ROTATION PROBLEMS?...

The Dodgers rotation this spring has been the opposite of what it's supposed to be. The rotation is supposed to be the strongest in the league. However it's still only spring. Brad Penny is having the worst spring out of all the pitchers. Brad has been rocked his last three outings. He's been rocked hard. Everyone will be quick to point out the fact that Penny always starts spring in the same manner, lousy. But, it was purported that this was a different Brad Penny. A new slimmed down, splitter throwing Penny. Not the same old 5 innings, hot headed Penny. It's going to be interesting to see how Penny goes from here on. If he continues to struggle, I doubt there will be any takers for him on the trade market. Maybe Ned Colletti made a mistake in not trading him during the off season. Then again, he could turn it around, and have a career year. Penny is an enigma that will never be solved. He has all the talent in the world, but can't do anything with it. It might be time to cash in Penny's chips. As for the rest of the rotation, Lowe has been himself, and that's always a good thing. Jason Schmidt is showing us why he deserved his huge contract, and Randy Wolf is looking better and better every outing. As for the 5th starter, it still has not been decided. Chad Billingsley has been terrific this spring. As has Hong Chih Kuo. The only question with Kuo is his durability. Then there is Brett Tomko, and Mark Hendrickson. Enough said. Hopefully the rotation will be the strong point, and carry the team. The rotation has the talent to do it. All they have to do is follow through.


As for the little league team, we won. On Saturday, we beat the White Sox 15-4. It's great to see hard work pay off.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

BLUE FEELING...

The eternal black hole at third base, seems to keep lingering. Well, it's only spring training. But, as of now, that's what it is. A black hole. The entire offseason, I kept pumping up Andy LaRoche. I was sure he was going to come into camp eager to prove something to the organization. So far all that he's proved is that he buckles under pressure. Don't get me wrong, Andy is still my favorite prospect, but at some point he has to show something. I know many would call my words a bit dramatic, and might even say I'm jumping the gun, I'm willing to admit it, but Andy's play has been sub par. I just want him to turn it around, and win the third base job. By no means am I turning on our future all star third baseman. As for Andy's competition at third, Wilson Betemit is doing even worse. To date Wilson has one measly hit. His defense has been erratic, and word out of Vero is Dodger brass is not happy with his attitude. At some point someone has to wake up, and win the job but right now neither deserves it. I have already started hearing that Nomar Garciaparra will snag the job. Thus allowing James Loney to play everyday at first. I wouldn't mind this becoming reality, but I doubt Nomar will be able to take the toll of playing everyday at third base. I hope the problem gets resolved soon, and Andy LaRoche comes out the victor.

By the way, the little league team that I am assisting in coaching is off to a rough start. We're 0-2. But, I have a feeling that our fortune will turn on Saturday against the White Sox.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

THIS, N' THAT...

At this juncture in time, the Los Angeles Dodgers spring training play has been fair. A few surprises, and a few letdowns. Fortunately, no major injuries have occurred, but I am biting my lip so bad fortune doesn't strike. So far, Chin Lung Hu has been terrific. Not to mention his defense superbly fun to watch. Hu is starting to show the bat that many people thought he had left in A ball. It's interesting to predict Hu's future with this Dodger team, as Rafael Furcal figures to be in Los Angeles for some time. Amongst other players turning heads this spring is Larry Bigbie. Bigbie is looking to get back to the majors after a injury filled season in St. Louis. He figures to be a long shot to make the team, but don't be surprised if he is used as trade bait in order to bring in some bullpen help. As for some disappointments, Andy LaRoche, Wilson Betemit, and pretty much anyone they trott out to third has struggled. I had high hopes for Andy, and I really hope he turns it around quickly. Betemit, who I wouldn't mind riding the bench has been putrid with the bat. If he hopes to be a Dodger, he might as well start praying to Jobu himself.


As for myself, I am sad to report that my trip is coming to an end soon. I leave Dodger heaven on Thursday morning. It's sad to think that in a couple more years, this place will no longer a Dodgers fan paradise, but just a sign of the times...


