Old-Timers Game Lineups

After today's game the Dodgers are holding their newly revived Old-Timers Game. From a Dodgers press release:

Team 1 (will wear Dodger home jerseys)
Dusty Baker OF
Tim Wallach 3B
Mickey Hatcher SS/OF
Steve Sax 2B
Mike Marshall 1B
Reggie Smith OF/1B
Steve Yeager C
Raul Mondesi OF
Davey Lopes 2B
Darryl Strawberry 1B/OF
Ron Cey 3B
Eric Gagné P
Fernando Valenzuela P

Team 2 (will wear Dodger alternate road jerseys)
Shawn Green OF
Derrel Thomas 2B/C
Bill Russell SS
Ken Landreaux OF
Eric Karros 1B
Rick Monday OF
Nomar Garciaparra 3B
Maury Wills SS
Steve Finley OF
Orel Hershiser P
Rick Honeycutt P

Additionally, Tommy Davis, Charlie Hough, “Sweet” Lou Johnson, Manny Mota, Don Newcombe and Jerry Reuss will be on hand and a part of Old-Timers pre-game introductions.

So Darryl "Let it burn" Strawberry makes the cut but Paul "Fuck the Dodgers" Lo Doca doesn't?

Piazza Digging Deeper Hole

UPDATE: Click here for video due to autoplay.

Via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times comes video of the interview in which Mike Piazza claims Vin Scully was unhappy with him. Let the evidence show Piazza is an asswipe. Who knew Paul Lo Duca would be the Dodger-turned-Met catcher back in the fold at Dodger Stadium?

Holiday Blues

Luis Cruz and Adrian Gonzalez earn their keep in the Dodgers' season-ticket office.

"Quick, Luis! To the Helmet Cruizzzzzer!"

Luis and Adrian join Fernando at the Dodgers' Annual Children's Holiday Party.

In Team Mexico gear.

Paul Lo Duca shows his holiday cheer to Tommy Lasorda.

Lessons from a Trainwreck

Yeah, tonight sucked. Visions of a victory, a series win and a potential sweep — not to mention staying in first place — were obliterated by Kenley Jansen's ninth-inning mental lapse.

But I'm going to tap into my inner Jon Weisman to find some perspective here. We actually learned some positive things tonight:

1. Don Mattingly is a steady skipper. In the bottom of the ninth, Prime Ticket cameras caught Mattingly calmly reassuring a shellshocked Jansen in the Dodgers dugout (above). Remember, this was moments after the incident, as Twitter was exploding with the force of a thousand suns. Whether he learned such poise from Joe Torre or if it's just part of his Midwestern DNA, that gesture alone gives me so much faith in our manager.

2. Kenley Jansen has character.

Kenley Jansen was among the first guys at his locker stall after the game, answered every question.

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 15, 2012

It didn't win the game today, but over the course of what could be a grueling second half, it'll serve him well.

3. Better now than later. As SoSG reader Paul put it, "I'd rather have him learn from that mistake in July than October." Who can forget Paulie "Fuck the Dodgers" Lo Duca tagging out Jeff Kent and J.D. Drew at the plate in the 2006 playoffs? At least Jansen's ninth-inning focus doesn't figure to be a gaffe that'll haunt us later.

4. A spoonful of Vinny helps the medicine go down, the medicine go down-wown, the medicine go down. As SoSG Dusty put it, "This one seemed tougher to bear if one was in the Yard." Vin's reaction was along the lines of "Hello, what's this?" Again, Twitter: not so nice.

5. It was a team loss. And as SoSG Nomo put it, "Yeah, Kenley fucked up, but they just kept letting the Padres back in. 3-1 became 3-2, 4-2 became 4-4, 6-4 became 6-5, etc." Aaron Harang allowed two home runs. Ronald "Visa Issues" Belisario allowed a run in the eighth. The Dodgers stranded the bases loaded in the third. Jansen came into the game with no room for error.

So we have thirteen hours to get the bile out, because Mattingly & Co. will have forgotten about this by tomorrow's game.

