OFFICIAL 2009 DODGERS SEASON THREAD : Season Over. Congratulations Phillies.

[Los Angeles]

thoughts on jarrod washburn?

 

[cincoseisdos]

[h1]Manny doesn't deserve minors stint before return[/h1] [h2]by Tracy Ringolsby, Special to FOXSports.com[/h2]


Manny Ramirez was handed a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy.
What a farce.
While Ramirez is not eligible to rejoin the Dodgers until July 3, baseball found a loophole. On Tuesday he will join the Dodgers' Triple-A Albuquerque affiliate. He is allowed 10 games in the minor leagues to make sure he is ready to play the day the suspension ends.

It doesn't compute.

The minor leagues had a drug policy long before the big leagues. They didn't have to play games with the Major League Baseball Players Association to attack the issue.

So why should Ramirez be given the privilege of getting to play in minor league games before he has served his full suspension? There are no special privileges for minor-league players, guys who are playing for $25,000 or so a year, not $25 million, like Ramirez. When minor-league players face 50-game suspensions they have to serve their suspensions. Nobody finds a way to get them 10 games of competition before they return to the active roster.

What would be fitting is for Pat O'Connor, president and CEO of minor league baseball, to announce that it also has suspended Ramirez for his transgressions and therefore he isn't eligible to play for the Isotopes. Instead, minor league baseball is promoting Ramirez joining the Isotopes, including website headlines that the Ramirez's minor-league rehab games will be available on MiLB.TV.

It isn't like Ramirez was injured. He was suspended for his own actions. So he should have to pay the full price. It's sad that he has even been allowed to work out at Dodger Stadium, although he can't be visible during the time the media is allowed in the clubhouse.

Not fair to the Dodgers, some say. The Dodgers deserve to have a game-ready Ramirez the day his suspension is ended. Why? Teams should be held accountable for the transgressions of their players. If teams suffer enough they might be more vigilant in dealing with potential violations.

The situation is such a farce that after three games with Albuquerque, Ramirez will be allowed to continue his minor-league rehab by playing for Inland Empire of the Single-A California League, which will allow him to commute from his home in Pasadena, instead of having to suffer the indignity of staying in a hotel room.

Get serious.

At least the fans appear to have a clue. Second in the initial announcement of All-Star voting, Ramirez slipped to fourth in the June 2 update, and had fallen to sixth in the voting results that were announced last week.

[h2]Dodger Rumors 6/22[/h2]

by Brendan Scolari on Jun 22, 2009 9:00 AM PDT in News

1 comment


More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Browse more photos »

There's a little more than a month until the July 31st trade deadline but the trade market is starting to heat up. So let's take a look at a couple of rumors swirling about the Dodgers.

According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times the Dodgers aren't interested in free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez. Shaikin writes:

"The Angels scouted Martinez at his workout last week in the Dominican Republic. The Dodgers did not scout the workout, and Manager Joe Torre said that the team has not discussed Martinez since spring training."


Pedro is a lock for the Hall of Fame, but he is nowhere near the pitcher he once was. He has only thrown 137 MLB innings from 2007-2009 and his ERA and FIP last year were the highest of his career. His fastball has lost its zip in recent years; according to a source in the article he was throwing it around 85 MPH at the workout. According to the same source:

"Martinez had good arm speed and quality off-speed pitches but said teams would have to consider whether he could pitch effectively at that velocity or whether he might regain enough velocity in time to help this season."


If the report is true, it's probably a good thing that the Dodgers aren't going after him, especially given his pricetag.

On the trade front, Ken Gurnick writes that Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti is on a trip across the country to scout the Dodgers various prospects. Gurnick goes on to say:

"The likely reason is to determine who to keep and who to include in deals as he looks to bolster the starting rotation. One veteran rumored on his radar is Seattle left-hander Jarrod Washburn."


We should probably expect a trade for pitching sometime between now and the deadline. The question is whether the Dodgers acquire an ace, a mid rotation starter, or a reliever. And if we do want a mid-rotation starter, is Washburn the guy? He's having a great year with a 3.24 ERA and a 3.76 FIP in 83.1 innings, although his 6.8% HR/FB ratio is unsustainable. ZiPS projects a 4.55 ERA out of Washburn for the remainder of the season. Personally I'd be worried that Colletti would overvalue Washburn's improvements and give up too much in a trade, but that's just me.

I don't want to forget to mention Kenchanayoh's insightful fanpost examining some of the possible moves the Dodgers could make to upgrade the team for the post-season push. Make sure to take a look at that as well.

[h2][/h2]

[h2][size=+2]Dodgers top Angels, take series[/size][/h2]
[size=-1]By STEVE DILBECK
Special to the Press-Enterprise[/size]
ANAHEIM - Clayton Kershaw reeks of dreamy potential. The kind that can get some ahead of themselves with visions of a storied future.

Young and powerful, the Dodgers' No.1 draft pick is still only 21, still learning this major-league game, still getting comfortable at not trying to blow a fastball by each hitter.

"I don't think half the time he knows what he's doing," Manager Joe Torre said.

If so, the Angels were left dreading the finished product Sunday, Kershaw shutting them out for seven innings to lead the Dodgers to a 5-3 victory before an Angel Stadium sellout crowd of 43,891.

Supported by two RBI doubles from leadoff hitter Juan Pierre and a two-run homer from James Loney that ricocheted off the right-field railing, Kershaw outdueled John Lackey to enable to the Dodgers to capture the weekend series against the Angels.

Kershaw's 4-5 record hardly screams All-Star material, but he held the Angels to four hits, striking out five and walking four.

He's clearly not a finished product, still tending to fall behind the count too many times and pitching himself into jams. But he's beginning to figure the game out, learning to trust more than his fastball when he falls behind.

"He's obviously still in the learning process," pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said. "Yeah, his delivery can get a little sped up at times. But at the same time, he's able to come back. Just when you think things are unraveling, he comes back and makes some big pitches."

Kershaw pitched himself into major trouble in the fifth inning. Leading 1-0 on Pierre's first run-scoring double, Kershaw walked Sean Rodriguez, threw Erick Aybar's bunt into center, wild-pitched both runners up and then walked Chone Figgins to load the bases.

"It could have gotten pretty hairy," Kershaw said.

But Kershaw got Bobby Abreu to hit a hard one-hopper back to the mound. Kershaw fired home to start a double play and then got Torii Hunter to pop up.

"We had plenty of opportunities and we just didn't capitalize on the mistakes he made. We had 12 runners stranded," Hunter said.

The Angels never threatened him again, and Kershaw extended his streak to 122/3 scoreless innings. He hasn't had a bad start since a pair of outings in late April, posting a 2.44 ERA over his past nine starts.

The Dodgers hope it's only the beginning.

"When you're young and have that kind of power, it's easy to get caught up and trying to go harder and harder," Honeycutt said. "That's the learning curve that has to happen. Some people never learn that.

"You're seeing more and more of it in his game - that trust factor and learning."

Lackey (2-3) nearly matched Kershaw, allowing Pierre's RBI hit for six innings. Then Matt Kemp bunted for a hit in the seventh, was sacrificed over by Brad Ausmus and scored on another Pierre double.

