Times change. People change. Baseball changes. Once upon a time, we allowed no politics to be discussed on this site, but then one day MLB and its Clueless, Classless Commissioner decided to delve into the political arena. Right or wrong, I felt it deserved a response and I delivered it. The stolen All-Star Game is now over. There is however, more to be said about this issue as it is not going away. When Joe Biden was running for President he proclaimed that he wanted to be transparent and “unite America.” OK, that sounds good!
But, this week he then goes on to say:
“The 21st-century Jim Crow assault is real. We’re facing the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War—that’s not hyperbole. The Confederates back then never breached the Capitol, as insurrectionists did on January the 6th. Texas lawmakers want to make it so hard and inconvenient that they hope people don’t vote at all.”
Yeah, Joe, that’s truly not hyperbole. It’s called a lie! I call it a damn lie.
The main thing the Texas bill does is eliminate drive-in voting and 24-hour voting. Texas never did this before, except for the pandemic, and perhaps that made sense when every Texan was urged to stay six feet from every other Texan. But having someone in your car who sees who you are voting for and could even be driving you there, lends itself to coercision and/or giving your power to someone else, and who is their right mind would thing that some polling mischief could occur at 3 AM (sarcasm)?
The main thing the Texas Bill does is help prevent voter fraud. I think one person should be able to vote at a time, in private, without influence of someone else, including a spouse or ballot harvesters.
This is not a blockade of the ballot box. To the contrary, in some places the bills would expand mandatory early voting hours. Current law says that in the final week before Election Day, counties with 100,000 people must open their “main” polling place for 12 hours on weekdays and five hours on Sunday. The House would lower the population threshold to 55,000, and the Senate would set it at 30,000. Both would also require six hours of Sunday voting.
Mail voters would be asked to verify their identities by supplying a state ID number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. That way election workers could quit squinting at people’s signatures. A study of Georgia in 2018 found that 54% of the ballots rejected for signature or oath issues were from black voters. Under the Texas plan, if the ID numbers matched, the voter’s signature would be presumed valid.
The voting bills propose many other provisions that are hardly extreme: Local officials would be barred from sending unsolicited mail-ballot applications. Courts would have to “instruct” felons about how their convictions affect their voting rights. Employers would be required, “while early voting is in progress,” to permit workers to be absent for the purpose of going to the polls. Ballot harvesting for compensation would be banned.
The argument is not that these bills are perfect, because no election system is. The point is that they are not some “un-American” throwback to Jim Crow, as President Biden claims. If Texas Democrats think one provision or another is wrong, then they should stay in Austin and argue the case to the public. They claim to be fighting for democracy, even as they deny a quorum to prevent democracy from functioning.
Mr. Biden is escalating his rhetoric about Jim Crow and now the Civil War. Part of his aim, after Republicans made gains in 2020 among nonwhite voters, might be to reinforce the message that the GOP is racist. But President Biden is also distorting the truth to justify congressional passage of H.R.1, a constitutionally dubious takeover of voting rules in all 50 states. He is trying to appease frustrated progressives who are starting to blame him for the Senate’s refusal to kill the filibuster.
Before Democrats hail quorum breaking as heroism, they might recall that they are trying to pass the most radical agenda in decades with the narrowest majorities in decades. Who’s really undermining democracy?
I know some of you don’t want to hear this stuff because it differs from your narrative, but you are not shy to say that Donald Trump lied and I am saying that Joe Biden is even more prolific at it than Trump because the media is almost 100% complicit in it. They hated Trump and took him to task daily on real and imagined issues. Joe gets a pass not because they love him so much… it’s just that they hated Trump so much. I am not a Trump-Lover. I hope he goes away or get indicted for something, but I am not going to let MLB and Joe Biden spew bullcrap all over.
Yesterday, other issues were brought up including border issues. MLB only focused on the election issues and that is all we will talk about here. Keep it respectful and polite to one another and if you see fit, talk about Dodger Baseball. I just will not ignore the 800 pound Gorilla in the room. Joe Biden should go back to his campaign pledge to Unite, not divide America, because when you paint half the country as Jim Crow on Steroids, you are the most divisive President…. EVER!
Dodger News
- It should be noted that Trevor Bauer is suspended through July 27th and that the Hearing on the Restraining Order is on July 23rd. We should know more after that hearing… a lot more! I have no expectations that he will be cak with the Dodgers, nor do I think he will be gone the rest of the season. I simply have no opinion.