Pentamiscellany

	1. Matt Kemp has no excuses. Criticized by Larry Bowa? He's gone! Bumped heads with Bob Schaefer? He's gone! Distracted by a high-profile romance with Rihanna? She's gone! If Kemp felt like he was under the microscope last season, then 2011 is his chance to prove how he can perform at his most focused.
	2. Scott Podsednik has better taste in women than in baseball contracts. MSTI already covered this, but Pods doesn't look likely to best the $2 million he gave up when opting out of his Dodgers contract. Sorry, Scotty!
	3. Could it get any worse than Frank & Ned? Terrifyingly, the answer is YES. Exhibit A: The Mets and the Wilpons. Even Arte Moreno is catching flak for Tony Reagins' head-scratching $86 million commitment to Vernon Wells. Ned's hands may be tied, but at least it made him stay away from those megacontracts that never work out.
	4. Take it easy during BP, Andre. If you recall, Andre Ethier broke his pinkie finger in a freak BP accident last year. He was never the same after that. May we suggest some pre-game oven mitts?
	5. New York is where Dodger catchers go to die. Russell Martin. Paul Lo Duca before him. Mike Piazza before him. But we got Gary Carter, and now Rod Barajas. So it's even!

NL West Catches Catcher Fever

• Dodgers: Russell Martin signs a one-year, $5.05 million contract
• Dodgers: sign J.D. Closser to a minor-league deal with a spring training invite
• Giants: re-sign Bengie Molina to a one-year, $4.5 million deal. Molina reportedly turned down more money from the Mets to stay with the Giants. Buster who?
• Rockies: sign Paul Lo Duca to a minor-league contract. Last we heard of Paulie, he was telling us what it's like to be on a steroid list. Now he may be reunited with NL West Manager of the Year Jim Tracy.

Paulie Speaks

Paul Lo Duca, as a guest of Gary Miller and Eric Karros on KCAL 9's "Think Blue" pre-game show last night:

Miller: What's it like for you playing after that, when your name comes out [on a steroid list], like Manny's going to go through starting Friday?

Lo Duca: It's going to be difficult. When my name came out, it was almost a relief. It was something I did I wasn't proud of, I wish I would have never done. It's part of something that's going to stick with me for a long time, and it's part of why probably I don't have a job today.

It's the consequences you deal with, and Manny's going to deal with a lot of different things, but he's Manny Ramirez. I played with Juan Pierre and he's one of my really good friends, and he's done a great job so far, but this is Manny Ramirez. This is a different type of player. Might be the best right-handed hitter, maybe of all time.

It's something to deal with, but the whole thing that blows my mind is that Alex [Rodriguez] and a couple of other guys said they didn't know. Let me tell you something. Everybody knows if they were on that list. When you got tested that year — I don't know if you [Karros] remember — you got told.

Your name didn't come out, which they shouldn't come out — it's a breach of contract, which I don't agree with. But I do agree in fairness to Alex and Sammy Sosa, the other 104 guys should come out. That's the only thing that's fair to them. I know I'm not on that list, let's hope so.

Pretty candid stuff from Lo Duca. That's the Paulie I miss.

Khalil Attacks Box; Box Wins...Paulie Boxed Out of D.C.

And you thought Manny was a headcase? Via Deadspin comes this news:

As the Padres feared, shortstop Khalil Greene fractured his left hand on Wednesday night when he slammed a storage chest at Petco Park in frustration over his season-long slump.

Greene's return for this season is doubtful, according to the club.

But it could be worse, Khalil—you could be Paul Lo Duca.

From the Washington Post:

After [last night's] game, the Nationals released two veterans, Felipe Lopez and Paul Lo Duca.

Greene photo by Francis Specker/AP
Lo Duca photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais

That LoDuca Trade Keeps Looking Better And Better

Jerry Crasnick of espn.com has another post-mortem report on the Brad Penny for Paul LoDuca trade of 2006, Paul DePodesta's last big hurrah:

Los Angeles Dodgers trade catcher Paul Lo Duca, outfielder Juan Encarnacion and reliever Guillermo Mota to Florida for pitchers Brad Penny and Bill Murphy and first baseman Hee-Seop Choi -- July 30, 2004

The headline: "Dodgers didn't need to do this" (Los Angeles Times)

Why the heck is L.A. general manager Paul DePodesta doing so much tinkering when the Dodgers sport a 3½ game lead in the National League West?

