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

[dland24]

I want you to trade him?

I have been pushing for you guys to trade Kershaw for HALLADAY. So you think that I want you to improve your pitching staff? Imjust saying for your sake, it would be better having Halladay in the playoffs this year, than Kershaw.

Let me ask you a hypothetical question. If it meant winning the World Series this year or not, would you swap the two of them for each other?

 

[p mac one]

It's not a "this year" question.

Halladay, as good as he is, is 32 making $15 mil and under contract for 1 more year.

Kershaw is 21 making less than $400,000 and he is under our control for several more years.

 

[dland24]

Well, you kind of side stepped my question. I understand your financial concerns. But answer me. If it was the difference between winning the WS this year ornot, would you pull the trigger?

 

[eyegiantjackpot]

really? we are the best team in baseball, and you still pronounce our players names wrong?


Come on ESPN. COME ON.

 

[sinser13]

great win to end the first half of the season

 

[ooiron manoo]

I had to log in on my PSP from the Dodger Press Box, to jump on PMAC's ship.

Sorry, I won't trade Russell Martin or Clayton Kershaw in a package for Roy Halladay.

Roy Halladay is a special player, and I doubt he is going to be moved to be quite honest. The Jays will ask for a kings ransom.

Shaikin's article is laughable, and I'm sure Colletti & Co. are getting a few chuckles out of it.

Like PMAC mentioned, Russ is still getting on base. This is his third full season and people already want to write him off. Torre and Martin have statedseveral times that he is more focused on the defensive side of the ball as opposed to the offensive side of the ball. He is coming around though, and hispatience at the plate is clearly showing.

He got off to a terrible slow start, but him and Raffy are coming around. Russ is hitting .387 with a .472 OBP to go along with 1 hr and 6 rbi's thismonth. Seriously, "can no longer hit?"

.

You don't trade Russ, the intangibles he brings to the table outweighs his slow start.

As far as Kershaw goes, he is a left hander with a wicked curve and he is only 21. We trade him, and it will go down with the Pedro Martinez trade, despitethe fact that Kershaw is leaps and bounds ahead of Pedro in terms of development when Pedro was dealt.

We have the best record in baseball, and people want to tear apart the core. We trade Russ, we will take a dip in the standings, bank on it. These guys aretoo close (Russ, Loney, Kemp, Bills, Brox, etc.). They came up together, they are playing well together.

There is no addition by subtraction in this equation. Bottom line is, you don't trade anyone from the major league roster when they are contributing onthe best team in baseball. As far as I'm concerned, Kershaw and Martin are MAJOR contributors.

Let me ask you a hypothetical question. If it meant winning the World Series this year or not, would you swap the two of them for each other?
The problem is, if you pose the question: "Do we have a shot of winning the WS without trading for Halladay?" The answer will be yes,see what I am getting at.

The goal is to build a continuous champion. We have a great shot to win it this season, but, wouldn't it be better to be in contention year in and yearout. That is the goal.

How is that AJ Pryzinski deal working out for the Giants?

Even with Brian Wilson as your closer, wouldn't it have been great to have Joe Nathan, Boof Bonser and Francisco Liriano. The "We have a shot thisseason" mentality forced you to pull that trigger.

We are in a good place right now

 

[dland24]

Your AJ Pierzynski example is a pretty poor comparison in my opinion. Im not saying I agree with the trade in retrospect, but at the time, Nathan was ordinary,Liriano was injured and Bonser was a throw in. That wasnt really a win now attitude. It was trading 3 question marks for an all star catcher. It didnt work,but it was worth the chance.

You say it would be better to be in contention year in and year out than to have a great shot to win this season. IMO winning a World Series this year, faroutweighs the ability to be in "contention" year in and year out. If you win a win a WS this year, and dont make the playoffs again for the next 5years, isnt it worth it?

