2009 Official Los Angeles Dodgers Thread

[TheCinciKid 0]

So the Dodgers just kept on trucking and now they have Manny back. Back a few years ago, I thought that LA made a big mistake in letting DePodesta go and then they turned over the team to Good ol Ned who I thought would eventually bury the Dodgers.Well, Ned's a hero and it sure looks like the Dodgers made the right move back then (signing Juan Pierre was obviously a master stroke that I did not envision). I wonder if DePodesta was just the victim of bad timing and Ned good timing? How much of the current team's record is due to Paul vs Ned? Has Torre made that much of a difference? Just wondering what Dodgers fans thought.

I too feared Ned because he worked under Brian Sabean who I have long thought was a terrible GM. I thought they let Depodesta go way too early (didn't give him enough time to get things right). But, in the end Colletti looks like a genius. Honestly, I think the scouting department should get the most credit for some very good drafts that the Dodgers had. I think the Dodgers of the last two years are a combination of 3 things, all of which were necessary to turn the team into a winner. 1) the maturation of several talented young players that Colletti stubbornly refused to part with over the last few years; 2) the veteran talent of role players who are good in the clubhouse that Ned has brought in; and 3) Joe Torre and his ability to handle personalities and turn a group of good ballplayers into a cohesive, winning unit.

[PMJackson21 0]

So the Dodgers just kept on trucking and now they have Manny back. Back a few years ago, I thought that LA made a big mistake in letting DePodesta go and then they turned over the team to Good ol Ned who I thought would eventually bury the Dodgers.Well, Ned's a hero and it sure looks like the Dodgers made the right move back then (signing Juan Pierre was obviously a master stroke that I did not envision). I wonder if DePodesta was just the victim of bad timing and Ned good timing? How much of the current team's record is due to Paul vs Ned? Has Torre made that much of a difference? Just wondering what Dodgers fans thought.

Not even DePodesta; Dan Evans was the gm that made a lot of the draft picks/moves that put the core of the team together.I def think Ned has benefited from the work of his predecessors, as well as a more forgiving payroll then Sabean deals with in SF.

[gobears 0]

Not even DePodesta; Dan Evans was the gm that made a lot of the draft picks/moves that put the core of the team together.I def think Ned has benefited from the work of his predecessors, as well as a more forgiving payroll then Sabean deals with in SF.

I have to give Sabes credit this year (pure results based thinking ftw). Sandoval has become a much better player both from an offense and defense standpoint than I would have thought. They have stuck with Ishikawa who has been adequate lately and Schierholz has been holding his own. Obviously, Sabes has to get credit for the farm system which looks to be stacked with pitching prospects along with Posey.Now, I still think that Sabes makes the worst free agent signings imaginable but he may have saved his job if the Giants make the playoffs.

[PMJackson21 0]

Bills sucks his last 5 starts, Broxton's control has pretty much disappeared since the toe injury, and now Jason Schmidt is making a start on Monday...sigh.On the bright side, Kershaw has looked very good as of late.

[CaneBrain 95]

Bills sucks his last 5 starts, Broxton's control has pretty much disappeared since the toe injury, and now Jason Schmidt is making a start on Monday...sigh.On the bright side, Kershaw has looked very good as of late.

schmidt looked......not so good. When was the last time Dodgers lost a series at home? I feel like Marlins really accomplished something.Side note: I am stunned that Weaver throws at Hanley (who owns Chavez Ravine).....and the fish respond by plunking Hudson?

[PMJackson21 0]

schmidt looked......not so good. When was the last time Dodgers lost a series at home? I feel like Marlins really accomplished something.Side note: I am stunned that Weaver throws at Hanley (who owns Chavez Ravine).....and the fish respond by plunking Hudson?

Not too long ago; they lost 2/3 to the Mariners (!) at the end of June. They really haven't been exceptional (good though) at home since they started the year 13-0 or whatever it was.I turned it off in the middle innings, so I didn't see the Hanley HBP or the Marlins response, but if I had to guess that was a retaliation for Manny being hit up and in during his first AB in Friday's game.

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

[JoeyJoJo 18]

and But...fucking fuck fuck!

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

and But...fucking fuck fuck!

ooooo, below the belt!

[PMJackson21 0]

ooooo, below the belt!

A Giants fan posting about choking is pretty amusing considering their last WS appearance. Especially a Giants fan who I witnessed bubbling a sng last night after having like 80% of chips in play 4 handed. Considering that result and the fact that the Dodgers won the series, maybe you should consider not mouthing off so much prematurely. Not that I am happy with the Dodgers, or the ass kicking the Cardinals will give them in their likely NLDS match up, but I am still fairly confident they will win the West with their remaining schedule, which includes 18 games vs last place teams:3 games @ Cincy4 games @ home vs Arz3 games @ home vs SD3 games @ Arz3 games @ SF3 games @ home vs PIT3 games @ home vs SF3 games @ WAS4 games @ PIT2 games @ SD3 games @ home vs COL

[slink 1]

Shut up Giants fan. 5 West Coast championships to 0. Don't forget 2002.

Ahhhh....2002, good times.

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

A Giants fan posting about choking is pretty amusing considering their last WS appearance. Especially a Giants fan who I witnessed bubbling a sng last night after having like 80% of chips in play 4 handed. Considering that result and the fact that the Dodgers won the series, maybe you should consider not mouthing off so much prematurely. Not that I am happy with the Dodgers, or the ass kicking the Cardinals will give them in their likely NLDS match up, but I am still fairly confident they will win the West with their remaining schedule, which includes 18 games vs last place teams:3 games @ Cincy4 games @ home vs Arz3 games @ home vs SD3 games @ Arz3 games @ SF3 games @ home vs PIT3 games @ home vs SF3 games @ WAS4 games @ PIT2 games @ SD3 games @ home vs COL

:/ I pulled a Dusty on that one last night. sigh.