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

PLAY BALL!...

Tomorrow morning, the Dodgers will play in the first game of the spring... although, its only a intrasquad game. Nevertheless, I will be there watching my boys. There will be a few prominent Dodgers missing from the action. The Dodgers heart of the order will AWOL, as they prepare for the first official game on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves. The game is not expected to go long, but it's going to be a change of routine for myself. So far all I have done is watch workouts, and drills. At this point, I'm not sure if Andy LaRoche will play, but I'm hoping he will. I want to see him in game action. I have kept a close eye on him this spring, and he looks ready to me. I hope he is able to beat out Wilson Betemit for the job. LaRoche is not the only guy that has impressed me so far. Greg Miller is looking filthy. Flat out filthy. Add the fact that they are talking about making him a starter once again brings a smile to my face. I was also awakened to Chin Lung Hu's defensive skills. This guy looks like the next Ozzie Smith. I had always heard great things about his defense, but seeing him before your eyes is amazing. Other guys looking good are James Loney, Scott Elbert, and John Meloan. As you can probably tell, I spend most of the time scouting our prospects. I do have some bad news to report, my Sony digital camera was stolen. Just to think about all the pics that where in there... I guess no place is perfect, not even Vero Beach...


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

SPRING IS HERE...

It's that time of year again. The time where every Dodger fan rejoices at the start of another glorious season. At least thats what we expect. For the last four months, I have felt like a addict, needing his Dodger fix. Words can't describe what this time of year means to me. This year will be particulary special for myself. On tuesday, I will take flight on my way to Vero Beach, Florida. I will be there for a couple of weeks, and I know i'll be dreading my last days there. As for the Dodgers, the pitchers and cathers have reported already. Some hitters who are rehabing are there as well. As for the rest of the team, they are expected to arrive on Monday. Early news from Vero is, Brad Penny is looking good, and confessed why he was pretty much a fastball pitcher towards the end of last year. He sighted injury risks as to why he stopped throwing his split-finger pitch. As for the hitters, its too early to tell. Although I am hearing news that Andy LaRoche will be tried in the outfield to give him more options.


By the way, I still have openings for my fantasy league, if anyone is interested let me know.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

BLUE RELIEF...

The Dodgers enter the 2007 Baseball season with a bullpen with great upside. Despite the loss of the greatest Dodgers closer of all-time, the Dodgers bullpen looks primed to be the backbone of the team. The Dodgers pen is lead by last years surprise Takashi "Sammy" Saito. Saito made the transition from Eric Gagne effortless. Sammy came in and took over the duties of closing out games. This year will tougher, as hitters already know him, and will be looking out for that sick outside slider. Sammy will need to be smarter to repeat his performance last year. Jonathan Broxton, the closer of the future will be the set-up man for Sammy this season. If everything goes as scheduled, sometime next year Broxton will be the Dodgers closer for good. Broxton will also need to make adjustments to hitters if he plans on succeeding. The rest of the crew consist of Joe Beimel, Elmer Dessens, Mark Hendrickson, Brett Tomko, Yhency Brazoban, and Chin-Hui Tsao. I also expect John Meloan, Greg Miller, and Zach Hammes to make appearances in Los Angeles at some point this season. Overall, the Dodgers pen is one of the top ones in the league, and this year the league will find out just how good they really are.


My Fantasy Baseball League is still looking for players. At this point there are a couple of spots left. Let me Know if your interested.

By the way, I'm sad to report that I have recently been named a coach on a little league baseball team. My little brothers team to be exact. This is by no means sad. The sad thing is that he will be playing for the Padres. Yes, I am out there in Padre blue. Hopefully I don't lose cool points.




BELIEVE IN BLUE!

THE SAVING GRACE...

