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Right fielder Andre Ethier will be activated from the 15-day disabled list when the Dodgers return home Monday to open a three game series vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to the team’s website Sunday evening.

Prior to breaking his right pinky finger in a bizarre accident during batting practice on May 15, Ethier led the National League in batting average (.392), home runs (11), runs batted-in (38), slugging percentage (.744) and OPS (1.201).

In the two games during his rehabilitation at class AAA Albuquerque, Ethier went three for five at the plate, with two RBI and three runs scored.

 “Last night went well,” Manager Joe Torre said on Sunday in regards to Ethier’s performance with the Isotopes. “I expect him to play tomorrow, or the next day.”

To make room on the roster for Ethier, Los Angeles will need to reassign another player, unless an injury suddenly surfaces with someone else, in which case an addition will be made to the Dodgers’ disabled list.

Many in Dodgertown believe that outfielder Xavier Paul, who was reactivated for the second time on May 18 to stand in for Ethier, will be the odd man out.

However, Paul has shown very productive numbers in his 20 games played for Los Angeles, since being called up initially on April 24 when Manny Ramirez re-aggravated his calf muscle.

Paul currently registers a .281 batting average while up with the Dodgers, having gone 17 for 60 at the plate, with 10 runs scored, five doubles, a triple and seven RBI.

Another possibility for Los Angeles would be to designate outfielder Garret Anderson for assignment, who has been struggling since the beginning of the season.

Having appeared in 41 games this year, Anderson is batting .158, going 12 for 76 with four runs scored, a double, a triple, one home run and seven RBI.

Although Paul is much more valuable on the basepaths than Anderson, and has the ability to cover more ground in the outfield defensively, Anderson is expected to be retained for his pinch-hitting ability and veteran leadership.

Pinch hitting is often left for veterans who have a thorough understanding of game situations, and have the ability to come in cold off the bench and have a positive impact on the game.

Nevertheless, Paul has already been described by many people as the heir apparent to Manny Ramirez in left field, as Ramirez’ contract is not expected to be renewed after the 2010 season.

Some think by having Paul on the squad now will allow for a smoother transition next year.

Regardless, Los Angeles management is faced with a difficult choice as to which player to retain.

The Dodgers are expected to make a decision before game time on Monday.

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Roy Oswalt? Cliff Lee? Jake Westbrook? Why not throw Ubaldo Jimenez’s name into the media frenzy?

It’s only the end of May, and already there’s endless speculation coming from all directions as to what movement the Los Angeles Dodgers will make when the MLB trade deadline arrives on July 31.

Okay, so maybe Jimenez isn’t going anywhere.

But seemingly, whenever there’s the faintest hint of any player being put on the market, especially a starting pitcher, the Dodgers quickly elevate to the top of the list of teams interested.

However, after a very critical examination of the dynamics of the squad, the question arises: Do the Dodgers really need to make any moves at all?

When healthy, the outfield is stacked. Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier are among the best in the business. And Manny is Manny; he’s not going anywhere until the end of the season.

As for outfield depth, Reed Johnson is beginning to raise his game both in the field, and at the plate. Johnson’s most valuable asset is his ability to cover all three positions in the outfield. This is absolutely priceless when dealing with the string of injuries the Dodgers have experienced already this season.

Garret Anderson has yet to demonstrate any positive value to the club, but depending on how long the Dodgers give Anderson to prove his worth, Xavier Paul waits in the wings.

Critics say that it’s important that Paul play everyday, but in essence, half of a season isn’t really that long of a wait. If indeed Paul will be Ramirez’ replacement heading into 2011, he needs to be involved with the squad now. Paul can cover multiple positions in the outfield as well, and with the frequency that Manny isn’t in the starting lineup, Paul would see ample time in left field alone.

All that being said, it’s safe to say that the outfield is quite solid, and no upgrades are required.

Moving on to the infield, James Loney remains at the core of the Dodgers’ talent pool. His glove at first base is among the best in the bigs; and despite not having the power numbers which are typically normal for a first baseman, his offensive production is very solid.

Blake DeWitt played most of his minor league career at third base; but DeWitt has made major strides this season both in the field, and with the bat. Look for Los Angeles to continue to groom him at second base, at least until he reaches a plateau in terms of improvement.