How many teams have repeated or won a bunch of WS in the stretch of 5 or so years? It doesnt happen all that often. So why not do what you can to bang out achampionship now? Its not like without Kershaw you guys wont be good the next few years. Plus you could always resign Roy.

 

[p mac one]

If I could guarantee a WS with a Halladay for Kershaw swap I would do it.

I would trade Kemp, Loney, Martin, Billingsley, Broxton and everybody else if I could guarantee a WS.

Aside from hypotheticals, it just doesn't make sense for the Dodgers to trade Kershaw. The difference between Kershaw and Halladay isn't worth 15million to our organization, and the rest of the pitching staff is certainly good enough to win a WS as is.

If we do get Halladay though

 

[dland24]

Originally Posted by P MAC ONE

If I could guarantee a WS with a Halladay for Kershaw swap I would do it.

I would trade Kemp, Loney, Martin, Billingsley, Broxton and everybody else if I could guarantee a WS.

Aside from hypotheticals, it just doesn't make sense for the Dodgers to trade Kershaw. The difference between Kershaw and Halladay isn't worth 15 million to our organization, and the rest of the pitching staff is certainly good enough to win a WS as is.

If we do get Halladay though

Really? You honestly believe this? Ok. Fair enough. Been fun talkin baseball. Off to my game. Peace.

 

[john ohh]

The Dodgers pitching staff isn't even the best in the west, what makes you think that you guys will have the pitching to compete with the red sox, yankeesof the major league.
Do you think you guys will last the whole year?

 

[eyegiantjackpot]

^ugh..

you work for espn?

we are 24 games over .500, and atleast 7 games up in the NL.

the smugness of the AL and its fans drive me nuts.

Untill your pitchers have to bat in the line up.. dont bother talking.

[table][tr][td]ERA[/td] [td]BAA[/td] [td]OPS[/td] [td]SV[/td] [td]WHIP[/td] [td]QS[/td] [/tr][tr][td]3.57[/td] [td].233[/td] [td].680[/td] [td]25[/td] [td]1.27[/td] [td]36
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2nd[/td] [td]1st[/td] [td]1st[/td] [td]2nd[/td] [td]1st[/td] [td]15th[/td] [/tr][/table]


so please...
PLEASE

PLEASE

show this team some respect. and stop watching fever pitch, and *61

 

[john ohh]

Originally Posted by eyegiantjackpot

^ugh..

you work for espn?

we are 24 games over .500, and atleast 7 games up in the NL.

the smugness of the AL and its fans drive me nuts.

Untill your pitchers have to bat in the line up.. dont bother talking.

[table][tr][td]ERA[/td] [td]BAA[/td] [td]OPS[/td] [td]SV[/td] [td]WHIP[/td] [td]QS[/td] [/tr][tr][td]3.57[/td] [td].233[/td] [td].680[/td] [td]25[/td] [td]1.27[/td] [td]36
[/td] [/tr][tr][td]2nd[/td] [td]1st[/td] [td]1st[/td] [td]2nd[/td] [td]1st[/td] [td]15th[/td] [/tr][/table]


so please...
PLEASE

PLEASE

show this team some respect. and stop watching fever pitch, and *61

Sorry,but Im not an AL fan, I am a giants fan, the team who has the most dominant pitching staff in the majors.
Give me a break.

 

[sinser13]

^ i think you mean a giant bandwagon fan

 

[ooiron manoo]

Originally Posted by John Ohh

The Dodgers pitching staff isn't even the best in the west, what makes you think that you guys will have the pitching to compete with the red sox, yankees of the major league.
Do you think you guys will last the whole year?

We may not have the Aces yet, but our staff's production speaks for itself.

The only thing I am worried about is the use of our bullpen. However, we have many arms that will be fresh in August/September (Wade, Ohman, Stults).

The rotation has held up despite not going deep into games. If Kershaw can manage to lower his pitch counts and Kuroda rounds to form, we have a serviceable1-4.

We don't have a 2 headed beast like Lincecum-Cain. Billingsley has held his own this season, and Wolf isn't doing bad despite his record.

