Vin Scully Awarded Icon Award at ESPYS

In Focus with Vin Scully

Game 100 Thread: July 20 @ Fredbirds, 5p

We need to Photoshop a hologram Kershaw.

Clayton Kershaw (11-2, 1.78) vs. Carlos Martinez (2-4, 4.43).

How quickly things turn. At the All-Star break the Dodgers were on top of the world, alone in first place with four All-Star representatives. Then Puig oh-fer'd his Home Run Derby appearance, and now the team is back in second place, their outfield controversy has rekindled itself, Plaschke is calling for big moves, and Puig is out of the lineup with a sore hand.

Which is when we get to the bright spot: Once every five starts we get to see a Kershaw start, and today he's only being asked to pull the Dodgers out of a nosedive against the very team that handed him his worst postseason loss ever. The Giants lost again, so first place is also at stake. Help us, Obi Wan Kershaw, you're our only hope.

P. Diddy Has Got Your ESPN Classic Hookup

Thanks to Prof. Dittmore for pointing this out on ESPN Classic:

Set your DVRs!

Setting 2014 Expectations High

Hey SoSGers. Things have been a little hectic here this holiday season, but I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things, starting with a little housecleaning.

Here's ESPN's Buster Olney from 12/31/2013, with his pronouncement that the Dodgers are the second best team in MLB, behind only the Tigers (link insider only):

They haven't really made a big move yet this winter, re-signing Juan Uribe, Brian Wilson and J.P. Howell, and pinning down Dan Haren on a one-year deal. But even if they don't land another pitcher -- Masahiro Tanaka, Matt Garza or David Price -- they'll have an excellent pitching staff, and of course, the money and the motivation to get better and address holes during the regular season. One GM said that when you consider building a championship team, you have to factor in an additional 5 to 10 percent: The amount of money you can take on to fill needs that develop through injury and unexpected performance lapses. The Dodgers certainly have that.

If the Dodgers play the Tigers in the World Series, it'll be a match of the two teams currently placing the highest value on winning a championship.

They have Yasiel Puig, too, whose talent is as scary as his driving – which is why the Dodgers talked to him after his latest incident. The Dodgers are holding their breath over Puig, writes Bill Plaschke.

Olney had the Cardinals third and the Red Sox fourth. No other NL West team made the top ten.

Speaking of that Plaschke article (from 12/29/2013), it includes this ending quip:

Colletti said he wasn't inclined to give Puig another babysitter, saying, "At some point, everyone is responsible for their own actions. He's not some 16-year-old kid, we can't have someone on his arm all the time. It's up to him to figure it out like we all have to figure it out."

So breaths will remain held, the Dodgers silently rooting that in the 110-mph race of his life, Yasiel Puig will grow up before he blows up.

Too bad Puig probably doesn't read Plaschke.

Stark's World Series Poll Picks Tigers Over Dodgers In 6

Jayson Stark polled 24 baseball front-office folks to see how the postseason would end. And the consensus determination was that the Dodgers would win the NL, but lose in the World Series to Detroit:

I know because I just finished polling 24 general managers, executives and scouts on this very topic. They weren't exactly unanimous, either.

I'll let you in on how they saw it in a moment. But first, it's my turn. The winner of the 2013 World Series will be …

The Detroit Tigers. They're going to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers. In six games. And you know what that means: You should call your bookie immediately -- and bet on everyone else. Or anyone else.

You know, it takes courage to pick a team that just got swept -- not to mention no-hit -- in their final series of the year, by a club that lost 100 games. But I wasn't shaken by that one bit, at least not after one scout who also picked the Tigers reassured me that they just "took the weekend off" and that "the games that team had to win late in the year, they won."

Oh, OK. That's right. So what were the other factors that led me to this clairvoyant conclusion? Read on.