Dodger fans always are concerned with Rafael Furcal’s health, but when physically intact, Furcal is invaluable to the squad. On many occasions Furcal can be credited as being the catalyst or igniter of the high-powered Dodger offense. His above-average arm at shortstop makes up for a periodically shaky glove.

Casey Blake remains steadfast at third, and despite his age, and an occasional questionable glove, is integral to the bottom half of the Los Angeles batting order.

As for depth, Jamey Carroll has already proven that he can cover at second base, and shortstop efficiently, and Ronnie Belliard is capable of adequately filling in at first, and third base when required. Belliard’s sometimes potent bat provides an added bonus to the Dodger offense.

Defensively, Russell Martin continues to improve behind the plate, and is slowly regaining his offensive prowess of old. Brad Ausmus is expected back by the end of June, and not only does he provide suitable cover for Martin, but he also provides critical leadership on the bench as well.

Outside of a very minor defensive deficiency on the left side of the infield, no major overhauls are necessary.

As inconsistent as the bullpen has been this season, the Dodgers should be able to solidify their relief performance with a bit of fine tuning.

Jonathan Broxton’s performance rating speaks for itself, and Hong Chih-Kuo is proving that he can be very effective as Broxton’s set-up man. If any problems arise with Jeff Weaver, or continue to persist with Ronald Belisario and Ramon Troncoso, the Dodgers have more than enough cover in their farm system. If George Sherrill finally rediscovers his mechanics when returning from injury, he could prove to be effective as well.

Heading into the second half of the season, the bullpen should be just fine.

Drum roll please.

Do the Dodgers really need another starter?

Clayton Kershaw is the Dodgers’ ace in waiting. It’s just a matter of time.

Chad Billingsley is improving. He continues to show glimmers of brilliance, but lacks overall consistency. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt insists that Billingsley needs to be more aggressive, and attack the strike zone. Supporters continue to believe that he just needs a little more time, but critics suggest he’s already had enough time to show his stuff.

Still, with all that being said, Billingsley could easily be a third or fourth starter on just about any team in the majors.

Hiroki Kuroda is the team’s work horse. He’s probably been the most consistent of all Dodgers starters during the course of the season thus far. However he’s just not ace material—but a solid number two nonetheless.

Then there’s John Ely, the diamond in the rough. Pitching experts predicted that his effectiveness would drop off, but Ely continues to pound the strike zone, and has produced several of the best outings shown by Dodger pitching all season. Even if a bit of inconsistency arises, and a few hitters lock onto his throwing pattern, he still proves worthy as a fourth or fifth starter.

Yet it seems that everyone has forgotten about Vicente Padilla. With Padilla having spent a good deal of time on the disabled list thus far this season, he hasn’t had the opportunity to step onto the mound, and prove his case.

Although he began the season with two very shaky appearances, Padilla did rebound nicely with two quality starts before injuring his right forearm and landing on the disabled list. And despite a lack of consistency, Padilla did prove to everyone during last year’s playoff run that he still has the ability to throw high quality stuff.

Does he have the potential to be an ace? Of course not. But if healthy, and with solid support defensively, he does fit in well as a fourth or fifth starter.

But the question still looms: Are the Dodgers capable of advancing past an NLCS, or even an NLDS without an ace?

Most of the folks in Dodgerland don’t seem to think so. But let’s not forget that Kershaw, Billingsley and Kuroda have each been there twice recently; and Padilla was about one start away from being stellar in last year’s playoffs. That must account for some type of advantage on paper.

And with the recent turn around of the team, pitching is quickly becoming a Dodger mainstay once again. Even with their two losses most recently in the Cubs series, Kershaw, and Ely were both brilliant.

Most teams throughout baseball don’t have the luxury of five quality starters, even teams who appear in the playoffs. When healthy, the Dodgers have that advantage.

Some will argue that an ace can appear in games one, four, and seven of a tightly contested NLCS; but, adjustments can be made with a solid starting five if managed correctly. Whomever is in a groove, and feeling the zip, could easily be shifted into that position before the series began.

It goes without saying that Ned Colletti will make some type of move, and Colletti has already stated that he will be looking at pitching. But with a healthy and consistent starting five, why not wait until August, and consider a Pedro Martinez or a Jarrod Washburn to utilize as a middle reliever or a fifth starter in case of injury?