This trade is panned, in part, because DePodesta mistakenly thought he could flip Penny in a deal for Randy Johnson. But the biggest outcry is over DePodesta's decision to trade Lo Duca, the team's resident leader, glue guy and "heart and soul," and inflict irreparable damage on the Dodgers' clubhouse chemistry.

The postscript: Los Angeles went on to win the NL West for the first time in nine years, and Penny posted 16-win seasons in 2006 and 2007. The Dodgers fired DePodesta in October 2005. But in a strange twist, his image hasn't taken nearly as big a pounding as the catcher he was panned for trading.

Since leaving Los Angeles, Lo Duca has been scrutinized for everything from his gambling habits to his extramarital flings to his comments that the Latin players in New York should be available for media interviews because they speak better English than everybody thinks.

And that was before Lo Duca's name popped up in the Mitchell report. Some people suspect that's why he was scratched from catching the ceremonial first pitch from President George Bush in the Nationals' 2008 season opener.

"According to interviews with alleged steroid suppliers, Paul Lo Duca wasn't so much a clubhouse leader as a clubhouse pusher," LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke wrote in December 2007. That really hurts.

Crasnick doesn't even mention that if Paul LoDuca was still a Dodger, we never would have had to endure Dioner Navarro, but we also never would have gotten the chance to get to know Russell Martin. Say Nope to Dope, Russell! And stay away from the track, while you're at it.

Looking Back at the Paulie Trade

Has it really been four years since Paul Lo Duca became an ex-Dodger? In retrospect it's a great trade, but it also likely signaled the beginning of the end for GM Paul DePodesta.

Now SportsHubLA has dissected the infamous transaction: 07.31.04 Revisited: Looking Back at the LoDuca/Penny Deal. They sensibly conclude:

Forget that the presence of Lo Duca would’ve blocked Russell Martin’s development, and Guillermo Mota’s flameout, and that Finley was gotten for a song. Critics of the trade have never confronted the salient question, which is this: In cutting ties with an aging free agent catcher in favor of a young Top 20 starter entering his prime, isn’t it just possible that Paul DePodesta had enough foresight to recognize a 2008 spreadsheet opportunity when he saw it in 2004? Isn’t it foolish to pass judgment on a long-term move in the short-term? And isn’t it senseless to treat “character” and “leadership” as if they’re static features, especially when you’re talking about 25-year-old jocks?

The article also scores bonus points for containing the phrase "colossal wankers."

These Aren't the 'Roiders You're Looking For

From "The Dodgers Would Like To Forget Their Former Steroid Users" from Lion in Oil:

You may not know Frank Luntz, but he's a researcher who tests messages, marketing and polling on what words would work best in order to sell policies or people. He's long worked for the GOP, helping to, among other things, turn "Global Warming" into "Climate Change," allowing the party to soften the debate and seriousness of the issue. And now his firm is working for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That the Dodgers have hired Luntz and his firm is interesting, but that's not really the story. Because I purchased a mini-plan last year from the team I was asked to participate in their survey. And since I love the team, I didn't mind spending the estimated nine minutes answering their questions.

There was one question that stood out, and it's shown above. "And who of the following is your favorite Dodger of all time," it asked. You can see my first two answers above, but as I looked around for my third choice I noticed two notable absences. Just where were two of the most popular Dodgers in recent memory, Eric Gagne and Paul Lo Duca? Oh, that's right. Those two just happened to be prominently named in the Mitchell Report.

"I'm Sorry, But I Can't Say What For"

What is it with these evasive former Dodgers, pulling lines out of Jason Giambi's playbook and publicly apologizing for transgressions they are not detailing? It's ridiculous.

First came Paulie LoDuca, who said yesterday in the New York Times that he "made a mistake, without saying what that mistake was:

Addressing his inclusion in the Mitchell report for the first time, Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca acknowledged what he called “a mistake” without explaining exactly what he was apologizing for.

Lo Duca, a four-time All-Star who played for the Mets the previous two seasons, was among the more prominent players cited in George J. Mitchell’s report on drug use in baseball, which was released Dec. 13. That was two days after Washington announced it signed Lo Duca to a one-year, $5 million contract.