Loney's fourth home run made it 4-0 in the eighth.

The Angels finally broke through against the Dodgers' bullpen, scoring an unearned run in the eighth on a Casey Blake throwing error.

After Pierre scored in the ninth on a Blake infield hit, the Angels scored two more against Jonathan Broxton on a Hunter double and Juan Rivera's single, but Mike Napoli grounded out to end the rally.

There was too much early Kershaw for the Angels to overcome.

"Once he gets a feel for this pitching stuff - locating the ball - he's going to be pretty good," Torre said.

NOTES

The Angels announced a new award: The Nick Adenhart "Pitcher of the Year" award will be given to the top pitcher as selected by teammates.

Kobe Bryant sat behind the Dodgers' dugout with his father, Joe.

Angels right-hander Ervin Santana threw a bullpen session Sunday and is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies barring any issues.

DODGERS 5, ANGELS 3

[h1]Clayton Kershaw is really growing on Dodgers[/h1]

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Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw threw seven innings of shutout ball against the Angels on Sunday, striking out five and walking four while giving up four hits.

The 21-year-old left-hander shows maturity Joe Torre has been looking for, escaping bases-loaded, no-out jam and pitching seven scoreless innings in 5-3 win over Angels.

By Ben Bolch
June 22, 2009
Potential distractions were everywhere for Clayton Kershaw in the fifth inning Sunday.

Kobe Bryant was seated in the first row behind the Dodgers dugout. A fan ran onto the Angel Stadium field and decked a security guard. And, in the most worrisome development for Kershaw, the Angels loaded the bases with nobody out.

None of it fazed the young left-hander.

"He's 21," Dodgers Manager Joe Torre said. "I was still drooling at 21. He's far ahead of a lot of youngsters."

In a coming-of-age performance, Kershaw persevered through seven scoreless innings of a 5-3 triumph that gave the Dodgers their first series victory at Angel Stadium since July 2004.
"It's huge," said Kershaw, who helped the Dodgers improve the best record in baseball to 46-24 while depriving the Angels (36-31) of a chance to move into first place in the American League West. "As much as it can mean in June."

James Loney hit a two-run homer and Juan Pierre had three hits and drove in two runs as the Dodgers handed Angels starter John Lackey his first career loss in 11 interleague starts at home.

Things got dicey for Kershaw only two pitches into the fifth. The crowd roared as a fan sprinted all the way to center field and knocked over a security guard before being knocked down himself and being led away in handcuffs.

"I still had to focus," Kershaw said, "but it was pretty funny."

Said Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp: "I was rolling."

Kershaw (4-5) wasn't smiling when he walked Sean Rodriguez and then fielded Erick Aybar's sacrifice in front of the mound, whirled and threw the ball into center field. Kershaw compounded matters by walking Chone Figgins on five pitches to load the bases.

In the Dodgers dugout, Torre turned to pitching coach Rick Honeycutt and said, "He got himself into this jam, let him get himself out of it."

That's exactly what Kershaw did, fielding Bobby Abreu's comebacker and starting a 1-2-3 double play. He then got Torii Hunter to pop up to shortstop Rafael Furcal to end the inning.

"That inning could have been a self-destructing moment for me," said Kershaw, who has not allowed a run in his last 12 2/3 innings. "I made the pitches when it counted."

The Dodgers had an easier time breaking through against Lackey (2-3), whose 25-inning scoreless streak at home against the Dodgers ended with Pierre's run-scoring double in the fifth.

Pierre added an RBI double over left fielder Juan Rivera's head in the seventh to make it 2-0, and singled in the ninth.

Was Pierre, who hit .462 in the series, trying to make a case for playing time as Manny Ramirez closes in on his return from a 50-game suspension?

"I can't control it, so why even think about it?" Pierre said. "What I'm doing is making the most of my opportunity."

The Angels finally scored in the eighth on third baseman Casey Blake's throwing error but squandered another bases-loaded situation when closer Jonathan Broxton struck out Aybar to end the inning.

Broxton gave up two runs in the ninth before collecting his 17th save when Mike Napoli, who represented the tying run with Rivera on first base, grounded out to end the game.

"We had plenty of opportunities and just didn't come through," Hunter said.

Kershaw is delivering plenty, even in inhospitable environs.

He has compiled a 1.80 earned-run average over his last three road starts and refused to get rattled when things got tough Sunday.

"The kid grew up in a hurry today," Torre said. "This has to do a lot for his confidence."

BILL SHAIKIN / ON BASEBALL

[h1]Dodgers do their best to convert nonbelievers[/h1]

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Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Dodgers first baseman James Loney is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after hitting a decisive two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Angels on Sunday evening.

They improve to 25-16 in Manny Ramirez's absence, having beaten the Phillies, Rangers and Angels recently in road series.

Bill Shaikin
June 22, 2009
Kobe Bryant took his front-row seat behind the Dodgers dugout before the first pitch, and to his credit he stayed until the ninth inning. The sellout crowd at Angel Stadium serenaded him with "M-V-P" chants, and his team beat the home team.

"I come to a bunch of his games," Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp said. "He can start coming to a bunch of our games. You've got to show some love."

You've got to show the Dodgers some love, all of you. We keep wondering whether the Dodgers have the best team in baseball or just the best record, and the Dodgers keep wondering why we might not believe.

The Dodgers spotted the Angels one victory in the weekend series in Anaheim, in the game started by ace Chad Billingsley, then won the series anyway.

They won a series against the first-place Rangers, in Texas. They won a series against the first-place Phillies, in Philadelphia. They haven't lost a series in a month.

"I don't see anybody out there we can't play with," Manager Joe Torre said.

They have not just survived the suspension of Manny Ramirez. They have thrived. They're 25-16 in his absence, the best record in the major leagues during that span.

When Ramirez returns next week, they'll have their best hitter and their opening-day starter, Hiroki Kuroda, in the lineup for the first time since opening day.

"If somebody would have told me Manny would miss 50 games and Kuroda would miss a month and a half and we would be in first place," coach Larry Bowa said, "I would have said, 'Yeah, right.' "

They're in first place, with a bigger lead than when Ramirez last played, with the biggest division lead in baseball.

They have a deep and versatile lineup. Kemp, who leads the team in stolen bases and has the second-highest slugging percentage among the regulars, smartly dropped a bunt single to start a rally Sunday.

On Saturday, he batted ninth.

"It would be hard to put a better nine out," said one American League scout, who is not authorized to discuss his evaluations publicly.

They have a stout defense. On Sunday, first baseman James Loney turned what could have been two throwing errors and a sharply hit grounder into three outs.

The pitching, well, that's why you might hesitate to believe. In spring training, the Dodgers never identified Ronald Belisario, Brent Leach and Ramon Troncoso as their setup men. The coaching staff barely could identify them at all.

The trio has been terrific, but all three are on pace to blow past career highs for innings pitched, a screaming yellow caution flag.

This is the statistic that defines the Dodgers' pitching concerns: Billingsley and Randy Wolf have completed six innings in 26 of 30 starts; the other starters have completed six innings in eight of 40 starts.

