Dodgers Notes From Sunday's Game 4/18/2010

Dodgers 2, San Francisco 1

Box Score.

• Clayton Kershaw was spectacular, going 7 strong innings (4 Hits, 9 K, 4 BB, 1 HR Allowed, 114 pitches - 74 for strikes). Why he was brought back out for only 1 batter in the 8th is beyond me, but it's really not a Dodgers game unless Joe Torre is mismanaging his pitching staff.
  
• Bullpen: 2 IP, 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 K, 1 IBB, 1 Hit Batter. 4 Relievers.
• Jonathan Broxton locked it down once again, striking out one in route to his first save.
  
• Manny Ramirez hit his 2nd HR of the season, this one of the pinch-hit, go-ahead variety. He took a much-earned curtain call.
• Andre Ethier, with 2 Singles, was the only Dodger to reach base more than once.
  
• Manny, James Loney, and Blake DeWitt all had the day off, though all made appearances.
• Russ Ortiz is no more!
  

Russ Ortiz Is Gone!

Russ Ortiz has finally been designated for assignment, and Jon Link has been recalled to take his place. Link will almost certainly be sent back to AAA once Hong-Chih Kuo and Ronald Belisario return.

Ortiz's comments:

Ortiz said he asked if the club wanted to keep him and was told yes, but Ortiz said he's not sure he would accept.

"If it's for a specific purpose for the opportunity to come back, yeah," he said. "But I'm not going to go down just to put a uniform on. I don't need to put a uniform on to be happy."

Ortiz said he was undone by three bad innings, but acknowledged that he didn't pitch well enough to remain in the Major Leagues for the entire year, as was his goal.

"It's kind of incomplete for me," he said. "If anything, I let myself and my teammates down."

You were undone because you're an awful pitcher Russ Ortiz.

My ode to you, Russ, is no longer needed.

Thank god for that.

Notes From Friday's Game 4/16/2010

Dodgers 10, San Francicso San Francisco 8

Box Score.

• Vicente Padilla went 7 innings (3 ER, 4 Hits, 7 K, 2 BB, 1 HR Allowed, 1 Hit Batter, 103 pitches - 67 for strikes).
• Bullpen: 2 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 3 K, 1 BB, 1 HR Allowed. 1 Russ Ortiz sighting.
  
• Matt Kemp (5) and Andre Ethier (2,3) each homered, going back-to-back in the 1st inning.
• Kemp has now homered in 4 consecutive games, tying his career high, set last year.
  
• Manny left the game in the 4th inning with a strained tightness in his right calf.
• Rafael Furcal (2 Singles, 2 BB) reached base 4 times, Kemp (HR, 2 BB), Ethier (2 HR, BB), James Loney (3 Singles), and Casey Blake (2 Singles, BB) each reached base 3 times, and Blake DeWitt (Single, BB) reached base twice.
  
• The offense drew 8 walks while only striking out 4 times.
• That was an excruciatingly pitiful 9th inning.
• Slash playing God Bless America on his guitar was pretty damn awesome. I could go for that. Every game in fact.
  

Notes From Wednesday's Game 4/14/2010

Arizona 9, Dodgers 7.

Box Score.

• Chad Billingsley went 5.2 innings (6 ER, 8 Hits, 5 K, 3 BB [1 IBB], 1 HR Allowed, 116 pitches - 66 for strikes).

His first 3 innings looked like this: O Runs, 1 Hit, 3 K, 0 BB. The next 2.2 IP: 6 ER, 7 Hits, 2 K, 3 BB [1 IBB], 1 HR Allowed. I'm not worried though, as one hit was an infield single, two others just missed being caught, and I thought a couple of pitches that were called balls were strikes (perhaps that would have changed the outcome of an at-bat here and there). Oh, and it's one start, and it's April, and Chad is healthy and exceptionally talented.

No matter which pitcher you happen to consider the best starter in the game - Lincecum, Halladay, etc. -, know this: they all have poor starts during a season.

