What's the Real Problem?

Phillip Raven, I wish I could buy you for what you are worth and sell you for what you think you are worth. I’d be right up there with Gates and Musk. You evidently think the overuse of words somehow makes you appear smarter. Perhaps you are compensating for something, but all I know is that I control you. How does that feel?

You are my puppet!

In case anyone wondered, Phillip Raven has identified as an Ass Hole We wondered. Now we know. And to top it off, you are a pompadour dumbass.

Additionally, he spends so much time thinking about me that it is really sinister. Stalker?

I did not read Catcher in the Rye, wasn’t required reading when I went to school. I was made to suffer through Two Years Before the Mast though. I read a lot. Usually books dealing with history, or historical novels. I like a really good mystery too. If the subject matter is not something I would enjoy, I just do not read that book. We all have different triggers. I know I have mine. If I think something has no chance of happening, I believe it won’t. Baseball is the one real enjoyment I have along with music. But I can’t play music every day since there just are no that many venues for live music anymore. So, I write for Jeff’s and Mark’s blogs, spend a lot of time on research, and then later on, sit down to enjoy the game. Lately the games have not been all that enjoyable. They did pull off a win tonight and Max got two hits, one of them a homer. As for open carry, only a couple states have that. I wish I lived in one of them. But I do live in a state where getting my concealed carry permit is relatively easy. Two days of class, One in a classroom and the other on the range. I think a vast majority of the posters who do contribute here genuinely love the game and the team and most are well informed and make very logical suggestions. We all have our opinions and that is all they are. I have zero inside information, any knowledge of the game I have has come from observing the team and the game for close to 70 years. I no longer have favorite players. Free agency killed that for me. Loyalty is something that is very foreign to baseball anymore. The game has changed so very much since I first picked up a ball and threw it. The rules have changed drastically. Hitting philosophy has changed. When I played, taking a third strike looking and not protecting the plate was a huge no no. They teach launch angle now. Get the ball in the air with power. I was a line drive hitter when I played. Softball, baseball, did not matter. All I wanted to do was hit the ball hard.

Pompous and pathetic

Follow up…Duke, I wonder if Mark has actually read “Catcher in Rye” or “Lord of the Flies.” Although they were required reading about the time he was in high school he seems have little interest in aesthetics or the humanities, perhaps considering them efffete compared to becoming a rabid capitalist. He may have passed on college too because the first day lecture in English 101 tells you to avoid cliches. All college professors tell you not to use cliches. They are a sign laziness and unoriginality and immediately identify the user as a weak writer. Or, to transfer TimmonsSpeak to academia, only “morons” use cliches. But Mark seems proud of his use of cliches and boldly states he will continue to use them. He’s pretty tone deaf and may not be capable of reflection or have the desire for improvement. He’s a little burned out and writing everyday is probably a burden, especially for a non serious writer like himself. The pictures from Alaska were a delight and depicted a more human side of Mark—having a good time in a beautiful setting. I’m thinking he could retire in Bali, or perhaps Bangkok, start to meditate and practice unconditional love. Yoga might help his back. *

I’m kidding of course. Those locations don’t have “open carry.”

Rather pompous.

Damn. I’ve been in repentance for being so critical of Mark in my last post. It was just so easy. I’ve got another ten pages of negative notes about him that I’ve collected over the past few months that I’m going to have to discard. Ah, such guilt. And since we all love the dodgers (a tribal bond of blue unites us) I’ve decided to write about some of his positive characteristics. I promise not to mention his generally sour demeanor and assumption of male privilege; or the lack of vitality in his writing that resembles the fat and fluff posture of Yoda; or his fawning daisies and buttercups promotion of dodger brass and his militant glee at stepping on the neck of lower profile people. Or that his closet religion appears to be a pugnacious form Social Darwinism; or that he thinks “the sun never sets” on the Dodger Empire and that the “other” teams are really the “Other” and simply colonies and outposts for the Dodgers ultimate benefit. Or that the persona of his rhetoric is stained with Bad Faith, in the Sartrean sense. Or that he keeps a tinted photograph of King Leopoldo of Belgium in his wallet and claims they’re related. (OK, i think my barber made that one up). I absolutely refuse to bring those subjects up. This is a day for healing…and in the spirit of praising Mark Timmons here’s what I have to say: …. …

…. … …

Duke, thanks for the salute. Keep up with your objective and original insights into this year’s rather disappointing edition of the Dodgers. I enjoy reading your commentary; especially the veiled subtexts clever innuendoes.

Where is Badger? Did Little Leopold run him off?

Is it just me, or did it look like Max didn’t swing as hard on that home run.?

Bob Nightingale is writing that the Mets will not make Verlander or Scherzer available at the deadline, nor will Alonso be available. They will instead try to trade Pham, Canha, Carlos Carrasco, and relievers Robertson and Brooks Raley. Cardinals DFA Carlos Mercado an outfielder. Mercado is hitting .290 in very limited action. In the vein of perhaps we got rid of him too soon, Kimbrel was named the NL reliever of the month. In other news, the Lakers are making a ton of moves.

Hey Mark, I know you are probably not home yet, but Ron Bohring on twitter posted that picture of you and Maddon’s brother there with a link to this post.

I doubt Kershaw will return on July 15th, the soonest he can, I would suprise if he is back before August. Unless we start to fall way behind this may be the most prudent move. I see us as a lock for the wildcard, despite the injuries, as our current talent is better than any other team in the National League besides the Braves. And we have enough minor league depth to make some key moves at the deadline.

