Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Thanks to KempKershaw for the reminder....

Nomar caps incredible win for LA: Four straight homers tie it in ninth; walk-off puts club in first

Kent photo by John SooHoo/Dodgers; all other photos by Jill Weisleder/Dodgers

Where Andruw Jones Fears To Tread

Interesting article by George Vecsey of the NYTimes, who notes that a noticable number of baseball players are showing up to spring training with lighter builds:

Baseball clubhouses seem to be getting bigger this spring, with more room to move around. Or maybe the players are becoming smaller.

Out of the roughly 1,000 major leaguers in spring training camps, a couple of dozen appear to have lost significant weight in the off-season, all in the name of health and agility.

Some of them did it by eating grilled fish. Others played active video games with their children. Some went on diet programs or took up yoga. Others cut back on alcohol. Whatever they did, clubhouse attendants are coming up with smaller uniforms all over Florida and Arizona.

Among the biggest losers are Brett Myers and Ryan Howard of the championship Phillies, who lost 30 and 20 pounds. Yankees relief pitcher Brian Bruney, Mr. Avant-Garde himself, shed 25 pounds before last season by giving up beer and eating healthy food. He has slimmed down another 10 this year, and essentially does not look like the same person.

The Mets’ Marlon Anderson, a 35-year-old trying to come back from a leg injury, lost 22 pounds in 25 days, through a cleansing program of nutrients and drinks and moderate lunches. Concerned he was losing muscle mass, Anderson backed off the diet and regained five pounds.

Oh, I miss Marvelous Marlon Anderson, one of our 4+1 heroes. Best of luck with your comeback, big--or not so big--guy.

Happy 2nd Anniversary!

Nomar caps incredible win for LA: Four straight homers tie it in ninth; walk-off puts club in first

Kent photo by John SooHoo/Dodgers
Drew, Martin, Anderson, Garciaparra, scoreboard photos by Jill Weisleder/Dodgers

Happy Anniversary!

Nomar caps incredible win for LA: Four straight homers tie it in ninth; walk-off puts club in first

Kent photo by John SooHoo/Dodgers
Drew, Martin, Anderson, Garciaparra, scoreboard photos by Jill Weisleder/Dodgers

Dodgers' Stage Performance Seems Eerily Familiar...

Got the latest issue of Playbill (easy there, tiger--PlayBILL) the other day. The Dodgers' stretch pennant race run indeed seems familiar. But apparently (according to the flyer which dropped out of the magazine, below), the cast may have changed but the story remains the same...

I do miss Marlon Anderson, though if Shea Hillenbrand can hit a lucky streak for the next couple months, in the face of his performance this year with the Angels, I will be ready to cheer for Anderson' understudy. NOt to mention that, at our Sons of Steve Garvey staff meeting this morning, a fellow Son pointed out that Marlon Anderson is pulling stunts like this over with the Mets. Yikes.

Thanks for the Memories, Merlin

From Dodgers.com:

The Dodgers activated reliever Chin-hui Tsao before Friday night's game against the Padres after the pitcher had a successful outing at Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday....

In order to make room for Tsao on the roster, the Dodgers were forced to designate Marlon Anderson for assignment. Anderson will have a 10-day period in which he will either be traded, released or clear waivers.

photo by Jill Weisleder/Dodgers

Awww

From "Gonzalez Feels Rejuvenated With Dodgers" (AP/L.A. Times):

[Luis] Gonzalez played at the University of South Alabama. Coincidentally, so did current teammates Marlon Anderson and Juan Pierre, who are both quite a bit younger. The 33-year-old Anderson roomed with Gonzalez's brother in college.

"I've know Luis since '93. He hasn't changed," Anderson said. "He always has a funny story, just a giving guy in all ways, whether it's advice or whatever. And he's played the game the right way.

"He knew me when I was a pup, and he was nice to me."

Marlon Anderson, First Injured Dodger of 2007

Oh man, here they come. Marlon Anderson was held out of today's intrasquad game due to pain in his right elbow. Let the parade of injuries begin.

The Dodgers came one day from getting through February without an injury. Then utility player Marlon Anderson took a batting practice swing before a 4 1/2-inning intrasquad game and felt pain in his right elbow. He was held out of the game and won't play until the pain subsides.

Anderson, a nine-year veteran who helped the Dodgers to the playoffs with a sensational September, is a lock to make the roster. Yet he was trying to play through the pain without letting anyone know the way a rookie might.

"We had to remind Marlon that [tomorrow] is March 1 and not May 1," Manager Grady Little said. "We won't push him too much."

In other news, unlike Anderson, veteran Luis Gonzalez did make today's intrasquad game, only to be hit on the wrist by a pitch from Mike Megrew. Gonzalez claimed he was okay.

One intrasquad game, two injuries. But did I mention the Dodgers won?