• Bullpen: 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 4 K, 6 BB [1 IBB], 1 WP, 1 HR Allowed.
• Matt Kemp clubbed his 3rd HR of the season, and has HRs in consecutive games, both to right-center.
• Kemp stole his second base of the season, and Rafael Furcal stole his 4th. Furcal did not swipe his 4th base in 2009 until June 9th.
• Manny (Double, 2 Singles, BB) and Russell Martin (Double, 2 Singles, BB) each reached base 4 times, Kemp (HR, Single, BB), Andre Ethier (3 Singles), and Furcal (3 Singles) each reached 3 times, and James Loney (2 Singles) reached base twice.
  
• Carlos Monasterios was not effective in the third of an inning he pitched (HR, BB, long flyout, BB), but his arm is electric, and he's absolutely worth keeping in the pen all year, as is required for a Rule 5 Selection.
• Charlie Haeger, slated to start on Saturday, entered in relief in the 9th inning, and immediately struck out Justin Upton on a nasty, dancing knuckleball. He threw a scoreless inning, giving up a walk (looked like a 3rd strike to me) and a single.
• Jonathan Broxton was finally used in a close game, pitching a scoreless 10th inning and striking out 2 D-Backs swinging.
• Russ Ortiz: STILL. NOT. GOOD. DFA! DFA!
  
• Joel McHale, star of the extremely funny show Community, threw out the first pitch.
  

Russ Ortiz, An Ode

Russ Ortiz has appeared in 3 games, and has had success in two.

To say I'm surprised by this would be an understatement, considering that Russ Ortiz is, in fact, Russ Ortiz. He's an awful pitcher, one that should make Dodgers fans cringe every time he gets handed the ball. He'll be 36 in June, and is clearly not going to get any better in terms of stuff or ability. As old school baseball people would say, he will truly need to excel by sheer grit and determination and guile, which, again, should scare the living daylights out of every one of us.

Ortiz has a career FIP of 4.67 and 1.49 career WHIP. He's posted exactly two seasons, 2001 and 2002, with a FIP under 4, checking in at 3.52 and 3.97, respectively. He doesn't strike enough guys out, and he walks far too many. That, of course, is a horrid combination for any pitcher, let alone a soon-to-be 36-year-old who was never particularly any good to begin with.

Whatever dark magic Ortiz has found to guide him through a mostly successful first week as a Dodger needs to be harnessed and unleashed every time he sets foot on the diamond in a Dodgers uniform. Whatever wizard Ortiz has captured and has carefully hidden in his jersey, so that he may bring him luck in the course of a game, must be kept happy and content in knowing that he's not just helping Russ Ortiz, but all Dodgers fans.

I don't like Russ Ortiz the player, and I hope to never have to see him again in a Dodgers uniform, pitching for my favorite team in what will surely be important situations. Russ Ortiz is not only a bad pitcher, but he's a bad pitcher taking away a roster spot and innings from a younger, more talented pitcher who, while having a clearly much-higher upside, would also have the same floor in all likelihood.

Russ Ortiz, you suck. I really can't put that any more gingerly. However, being that you have the one quality Joe Torre loves, veterany goodness, you'll undoubtedly stick around much longer than you should, and much longer than most Dodger fans want you to. The fact that you've made 3 appearances is, quite frankly, 3 too many.

All that being said, I root for you, because you do wear Dodger Blue, and are pitching for us in important situations, and will continue to do so. I hope to wake up one bright morning and see that you are no longer a part of this team, this organization, but until that shining day arrives, we're all behind you, if for no other reason than because we have no other choice. Just limit the real Russ Ortiz to blowouts.

To continued success Russ Ortiz. To continued success.

Notes From Friday's Game 4/9/2010

Dodgers 7, Florida 3

Box Score.