"You have to hope the starters go deep," Bowa said. "It's hard to get 10, 11, 12 outs from your bullpen every game.

"You need that security blanket. Some guy might show up with tendinitis in his shoulder. God forbid it's Billingsley, Kuroda or Wolf."

The Dodgers are interested in Jarrod Washburn, who has completed six innings in 11 of 13 starts for the Seattle Mariners. We don't know whether the Dodgers would pick up the remaining part of his $10-million contract -- they traded prospects rather than pick up contracts last summer -- or even whether the Mariners would trade him.

They won't trade him soon, anyway. Seattle is 2 1/2 games out of first place in the American League West.

That makes Clayton Kershaw's performance the most encouraging aspect of Sunday's victory. Kershaw shut out the Angels for seven innings, the first time in five weeks he has pitched so deep into a game.

He has the stuff of an ace, but this is his first full season in the majors, and the Dodgers keep reminding us he is 21. The pennant race does not care how old you are.

"I don't want any crutches just because I'm young," Kershaw said.

If he can reel off a few more starts like the one Sunday, the best team in baseball can stop fretting about an October rotation and start dreaming about one.

[email protected]

---

[h1][/h1]

[h1]With Bryant looking on, Dodgers' Kershaw, Pierre have MVP-type games[/h1]
By Jill Painter, Staff Writer

Posted: 06/21/2009 11:01:31 PM PDT



The Lakers' Kobe Bryant, left, talks to his father, Joe, as they watch the game Sunday. (Jae C. Hong/The Associated Press)

ANAHEIM - Kobe Bryant was the main attraction Sunday at Angel Stadium, not Clayton Kershaw or John Lackey.

Bryant, seated in the front row just behind the Dodgers dugout with his dad, Joe Bryant, received a standing ovation and a rounding rendition of "MVP! MVP!"

Kershaw said he didn't see Bryant in the stands until he was shown on the big screen at Angel Stadium. Bryant didn't show an affinity for either team, but he certainly couldn't ignore the performance of the Dodgers, who dominated the Angels with MVP-type performances by Kershaw and Juan Pierre.

It wasn't that Kershaw was overpowering, rather that he showed moxie and poise when in difficult situations.

Kershaw got out of a bases-loaded jam
in the fifth inning to earn the win, and Pierre was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs as the Dodgers beat the Angels 5-3 to claim three-game Freeway Series after losing Friday's opener.
"The kid grew up in a hurry," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said of Kershaw. "He got himself into a jam. I said to (Rick) Honey(cutt), `He got himself into this thing, let's see him get himself out of it. ... From there on out, he was pretty dominant. I thought he was terrific. Two games ago it was the worst game of the year and the last two have been really good."

Kershaw scattered four hits and walked four in seven innings but managed to not allow any runs.

The Angels came to life in the eighth as Juan Rivera scored on a Casey
Blake throwing error.

Jonathan Broxton was called on to get four outs and earned his 17th save, but it was an eventful ninth.

The Angels scored on Torii Hunter's double to center and Rivera's run-scoring single to center with two outs. Mike Napoli, who had three hits, grounded out to third to end the game.

Lackey said he felt good, but the results didn't match. He allowed four earned runs on nine hits in eight innings.

He gave up a run-scoring double by Pierre to the right-field corner in the fifth, and a run-scoring double by Pierre in the seventh that went over Rivera's head in left field.

Then James Loney hit a two-run homer to right-center field in the eighth that bounced off the top of the wall and back in the field of play. The play was reviewed and ruled a home run.

"It was a tough game," Lackey said. "You've got to give their guy credit. He pitched good enough. He was effectively wild, I guess."

Bryant watched nearly all of the game.

He didn't leave until Rivera's at-bat in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. Guided by security guards, Bryant diverted attention from the game as he walked up the lower-level section, giving high-fives and being serenaded


The Dodgers' Juan Pierre, bottom, steals second base as Angels second baseman Maicer Izturis awaits the throw in the ninth inning Sunday. (Jae C. Hong/The Associated Press)
by the "MVP!" chants another time.
"That's kind of exciting, man" Kemp said. "I've never seen Kobe at a baseball game. We got to show him a little bit about the Dodgers. I was paying attention to see who he was clapping for, but he was just chilling. He didn't want to show love for either side. He was keeping it neutral."

But he was sitting behind the Dodgers dugout. Kershaw joked that he left tickets for Bryant, who lives in nearby Newport Beach.

"He can pick any bench he wants," Kemp said. "He runs this city. He picked the Dodger bench."

 

[usabasketball08]

Is there any website where i can watch the games online?

 

[p mac one]

[table][tr][td]
[/td] [td] [/td] [td]G[/td] [td]AB[/td] [td]R[/td] [td]H[/td] [td]2B[/td] [td]3B[/td] [td]HR[/td] [td]RBI[/td] [td]BB[/td] [td]K[/td] [td]SB[/td] [td]CS[/td] [td]AVG[/td] [td]OBP[/td] [td]SLG[/td] [td]OPS[/td] [td] [/td] [/tr][tr][td] April[/td] [td] [/td] [td]15[/td] [td]20[/td] [td]3[/td] [td]8[/td] [td]1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]2[/td] [td]2[/td] [td]1[/td] [td]1[/td] [td]0[/td] [td].400[/td] [td].455[/td] [td].450[/td] [td].905[/td] [td] [/td] [/tr][tr][td] May[/td] [td] [/td] [td]29[/td] [td]111[/td] [td]23[/td] [td]41[/td] [td]9[/td] [td]3[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]18[/td] [td]11[/td] [td]11[/td] [td]9[/td] [td]4[/td] [td].369[/td] [td].435[/td] [td].504[/td] [td].940[/td] [td] [/td] [/tr][tr][td] June[/td] [td] [/td] [td]18[/td] [td]77[/td] [td]9[/td] [td]21[/td] [td]4[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]0[/td] [td]4[/td] [td]3[/td] [td]6[/td] [td]7[/td] [td]1[/td] [td].273[/td] [td].309[/td] [td].325[/td] [td].633[/td] [/tr][/table]

 

[sinser13]

[table][tr][td]2009 Power Rankings: June 22[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]RK (LW)[/td] [td]TEAM[/td] [td]REC[/td] [td]COMMENT[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]1 (1)[/td] [td]Dodgers[/td] [td]46-24[/td] [td]James Loney only has four home runs, but he's 10th in the NL in RBIs with 45.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]2 (2)[/td] [td]Red Sox[/td] [td]42-27[/td] [td]David Ortiz hit .292 (14-for-4 with four home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs in June.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]3 (