That's What We Like to Hear (Even If He Doesn't Mean It)

From "Notes: LA's Anderson content with role: Utilityman just wants to win and believes he can help" at Dodgers.com:

Despite hitting .375 and slugging seven home runs in only 25 games after being acquired as a pinch-hitter from Washington for the stretch run, [Marlon] Anderson comes to camp penciled onto the bench and not the starting lineup. As well as he played, he watched the team go out and sign free-agent outfielders Juan Pierre and Luis Gonzalez.

His reaction?

"I was happy about it," he said. "They brought in winners and that's great for the team. I'm all about winning. I want to win my championship. I'll have ample opportunities to help us win games. I've been in the playoffs two of the last three years and was with St. Louis and got a taste of winning, and I understand how they work together to get it done."

Dayn Dubs Dodgers' Depth

Dayn Perry over at foxsports.com may be crazy, but at least he's covering the Dodgers. In his top 10 spring training battles, the Dodgers' right field battle slots in at #6 (no other NL or AL West team is mentioned):

6. Dodgers right fielder
The Contenders: Andre Ethier, Marlon Anderson, Matt Kemp
The Favorite: Ethier
The departure of J.D. Drew has, of course, left a void in right field. Andre Ethier enters camp as the favorite, but his second-half slump in 2006 means that he'll be on a reasonably short leash. In all likelihood, the Dodgers will wind up platooning Ethier, the lefty, with Matt Kemp, who bats right-handed. Should Ethier struggle badly in Florida, then Marlon Anderson will likely step in as the left-handed half of the platoon.

Hey, as long as any of the three of those candidates dives for a ball every once in a while, it will be an improvement over Drew and Shawn Green. And let's not forget Marlon Anderson's incredible performance after joining the Dodgers late last season.

Garciaparra Article Conceals Yet Another Fat Joke

Steve Henson's latest post from Vero Beach headlined Nomar Garciaparra, who is feeling good physically despite being distraught about being away from his pregnant wife. As Nomar and Mia's twins are due in April, being apart must suck, but at least it will give him a chance to bank up on that sleep now.

"We're blessed and fortunate," Garciaparra said. "But not being there with her the last month and a half of her pregnancy is going to be tough."

Garciaparra said the injuries that plagued him last season have healed, pointing to his rigorous off-season workout regimen as proof.

"I judge myself by the way I can work out in the off-season, and I didn't have to hold back," he said. "That's a good sign."

But wait, that's not the fun part! The last part of the article segment has this gem:

The only factor that could change Garciaparra's position [from first base] is the development of top prospect James Loney. But even if Loney makes the team, he would back up at first base and the corner outfield spots. Little plans to give Garciaparra a significant amount of rest in an effort to keep him from experiencing another late-season tailspin. That would be the case even if Loney begins the season at triple A. "We have Olmedo Saenz to play first, Jeff Kent can slide over once in a while, and you might see Marlon Anderson there sometimes," Little said.

So even Grady Little has to acknowledge that if Saenz plays first, Jeff Kent's gotta slide to his right just to accommodate his hefty teammate. And poor Marlon Anderson--so obscured by Saenz, that Anderson might even disappear from view during the eclipse.

Man, I can't even write quotes this perfect. Thanks, Grady!

Alex Rios, Vernon Wells Consolation Prize?

The latest Dodgers power bat rumor mentions Alex Rios of the Blue Jays as a potential trade for Brad Penny, according to Ben Maller of FoxSports.com. The Jays may also be looking at Jon Lieber from the Phillies for Rios. Said Maller:

The Dodgers would seem to have starting excess now that they have signed Jason Schmidt and Randy Wolf to join Penny and Derek Lowe. [Toronto GM JP] Ricciardi was asked if something might be done to solve the next problem by, say, Christmas. "No, no, no, no," Ricciardi said. "I think this would be something — if we can get it, which is going to be hard to do — that might go right up to spring training."

The Blue Jays, who just locked down Vernon Wells to a 7-year, $126M deal, may be looking to deal Rios, 25. In 2006, Rios batted .302/.349/.516 (BA/OBP/SLG--all career years) over 128 games, with 17 HR and 82 RBI (three home runs and 18 RBI fewer than JD Drew). Rios had a one-year deal with Toronto last year for a scant $350K.

Just as a point of comparison, Andre Ethier batted .308/.365/.477 over 126 games, with 11 HR and 55 RBI. And Marlon Anderson, over his short 25 games with LA, batted .375/.431/.813. I'm just saying.

Three-Month Anniversary

Nomar caps incredible win for LA: Four straight homers tie it in ninth; walk-off puts club in first

Kent photo by John SooHoo/Dodgers
Drew, Martin, Anderson, Garciaparra, scoreboard photos by Jill Weisleder/Dodgers