A Parting Gift For the Weekend (Updated)
July 1, 2011 at 2:14 pm | Posted in MSTI media takeover | 32 CommentsUpdate: so it seems that “The Loose Cannons” on Fox Sports Radio found my McCourt post and spent nearly ten minutes going down the list. I’ve embedded the audio below. I can now cross “Pat O’Brien calling me a goof” off my bucket list.
First and foremost: thanks to everyone for the positive response to yesterday’s McCourt sin list. It’s already become the most-read post in the blog’s history, and coming as it did on the final day of the month, helped to push June 2011 into the lead as the highest traffic month we’ve seen here. I’ve added a link to it in the sidebar, and I’ll continue to update it as needed; there have been some revisions already.
Second: I’m off on a holiday odyssey through three midwestern states through Tuesday, so you’ll have to make do without me until then. Unless, of course, something major happens while I’m away – which it nearly always does - thus forcing me to try and do a quick-and-dirty post from my phone. I’ll probably still find some time to sneak away from the girlfriend’s family to dick around on Twitter, of course.
Finally: Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts and I gave video chatting a try last night, and you can see the results below, complete with my headphone cord dangling around my ear like the chains holding your grandmother’s glasses to her head. For the first time either of us had done this, I think the results were pretty good – and great fun.
Enjoy the long weekend, folks.
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very good interview Mike, you guys are very informative as usual, however I have to ask you for a favor for all of us, please dont talk about Kemp leaving after 2012, with all that is going on, we just cant think about that right now, otherswise well want to hang ourselves, but good job otherwise! go blue
Comment by format— July 1, 2011 #
It will be fascinating to read all of your comments and future takes on the McCourt victory in Bankruptcy court, and the restructuring of the Dodgers. All indicators are pointing in this direction.
Comment by Dodger Tony— July 1, 2011 #
I’m not entirely sure that was a victory for McCourt. What makes you think it was?
Comment by Jeff M.— July 1, 2011 #
The Dodgers are among the most successful teams in batting average, defense, and starting pitching. How is it possible that they are as horrible as they are? Lack of scoring runs due to not hitting with runners in scoring position and complete collapse of the bullpen. Most people consider the failure of Juan Uribe and an early missing James Loney. The real culprit may be Mattingly’s intractable commitment to Andre Ethier in the #3 hole, with his .310 average, 30 something RBIs and pitiful 7 homeruns. Add to that the bizarre benching of Carroll and Miles at the top of the lineup in favor of Gwynn, Jr. and Blake and the recipe for losses has to lie with the batting order favored by Mattingly, starting with NEVER moving Ethier out of three with disastrous results.
Comment by Dodger Tony— July 1, 2011 #
whoa whoa. Nothing is wrong with Ethier hitting 3rd. Kemp hitting 3rd would be fine, but he’s been a great cleanup guy. dont put this on Andre
Comment by Joey E.— July 1, 2011 #
Andre’s relatively low RBI totals are explained further on in your missive… He’s got Gwynn and Blake hitting in front of him. In other words, he’s coming to bat with the bases empty.
Comment by Dave Pomerantz— July 1, 2011 #
I don’t agree with putting this on Mattingly. For a rookie manager who was initially dealt a shaky hand and then endured a lot of key injuries (in addition to the ongoing circus of corrupt ownership) . . . under all these circumstances, I think Mattingly has performed admirably. It’s like trying to keep a leaky ship afloat — which is not easy to do. I especially like the way he has given some of the young players — like Sands, Gordon, and Rubby — a good chance to get their feet wet. This is good long-term thinking and, after the curse of McColletti is lifted, could pay good dividends down the road. It’s been trial by fire, and so far I’d give him passing marks.
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Carroll is 37 and probably needs some rest. Gwynn got hot, so he got a few starts recently, mostly he’s ridden the bench. Looking at plate appearances to date, Carroll ranks 4th and Miles 6th, so they’ve definitely seen plenty of action. The player I’d like to see more of right now is Ellis at catcher: 7 BB / 2 SO with a shiny .429 OBP, let’s see some more of that!
Comment by McColletti BeGone— July 1, 2011 #
We’ve got a .311 OBP from our leadoff spot and a .354 from the #2 spot. That is something Mattingly should know to avoid. Mattingly continuously makes non-sensical pinch hitting moves, which often involve using Miles and Navarro to hit for far more capable hitters. He pulls starters who actually hit decently after 5 innings if there’s even a tiny chance a run might score, despite having a tired bullpen. He’s put useless Uribe in the two biggest impact spots in the lineup aside from 1st, 3rd and 4th. He’s infatuated with Mike MacDougal. He plays Kemp in center and Gwynn in left when Gwynn is in the game. These things are not the reason why we’re losing so badly, but still, I want to challenge the idea that Mattingly is doing the best he can.
Comment by Bip— July 2, 2011 #
Failure to hit with men in scoring position is not a significant factor affecting total runs scored over the course of a season. If you look at the Dodgers’ actual hitting with RISP stat, the team hitting is about equal to the total hitting produced by the 5-8 spots in the lineup, i.e. the spots that are most likely to come up with men in scoring position. In short, the Dodgers’ problem isn’t bad hitting with RISP, it’s bad hitting from a significant portion of the lineup. The 5-8 spots have a total OBP under .300 this year, which significantly hurts the team’s chances of getting rallies started.
Comment by Bip— July 2, 2011 #
So how is mattingly supposed to fix that? Do you want him to move some better hitters lower in the lineup while moving worse hitters higher? If he does that then everyone will rip him for that. For example, batting Tony Gwynn first. He was dealt a bad and I think he’s done a decent enough job. His pinch hitting choices are odd sometimes and I would like to see Ellis in there more but we’re not losing cause of Mattingly.
