Dodgers Notes From Thursday's Game 6/3/2010

Atlanta 4, Dodgers 3

Box Score.

• Hiroki Kuroda went 6 innings (4 Runs [3 ER], 7 Hits, 2 K, 4 BB, 1 Fielding Error, 99 pitches - 56 for strikes).
• Bullpen: 3 IP, 0 Runs, 1 Hit, 3 K, 2 BB, 1 Hit Batter.
• Casey Blake was scratched due to back spasms.
• After entering the game, Jeff Weaver left without having thrown an official pitch due to injury.
  
• Andre Ethier (Double, Single) and James Loney (2 Singles) each reached base twice.
  
• Russell Martin went 0-4 with 3 Ks.
  
• The offense struck out 6 times, walked just once, and had just 1 extra-base hit.
• Charlie Haeger was activated from the 15-day DL, and Travis Schlichting was returned to AAA after making his season debut yesterday and throwing 4 scoreless innings.

"It wasn't easy to tell Travis," said manager Joe Torre.

"I'm just happy I got the opportunity to pitch in a game situation," said the rookie. "They didn't have to explain. I'm disappointed to be going down, but I understand why it happened. They need the arms."

John Ely Back To AAA, Ramon Ortiz Lucky To Be A Veteran

The Dodgers activated Jeff Weaver prior to Friday's game, and in order to do so had to clear a spot on the 25-man roster. The obvious guy to remove would be Ramon Ortiz, he of the general suckiness and awful pitching. Instead, they opted to send John Ely back down to AAA.

I, along with pretty much every other Dodger fan, saw this one coming. Most of us hoped differently, but knew that unless the Dodgers fundamentally change their approach to roster management, it was going to come to this.

Now I don't have a problem if the Dodgers feel AAA is the best spot for Ely for the time being. Ely isn't an elite prospect and doesn't have tremendous stuff, but I think if he reaches his ceiling he can be a solid contributor in the back end of the rotation, and if he were to surpass his ceiling, could potentially be a serviceable fringe Number 3 starter.

John Ely had minor league options left, and could be sent down without being exposed to waivers; Ramon Ortiz could not, and could be claimed if the club tried to send him down. Would he have been claimed? I wouldn't if the decision were mine, but he probably could have found work or at least the opportunity of work elsewhere. That being said, the Dodgers were actually scared to lose him, and thus kept him on the 25-man roster.

Let me repeat that: the Dodgers fear that without Ramon Ortiz pitching for them, the bullpen would suffer, and consequently the team would suffer. Life without Ramon Ortiz would be worse in the eyes of Dodgers brass with a say in this decision.

Ely could very well be recalled for Tuesday's game, but only if a pitcher is DL'd before then, and after Charlie Haeger's "start" Saturday and George Sherrill being George Sherrill, that seems more and more likely by the second.

Dodgers Notes From Saturday's Game 5/8/2010

Colorado 8, Dodgers 0

Box Score.

• Charlie Haeger, back in the rotation after a stint of literally just sitting in the bullpen, followed by a blowout long-relief appearance, did not record an out and was pulled after 4 batters (5 ER, 2 Hits, 0 K, 3 BB, 22 pitches - 8 for strikes). Ramon Ortiz was equally unappealing in relief.
• Haeger may have just signed his pink slip, though I would still keep him over Ortiz.
• Bullpen: 9 IP, 3 ER, 9 Hits, 10 K, 2 BB. 4 Relievers.
• Manny Ramirez returned after a 15-day DL stint with a right calf injury and singled. As mentioned yesterday, Xavier Paul returned to AAA Albuquerque and Garret Anderson remained the luckiest man on the face of the Earth, employed for another day. Hopefully not with the Dodgers for much longer.
• Andre Ethier (Double, 2 Singles) reached base 3 times.
• The offense struck out 7 times, walked 2 times, and had 1 extra-base hit.
• It appears someone will be DL'd, phantom injury or otherwise, to allow John Ely to be recalled and start Tuesday. Unless I'm missing something, which is quite possible. I guess Jeff Weaver could start even with having thrown an inning tonight, but two days rest is a recipe for awful. Either way, lot of dead weight on the team right now. But they're veterans, so it's seasoned dead weight.
• Iron Man 2 was pretty good, so that's a positive for the day.