[/td] [td]Cardinals[/td] [td]39-31[/td] [td]Albert Pujols has hit eight home runs in 10 games, while the Cardinals have won eight of 11.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]4 (4)[/td] [td]Yankees[/td] [td]38-31[/td] [td]Alex Rodriguez hit .145 (8-for-55) with two home runs and nine RBIs in June.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]5 (7)[/td] [td]Tigers[/td] [td]38-31[/td] [td]Since April 27, Justin Verlander is 8-1 and has improved his ERA from 9.00 to 3.31.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]6 (5)[/td] [td]Rangers[/td] [td]37-31[/td] [td]Rookie Elvis Andrus has committed 10 errors, the second most among MLB shortstops.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]7 (11)[/td] [td]Angels[/td] [td]36-31[/td] [td]Vladimir Guerrero (393) and Bobby Abreu (244) have 637 career combined home runs, but only four (three from Abreu) in 351 AB this year.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]8 (10)[/td] [td]Rays[/td] [td]37-34[/td] [td]The Rays have won eight of their past 11 to heat up the races in the AL East and among AL wild-card contenders.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]9 (3)[/td] [td]Phillies[/td] [td]36-31[/td] [td]At home the Phillies are 13-22, the worst over the first 35 games for a defending World Series champion.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]10 (6)[/td] [td]Brewers[/td] [td]37-32[/td] [td]Yovani Gallardo has walked 32 batters in 54 innings over his past nine outings.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]11 (9)[/td] [td]Giants[/td] [td]37-31[/td] [td]Pablo Sanchez is hitting .415 (27-for-65) in June, and the Giants are 18-9 since May 23.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]12 (15)[/td] [td]Cubs[/td] [td]34-31[/td] [td]The Cubs, 14th in the NL in runs scored, have scored 26 runs during their four-game winning streak.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]13 (12)[/td] [td]Blue Jays[/td] [td]38-33[/td] [td]The Blue Jays will play nine games in a row at home, where they are 21-13 this year.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]14 (13)[/td] [td]Mets[/td] [td]34-33[/td] [td]Fernando Nieve (2-0) is the only Mets starter with more than one victory since May 29.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]15 (16)[/td] [td]Rockies[/td] [td]36-33[/td] [td]The Rockies have won 16 of 17 and are 18-5 since the arrival of Jim Tracy as manager May 29.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]16 (14)[/td] [td]Twins[/td] [td]35-36[/td] [td]Catcher Joe Mauer, who hit .407, has failed to get a hit in just seven of 46 games.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]17 (17)[/td] [td]Reds[/td] [td]34-34[/td] [td]The Reds are 3-3 in their past six games, 3-3 against West rivals, 17-17 at home and 17-17 on the road.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]18 (19)[/td] [td]Marlins[/td] [td]35-36[/td] [td]Hanley Ramirez hit a home run Sunday against the Yankees, his first since May 21.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]19 (20)[/td] [td]Mariners[/td] [td]35-34[/td] [td]The Mariners are playing above .500 for the first time since May 7.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]20 (1[/td] [td]Braves[/td] [td]32-36[/td] [td]Starters Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens and Derek Lowe are a combined 1-7 in June as the Braves have lost 11 of their past 18 games.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]21 (21)[/td] [td]White Sox[/td] [td]33-36[/td] [td]The White Sox are 14-14 against their divisional rivals, but 12-18 against the rest.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]22 (2[/td] [td]Orioles[/td] [td]32-37[/td] [td]The Orioles are riding a five-game winning streak and have improved to 9-3 in interleague games.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]23 (25)[/td] [td]Astros[/td] [td]32-35[/td] [td]Wandy Rodriguez. who beat Minnesota on Sunday, had been winless since May 20.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]24 (22)[/td] [td]Pirates[/td] [td]31-38[/td] [td]The Pirates lead the NL with 19 triples, including five in 17 games for rookie Andrew McCutchen.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]25 (24)[/td] [td]Athletics[/td] [td]30-38[/td] [td]The Athletics have scored 45 runs in their past 17 games for an average of 3.1 runs per game.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]27 (26)[/td] [td]Royals[/td] [td]29-39[/td] [td]The Royals have allowed 53 runs in their past five games, all losses, after limiting the opposition to nine runs in their previous five.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]27 (27)[/td] [td]Padres[/td] [td]30-38[/td] [td]The Padres are 6-26 in interleague games since June 20, 2007.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]28 (23)[/td] [td]Indians[/td] [td]29-42[/td] [td]After a 3-0 shutout over St. Louis on June 14, the Indians have lost six straight games.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]29 (29)[/td] [td]Diamondbacks[/td] [td]29-41[/td] [td]Justin Upton has hit .344 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs since May 1.[/td] [/tr][tr][td] [/td] [td]30 (30)[/td] [td]Nationals[/td] [td]20-47[/td] [td]The Nationals had won four straight games, their best streak since September 2008, before losing to Toronto on Sunday.[/td] [/tr][/table]

 

[p mac one]

Dom. Kennedy vs. G.O.D. Jewels

 

[jakecuevas]

Originally Posted by USABasketball08

Is there any website where i can watch the games online?

 

[in yo nostril]

Originally Posted by jakecuevas

Originally Posted by USABasketball08

Is there any website where i can watch the games online?

www.watchdodgersgamesonlineforfree.com

 

[cincoseisdos]

[h3]Manny finding his rhythm in workouts[/h3]Dodgers bullpen catcher Flippo says slugger is raking in BP
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com

06/22/09 1:44 PM ET

LOS ANGELES -- Manny Ramirez is hitting better now than he was before the start of his 50-game suspension for violating MLB's drug policy.

That's the opinion of the guy whose pitches Ramirez has been hitting.

Rob Flippo, whose regular job is to serve as bullpen catcher for the Dodgers, has spent some overtime throwing extra batting practice to Ramirez in his morning workouts at Dodger Stadium.

And Flippo said the Ramirez, who will start a Minor League assignment Tuesday night in Albuquerque, is more ready than anyone really knows.

"For me, he looks more like he did last year than he did at any time in Spring Training," said Flippo. "From Spring Training and right until he got suspended, he was still trying to find a rhythm. Even in April, he still looked like a hitter going through Spring Training games. He was still trying to get it to click."

Which was understandable, because Ramirez signed late, reported to the Dodgers' first Arizona Spring Training almost three weeks after the rest of the club, tried to rush his way onto the field, was slowed by a tight hamstring and never looked comfortable.

Ramirez's journey back to the Major Leagues will begin Tuesday night at Triple-A Albuquerque, and fans can follow his every move on MiLB.TV. After his Trade Deadline deal from the Red Sox to the Dodgers last year, Ramirez was other-worldly, hitting .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 games. This year, prior to his May 7 suspension, Ramirez hit .348 with six homers and 20 RBIs in 27 games. Ramirez also found clubs reluctant to pitch to him, receiving 26 walks in the 27 games compared to 35 walks in the 53 games last year.

"I can tell just by watching how the balls carry," said Flippo. "You can tell -- the way his rhythm is going when he has it together. You can tell if he looks comfortable. You can tell when a guy is fighting it. Everything is looking easy for him, as easy as when he came to us.

"One thing I can tell, when I throw a good pitch down the middle, I expect that to be hit. With him, even when I don't give him a good pitch, he still drives it. In Spring Training, if he got one of those bad pitches, he didn't hit it that good. Last year, when he joined us, no matter where the pitch was, he hit it hard. And right now, it's the same thing with him."

The 42-year-old Flippo is in his eighth season as the Dodgers' bullpen catcher and batting practice pitcher. A Stockton native, he attended San Joaquin Delta College, Fresno State, the University of the Pacific and received a masters degree from the University of South Alabama. He played and coached in the Dodgers' Minor League system before joining the staff.