Pedro would certainly be intrigued to come back home to Los Angeles; and Washburn, despite turning down an offer from the Seattle Mariners last month, would surely be interested in pitching for a contender down the stretch. And the bonus is that acquiring any one of the players mentioned above or someone else of that caliber fits perfectly within the Dodgers budget.

So, what should Dodgerland expect as the trade deadline appears? Maybe that veteran emergency fifth starter/middle reliever. Or perhaps a left-handed pinch hitter if Garret Anderson isn’t around.

Otherwise all the pieces of the puzzle already exist—they just aren’t yet visible—until they come together.

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Things are getting crazy in Los Angeles.

With the MLB trade deadline slowly approaching, logic says it’s not wise to lose a player to waivers.

An invaluable player to one team could be valuable to another; and when proposing a multi-player package to obtain a quality starting pitcher, player depth is critical.

But let’s get real here. Would Nick Green or Charlie Haeger spark interest from other clubs around the majors?

Many thought that Green would be the odd man out Tuesday when Rafael Furcal was activated from the disabled list; but fortunately for Green, relief pitcher George Sherrill headed to the 15-day DL with sudden tightness in his back to make room for Furcal.

Green has no options remaining on his contract and could have possibly been picked up by another team if designated for assignment.

Sherrill said he strained his back while getting into bed on Saturday night, rolling and reaching so he wouldn’t disturb his wife, who was sleeping.

That’s right—climbing into his bed. 

With the strain, however, Sherrill did throw in the bullpen Sunday and was available if needed.

Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said the Dodgers all but decided to put him on the disabled list Monday. But Sherrill participated in a throwing session Tuesday and, at the time, said he was not concerned about himself in regards to the Dodgers’ need to find a spot for Furcal.

Regardless, it was a last-minute decision made by Dodger management in an effort not to lose Nick Green.

But why keep Green?

Green has been used very sparingly since being called up from Albuquerque, having only appeared in five games with eight at-bats. From a depth chart perspective, it doesn’t even make sense to carry him on the active roster. With Furcal now healthy, utility infielder Jamey Carroll can cover shortstop and second base, while Ronnie Belliard can fill in at first and third base, if required.

One possible explanation is that Green is being considered by management as part of a package deal to attract a profitable trade. The other, quite simply, is the Dodgers don’t have any desire whatsoever to pay out Green’s entire contract if he isn’t on the squad trying to produce at least something.

In another freak occurrence, pitcher Charlie Haeger, who was closing in on his return to the squad after a battle with plantar fasciitis, stubbed a toe Monday during his rehab start for Class A Inland Empire.

Yes indeed, ladies and gentlemen—a stubbed toe.

Torre said that Haeger would remain with the 66ers indefinitely, pending improvement to his toe.

Dodger critics thought Haeger would be long gone by now. In seven appearances and 23.1 innings pitched, Haeger’s ERA is a whopping 8.49.

As with Green, Haeger has no options remaining on his contract. If released, Los Angeles would be responsible for compensating Haeger the balance of his $411,000 yearly contract. It doesn’t sound like much money, but for a club where the dollars are temporarily thin, every penny counts.

With those types of numbers, it’s hard to believe that Haeger would draw any interest from teams in need of pitching. In addition, the knuckleball is quickly becoming a lost art, and many pitching coaches around the majors have difficulty with instruction.

Considering the recent scare after Manny Ramirez injured his toe while stretching in the locker room, and more seriously Andre Ethier breaking his finger during batting practice, perhaps the Dodgers are just having a string of bad luck.

But with these latest moves to save Nick Green and Charlie Haeger, maybe it’s a stroke of brilliance by Dodger management.

After all, Los Angeles still hasn’t lost anyone to waivers, and in essence they’re carrying 31 players on a 25-man roster.

Nevertheless, with the addition of Sherrill, six players still remain on the DL; and with the returns of Ethier, Brad Ausmus, Vicente Padilla, and Cory Wade due shortly, the Dodgers will seemingly be forced to make more concrete decisions in terms of player personnel.

Or perhaps we’ll be seeing some more “injuries.”

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Rafael Furcal is ready to rejoin the Dodgers—finally.

After a longer than expected stint on the disabled list, Furcal will be reactivated on Tuesday, as Los Angeles opens up a three game series at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.