The Dodgers rotation figures to be the saving grace of the team this year. They have quality, and depth. The rotation will be anchored by newcomer Jason Schmidt. Who was pried away from the San Francisco Giants during the offseason. Despite the fact that Schmidt is on the downward slope of his career, he is still a top 10 pitcher. The Dodgers will rely heavily on him to be the stablelizing force, and ace they have needed for some time. Next in line is Derek Lowe. Lowe is coming off a good year. Last years ace will slide over to the second spot. Lowe needs to continue his success of the past two years. The thing he needs to work on is keeping his head in the game. Many times we have seen Derek go about the game in such a casual manner that drives me crazy. He needs to stay in the game, and don't get down on himself when a batter reaches base. Brad Penny is the enigma of the staff. Penny was the All-Star starter last season. At that point he was having the best season of his career. He still finished with the best season of his career, but Penny limped to the end. A better conditioning program might help him. Last year he barley made it past the 5th inning, and that is just not acceptable. Penny should go at least 7 every night. If Penny gets off to a bad start, expect him to be traded away. Chad Billingsley needs to build on his exceptional finish last year. Towards the end of the season, he seemed to have his control issues in order. He cannot revert to when he first came up in June, and walk 5 batters a game. Randy Wolf was brought in to provide depth, and if healthy he should be a solid addition. Randy, an All-Star in the past signed a one year deal to come home, and play for his hometown team. If Randy falters, Hong Chih Kuo, Mark Hendrickson, Brett Tomko, and Elmer Dessens are waiting in the wings. Also, look out for Scott Elbert. Elbert who reminds me of Chad Billingsley in a lot of ways, might come up this year and follow in Chad's footsteps.


There are still spots left on my Fantasy Baseball League, so if anyone is interested just let me know.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

DODGERS IN THE OUTFIELD...

Questions, questions, questions. That's what the Dodgers outfield will need to answer. Between Andre Ethier, Juan Pierre, and Luis Gonzalez, its going to be pretty interesting. Last year, Andre came up to the Dodgers with a blast. He was the hottest hitter from the time he came up until September. That month was a completely different story. Ethier was worn down, and might even have been injured. Whatever the reason behind his September woes, he will need to prove to the team that it was only fatigue that caught up to him. Andre will also have to deal with a move to Right field. Looking back at his minor league career, Andre has always played the position very well. My gut says that Andre will rebound nicely, but until then, the jury is still out on Los Angele's new fan favorite. In Center field, Juan Pierre will take over for Kenny Lofton who jumped ship, and landed in Texas. Juan will be counted on to spark the offense, and bring some consistency to the outfield. His defense prowess is nothing to write home about, but yet at least he's not in the Barry Bonds category. The thing to look out for Juan is that he might come out struggling as might try and press to much to prove his contracts worth. In Left Field, Luis Gonzalez will try to make through one last season. His leadership skills are his main quality. He no longer possesses the 30 homerun swing he once had, and his reconstructed elbow has diminished his arm. Nevertheless, Luis will be a solid player, just buying time until Matt Kemp is ready to step in and take the spot. The outfield reserves are solid. The Dodgers have Jason Repko, Marlon Anderson, Matt Kemp, James Loney, Delwyn Young, and Larry Bigbie to battle for the reserve spots. They can more than handle that situation. If the outfield produces the way they are able to, the outfield will be playing past September this year.

By the way, I have started a Fantasy Baseball League, if anyone is interested in joining just let me know.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

AROUND THE HORN...

