Well it's been a long and winding Spring Training for the Blue and they're finally headed home for the final leg of exhibition games before the real games start on Monday. Since I haven't had any time to blog at all about the team since they left for Vero Beach, here's a little recap (in no particular order), with some added bonus comments:
* The battle for left field between Juan Pierre and Andre Ethier turned out to be much of what I expected: a laugher. Granted Spring Training stats really don't mean a whole lot, Ethier has proven why he should be the everyday left fielder over Pierre. Before start of play today in Phoenix, or better yet, at the end of the day, Pierre was hitting a robust .192. All Ethier has done is pound out 6 home runs with 15 RBI this spring, good for second best on the squad behind Matt Kemp, while hitting a solid .359 overall.
This is the reason why Pierre should never have been signed in the first place, or even given a chance to start over Ethier, especially with the addition of Andruw Jones. At the start of Spring Training, Joe Torre said that Pierre would likely be his left fielder on Opening Day, unless something drastic happens that forces his hand. And those are my words, not his. Well if a .167 difference in average and the production of Ethier isn't enough to convince Torre who the better option is, then I don't know what is. But bottom line is Pierre has played himself out of a starting job in my eyes, and Ethier has played himself into one. This one shouldn't even be debated.
* The third base battle is a whole different situation. Injuries. That's the one word that can be used to describe ALL of the options at third. Well almost all. Andy LaRoche was supposed to push Nomar Garciaparra, named the third baseman early in Spring Training by Torre, for the gig. Instead, they both went down with freak hand injuries that will sideline them through the first part of the season. Their back-up, Tony Abreu, also battled injuries as he was still recovering from a sports hernia. Enter Blake Dewitt. All Dewitt has done is impress the Dodgers with his glove and his bat, although he showed signs in some areas that he's not ready just yet. There was even talk that the club was looking at Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge again, but a 3-year, $19 million dollar quick fix doesn't seem logical, especially when Nomar and LaRoche are expected to be back long before June. Neither Dewitt or Abreu are tearing the cover off the ball, but since Abreu, who appears to be finally recovered from the sports hernia, does have experience at this level, he would seem like the logical choice. Dewitt, though, certainly should be given some consideration, even as a short term solution. When Nomar and LaRoche do come back, LaRoche, who was well on his way to earning the job anyway, hitting .350 in 20 at-bats, should be given the everyday job.
* Jeff Kent has yet to play in any game due to a hamstring problem, but Chin-Lung Hu is having a solid Spring Training hitting .292 and should fill in the gap at 2nd rather nicely until Kent is ready to go. Hu displayed some pretty power in his stint with the team last season, so that could be an added bonus for the Dodgers in Kent's absence. Kent is likely to start the season on the DL.
* The fifth spot in the rotation is still up for grabs, with Esteban Loaiza, non-roster invitee Chan Ho Park, Hong-Chih Kuo and rookie phenom Clayton Kershaw all battling it out. Kuo is out of options, and Torre doesn't want to risk losing his services to another team should they attempt to send him to AAA Las Vegas (he would have to clear waivers first, which seems highly unlikely). That said, he'll make the team as a long-reliever/spot starter. Kershaw has been extremely impressive in his 15 innings since being called up to the Big League camp from the minor league camp, posting an ERA well under 1.00. He dazzled Boston a few Sundays ago at Vero and wowed the Brewers today in Arizona. But it still appears the Dodgers don't want to rush him. Kershaw looks like he's headed back to the minors. But fear not! He will be in the Bigs to stay before 2008 is over. That leaves Park and Loaiza. Park has had the better spring by the numbers than Loaiza: 1.69 ERA to 4.20 ERA. But again, Loaiza has a guaranteed Major League contract, whereas Park is simply a non-roster invitee. At this point, I would hope they give Park a shot since he has earned it. I would prefer Kershaw over any of them, but I'd rather the Dodgers didn't rush him either. So, having said all that, my gut tells me Loaiza will be the fifth starter. All of this is happening because Jason Schmidt, the expected "fifth" starter is still rehabing from shoulder surgery and isn't expected back until at least June.