Furcal has been inactive since April with a strained hamstring, and was originally slated to return on May 14. However, the tightness persisted, and additional healing time was required.

Furcal’s final test came last Saturday in extended spring training, and with five at-bats and numerous quick action movements, he finally convinced coaches and trainers that he was 100 percent.

But Raffy’s return means that Los Angeles will need to make room for him on the 25-man active roster—a situation that the Dodgers have been all too familiar with already this season.

The obvious move is to designate SS Nick Green for assignment; but Green doesn’t have any options remaining on his contract, which means that he could clear waivers and be picked up by another team.

Dodgers Manager Joe Torre has explored other options, however. One possible situation involves sending opening day starting second baseman Blake DeWitt down to Class AAA affiliate Albequerque. DeWitt has one option left on his contract.

If this scenario does indeed occur, this would mean that interim SS Jamey Carroll would slide over to start at second base, and possibly share time there with utility infielder Ronnie Belliard.

Notwithstanding, DeWitt has been a chief contributor to the most recent success of the Dodgers. He has elevated his batting average to a very productive .286, and has accumulated nine extra base hits in the month of May alone. Carroll or Green don’t even come close to that type of production.

But as we have seen with earlier disabled list-related moves already this season, it’s not always about who is performing the best on the field.

Another option the Dodgers could consider is sending a pitcher down to the minors—at least temporarily, since the fifth starter’s spot isn’t due to come up again until May 28.

Los Angeles is expected to announce the decision prior to the start of the game on Tuesday.

Whatever decision takes place, it’s obvious that Dodgers management is keeping a close eye on its pocketbook, and losing a player to the waiver wire without any compensation surely wouldn’t help that cause.

Reasoning suggests that the Dodgers want to hold on to every player possible, perhaps to have the ability to put together a package deal in obtaining an anticipated fifth starting pitcher.

Completely losing a player to waivers without any recompense certainly doesn’t help the team from a value or financial standpoint.

With the returns of Andre Ethier, Vicente Padilla, Corey Wade, Charlie Haeger, and Brad Ausmus in the foreseeable future, it’s certain that Los Angeles will have similar scenarios to contend with in the upcoming weeks.

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The first 40 games of the season are in the books, and when compiling the report card for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the first quarter can pretty much be summed up in two words — roller coaster.

Undoubtedly, injuries have plagued the boys in blue already during the young season.

At some point or another, the Dodgers have had seven players visit the disabled list, and have heavily relied on bench play or minor league call-ups to pick up the slack.

Despite the injuries, Los Angeles finds themselves in third place in the NL West, registering a 22-18 record at the beginning of the day on May 20.

A large number of the wins have occurred during their nine-game win streak, which came to a halt on May 19 at the hands of the division leading San Diego Padres.

When the overall play of the Dodgers is dissected into specific areas, several interesting elements are discovered. Numerous facts, figures and statistics representing these areas are shown below.

Batting

In terms of batting average, the Dodgers rank second in the National League with a .274 overall mark.

As expected, Los Angeles hits much better at home (.288 avg.) compared to the road (.264 avg.) But what’s interesting is that when facing right-handed pitching, the Dodgers are hitting a stellar .286, as opposed to a meager .239 against lefties.

Despite a more than adequate batting average, the power numbers aren’t as impressive.

Los Angeles ranks fifth in the NL with a .427 slugging percentage; their 36 total home-runs rank eighth in the league.

The Arizona Diamondbacks total HR count of 53 allows this number to be put into a clearer perspective.

While the Dodgers also rank second in the NL with a .346 on-base percentage, their total run production ranks fourth (208), and their RBI output also ranks fourth, at 198.

Los Angeles is positioned in fourth place when stealing bases, registering 28 total. The Padres are far and away the leaders of this category in the NL with 49 stolen bags.

Considering individual efforts, the Dodgers are primarily spear-headed by the superior play of three hitters: Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and James Loney.

Prior to landing on the disabled list, Ethier sported a .392 average, 11 home-runs and 38 RBI, all of which lead the National League. Matt Kemp (.282/8/25) and James Loney (.298/4/27) have picked up the slack for Ethier.

Casey Blake, who recently elevated his offensive production, is also a chief contributor with five home-runs and 24 RBI, while Russell Martin is also among the team leaders with four round-trippers.