Vicente Padilla & Jeff Weaver Updates, Plus The Panda's Cup

Vicente Padilla, who currently resides on the DL, was originally reported to have a sore forearm, but further examinations have revealed an irritated nerve in the aforementioned forearm. True Blue L.A. goes in depth on the injury and the possibilities of what may lie ahead for Padilla. A quote from Padilla, from Ken Gurnick's article:

"In the past, in Spring Training, I was able to throw through the pain, but this is a little more serious. Since they haven't told me anything, I don't know if it's a tendon or muscle, and I don't know what to expect."

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Jeff Weaver, also on the DL with a back injury, threw a 50-pitch bullpen session.

Weaver said he felt fine and expected to throw off the mound every other day until he is eligible to be activated on May 7. Weaver is a likely candidate to then replace the injured Vicente Padilla in the rotation.

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A few days ago, I jokingly sent out a challenge to M.Brown of The Left Field Pavilion and Ferio of Juan Pierre's Oversized Hat to put their photoshop skills to work after linking to an article about Pablo Sandoval throwing his cup, which hit a photographer. M.Brown has responded with this beauty. Ferio, I still await your submission. Do not disappoint me young photoshopper.

Who Should Replace Vicente Padilla?

With the news that Vicente Padilla has been sidelined with a strained forearm and will hit the 15-day DL, the question becomes who will replace him in the Dodgers rotation? Who will Joe Torre and Rick Honeycutt deem worthy enough to replace our venerable Number 4 1/2 starter?

First, confirmation from the Dodgers that Padilla is Padidown (/wah wah), and a fairly troubling quote from Vicente:

"I can't even throw right now," Padilla said, declining to speculate on the severity of the injury.

The choices at their disposal, currently up in the bigs:

• Ramon Ortiz
• Jon Link, recalled to replace Padilla
• Carlos Monasterios

A few more choices, currently at AAA:

• James McDonald
• Scott Elbert
• Josh Lindblom
• Josh Towers
  

Eric Stults, where for art thou, Eric Stults? Oh yeah, you're turning Japanese. And Jeff Weaver, who would have undoubtedly gotten the spot-start, is DL'd with a bad back.

Two excellent rundowns of the options come from Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness, who fears we'll see Josh Towers (who I had thankfully forgotten about), and Eric Stephen at True Blue L.A., who prognosticates Elbert could get the call. One thing that's for sure: we're all just hoping it's not Ramon Ortiz.

If I were to guess, and that's all it really is, a guess, I would rank these gentlemen, in likelihood of getting the start:

1. Ramon Ortiz
2. Josh Towers
3. Scott Elbert
4. Josh Lindblom
5. James McDonald
6. Link/Monasterios
   

Whoever it is (and there is the possibility of rain in New York or Torre deciding to run a 4-man rotation for a short amount of time) the chosen one only needs to realistically go 5 innings or into the 6th, and not get completely shellacked.

I'm fairly positive they all can do it once or twice, but I'll admit it, I'm terrified of a Ramon Ortiz start. Josh Towers doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside either, but they're both veterans, so it will more than likely be one of them getting the ball handed to them in New York next week.

Still, my vote, if I had one, would go to James McDonald. Then Scott Elbert. Somehow, I think Josh Towers would get the bronze from me. I guess it's because he kind of reminds me of Dave Bush. And that is........well, it's something alright.

Dodger Roster Moves Weekend Roundup: Manny Ramirez, Xavier Paul, Hong-Chih Kuo & More!

Reviewing recent roster moves made by the club, we find:

Manny Ramirez heads to the 15-day DL due to a right calf strain. Xavier Paul has been recalled to take ManRam's place, though it is likely he will serve in a reserve role and spell the tandem of Garrett Anderson and Reed Johnson, with Anderson likely to get the bulk of the playing time.

