Official 2014 GT!!! Pennant Bound and Down...

[Kilroy]

what a disappointing series loss here.

Let's be COMPLETELY real here.
outside of going...what...42-8 last summer in that stretch...this team has played pretty much mediocre baseball since 2012.

you know who I blame.

Ned Colletti for assembling a team full of holes with 220 million dollar budget.

then Don for his inability to get the most out of still very talented roster.

I've been very disappointed so far this season... I know there's a long way to go, but this team still lacks identity.

I think it might be time for Don to go. I think this team is primed to take on sort of that unpredictable, crazy Puig mentality, which I think could be good for us... Just have fun and play... But Don's fighting it.
We may not end up the consistent and mechanical Yankees... There could be some good and bad streaks along the way, but I think you err on the side of having an identity and being a little streaky, vs denying that identity and being consistently unimpressive.

[Neddy]

what a disappointing series loss here.

Let's be COMPLETELY real here.
outside of going...what...42-8 last summer in that stretch...this team has played pretty much mediocre baseball since 2012.

you know who I blame.

Ned Colletti for assembling a team full of holes with 220 million dollar budget.

then Don for his inability to get the most out of still very talented roster.

I've been very disappointed so far this season... I know there's a long way to go, but this team still lacks identity.

I think it might be time for Don to go. I think this team is primed to take on sort of that unpredictable, crazy Puig mentality, which I think could be good for us... Just have fun and play... But Don's fighting it.
We may not end up the consistent and mechanical Yankees... There could be some good and bad streaks along the way, but I think you err on the side of having an identity and being a little streaky, vs denying that identity and being consistently unimpressive.

Don was never a good manger to begin with, and does not belong in NL. we should have never extended him that contract. Im afraid now we are sort of stuck with him until the latter part of his deal.

[Quake Griffin]

so glad Eric Byrnes was sitting there on MLB Network and called Puig's strikeout in the 5th inning bull.

was lulz and it wasn't even close.


if u weren't watching...fastball 95-96 from eddie butler tailing inside.
pathetic.

[Neddy]

oh I was watching.

and this lineup of Don was the only thing i can say was a positive move by our idiot manger so far. nobody wants to see Hanley coming up with Dee on base, so Dee gets more honest pitches, and nobody wants to see Puig coming up with Hanley and Dee on base, so Hanley gets better pitches to hit, then Gonzo comes up. I loved the 1-2-3-4 of today's lineup.

as for Puig not getting the call, I would expect this to change in a couple more years when Puig is recognized as a legitimate superstar of this league, like Joey Votto. he gets lots of calls go his way. I have always thought that Choo had better eyes but Votto always got the benefit of the doubt when both were playing for the reds.

[Quake Griffin]

oh I was watching.

and this lineup of Don was the only thing i can say was a positive move by our idiot manger so far. nobody wants to see Hanley coming up with Dee on base, so Dee gets more honest pitches, and nobody wants to see Puig coming up with Hanley and Dee on base, so Hanley gets better pitches to hit, then Gonzo comes up. I loved the 1-2-3-4 of today's lineup.

as for Puig not getting the call, I would expect this to change in a couple more years when Puig is recognized as a legitimate superstar of this league, like Joey Votto. he gets lots of calls go his way. I have always thought that Choo had better eyes but Votto always got the benefit of the doubt when both were playing for the reds.

Discuss Grant Holmes.

good pick?
think we'll sign him?
Apparently he throws gas but his stuff should go through the minors quickly.

and as a side note.
do you like the Cardinals model of starting their young guys in the bullpen and then graduating them to starters? Or do you like them starting in the big leagues as soon as they get here?

[Neddy]

hard to tell. he seems to throw hard, but hard to project where he would end up. great power, good control, very plus curve, as far as his stuff is concerned, probably closer to kershaw than billingsley. but Grant is a right handed pitcher, which sets up the standard a bit higher than lefties due to sheer volume of availability of RHP. wish he was a couple of inches taller, 6-2 190 listed, probably around 6-1 or shorter without shoes. I don't quite feel comfortable with a right handed starting pitcher with only 3 pitches to his arsenal.

none of the criticism i have for him is a significant hurdle, I think he can become a top of the rotation type of guy, potential Cy Young in the future, or blow out his arm early in the minors and become a middle relief like Reed or Withrow. maybe he can use his great speed and two plus pitches early in his career by becoming a dominant closer.

If he grows a bit taller, he should become a good to very good starter.
if he adds another pitch, say a slider, split finger, or a heavy sinker on top of his fastball/curve/developing change, he should be a very good to excellent starter.

gets injured early and unable to develop his repertoire, a strong relief pitcher in the mold of Withrow.

[Quake Griffin]

draft arms and get position players internationally?

i guess with Alex Guerrero, Joc and Seager in the minors, we don't truly need to draft another position player for a while. I do think it's time to start developing a catcher....


moving along:
I can't wait until AJ Ellis gets back. Drew is alright in the field. But dude is an out man every time up. Having AJ in the back half of our lineup could really help. He's one of our leaders as well.

I want Don to stick with this team. Have some nuts, tell Carl Crawford to go **** himself, he's the #5 OF behind SVS with Kemp playing LF. Let this team settle into its roles, its spot in the batting order and let's go win baseball games.

edit:
just realized Zack Greinke is 6'2" 195 but him and Grant Holmes have COMPLETELY different body builds.

[Quake Griffin]

Chris Perez plz don't blow this.

[Quake Griffin]

do we have one win this year that we fought for?

one come back victory?
seems like we either coast or just get down on ourselves if we get behind early.

[Neddy]

LOL you are 0 for 2 with your last 2 posts in here.

I knew Perez would blow this.... I didn't quite like the signing initially either, but his early statistic aberrations made him look better than he is, and I convinced myself that he was going to do just fine, despite the fangraphs and other site's prediction on him having a bad year, and League having a bounce back year.

we did have more than a few come-back-from-behind wins earlier this season, including the last start before tonight's for Kershaw where we were losing 2 nothing against the whitesox until the bottom of the 6th. it's just that right now we are lacking cohesive offensive output and overall lack of chemistry starting from our manager Don. Kemp just went through a horrendous slump, something like 4 for 40 before he got some crucial hits in last couple of games. then there are the injuries right now.
but as far as the baseball pythagorean theorem goes, we are only about a game behind where we should be, which tells a story of a disappointingly underachieving team right now. we are just not getting things done the whole season so far.

overall, I will always come back to the GM and the Manager.

it is Ned's fault for spending 220 million dollar roster with so many freaking holes, his best move this season so far has been not his multimillion dollar deals on Alex Guerrero or Arruebarruena, but the vet's minimum trade he made late last season in Butera(where the juries are still out, as Miguel Sulbaran was only 19 and pitching his ass off in class A great lakes, have a few years ahead of him to find out what he is made of.... which Im afraid is a major league quality starting arm, but I also love the fact that the offensively challenged Drew Butera is one of just a handful of catchers who caught no hitters in both leagues in his short career, which says something about his pitch calling abilities) , and Figgins as a utility player which was a huge surprise.

I hate the fact that Ned caved into the RedSox when there was no other suiters for Gonzo+salary dump, we could have avoided taking Crawford all together as the sox were desperate to remove the locker room drunk Beckett off of their hands. I hate him even more that he failed to trade the glut of outfielders during the offseason that is stalling Joc's road to the majors.

but the biggest blame goes to Don. he is the reason why we have been sticking with Brian Wilson when clearly he should not be setting up the 8th innings when the game is tight, blowing how many holds so far? he may come to his own again and start to pitch like Wilson should later on, but the price we had to pay were a half a dozen games so far it seems.

I am so sick and tired of Ned and Donny screwing things up. but we have stupidly gave away that contract when Donny was pouting. I am highly disappointed in Guggenheim right now. it just seems that they were willing to inflate the payroll simply to gouge time warner for the broadcasting money and didn't really give a careful thought in terms of what exactly the contracts they were bringing in.

[Quake Griffin]

LOL you are 0 for 2 with your last 2 posts in here.

I knew Perez would blow this.... I didn't quite like the signing initially either, but his early statistic aberrations made him look better than he is, and I convinced myself that he was going to do just fine, despite the fangraphs and other site's prediction on him having a bad year, and League having a bounce back year.

we did have more than a few come-back-from-behind wins earlier this season, including the last start before tonight's for Kershaw where we were losing 2 nothing against the whitesox until the bottom of the 6th. it's just that right now we are lacking cohesive offensive output and overall lack of chemistry starting from our manager Don. Kemp just went through a horrendous slump, something like 4 for 40 before he got some crucial hits in last couple of games. then there are the injuries right now.
but as far as the baseball pythagorean theorem goes, we are only about a game behind where we should be, which tells a story of a disappointingly underachieving team right now. we are just not getting things done the whole season so far.

overall, I will always come back to the GM and the Manager.

it is Ned's fault for spending 220 million dollar roster with so many freaking holes, his best move this season so far has been not his multimillion dollar deals on Alex Guerrero or Arruebarruena, but the vet's minimum trade he made late last season in Butera(where the juries are still out, as Miguel Sulbaran was only 19 and pitching his ass off in class A great lakes, have a few years ahead of him to find out what he is made of.... which Im afraid is a major league quality starting arm, but I also love the fact that the offensively challenged Drew Butera is one of just a handful of catchers who caught no hitters in both leagues in his short career, which says something about his pitch calling abilities) , and Figgins as a utility player which was a huge surprise.

I hate the fact that Ned caved into the RedSox when there was no other suiters for Gonzo+salary dump, we could have avoided taking Crawford all together as the sox were desperate to remove the locker room drunk Beckett off of their hands. I hate him even more that he failed to trade the glut of outfielders during the offseason that is stalling Joc's road to the majors.

but the biggest blame goes to Don. he is the reason why we have been sticking with Brian Wilson when clearly he should not be setting up the 8th innings when the game is tight, blowing how many holds so far? he may come to his own again and start to pitch like Wilson should later on, but the price we had to pay were a half a dozen games so far it seems.

I am so sick and tired of Ned and Donny screwing things up. but we have stupidly gave away that contract when Donny was pouting. I am highly disappointed in Guggenheim right now. it just seems that they were willing to inflate the payroll simply to gouge time warner for the broadcasting money and didn't really give a careful thought in terms of what exactly the contracts they were bringing in.

You're right. It's on Donnie....I don't see Stan Kasten as an idiot who is unaware.

I say that to say....Don needs to play the best lineup EVERYDAY regardless of who is getting paid. Sadly, this means that a $20 million will not be getting a lot of playing time. Sorry Crawford. You're going to ride pine buddy. You can correct me on this if I am wrong but it does seem like these are Donnie moves and not calls from upstairs to play these players.

Stick with ONE lineup.
Please. Pick ONE Left Fielder...please. Is it Kemp? FIne. If it's Kemp, then make it Kemp. But don't be a pussy. Don't make it Kemp for 3 days and give Crawford (when he gets back) a day because he makes a whole lot of money and has an ego. Tell Crawford to go **** himself if he isn't going to sacrifice for this team. These bloated contracts only hurt us ON THE FIELD as much as Donnie let's them.

Kemp isn't going to a) get better or b) be a benefit to this team being given spot duty. After this weekend, I can tell he doesnt have a bad attitude about being in LF. He just wants to play well and he was being a lil sourpuss cuz he couldn't get a hit previously if he had a tennis racket.


Btw....A-Gon slumping big time lately.
He's been horrible.

[Neddy]

out of the 20 million dollar OF club, it's Kemp > Ethier > Crawford and i believe the best outfielder in dodgers 25 men roster not named Yasiel Puig is Scott Van Slyke.

we are wasting 38 million dollars on 4th and 5th best outfielders this year and for the foreseeable future... go figure.

[Quake Griffin]

Scott Van Slyke out hurr eatin tonight.

[Neddy]

we currently have

Puig, Van Slyke, Kemp, Ethier, Crawford, Joc, AND Trayvon Robinson as well as Nick Buss as major league ready outfielders.

the problem is that the best 3 among them are not the ones getting paid 17 to 21 million dollars a year, although i think Kemp is starting to come around a bit.

[Neddy]

as the game was delayed due to rain, i started to think about what the best lineup for us should be according to SABRmetrics, and i came out with this thought.

1. Hanley Ramirez : SABR asks for one of the best 3 players, preferably the best OBP guy to lead off. our best OBP guy is Puig, but he also is the best hitter we have. Hanley is the second best OBP guy with a top 3 batting.

2. Yasiel Puig : the best hitter is asked to hit 2nd according to science.

3. Adrian Gonzalez : 4th best hitter right now, as designed for SABR logic.

4. Scott Van Slyke : the second best hitter in terms of OPS and SLG(actually the best, but his sample size is much smaller than others), most HRs per at bat in our roster.

5. Matt Kemp : the next best hitter with speed and potential to excel beyond his current trend.

6. Juan Uribe : statistically better than Kemp right now, but he also is injured and have been inconsistent his entire career. until Juan is healthy, Justin Turner belongs right here.

7. AJ Ellis : great OBP guy to have ahead of a pitcher. until he is back, Drew Butera.

8. Pitcher

9. Dee Gordon : best base stealer to have in front of Hanley and Puig, just that I do not want a .331 OBP guy to lead off, a la Juan Pierre.

[Quake Griffin]

http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... situation/

nah, let's just move on without you.
im srs. let's pay u 20 Ms to do nothing.

chemistry > forcing you in the lineup.

[Neddy]

http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/39926/20140610/crawford_critical_of_dodgers_outfield_situation/

nah, let's just move on without you.
im srs. let's pay u 20 Ms to do nothing.

chemistry > forcing you in the lineup.

Damn that Ned Colletti.... I knew we had to move a couple of outfielders during the offseason even if we had to take on 40% of their salaries with nothing in return, now we will have to eat vast majority of Carl's contract to make it happen.... Carl is owed 62.2 million dollars not counting this season, and on the hook until 2017. i say we now will have to pay 40 million at least to move him, then we are still stuck with Ethier/Kemp situation while Van Slyke, the guy with the highest OPS and SLG on our entire roster and Joc are rotting away.

btw it's not just chemistry, Carl Crawford is statistically the worst outfielder we currently have, and have no arm strength to cover any other position but the left field.

just from top of my head,

Scott Van Slyke has something like 183 OPS+ which is babe ruth/mickey mantle type numbers,
Yasiel Puig has about 155 OPS+, which is still monstrous,

then Kemp, around 115?
then Ethier, around 107?
then Carl, barely just around 100.

contract or no contract, he has no business playing everyday.

[Neddy]

lost another one...

god we suck.

[Quake Griffin]

Brace yourself.

B. Will is out there bout to blow a 2 run lead.

[Quake Griffin]

June 22 was the start of our run last year.

It was the 3rd game of a 4 game set in San Diego.
after we took the last 2 in that series I KNEW we were about to get hot.

I called my buddy in San Jose and said, "the Giants are about to get swept. you have my word"
and we were off to the races.

i don't need a 42-8 run....15/20 would mke me happy though.