Flippo said Ramirez's workouts, under the direction of Dodgers coach Manny Mota, are much as they were during Spring Training.

"He's not doing anything different than his regular batting practice," Flippo said. "It's like when he came into Spring Training. He would sometimes ask for a little extra live throwing, in the cage mostly. He didn't ask me to come, but I usually get to the ballpark early anyway when my family's not in town -- maybe I'll workout -- and when he saw me, he asked if I could throw to him. He really doesn't ask for anything special. Maybe for me it means an extra hour.

"When he wants extra swings, it's not like we're out there for hours. He might ask for 25 throws, that's it. And almost always he's going the other way. A lot of good hitters are like that, they want to drive every pitch the other way."

Flippo said for a batting practice pitcher, it's actually satisfying when the hitter obliterates one of your offerings. That's what Ramirez has been doing lately. And Flippo has learned to appreciate Ramirez's rare skills from the distance of 60 feet, six inches.

"Until last year, I had never seen him on a regular basis," Flippo said. "He comes to us and he never seemed to be off balance on a swing or get fooled by a pitch, but he did in Spring Training and he did in April. He never seemed to be in his rhythm. But he does now."



http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgerthoughts/

« Dodgers guarantee at least .500 record during Manny Ramirez suspension | Main | Manny Ramirez deserves his rehab assignment »

June 22, 2009
[h1]Dodgers vs. the Volcano[/h1]

"So I'm not sick? Except for this terminal disease."

-- Joe Banks, "Joe vs. the Volcano"

In the midnight hour, Dodger Thoughts reader Hollywood Joe had the following insight about what's become almost a nationwide examination of the Dodgers' bullpen usage.

I think this bullpen thing is an ounce of truth being stretched into a pound of story.

Why?

Because the Dodgers had the best record in baseball, and then they lost Manny Ramirez, and the story was the destruction of the Dodgers, but that didn't happen, so that story had to go away.

Then the story was that the Dodgers needed a starting pitcher and then should sign Glavine, Pedro or trade for Peavy, and so on ... but the Dodgers starting pitching is one of the league's best, so that story had to go away (kinda).

Now the Dodgers still have the best record and have had the best record since Manny departed, [so you] need a new angle on the team -- voila, the overworked bullpen!

If you have the best record in baseball, a lot of people need to talk about you, and they need some negative doomsayer stories to balance out all the puff pieces on the O-Dawg. And Joe does has a reputation in this regard.

Voila, the great bullpen concern. This will last a bit longer, and then the stories will turn to Manny -- will he be the same? Team chemistry? Yadda yadda yadda. ...

As Patricia Graynamore says to Joe, "It's always going to be something with you, isn't it?"

It's true that the past week was a particularly rough one for the Dodger bullpen, with Jonathan Broxton's injury and heavy usage for Ramon Troncoso and Ronald Belisario. Even I could see that. It's worth noting that for all the talk of Joe Torre being utterly reckless with his bullpen, he let Guillermo Mota pitch in an eighth-inning tie rather than use any of the aforementioned three. Still, it was a trying stretch of games.

But I see numerous in-house options for the Dodgers: on the staff now, coming off the disabled list and in the minors. Honestly, there are too many names to list. The pedigrees might not seem like much, but they're the same pedigrees that Troncoso and Belisario had. Finding the right bullpen combination is an ongoing process of trial and error. As long as you have people to turn to, and as long as you don't expect perfection, you shouldn't despair. The Dodgers have a cupboard full of candidates from which they can find another pitcher or two to provide the handful of innings needed to take some of the burden off Troncoso, Belisario and Broxton.

Similarly, while the Dodger starting rotation has not amassed huge numbers of innings, this focus on demanding starters to go six innings each start underrates the value of knowing that in almost every game, the starters will go more than five. Finding another pitcher to get an extra couple of outs every other day is not climbing Everest.

You always want the Dodgers to improve overall as an organization, but as I wrote in the Underdog's Dividend, you cannot construct a team that will go 162-0. Every team has its weaknesses, its vulnerabilities. Yes, it could turn out that the Dodgers burn out all their best relievers and that no one is able to step up to save the day. For that matter, any Dodger pitcher could blow out his arm tomorrow. There's no insurance against it.

But the idea that this will cripple the Dodger season assumes that no one else in the organization can make the kind of leap that Troncoso and Belisario did. It assumes that Cory Wade, the great setup reliever from 2008, can recapture none of his form. It assumes that the return of Ramirez will not reduce any of the late-inning pressure. It assumes that the Dodgers' seven-game lead over any other team in the National League is meaningless. It assumes the worst many times over. And honestly, that might be a comfortable place for some people to be, but it's not logical.

Baseball is a game in which tiny events have enormous repercussions. You can't plug every hole. The Dodgers are no lock to win. But as you look at the Dodgers' problems, make sure you look at them in context with the problems that other teams face. And then tell me whether the Dodgers are doomed.

"Nobody knows anything, Joe," Patricia says. "We'll take this leap, and we'll see. We'll jump, and we'll see. That's life, right?"

* * *

Eric Milton pitched 5 1/3 innings of scoreless rehab Sunday for Class A Inland Empire. The Dodgers are off today, so Milton's return appears due for the end of this week, writes Ken Gurnck at MLB.com.

The good start by Jeff Weaver this weekend did not convince Dodger manager Joe Torre that Weaver should stay in the rotation.

"I think he favors the bullpen," said Torre. "He's valuable out of the bullpen. To me, I learned this long ago -- when a game gets out of hand early, you need somebody to stop the bleeding and give your team a chance to catch up. He seems very comfortable in that role. That's where I'd rather have him."


And Eric Stults isn't ready to begin a rehab assignment.

Over in Albuquerque, Will Ohman pitched a scoreless inning, followed by a five-inning, 83-pitch outing by Jason Schmidt, who resumed his rehabilitation by allowing two runs, four hits and four walks. Claudio Vargas followed with two innings of two-run ball.

I've noticed on some message boards that any news of Schmidt pitching actually angers some commenters, something I find perplexing. I can understand being frustrated with the outcome of Schmidt's Dodger contract, but he's out there trying to find a way to contribute instead of sitting at home day trading. Whether he succeeds or not, that's good, right?

* * *

Sons of Steve Garvey examines the Dodgers' free-parking venture from last week and concludes that "the Great Parking Experiment of Aught-Nine was a win-win situation for fans and management."

* * *

The latest self-proclaimed classic is the Hall of Fame Classic at Cooperstown, N.Y. Bruce Maruksen writes about it for the Hardball Times. The new game is made up of baseball old-timers rather than a collection of reluctant active major-leaguers.

Dodger broadcaster Steve Lyons singled in the tying run, scored the winning run and also, as Samantha Carr of the Hall of Fame wrote, provided a couple of the most fun moments.

... One of the early highlights was the defensive play of Zach D'Errico. Most fans had never heard of him, but that is because he is an 11-year-old from Schenectady, N.Y., who was at the game with his dad, Rich, and was brought out on the field by shortstop Steve Lyons.

