2007 August 22 « Mike Scioscia’s tragic illness

Louisville Slugger, Indeed.

August 22, 2007 at 9:35 pm | In Jose Offerman, cartoon violence | No Comments

Is it the obvious joke? Yes. Am I about to make it anyway? Oh, you better believe it.

Why couldn’t Jose Offerman hit this well when he was on the Dodgers? Bah-zing. Those 1992 and 1993 seasons, where as the starting shortstop for the Blue (getting 534 and 590 at-bats) he OPS’d .664 and .667, were pure nightmare fuel for my young, impressionable self.

Anyway - via the always glorious WithLeather, we have a “video” of the already infamous “Jose Offerman attacking an independent league pitcher and catcher with a bat” incident. And while “video” does technically mean “still frames rapidly played one after enough to simulate actual motion”… this isn’t quite that. But, close enough.

Besides, fun as that was, for me, nothing will ever top former Red Sox farmhand Izzy Alcantara drop-kicking the catcher before taking out the pitcher. You may call that “unconscionable violence”.. I call it, “thinking ahead.”

- Mike Scioscia’s tragic illness

ARGH #*(#@(&$(#$!!!!!

As I sit here on this lovely Wednesday evening, watching the Dodgers give a shellacking to the Phillies 15-3 (payback’s a bitch, isn’t it, Philadelphia?!), including seeing the best lineup of the year, watching Kemp go 4-6, Ethier going 2-4 with a HR and 3 RBI’s, scoring a season high in runs, I didn’t think anything could damper my night…

I was wrong.

PHILADELPHIA — The Dodgers apparently haven’t given up on Brett Tomko, and he hasn’t given up on himself.

The day after Tomko’s record fell to 2-11 with a loss to the Phillies, manager Grady Little said Wednesday that he still planned to start the right-hander Sunday night against the Mets.

Aww… isn’t this nice? Tomko might have a 5.80 ERA, he might have a 1.59 WHIP, a 77 ERA+… he might get lit like every time he steps on a mound… but you know what? He still believes in himself and so do the Dodgers.

“Yes, he’s one of our five starters right now,” said Little. “Anything is subject to change. I don’t look for it to change between now and Sunday.”

There remains a chance that the Dodgers sign David Wells, recently released by the Padres. But Little shot down the possibility of promoting 22-year-old right-hander James McDonald from Double-A.

“It’s not going to happen,” Little said. “When he’s ready, he’ll be here like the other young players.”

Yes, what a shame it would be to give a young kid who is posting a 11.17 K/9 rate and 1.40 ERA at Jacksonville a chance to claim the #5 job because the Dodgers really need Brett Tomko in the rotation. Granted, there have been reports of McDonald’s velocity dropping recently, but even D.J. Houlton - currently sporting a 3.69 ERA in the PCL, although a 1.40 WHIP - should have a chance to claim the #5 spot over Tomko.

Look, I realize that I’m beating a dead horse with this, but seriously… how much more rope can Tomko get? It’s utterly comical at this point. Sure, I know some might say “well, he’s all we have,” but there’s no reason not to give Houlton or McDonald - if his current velocity issues aren’t Schmidt-esque - a chance. What’s the worst that can happen? That they end up sucking and putting up like a near 6 ERA? Oh wait… don’t we have that already? At least there is still the chance of possible upside with the kids. Tomko has not provided that in his entire career; sorry, folks, this is about as good as he’ll get.

Tomko went back over video of Tuesday night’s loss and compared it to last year, when he started the season 5-1. He said he spotted mechanical flaws that made him “look like a completely different pitcher.

Alas, the last time he WAS a completely different pitcher was back in… oh, 1997, when he put up a 3.43 ERA. Overall for his career: a 4.62 ERA with a 93 ERA+. Keep trying, Brett.

But, hey, look on the bright side: he believes in himself.

- Vin