters look to be as good as any in baseball and Chad Billingsley is at the forefront. Without belaboring the point, he is simply evolving into a very, very solid pitcher. Tony Jackson of ESPN/Los Angeles has part of the reason why: The turning point was that well-chronicled meeting with manager Joe [...]

Read the full story

“Walkoff” Ethier has a hurt pinkie that landed him on the DL. Manny Ramirez hurt his little toe last night and couldn’t start (hopefully no DL for Manny). Ramon Ortiz can’t pitch because he’s toast! Look, even Ray Charles can see that he can’t pitch.  He throws at least one pitch in the hitter’s “wheelhouse” [...]

Read the full story