Survey Says

But first, here are the results of the poll I took. You should know that I never feel like I'm bound by the picks of the baseball people that I survey. But it's always fascinating to see which teams they choose and how they think. So here's how they lined up:

American League Champ: Tigers 11, Red Sox 9, A's 4
National League Champ: Dodgers 13, Cardinals 8, Reds 2, Braves 1

You'll notice that seven of the 10 teams that got invited to the ball, and all six division winners, got at least one vote. But four teams -- Detroit, Boston, L.A. and St. Louis -- clearly separated themselves. Those four got 85 percent of all the votes cast.

When it came time to choose a World Series champ, though, there was even more separation. Take a look:

Red Sox: 8
Tigers: 6
Dodgers: 5
A's: 3
Preferred not to pick a winner: 2

So how about that? The Cardinals got eight votes to reach the World Series, but no votes to win it. The Red Sox, on the other hand, got nine votes to make it to the Series and eight votes to win it. And the A's only got four votes to come out of the AL, but three of the four baseball men in their corner saw them going all the way.

"Best backup sewage problems in the game," quipped one scout who picked them. Sewagegate aside, the fact is, I went into this process thinking Tigers-Dodgers. And it was great to see I wasn't the only one. [...]

[O]ver in the National League, the Dodgers can pitch a little themselves. Here's what you should know about them:

• They lead the major leagues in starting-pitching ERA (3.14). That's the lowest ERA by any Dodgers rotation in 22 years.
• Their staff threw 22 shutouts. That's the most by any team since the 1998 Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz Braves spun 23 -- and the most by a Dodgers staff since the Orel Hershiser Shutout Machine was doing its thing in 1988.
• They'll roll out Clayton Kershaw in Game 1. He just finished compiling the lowest ERA (1.83) by any National League starter since Greg Maddux.
• They'll start Zack Greinke in Game 2. In his last 19 starts, they're 16-3. In his last 16 starts, he's allowed a total of 19 runs (for a 1.57 ERA).
• They'll probably start Hyun-Jin Ryu in Game 3. His ERA against the other four NL playoff teams -- the Cardinals, Braves, Pirates and Reds -- is 1.54.
• And we might want to mention the closer, Kenley Jansen. He has 111 strikeouts this year and 18 walks. Since July 24, he has faced 98 hitters, and allowed a hit to just nine of them (while striking out 42).

So before you pick anyone else to come out of the National League, remember the words of one NL exec who reminded us that, "to beat them in any series, you're going to have to beat Kershaw twice." Or Greinke. Or Ryu. Some fun, eh?

Crouching Tigers

OK, so why the Tigers? One reason is that so many baseball people in this poll had deep reservations about the Dodgers, who "just aren't playing well," said one scout who saw them recently.

Over a span of 2½ months, from late June through early September, they lost only 13 times in 66 games. But since then, they've lost 15 times in just 24 games, and have scored two runs or fewer in 11 of them.

But I heard more doubts about their makeup than about their offense, doubts like these: "They could win 11 straight or go home in three straight." … "Deepest roster and the most talent. I just can't get on board with how they will deal with adversity in the playoffs." … "I think the Dodgers will fold. They lack the makeup of a champion, in my opinion."

And then there was this pointed review, which reflects the way a shocking number of people in the game seem to feel about the Dodgers' collection of dollars and personalities: "The only way they don't win," said one AL exec, "is if they are injured patting themselves on the back."

Indeed, we may have patted ourselves on the back during July and August. But September was indeed humbling. And we know humble, after seeing the first two months of this season.

Kershaw Is Crown Jewel of New ESPN Spot

Thanks for goodchild27 for the find:

ESPN Creates A Potential Story, Then Riffs On Said Story

ESPN has done a pretty good job at creating stories out of nothing, and then having their talking head pundits continue the story. Deadspin has a good example of how ESPN "created a story out of thin air" on the 49ers' Colin Kaepernick.

