Dodgers Fourth in ESPN's MLB Future Power Rankings

ESPN did an assessment of how the 30 MLB teams are set up for the next five years (link insider only). The media-darling Cardinals took first place, but the Dodgers took fourth (behind the Red Sox and Rangers as well):

We've once again asked three of our top baseball analysts -- Jim Bowden, Keith Law and Buster Olney -- to rank all 30 teams in five different categories (see table) in an attempt to measure how well each team is set up for sustained success over the next five years. [...]

CATEGORIES:

• MAJORS (full weight): Quality of current big league roster
• MINORS (full weight): Quality and quantity of prospects in their farm system
• FINANCE (2/3 weight): How much money do they have to spend?
• MANAGEMENT (2/3 weight): Value and stability of ownership, front office and coaching staff
• MOBILITY (1/3 weight): Do they have a lot of young, cheap players, or old, immovable guys?

#4: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The bar graphs reflect the average points given by the voters for each category.

The Overview

With the way most clubs are now locking up their young talent years before free agency, it's becoming a lot harder for big-market clubs to spend their way into contention. The Dodgers, however, are trying their best to prove that enough spending makes anything possible. They shocked the baseball world in 2012 by spending big on Cuban defector Yasiel Puig and taking on a number of "bad" contracts via trade, such as those of Hanley Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez. So far, so good. -- Buster Olney

The Dilemma

The Dodgers have four talented and well-compensated outfielders and only three starting spots. It's hard to imagine that Puig, Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are all on the 2014 Opening Day roster, and they have to figure out a way to optimize one of those assets on the trade market. -- Jim Bowden

The New "Guy"

Lefty Julio Urias just turned 17 last week, but he has been extremely effective as a starter in the low Class A Midwest League, showing above-average velocity and the potential for as many as three-plus pitches when he fills out. -- Keith Law

Rounding out the NL West: the Diamondbacks ranked 16th (49.2), Padres 20th (40.7), Giants 23rd (38.5), and Rockies 27th (27.9). The Brewers were 30th (14.3). The Angels ranked 26th (30.4).

Off-Day Debate: LA's Best Fried Chicken

I have a good friend who makes a mean batch of fried chicken once a year for a close circle of friends, and it is incredible. I've only been lucky enough to have been invited to his annual extravaganza once, and I still have dreams about it. A good fried chicken dinner makes me salivate. It's a real treat.

The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article on the nation's best fried chicken, and Los Angeles was one of only two cities (with Atlanta) to nab two spots in the country's top 11. My friend's dish didn't make the list (obviously). But here's what the WSJ ranked to represent Los Angeles:

5. A-Frame, Los Angeles: Not quite Southern, not quite Korean, wholly Roy Choi.

Roy Choi of A-Frame

6. Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles, Los Angeles: So good, a man was lured to his death with the promise of it in "Jackie Brown."

I haven't been to A-Frame yet. I have frequented the Roscoe's on Gower and on Pico, and can attest to both locations' goodness.

Any others in town worthy of mention?

photos: Jessica Sample / WSJ

Congratulations to NL Pitcher of the Month for August Zack Greinke

So this means Dodgers had NL pitcher of the month for July (Kershaw) and August (Greinke). By my rough calculation, that's a lot of the summer spent having the best pitchers in the NL. Clearly, we kept pitching. (cc: Fred's Brim)

Greinke, who also won an American League Pitcher of the Month Award in April 2009 as a member the Royals, went 5-0 in August, posting a 1.23 ERA in the process. The Dodgers righty racked up 30 strikeouts and eight walks over 36 2/3 innings while making a significant contribution to the Dodgers' Major League-best 2.07 ERA for the month.

I'm going to make a prediction and say Edinson Volquez will not win this honor for September.

Post-Game 139 Thread: Edinson Does Not Shine

ROCKIES 7, DODGERS 5

Despite fielding a lineup without Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Mark Ellis, or Andre Ethier, the Dodgers actually made this kinda close. But five runs plus a whole bunch of other squandered opportunities were not enough to offset a couple of pitchers' lousy showings tonight.