I would personally like to see Paul get the majority of the starts over the next 2 week. Highest upside, clearly, and what's the point of calling him up to be a reserve when he could be playing full-time in AAA? Isn't that the reason why he wasn't our 4th OF to begin the season? Paul's AAA numbers: .361/.409/.574/.983 through 15 Games and 66 plate appearances.

FREE XAVIER PAUL

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Ronald Belisario returns, and Jon Link heads back to AAA after making one appearance and throwing 2 scoreless innings. Link looked good, and will probably see time up in the show again this season, certainly when rosters expand, if not sooner.

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Hong-Chih Kuo returned from elbow issues, while a corresponding move saw Jeff Weaver head to the disabled list with a strained lower back.

Dodgers Notes From Wednesday's Game 4/21/2010

Dodgers 14, Cincinnati 6

Box Score.

• Hiroki Kuroda went 5.2 innings (6 Runs [3 ER], 7 Hits, 4 K, 2 BB, 2 HR Allowed, 103 pitches - 61 for strikes).
• Bullpen: 3.1 IP, 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 2 BB, 1 K. 4 Relievers.
• Matt Kemp launched yet another opposite-field HR, his 7th of the season. Andre Ethier clubbed his 4th long-ball of the young season.
• Rafael Furcal swiped his 7th base of the season. a night after stealing two.
• Kemp (HR, 2 BB, HBP), Manny Ramirez (3 Singles, BB), Ethier (HR, 2 Singles, BB), and Furcal (Triple, Double, Single, BB) each reached base 4 times, James Loney (3 Singles) reached base 3 times, and Russell Martin (2 Singles) reached base twice.
• Manny reached another milestone, the 1800 RBI mark.
• Ronald Belisario made his season debut, throwing a scoreless inning. Jon Link was sent back down to AAA.
  
• Jeff Weaver left the game with an apparent lower-body injury. For his sake, let's hope it's just the "Chan Ho Park" type of lower-body injury and not something long-term.
• The offense drew 6 walks, struck out just 5 times, and knocked out 5 extra-base hits.
• The best part about no one being at games? You can hear everything fans yell out, including this gem after Kemp was hit by a pitch: "Hey Kemp, we've got Rihanna to rub it out for you!".

Notes From Tuesday's Game 4/13/2010

Home Opener.

Dodgers 9, Arizona 5

Box Score.

• Clayton Kershaw went 5.1 innings (2 ER, 3 Hits, 7 K, 5 BB, 1 Hit Batter, 1 WP, 111 pitches - 59 for strikes). Are the walks a bit concerning? Sure. Is a 22-year-old with some control problems a huge problem? No.
• Bullpen: 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 3 K, 2 BB, 1 HR Allowed.
• Matt Kemp (2), Manny (1), Andre Ethier (1), and Casey Blake (1) all homered.
• Jeff Weaver has pitched in 6 of the 7 games played. He should probably get a break. Yeah, probably.
• Blake DeWitt (3 BB) reached base 3 times, while Kemp (HR, Double), Ethier (HR, Single), Manny (HR, BB), James Loney (2 Doubles), Blake (HR, BB), and Jamey Carroll (Single, BB) each reached base twice.
• Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless 9th inning, striking out 2. Why exactly did he need to pitch in this game? Bullpen management not great, as I had prayed for.
  

A couple of Opening Day-themed photos (via Yahoo):

Torre Announces Some Roster Moves

Joe Torre confirms that Garret Anderson, Ramon Ortiz, and Jeff Weaver will all make the team.

"Barring anything unforeseen, Garret Anderson will make the team," Torre said. "And so will Jeff Weaver and Ramon Ortiz"

2 roster spots remain, barring anything unforeseen.

Jeff Weaver, Come On Down! (Again)

Jeff Weaver has been brought back on a 1-year minor league deal worth $800,000. Of course, he's invited to Spring Training.

The hits just keep on coming!

Unfortunately, they all are aimed at the hearts of Dodgers fan.

Ned, Frank: no matter how many veterans you bring in, how many Spring Training invites you hand out, they're still crappy, over-the-hill veterans.

This concludes another installment of "Write Like Bill Plaschke Day".

