Maddux Finally Back

So the dodgers finally bit on the Mad Dog. According to the LA Times, the padres will get two players to be named later. I'm not as excited had this happened a few weeks ago, not sure quite why. Maddux is no longer a star pitcher, but he's a darn smart one. The whole Maddux as second pitching coach is probably overrated by me. I like the idea of Greg Maddux as the dodgers' fifth starter more than the idea of Jason Johnson. I liked the way Chan-Ho Park pitched when the dodgers allowed him to be a starter, but for whatever reason they won't let him start anymore so it's moot. I like James McDonald. His one start implosion may or may not have been a good reason to acquire or not acquire Maddux. Maybe it didn't go down that way at all. Either way, McDonald figures to be in the dodgers plans when September call ups are made and I'm more than sure that McDonald will get a chance to win a spot on the big club in spring training next year. Hopefully McDonald bounces back, Maddux pitches well and maybe teaches Kershaw a thing or two, and the PTBNL's aren't significant/are in line with the value of a month or so of a 5'th starter..

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Kent Says Vin, "Talks too much"

This news is a couple of days old already and I'd been meaning to post about it. Basically Vin Scully mentioned during a game that Jeff Kent's improved hitting may have a bit to do with hitting in front of Manny Ramirez. Duh! But Robin doesn't quite see it that way. "I'm 40. You don't get better when you are 40." Well you do when you're hitting before or after Manny Ramirez. Anyways it gets better, Kent has an idea about Manny's performance. "Manny was only hitting .300 in Boston with 20 home runs," Kent said, as a prelude to the sarcastic kicker. "And he's doing way better than that here -- so I'm helping Manny." Um, yeah. Right. I couldn't help but chuckle when I read that. Watch out, Jeff, your Robin costume is showing.

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So Brad Penny's injury is kind of serious, which makes me a sad panda. After a frustrating loss last night the dodgers have a semi-comfortable lead of 3-1 going into the bottom of the fourth with Martin at the plate (he has his socks on high today). Thankfully, the diamondbacks lost, so a win this afternoon will put them back in the tie for first place. Let's hope the dodgers hang on.

Another thing I didn't like but don't put much faith in is the story about the dodgers re-signing Casey Black just because DeWitt is playing second in the minors. There are tons of things the dodgers could do there, and giving a multi-year deal to a mediocre third baseman doesn't seem like it would high up in the dodgers offseason plans, but what do I know?

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Ronnie Belliard...yawn

In that same Times article, there is a report the dodgers put in a waiver claim on second baseman Ronnie Belliard, mostly to make sure the D-backs don't get him to make up for the injured O-Dog. Belliard is guaranteed $1.9 million for '09. Even if the dodgers end up taking him on he wouldn't be all that bad as a one year stop-gap insurance for the positions. He seems like a decent number eight hitter. He doesn't get on base all that great but he has a bit of power, is used to being a backup, and is hitting better this season than Berroa has. In my opinion, the dodgers may as well stick with Berroa in my opinion or bring back Pedro Martinez. There is no urgency to acquire this guy, the blocking of him going to the d-backs and him getting hot have been accomplished.And here is the rest of it. Guess I shouldn't have devoted more than 3 sentences to this.

The dodgers start a three game series against the brew crew. At least they miss having to face C.C. Sabathia. Arizona gets to face the astros, a bit of an easier matchup compared to the brewers. I hope the d-backs happen to stumble this series.

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Dodgers Stay In Tie For First

Not the most imaginative title. Kuroda has kept it up since coming off the DL with 3 straight quality starts. He's only allowed 1 run a start over 22 1/3 innings. I think it's almost concrete that the money spent on him was well earned by Hiroki. Kemp got his 14'th homer and Loney got a surprising 6'th triple (tied for 6'th in the NL).

Alright, with that out of the way I can discuss the news I read that I didn't quite like this morning. In this LA Times article discussing starting pitcher Brad Penny, it reported that Penny got sent back to the DL like I kinda figured after that rough start he had. Thankfully the dodgers came back to win that one.

But, in addition, the article also speculates that the dodgers buy out the final year of his contract. Whaaat? Makes no sense. Of course Penny is having a not-so-good season, but there are far worse pitchers without Penny's upside making more than Penny right now.

The guy that just pitched last night, Brett Myers, is 3 years younger than Penny, is having a down year, and is going to make 12 million next year. Myers is a good pitcher and he has upside. He's not even really sniffed the type of success Penny has yet and already makes more than Penny.

Aaron Harang is another example. The guy is the same age as Penny, coming off a down year, and is making around 12-13 million dollars a year. John Lackey is what Penny would be pitching like if he weren't currently sucking. Lackey has an '09 team option for $9 million that will certainly be picked up because it's a steal. With the league shortage in quality starting pitchers I don't see the dodgers at the least picking up his option and dealing him if they don't like his chances of coming back next year. You aren't going to find a pitcher on the free agent market for that much of a bargain. It has way more upside than the Randy Wolf signing did, and he was coming off TJ surgery 2 seasons ago. You have to be Brett Tomko, Russ Ortiz, or Esteban Loaiza bad to not be worth $8.75 million in 2009. Last comparison, one that my brother in law will get to see on t.v., Paul freakin' Byrd, Mr. average, makes $7.5 million a year this year! Penny, despite his down year is shoulders above the quality of the caliber of pitchers I just named. There are also easier ways of dumping salary so the team can go after the big free agent fish like C.C. Sabathia than just letting Penny walk if that happens to be their strategy.