On the basepaths, although only playing in 19 games, Rafael Furcal still possesses the team lead with eight steals.

Kemp, depite being caught eight times, is second on the team with six stolen bases. Surprisingly, James Loney also has six steals to his credit.

Kemp is far and away the team leader with 34 runs scored. He also leads the team with 18 walks during the first quarter of the season.

Despite having above-average numbers in just about every single offensive category, the Dodgers still lack offensive consistency. When the bats are hot, they are unstoppable; but when the bats are tepid, they are pretty much lifeless.

Overall grade for batting: A-

Starting Pitching

Without  a doubt, starting pitching has been the biggest problem area for Los Angeles during the first quarter of the season.

Opening day starter Vicente Padilla, only had four starts to his credit before landing on the DL, and with the injury to their original fifth starter Charlie Haeger, the Dodgers are still suffering.

With a 4.45 overall earned-run-average, Los Angeles ranks 11th in the National League.

Surprisingly, they have a much better ERA on the road (4.07) compared to when pitching at home (4.86).

Coincidentally, the San Diego Padres have the lowest ERA in the NL at 2.74.

The Dodgers have a somewhat respectable batting-average-against figure, as they reflect the sixth lowest in the league with a mark of .252; however, Dodger opponents have thrived on bases on balls.

The Dodgers have the third highest total of free passes given with 159.

Los Angeles ranks third in the National League with 312 strikeouts.

Of the 199 total runs given up, 177 have been earned, which ranks sixth in the NL. Los Angeles does rank eighth in terms of quality starts at 20.

Individually, Hiroki Kuroda, Chad Billingsley, and Clayton Kershaw all lead the team with eight starts. Rookie John Ely has chipped in with four games started.

Kuroda has the most wins with five, followed by Billingsley with four, and Kershaw with three.

Kuroda also leads the team with 53.1 innings pitched. Kershaw is credited with 45.2, while Billingsley recorded 44.2.

Another interesting statistic is pitches per start, where John Ely leads the team with 106.5, followed by Kershaw with 105.4, Kuroda with 98.6 and Billingsley with 92.1. 

Kershaw is first on the team with 52 strikeouts, while Kuroda and Billingsley are tied with 39 Ks apiece.

Kershaw is far and away leader among the starters with walks at 29, while Billingsley has given up 19, and Kuroda 14.

In terms of WHIP (walks+hits per inning), John Ely has the lowest among starters with a .94 mark. Hiroki Kuroda’s WHIP is 1.28, followed by Kershaw at 1.36 and Billingsley at 1.41.

Many Dodger fans still insist that Los Angeles needs to sign an additional starting pitcher, while some believe that the staff will be just fine upon the return of Padilla.

Seemingly, Ely has already earned a starting spot for the remainder of the season, but the looming question is what to do until Padilla does indeed return.

One tactic not yet explored by Manager Joe Torre is the use of a four-man rotation.

Regardless, the Dodgers need to show much more consistency with the starters if they plan to make a run at the NL West. 

Overall grade for starting pitching: C-

Bullpen

Despite having probably the most productive bullpen in the National League in 2009, the Dodger relievers have struggled for the vast majority of the first quarter of 2010.

Ronald Belisario started the season on the restricted list, but upon returning still hasn’t found his true form.

Corey Wade isn’t expected back until June, and the first quarter has been nothing but a nightmare for George Sherrill.

Ramon Troncoso has been very inconsistent, but still leads the Dodgers in appearances with 23.

Despite his misfortunes on the mound, Sherrill follows Troncoso with 21, followed by Jonathan Broxton with 16 and Jeff Weaver with 15 appearances.

The sole bright spot for the bullpen has been Broxton, who leads the team with a 1.15 ERA and 7 saves.

George Sherrill and Ronald Belisario rank the lowest among Dodger relievers in terms of ERA at 7.71 and 5.56 respectively.

Ramon Ortiz, who has been used both as a starter and a reliever posts a 6.30 earned-run average. Ortiz also leads all Dodgers pitchers with five homeruns surrendered.

Hong-Chih Kuo has been excellent since coming off of the disabled list, but continues to be used sparingly by Torre, due to his previous injury.

Kuo leads all Dodger pitchers with a .60 WHIP, followed by Broxton at .89. Sherrill posts a team-low 2.29 WHIP.