Until.

Next.

Time.

Scott Elbert Added To NLCS Roster

Jeff Weaver has been dropped.

Good move. You can't have to many lefties when facing the Phillies.

Previous NLCS Roster moves here.

Notes From Saturday's Game

1. Vicente Padilla was solid over 6 IP (1 Run [O ER], 3 Hits, 5 K, 3 BB, 1 Throwing Error, 85 pitches - 59 for strikes). He also singled home a run.
   
2. Bullpen: 3 IP, 0 Runs, 1 Hit, 4 K, 0 BB.
   
3. Russell Martin hit his 5th HR, and James Loney hit his 12th HR. All 12 of Loney's HRs have come on the road, a new franchise record.
4. Matt Kemp stole his 32nd base of the season.
5. Casey Blake (2 Singles, 2 BB) reached base 4 times, Russell Martin (HR, 2 BB) and Loney (HR, Single, BB) reached base 3 times, and Manny (Triple, Single) reached base twice.
6. Are Charlie Haeger and Jeff Weaver still alive? Tonight would have been another good opportunity to find out Joe.

Notes From Thursday's Game

1. So Russell Martin can't hit for power anymore? Just because he hasn't been doesn't mean he can't in the future. Yes, his power has been mostly non-existent this year (110 Games, 19 XBH [4 HR, 15 Doubles], .062 ISO, .323 SLG, 3.4% HR/FB), but I've often heard the saying that once you display a skill/trait, you own it and can duplicate it. Is Russ the 19 HR guy of 2007? Probably not, but it's just as likely that he's NOT the 4 HR guy through mid-August of 2009. Perhaps it's the ridiculous over-usage that Russ has endured in his Dodgers career, or simply just a really bad year power-wise, but I fully expect him to be a consistent 10-15 HR, 45+ XBH guy for the next half-dozen or so years barring injury.
2. It's clear Joe Torre won't let Jeff Weaver (5.1 IP, 5 Hits, 2 ER, 4 K, 2 BB [both IBB], 1 HBP, 1 HR Allowed, 84 pitches - 50 for strikes) pitch deep, or at least fairly deep, into his starts. With that being the case, why not let Scott Elbert or James McDonald get a start or two? Both have higher ceilings and, if given the chance, are more likely to pitch deeper into games while still performing at a high level. Of course with the way Torre utilizes young guys, they may not get that chance.
3. I haven't been a huge Weaver supporter, but he could have finished off the 6th inning tonight.
4. Matt Kemp (2 singles), Rafael Furcal (2 singles), and Casey Blake (2 singles), and Martin (HR, BB) each reached base twice.
5. Manny went 3-4 with his 20th double.
6. Bullpen : 3.2 IP, O Runs, 3 Hits, 1 BB, 3 K.
   

Dodgers + Vicente Padilla = FUCK NO (UPDATE)

ESPN's Jayson Stark is reporting the Dodgers are considering signing former Ranger Vicente Padilla. I'll make this short and simple: I don't care that the Dodgers would have to pay Padilla so little that even Frank McCourt wouldn't hesitate, and I don't care that Padilla threw 5 scoreless innings against us earlier this season. Padilla is an awful pitcher. Period.

Kershaw just has the flu, and it looks like Kuroda will return at some point. So that's Kershaw, Billingsley, Wolf, Kuroda, and Haeger. Even taking Kuroda out, that's just the 5th spot in the rotation the team needs to fill. We have better in-house options (Scott Elbert, James McDonald) and as it stands filling the 5th spot in any rotation isn't really that important, especially once the postseason roles around. Hell, I'd rather have Jeff Weaver.

Padilla would just be making 5-8 starts the rest of the year, then pitch out of the bullpen in the playoffs. You're telling me Elbert or McDonald, or both, can't do that?


UPDATE: Fuck.

