MSTI Special Feature: Mondays With Torgy (Episode III)
August 4, 2008 at 5:44 pm | In Mondays With Torgy | 2 CommentsWelcome to another edition of Monday’s With Torgy! 
I now present to you for week three: The Torgmeister:
Good Monday, to all. Not the best week on the farm. First off, before he throws pitch one, Ethan Martin tears up his knee during PFP to end his season. Still, I doubt he would’ve pitched much this year, so it saves the Dodgers from themselves and the kid can rehab and be ready to start at Ogden, next June, unless he is as precocious as most scouts feel. At least his injury happened on the field, that can’t be said for Chris Withrow, who hurt himself throwing a sandal on the beach. I know kids will be kids, but this kind of injury during horseplay reminds me of Brien Taylor, the poster boy for stupid injuries. Kid had one of the best lefty arms and gets into a fight at a bar and his career is toast.
Well, just because I care, here are the numbers for Carlos Santana at Kinston (.379/.419/586 with a homer and four ribs.), Jon Meloan at Buffalo (0-1, 1.93, 1.50 WHIP, 4.2ip, 1bb, 3k) and Bryan Morris (no stats yet, he was assigned to Hickory in the South Atlantic League). Of these three kids, I am gonna miss Santana, the most, followed by Morris, with Meloan a distant third. Andy LaRoche has been doing okay with the Pirates, a homer today and is looking like his bat is getting warmed up. But, right now, the trades look very good in the Dodgers’ favor. Casey Blake has provided a good bat and has flashed some great leather at third. As for Manny, I hear good things about him.
One thing I have to speak on is the impact of this year’s draft by Logan White. Just from the numbers and scouting reports, it appears that Logan White may have pulled a huge rabbit out of his hat. This draft, which was so in opposition to White’s previous drafts, is looking like one of his best. I know when I heard names like Kyle Russell, Devaris Gordon, Nick Buss, Anthony Delmonico, Steven Caceres, etc… I had thought White had lost his mind. Boy, was I wrong! Nick Buss is one of the hottest hitters in the minors, Russell is not the most awful player in the game as some were opining when we drafted him and Gordon (for a kid who didn’t play at all this year) has been something special – although his glove needs some work. But let’s look at two pitchers, who were late round picks. Matthew Smith, a 6′6″ righty is holding an ERA of 0.96 in the Pioneer League – yes, the Pioneer League where any ERA under 4.5 is considered Cy Young material. Then there is Matt Magill, a kid we stole from Cal Poly. He just went 1-0 for the week, tossing 5.1 innings, allowing only two hits, one walk and striking out eight. Even Nathan Eovaldi, who with Zack Cox (very likely on his way to Arkansas) and Chris Joyce ( on his way to UC-Santa Barbara) were the players that I felt the Dodgers needed to sign to make this a successful draft, started his career with a two strikeouts in his first inning of work and was clocked at 98. Right now, signing Cox or Joyce would just gild the lily, this draft is that good.
Now, that brings me to the 2009 draft and the potential for the Dodgers to have something like eight of the first 60-70 picks. Eight picks in the first and sandwich rounds for Logan White, that should be illegal. It appears, that as long as we offer arbitration, we will net two picks for Manny, two for Raffy, two for the Most Interesting Man in the World (you may start on the Termel Sledge story, Vin) and two more for the ADD Kid. Even if we sign Sabathia, we are only out one pick. Actually, I wouldn’t mind if we did resign three of these potential free agents, but I think the most likely scenario is that we resign Blake, but not the others.
Okay, back to the farm. Las Vegas closed the gap between themselves and Sacramento, but a bad week of 3-4 dropped them to 61-55, some 4.5 games back of the RiverCats. We are kind of understaffed with Terry Tiffee and Mike Koplove playing for the US Olympic team and John-Ford Griffin aching. Blake DeWitt had a nice week, going 10-30 with two bombs and three ribs. Nice week for Heath Totten as he won two games and posted an ERA of 2.25 for the week. Brad Penny’s rehab start went well, as he threw four innings, only tossing 55 pitches, of which 44 were strikes. There was even talk that he hit the upper nineties on the gun at Oklahoma City.