* The Dodgers said good-bye to Vero Beach, ending a relationship with the city that dates back into the late 40s. It was sad to say good-bye, I'm sure, with all the history and lore of Dodgertown. But for practical and economic reasons, it made a lot of sense to move their Spring Training facilities closer to home. That said, beginning next spring, the Dodgers will be training in Glendale, Arizona, sharing a brand new facility with the Chicago White Sox.
* The Dodgers played two exhibition games last weekend against the San Diego Padres in China, as Joe Torre took a split squad that included Andruw Jones and Matt Kemp. The teams were very well received, as both games sold out in Beijing. The two teams tied the first game with the Padres winning the second before heading back to the States. The finale in China coincided with the departure from Vero Beach as the two split squads, the one that went to China and the one left behind in Vero Beach that was managed by Tommy Lasorda, convened in Arizona for a few more full squad exhibition games, which brings us full circle.
* This weekend marks the start of the 50th Anniversary of the Dodgers in Los Angeles (the Dodgers Rose Parade float notwithstanding) with three exhibition games against the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox. The Friday night and Sunday afternoon games will be held at the Stadium. The highlight, however, is the Saturday night game which will take place at the Coliseum, where the Dodgers played for four seasons starting in 1958 upon their arrival in Los Angeles from Brooklyn. The Coliseum has been converted as close as possible to resemble the playing field as it did from 1958 through 1961. All of the proceeds from ticket sales, concessions, souvenirs, etc., will be going to the ThinkBlue fundraiser. The Dodgers have sold a whopping 113,000 tickets for the Saturday night gala. It should be a fun and memorable night!
* Opening Day is Monday at 1:05pm at the Stadium. Fittingly, the Dodgers open their 50th season in Los Angeles against the Hated Ones to the North, who appropriately enough, headed west from New York with the Dodgers after the 1957 season, settling in San Francisco.
* The battle for left field between Juan Pierre and Andre Ethier turned out to be much of what I expected: a laugher. Granted Spring Training stats really don't mean a whole lot, Ethier has proven why he should be the everyday left fielder over Pierre. Before start of play today in Phoenix, or better yet, at the end of the day, Pierre was hitting a robust .192. All Ethier has done is pound out 6 home runs with 15 RBI this spring, good for second best on the squad behind Matt Kemp, while hitting a solid .359 overall.
This is the reason why Pierre should never have been signed in the first place, or even given a chance to start over Ethier, especially with the addition of Andruw Jones. At the start of Spring Training, Joe Torre said that Pierre would likely be his left fielder on Opening Day, unless something drastic happens that forces his hand. And those are my words, not his. Well if a .167 difference in average and the production of Ethier isn't enough to convince Torre who the better option is, then I don't know what is. But bottom line is Pierre has played himself out of a starting job in my eyes, and Ethier has played himself into one. This one shouldn't even be debated.
* The third base battle is a whole different situation. Injuries. That's the one word that can be used to describe ALL of the options at third. Well almost all. Andy LaRoche was supposed to push Nomar Garciaparra, named the third baseman early in Spring Training by Torre, for the gig. Instead, they both went down with freak hand injuries that will sideline them through the first part of the season. Their back-up, Tony Abreu, also battled injuries as he was still recovering from a sports hernia. Enter Blake Dewitt. All Dewitt has done is impress the Dodgers with his glove and his bat, although he showed signs in some areas that he's not ready just yet. There was even talk that the club was looking at Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge again, but a 3-year, $19 million dollar quick fix doesn't seem logical, especially when Nomar and LaRoche are expected to be back long before June. Neither Dewitt or Abreu are tearing the cover off the ball, but since Abreu, who appears to be finally recovered from the sports hernia, does have experience at this level, he would seem like the logical choice. Dewitt, though, certainly should be given some consideration, even as a short term solution. When Nomar and LaRoche do come back, LaRoche, who was well on his way to earning the job anyway, hitting .350 in 20 at-bats, should be given the everyday job.