- Jimmy Nelson may be back as early as next week from his lumbar strain.
- Victor Gonzalez could be back next week as well.
- I expect to see Corey Seager tonight.
Minor League Notes
- JoJo Gray pitched 4.2 innings and threw 68 pitches. He gave up 4 hits and 3 ER while striking out 7. BTW, Tulsa was shutout 9-0.
- Ryan Pepiot’s line last night: 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 7 K (2.22 ERA). Still not ready for prime time.
- Great Lakes has four prospects who could move up in the future. (1) Justin Yurchak is now hitting .380 and hit his 3rd HR last night after going 3-4. (2) Carson Taylor went 2-4 and is at .288. (3) Brandon Lewis went 3-4 with his 15th HR of the season and is hitting .279 with a .365 OB% and .923 OPS. (4) Ryan Ward has 10 HR and is hitting .293 with a.372 OB% and .866 OPS. I am not even mentioning Andy Pages who likely will be there a while
Discussion (35)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Gotta love Joc
Took no22 in Atlanta as a tribute to his mate Clayton.
And I, for one, am thrilled that the Sherfy Era has begun!
I really was wanting to see Bickford score a run as chances of him doing so will be coming to an end when the DH comes to the NL. And that’s especially so for RP’s. .I’d rather see the AL remove the DH. I shouldn’t be concerned as I don’t think I’ll see another opening season.
Mark’s comments are full of reasoning and logic. Badgers’s comments are all emotion and trash talk. Slave owners were Dems, KKK was Dems, Dems filibustered the Civil Rights Act. Their feelings have not changed, but with the help of MSM they are using blacks and minorities in a smarter way now. They know that they can throw out any accusation they want against conservatives and MSM will support their claim no matter how preposterous. Something else about progressives, they don’t want to just disagree with their rivals, they want to destroy them. Their goal is to divide the nation in order to conquer it.
Way to go Cody. Somebody has to remind him about Mat Kemp
Get your freaking head in the game bro
Mookie RBI
Mookie 3 for 3
I had a baaaad feeling about that CJ Cron at bat.
Bet I wasn’t the only one
So, it’s gonna be one of those games.
Just wont give up Reverend MT… Drink the Kool Aid… Classy!!!
Too many here want to talk baseball…
Hang in Steve… There’s alot of baseball knowledge here…
Can’t help yourself, can you? If MLB started it then go on that site. I ‘ll find another site to talk bb.
DONE WITH THIS. KEEP YOUR DAMN POLITICAL VIEW ON ANOTHER SITE. THIS IS DODGER TALK. DID YOU FORGET.!!!
Wow… I’ve missed chiming in every once in awhile, but posts like today and others in the past just turn me off..
MT reminds me alot of Rev. Jim Jones at the podium when he was ramping it up in Indianapolis (or some place in Indiana) and finally San Francisco…
Just about to turn 75 and on the back 9 heading home… My surgeries have left me a mess… Gotta lean on ODAAT…
Don’t strip the farm for Max with what we may lose next year.. I believe there’s a young gun gem in the minors to fill a starting slot..
I wonder if Seager is ready for the spotlight again ??? A lot of pressure…
Bear, if you promise I promise..
I hate playing in CO…
We should be rested and ready so lets kick some ass and take no hostages…
P.S. If Texas wants to bail out could they take Florida with them???
If all else fails, never forget “the South is going to rise again.”
Rockies evidently dealing with COVID, OF Sam Hilliard, RHP Antonio Santos, LHP Zac Rosscup, LHP Ben Bowden are up. RHP Antonio Senzatela, RHP Yency Almonte, RHP Jhoulys Chacín, OF Yonathan Daza down.
Josiah Gray might start against the Giants, taking Keyshawn slot.
DODGERS ADD RHP JIMMIE SHERFY
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers added right-handed pitcher Jimmie Sherfy to the active roster and optioned outfielder Zach Reks to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Sherfy, 29, was claimed on Tuesday by the Dodgers from the San Francisco Giants . He was 1-0 with a 4.22 ERA (5 ER/10.2 IP) and nine strikeouts in 10 games for the Giants this year, prior to being designated for assignment on July 6. In parts of four big league seasons with the Diamondbacks (2017-19) and Giants (2021), the Thousand Oaks native is 4-0 with a 3.21 ERA (20 ER/56.0 IP) and 57 strikeouts in 53 career games. In 288 minor league relief appearances, Sherfy is 21-17 with a 3.51 ERA and 93 saves. He was originally drafted in the 10th round of the 2013 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Oregon.