Lyons let D'Errico field a ground ball -- and the youngster and the former White Sox and Red Sox utility player promptly began a 6-4-3 double play to end the first inning. ...

... (In the bottom of the fifth), Lyons followed with an RBI single to tie the game. When Lyons made it to second, military All-Star Cooper Brannan and second baseman Bobby Grich tried the old hidden-ball trick to pick him off, but Lyons didn't fall for it, and the game remained tied.

Two batters later, former Yankees third baseman Mike Pagliarulo hit an RBI double, and Lyons slid safely into home plate. ...

 

[cincoseisdos]

Beltre

It hurts seeing dude look SO clueless. I know aside from 2004 he was just an overtouted prospect, but I don't get it. I still remember being hurt watching his M's debut during my Christmas Vacation at a PC cafe in Mexico.

[h1][/h1]

[h1]We've Had It With Adrian Beltre[/h1]
Until recently, the rabid M's fan blog Lookout Landing sported this tagline: "If You Think Adrian Beltre Is Bad And/Or Overrated, I Hate You And Find You Stupid."
Fair enough. Beltre isn't bad or overrated. A Gold Glover and above-average offensive player, he's the best third baseman in Mariner history.

He just stinks at the craft of hitting a baseball.

A child prodigy (he was signed--illegally--at age 15 by the Dodgers), Beltre retains the free-swinging approach of a young hitter. It's as if Bill Gates still used punchcards.

Despite possessing the best power and bat speed combo of any Mariner hitter this decade, Beltre's poor habits have consigned him to be just a mediocre offensive producer.

And after four-plus seasons of watching Beltre's haplessness at-plate, our frustration meter has climbed to "*****y."

Come, live the pain of a Seattle Mariners fan.

Thursday afternoon, Beltre came to bat in the tenth inning with the go-ahead run on second base.

The previous hitter, rookie Mike Carp, had worked a walk, laying off some tempting offerings near the outside corner.

Beltre got the same careful approach--and struck out on three pitches.

Adrian Beltre: Fourteen years of major league experience, earns $13M/year, sculpted physique.

Mike Carp: Two days of major league experience, makes the league minimum, stomach flops above his belt when he runs.

And Carp has the better batting eye.

What kind of God allows this to happen?

Ted Williams, another preternaturally talented hitter of Latino descent (Williams' mother was Mexican), was baseball's greatest student of hitting. To illustrate his philosophy, Williams created a chart consisting of 77 colored baseballs. In the middle, .400--what you'll hit if you swing at perfect pitches. On the perimeter, .260--what you'll hit if you swing at crappy ones. The philosophy, as another hitter* once put it: "You wait for a strike, then you knock the +*@# out of it."

Ted Williams would vomit if he saw Adrian Beltre hit.

The pitches Beltre swings at don't even make Williams' chart, they're so far from home plate.

Which makes it all the more incredible that Beltre has consistently hit major league pitching--the most difficult task in all of pro sports--despite lacking the hitting knowledge of the rawest major league rookie. That's how talented Beltre is.

And that's why it's so frustrating. If Beltre would exhibit an iota of plate discipline, he'd put up All-Star numbers. If he exhibited Williams' discipline, he might match Teddy Ballgame and hit .400.

If only some old-school bastard had forced a young Beltre to learn the twin tasks of pitch recognition and plate discipline, he could've been legendary.

Instead, Beltre swings and swings. And when his "plan" puts him at a disadvantage, he swings more.

In Beltre's 12-year career, he's dug himself an 0-2 hole in 1,272 plate appearances. In those plate appearances, he's worked back to get a walk only 13 times. 13! In 12 years!

Russell Branyan--hardly a Ted Williams--has already worked four such walks just this season.

During those 12 years, despite his impatient approach, Beltre has put up some outstanding numbers. In 2004, Beltre hit 48 homers for Los Angeles. He was a free agent that winter, and the Mariners signed him to a 5-year/$64 million contract. As a Mariner, Beltre hasn't approached his '04 numbers, but he has averaged more than 20 homers over four seasons--the best sustained offensive performance by a third baseman in Mariner history.

But now, as Beltre inches into his thirties, his impatient approach isn't getting the job done. Plagued by a recurring shoulder injury, and perhaps slowed by age, Beltre's power has deserted him. He has just five home runs this year.

If Beltre's power loss is permanent, and he just keeps swinging away, he'll be just another no-bat, good-glove third baseman. And as a free-agent at the end of this season, he may find himself taking a multi-million dollar paycut--if he gets a job offer at all. If Beltre doesn't change his approach now, his career may be over.

And over at Lookout Landing, the Beltre line is gone. The site's tagline is now "The Official Website For People Who Dream Of Doing Naughty Naughty Things To Russell Branyan."

 

[eyegiantjackpot]

interesting about the money they made from free parking..

it totally makes sense that they would make more

 

[cincoseisdos]

Here's Dre with the leg kick

 

[Los Angeles]

Good, there's proof, now what I said didn't sound crazy.

Coming home late with NO dodger game = horrible.


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgerthoughts/

[h1]Manny Ramirez deserves his rehab assignment[/h1]
Let me get this straight. Manny Ramirez was suspended from the major leagues for 50 games. And now people are upset that he will play in minor-league games before his 50-game major-league suspension is up?

I'm sorry, but you've got to be kidding me.

First, this isn't a Ramirez-only rule. Every suspended MLB player has the right to a rehab assignment. J.C. Romero pitched in five minor-league games before returning from his 50-game suspension.


Romero isn't exactly a nobody; he's an important part of the National League East-leading Phillies' bullpen. His rehab assignment, in which he allowed runs in two of his five outings, helped prepare him to begin his 2009 major-league season with six consecutive scoreless games. Where was the outcry then?


Second, if Ramirez were able to come back to the majors after a 50-game absence at full strength without a rehab assignment, no one would have a beef, right? So what are people really upset about? That he's actually going to be appearing on a minor-league field?


No, they're upset because they think Ramirez is getting special treatment, when in fact nothing of the kind is happening.


These games are nothing more than workouts for Ramirez. Saying Ramirez shouldn't get to play in any minor-league games while serving a major-league suspension is just like saying he should have been banned from any form of exercise since May 7.


This argument I'm making is not about Ramirez being a Dodger. I fully support any major-leaguer getting a rehab assignment at the end of a suspension -- precisely because the alternative doesn't make sense. The alternative calls for either a) the player doing the rehab after the suspension, thus effectively increasing the suspension beyond the agreed-upon term, or b) the player being forced to rush back before he's ready, which also effectively increases the punishment. It isn't fair.


The punishment for Ramirez's violation is a 50-game suspension from the major leagues plus a loss of salary. That's the punishment, and it's already severe. Don't try to change the punishment after the fact.

 

[sinser13]

no dodgers game today, ill just watch A's vs giants.

 

[mr jordan04]

My black box went down so it's really boring now when there's no dodger games

 

[ooiron manoo]

Originally Posted by bright nikes




http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgerthoughts/

[h1]Manny Ramirez deserves his rehab assignment[/h1]
Let me get this straight. Manny Ramirez was suspended from the major leagues for 50 games. And now people are upset that he will play in minor-league games before his 50-game major-league suspension is up?