I’m a Roberts basher. He is no better or worse than usual this year.

There has been so much player turnover that most players haven’t been around long enough to be tired of his act.

There were a couple of times earlier in his career where he made bad blunders in the playoffs. He didn’t get fired then. I don’t expect him to be fired anytime soon.

Don’t flame me out on this. Roberts babies his pitching staff. More than once he’s pulled guys in the middle of a no hitter because that’s not important. That arm needs to be saved for the playoffs. That’s not working.

I’m all for pulling a starter early if they are bombing. Would it be better to leave a guy in longer if he is having a good game ?

answer me this: This season there have been more stolen bases than in previous years. The new rules played a part in this strategy. What I don’t understand it seems this season I’ve seen less pitchouts than any season that I can remember. Someone please solve this riddle.

Sunday scores

Oklahoma City 8, Sugar Land 2

Tulsa at Amarillo, postponed

Great Lakes 4, Lansing 2

Visalia 3, Rancho Cucamonga 2

Monday schedule

10:05 a.m. PT: Great Lakes (Justin Wrobleski) vs. Lansing (Mitch Myers)

2:05 p.m.: Tulsa (River Ryan, Ben Casparius) at Amarillo (Chad Patrick, Deyni Olivero), doubleheader

4:35 p.m.: Oklahoma City (TBD) at Sugar Land (Kyle McGowin)

6:30 p.m.: Rancho Cucamonga (Jared Karros) vs. Visalia (Yoscar Pimentel)

How many years has it been since Kersh avoided the IL?

Given the fragility of the Dodgers’ rotation, it wouldn’t surprise me if AF goes after a pair of SPs, not just one. Maybe a frontline like Giolito and a wily vet like Hill or Greinke.

Yes, he could call up other prospects like Knack and Hurt, but some proven high-quality SPs ??? could be in play.

10:10 PM ET

Pirates (39-44)

Dodgers (46-37)

SP Mitch Keller R

9-3 3.34 ERA

SPMichael Grove R

0-2 7.54 ERA

Confirmed Lineup

RF Mookie Betts R

1B F. Freeman L

C Will Smith R

3B Max Muncy L

DH J. Martinez R

LF D. Peralta L

CF J. Heyward L

2B M. Vargas R

SS Miguel Rojas R

clear-day

73° Wind 8 mph Out

Dodgers place Clayton Kershaw on injured list with left shoulder inflammation

Michael Grove (starting Monday) and Gavin Stone recalled from Triple-A

So far, so good for Jahmai Jones with the Brewers!!!

He is a 25-year-old guy who plays 2B, LF and CF. Not sure if he can play third. At any rate, while Jones was crushing in it OKC, he had to watch Busch, DeLuca and Yonny get called to LA.

Belatedly, allow me to salute Phillip Raven for his commentary the other day.

Yep, Mark has created a really engaging Dodgers website. I’m not sure it’s “despite himself,” because it’s fun to critique his bluster and gratuitous insults.

That bluster included Mark’s declaration that Phillip had procliamed Catcher in the Rye to be Mark’s favorite novel. Actually, Phillip did nothing of the sort. What Phillip said was that he’d guess that Mark probably preferred Lord of the Flies.

And that is pretty damn funny.

Content Ideas:

1. Bradley’s Trip the the MLB. Once a week, Bradley picks an MLB team and writes up trade scenarios depending on that team.

2. Crossfire: Once a week. Bear and Bradley go through five players and the pros and cons of the Dodgers trading for them.

3. What I think about player X and what it means: Once a week Eric picks a Dodger minor-leaguer and just goes to town on him.

4. Bluto’s silliness: Once in a while, I post just amazing videos like this one:

Robert’s is not going anywhere, maybe after next season if they fail in the playoffs this year and next. All manager’s have shortcomings, he is an average in game manager but plus everywhere else.

Roberts, the pitching coach and the hitting coach has done so much for our organization it would be a shame to sack them in the middle of the season. If management thinks they need a new voice, and that could be the case, Roberts should get a job upstairs as an advisor to the GM Or President of the Dodgers. He’s earned that right.

Announce it, Kershaw to the DL, we are a lock for the postseason, no need to screw around here, see you after the break all timer.

What the Dodgers need is the fans to be patient and the pitching staff especially the starters to get healthy. A solid right handed hitting outfielder wouldn’t hurt. The outfielder needs to be a bat first outfielder. We will be fine and our young players will get better as they mature. Back in my coaching days the saying was “the best thing about a sophomore starter is he will be a junior next season.” Patients is a virtue. Sometimes it’s difficult but usually the best answer. We will be in the playoffs.

Bradley, would you trade the entire Dodger team for Arizona’s?

You say you want to get younger.

Arenado is 32 years old. Doesn’t sound like a youngster to me. That said, I’d love to have him here.

Carlson is at best an average player. I can’t understand everyone’s infatuation with him.

Flaherty has had an up and down year so I’m not sure how much he’d add to the rotation and then he’s a free agent.

Bradley, you listed five prospects you’d put into the deal for those three Cardinals:

Cartaya has had a pretty miserable year.

Pepiot has been hurt all year.

Busch, Vargas and Stone haven’t performed at the MLB level.

What makes you think the Cards would be willing to trade Arenado plus two others for 5 prospects who haven’t proven anything?