• Hiroki Kuroda was stellar, giving the Dodgers their best start from a starter, though of course it's only been 4 games (8 IP, 1 Run [0 ER], 5 Hits, 7 K, 1 IBB, 1 WP, 100 pitches - 69 [haha, yes I'm twelve at heart] for strikes). Kuroda was a ground ball machine, getting double digit outs via the ground. Everything was working for Hiroki tonight.
  
• Bullpen: 1 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 K, 2 BB.
  
• Andre Ethier missed his second consecutive game with a sprained left ankle.
• Russ Ortiz struggled for the first time in 3 appearances, and Jonathan Broxton had to come in and clean up his bases-loaded mess, giving up a decently-hit, well-placed double Matty just missed, followed by two filthy strikeouts. Broxton was plain nasty tonight. I had planned on writing some sort of ode to Russ's early success, but then he had to go and be, well, you know, Russ Ortiz. I'll have to re-work it now, somehow.
• Matt Kemp stole his first base of the season, while Rafael Furcal stole his 3rd. Furcal stole his 3rd base last season on April 25th, and didn't get his 4th until June 9th. He seems to finally be healthy and able to be a threat on the base paths.
• Furcal (2 Doubles, Single, IBB) reached base 4 times, while Manny (Double, Single), Blake DeWitt (Single, BB), and Russell Martin (2 BB) each reached base twice.
• DeWitt has reached base twice in each of his 3 starts.
  
• The offense drew 5 walks and struck out just 5 times.
  

Notes From Monday's Game, 4/5/2010

Opening Day, the most glorious of glorious days.

Pittsburgh 11, Dodgers 5

Box Score.

• Vicente Padilla was his usual mediocre, at best, bad self, going 4.1 putrid innings (7 ER, 6 Hits, 2 K, 3 BB [1 IBB], 2 HR Allowed, 2 HBP, 93 pitches - 55 for strikes). Again, this is not a surprise. Padilla's never been great, and never even been that good. He's much more likely to pitch like this than to pitch like he did for a few starts at the end of last season.
• Bullpen: 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 K, 1 BB, 1 WP, 1 HR Allowed. 5 Relievers.
  
• Ramon Ortiz appeared in his first game since 2007. He went 2/3rds of an inning, allowing 2 Hits and giving up 1 ER. He also allowed 3 inherited runners to score.
  
• Garrett Jones's 1st inning mammoth HR is still traveling. Not only has it left Pittsburgh, but it's also left the state of Pennsylvania, heading towards points unknown. It wishes Vicente well. Jones also had a second HR and a couple of nice catches out in right field.
• Matt Kemp drove in the first runs of the season for the Dodgers with a 2-run single in the 1st inning.
  
• Russell Martin (Double, BB, HBP) reached base 3 times, while Kemp (Single, Double), Manny (Single, Double), Blake DeWitt (2 Singles), Rafael Furcal (Single, BB), and Casey Blake (2 Singles) each reached base twice.
  
• Martin had himself an interesting first game after missing much of Spring Training due to injury. He committed an error and a base running mistake, taking himself out of scoring position, but also lined a nice opposite-field double in the 5th inning.
• Carlos Monasterios made his Major League and Dodger debut, throwing a scoreless 6th inning (O Hits, O K, O BB, 8 pitches- 6 for strikes). Congrats on the nice debut.
• Russ Ortiz appeared in a Dodgers uniform and pitched. I took a picture with my cell phone camera, and the phone then proceeded to die.
• The offense drew just 2 walks while striking out 5 times.
• Blake also made an error on a routine grounder.
  
• Steve Lyons, just shut up already. Stop talking about wins and losses, about stats, and generally, about anything and everything.
  
• Nice 3rd inning interview with Clayton Kershaw, very interesting.
  

Russ Ortiz Is Officially A Dodger?

Gay.

Dodgers' 5th Rotation Spot

Ned Colletti is looking for a "bona fide No. 5 starter", according to an interview he gave to Buster Olney. Colletti is of course overlooking the fact that a number 5 starter really just needs to be able to eat innings and not crap himself every time he steps on the mound. Any upside from that number 5 starter is a bonus, as the spot is usually just a revolving door of mediocrity and washed-up old veterans.