“You do something wrong in your life and you get away with it, you still have something inside you that burns,” Lo Duca said. “And it’s been a big relief for me to know that I’ve come to grips with it. That I made a mistake.”

His name appears 37 times in the 409-page report, which said he received shipments of human growth hormone from — and put other players in touch with — the acknowledged steroid distributor Kirk Radomski, a former Mets clubhouse employee. Radomski pleaded guilty in April.

Lo Duca was silent on the matter for more than two months. But Saturday morning, he issued a statement, then held a news conference after arriving at the Nationals’ spring training facility.

Asked whether the Mitchell report was accurate about him, Lo Duca said: “I’m not going to comment on that.”

And today comes Eric Gagne, who must have the same publicity agent as LoDuca:

In his first public comments since the Mitchell Report linked him to human growth hormones two months ago, former Dodger closer Eric Gagne apologized to his family, friends and new Milwaukee Brewer teammates today but stopped short of admitting to the use of performance-enhancing substances.

"I feel bad for my family, what they had to go through. And all my friends. And especially my teammates here in Milwaukee," said Gagne, who spoke for about a minute. "It's just a distraction that shouldn't be taking place. I'm just here to help the Milwaukee Brewers to get to the World Series and get to the playoffs. And that's all I really care about."

Gagne, a Canadian, addressed reporters in both English and French but did not take questions. He did, however, laud baseball's efforts to rid the sport of steroids and other drugs, specifically citing the Mitchell Report in his comments in French.

"Since 2004, Major League Baseball has done everything in their power to clean up the game," he said. "And I think they've done a great job. Right now I just want to go forward. I think Major League Baseball is ready to go forward. And hopefully all the fans are ready to do that."

Mark McGwire has been ridiculed for his "I'm not here to talk about the past" routine before Congress. But I'm not sure how "I'm here to talk about the past, but only in vague terms" is much of an improvement.

Elton John had it wrong--"sorry" isn't the hardest word, it's all the other words afterward that are proving difficult.

Good Thing There Are Horse Racing Tracks in Nearby Maryland

Former Dodger Paul Lo Duca agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Washington Nationals.

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals agreed to terms with Paul Lo Duca on a one-year deal on Monday, according to a baseball official. The deal will not be announced until after a physical has been completed.

Lo Duca played with the Mets the last two years. In 2007, Lo Duca hit .272 with nine home runs and 54 RBIs. He also helped guide New York to the National League Championship Series against the Cardinals.

Lo Duca, 34, will be the everyday catcher, while Jesus Flores most likely will be the backup.

For the first time in his career, LoDuca gets to play in a brand-spanking new ballpark. That is, unless he's spending all his time at Pimlico (a Preakness weakness, perhaps?).

Mets: Bye Bye, Captain Red Ass

This Day in Dodger Pornstache History: Before there was Jeff kent, there was Paul Lo Duca.

From Robothal:

Paul Lo Duca appears out as the Mets' catcher, likely to be replaced by a tandem of Ramon Castro and Yorvit Torrealba, major-league sources say.

The Mets are expected to re-sign Castro on Wednesday, probably to a two-year deal. They also are pursuing Torrealba, another free agent, but not to be a 120-game starter....

The Mets' plan is a stunning repudiation of Lo Duca, a free agent who turns 35 in April. While some Mets pitchers liked throwing to Lo Duca, club officials were not as enamored with his game-calling and overall play.

Lo Duca's .311 on-base percentage last season was the lowest of his career as a regular. He also struggled with opposing base stealers, throwing out only 17 of 89.

UPDATE:

Torrealba's agent says he will sign with the Mets.

UPDATE:

Not so fast! Mets break off talks with free-agent catcher Torrealba (ESPN.com)

Tell Me That's Not Epic

Mets' Lo Duca suspended, fined for epic tirade (ESPN.com)

AP photo/Ed Betz

Dodgers Not in First Place, But Russell Martin Is

(Click on the badge to VOIX POUR LE RUSSELL!)