I believe I'm giving this notion of the dodgers punting Penny too much serious thought. I don't believe the dodgers will throw him away due to whatever money problems the owner may or may not have. The dodgers will just call this what it is; a down year from Penny and hope for the best next season. At worst the dodgers pick up his extension and trade him to a team willing to gamble on Penny's bouncing back to his sometimes dominant self. Not going to even attempt to name teams that would be interested, but there will definitely be lots of teams that will lose out on the C.C. Sabathia sweepstakes.

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Paul Byrd for Cash

So the red sox get Paul Byrd for cash. My take is that the sox are getting insurance in the form of Byrd should their young pitchers (Masterson, Buchholz) continue to struggle as things get further down to the wire. Byrd definitely is no prize fowl, he's just an average-ish pitcher, but he's definitely serviceable in the back of a sox rotation decimated by injury. And not knowing the sox as well as I should, that's all I've got to say about that. Has that other sox knuckleballer pitched a game yet since being called up? If so how did he fare?

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Yep

I still want Penny yanked from the rotation despite the come from behind win, 7-6. Thanks Nomar!

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Brad Penny's Rotation Spot

So I'm gamedaying a dodger drubbing in the welcome back start of pitcher Brad Penny. Sadly it's not a happy welcome back for starter Brad Penny as he's been pounded for six runs off six hits. I'm going to express my hope that Brad Penny's rotation spot be given to either Kuo or Park, preferably Kuo. I prefer Kuo over Park for a few reasons. Kuo isn't used very effectively or often given his stats. He's got the most upside of anybody in that bullpen save Broxton or maybe Wade. Heck, call up Mcdonald for crying out loud, he's working Vegas like it owes him money. Had Penny pitched well I wouldn't be whining, but I am what I am. Even if the dodgers come from behind and win I won't change how I feel about Penny tonight. It's too late in the season to put up with people that have cobwebs on vital body parts. Nomar seemed to shake his off on his rehab assignment. I could be wrong, but I think Penny only got one rehab start.

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All the talk about Chinese Gymnasts With Baby Teeth

I seriously can't understand the article about the Chinese gymnasts. More specifically I guess is I don't understand the advantage of being 11-12 or however young people are saying these girls are that are competing in the olympics. So I'm going to work this out with stream of consciousness writing about it off the cuff.

I understand that it's cheating, but how is being younger than your competition an advantage at the highest level of the sport? The S.I. writer nebulously describes a lack of fear and mental pressure due to inexperience. My mind is unable to digest this as a legit advantage that competitors would worry about. Seems to me (despite the fact that it's breaking the rules) that it would be a disadvantage to get less experienced girls who haven't even fully matured into their frames. They're slower and probably lack a bit of strength. They are lighter though and shorter probably does confer some benefit. They probably have a bit more flexibility, or may not have to work on flexibility as much as older competition.

I'm just guessing at stuff. It would really help if a gymnast would spell it out for all of us non-gymnasts how younger girls with still developing bodies, lower strength, smaller stature for some of the apparatus, etc. overall makes youth an advantage over older competition in the Olympics.

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recaps and stuff

Well I didn't see the Beckett game last night, but it seems like the red sox might be revved up to win a few games in a row now that they're back to the top of their rotation. Who's gonna be their fifth starter with Wakefield out?

I feel kinda guilty because I had a bit of a headache so I fell asleep during the game.They were leading comfortably though and I guess I'm also a little glad I fell asleep because the ninth inning apparently was interesting. Broxton almost let the game go the route of the last two dodgers meltdown losses. It was good to see Casey Blake seem to make up for that day he booted the ball by hitting a homer. Manny was quite alright, but it was the semi-slumpers Loney and Kent that got the biggest boosts. Martin is still slumping a bit and it continues, albeit lower in the order. Seems like he needs two days off in a row and a keep it loose pep-talk with Manny. There is news that Andruw could be put on the DL because of his knee so that Nomar can be activated. I guess we'll see Torre handle shortstop like he handles second base. Nomar will play when he's healthy, will get a day or two a week off, and will be replaced in the later innings with Berroa as a defensive replacement. Dodgers have Kershaw on the mound tonight so this will probably go well for the dodgers. Forgot to mention Kemp is really coming into his own. Vin remarked that he's getting better every game. Yep, I can see it too. Seemed like he was channeling Jackie Robinson when he bothered pitcher Kyle Kendrick so badly that he got to steal second twice and ran to third on a bad throw (even though it was ball four), so that was some smart baserunning.

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