Especially, when it comes to the Dodgers, of the "washed-up old veterans" variety.

Ned, if you can't feel comfortable letting James McDonald, Charlie Haeger, Scott Elbert, Eric Stults, or some truly crappy veteran you, for some strange reason, decided to pick up off of the scrap heap, hold down the number 5 spot, then you really need to give up your job.

It's not like we can go out and acquire a Johan Santana or even an Oliver Perez, someone who has been more than a number 5. We have the classic set-up of number 5 starter candidates: young guys, rookies, and old messes like Russ Ortiz, Ramon Ortiz, and Josh Towers.

Oh, and I'd be down to see you not be GM regardless of who is the number five starter. Who's with me?

Dodgers Doing Something Smart, Collective Gasp Can Be Heard

According to both Jon Heyman's Twitter and Ken Gurnick, Ned Colletti has come to his senses and passed on Chien-Ming Wang, former Yankee and current owner of a rehabbing bum shoulder.

Headlines can only be funny in this scenario, as has been pointed out by kensai over at Memories Of Kevin Malone. A quick sampling:

"dodgers have pulled out of Wang derby"

"Dodgers passing on veteran Wang"

Most fans will be swayed by his back-t0-back 19 win seasons in 2006 and 2007, but wins are, for the umpteenth time, the worst statistical measurement of a pitcher. The worst. There is nothing worse that can be found. Every other measurement is better.

He had 19 wins because he played for the Yankees, who score more runs every year than probably half the teams in the league combined.*

*Exact math is not included, but you get the idea.*

Wang, aside from having the bum shoulder, will be 30 in March, and has only struck out 4.2/9 IP over his 5 seasons in pinstripes. He only walks 2.6/9 IP, but his walks per 9 innings has increased every year since 2006, ending up over 3 BB/9 IP each of the last 2 seasons. He has also suffered injuries each of the last 2 seasons, one of which was, yes, a foot injury running the bases. Which he would have to do on the regular if he were to suit up for the Dodgers.

Wang has a career WHIP of 1.339, has allowed 9.4 Hits/9 IP, and sports a 3.99 career FIP, certainly not bad, but not the ace-like number you would expect from someone so often referred to as a top-line pitcher.

The Dodgers don't need Wang, with plenty, plenty of pitching options. All not named Russ Ortiz, we can only hope.

Dodgers Sign Pair To Minor League Deals

Russ Ortiz and Michael Restovich have been picked up off of the scrap heap by Ned Colletti, signing minor league deals. Both have received invitations to Spring Training.

Ortiz will be 36 in June, and has pitched for San Francisco, Atlanta, Arizona, Baltimore, and Houston. Restovich, 31 and an OF, has played for Minnesota, Colorado, Pittsburgh, the Cubs, and Washington.

Ortiz has a career FIP of 4.68 over 11 major league seasons, while striking out 6.45/9 IP and walking 4.65/9 IP. He did not appear in a major league game in 2008, and has also pitched for the minor league affiliates of Colorado and the Yankees. And if you think he's only here for the postseason, well, his numbers get even more pretty to look at: a 4.96 FIP and a 1.73 WHIP (click "Show Postseason" on the above link).

If Ortiz pitches for the Dodgers in a major league game, he will hurt the team. Plain and simple, he will only do damage. Pitching is an organizational strength, so Ortiz should not even sniff the majors.


Restovich has a career .313 OBP and .377 SLG% over 297 plate appearances, spread over 6 seasons. He last appeared in a major league game in 2007 and proceeded to produce and OPS+ of -6. Yes, that's a negative sign in front of what would otherwise have been a very, very manly OPS+ of 6.

Restovich is easily behind Xavier Paul, Brian Barton, and Jason Repko in terms of reserve OFs. I would also put him behind every other minor league OF in the organization, and I can only name a handful off of the top of my head. He's minor league depth, simply put; at least he should be if Colletti and Torre are smart.