Reks, 27, appeared in two games in his second stint with the Dodgers, going 0-for-2 with two runs scored from July 10-11. On the season, he is 0-for-4 with two runs in three MLB games. He has spent the majority of the season in Oklahoma City, batting .325 (52-for-160) with eight homers and 29 RBI in 42 games. In 298 career minor league games, he has batted a combined .303 (324-for-1068) with 43 homers and 174 RBI. The Chicago, IL native was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round of the 2017 First Year Player Draft out of the University of Kentucky.
News: Seager will play a sim game in Arizona tomorrow. If all goes well, he will be in LA for the first game of the Giants series per Roberts. Still only 25 men on the active roster, 2:30 before game time.
It is kind of ironic that Mark has railed against baseball (and rightly so) for injecting so much politics into the game. It has caused many fans to step away from supporting the game. Mark himself has told us how he has personally reacted to all the politics. Then, on this baseball site, there is a sudden insertion of a myriad of political posts with even some rather controversial statements that have caused some hostile responses and Mark, you have led the way.
Many of us now have the same reaction to these posts as Mark has expressed toward the politicizing of baseball. If politicizing baseball is offensive then you must expect that politicizing a baseball web site is equally offensive (at least to some of us). I would prefer to get away from the divisive conversation that we face almost everywhere we turn these days, and be able to talk about baseball.
Mark, I personally want to appeal to you to put an end to the political nature of these posts and get back to baseball so we can enjoy some peace in our lives (unless you let Giant fans start posting, or in at least one case, Padre fans).
I enjoy the site when it is about baseball, but the political wrangling is really hard to take.
My take on the Bauer situation. Not that anyone’s asking. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Even if consent was given I find his behavior absolutely appalling! If the Dodger organization is who they claim to be then Bauer should be gone regardless of the consequences!
.
Hello Dodger Brethren – love this site when we’re talking baseball. Get enough politics in the world these days, nice to escape here. Sure few of you play fantasy baseball – have interesting trade proposal :
Bauer for Snell ( I would be getting Bauer)
again this is all in fun but kinda tempted to roll the dice. If Bauer doesn’t play rest of the year there are other decent SPs on waivers can pickup. What do ya think ?
Badger, ping me during the week. There’s an Irish bar down there that does specials for the Dodgers game. We can do a weekday game some time.
Sorry Y’all, but screw politics, screw Joe Biden and his band of incompetents, screw both party’s since neither has the welfare of the citizens and the protection of our country as it’s primary function and to hell with all of them, No politician is worth spit.
Cassidy: speaking of (Democrats) bribing the public, we received a deposit of $250 in our bank account yesterday because we have a minor child. So did every American family with a child.
More Tocqueville, on what he called “soft despotism”:
“Above this race of men stands an immense and tutelary power, which takes upon itself alone to secure their gratifications and to watch over their fate. That power is absolute, minute, regular, provident, and mild. It would be like the authority of a parent if, like that authority, its object was to prepare men for manhood; but it seeks, on the contrary, to keep them in perpetual childhood: it is well content that the people should rejoice, provided they think of nothing but rejoicing. For their happiness such a government willingly labors, but it chooses to be the sole agent and the only arbiter of that happiness; it provides for their security, foresees and supplies their necessities, facilitates their pleasures, manages their principal concerns, directs their industry, regulates the descent of property, and subdivides their inheritances: what remains, but to spare them all the care of thinking and all the trouble of living?
Thus it every day renders the exercise of the free agency of man less useful and less frequent; it circumscribes the will within a narrower range and gradually robs a man of all the uses of himself. The principle of equality has prepared men for these things; it has predisposed men to endure them and often to look on them as benefits.
After having thus successively taken each member of the community in its powerful grasp and fashioned him at will, the supreme power then extends its arm over the whole community. It covers the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.”
It appears that Scherzer wants an extension if he waives his non trade clause. Let’s say the Dodgers can complete a trade for Scherzer with Washington that would need to include an extension. If Bauer’s salary is still on the books next year and won’t play for the Dodgers again and with Kershaw a FA IN 2022 what would you do? With Bauer still on the books and unavailable who would you prefer for the next two years, Kershaw or Scherzer? Or, would AF consider keeping both? If Bauer doesn’t return maybe renegotiate his contract to deferral payments.