From Inside the Dodgers:

Yes, it's true. Russell is now in first place in what has to be the quickest anyone has made up a 150,000 vote deficit ever. Hopefully will get to post more later but for now, here's the lineup. Keep up the great work!

UPDATE:

Paul Lo Duca regains some classy points. From Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com:

Spotlight on Martin: By moving into the top spot in National League voting for All-Star catcher, Martin was surrounded by local media before the game.

The best comments, however, came from the Dodgers' previous All-Star catcher and current Met, Paul Lo Duca.

"He's done everything right. I wasn't as talented as Russell at his age, I didn't have the catching skills," said Lo Duca, who reached the Major Leagues at age 26, compared to 23 for Martin. "He's so polished behind the plate. Pitchers are comfortable throwing to him, he understands the game and he's an unbelievable offensive player.

"I just told him to get his rest, take your days off. He reminds me of myself, he doesn't want to take time off, neither did I. You get older, you realize it pays off."

And from Bill Dwyre at the LA Times (reg.):

Another bonus for the Dodgers is Martin's speed, something normally squeezed out of catchers' legs in all those hours of squatting.

"Catchers aren't supposed to do that," said Tom Lasorda, who managed more than his share over the years. "Scioscia and Piazza, they couldn't even steal a hot dog in their own clubhouse."

...Even Lo Duca said, "Russell deserves to go" to the All-Star game and said, if he had a vote, it'd probably go to Martin.

When Playoff Ticket Plans Go Bad

So remember last year, at the end of the 2006 season, when the Dodgers were in the playoffs against the Mets? (If you don't remember, it's probably because you either blinked and you missed it due to another three-and-out performance, or it's because you've consciously blocked it from your memory banks due to Rich Donnelly's ridiculous decision to send home Jeff Kent and JD Drew on the same play only to get them both tagged out at the plate by former Dodger Paul Lo Duca. But I digress.)

Thinking myself clever, in advance of the series, I entered the lottery for NLDS playoff tickets through the Mets' website, for Games 3 and 4 (to be played in Los Angeles). The thinking at the time was that fewer Mets fans would desire this out-of-town game, and I might pick up a pair of seats on the fly.

Needless to say, I did not win the lottery. And then, six months later, insult was added to injury when I received this bit of personally-addressed snail mail from the Mets:

Dear Mets Fan:

Thank you for your support of the Mets. We believe our emergence last year as Division Champions marked the start of a special era for our franchise and our fans. As the mets captured the National league East title with an MLB-best 97 victories, Shea Stadium again became the place to be, with a record 3.5 million fans joining in the excitement and celebration.

With an All-Star lineup featuring Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Carlos Delgado, Paul Lo Duca, and Moises Alou, we look forward to more great thrills, excitement and celebrations at Shea in 2007. make sure you are part of the action!...

On behalf of the entire Mets organization -- Ownership, General Manager Omar Minaya, Manager Willie Randolph, our players and staff -- thank you for being part of our team. We look forward to seeing you at Shea in 2007!

Sincerely,

Wililam Ianniciello
Vice President, Ticket Sales and Services

No, I do not know why "Fan" in "Mets Fan" is capitalized, nor do I know why "Ownership" is capitalized as well. I do know, however, that the memory of the Mets' sweep over the Dodgers still stings. The letter also came wtih a fine Mets 2007 wallet schedule. Thanks for the salt in the wound, William!

I'll be ready come June 11-13. Let's hope Rich Donnelly is ready this time, too.

UPDATE 1.34p: First person to email to SoSG (our email address on sidebar) gets the Mets wallet schedule. Offer available in the US only. Leave me your snail mail address and I'll even spot you the postage.

Lo Duca: How About an Extension? Mets: Is That a UFO?

From the New York Daily News:

DUCA DEAL: Paul Lo Duca's reps brought up the topic of an extension during the winter meetings, but Mets brass wasn't ready to discuss it. The issue figures to be broached again by Lo Duca's side during spring training, though there's been speculation the Mets may wait to see how things play out this season with other catchers before addressing their situation behind the plate for '08 and beyond.

Lo Duca, who turns 35 in April, will earn $6.25 million this season and could be seeking a hefty raise. He hit .318 with five homers and 49 RBI in '06.