[PMJackson21 0]

To expand on the schedule thing, according to http://www.playoffstatus.com/mlb/nationalsosag.html, the Dodgers have had the toughest schedule to date in the NL. Even so, they have the best record in the NL and MLB's best run differential. However, from this point on they have the easiest schedule among NL teams according to the same site. That seems like a pretty good sign for their playoff chances from this point on.They also miss Haren in the 4 game series vs ARZ in La coming up. Here are the pitchers they face over the next week:Homer Bailey, Matt Maloney, Bronson Arroyo, Doug Davis, Yusmeiro Petit, Max Scherzer and Jon Garland

[PMJackson21 0]

Also from dodgerthoughts: Courtesy of the 11-0 pounding the Dbacks gave the Giants last night, the poor "Ace-less" Dodgers have taken over the MLB lead in both Total Runs Allowed (486), Average Runs Allowed Per Game (3.797), and Team ERA (3.51).

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

Also from dodgerthoughts: Courtesy of the 11-0 pounding the Dbacks gave the Giants last night, the poor "Ace-less" Dodgers have taken over the MLB lead in both Total Runs Allowed (486), Average Runs Allowed Per Game (3.797), and Team ERA (3.51).

I'm surprised by this. If you told me before the start of the season that the Dodgers pitching staff would have better stats then the Giants, I would of laughed. Oh, and Randy Wolf has been super clutch and an RBI machine.

[PMJackson21 0]

I'm surprised by this. If you told me before the start of the season that the Dodgers pitching staff would have better stats then the Giants, I would of laughed. Oh, and Randy Wolf has been super clutch and an RBI machine.

Randy Wolf has been their most consistent pitcher for sure; if he had gotten any run support/bullpen support early in the year when he put together that string of no decisions, he would easily be having a career year. In regards to the Dodgers pitching vs Giants pitching, one cannot just take the starting pitching into consideration, you have to look at their staffs as a whole. Obviously Cain + Lincecum + a much improved Zito > Bills + Kershaw + Wolf, but you have to include the back end of the rotation + the bullpen.

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

Randy Wolf has been their most consistent pitcher for sure; if he had gotten any run support/bullpen support early in the year when he put together that string of no decisions, he would easily be having a career year. In regards to the Dodgers pitching vs Giants pitching, one cannot just take the starting pitching into consideration, you have to look at their staffs as a whole. Obviously Cain + Lincecum + a much improved Zito > Bills + Kershaw + Wolf, but you have to include the back end of the rotation + the bullpen.

True. Does the Dodgers team ERA include the bullpen? I know after the Cinci series last week, the Giants had the best bullpen ERA in the majors. I don't know if they still do after the Rockies series... blowing a 11-3 lead then blowing that 4-1 lead in the 14th. and how has Bills been doing? I haven't heard much about him as of late.

[Poppy_Hillis 11]

They also miss Haren in the 4 game series vs ARZ in La coming up. Here are the pitchers they face over the next week:Homer Bailey, Matt Maloney, Bronson Arroyo, Doug Davis, Yusmeiro Petit, Max Scherzer and Jon Garland

I'd rather they face Haren.

[PMJackson21 0]

True. Does the Dodgers team ERA include the bullpen? I know after the Cinci series last week, the Giants had the best bullpen ERA in the majors. I don't know if they still do after the Rockies series... blowing a 11-3 lead then blowing that 4-1 lead in the 14th. and how has Bills been doing? I haven't heard much about him as of late.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/pitching/split/128andhttp://www.baseball-reference.com/players/...p&year=2009

[PMJackson21 0]

Ned acquired Thome and Garland I guess....I'll withhold my opinion until the details come out, but on the surface I like the Thome move and think the Garland trade is pointless.

[PMJackson21 0]

I don't know why ****ing Torre brings in James ****ing McDonald every extra inning game but I can't think of a less reliable pitcher on our roster. Semi bubbling the 1k annoyed me, but nothing compared to seeing James McDonald entering the game.

[kobe2odom8 14]

Interesting trades by colleti tonight. Bringing in thome to come off the bench and garland to gives us some innings. Hopefully it works out well :)and yes wtf torre at bringing in j-mac

[GeneralGeeWhiz 0]

I don't know why ****ing Torre brings in James ****ing McDonald every extra inning game but I can't think of a less reliable pitcher on our roster. Semi bubbling the 1k annoyed me, but nothing compared to seeing James McDonald entering the game.

Torre might have the worst bullpen management in baseball. he comes nowhere close to dusty though. *cough* 2002 series *cough*

[wsox8 10]

Thanks for taking Thome off our hands

[PMJackson21 0]

Meh, as I said at the beginning of the year (and this thread), they are a flawed team. Even if they manage to not blow the division I can't see them getting by STL let alone Philly. Bills has taken a step back, Manny looks pretty marginal at best, and they aren't playing with much spark at all. An easy schedule doesn't mean a thing if you get your asses kicked by the DBacks, even if they have been playing better.I'm pretty sick of baseball season at this point and my team has the best record in the NL lol. Hopefully they can turn things around and look like a team capable of winning the WS before the playoffs start, but they aren't showing many signs of that.