Without a doubt, the Giants have the best 1-2 combo in the NL West, hell maybe in MLB, but the bottom line is that the Giants can't hit their way out of awet paper bag. Also after Lincecum and Cain, there is a big dropoff to Randy Johnson and Jonathan Sanchez. Sanchez was dropped from the rotation, butreplaced Johnson when he went on the DL, and got a no hitter. Barry Zito is still Barry Zito, and Randy Johnson is over the hill.

Your AJ Pierzynski example is a pretty poor comparison in my opinion. Im not saying I agree with the trade in retrospect, but at the time, Nathan was ordinary, Liriano was injured and Bonser was a throw in. That wasnt really a win now attitude. It was trading 3 question marks for an all star catcher. It didnt work, but it was worth the chance.


I completely disagree, the Nathan/Liriano/Bonser for Pierzynski trade went down the year after the Giants won 100 games and lost in the NLDS. Thewindow was closing for several players. Benito Santiago was done and Yorvit Torrealba was not ready. Plus, Nathan was not "ordinary".

Nathan had a breakout year in 2003 (12-4, 2.96 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 9.5 SO/9, .186 BAA), maybe the Giants at the time thought that Nathan had a fluke year. Nathanwas a highly touted prospect that just bloomed too late (2. Liriano was injured, and he has continued to be injury prone. Bonser a "throw in"?

. I know you know more about the Giants than I do. However, there isno way a 1st round pick in 2000 is a "throw in" when he gets traded in 2003.

 

[john ohh]

Originally Posted by sinser13

^ i think you mean a giant bandwagon fan

Nope been there from the start, struggled with my diamondbacks for many years until they won the series in 2001, I was only 13 or 14 at thetime,stuck with the giants since Tim Lincecum has been on the squad.If anyone is worried about bandwagon fans it must be Los Angeles.

 

[john ohh]

Originally Posted by ooIRON MANoo

Originally Posted by John Ohh

The Dodgers pitching staff isn't even the best in the west, what makes you think that you guys will have the pitching to compete with the red sox, yankees of the major league.
Do you think you guys will last the whole year?

We may not have the Aces yet, but our staff's production speaks for itself.

The only thing I am worried about is the use of our bullpen. However, we have many arms that will be fresh in August/September (Wade, Ohman, Stults).

The rotation has held up despite not going deep into games. If Kershaw can manage to lower his pitch counts and Kuroda rounds to form, we have a serviceable 1-4.

We don't have a 2 headed beast like Lincecum-Cain. Billingsley has held his own this season, and Wolf isn't doing bad despite his record.

Without a doubt, the Giants have the best 1-2 combo in the NL West, hell maybe in MLB, but the bottom line is that the Giants can't hit their way out of a wet paper bag. Also after Lincecum and Cain, there is a big dropoff to Randy Johnson and Jonathan Sanchez. Sanchez was dropped from the rotation, but replaced Johnson when he went on the DL, and got a no hitter. Barry Zito is still Barry Zito, and Randy Johnson is over the hill.

Your AJ Pierzynski example is a pretty poor comparison in my opinion. Im not saying I agree with the trade in retrospect, but at the time, Nathan was ordinary, Liriano was injured and Bonser was a throw in. That wasnt really a win now attitude. It was trading 3 question marks for an all star catcher. It didnt work, but it was worth the chance.

I completely disagree, the Nathan/Liriano/Bonser for Pierzynski trade went down the year after the Giants won 100 games and lost in the NLDS. The window was closing for several players. Benito Santiago was done and Yorvit Torrealba was not ready. Plus, Nathan was not "ordinary".

Nathan had a breakout year in 2003 (12-4, 2.96 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 9.5 SO/9, .186 BAA), maybe the Giants at the time thought that Nathan had a fluke year. Nathan was a highly touted prospect that just bloomed too late (2. Liriano was injured, and he has continued to be injury prone. Bonser a "throw in"?