Bad weeks at Jacksonville (2-5, 17-26, 11 games back of Mississippi and in last place in the Southern League South Division) and Inland Empire (also 2-5, 22-21, 1.5 games back of Lancaster and in second place in the Cal League South Division). The Suns got some very bad pitching, but Ivan DeJesus put up good numbers, going 13-28 with six doubles, a homer and six ribs. The only pitcher who had a good week was Scott Elbert as he picked up a win, while striking out three in three innings. The Suns got a good week from Tommy Giles as he went 5-16 with three homers and six ribs for the week, while Victor Garate put together a great outing, working six, striking out ten and only giving up one run. Scott Proctor made his first rehad appearance and got ripped for three hits in two thirds of an inning.
Both the Loons and the GCL Dodgers put up the same numbers (the Loons went 3-4 and dropped their record to 16-27, eleven games back of South Bend and in last place in the Midwest League West Division). The Dodgers put up a 3-4 record, falling to second place behind the Nats and dropping their record to 22-15, a half game back. With the exception of Eduardo Perez and Andrew Lambo, the Loons couldn’t hit water if they ran off of the end of a pier. Perez went 13-27 with three doubles and four ribs. Lambo went 10-30 with a homer and six ribs. Josh Lindbloom had a nice start, going three innings, striking out five and giving up no runs. As for the Dodgers, Albie Goulder led the moribund offense with a 6-18 week, with a homer and a rib. On the pitching end, Edwin Contreras went 5.2 innings in a no decision, striking out three and walking none. Jerry Sands did drive home seven runs, this week, but also struck out ten times.
Lastly, the Raptors went 4-3 and are tied for first with the Idaho Falls Chukars. Elian Herrera and Nick Buss had big weeks, Herrera drove home seven runs in a Raptor’s win, this week and Buss belted three homers and eight ribs for the week. Anthony Delmonico struggled for a bit, going hitless for three games, but he put together a couple three hit games to get back on track. That is all I have this week, see you all next week….if Mike lets me back.
Ladies and gentleman: Torgy has left the building.
Thanks again, Torgy!
- Vin 
Hey, But At Least He Shows Up Early…
August 4, 2008 at 7:55 am | In Culture Club, Juan Pierre is a selfish bastard, Juan Pierre sucks, Sammy Davis Jr., Verklempt | 7 CommentsBefore I even begin this article, I demand that you put on this song, for full effect.
Why? Because Juan Pierre is unhappy. Hurt. Melancholy. Juan Pierre has got the blues.
You see, since the Manny Ramirez trade, Juan Pierre has been frustrated! Why? Because that mean Manny came and took Juan’s position in left field! Bastard! Even worse, after that trade, Joe Torre has put Juan back at his natural position, center field.
Take it away, Juan:
“I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it’s been difficult. You go on the bench, and then you work your way back in the lineup and possibly going back to the bench.
Listen to the man, folks. A man like him having to keep going back and forth in the revolving lineup shuffle… shameful. For crying out loud, the man only started every single game from May 1st through June 29th, when he got injured. 52 consecutive games… what kind of shit is that?! And since his return on July 25th, he has only started 8 out of the 9 games that the Dodgers have played. Poor man, all this torture and roster shuffling he’s had to endure.
All I’ve ever done is be Juan Pierre when I wear this jersey. They’re sticking it to me this year for whatever reason.
How does this not touch you? All he’s ever tried to do is be Juan Pierre. Be thankful, Dodger fans, that he’s only tried to be Juan Pierre. It would be a crime if he tried to be, say, Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock, Ichiro Suzuki or Jose Reyes. No… he’s just busy being Juan Pierre. It just touches me, because since I’ve been doing this blog, Vin has just tried to be Vin. Perhaps we can call it… Vin Being Vin… yeah, that sounds good, I like that.
You know what? I’m feeling a little verklempt. Stop that song at the top, put it on pause (POP!). We need to sing this song… all together!
Sing it, Sam!
Whether I’m right or whether I’m wrong
Whether I find a place in this world or never belong
I’ve gotta be me, I’ve gotta be me, what else can I be… but what I am?!
“When you have a chance to get Manny Ramirez, you have to get him. But from a personal standpoint, it’s a touchy position for me.”
Well, I would imagine Juan would have to be in a touchy position in order to feel sticked by ManRam… ’s arrival in L.A.