Notes From Tuesday's Games

1. In his return to the mound following hamstring troubles, Chad Billingsley was effective over 6 IP (2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 HBP, 1 K, o BB, 9 ground ball outs - 7 fly ball outs, 77 pitches - 53 for strikes). He also contributed an RBI single to score the game's first run.
2. Jonathan Broxton was excellent for the second straight game, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings, including inducing a ground ball out from Albert Pujols and 2 Ks (Matt Holliday and Rick Ankiel, both swinging).
3. Andre Ethier and Orlando Hudson were each 3-4; Ethier reached base 4 times, Hudson and James Loney 3 times each, and Manny Ramirez and Russell Martin both reached base twice.
4. Matt Kemp was held out of the lineup with flu-like symptoms. Hopefully he's felling better and is back for his big day tomorrow.
5. Hiroki Kuroda is most likely headed to the DL. Jeff Weaver replaces him Thursday. Who couldn't see this coming?

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By the way, Khalil Greene looks suspiciously familiar.

Separated at birth?

Notes From Monday's Game

1. The pitching's been criticized by many recently, but it's been a lack of offense that's done the Dodgers in. No reason to fret tonight though, considering Chris Carpenter was on the hill. He tends to pitch well against a lot of teams.
2. Charlie Haeger was pretty good in his debut in Dodger Blue (7 IP, 5 Hits, 3 ER, o BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, O WP, O Passed Balls, 2 HR Allowed, 80 pitches - 61 for strikes). He made 2 bad pitches, and both ended up in the bleachers, though there's no shame in being taken yard by Albert Pujols. I think Haeger clearly earned another start(s), especially considering Joe Torre let Schmidt get multiple starts after coming off the DL.
3. Torre should have let Haeger pitch the 8th.
4. Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless 9th, striking out 2 (both swinging) while allowing a single. Good to see him rebound.
5. James Loney has as many steals as HR- 7. Take from that what you will.
6. Matt Kemp hit his 20th double, Andre Ethier his 30th double.
7. Kemp was back in the 6th spot. Stupid Torre. Not too hard to see that coming.
8. Hiroki Kuroda's start Thursday will be skipped. Elbert or McDonald please. Probably Weaver though. Could be worse though - it could have been Schmidt.
9. What's the point of sacrificing a man to second when you could have him steal second and then bunt him to third? The point is that it's Joe Torre making the calls, so throw logic out the window.
   

Notes From Wednesday's Game (VIDEO UPDATE)

Wow.

1. Weaver's day detailed here at the bottom of the post.
   
2. How badly do you have to manage a game to, by the 10th inning, be out of position players and have gone through pretty much the whole bullpen?
3. As I was in the process of typing, Mota gave it up. On the bright side, this was pretty much a throw-away-game to begin with, what with it being Lincecum vs. Weaver/Bullpen.
   
4. Charlie Haeger did not get into the game. Shame. He'll probably be sent back to AAA tonight.

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Oh, and this happened.




Both benches cleared. No punches were thrown. Video Here. Giants announcers, and did I miss the memo that banned pitching inside?

Jeff Weaver To Start Wednesday (What A Shock) ((UPDATES))

Jeff Weaver gets the start for the Dodgers against Tim Lincecum and the Giants on Wednesday. This really wasn't that hard to see. Torre likes veterans, and Weaver is a veteran. The start should have gone to James McDonald, Scott Elbert, or the just-called-up Charlie Haeger. Haeger will be the long-man for the Dodgers in Wednesday's game.

Is that the face of a man who inspires confidence? That's what I thought.

Here's hoping someone talks Torre into using logic, and we see El Knuckleballero starting tomorrow with Weaver as the long-man (or long-gone-man, I'd be down with that).

God speed Chad Billingsley, God speed. May your hamstrings heal faster than any hamstrings have ever healed before.




UPDATE: Weaver went 3 innings, allowing 4 baserunners (2 Hits, 2 BB) while striking out 3. He threw 61 pitches, 39 for strikes. I was against Weaver starting, but considering he was actually pitching fairly well for 3 innings, why not let him continue? Torre instead chose to use 5 relievers after the 3rd inning (5 up until now, the top of the 10th. No doubt we'll see at least one more).

UPDATE 2: That next reliever was Guillermo Mota. A shocking ending, really shocking. Like "Hey, that kick to my groin hurt!" shocking.