Edinson Volquez made his debut as a Dodger starter and lasted only 4.0 IP, yielding 6 H and 4 ER (0 BB, 4 Ks) over 75 pitches. He did not look comfortable; dare I say, blown out? Nor did Carlos Marmol, who reverted to Cubbian form by giving up 3 H and 3 R (2 ER) in an inning of "work" (Marmol also added a balk for good measure). Brandon League had a shaky fifth but escaped. All three appearances should be good data points as we consider postseason rosters.

All the position player starters listed above (save Mark Ellis) ended up getting in the game, and none got a hit (Puig, Crawford, and A-Gon all Kd). Michael Young with 3-for-5 with 2 RBI. Charlie Culberson did not play left field tonight, so we didn't have a chance to make up three runs on an error. And so, the Dodgers' magic number remains at 12. Lights out, kids: off-day tomorrow!

image swiped from here

Game 139 Thread: Sept. 4 @ Rockies, 5:30p

Edinson Volquez (9-10, 5.97) vs. Jorge De La Rosa (15-6, 3.33).

NL West Magic Number: 12

There are four players tied for first in the NL with 15 wins, and De La Rosa is one of them (along with the Pirates' Francisco Liriano, the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright, and the Nationals' Jordan Zimmerman; the Dodgers' duo of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are tied for fifth with 14). Plus, the Rockies are salty and looking to salvage a win at home in their offensive-powered ballpark.

Sounds like the perfect setup for the debut of Edinson Volquez (as a Dodgers starter, that is)!

The career stats don't speak favorably for Volquez, either. His career win percentage in Sept/Oct is only .300 (6-14), by far his worst month. Volquez has a 1-4 record at Coors Field with an ERA of 8.39, by far his worst ballpark in the NL West. And, like many of the rest of us, Volquez suffers from a fear of the Rockies' mascot Dinger (or so it is alleged), ever since that unfortunate baby-eating incident on the Rockies' field.

Poor mom never saw the attack on her child coming

All the more reason why, in today's game, I expect Edinson to get lit up. (Yes, I know that's a bad pun, but I filament to do just that.)

Edison photo taken from CNN (uncredited); Dinger image swiped from here

In 1961, Dodgers Broadcast Rights Were Tops

Via Deadspin, here's a cool piece from Larry Granillo of SB Nation about broadcast rights in 1961, compared to today:

Adjusted for inflation, $10 million in 1961 is roughly equivalent to $75 million today. When the Dodgers signed their exorbitant television rights deal with Time Warner Cable this offseason, it was valued at $8 billion over 25 years. The value has been knocked down some in negotiations since then, but the Dodgers are still likely to see more than $200 million per season for the next 25 years. That's triple what the entire league earned, even adjusting for inflation, fifty years ago.

Sandy Koufax vs. Mr. Ed

MLB.com's Cut4 did a shoutout yesterday to Sandy Koufax, and specifically how Koufax was shown up by the four-legged steed:

In 1963, Mr. Ed paid a visit to Dodger Stadium. In the show's fourth-season premiere, "Mr. Ed Meets Leo Durocher," the Los Angeles coach takes a liking to America's sweet-horse and his owner when Ed offers some clutch batting tips to the team.

The episode featured Willie Davis, Johnny Roseboro, and Moose Skowron, as well as the voice of Vin Scully. Mr. Ed even got to take some BP with Sandy Koufax, hitting one out of the park. If you enjoyed Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (and if you didn't, you're lying), you'll be equally delighted by the generally not-seen-in-nature sight of a horse at bat:

Enjoy.

At-Game Recap: One Screenshot (August 28, 2013 vs. Cubs)

I went to the Wednesday day game last week and all I got was this lousy screenshot.

It was fun, though. And not as hot as Sunday's game against the Padres.

But here's the proof. Shot taken from club level.

