Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Hey Neeebs, did you hear about the Dodger Insider blog?

Monday, December 30, 2013

Vin Pin

Just obtained my 2014 Rose Parade pin commemorating Vin as this year's esteemed Grand Marshall.

Happy New Year, Vinny!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

More Content for Neeebs

Can we invest in a better handler for Puig already? Maybe the guy who used to handle Josh Hamilton?

Per CBS Sports:
Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig was arrested Saturday morning on a reckless driving charge in Florida, reports the Naples Daily News. He was driving 110 mph on the Alligator Alley section of I-75 according to a Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. The speed limit is 70 mph.

According to the Daily News, Puig was driving a 2013 Mercedes westbound near mile marker 99. Alligator Alley (otherwise known as the Everglades Parkway) runs east-west from Naples to Fort Lauderdale and is prone to speeding because the road is flat and straight. The Dodgers have not yet commented on the arrest.

Puig, 23, had reckless driving and speeding charges dismissed in Tennessee last month after serving 12 hours of community service. He was caught going 97 mph in a 50 mph zone back in April, when he was with the team's Double-A affiliate in Chattanooga. Puig was reportedly serving as a designated driver at the time.
UPDATE: 

Dodgers just released this statement:

Say it Ain't Possi'le, Yasiel

Yasiel Puig... ARRESTED. From ESPN:

INFORMATION REDACTED. TO READ EXCLUSIVE SOSG CONTENT ON PUIG ARREST, SCROLL UP TO DUSTY BAKER'S WOODWARD AND BERNSTEIN LEVEL REPORTING ON THIS SCANDAL

I think Yasiel is just a kid being steered by the wrong crowd.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

OK, Neeebs, You Asked for Content

Thanks to Scott Killeen for checking in during the dead of winter! Here's his report from Dodger Stadium:

They are going to connect the outfield pavilion with the stadium. The gift shop to the north by the left field entrance is torn down. The last photos of the visiting team locker room, to be torn down after the Ducks use the stadium in January.

Friday, December 27, 2013

HanRam's New Look

Ok, Neeebs, you asked for content:



Photo: @hanleyramirez13

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Happy Birthday, Dad!


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Australia Wins The Ashes 3-0


Going for the whitewash now! 

Wow this is a long off-season.

The (Cy Young) Champ is Here!

And now, an excerpt from Nomo's dream journal:

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Ashes Third Test (Perth), Day 4 Game Thread

Mitchell Johnson is on fire

Wow, pretty exciting Day 3 from Perth, as Australia has one hand on the Ashes already, with England going 6 for 61 in the first inning. Australia is 385 and 235 for 3 (Warner 112, Rogers 54) leading England 251 (Siddle 3-36, Harris 3-48) by 369 runs.

Day 4 of the third test starts today. I'm not sure what channel it's on, but you can catch web liveblogs here.

photo: Getty Images

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Who Knew We'd Be Thrilled with a Juan Uribe Re-signing?

[And multiple other sources]

Alas, most of us are elated with this signing. Third base was threatening to go uncovered this season, but it looks like Uribe (nee Urine) will be back on a two-year deal. This passes for much better news than the noise we heard earlier today regarding Ned kicking the (albeit them flat) tires of Michael Young. Though Ned at that point was threatening to shit in our Christmas stockings, apparently talks with Uribe progressed quickly and he has agreed to a deal.

Fine. Let's hope Uribe can pick up where he left off last season: playing a surprisingly strong defensive 3B, hitting well, and providing a good fatherly presence for Yasiel Puig. This concretizes Uribe at 3B, HanRam at SS, and Guerrero at 2B.

Let's get Kershaw and Hanley extended, J.P. Howell back and we'll be well on our way to making another strong run at it.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Happy Hanley the 13th!


Let Vinny shed some light on the history of Friday the 13th. Video here.

No random, freak injuries out there today, okay guys? First game is only 99 days away.

Photo: Uncredited

Monday, December 09, 2013

Comings and Goings

Thursday, December 05, 2013

The Beard Is Back!

Beard pictured at right

According to Ken Gurnick, and featured on the Dodgers official website (thus, it must be true), we've re-signed the bearded one, Brian Wilson, to a one-year deal with a player option for a second year.

Apparently Wilson wanted closer salary, so we we gave it to him despite the fact that he's not our named closer at this point. Forget about that, or the salary amount. It's a solid idea. He gets the cash he wanted (and deserved), we get who's now arguably one of the best set up men in the game, and someone who can close if the situation plays out that way, all the while having a thus-far terrific closer in Kenley. Given that we're not a cash-strapped club, this makes way too much sense.

Welcome back, BDub. I was at the game when you made your home debut, sitting along third base line in deep left. I can report that you were strongly embraced at that moment and ever since, despite your Jint-ness.

ps- Mrs. Dusty says no-go on my growing a Wilson-esque beard. Not that I actually could.

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Ethier, Kemp Odd Men Out?

Buster Olney of ESPN.com breaks down why the Dodgers are dangling both Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier out there--and in his mind, it's not just fixing a crowded outfield; it's also about getting value in return (link insider only):

The first part of the plan was to significantly improve the Los Angeles Dodgers immediately, to turn them into a contender immediately, to the alter perception of them immediately. Cost be damned. These were the first broad strokes, because the Dodgers' new ownership was thinking big picture, and assumed that inefficiencies along the way would be overwhelmed by the forthcoming television contract and an overwhelming response of fans.