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the 2007 campaign with a lot of questions surrounding the infield. Will Nomar Garciaparra hold up at first base for a full season?, can Jeff Kent rebound from a down year?, and will Andy LaRoche breakthrough at third?. These are just some of the doubts that besiege the Dodgers. The only sure thing appears to be Russell Martin at Catcher, and Rafael Furcal at Shortstop. Russell will enter his sophomore season looking to build on a successful rookie year. Martin appears ready to take the reigns as team leader. As for Furcal, he was stellar all season long. The one thing he will need to avoid is another slow start. At first base, Nomar will be there. That is if he can stay healthy. Nomar had a tremendous bounce back year. On the way he won the comeback player of the year award, and appeared in the all-star game. Nomar's health will be the biggest key to the Dodgers offensive attack. At Second base, Jeff Kent will start. But, for how long? There is already talk that he, and Nomar might switch places. Kent is 38 years old, and coming off a injury plagued year. Kent will need to prove he still has gas left in the tank. At Third base, it's a crap shoot. At this moment, Wilson Betemit has the job. But, Andy LaRoche seems to be ready to take over. This spot will come down to who performs better in the spring. A platoon could also be in order at third. There are several Dodger bench players who will be key contributors in the infield. Olmedo Saenz, Ramon Martinez, James Loney, Marlon Anderson, and Mike Lieberthal all will get some time at these spots. The bench will need to deliver like they did this past season if the Dodgers hope to be playing in October.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

BFF?...

Is Ned Colletti alright?... Today I woke to the news that the Dodgers are close to giving Grady Little a contract extension. Why?.. What did Grady do this past season to deserve one?... All Grady managed to do is manage us out of ballgames. Not to mention the fact that he stuck with Julio Lugo for weeks while he was hitting a scary .150. I'm all for being a players manager, but you have to know when to go out to the mound and take the ball. There was just too many blunders when it came to Little's strategy. He failed to capitalize when players where on a hot streak by sitting them on the bench, and he failed to pull the plug when a player was down and out. I don't mean to bash Little, despite the fact that I just did, because he did get us into the playoffs. But, for now lets hold off on giving out lengthy contract extension's. Lets see where we are sometime in August. Then make a decision on Little's future.

As for some transactions, Chin-hui Tsao seems to be the latest retred to be invited to spring training. It is always interesting who gets a nod. Someone always seems to make it on to the Dodgers, I.E. Olmedo Saenz, Wilson Alvarez, Takashi Saito, and Jose Hernandez.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

IN THE YEAR 2000...

It's almost here, and I'm not speaking of my birthday. Although that too is almost here. This January 20th, I will turn the big 20. Here's to hoping the Dodgers give me a late birthday gift, and sometime around October are celebrating a world series championship. So with the season looming, It's time to give my prediction on our boys play.

I fully expect the Dodgers to win the national league division. This feat can be done with 88-92 wins. The Dodgers will go 90-72, while the San Diego Padres will follow up with a 88-74 record, and as usual the Giants, Rockies, and D'back will bring up the rear.

As for the players numbers, I see them going something like this....

Line-up: AVG, HR, RBI, SB, GMS
Juan Pierre: .291 2-31 43 156
Russell Martin: .283 14- 73 13 133
Rafael Furcal: .287 18-81 30 151
Jeff Kent: .278 21-69 2 119
Nomar Garciaparra: .311 15-68 2 101
Luis Gonzalez: . 271 12-66 4 123
Andre Ethier: .298 23-84 7 143
Wilson Betemit: .260 19-64 133

Reserves
James Loney: .303 7-43 98
Olmedo Saenz: .275 9-33 89
Mike Lieberthal: .267 4- 20 43
Andy LaRoche: .270. 5-18 32
Matt Kemp: .287 13-44 100
Ramon Martinez: .288 3-18 68
Jason Repko: .259 4-23 98

Rotation: WINS, LOSSES, ERA, INNINGS
Jason Schmidt: 14-7 3.48 218
Derek Lowe: 15-11 3.78 223
Brad Penny: 17-7 3.32 202
Chad Billingsley: 13-9 3.98 179
Randy Wolf: 7-6 4.56 122

Pen:WINS, LOSSES, ERA
Takashi Saito: 3-4 3.23 34 saves
Jonathan Broxton: 5-3 3.56
Joe Beimel: 2-2 3.98
Elmer Dessens: 1-4 4.45
Hong-Chih Kuo: 8-4 4.21
Bret Tomko: 4-6 4.00
Mark Hendrickson: 5-5 4.79

I'll add more players later. But, for the most part I'm expecting a lot of injuries. Hopefully our bench players help out. By the way, I was disappointed to see that Steve Garvey failed in his last opportunity to be inducted into the baseball hall of fame. Now its up to the veterans committee.

