Mike Scioscia’s tragic illness

I realize, I do, that the site has been overtly negative lately, which is not quite how I want things to be around here. It’d be nice to be able to be a lot more objective, but I’m sure most Dodger fans realize that the recent down times have made that hard.

But then, things like this happen. As Vin (uh, the real one) just mentioned on the game broadcast, Delwyn Young has been optioned down to Las Vegas.. and Shea Hillenbrand has been brought up.

I’m having a really hard time finding the right words for this - even snarky words. I explained the other day how I thought that Hillenbrand was a failure both as a ballplayer and a person, so I needn’t rehash that. I was resigned to the fact that he was going to make it up when the rosters expanded.. but why now?

I suppose the company line will be “to add depth at the corners”. With LaRoche and Abreu both out of commision, I can understand that we may be a little short-handed here. But, bad as Nomar’s been, we all know he’s going to play just about every day. If the Wrong Ramon Martinez has to play once a week, so be it. If Nomar gets hurt, then fine - it’s emergency time and you call up Hitlerbrand.

But right now? To have another too-old mediocre corner infielder to add to the collection with Nomar, Big Sexy, and Mark Sweeney? Don’t forget, Shea’s already been cut twice this year - once by the Angels despite being paid $6.5 million, and once by the Padres because he was OPS’ing .347 in the PCL. Yes. This will turn the season around.

What’s more, it’s not like there’s no detriment by adding him to the roster. Because, you know - we couldn’t have used Delwyn Young right now. With the whole offense being stagnant; with Luis Gonzalez continuing his quick spiral towards death and Matt Kemp in the midst of major struggles, why would we want to bother with the kid who’s crushed the minors (career SLG: .514) and who hit .500 in his short time up?

Why would we want to give a kid who went 4 for 4 in his only start, you know, another start? No, far better that we teach him and the other young players that success is immaterial in the face of washed-up veteran mediocrity.

And yes, I know Vin (uh, the fake one) has used the Vader picture before on this blog. But nothing else sums up the feelings here right now as accurately.

- Mike Scioscia’s tragic illness