However, empathize, folks. Forget the fact that we just acquired one of the greatest right handed hitters of all-time. Forget about his impact to the team and whether he helps out. We need to think about how Juan feels… The Pierre Man… The Juanster… how this personally affects him and his feelings.
“It’s the kind of situation that hopefully, they want me out there,” Pierre said.
Speak the truth, Juan! It is completely unprofessional how the manager of the team hasn’t even given such a definitive answer. For crying out loud, this undignified statement is all he has to go by…
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers manager Joe Torre on Friday laid out which two outfielders will get the shortest end of the Manny Ramirez acquisition: Andre Ethier and Andruw Jones. Torre said Ramirez will be the starting left fielder, Matt Kemp the starting right fielder and Juan Pierre will see most of the playing time in center field. [. . .]
“To me, Juan certainly deserves the right to play,” Torre said. “At this point in time, his experience, his consistency, the way he goes about his business. When [Rafael] Furcal went down, he’s meant so much to the club. He brings another dimension, his basestealing ability. He gives a professional at-bat on a regular basis. He’s done it [leading off] longer than Matt. He’s willing to take pitches.
Even worse:
Torre said he met with Pierre to explain the situation.
Fight the man, I say!
“You have to believe when Andruw (Jones) starts hitting, I’ll probably be back on the bench if he strings together two to three good games.
Can you believe that? I’ll tell you, folks, this is even worse than the FOX era. Now we have management who, dare I say, might bench poor Juan if the great Andruw Jones puts it back together and outperforms him? Also, forget that Ethier fellow, too… sure, he’s on the bench, sure, maybe he’s outperformed Juan, sure, maybe Juan starts nearly virtually every game above Andre, but Juan could only wish to have it as good as him. And, he’s right, it would be a damn shame for the Dodgers if Andruw Jones returned to his old self and we were stuck with maybe 2 productive future HOF’ers occupying our outfield. Don’t do it, Joe.
Everyone knows I’m not selfish, but it’s a difficult spot they continue to put me in throughout the whole year.
Yeah, you tell them, Juan. Ignore all those haters out there. Hoping to play every inning of every game at the same position, regardless of anyone else’s production is hardly unselfish. And, cheer up, this whole Manny Mania thing will soon pass. Sure, maybe they acquired Manny Ramirez, maybe he’s even hit a few 400+ FT. HR’s, but that left field pavilion will always be Juanville.
“It’s just a difficult spot for me,” Pierre said. “All of us want to play. Obviously, they wanted to go the power route before, and I didn’t play too much in April. I’ve been taking it in stride, and hopefully may name is going to be written in there every day. I know it’s not, but I hope it’s going to be written every day.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty around here. The outfield situation is no secret. It’s been a tough, tough season.”
The true words of an altruist. After starting in 60 of his last 61 games, and also keeping his starting job, you must understand the frustration of poor Juanie. I’m just not sure you get it. He must have to go through the possibility of maybe not always being able to start and play every inning of every game if someone begins to outperform him… Even worse… he has to endure going back to his natural position… and even once had to do it within the same game! How can anyone object to these words from such a true team player? A man who helps walk Grandmother’s with cute little puppy dogs across the street? How can anyone think that these words don’t put the team first? In fact, I think he should file a grievance and get the MLBPA involved. This is just sick and degrading for any baseball player. This is a travesty. A sham. A mockery. A travesha… oh, forget it.
But you wanna see selfish, folks? This is the wicked, inexperienced, youngster who only puts his needs above others… like this will ever get attention in the press!
Andre Ethier after getting shifted to the bench with the Manny trade:
Ethier said he had heard the Dodgers refused to deal him but took the high road when asked about reduced playing time.
“We worked hard all of these first couple months to get to this situation where we could get a chance to get to where we want to go, and now we’ve kind of added another solution that could help solidify what we’re going for,” Ethier said. “With that, we’ve got to start focusing on that stuff and put all the individual stuff aside and just say, ‘This is what we’re going for, and we’ve got a legitimate shot to do it,’ and with this guy we can definitely say that we’re going to be a contender and can be a contender.”
Selfish bastard.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go counsel Jason Phillips and help him with his financial troubles… poor man only living “paycheck to paycheck”…
- Vin
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