I'm sorry, but you've got to be kidding me.

First, this isn't a Ramirez-only rule. Every suspended MLB player has the right to a rehab assignment. J.C. Romero pitched in five minor-league games before returning from his 50-game suspension.


Romero isn't exactly a nobody; he's an important part of the National League East-leading Phillies' bullpen. His rehab assignment, in which he allowed runs in two of his five outings, helped prepare him to begin his 2009 major-league season with six consecutive scoreless games. Where was the outcry then?


Second, if Ramirez were able to come back to the majors after a 50-game absence at full strength without a rehab assignment, no one would have a beef, right? So what are people really upset about? That he's actually going to be appearing on a minor-league field?


No, they're upset because they think Ramirez is getting special treatment, when in fact nothing of the kind is happening.


These games are nothing more than workouts for Ramirez. Saying Ramirez shouldn't get to play in any minor-league games while serving a major-league suspension is just like saying he should have been banned from any form of exercise since May 7.


This argument I'm making is not about Ramirez being a Dodger. I fully support any major-leaguer getting a rehab assignment at the end of a suspension -- precisely because the alternative doesn't make sense. The alternative calls for either a) the player doing the rehab after the suspension, thus effectively increasing the suspension beyond the agreed-upon term, or b) the player being forced to rush back before he's ready, which also effectively increases the punishment. It isn't fair.


The punishment for Ramirez's violation is a 50-game suspension from the major leagues plus a loss of salary. That's the punishment, and it's already severe. Don't try to change the punishment after the fact.

I like that Dodger Thoughts touched on the Tracy Ringolsby column. I swear, Fox Sports keeps hating on the Dodgers,

.

These media dudes, that have nothing better to do than point fingers with their "holier than thou" attitudes,

.

Ted Williams, another preternaturally talented hitter of Latino descent (Williams' mother was Mexican), was baseball's greatest student of hitting.

Lifelong baseball fan, and I never knew this,

.

I would buy his jersey, but I refuse to buy anything Boston related,

 

[frenchblue23]

Ted Williams, half-Mexican??

 

[in yo nostril]

all the cholos are gonna be rocking the ted williams swap meet throwbacks as soon as this spreads

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

Is there a time table set for Manny's return?

 

[Los Angeles]

of course there is.

 

[badboyf0life420]

damn thank god for this team winning because it doesent even feel like 2 months since manny was suspended, winning heals everything and im glad we get him backin a weekl and half...

 

[Los Angeles]

You guys know Mienkievitz is set to return soon too?

Man that bench is gonna be nuts

 

[Los Angeles]

[h2]The Manny Ramirez Traveling Circus Arrives In Albuquerque[/h2]

by Eric Stephen on Jun 23, 2009 7:00 AM PDT in News

0 comments


More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

He's baaaaaaack!

Browse more photos »

Manny Ramirez will begin his rehabilitation assignment with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes tonight. The 6pm game can be seen or heard online, for free. In addition, ESPN will be showing every Manny plate appearance live. Manny Parra, who struggled with the Brewers to the tune of a 3-8 record and a 7.52 ERA before he was optioned to Nashville, will be the first pitcher Manny faces.

Here are some links around the web:

ABQjournal sports-live: Manny Ramirez Has Been Here Before
Randy Harrison of the Albuquerque Journal tells us that Manny's pro debut came in 1989 as a 17-year old in the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, New Mexico.

Manny doesn't deserve minors stint before return - FOX Sports
Tracy Ringolsby doesn't like the idea of a suspended player getting to play 10 minor league games while suspended:

There are no special privileges for minor-league players, guys who are playing for $25,000 or so a year, not $25 million, like Ramirez. When minor-league players face 50-game suspensions they have to serve their suspensions. Nobody finds a way to get them 10 games of competition before they return to the active roster.

Manny Ramirez deserves his rehab assignment | Dodger Thoughts
Jon Weisman gives a passionate, reasoned rebuttal to Tracy Ringolsby, and others who don't like the idea of Manny Ramirez getting 10 days to rehab while suspended. Weisman invokes the J.C. Romero clause:

First, this isn't a Ramirez-only rule. Every suspended MLB player has the right to a rehab assignment. J.C. Romero pitched in five minor-league games before returning from his 50-game suspension. Romero isn't exactly a nobody; he's an important part of the National League East-leading Phillies' bullpen. His rehab assignment, in which he allowed runs in two of his five outings, helped prepare him to begin his 2009 major-league season with six consecutive scoreless games. Where was the outcry then?

Manny finding his rhythm in workouts | Dodgers.com
Ken Gurnick brings us news of Manny's workouts, including insight from Dodger coach Rob Flippo:

"I can tell just by watching how the balls carry," said Flippo. "You can tell -- the way his rhythm is going when he has it together. You can tell if he looks comfortable. You can tell when a guy is fighting it. Everything is looking easy for him, as easy as when he came to us.

Manny Ramirez's fission statement in Albuquerque - Los Angeles Times
Dylan Hernandez brings the news that Albuquerque is preparing for the big time beginning tonight:

The club says each of the 11,124 permanent seats at Isotopes Park will be filled for the game tonight, the first of as many as four that Ramirez could play with the Isotopes. With the availability of tickets for grass seating behind the right-field wall, the Isotopes are expecting a crowd of 14,000 to 15,000.

Manny Ramirez mania hits minors on eve of rehab stint - ESPN

"He's a cheater," Gutierrez said. "But I still want to see him play." Gutierrez and his father, Julian, were among a steady stream of fans who lined up four- and five-deep at the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes' box office Monday to buy tickets for this week's series against Nashville.



http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgerthoughts/

[h1]Albuquerque prepares for arrival of Manny Ramirez[/h1]


The touchdown of Spaceship Manny Ramirez hasn't turned all of Albuquerque upside down, but it's safe to say that in several parts of the city, in and around Isotopes Park (above), the stars are looking up at the rest of the world for once, and everyone's got a running case of vertigo.

"The effects were evident immediately," said Albuquerque Isotopes play-by-play announcer Robert Portnoy (right), who will be broadcasting the action of Ramirez's return (available online) at 6 p.m. Pacific. "After the story broke Thursday night on latimes.com, there was a line outside the box office the next morning 30 minutes before it opened. More than 6,000 tickets were sold Friday based on that story alone, and there hadn't been any confirmation he would be coming."

Every day since, Portnoy said, the box office has opened at 8 a.m. to feed the heavy ticket demand. And other preparations are being rushed into place.

"Berm seating was made available for advance sale today, because all box and reserved seats for Tuesday's game were sold out," he said. "Portable tables have been moved into the main press area for the additional media, and parking lots adjacent to the ballpark will be home to television production trucks from ESPN, MLB Network and others.

"Previously dirt parking lots have been paved to better suit the additional traffic. The number of uniformed and plainclothes police officers has been increased to ensure that Manny and our fans have a safe and comfortable experience."

Though things seem to be coming fast and furious, the report wasn't a shock. It merely broke the dam that had been building in Albuquerque for long before the past week.