If Scherzer isn’t an option then Kimbrel should be a target by AF. With Gonsolin and Price as starters the BP is going to be quite busy. Also, he is signed through ’22 at $16M and can replace Kenley. We can still resign Kenley but at a much lower price. Going into the playoffs with a BP of Kimbrel, Jansen, Treinen, Kelly, Gonzalez, Gonsolin, and Price would be huge.
There’s no way I trade Cartaya. He’s on a good trajectory to provide insurance towards Smith’s free agency. I also say no to Vargas. He’s probably the best bet to take over for JT and he’s hit pretty well at just about every level.
I don’t mind using Ruiz, Raley, Gray, White, Hoese or Pages as chips to play with.
My refrain from trade list includes Busch, Cartaya, Vargas, DeJesus, Rodriguez and Lewis as position players. Pepiot and Miller as pitchers.
It would be nice if Friedman could get Scherzer and Kimbrel without giving up the farm. I’m not a gambler but I would put some money on the Dodgers winning it all this year if Friedman added Scherzer and Kimbrel for prospects only.
Alex de Tocqueville 1830.French sociologist “The American republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that It can bribe the public with the public’s money”. Another quote from him. “Americans are so enamored with equality that they would rather be equal in slavery rather than unequal in freedom.”
Lakers rumored to want Ball back. Sign and trade seems to be their best option.
Maybe Portland would be the 3rd team.
Damian Lillard to Pelicans, 1st round draft back to Portland. Ball to Lakers, Schroeder to Portland. Each state’s elected congressmen get final say.
Anybody remember a poster who went by the handle Dirk Pitt? He had other names, don’t remember them. I think his name was Art. He dropped off the planet a few months ago. I hope he’s ok.
I think the Braves should sell. I don’t think they are going to make the playoffs.
We play the rocks tonight. The only “politics” I care about is that since I am blacked out in CO for mlbtv, I have to watch the WORST broadcast team going. I KNOW I will be yelling “F the Subaru strike zone & F the Subaru slowmo over and over and over again the next few days.
Cheers all
pb+
It’s nice to be baseball fans and friends with different takes and opinions on players and the game.
Lately it has become more important to be right than to be friends or even friendly.
In my opinion, right or wrong, I hope we can become friends again, or at least friendly, and not so much fanatics.
Voltaire said that “Common sense is not so common”.
I love to read literature because I amazed that the same problems that people made for themselves hundreds of years ago are being repeated in contemporary times.
The next time a person’s political views are changed as a result of a discussion on the Internet will be the first time.
The Dodgers were playing what I would describe as uneven leading up to the break. They beat down a surging Nats team and lost 3 of 4 to the Fish before losing a home game against the D-Backs.
I was looking forward to the break to alleviate my frustrations with the less than stellar play, roster deficiencies, scheduled days off for hot players right before a short vacation, bullpen games, mystery injuries resulting in short DL stints and the anticipation of getting our All-Star shortstop back from a lengthy IL stint.
After the political shit-show here during the last few days, I find myself yearning for a baseball game so we can discuss why Lux, Pollock and Bellinger suck.
As I write this, we are just about 10 short (or long, depending on your political views) hours until first pitch in Colorado. I appreciate the early start time after the 4 day layoff.
Besides the upcoming game, we are now officially in trade season with just two short weeks before the deadline. AF has already said that pitching is a priority and although as starter would be preferred, a bullpen arm isn’t out of the question.
I don’t find it coincidental that Bauer’s paid vacation was extended by two weeks this time after having back to back 1 week sentences. It sure looks like MLB is waiting for the PPD investigation to conclude before imposing their will. I can only speculate that they will follow PPD’s lead. If charges are dropped, the suspension will be such as to allow Bauer to come back this season. If charges are filed, Bauer will be suspended for the remainder of the year. This gives the Dodgers time to pull the trigger just ahead of the deadline.
Unfortunately, the starting pitching market looks about as thin as I’ve ever seen it. It seemed logical that the Braves, who are sitting a a game below 500, would be sellers after losing Acuna for the season. Hell, they can save a few million by unloading the remainder of Morton’s contract and at 37 years old, and on a 1 year deal, there’s little reason to include him in next year’s plans. I think that shows just how valuable post season games are to a franchise.