Here's one they have created about the Dodgers. First, Buster Olney's column indicated that big things are going to be afoot for the Dodgers this offseason (link insider only):

The tentative schedule for 2014 was released Tuesday, and you can already look forward to some interesting dates for next year, beyond those first two games played in Australia between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers on March 22-23.

1. April 4: The Dodgers unveil their latest acquisition at home

OK, so we don’t know who exactly it will be. Maybe it’ll be a manager, if Don Mattingly isn’t retained. Maybe it’ll be a new infielder. But the Dodgers are like the Lakers now, in that they are always looking for new and better, and That Guy will play his first home game for the Dodgers on this date, against the Giants.

Not a bad hypothesis, to be sure. Olney wants an excuse to trumpet the Dodgers-Diamondbacks' 2014 season opener in Sydney next year; and, it's not entirely unexpected that Stan Kasten and company will continue to spend to upgrade the team, at any position or management slot.

But then what gets wonky is, ESPN's AJ Mass also riffs on Olney's story, expounding on they hypothetical, in "Who will be "that guy" for the Dodgers?" (link insider only):

So let's speculate on exactly who "That Guy" could be by nominating three potential candidates who might end up fulfilling Buster's prophecy:

Mike Scioscia: Given how close Mattingly was to getting the axe earlier this season, he certainly could get a pink slip should the Dodgers get bounced from the playoffs in their first series. After a frustrating season in Anaheim, and rumors of a rift between Scioscia and general manager Jerry DiPoto, owner Artie Moreno could end up having to let one of them go. Scioscia is signed through 2018, but staying in Los Angeles might be appealing to him, and the Dodgers could be interested in their former catcher as well. Hmm, if a deal can be arranged in which the Dodgers unload Andre Ethier's contract to the Angels in return for the manager, this could be a win-win.

Robinson Cano: If Mattingly stays, his historical ties to the New York Yankees could give the Dodgers a leg up in negotiating a deal with the free agent second baseman. Certainly paying for Cano rather than exercising a $5.75 million on the much-older, less-productive Mark Ellis makes a lot of sense for a team without many payroll restrictions. Of course, Cano is 31 years old, and the team has expressed a desire to guarantee contracts only up to the age of 36. A five-year deal might not be enough to seal the deal, but given the solid supporting cast Cano would have in Los Angeles, perhaps it could get the job done.

Tim Lincecum: The Dodgers have already grabbed ex-Giant Brian Wilson, giving him a chance to revive his career following Tommy John surgery. Why not take a stab at getting "The Freak" as well? Lincecum's struggles over the past two seasons certainly will give the Giants pause in terms of overpaying for what they might feel is a pitcher who has already given them the best years of his career. But Lincecum still has more mileage left in his arm than current Dodgers southpaw Chris Capuano. An upgrade might be in order.

These are all pretty serious grenades for Mass to be dropping in the room. Scioscia would mean replacing a manager who was on the hot seat earlier this season, but has led or at least presided over one of the most remarkable runs by any MLB team in history, post-All-Star break, as well as a playoff berth. Cano is obviously one of the gems of this year's free agent class, and will come at a high price tag. The prospect of adding San Francisco Giant Lincecum is obviously controversial not only because of his history with our hated rival (which tends to not be a prior experience that yields dividends for the Dodgers (see: Jason Schmidt)), but also due to his declining velocity and effectiveness.

It's almost like Olney and Mass (whose experience base is fantasy sports) set this 1-2 punch all up just to stir up controversy. Let's all calm down on the conspiracy theories for future events, and enjoy the here and now a bit more.

Kershaw Reaches SportsCenter Commercial Status

Cy Young, Gold Glove...those are nice. Here's how you know you've really arrived:

And for old times' sake:

Ramirez-To-Dodgers: The 2012 Trade Deadline Coup

ESPN pundits are admittedly rushing to judgment, but it's great to be listed on this side of the ledger:

Come Oct. 1, the best trade acquisition will have been _______.