Post-Game 138 Thread: Forever, Young

DODGERS 7, ROCKIES 4

Michael Young, who estimates that he went to Dodger Stadium around 20 times a year while growing up in Covina, got his first hit as a Dodger tonight. Young was 0-for-4 in the ninth inning when he singled to left field, and then came around to score on Charlie Culberson's three-run E7 (dropped fly ball). There's your Dodgers memory, Young! Cherish it forever!

Ricky Nolasco had another solid if not shutout outing (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 3 Ks). J.P. Howell was nails in the seventh, Ronald Belisario was the opposite of nails in the eighth and ninth (this is starting to be worrisome, if he's reverting to early-season form), and Chris Withrow got the final out.

Carl Crawford went 3-for-5 with 2 RBI; Nick Punto followed in the two-hole by going 4-for-5; and even Tim Federowicz had a 2-for-3 night with an RBI. Andre Ethier went 1-for-2 with three walks (two runs scored) and that fly ball in the ninth off the bat of Mark Ellis was the insurance we needed to win the game. Dodgers take the series, with the final game at Coors Field tomorrow evening.

Magic number drops to 13, pending the outcome of the Blue Jays @ D'backs game (6-4 Toronto in the bottom of the seventh).

Game 138 Thread: Sept. 3 @ Rockies, 5.30p

Ricky Nolasco (11-9, 3.26) vs. Jhoulys Chacin (13-7, 3.08).

NL West Magic Number: 14

The Dodgers are 35-8 since the All-Star break, eclipsing the Rockies' 19-23 record. But the Dodgers will face a red-hot Chacin, who, in his last outing, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Coors Field before Brandon Belt got a cheap two-out single. More awkwardly not I could written have that sentence last, but you get the idea. Nolasco is also riding high: 6-1 with the Dodgers, including a 5-0, 1.64 ERA in August. Not too shabby.

You know who else isn't looking too shabby? Juan Uribe, who got prepared for this road trip by breaking out the red pants. Uribe will have time to wear those pants, given Michael Young (he of the three-pitch K yesterday) will get the start today, his first start with the Dodgers. [UPDATE 2:41p: Not only is he getting the start, Young is batting fourth.] Given Uribe is 0-for-15 with six strikeouts in his career against Chacin, that may not be such a bad idea.

I say, rest everybody. We can't afford any more tweaked knees. Let's take it easy out there today, guys.

Jameer Nelson, baby: Magic #14

Uribe photo lifted (with some effort; after all, it is Uribe) from the Dodgers' instagram account

Dodgers tickets

At-Game Recap: Melting In The Sun (Sept. 1, 2013 vs. Padres)

Sunday's game this past Labor Day weekend was incredibly hot at the Stadium, so much so that it almost made it unbearable. It had that humid oppressiveness which would have been disgusting at Turner Field altogether. At Dodger Stadium, it wasn't that bad, but it was enough to find beads of sweat rolling down from your elbow and the back of your neck. One ended up being stuck to the seat.

Luckily I had great company at the game not to mention a fly-by from SoSG Dusty Baker and his groupies, which is always a pleasurable experience.

SoSG Trivia: This is not the first time I've used "Melting In The Sun", let alone an INXS reference, in an At-Game Recap. What's more, the Dodgers also won that game, much beer was again consumed, AND Sax and Dusty dry humped during the game. Eerie coincidences (and lack of originality) abound!

Oh, and I had beer. Admittedly, domestic light beer (it was hot!), but "beer" nonetheless.

KTLA guy was there. Man, that's a pretty cheesy jersey. I hope a bowl of soup came with that.

Cotton-ball clouds up above.

That is a long, loony last name.

Finally, someone found a good use for the Dodgers "hulk hands". It makes a large beer look like a 12-ouncer!

Spot the typo (unfortunately, it's not the 0-for-3 performance on the right).

52,168, as Jansen deals to Kotsay for the final out.

Dodgers SWEEP the Padres!

This time I took fewer shots of the field than normal. But whenever I was looking at the action on the field, I was trying to remember every shadow, every blade of grass, every bead of sweat--and save those images in my mind for later.

The summer of 2013 is going to move on much too quickly, I'm afraid. I want to savor every moment. Even the oppressively hot and humid ones.