"We've been hopeful since Ned Colletti visited Albuquerque earlier this season," Portnoy commented. "He said it was possible Manny would rehab in Albuquerque. Anticipation has been building since then. There's been a palpable buzz around the ballpark, around the city, for several weeks."

Dylan Hernandez of The Times has more details. The circus is in town. Now it's a matter of making sure the circus doesn't pull a hamstring.

Email Picture

Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Manny Ramirez strolls to the plate for the Dodgers' home opener against the Giants.

BASEBALL

[h1]Manny Ramirez's fission statement in Albuquerque[/h1]

Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Manny Ramirez strolls to the plate for the Dodgers' home opener against the Giants.

The Dodgers slugger's scheduled stint this week with the triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes has set off a chain reaction of Manny love in the New Mexico city.

By Dylan Hernandez
June 23, 2009
Reporting from Albuquerque -- The man in the old Dodgers cap stood with his hands in his pockets.

For an hour, Michael Maldonado waited, staring at the closed windows of the box office. The 51-year-old utility worker said he missed work Monday morning to be first in line. By the time the windows opened at 8 a.m., 14 people were behind him.

"It's a big deal," Maldonado said.

For $18, Maldonado was able to secure two passes to witness what he described as a once-in-a-lifetime event: Manny Ramirez playing for Maldonado's hometown Albuquerque Isotopes.

Maldonado isn't bothered about why Ramirez is here. Yes, Maldonado knows the Dodgers outfielder was suspended for violating baseball's drug policy and has to play in some minor league games to prepare for an anticipated return to the major league lineup on July 3.

"He's a big-time player," Maldonado said. "I'm very overwhelmed."

Nearby, John Traub smiled.

The general manager of the Dodgers' triple-A affiliate, Traub has been involved in minor league baseball for 17 years. He said he has never seen anything like the hysteria that overtook Albuquerque when news broke that Ramirez could be headed its way.

"Not in the least," Traub said.

Team spokesman Steve Hurlbert said the Isotopes have sold more than 40,000 tickets for their four-game series against the Nashville Sounds that starts today and ends Friday.

The team has averaged 7,715 fans per home game this season.

The club says each of the 11,124 permanent seats at Isotopes Park will be filled for the game tonight, the first of as many as four that Ramirez could play with the Isotopes. With the availability of tickets for grass seating behind the right-field wall, the Isotopes are expecting a crowd of 14,000 to 15,000.

Wednesday and Thursday could also be sellouts. Friday could be close.

(Class-A Inland Empire, Ramirez's next expected stop, has already sold out its game Sunday and is close to selling out its game Monday.)

This is without any official word of Ramirez's plans beyond tonight. His tentative schedule calls for him to play in the first three games of the series against Nashville, according to baseball sources familiar with the situation who weren't authorized to discuss the matter.

Ramirez is expected to return to Los Angeles on Friday, hit at Dodger Stadium on Saturday and complete his minor league tour with two or three games with the Inland Empire 66ers, who are based in San Bernardino.

He is expected to start for the Dodgers in San Diego on July 3 in the opener of a three-game series with the Padres.

Ramirez's preliminary plans were first reported on The Times' website Thursday night. Traub said that when he showed up for work the next day at 7:30 a.m., there were already 10 people in front of the ticket office. When the windows opened at 10, there were 50.

Traub said that the Isotopes sold almost 7,000 tickets last Friday alone.

On Saturday, the Isotopes opened their box office two hours earlier than usual. The number of open ticket windows increased from two to nine.

"We were surprised because we couldn't give them confirmation," box-office director Chrissy Baines said.

The Isotopes received confirmation of sorts on Saturday afternoon when Dodgers Manager Joe Torre told reporters in Los Angeles that Ramirez would report to Albuquerque today.

The Isotopes immediately shared that news with fans at the ballpark, making an in-game announcement over the public-address system.

"You heard the buzz in the crowd," Isotopes Manager Tim Wallach said.

The preparations aren't complete either.

Boxes of Manny merchandise are expected to arrive at the ballpark this morning. There will be more points of sale for food, and the number of on-site police officers and security guards will be more than doubled.

The Dodgers will be heavily involved. In addition to hitting coach Manny Mota and assistant general manager Kim Ng, the Dodgers sent their head of security to New Mexico. They also dispatched team spokesman Josh Rawitch, even though a source close to Ramirez said the All-Star outfielder does not intend to speak to reporters this week.

The only other player perceived to be in the prime of his career to drop by these parts in recent years was then-Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark Prior, who made a rehabilitation start as a visiting player on opening night of the 2005 season.

Stars of the future have been rare sightings.

From 2003-08, the Isotopes were the triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, who preferred to send their most promising players directly from double A to the majors.

Miguel Cabrera never played in Albuquerque. Neither did Dontrelle Willis.

Some fans said that's why they never cut their emotional ties with the Dodgers, who had a minor league affiliate in the city in 1963 and '64 and again from 1972-2000.

Tom Lasorda managed here. Davey Lopes, Mike Marshall, Pedro Martinez and Mike Piazza played here.

"I can guarantee that three-quarters of Albuquerque are Dodger fans," said Frank Marquez, a 50-year-old lifelong resident of the city who wore a replica of Ramirez's jersey to the Isotopes' game on Sunday.

"You can see it inside. Everyone's wearing Dodger shirts. That never happened with the Marlins."

Marquez said that he has no doubt Ramirez will receive a standing ovation tonight.

"I can guarantee that," he said.

Steroids or no steroids, Marquez added, Ramirez is one of their players.

Isotopes infielder Blake DeWitt said he got the sense that would probably be the case when he participated in a baseball clinic for kids on Saturday.

"Every little kid was asking, 'Is Manny here yet?' " said DeWitt, who played in 117 games with the Dodgers last year.

Because many of the Isotopes players were in big league camp during spring training or have been in the majors, reaction in the clubhouse has been subdued.

But only to a point.

"I still want to see him here," shortstop Chin-lung Hu said.

Outfielder Jamie Hoffmann, who received his first big league call-up last month, said he never imagined he would play his first game with Ramirez under these circumstances.

"Crazy, huh?" Hoffmann said. "It's weird how things work out."

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[h1]http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgerthoughts/2009/06/kobe-closeup.html[/h1]

[h1]Kobe's closeup[/h1]


When he got great seats for Sunday's Dodgers-Angels game, Dodger Thoughts commenter BigCPA had little idea that he'd soon find himself sitting right behind Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

On the other hand, he did come prepared with his camera, and shot these great pics. Included are a couple of shots of Matt Kemp joshing around from the dugout with Bryant.

BigCPA adds:

The pics that don't speak for themselves are Nos. 21-25, where Kobe is laughing hysterically. That was where the guy ran onto the field and got tackled.

I leaned over and asked him, "Have you ever seen that at Staples?" and he said, "No way! Are you kidding?'"He said, "I wanna see a replay of that ... They gotta show that again!"

More pics:

Btw, 562 I just followed you on twitter - I have no idea how to use this thing

 

[sinser13]

i just made a twitter yesterday and i have no idea what im doing.

 

[cincoseisdos]

I just got one to get all my news updates faster than NT sometime.

It's simple as hell, reply, retweet, follow.

What don't you dudes get though?