Comment by Brian R— July 2, 2011 #
This post is not related to my Mattingly post. There’s nothing Mattingly can do about this. I’m just saying that the problem is not that the Dodgers can’t hit with runners in scoring position, as if our same lineup would be a good lineup if they did that. The fact is, the Dodgers are bad hitters with RISP because the Dodgers are bad hitters, and they aren’t worse with RISP than they are overall. So the solution is not to just hope that the bad hitters we put in the 5-8 spots start hitting with RISP, the solution is to get better hitters.
Comment by Bip— July 2, 2011 #
Huh? I think a recent MSTI post had them 28th in defensive efficiency……
Comment by DodgersKings323— July 2, 2011 #
[Steve Lyons]But the Dodgers have made the fewest errors in the NL, therefore they are the best defensive team in the NL[/Steve Lyons]
Comment by Bip— July 2, 2011 #
I think having Uribe Miles, and Carrol continuosly manning positions on the infield makes for some interesting stats. These guys are not very mobile, thusly, many ground balls simply make it through the infield untouched. Tough to make an error when you don’t have the range to put a glove on the ball. That being said, Carrol and Miles have been outstanding at the plate, and when they do get their hands on a ball in the infield they rarely make a poor play. I think moving forward Miles and Carrol should be batting one-two. Kemps numbers would be simply outrageous had Uribe not been stinking up the top end of the order in front of him. I am flabbergasted that Carrol and Miles haven’t been given the opportunity to fizzle out. What ever happened to riding the hot hand???
Comment by Garduno— July 3, 2011 #
Carroll has been outstanding, Miles has been the best of a bad situation (but still better than Uribe, so I’m not disagreeing with you.) Also, the thing you point out is the reason number of errors is the worst way to measure a teams defense. If they literally can’t reach a ball, then it’s not an error, yet a better fielder makes the play. In fact, the Dodgers probably have the fewest errors because they reach the fewest percentage of balls, so they have the fewest opportunities to make errors.
Comment by Bip— July 3, 2011 #
Ethier’s numbers against leftys continue to haunt him, his low homerun totals are perplexing, and he tightens up with runners in scoring position time and time again. My issue is less about Ethier than about Mattingly and, by extension, Colletti. What is the reason for sitting Carroll and Miles? If your concern is the thinning out of your bench by having the two best table setters in the league, there is something wrong with your philosophy. Could it be vesting options rearing their ugly heads? Uribe must be paid…..errrrrr…..played.
Comment by Dodger Tony— July 1, 2011 #
I’m not positive (so if somebody else is, feel free to chime in!), but I believe Uribe’s contract is guaranteed. So we could sit him for the rest of the season (which might actually be a good idea), and he’d still get his money. No plate appearances are necessary in this case.
Besides – if we sit Ethier, who do you suggest replacing him with? Not only is Ethier not in the team’s top ten list of concerns, there’s nobody that can adequately take his place anyway.
Comment by Jeff M.— July 1, 2011 #
Ethier this year is hitting .316 with RISP, with a .391 OBP.
with men on base .298/.380
2 outs and RISP-.303/.395
currently overall .318 fourth in the league .387 OBP
ethier isnt the problem.
Comment by format— July 1, 2011 #
The only real question would be could the line-up be more productive if Ethier was batting behind Kemp. With Ethier’s lack of speed, I’ve seen several times where Wallach doesn’t even try to score him from second base on a single. With Kemp on base as much as he is Ethier would still get quality pitches to hit, plus you would ensure that Kemp hits in the first.
Comment by west coast ram— July 1, 2011 #
Great interview. Mike, you need a new mic, lol.
Comment by Wil— July 1, 2011 #
Yes – and I will invest in one if we do it again.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— July 1, 2011 #
Great stuff. The audio was a bit herky-jerky on your end.
Comment by Gregory Zakwin— July 1, 2011 #
I like how he calls you a goof and goes on to agree with everything you say. I would think FOX would have a vested interest in spinning this in McCourt’s favor, but maybe even they can’t put up with it anymore.
Comment by Paul— July 2, 2011 #
Whatever happened to Zach Lee, our prize draftee? Haven’t seen him in the box scores for Great Lakes lately. Paul 7-2-2011
Comment by Paul Soukup— July 2, 2011 #
I disagree with you on a protest/boycott being futile. 25-30K people are still attending the games each night, and a mass show of dissatisfaction may bring these numbers down. In addition, a well organized, high turn out protest next Saturday, July 9 will get more national exposure, as it is a Fox Game of the week. Finally, it does not allow McCourt to continue to march around claiming most people are happy with him and his running of the Dodgers.
Comment by Ted Jackson— July 2, 2011 #
MIke, when are you going to admit the dodgers knew something you didn’t with leading off Tony gwynn, Jr?
Comment by johnmano12— July 2, 2011 #
When it last more than a week.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— July 2, 2011 #
It would be great if Junior can keep it going.
Comment by McColletti BeGone— July 2, 2011 #
His poor career numbers would point to this being a fluke.
Comment by Gregory Zakwin— July 2, 2011 #
So that’s the chatroulette thing all the kids are crazy about? :P
Comment by DodgersKings323— July 2, 2011 #
That was some of the worst defense I’ve ever seen.
Comment by Bip— July 3, 2011 #
[...] lucky enough to win an award I had no business winning, to be interviewed on SNY, do a few video podcasts with Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts (yes, you can all relax, my goofy beard is long gone), and [...]
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