SooHoo Talks

Post-Game 137 Thread: Where a Win Feels Kinda Like a Loss

DODGERS 10, ROCKIES 8

Not sure how to feel about this one. One the one hand, Kershaw looked less than mediocre for the second time in a row, and though he got the win, he left after 5 innings (81 pitches). A succession of May-like relievers followed; Wilson was effective but Belli and League were not. Even Kenley looked human, giving up a home run and barely scraping three outs. Aside from the pitching, the fielding was shaky at times and there were a few questionable base-running situations. Michael Young struck out on three pitches in his Dodger debut. Worse, Puig had to leave the game with a mild strain of his right knee.

On the other hand, the offense produced ten runs and just kept chugging along despite the pitching keeping giving up leads. Ethier had a bomb and went 3-4 with 3 RBI and 3 runs scored. Uribe went 3-5 and had some timely hits. Even Kershaw got in on the offense, getting 2 hits and 2 RBI. Dodgers move to 12.5 games above the Dbags and narrow the magic number to 14.

Sooooo...we won, but the hard way. Leaves this reporter thirsty and surly, just the way the day began.

Buster Olney Likes Colletti's Dumpster Diving

Image likely not of Ned Colletti

Whatever Ned Colletti has been selling lately, it appears ESPN.com's Buster Olney has been buying (link insider only):

The postseason often comes down to bullpen and bench, as some managers will argue, so in that context, think about what Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has done in recent weeks:

1. Added Carlos Marmol, a plus arm with a wipeout slider, in a salary dump by the Cubs. Look, Cubs fans may never forgive him for all of his blown saves, but while with the Dodgers, he’s thrived pitching in low-leverage spots. He hasn’t allowed a run in his past 11 outings for L.A., allowing just five hits in 11 innings. He costs the Dodgers $500,000 for this year. (In that deal, the Dodgers also acquired $200,000 in international-signing cap space.)

2. Signed Brian Wilson, who threw in the 93 mph range in his first three appearances. The Dodgers are paying him $1 million.

3. Signed Edinson Volquez. For $82,000, the Dodgers have somebody to compete with Chris Capuano for the No. 5 spot in the rotation who also gives them some fall-back in case they're hit by a series of injuries.

4. Traded for Michael Young. The Dodgers really didn’t have anybody to step in at first base in the event that Adrian Gonzalez went down. Now they add a proven veteran hitter who can not only play first base, if needed, but could also play third or the two middle-infield positions, or pinch-hit. He’ll cost the Dodgers $810,000.

Juan Uribe figures to hold on to the everyday job at third base, but Young’s presence will continue to push him -- and throughout the roster, there will be a lot of internal competition. Once Matt Kemp comes back, the four outfielders -- Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier and Kemp -- will be battling for three spots. Nick Punto, Skip Schumaker, Jerry Hairston and Young are all available if Uribe struggles or if Mark Ellis gets hurt.

Are you looking for experienced depth? Well, Young has played in the World Series twice, Schumaker has won two championship rings, Hairston was part of the Yankees’ championship team in 2009, Punto has played in the postseason three times and Wilson got the final out of the 2010 World Series.

The Dodgers can do a lot of stuff because they have a big payroll, but a lot of these moves were done on the cheap -- Marmol, Young, Wilson and Volquez cost L.A. about $2.4 million altogether.

Without a doubt, we have incredible versatility in the discarded players we have to use. Will any of them step up to be a factor for us in the playoffs (amidst reduced roster sizes)? We'll see.

photo swiped from here

Game 137 Thread: September 2 vs. Rockies, 1p

Clayton Kershaw (13-8, 1.72 ERA) vs. Chad Bettis (0-3, 4.80 ERA)

Food for thought: If Chad Billingsley and Jerome Bettis ever had a love child, the kid would have the biggest thighs of all time.

This game time snuck up on us here at SoSG World Headquarters. Sax and I saw each other at Dodger Stadium like ten minutes ago or so, right? Weird.

