Thread: Dodgers off season thread (merged)

With as much emphasis as the media has put on "The Dodgers needing a BIG bat", it WAS Sports Illustrated that pegged The Dodgers to go to the World Series last season with essentially the same roster.

Granted, they didn't know Schmidt was pitching on a string holding his shoulder in place, they didn't expect Nomar's tank to be on empty, and they didn't know (or maybe did but didn't tell us) Pierre sucked.

With that said, Furcal is expected to bounce back, Kemp, Loney and LaRoche are being put in positions to succeed, and the same is being expected of Martin, Kent, Penny, Lowe, Billingsley, and Ethier... with Pierre's inadequacies and overall suckage being masked as best as possible 120 feet from center field (in right field maybe? so he can say hello to that lovely scoreboard and maybe cut his season short?) As enticing as that sounds, I'm not sold on having ole noodlearm in RF for even ONE game.

Now, unless I'm missing something, that's essentially the same lineup.

Originally Posted by encinododgerfan

You know...I think McCourt may not be a looney as everyone thinks he is. The added power we seek can come from full seasons on Kemp, LaRoche and Loney. I think he is probably looking at the success Arizona had last year with the kids they stuck with. He probably feels the biggest difference is that they had a unified clubhouse, and he sees Torre making that happen here.

It may not be a veteran team, but a lineup of...

Furcal
Pierre
Loney
Kemp
Martin
Ethier
LaRoche
Abreu/Young

...Would be a lot of fun to watch! Once you get past Furcall and Pierre, Loney, Kemp, Martin, Ethier and LaRoche have 20+ homerun potential.

I know what you're saying but it sure would be nice to add a power bat even if it's just a possible 25 HR guy such as Rowand.

Trust me, I don't want to trade the farm for Miggy or otherwise but we need something. Don't be surprised if Kent returns for a final season under Torre.

Originally Posted by Die Radio Die

I remember when Adam Riggs was the 2nd baseman of the Future.

What about Joey "Ballgame" Thurston!

Originally Posted by Frolov24

What about Joey "Ballgame" Thurston!

Beat ya to it Frolov!

Arizona was also a massive statistical anomaly. Scoring 20 less runs than you give up and winning 90 games? Lightning doesn't strike twice.

If our pitching is lights out (like it was for most of the year until the tail end), we might be able to skate by. But we'd be much better served to add some meat to the lineup.

At some point, "next year" has to become "this year".

Originally Posted by jbruin152

Arizona was also a massive statistical anomaly. Scoring 20 less runs than you give up and winning 90 games? Lightning doesn't strike twice.

If our pitching is lights out (like it was for most of the year until the tail end), we might be able to skate by. But we'd be much better served to add some meat to the lineup.

At some point, "next year" has to become "this year".

I think the biggest difference in AZ'z kid and ours is batting average. Loney, Kemp, Martin, Abreu/Young, Ethier all have .300+ potential as well. For AZ...Snyder, Young, Quentin and Drew...the high there was .252

I think our young offense is much better suited to score more runs.

Neither Arizona's nor L.A.'s offense were (or are) very good. Both were in the bottom half of the NL last year. Pitching carried both teams for the majority of the year.

Considering the talent AZ has though with Upton, Young, Quentin, and Jackson, that's not to say that the young kids won't improve substantially next year. Snyder I don't even consider a youngster any more considering he'll be 27 next year and has been in the bigs off and on for several years now.

sounds like Ned is sticking with the young kids

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...adlines-sports

Citing the high asking prices for top players on the trade market and the lack of quality among free agents, Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti said today that he wouldn't "make a deal to make a deal."

That would leave the Dodgers with a team that once again would be short on experience, something Colletti said he didn't mind. Manager Joe Torre echoed similar thoughts.

"There's potential for change, but as we look at the young players that we played a lot this past year, we're less likely to fill in [positions with veterans] as much as we have in the past and more likely we'll give the younger players greater opportunity," Colletti said. "I'm curious to see how our young players, who really had a chance this past year to play full-time, I'm curious to see what another year does."

Colletti called pitching a "constant priority" and Torre said that facet of the game would be the key to the team's success. But Colletti said that trade demands for "the pitching that draws your attention" is about the same as the asking price for a middle-of-the-order bat -- that is, very high and more than the Dodgers are willing to part with.

Now if only Ned can avoid from Picking up useless FA's to pick up useless FA's.

That means, No Rowand and No Gonzo.


Now....if he found someone to take away Pierre...and then got Rowand. Well. I'd sit in his lap and call him Daddy.