Good luck with that extension, Paulie. We'll see if you get any of the love the Mets showered upon David Wright and Jose Reyes.

The Paul Lo Duca Goodwill Tour Continues

Sonia Lo Duca posed for Playboy's Sexy Girl Next Door spread in 2001. She married Paul in 2000, before his first full season in the majors, in which he hit .320 for the Dodgers.

—MSNBC

From "New Blue Jay Thomson rips Lo Duca's catching" (AP/ESPN.com):

TORONTO -- John Thomson was surprisingly candid Wednesday about one of the reasons he chose the Toronto Blue Jays over the Mets: He didn't want to pitch to New York catcher Paul Lo Duca.

Thomson agreed to a $500,000, one-year contract with the Blue Jays on Tuesday and will get a chance to win a spot in their rotation during spring training. The right-hander said the Mets also offered a major league deal, but he wasn't interested.

"As far as just looking at Paul Lo Duca across the field, I'm not really into how he acts behind the plate," Thomson said on a conference call. "I know a bit about [Toronto catcher] Gregg Zaun and I know he wants to win and he's not going to let anything get in his way to do that, and I like that.

"And then with Vernon Wells in center field, I'm not really concerned about the outfield with him out there. ... Just watching the Mets' outfield, if Cliff Floyd is still there it's not a real good fit for him out there. He can hit the ball, but as far as defense, he's a little shaky.

"I just liked what's happening in Toronto."

What happened to the Paulie we knew and loved? First it was the gambling thing, then the teenage affair and divorce from smokin' hot wife (baby-daughter-caught-up-in-mess division) thing, then the "fuck the Dodgers" thing.

Frankly, Paulie, we were behind you...until the "fuck the Dodgers" thing.

Oh, and way to burn bridges, John Thomson. The Sparkletts Man you are not.

UPDATE: And also not a researcher. From MLB Trade Rumors:

The thing is, the Mets have a guy in center field, goes by the name of Beltran...he's not too shabby with the glove. Other thing is, Floyd is a free agent and won't be back with the Mets. Still, in general, the Jays do have a better defensive outfield than the Mets. Mostly because of Shawn Green.

UPDATE: More Paulie hate, reported by Ken Rosenthal at FOXSports.com:

Blue Jays right-hander John Thomson is not alone in his criticism of Mets catcher Paul LoDuca. Many rival players believe LoDuca is overrated defensively, and some Mets officials are still miffed that LoDuca allowed right-hander Guillermo Mota to abandon his changeup in a pivotal at-bat against the Cardinals' Scott Spiezio in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series. Mota got ahead 0-2 on changeups, but Spiezio hit a two-out, two-run double off a fastball to tie the score.

Russell Martin

If there's a current Dodger I like wearing Orel Hershiser's former number, it's Russell Martin. Not only does he put up the numbers, as Ken Gurnick writes at Dodgers.com:

The RBI total [of 62] was the most for a Dodgers catcher since [Paul] Lo Duca had 72 in 2001. The games played total was the highest in the National League from the time he arrived. The Dodgers were 71-43 with Martin starting behind the plate and 17-31 with anybody else. His catcher ERA was 3.93, third in the league....

Offensively, Martin ranked in the top 10 among National League rookies in average, runs, doubles, triples, RBIs, walks, total bases, on-base percentage, total bases, slugging percentage and extra-base hits. Against left-handed pitching, he hit .366 with a .521 slugging percentage.

It's also because, like Lo Duca, Martin was an undersized prospect who made it through the Dodgers' system. Credit should also be extended to the people who recognized and honed his talent:

Martin has done this only four seasons after being shifted from third base at the suggestion of area scout Clarence Johns, who drafted him in the 17th round, and with instruction from Jon Debus, the former roving instructor who left the organization to join former farm director Terry Collins in Japan.

Besides handling the pitching staff and trying to avoid an offensive sophomore slump, Martin may have the additional pressure of batting second in the lineup, as some have speculated. 2007 will also be Martin's first full season in the majors, as he appeared in 121 games in 2006.

Expectations are high. But Dodger fans are hungry for a homegrown hero. Hopefully management will be smart enough to keep this catcher around.

photo by Ben Platt/MLB.com