BELIEVE IN BLUE!

OUT WEST...

It has been an interesting off-season in the national league west. Through the trades, and signings the Los Angeles Dodgers are head of the class. The Dodgers did a deluxe job in executing their off-season plans on strengthening the roster. They acquired the ace pitcher that the starting rotation has been lacking by signing Jason Schmidt, and solidifying the outfield spots with Luis Gonzalez, and Juan Pierre. They did fail to bring in a power bat, but there is still time for dealin', and wheelin'. The San Francisco Giants did a nice job in shoring up the rotation. They brought on board Barry Zito (my favorite ball player), Bengie Molina, Dave Roberts, and Ryan Klesko. These are all solid moves, but by no mans does it put them over the top. The San Diego Padres began the off-season by losing a steady presence in Bruce Bochy. The Padres rebounded, and brought in Greg Maddux, Marcus Giles, and Kevin Kouzmanoff. All in all, nothing special. This team reeks middle of the road team. The Arizona Diamond Backs started the off-season by changing their colors, as they got tired making Mr. Blackwell's worst dressed list. As for roster moves, its all about Randy Johnson. That's all they have been able to do. But this is not Randy Johnson from three years ago. This is an aging power pitcher with a back problem. The D'backs should start making vacation plans by June. Then there are the Colorado Rockies, who have been rebuilding since 1995. Not much is expected from them, although they have a number of good young players like, Matt holiday, Brad Hawpe, Garret Atkins, and Jeff Francis. The Dodgers should win the division comfortably. But then again, this is baseball, and anything can happen.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

NOT ZITO...

The San Francisco Giants delivered a terrible blow to the National League West today. They where able to reel in Barry Zito to a 7 year deal worth $126 million. Zito who is the guy I wanted the Dodgers to go after, is going to our arch rival. I wrote many times on this blog about how much I wanted to see Zito play for the Dodgers. Zito also happens to be my favorite ball player. I have met him a couple of times before, and he's a solid guy. I would still take Zito over Jason Schmidt any day of the week. This was a tough one. When I first heard about the signing it outraged me. I am displeased with Ned Colletti, and his dealings with Scott Borras, who represents Zito, and not to mention Eric Gagne. Ned has a personal vendetta with Borras, which is fine for him, but the people who end up losing in the end are Dodger fans. I know the J.D. Drew event was shady, and Ned has the right to be pissed, but he can't stop dealing with Borras. The Drew incident might have caused us Eric Gagne, and pretty much took us out of the running for Barry Zito. Ned needs to check his ego at the door. Still, Borras is a major ass. I understand where Ned is coming from. Either way, I can't wait for Jason Schmidt, and Barry Zito to go at each other. It's going to be fun.


BELIEVE IN BLUE

SO FAR, SO GOOD...

At this juncture in time, Ned Colletti has done a solid job in bringing in pieces needed on this team. These pieces however, where not the ones I was thinking off when the season ended. I wanted Ned to go after a power bat, and an ace to bolster the staff. Dodger faithful are still waiting for the powerbat, although he managed to solve the ace situation. Even though, I wanted to go after the eccentric Barry Zito. Zito is somewhat of my favorite ballplayer, and I wished to see him in Dodger blue. I can only hope that the Zito to the San Francisco Giant rumors are just that. Still, Jason Schmidt is by no means a slouch, and having him on board makes me blissful. Another crucial decision I wanted Ned to make was to keep the farm system as is. For the most part Ned did so. Andy LaRoche, James Loney, Matt Kemp, Scott Elbert, Andre Ethier, and Chad Billingsley survived what seemed to be countless rumors of them going elsewhere. It's great to see that the organization is going to the way it used to be, building from with in. Ned needs to stick to his gun, and keep the kids.

The day after the New York Mets finished off our boys in blue, I wrote on this blog my predictions to what the team would look like. I was way off. Needless to say, I was thinking with my heart, rather than my brain. At this point, the team looks something like this

CF. Juan Pierre: slight improvement over Kenny Lofton
C. Russell Martin: needs to avoid sophomore slump
SS. Rafael Furcal: moves down the order, be more clutch
2B. Jeff Kent: can he stay healthy?
1B. Nomar Garciaparra: again, can he stay healthy?
LF. Luis Gonzalez: does he have anything left?
RF. Andre Ethier: must prove his first have was no fluke
3B. Wilson Betemit: I would rather see LaRoche in there

Rotation
Jason Shmidt: nice coup from the Giants
Derek Lowe: needs to stay focused
Brad Penny: to many questions about him
Chad Billingsley: CONTROL!
Randy Wolf: walking injury

I have a feeling that our boys will do more than well. It's a nice hitting team, with surplus pitching. Lets believe Ned...

BELIEVE IN BLUE!

GAME OVER...

It is official, the greatest closer in Los Angeles Dodgers history is no longer on the team. Eric Gagne signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers. The deal is worth $6 million dollars, but it could rise to $11 million if he hits his incentives. According to some reports, the Dodgers had offered Eric a one year-deal worth $4 million, with incentives that could have brought the deal up to $10 million. The Dodgers offer was more than fair. Especially after Eric said he was willing to take less money in order to stay with the team. It seems that Scott Borras got to him. Just like he got to Adrian Beltre, and J.D. Drew. Loyalty does not go far these days. Eric will most certainty be missed. Eric saved 161 games for the Dodgers during his prodigious career. He took home the 2003 Cy Young award, was a three-time all-star, and was the face of the Dodger franchise. He was a true Dodger, but it only took $1 million dollars for him to forget that. The Dodgers must turn the page now, and focus on putting together the roster. Eric will now go to Texas, and pick up a paycheck every fifteen days. He will see his era rise, and his saves go down. He will see the Rangers atrocious play night after night, and be at the bottom of the rung in the American league West. I earnestly hope that Eric can regain his form, and continue his stellar career. But, by early May Eric will realize that he committed the biggest mistake of his baseball life. It's Sammy time!...


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

GONE-ZO ARIZONA...

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers lost four integral parts of the team. On Wednesday, the Dodgers reloaded. The Dodgers added stud pitcher Jason Schmidt by signing him to a three year deal worth $47 million dollars. They then signed Mike Lieberthal to a one year deal to back up Russell Martin, and just when you thought the dealing was over, they reeled in Luis Gonzalez to one year deal. The Dodgers had a very productive day. They strengthened the rotation, and shored up a whole in the lineup. The dilemma now is what happens to Andre Ethier, James Loney, Matt Kemp, and Brad Penny. It is well known that the Dodgers are looking to stock-pile pitchers in order to go out and trade Penny for the power bat they sorely need. There is speculation that the Dodgers will go seek a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire All-Star Vernon Wells. The Dodgers would have to part ways with Penny, and one if not two of their highly prized prospects. Say a deal does take place, Vernon Wells in right field, Juan Pierre in center field, and Gonzo in left, what happens to Andre Ethier?. Has Andre fallen out of favor with the organization?. Andre Ethier earned himself a starting position. Now he might be the odd man out. Also, there is the age old question of "do you trade prospects?" The Dodgers have stood strong, and kept most of their prospects. But, not just keeping them, they have to play them. James Loney is ready to be an everyday player, Andy LaRoche has been passed over many times, and we are still waiting for his first big league game. It would have made more sense if the Dodgers had simply not picked up Gonzo, and then gone after Vernon Wells, or Andruw Jones. That way Andre would not be road blocked. They also could keep Penny, and have one of the strongest rotations in all of baseball, but at this point that looks doubtful. The Dodgers are fed up with his poor attitude, and unreliable performance. But, Penny should be given one more shot. He did win sixteen games, and start the All-Star game. The Dodgers should just leave the team as is. In a weak National League, they are more than capable of winning in the playoffs. As of this moment, this Dodger ballclub is a throwback to that of the sixties. A team that runs well, moves guys over, and most important, is knee deep in good pitching. I can only hope that Ned Colletti stays with the building from with-in mentality.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

MANNY BEING A DODGER?...

At this juncture, the Dodgers appear to be the team in the lead for the Manny Ramirez sweepstakes. Manny would certainly solve the Dodgers power woes. For the last 10 years, Manny has been an elite hitter. Ramirez batted .321, hit 35 homeruns, and drove in 102 runs last season. This was also considered to be a down year for the eccentric left fielder. Manny might be one of the greatest pure hitters of all-time. He is a career .314 hitter, has 470 homeruns, and has driven in 1,516 runs.
Manny has driven in at least 100 runs in eleven of the past twelve years. Including 1999 when Manny drove in a impressive 165 runs. This guy is the definition of a clutch hitter. Without a doubt, Manny Ramirez would be a welcomed addition to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The only hitch in bringing Manny to Los Angeles is the prize. The prize being the Dodger prospects that would have to go back in return for such a player. At this point, it is being said the the Boston Red Sox would want James Loney, Andy LaRoche, Matt Kemp, and a pitching prospect. The acquisition would pay a steep prize for the Dodgers. This is a move that should simply not be made. Manny Ramirez is a great player, but in this humble writers opinion, he is not worth the Dodgers future. Ramirez has two years left on his deal, so in two years time he might not even be a Dodger. Ned Colletti needs to avoid the Red Sox like the plaque. He needs to focus his attention on Barry Zito or Jason Schmidt. They are both being pursued by the Texas Rangers, and the Chicago Cubs respectfully. At this point, I am willing to bite my lip and go with the "power" hitters the team has.

The Dodgers signed Randy Wolf to a one year deal with an option for a second. This is a solid move. It gives the team another option in the rotation. Plus, if Wolf flops in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, it is only a one year deal. This also gives the Dodgers an option of trading Brad Penny who has fallen out of favor with the organization for a middle of the order hitter. All in all it was a solid move. But, Ned needs to stop the "solid" moves, and bring in the aforementioned Zito or Schmidt.

By the way, I am looking for a job. If anyone can help me out it would certainty be appreciated.

BELIEVE IN BLUE!

CENTER OF ATTENTION...

The Dodgers have been looking for a power hitter for the entire offseason, so on wedenday the Dodgers inked Juan Pierre to a 5 year deal worth $45 million. The move makes sense in many ways. It gives the Dodgers a tremendous 1-2 punch at the top of the lineup, and concistency on the team. Juan Pierre has not missed a game in more than 4 years. Juan can also be counted on to get around 200 hits, and steal at least 45 bases. Despite his many accents, he does have a number of flaws in his game. Juan has one of the weakest throwing arms in the game today, and Brad Penny has more pop in his bat. Juan is a good player, but in no way is he a $45 million player. One has to question the motive behind this move. If Ned Colletti is throwing around money, then might as well throw it at players who fill the team needs. I have not heard a single news report on the Dodgers targeting Barry Zito, and only hearing whispers on Jason Schmidt. Ned needs to get on the ball. Now that "El Caballo" Carlos Lee has signed with the Houston Astros, the free agent pool for power hitters is all but gone. Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza, and Cliff Floyd are the last of what you can call "middle of the order" hitters, and these guys are on the downward slope of their careers. It is time that the Dodgers part ways with some of their prospects in order to bring in a legit power hitter. I have been opposed to trading prospects, but I will relent my thoughts if they are able to bring in the likes of Vernon Wells, Andruw Jones, or Miguel Cabrera. Ned needs to do something to bolster the middle of the lineup. At the present time, our projected 3-4-5 hitters are Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, and Andre Ethier. I doubt this three-some is making anyone cringe.

I was unable to post anything in sometime due to some personal matters. So I was unable to share my thoughts on the Nomar, but needless to say, I am quite happy. During that span, the Arizona Fall League came to an end. I will post my thoughts on how our prospects farred.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!

DIRTY POOL? OR GIFT FROM ABOVE?...

On Thursday night it became official. The Mike Marshall J.R. saga ended. Drew opted out of the remaining 3 years of his contract to pursue a more lucrative one. This was definitely a stunning move on Drews part. The move even left Juan Gonzalez in shock. Drew had said all along that he was going to fulfill the 3 years left on his deal. The Dodger front office was left out in the cold as they where not prepared to go into the offseason signing period without a right fielder on the roster. Now they must make new plans as to what players they need to bring in. The Dodgers where already looking for a power bat to go into the middle of the lineup, now they must try and find two. The Dodgers where going after an elite pitcher, now pitching might hit the back burner. There is also the Scott Borras dilemma. The Dodgers where already going after many of his clients, and Ned Colletti is not really enthused with his management skills. So Drew left the Dodgers in a tough situation. There is something that the Dodgers will not miss at all, and that is J.D. Drew himself. Drew never seemed at home in Dodgers Stadium, his production never matched his excessive salary, and he rested his week frame when he should have been out on the field. Also, there is now a large amount of money that has been taken out of the books. Money that will go to into acquiring the missing pieces. J.D. Drew has done the Dodgers a stupendous favor. He removed himself from the team, and gave the team $33 million dollars. There is no way in hell that the Dodgers could have done that by trading him. It is well known that Drew is a devout Christian. Maybe God spoke to him and told him Los Angeles was not the right place for him. We might never know what was the reasoning behind his move, but maybe it was a gift from above. Ned now needs to go and bring in the right players that will fit into this team, and will actually go out and play night after night.

In Arizona, Dodger prospects continue to shine, while others seem to be stuck on neutral. John Meloan, Brian Akin, and Danny Muegge have been great the entire fall. Chin Lung Hu, and Anthony Raglani have been quite the opposite. However, the never mentioned A.J. Ellis has surprised many with his hitting display so far. In Hawaii, things have pretty much stayed the same. Blake DeWitt, and Xavier Paul are struggling while Cory Dunlap keeps making strides. The pitching continues to be the bright spot. Both leagues are on the last leg of the season, so our guys need to turn it up.


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HOT CORNER SOLVED?...

The hot corner has been a black hole ever since Adrian Beltre went up the coast to join the Seattle Mariners two years ago. Before Beltre arrived in Los Angeles, third base was a even worse problem since the departure of Ron Cey. Dodger brass has many options on how to fill the third base spot. They can go with the incubment Wilson Betemit. They can promote ubber prospect Andy LaRoche. Or they can go out and bring someone else in via trade or free agent signing. The most prominent free agent that fills the bill appears to be Aramis Ramirez. Ramirez opted out of his multiyear deal with the Chicago Cubs in order to seek a more prosperous contract. He was already making around $11 million a season, and has been thought that he will look for $13-15 million a season. For his production value, he seems to be worth it. Last season, Aramis hit .291, with 38 homeruns, and 119 runs batted in. Plus he is more than modest at third with the glove. Aramis is a great player, but I would rather see Andy LaRoche take over at third. The Dodgers would save a significant amount of money by going with LaRoche. Money that can go into bringing an ace pitcher like Barry Zito. I would even go with Wilson Betemit until LaRoche proves he is worth giving the third base spot. Maybe a platoon between Betemit, and LaRoche would work for me. Either way, I would shy away from giving out a colossal contract to Aramis Ramirez. Come opening day, I want to see Andy LaRoche filling the hot corner.

It is official, Jonathan Meloan is good. Meloan has continued his torrid pace. His era is a mind boggling 1.42 in 10 outings. Brian Akin, Casey Hoorelbeke, and Danny Muegge have not been slouches either. They have all had terrific falls. The hitters on the other hand have not had such good luck. Chin Lung Hu, and Anthony Raglani keep struggling at the plate. In the Hawaiian Winter League, the hitters are also struggling. With Cory Dunlap being the exception. The pitchers have held more than their own.


BELIEVE IN BLUE!