. I know you know more about the Giants than I do. However, there is no way a 1st round pick in 2000 is a "throw in" when he gets traded in 2003.

Ive watched a few games, and the only thing that would bring down the dodgers is like you said the bullpen, I feel like those young arms are notgoing to be there in late season. Didn't one of you guys post some guy who was on pace for 200 innings as a reliever? Who was that?

 

[Sam Darnold Heisman #8]

since linecum been on the squad...comedy

 

[eyegiantjackpot]

Originally Posted by John Ohh

Originally Posted by sinser13

^ i think you mean a giant bandwagon fan

Nope been there from the start, struggled with my diamondbacks for many years until they won the series in 2001, I was only 13 or 14 at the time,stuck with the giants since Tim Lincecum has been on the squad.If anyone is worried about bandwagon fans it must be Los Angeles.

from wiki:

Lincecum's first major league start was broadcast throughout North America by ESPN on the evening of May 6, 2007.[sup][3][/sup]

2 years eh? Veteran Status.

I was on the couch with my folks when we won in 88. I remember jumping around the house and not being able to sleep that night..

 

[sinser13]

Originally Posted by John Ohh

Originally Posted by sinser13

^ i think you mean a giant bandwagon fan

Nope been there from the start, struggled with my diamondbacks for many years until they won the series in 2001, I was only 13 or 14 at the time,stuck with the giants since Tim Lincecum has been on the squad.If anyone is worried about bandwagon fans it must be Los Angeles.

Originally Posted by John Ohh

I think my new favorite team is the GIANTS!

Originally Posted by GSDOUBLEU

Originally Posted by vctry20

Originally Posted by GSDOUBLEU

Originally Posted by John Ohh

I will be in 232 on Friday Night hopefully, then heading to So Cal Saturday. Lincecum is on the hill right?

You're a SF fan? i thought you were a Arizona fan?

nah homeboy converted last night, he's one of us now

I have to ask why though?

 

[eyegiantjackpot]

^

got'em!

 

[cincoseisdos]

he's never gonna live it down

 

[cincoseisdos]

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Jim Prisching / Associated Press

Clayton Kershaw ran his record to 7-5 as he gave up one run and two hits in six innings to the Brewers on Sunday. He lowered his earned-run average to 3.16, although he did walk five batters.

DODGERS FYI

[h1]Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw can't keep himself in the zone[/h1]

Jim Prisching / Associated Press

Clayton Kershaw ran his record to 7-5 as he gave up one run and two hits in six innings to the Brewers on Sunday. He lowered his earned-run average to 3.16, although he did walk five batters.

The young left-hander has another strong outing to beat Brewers but laments the five walks that helped limit him to six-plus innings.

By Dylan Hernandez
8:20 PM PDT, July 12, 2009
Reporting from Milwaukee -- Looking ahead to the second half of the season, Clayton Kershaw pointed to certain elements of his start Sunday as examples of where he had to grow.

His numbers looked all right, as he held the Milwaukee Brewers to a run and two hits in six innings at Miller Park in the Dodgers' 7-4 victory. The 21-year-old left-hander won his fourth consecutive decision to improve his record to 7-5, and the start was his sixth in a row that resulted in a Dodgers win.
But . . .

"I had some dumb walks," Kershaw said.

He issued back-to-back free passes that loaded the bases in a 33-pitch first inning. He escaped the jam by striking out Mike Cameron on a low full-count fastball.

"I got bailed out there," he said. "It was a ball."

He also said he was fortunate to not pay a price for walking Prince Fielder in the sixth. Matt Kemp caught a fly ball by Casey McGehee and doubled Fielder off first base.

"That was huge," Kershaw said.

He didn't give up a hit from the second inning to the sixth.

"This kid's a tough kid," Manager Joe Torre said. "He keeps battling it. He doesn't back off, he really doesn't."