Carlos Monasterios, who has also been used as both a spot starter and a reliever, posts a 1.90 ERA in 12 total appearances.

In terms of innings pitched out of the bullpen, Troncoso leads the team with 20.2, followed by Broxton at 15.2 and Sherrill at 14.0.

Los Angeles has lost more than several games determined by poor efforts in the bullpen. There’s plenty of talent present; and only time will tell who will be the most productive set-up men for Broxton.

As Torre continues to use an inconsistent mix, look for more consistency in the near future.

Seeing less than stellar production from George Sherrill and Ramon Ortiz makes one wonder where their futures lie.

Overall grade for bullpen: D

Fielding

In 2009, with a healthy Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson up the middle, the Dodgers’ infield was among the best in the business. But with Furcal seeing limited duty due to a injured hamstring, and Hudson having moved on to the Minnesota Twins, the Dodgers had to bring in Blake DeWitt at second base, and Jamey Carroll has seen quite a bit of time at shortstop.

As a team, the Dodgers have made 28 errors, which is the sixth most in the NL.

Casey Blake leads the team with six errors, which is one less than Andy LaRoche, who leads all NL third baseman with seven. Jamey Carroll rounds out the infield with the second most errors with three.

In the outfield, Matt Kemp has the only two errors, both being very critical game-breakers when they occurred.

On a bright note, Xavier Paul has the only two assists made in the outfield all season.

Los Angeles has the 11th lowest fielding percentage overall in the NL at .981.

Look for the fielding statistics to improve when Furcal settles back into his normal role at shortstop.

Overall grade for fielding: C

Bench Play

Primarily, the Dodgers have used four players off of the bench: Ronnie Belliard, Reed Johnson, Garret Anderson, and Xavier Paul.

Of those four, Belliard has been the most productive with the bat, going 16 for 54 with nine RBI, registering a .296 average.

Xavier Paul is almost as impressive with a .278 average, going 10 for 36 overall.

Reed Johnson (.258 average) posts three doubles and a pair of triples while going 17 for 66.

Garret Anderson has the most disappointing numbers of the four with a meager .131 average, and has only eight base hits in 61 official at-bats.

If Anderson’s numbers don’t improve soon, there’s not much sense to keep him on the active roster. 

Anderson’s performance in the next month should determine his fate with the squad.

Overall grade for bench play: C

*****

Although the grades shown above are predominantly average or below, the Dodgers overall record is an indicator of how valuable the offense has been during the first quarter of the season.

Thus, the batting grade carries a higher weight than the other factors.

Heading into the second quarter, health will be an important factor for the success of the club.

With a minor foot injury to Manny Ramirez and Ethier out of the line-up, the Dodgers went into Wednesday night’s game against the Padres with a very thin outfield.

Pitching still remains a huge problem and many questions linger.

If the starters can indeed build consistency and stay healthy, look for Los Angeles to hover atop the NL West during the second quarter; assuming the bats stay somewhat warm.

Looking further into the third quarter, if the Dodgers can add some additional talent via trade without sacrificing too much, they should be a contender down the stretch. 

Overall grade for first quarter of the season: C+

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Times are changing.

Back in 1989, one needed to make a trip to the local newsstand and gather the courage to purchase a copy of Penthouse magazine to get the dirty lowdown on a big league player, if one trusted the testimony of an alleged mistress.

Today, with a simple keystroke, anyone with access to a computer has the ability to instantly discover when a player is about to be traded, if that player is having an extramarital affair, or even when he is napping in the clubhouse.

Granted, sports journalism has evolved in itself. Now, we have the internet and this thing called “blogging”, where even amateur writers can post up-to-the-minute information about teams, standings, statistics, opinions, when a player gets a haircut, or where the same player may indulge in a post-game beverage. All this information is at our fingertips.

That being said, it’s very difficult for today’s professional sports journalists to stay on top of their games. In their minds, reporting the same old monotonous daily beat just isn’t enough. They still have that itch inside of them to try and set themselves apart from other writers, to compose that one story that’s going to turn the entire sports world upside down.

But the line needs to be drawn somewhere.

On May 9 Larry LaRue, who has been a Seattle Mariners beat reporter since 1988, thought that he uncovered a story that would give him fame and glory as a sportswriter. In retrospect, LaRue, although he doesn’t admit it, probably wishes he would have presented his story differently.