So in the first 19 months since Frank McCourt was bought out, the Dodgers saw their attendance increase by more than 25 percent in one year, their season-ticket sales rocket upward, and they had a shot at winning their first World Series since 1988. Some of L.A.'s deal-making for expensive veteran players has confused an industry of value-counters who loathe the idea of an overpay, but the perspective of the Dodgers' ownership has been: Why worry about millions when there are billions in potential at stake?

Now the Dodgers can work in earnest on the finer points, on rebuilding their farm system, on using the massive stack of chips to create a deep, well-designed roster -- a younger roster. This is part of the reason why the Dodgers have indicated a willingness to absorb some salary in order to move Andre Ethier or Matt Kemp.

This is not about a salary dump, or about the discomfort of having four front-line outfielders -- Ethier, Kemp, Carl Crawford and Yasiel Puig -- for three spots. This will be about dangling players who might fetch some decent prospect return, depending on how much money the Dodgers eat, and have pieces that fit together better.

The Dodgers will probably have a better chance of moving Ethier than Kemp, given the injuries that Kemp has sustained in recent seasons, to his left shoulder and ankle. Kemp hasn't started running yet in the wake of his latest injury, but they believe there is a better than 50-50 shot he'll be able to do so by the start of spring training.

But while Kemp was limited to 73 games last season, Ethier played in 142, posting a .783 OPS while accumulating 47 extra-base hits. Ethier has played his home games in the thick night layer that helps to turn Dodger Stadium into a really good pitcher's park, and interested teams will consider this number: Last year, Ethier hit .311 in road games, with an .885 OPS.

He has been a good player, and in a market in which Jacoby Ellsbury will command $100 million (or more), and Shin-Soo Choo seeks something close to that, Ethier could be more attractive, if the Dodgers eat some of the $69 million he is owed and turn him into a $10 million-$13 million a year player.

The Dodgers will seriously consider moving either Ethier or Kemp, if they can get younger and improve their roster, and a trade of Ethier or Kemp will allow them to push prospect Joc Pederson, who is a pure center fielder, something that neither Ethier nor Kemp probably is now at this stage in their respective careers.

This is a tough one because I like both players, but I agree that both have been plagued by injuries and streakiness / unfulfilled potential, during the course of their Dodger careers. We probably don't need both, however, especially with Pederson in the wings. Wonder which one will be on the roster come March 2014?

This Picture Does Not Go With This Headline

Screenshot from the LA Times website, late December 3, 2013:

To be fair to ol' Dylan Hernandez, this was (thankfully) the only mention of Gordon in the article:

If the season were to start next week, Dee Gordon would probably make the team because of his increased versatility. Once considered the shortstop of the future. Gordon played 20 games at second base and was an outfielder in the Dominican winter league this off-season.

Increased versatility means nothing if you can't get on base (and certainly not by stupidly trying to bunt every PA).

Beard Growing On Dodgers?

Maybe it was the after-effect of the 2013 World Series championship team, but Brian Wilson is apparently close to returning to Dodger blue:

The Los Angeles Dodgers are close to bringing back free-agent reliever Brian Wilson, sources told ESPN.com on Tuesday.

Wilson, the former San Francisco Giants closer, went 2-1 with a 0.66 ERA in 18 games as a setup man to Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen this past season after coming back from his second Tommy John surgery.

Sources said Wilson has made it clear to the Dodgers that he's willing to return to the team as a setup man in 2014, with an opportunity to take over as closer if Jansen falters or gets hurt.

A strong and deep bullpen was a significant factor in the Dodgers' run to the National League West title in 2013. Los Angeles' bullpen went 30-24 with an aggregate 3.49 ERA, while ranking seventh in the league in strikeouts (451) and fourth in batting average against (.240).

After years of hating Wilson as a Giant, I have to say, he was pretty good for us late in the 2013 season, making it easier to digest seeing him in our uniform. I could be okay with him coming back, at a short-term contract (befitting all relievers).

The LATimes also reports we're closing in on Wilson. Which is good, because the Detroit Free Press reports the Tigers are interested in Wilson, too.

t-shirt design stolen from this etsy account. I don't understand using the face as an "A" rather than an "O", but okay.

Tuesday, December 03, 2013

Dodgers Watch, Wait - Lose Belli

Good luck you buggy-goggled cokehead!

Monday, December 02, 2013

Nomar's Back

From "Nomar Garciaparra joins Dodgers broadcasting crew " by Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times:

Plans for the Dodgers’ new regional sports network, SportsNet LA, are still being formulated, but there is progress.

Nomar Garciaparra has been hired as a new commentator by the Dodgers, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity. [...]

Garciaparra is expected to do pre- and post-game commentary and be utilized on both the television and radio broadcasts. Roles are still being defined.

The Dodgers are also pursuing ex-Dodger Orel Hershiser to be an announcer and the future broadcasting face of the team, according to USA Today. Hershiser is also currently with ESPN, though is contract will soon expire.

photo by Jeff Lewis/AP