The only run charged to him came in the seventh, when he gave up a double to Cameron and was replaced by HirokiKuroda, who promptly served up a run-scoring double by Bill Hall. Until that run scored, Kershaw had pitched 17 consecutive scoreless innings.

Reaching the seventh inning wasn't enough, Kershaw said after making 103 pitches and lowering his earned-run average to 3.16.

"I have to cut down on pitches," he said. "Today, when our bullpen is a little banged-up, I need to get through seven or eight [innings]. One of these days I'm going to try to not salvage. I'm going to try to pitch consistent all the way through and make it through the seventh, eighth inning."

Milton: 'It's not looking too good'

Barely able to walk across the visiting clubhouse at Miller Park, Eric Milton said he was unsure whether he will pitch again this season.

"Obviously, it's not looking too good right now," he said. "They say it's pretty severe."

The Dodgers' sidelined No. 5 starter is scheduled to be examined in Los Angeles today by Dr. Robert Watkins, who will determine whether he will undergo season-ending back surgery to repair a herniated disk.

Milton shook his head as he recounted how he was hurt. Working out in the outfield at Citi Field in New York on Thursday, Milton said he made a sudden turn and started to sprint.

"It was like someone shot me," the 33-year-old left-hander said.

Whatever Watkins' verdict, Milton said he doesn't intend to retire at the end of the season. He spent the last two years recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery but said the prospect of another lengthy rehabilitation process didn't scare him.

"I'm kind of used to the rehab," he said. "I'd love for somebody to take a chance and give me the opportunity to make another team in spring training."

Short hops

James Loney has an 11-game hitting streak. . . . Jason Schmidt gave up four runs (three earned) and six hits in five innings for triple-A Albuquerque. Because the window of his rehabilitation assignment is about to expire, the Dodgers will have to activate Schmidt, release him or have him start a new stint on the disabled list.

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Jim Prisching / Associated Press

Dodgers second baseman broke a three-for-41 slump with two solo home runs Sunday against Milwaukee.

DODGERS 7, MILWAUKEE 4

[h1]Everything is breaking just right for Dodgers[/h1]

Jim Prisching / Associated Press

Dodgers second baseman broke a three-for-41 slump with two solo home runs Sunday against Milwaukee.

Dodgers take series from Brewers with 7-4 win and surge into All-Star week with a seven-game lead and the major leagues' best record.

By Dylan Hernandez
8:01 PM PDT, July 12, 2009
Reporting from Milwaukee -- First, there were the questions about the pitching, particularly the bullpen. Then, there were the concerns about how the team would respond with Manny Ramirez out of the lineup for 50 games.

Sunday, the Dodgers answered another question that Manager Joe Torre said he had about them: whether they could they wait until the All-Star break to start their vacations.


Behind three hits by Ramirez, two home runs by Orlando Hudson and six well-pitched innings by Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers claimed a 7-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park in their final game before the midsummer recess. They went into the break with a 56-32 record, the best in baseball, and a seven-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

"You always have the concerns that when you head into the All-Star break, you sort of take it before it gets here," Torre said. "This ballclub didn't do that."

The nationally televised game was a showcase for why the Dodgers stand where they stand.

The team hasn't lost three consecutive games all season, and rebounded from a 6-3 loss Saturday night.

And the club continued to receive run production from unexpected sources, this time from backup catcher Brad Ausmus, whose fourth-inning home run against Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo extended the Dodgers' lead to 3-0. The home run was Ausmus' first of the season.

"Pure luck," Ausmus said with a grin. "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes."

James Loney said the Dodgers' well-rounded offense helped them survive the nearly two-month absence of Ramirez.

"All different guys contributed," Loney said. "That's probably the biggest thing."

Case in point: Ausmus' home run was the 14th homer hit by the No. 8 hitter in the lineup.

The Dodgers hit 10 home runs in three games at Milwaukee, but Torre pointed to Loney's two-run single in the first inning as an example of why he didn't think his team was one-dimensional.

Loney's single drove in Rafael Furcal, and Ramirez, who hit the first of his two doubles in the inning, scored on center fielder Mike Cameron's throwing error.

Another single by Loney in the fifth inning drove in Ramirez to put the Brewers in a 5-0 hole.

Hudson was mired in a three-for-41 rut before he homered in the sixth inning from the left side of the plate to increase the margin to 6-0. Two innings later, the switch-hitting second baseman belted another solo shot from the right side.

"Everybody wants to end the first half strong because now it's for you to come to the dog days of summer," said Hudson, who headed to St. Louis for the All-Star game Tuesday.

Also traveling to St. Louis were staff ace Chad Billingsley and closer Jonathan Broxton, who will sit out the game because of an injured toe but will take part in All-Star festivities.

However, not everything that happened Sunday was a cause for celebration.

Opening-day starter Hiroki Kuroda pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief and continued to look like a pitcher struggling to regain his rhythm in the wake of a two-month stint on the disabled list.

Kuroda gave up three runs, two hits and a walk.

The Dodgers will resume play Thursday when they open a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium. The game will be Ramirez's first in Los Angeles since he returned from his drug suspension.

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Dodgers best at All-Star break despite Ramirez ban

3 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Despite the distraction of a 50-game doping suspension for superstar Manny Ramirez, the Los Angeles Dodgers own the best record at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game mid-season break.

The Dodgers pace the National League West division at 56-32 with the widest lead in any division, seven games ahead of the San Francisco Giants as the season pauses for Tuesday's annual all-star matchup in St. Louis, Missouri.

Los Angeles lost Ramirez, who was hitting .348 with six home runs and 20 runs batted in, to a doping ban on May 7 but the Dodgers went 29-21 without the 37-year-old outfielder, a 12-time All-Star.

"Everybody here is a professional," Ramirez said. "They know what to do."

Ramirez has refused to explain the details around his suspension but Dodger Doug Mientkiewicz said the team simply plays better with Ramirez around.

"We just play better, more relaxed when he's here," Mientkiewicz said. "He's the same Manny."

Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who coached the Yankees to four World Series titles between 1996 and 2000, said having Ramirez return 10 days ago will reduce the strain on the young talent that has kept the Dodgers on top.

"Manny coming on board is certainly going to lessen the load on some of these kids," Torre said. "I don't think it's going to be a chemistry problem. I'd be very surprised if that's going to be the case."

Reigning World Series champion Philadelphia, 48-38, leads the NL East by four games over Florida while St. Louis, Milwaukee, Houston and the Chicago Cubs are all within three games in the NL Central.

In the American League, the Boston Red Sox own the best record at 54-34 with the New York Yankees three games back in the AL East division with the second-best mark in the league.

Whichever club fails to claim the division crown is the team to beat for wild-card playoff berth honors.

Boston knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield made his first All-Star Game at age 42 after an 11-3 start to the season.

The Los Angeles Angels, 49-37, lead the AL West with Texas next at 48-39 and Seattle within reach at 46-42.

Detroit, 48-39, enters the break with a 3 1/2-game edge on the Chicago White Sox with Minnesota at 45-44.

Economics have hit the major leagues as well, with attendance off six percent over last season and the economic downturn a major factor in the dropoff.

The Yankees have been the poster child for overpriced seats in their new Yankee Stadium, where front-row seats cost up to 2,625 dollars each and are often empty.

Until Ramirez, the Yankees were also the main example of doping controversy as training camp opened with Alex Rodriguez admitting doping accusations during his days with the Texas Rangers.

Bad news often overshadowed milestones, but there were good moments as lanky Randy Johnson won his 300th major league game and Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera of Panama achieved his 500th career save.
Copyright [emoji]169[/emoji] 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.

[h1]The All-California All-Star team[/h1]

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Kirby Lee / US Presswire

Juan Rivera, Torii Hunter and Bobby Abreu give the Angels the best outfield among pro teams in California, no small task given the productivity of the Dodgers this season.