Richard Durrett: Zack Greinke. It may seem a little crazy, but I still think the Angels will get things together enough to claim one of those AL wild card spots. And if they do, Greinke could be critical as they try to get that spot or are forced to play in that one-game playoff.

Christina Kahrl: Hanley Ramirez for the Dodgers. Maybe it's true that some Fish grow to the size of the tank they're in, but keep HanRam's situation in mind: A star player, getting away from baseball's biggest sham franchise and ownership team to a ballclub so recently liberated from a similar circumstance? See you in October, because Ramirez will finally get a shot at shining on a national stage in a game that matters.

Bill Baer: He hasn't been blazing hot so far, but Hanley Ramirez will prove to be a valuable asset as the Dodgers contend for the NL West crown. They had been getting abysmal production from their shortstop and third baseman. If the Dodgers reach the postseason, they'll be looking to Ramirez to lead an otherwise lackluster offense -- the Dodgers have the NL's worst slugging percentage.

ESPN's Headline Intern Should Be Fired

Seriously? Is that the best you could do?

Shameful.

screenshot taken from ESPN.com, 12.45p PT

An Off-Day ESPN Graphic, For Your Viewing Pleasure

Loving this graphic not only because it reminds me of Kemp's extra-inning heroics yesterday, but also because ESPN didn't add the unnecessary "s" at the end of "RBI".

(To be fair, I don't think this graphic caught Brian McCann's two RBI in extras late yesterday; however, unlike Kemp, McCann saw his efforts go in vain as the Braves lost nonetheless.)

Dodgers #1 on ESPN Power Rankings

The Dodgers sit atop this week's ESPN MLB Power Rankings. Should we be terrified, or just continue not giving a damn about the Power Rankings?

(I love that they could barely muster enough words to fill a blurb.)

Game 41 Thread: May 20 vs. Cardinals, 5p

Chad Billingsley (2-3, 3.83) vs. Kyle Lohse (5-1, 2.70).

Shadows across the infield! A nationally televised game today means an oddball start time of 5PM. With seemingly half the damn team on the disabled list, the Major League-best Dodgers (saying that never gets old) are in position to sweep the World Series champs. (Wait until the Dodgers play some good teams, they said. Well, here we are.) But in order to finish the weekend strong, Billingsley will have to find the command he seems to have lost in his past three starts. Lohse has been hot this season but owns a career 5.45 ERA against the Dodgers. Who will come out on top? Only...

Dodger Stadium photo by SoSG Sax

It's Never To Lat for Proofreding

Yesterday on ESPN.com:

Things I'm Doing To Get Psyched For 2012 Baseball: Laughing At Tim Kurkjian

Deadspin has jumped onto the first post-Linsanity meme: Tim Kurkjian imitations.

Here's the Blue Jays' J.P. Arencibia (which has a nice Kurkjian coda at the end, "my career is over!"):

And here's the Rays' Elliot Johnson, who throws in obscure stats to boot ("step up and imitate the geeky little sportswriter"):

The Red Sox organization has an imitation of its own, as well, but it wasn't nationally televised; and frankly, this meme has already jumped the shark. But it's funny! Even if it's only AL East teams who seem to be in on the gag.

More Hard-Hitting Reporting From ESPN

Via Yahoo Sports:

We Gotta Start Running Polls Like This

Wired had an awesome post on some curious ESPN.com polls of late:

(There's more of these, by the way.)

Make sure you vote!

USC/Stanford Fans Greet ESPN With Anagramming Flair

Via Deadspin, an awesome subtle-but-not-that-subtle homemade sign from this weekend's revelry:

Who Says ESPN's Demographic Is Aging?

Screenshot from ESPN.com, Monday July 25 2011, 10p PT, at the bottom of this article on an MOU for a downtown football stadium in LA.

Arash Markazi just had the shit hit the...er, I guess everything's all wrapped up okay.