Today the Dodgers take on the Rockies for a three-game set, fresh off their sweep of the Pod Rays yesterday. The elimination number for the Dbags is now 16, and the Dodgers have a healthy 11.5 game lead on them. I'm guessing that with that lead and with the expanded roster, we'll start to see some crazy lineups made to get the regulars some rest. Which also may lead to bad baseball. And likely to some poorly-constructed Game Threads here. In fact, we're resting Stubbs for the stretch run, too; we need him for the playoffs.

photo 1: Jeff Gross/Getty Images North America

photo 2: several random websites with no attribution

Post-Game 135 Thread: Arriving Fashionably Late

Swiped from a 2012 post from Rog Hernandez' blog. Which goes to show you: Giants fans show up late on purpose.

DODGERS 2, PADRES 1

Chris Capuano had a pretty good start on Saturday (7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB and 7 Ks), yielding only a solo HR to Ronny Cedeno in the fourth. The Dodgers were apparently so surprised by this Capuano performance that they did nothing offensively for seven innings, before Adrian Gonzalez' RBI single in the seventh to tie it, followed by Mark Ellis' PH RBI single in the eighth to win it.

Brian Wilson gets the win for his scoreless eighth inning; Kenley Jansen gets his 23rd save for his scoreless ninth.

2-1 victories against the Padres aren't very inspiring (as we know now, there's another one coming in the series' final game), but hey, we'll take it. We won't be able to show up fashionably late come October, however.

More recent posts from that aforementioned blog:

Post-Game 136 Thread: I'm Melllllltiiiing!!!

DODGERS 2, POD RAYS 1

Notgonnalie it was a scorcher at Dodger Stadium today. The beer went in one orifice and out the other fairly rapidly, and the thirst never seemed quite quenched given the humidity. And not much to talk about in terms of offense, whether by the Dodgers OR the Pod Rays. This one was mostly a battle of attrition; as long as Greinke could keep pitching and keep the score low, we could get to their bullpen, right? Well, that took awhile.

Nonetheless, Dodgers gutted it out like they always do and ultimately won it on a solo Puig home run to left center field in the sixth. That, my friends, gave us the series sweep, despite the fact that Greinke didn't take the chance to plunk Quentin or Kennedy.

Yours truly and the Dustettes stayed to watch The Sandlot after the game. What a treat to take in a great baseball flick after the game. And props to the several original cast members from the movie who stayed and signed autographs and posed for pictures throughout the entire screening; top class you guys, and clearly appreciated by your many fans who had stayed to watch.

On to Colorado, and let's win there.

Call Ups! Get Yer September Call Ups!

Loading up for the stretch!

The Los Angeles Dodgers today recalled catcher Drew Butera, right-handed pitcher Stephen Fife, shortstop Dee Gordon, right-handed pitcher Peter Moylan and first baseman/outfielder Scott Van Slyke from Triple-A Albuquerque.

In addition, Josh Beckett goes to the 60-day DL, newly-acquired Michael Young will join the team in Colorado, and Matt Kemp's return is slightly delayed as he works on his batting timing.

More here at VSIMH.

Game 136 Thread: September 1 vs. Padres, 1p

Zack Greinke (13-3, 2.86) vs. Tyson Ross (3-7, 3.05 ERA)

Although Carlos Quentin is out for the season, Zack Greinke may be thinking revenge for the early season dust-up with the Pod Rays resulting in a broken collarbone that caused him to miss a month or so of the season. But hell, isn't Ian Kennedy on San Diego now? Greinke could somehow throw at him in the dugout, and get revenge for two separate incidents. The best revenge, however, would just be for Zack to win the game convincingly as he's done recently; in fact, if Augustus would have given August 32 days, Greinke could be on the line for his sixth win in the month.

If it sounds like I'm surly this morning, well, I am. I want a win and I want it convincingly. It's been, like, two days since we won convincingly.

SoSG Sax and I will both be at the Yard today, so if anyone fancies a beer and some surl, by all means drop us a line.

Photos: swiped from here and here.

NL West Signs Looking Good

According to MLB.com: