omg….I was going to post the same today. Can you keep this post at the top of the fanposts so I can add to it when he makes another bonehead move.

side of the ledger:

Laroche starts at 3b in place of Dewitt against a RHer tonight. Finally, he starts against a RHer.

“never mind”.

Buerhle is pitching tonight, and he be a lefty.

seriously, I think he is losing his mind.. You can’t make this up.

Proctor really is hurt

By Tony Jackson on June 25, 2008 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | ShareThis
OK, this is going to sound like a manager covering his player’s rear end, but after listening to Torre’s explanation for the Proctor issue and checking it out with another source, it appears that what Torre said in his pregame media session in legit. Basically, Joe admitted that the original plan with Proctor was to option him to Vegas, and apparently, Proctor was willing to go, but after continuing to press him on the issue of his physical health, only then did Proctor admit that there was a problem with his elbow.
``I know it sounds like he just did that to keep from going to the minor leagues,’’ Torre said. ``But I checked with (trainer) Stan (Conte), and I think he had the same conversation with (Proctor) late last night.’‘
Torre went on to say that Proctor isn’t the type of pitcher to admit - either to his manager or to himself - that he is hurt.
``Scotty is that guy who figures that even in spite of it, he can go out and get people out,’’ Torre said.
Torre said Proctor was even willing to accept the option and go to Vegas and pitch hurt, but that club officials weren’t going to allow him to do that.

here’s one FOR Torre-he started Laroche at 2b yesterday….with Martin at 3b….if only they could find a better hitting backup catcher.
Laroche had the Dodgers only extra-base hit yesterday. In my oipinion, he will be th LA 3bman by the end of the year, as Dewitt is in a big slump since the beginning of June. Rookie of the month in May to AAA by August in my opinion.

WC: And finally, the Dodgers. Assuming that Frank McCourt is on the side of the win-now faction in the front office this week, who should the Indians be asking for from LA?

KG: Well, I’d hate to assume anything with Frank McCourt, but for the sake of argument, let’s figure this out. I’d start this deal with Andy LaRoche—he solves the long-term problem at third base in Cleveland (although I’m still a Wes Hodges fan). While they’re at it, might as well see if Hu is available to play shortstop. Other interesting names might be catcher Carlos Santana and solid arms like James Adkins, Steven Johnson, and James McDonald. All of that said, talking to some people inside the game, I get the feeling that the Dodgers are not going to trade young talent this year.

from today’s BP article on the Sabathia sweepstakes.
I like the idea of letting this season play out, go into free agency and decide whether you want to re-sign Furcal-uhmmmm….the answer is easy Ned, see how Kershaw pitches the rest of the year-along with Billz and Kuroda. Let Laroche play 3b over Dewitt, give Dewitt some time at 2b over Kent, and see if Broxton can be our closer of the future when put under pressure situations. He needs to prove to me he can close. See if Kemp and Ethier can hit with more consistency with RISP. See if Andruw Jones can regain his stroke…if so, maybe you can deal Pierre or Ethier in the off-season to settle the OF situation.
And with all this, you COULD still win the West as Arizona has come back to earth real quick. With LA losing 20 of their last 30, scoring one run or less in 14 of those games, they are still…what 3.5-4 games out…not bad. Don’t sell the future when you don’t have to. Unless they can challenge for the pennant, trade for Sabathia….if not, then I would sit tight.

Top Dodgers prospect Andy LaRoche was battling Nomar Garciaparra for the team’s starting third base job this spring until injuries to both players propelled 22-year-old rookie Blake DeWitt to the top of the depth chart. On June 11, the 24-year-old LaRoche was finally recalled from the minors. What has transpired since then, and what’s the outlook at the hot corner in L.A. for the remainder of the season?

In the 14 games the Dodgers have played since LaRoche’s recall, DeWitt has started nine games at third base and LaRoche four. Catcher Russell Martin started at third Thursday, while LaRoche got his first start at second base. LaRoche has also picked up one start at first base.

Five of the right-handed LaRoche’s six starts have come against left-handed pitching, so basically he’s been platooning with the left-handed DeWitt. Their numbers, for the season and since LaRoche’s call-up:

2008 AB BA OBP SLG HR
DeWitt 223 .268 .336 .393 5
LaRoche (minors) 141 .284 .439 .411 5

Since June 11 AB BA OBP SLG HR
DeWitt 38 .158 .180 .210 0
LaRoche 22 .273 .360 .455 1

LaRoche hasn’t been in the majors long, so the sample size is small. However, DeWitt’s current slump could earn LaRoche more starts against right-handers and eventually lead to full-time duty. LaRoche hasn’t particularly struggled against right-handers in his minor league career, and he certainly profiles as an everyday starter in the long-term. Also, his career minor league slugging percentage of .516 is considerably better than the .411 mark he’s posted this year, suggesting that perhaps the thumb injury he suffered in the spring is continuing to affect his power output. DeWitt, meanwhile, is hitting just .188 BA/.253 OBP/.232 SLG overall in June, and while also a first-round draft choice (2004), has the lesser minor league pedigree.

Garciaparra will return in August to complicate the situation, but right now it appears that DeWitt’s recent struggles could soon place the platoon arrangement in jeopardy. Don’t be surprised to see LaRoche pick up more starts against right-handed pitching very soon.

this from Tony Jackson at the LA Daily News:

Torre just told us this morning, although he said Rafael Furcal would probably go back into the leadoff spot when he comes back, with Pierre dropping to second.
``(Pierre) has been that consistent guy for us every day, and he refuses to acknowledge any bumps or bruises, even though you know he has them,’’ Torre said. ``He has been great. Juan is going to be our left fielder, and Andruw will be our center fielder.’‘
That means, of course, that Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp will compete for playing time in RF. Although Torre wouldn’t acknowledge that was part of the plan, it is apparent that those two benefitted from pushing each other early in the season. Ned Colletti is a big proponent in the value of having players compete, his thinking being that it brings out the best in the players doing the competing.

wonderful. well, we will be assured a better draft pick because of his decision. Thanks Joe.

I missed the main point in the previous post…Juan Pierre will be the LA everyday LF after Jones returns from the DL after the ASB.

from TJ after the game today…...

And hold the phone on what I reported earlier today about Pierre, because he may NOT be the everyday LF. In fact, he may be headed to the DL. Or not. He isn’t flying to Houston with the team tonight, and he will have an MRI tomorrow. If it shows nothing, I’m guessing he’ll fly to Houston on Tuesday and maybe play that night. If it shows something, he’ll probably go on the DL for the first time in his career, and the Dodgers undoubtedly will recall Jason Repko from Vegas and put him in the leadoff spot until Furcal is activated in a week. Torre said after the game that Delwyn Young is the most likely candidate to lead off tomorrow night, when the Dodgers will operate with 24 players, but he didn’t commit to that. Said Matt Kemp is a remote possibility, too. If you didn’t see it, Pierre stole second in the sixth inning, sliding in headfirst as always, and Erick Aybar fell on the back of Pierre’s left knee. Pierre rolled around in agony for a few minutes, then tried to walk it off, then tried to talk Torre into leaving him in the game, but that wasn’t going to happen. ... Dodgers fall to 38-43 and stay 2 1/2 behind the Snakes. Meanwhile, the Giants are creeping up again. They’re just 2 1/2 behind the Dodgers, whom they will host for three starting Friday.

it appears he will be headed to the DL…...Repko could be called up to play CF, Kemp in RF, Ethier in LF…..until Jones comes off the DL….

apparently will be leading off tonight vs. Oswalt, which probably means Kemp sits.

Torre takes out Kershaw with 2 out, 2 on in the 5th, with that touigh hitting Ty Wigginton coming up. Wiggy was 0-2 vs Kershaw, but Joe had to take him out after 90 pitches, to bring in the RHer Brain Falkenbourg. Falky is so good, Wiggy deposited his 1st pitch into the 1st row in RF for a 3 run HR.
Then in the 9th, he intentionally walks Berkman with Broxton on the mound to load the bases to pitch to Carlos Lee who was 2-2 already. He hit a long drive to LF, which should have been caight by Delwyn Young had he jumped a split second later, or was an inch taller, but went for a 2 run double to tie the game.