* Jeff Kent has yet to play in any game due to a hamstring problem, but Chin-Lung Hu is having a solid Spring Training hitting .292 and should fill in the gap at 2nd rather nicely until Kent is ready to go. Hu displayed some pretty power in his stint with the team last season, so that could be an added bonus for the Dodgers in Kent's absence. Kent is likely to start the season on the DL.
* The fifth spot in the rotation is still up for grabs, with Esteban Loaiza, non-roster invitee Chan Ho Park, Hong-Chih Kuo and rookie phenom Clayton Kershaw all battling it out. Kuo is out of options, and Torre doesn't want to risk losing his services to another team should they attempt to send him to AAA Las Vegas (he would have to clear waivers first, which seems highly unlikely). That said, he'll make the team as a long-reliever/spot starter. Kershaw has been extremely impressive in his 15 innings since being called up to the Big League camp from the minor league camp, posting an ERA well under 1.00. He dazzled Boston a few Sundays ago at Vero and wowed the Brewers today in Arizona. But it still appears the Dodgers don't want to rush him. Kershaw looks like he's headed back to the minors. But fear not! He will be in the Bigs to stay before 2008 is over. That leaves Park and Loaiza. Park has had the better spring by the numbers than Loaiza: 1.69 ERA to 4.20 ERA. But again, Loaiza has a guaranteed Major League contract, whereas Park is simply a non-roster invitee. At this point, I would hope they give Park a shot since he has earned it. I would prefer Kershaw over any of them, but I'd rather the Dodgers didn't rush him either. So, having said all that, my gut tells me Loaiza will be the fifth starter. All of this is happening because Jason Schmidt, the expected "fifth" starter is still rehabing from shoulder surgery and isn't expected back until at least June.
* The Dodgers said good-bye to Vero Beach, ending a relationship with the city that dates back into the late 40s. It was sad to say good-bye, I'm sure, with all the history and lore of Dodgertown. But for practical and economic reasons, it made a lot of sense to move their Spring Training facilities closer to home. That said, beginning next spring, the Dodgers will be training in Glendale, Arizona, sharing a brand new facility with the Chicago White Sox.
* The Dodgers played two exhibition games last weekend against the San Diego Padres in China, as Joe Torre took a split squad that included Andruw Jones and Matt Kemp. The teams were very well received, as both games sold out in Beijing. The two teams tied the first game with the Padres winning the second before heading back to the States. The finale in China coincided with the departure from Vero Beach as the two split squads, the one that went to China and the one left behind in Vero Beach that was managed by Tommy Lasorda, convened in Arizona for a few more full squad exhibition games, which brings us full circle.
* This weekend marks the start of the 50th Anniversary of the Dodgers in Los Angeles (the Dodgers Rose Parade float notwithstanding) with three exhibition games against the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox. The Friday night and Sunday afternoon games will be held at the Stadium. The highlight, however, is the Saturday night game which will take place at the Coliseum, where the Dodgers played for four seasons starting in 1958 upon their arrival in Los Angeles from Brooklyn. The Coliseum has been converted as close as possible to resemble the playing field as it did from 1958 through 1961. All of the proceeds from ticket sales, concessions, souvenirs, etc., will be going to the ThinkBlue fundraiser. The Dodgers have sold a whopping 113,000 tickets for the Saturday night gala. It should be a fun and memorable night!
* Opening Day is Monday at 1:05pm at the Stadium. Fittingly, the Dodgers open their 50th season in Los Angeles against the Hated Ones to the North, who appropriately enough, headed west from New York with the Dodgers after the 1957 season, settling in San Francisco.
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