As Bear pointed out regarding Black Friday, it isn’t until November that retailers paint over the red in their Income Statements to black. Post-season games are where MLB franchises really break out the black paint.
It’s too bad that Gray and Pepiot’s most recent starts give little reason for the Dodgers to believe that either will be a viable replacement for the loss of a top of the rotation guy. The Nats are a sinking ship losing 4 more going into the break, and with very few, or actually no arms with Scherzer’s resume, they’re in the catbird seat to extort a haul for one of the game’s top pitchers. That doesn’t sound like an AF move.
As I hinted at yesterday, maybe the Dodgers would be better served to move Ruiz to the Marlins for one of their young pitchers and get a little control and a lot of upside instead of going for the big name.
I’ll be refreshing all the sites today to see if Seager will be activated ahead of the game tonight. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to make that move ahead of the Giants series.
Hopefully karma, luck, statistical regression to mean and the baseball Gods will be kinder to the Dodgers in the second half. Price will return to his 2017-2018 version, Gonsolin will begin to go deeper, Kershaw’s “swelling” was more of a planned breather and Urias shows no ill effects by throwing 200+ innings. Bellinger will get his timing, Seager will regain his range and Mookie will start being that dynamic player again. Jansen will start getting those first two hitters out, Treinen will start having ground balls find an infielder instead of a hole, V-gone will get his command back and Knebel will miraculously begin his rehab assignment in short order.
We let the Giants have the first half, now we will see the Dodgers claim their rightful place on the throne with a dominant second half.
You’re right Mark, It’s time for Dodgers Baseball!
President Biden is President in title only. If anyone really thinks he is of sound mind and is truly in charge they are simply not watching what I’m watching. It’s clear he is being handled by a group of handlers and delivering policy consistent with the agendas of AOC and the rest of the squad along with Kamela.
They’re now blaming the uprising in Cuba on Trump’s embargo….yes the same embargo originally imposed by JFK. Amazing when you think about history. Regan telling Gorbachev to tear “down the wall” separating East and West Berlin that started the downfall of the Iron Curtain, while the current administration can’t even mention Cuba as an evil oppressive government where the Castro’s are millionaires and Cubans suffer in squalor.
Cuban’s marching/protesting in Havana with American flags and perhaps that country on the precipice of a regime change and democracy, but yet AOC and the like want to blame Trump out of fear he just might get credit for the start of something good in our world. Amazing how this life-long politician (Biden) can’t think for himself, has to use que cards to even remember where he’s at, won’t take questions from reporters, told us Trump’s vaccine was bad, but now touts that same vaccine as the saving grace . I’m not an anti-vaxer, but you cannot have it both ways.
I’ll soon be leaving California where I’ve lived my entire life. Paying nearly $5.00 a gallon for gas, homeless and vagrancy everywhere, de-criminalization of many what use to be crimes, a one party state, release of over 35, 000 inmates from prisons because the State couldn’t provide adequate healthcare. Instead of building jail bed space and improving healthcare in the penal institutions the democratic politicians decided a better option would be to release those inmates prematurely back into society where they could continue their life of crime by victimizing hard working Californians.
Mark has gotten nearly everything right from my perspective and I enjoy the LADT blog even with its occasional political spin-off. Now back to baseball.
Not sure how much more we will know after Bauer’s hearing. The purpose of the hearing is to consider whether a restraining order against him should remain in force. Bauer will most likely not speak as it could put him in legal jeopardy. Some facts make come out but i get the feeling nothing will really change until the PPD states their findings.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2021-07-07/dodgers-trevor-bauer-restraining-order-felony-sexual-assault
I also would like to see Phil Jones feedback. I can’t take all these political takes and won’t reply to any of them and I appreciate his baseball knowledge.
You’re up early. Me too.
F Texas. Sorry. That may sound rude but I think we should allow Texas to secede.
Ok, my post in reply to Bear, who I know is up too …
Bora$$ gonna spin because that’s what Bora$$ do. It’s possible Seager has just been unlucky, but some players are unlucky with injuries. Tulowitzki comes to mind. David Wright. Remember Brandon Webb? I believe he was gone at 30. Grady Sizemore. It can happen. I believe the Dodgers will make a reasonable offer at the same time they are making other plans. Sure would change the landscape if Lux tore it up in the second half. I noticed he is now taking throws more better at second base.
That reminds me – philjones, I assume you are still out there reading. I just want you to know, one old coach to another, more knowledgeable old coach, your baseball insights are missed.