You could make a great team by just selecting players from the Golden State.

Bill Shaikin
8:05 PM PDT, July 12, 2009
We have waited, and waited, and waited some more. We have anticipated a Freeway Series in October for 49 years now, for the Dodgers and Angels to challenge one another in the World Series.

What we have not anticipated is something just as delicious, perhaps more so: The Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants, for the right to play in the World Series.
Can you imagine?

All that hatred and bitterness, passed down from the ancestral New York homelands and nurtured among several generations of fans in California?

All the grainy images of Juan Marichal taking a crazed swing with his bat, whacking John Roseboro on the head? All the vivid images of Tom Lasorda blowing kisses to the jeering fans of San Francisco, of Barry Bonds egging on the jeering fans in the Dodger Stadium bleachers?
All the sounds of "Beat L.A.!" echoing throughout AT&T Park, all the memories of World Series championship years in San Francisco -- oh, right, there haven't been any. Scoreboard: Los Angeles 5, San Francisco 0.

We're pulling hard for the Dodgers and Giants to face off in the National League Championship Series, in a showdown for the ages.

The Dodgers have the best record in baseball at the All-Star break. The Giants lead the NL wild-card derby. Never have both teams qualified for the playoffs in the same season.

That intriguing thought led us to another one, and so here we present an All-Star team for players on the five California clubs.

The Angels, in an offense-first season for a pitching-first club, might have had the three best outfielders in the state in the first half, even without Vladimir Guerrero.

The Dodgers might have had the next-best outfielders, even without Manny Ramirez. They certainly have the most balanced lineup, as highlighted by the luxury -- or oddity -- of Matt Kemp batting eighth. They have scored 105 more runs than they have given up; no other NL team has scored even 50 more runs than it has given up.

The San Francisco Giants have the best rotation, not even counting Jonathan Sanchez, banished to the bullpen before returning to throw a no-hitter on Friday. The San Diego Padres are batting .233.

The Oakland Athletics tried to support their young pitchers by acquiring veteran hitters Matt Holliday, Jason Giambi, Orlando Cabrera and Nomar Garciaparra, but the A's rank last in the American League in batting average, home runs and OPS. The kid pitchers are fine, though.

At the break, here's our All-Cal team:

Catcher: Oakland's Kurt Suzuki leads the California catchers in OPS, he has one error and he has nicely shepherded the next generation of A's arms. We tip our cap to him as well for the generous fundraising he has done for fellow Cal State Fullerton catcher Jon Wilhite, the lone survivor of the crash that killed Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and two friends.

First base: San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez is a one-man show at Petco Park, a superstar obscured by the wreckage around him. Gonzalez has 24 home runs, twice as many as any of his teammates. He has as many walks as strikeouts, and it's a wonder any team ever pitches to him.

Second base: The Dodgers' Orlando Hudson has cooled lately, but he has enlivened the clubhouse all season and kept the lineup flowing from the No. 3 spot while Ramirez was suspended. He has 33 extra-base hits, and he leads second basemen in the state in runs scored and runs batted in.

Shortstop: The Angels' Erick Aybar is the best of an uninspiring lot. Aybar has made the fewest errors of any regular shortstop in the state, and his OPS is the best. Cabrera isn't even the best shortstop by that name -- he has 13 errors to Aybar's five -- with San Diego's Everth Cabrera, a Rule 5 pick, showing promise before his injury.

Third base: San Francisco's Pablo Sandoval leads all major league third basemen in batting average (.337) and OPS (.973), and he supplies much of the Giants' limited power. The only National Leaguers with a higher slugging percentage: Albert Pujols, Raul Ibanez and Prince Fielder.

Left field: Which Juan? We'll take the Angels' Juan Rivera over the Dodgers' Juan Pierre. Rivera's 16 home runs are twice as many as any other left fielder in the state, and he's batting .312 overall, .349 with runners in scoring position. Pierre took advantage of Ramirez's suspension to show he can still play his game -- singles and steals, mostly, and he's batting .355 with runners in scoring position -- and Pierre has a better OPS than Holliday.

Center field: The mentor for now, the prodigy soon. The Angels' Torii Hunter offers a vision of what Kemp could become. Hunter is batting .305 with 17 home runs, he leads all major league center fielders with 65 runs batted in and he puts the polish in the Gold Glove. Kemp's highlight-reel defense will get smoother as he masters better routes to the ball. Hunter, Kemp and Atlanta's Nate McLouth are the only major league center fielders in double figures in home runs, doubles and stolen bases.

Right field: The Angels' Bobby Abreu spotted the Dodgers' Andre Ethier quite a start, when Ethier led the NL in RBI in April and Abreu did not hit a home run. Neither has been impressive on defense. Ethier has the advantage in home runs, 18-6, but we'll take Abreu for his 19 stolen bases, 50 walks, .849 OPS and .311 average, including .380 with runners in scoring position.

Starters: San Francisco's Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain -- second and third in the NL in ERA, respectively, along with the Dodgers' Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw and the Angels' Jered Weaver.

Relievers: Every closer in the state is having a terrific year, so we'll take 'em all: San Diego's Heath Bell, the Dodgers' Jonathan Broxton, the Angels' Brian Fuentes, San Francisco's Brian Wilson and Oakland's Andrew Bailey.

Rookies: The five arms in Oakland. Bailey, the closer, has a 1.92 ERA, with more innings than hits and walks combined. The four starters that could lead the A's back to contention in a year or two: right-handers Vin Mazzaro (2-5, 3.59), Trevor Cahill (5-8, 4.67) and Brett Anderson (5-7, 4.64) and left-hander Josh Outman (4-1, 3.4, although Outman had Tommy John surgery last month.

Executive: The Dodgers' Ned Colletti went short-term shopping to bring back Casey Blake, who emerged as a cleanup hitter, and Randy Wolf, a seven-inning lifesaver in a rotation prone to five-inning starts. Colletti also fortified the bench with Brad Ausmus, the first legitimate backup catcher in years, and infielders Juan Castro and Mark Loretta.

Manager: The Angels' Mike Scioscia displayed poise and grace in deflecting every question about the impact of Adenhart's death into a gentle reminder that the issue was not about a team losing a pitcher but about a family losing a son. Scioscia also steered the Angels to first place despite losing Guerrero and virtually an entire starting rotation to injuries.

MVP: Adenhart. Can't beat that 0.00 ERA.

 

[Los Angeles]

Originally Posted by John Ohh

The Dodgers pitching staff isn't even the best in the west, what makes you think that you guys will have the pitching to compete with the red sox, yankees of the major league.
Do you think you guys will last the whole year?

Originally Posted by John Ohh


By the time manny comes around, I expect the Giants to be 6 or 7 games up on the dodgers, and with the staff that the Giants have,its gonna take alot of work for the dodgers to win the division.

Seriously, stop coming in here.

Go make an album with the rest of the Jonas Brothers.

Originally Posted by John Ohh

stuck with the giants since Tim Lincecum has been on the squad.If anyone is worried about bandwagon fans it must be Los Angeles.

What, he got drafted 3 years ago? He got a whiff of the bigs in what 2007? 2 year fan huh?

Bandwagon much?

 

[eyegiantjackpot]

OMG i hate the press.

only Orlando gets on the list? are they serious? and brox gets a tie?

Manager: The Angels' Mike Scioscia displayed poise and grace in deflecting every question about the impact of Adenhart's death into a gentle reminderthat the issue was not about a team losing a pitcher but about a family losing a son. Scioscia also steered the Angels to first place despite losing Guerreroand virtually an entire starting rotation to injuries.

What? what about torre getting thru manny being gone?

ughhhh i hate it.

 

[cincoseisdos]

Was just browing the giveaway page on the site,

favorite one this year