After getting an inside scoop from two younger players on the Mariner squad, LaRue reported that Ken Griffey, Jr. was unavailable to pinch-hit late in a game because he was allegedly asleep in his chair inside the Mariner clubhouse.

And it wasn’t so much about the information rendered– it was how he presented it.

LaRue wrote: “And now, less than 35 games in the 2010 season, Griffey is in his final days as a player. He could lose his job as the left-handed designated hitter within the week. He might lose his position on the 25-man roster nearly as soon. If you want to see Griffey in a Seattle uniform again, watch him on television this week. It could be your last chance.”

Nicely done, Larry; you get word that Junior may have been napping for reasons unbeknown to you, and now you are dictating the retirement terms of one of the greatest players of our generation.

Twenty years ago sportswriters wouldn’t even dream of putting those words into print.

*

Some 1100 miles down the coast in California, another situation is brewing in Los Angeles.

If the Dodgers weren’t the hottest team in baseball and quickly closing in on the NL West division lead, speculation would be in newspapers and blogs everywhere.

On April 27, Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti appeared on KABC Radio’s “The Peter Tilden Show” and when asked about the dismal performance of his team, he pointed his finger specifically to center fielder Matt Kemp.

Colletti told Tilden that Kemp’s defense and baserunning were below average and speculated aloud whether Kemp’s new contract, a two-year, $10.95 million deal he agreed to in his first winter of arbitration eligibility, might have made Kemp a little too comfortable.

Like LaRue, although he doesn’t admit it, Colletti probably wishes he would have presented his information a bit differently.

Nevertheless, Kemp and Colletti met behind closed doors the following day. And when asked if everything was fine, Colletti stated, “It’s fine with me”. Kemp refused to comment about the details of the meeting.

End of story? Not just yet.

Enter ESPNLosAngeles.com writer Tony Jackson.

Jackson covered the Dodgers for the Los Angeles Daily News for more than five seasons. He has covered Major League Baseball on a regular basis for 15 years in Denver, Cincinnati and Los Angeles.

On Wednesday May 12, during an ESPN SportsNation chat session, Jackson added fuel to a seemingly smoldering fire.

When replying to a question from a Dodger fan named Earl, Jackson stated: “I have it on good authority (NOT from Colletti, from others) that if anything, Ned UNDERSTATED the issues with Kemp. This kid is really full of himself, to the point that it is becoming an issue in the clubhouse.”

And later in the chat, Jackson responded to another question, stating: “Kemp has been somewhat difficult with the media almost from the time he came to the big leagues. What I’m hearing now is that he is difficult for some of the coaches to deal with, that he gets his dander up when they try to offer him advice on certain things. I do know that one coach (I can’t say who) has gone so far as to recommend to the front office that they trade him.”

Is this proper etiquette from a sportswriter with more than 15 years experience in the clubhouse?

Although Kemp has been somewhat scratchy with the media at times this season, these comments from Jackson seem unwarranted. To say to readers everywhere that a coach on the team has recommended a trade for Kemp is outlandish.

Kemp, who is 25-years old, still has a way to go in terms of mental maturity, but his work ethic is stellar, as he is the first player to the stadium everyday working on his fundamentals prior to team functions.

Is Jackson entitled to express any opinions he wishes to his audience? Certainly.

But one can easily sense the lack of respect that Tony Jackson has towards Matt Kemp. One would also say that Jackson should have approached Kemp (and the same with LaRue approaching Griffey) before such statements were made.

As a result of handling the situation the way he did, Larry LaRue is no longer welcome in the Mariner clubhouse. On May 13, Cliff Lee halted his press conference until LaRue left the media room.

And a few months down the road when Tony Jackson approaches Matt Kemp for an interview, Kemp should deny Jackson as well.

Without a doubt, players should be held accountable for their actions; baseball is just too large of a business to have it any other way. Teams are now managed like multi-million dollar corporations, as they should be. But aren’t players entitled to some level of privacy?

And what gives Larry LaRue, a journalist with more than twenty years experience, a genuine right to reveal to the world the terms of Junior’s retirement? Does Tony Jackson have a genuine right to discuss Matt Kemp’s potential problems with his coach? Shouldn’t such situations be resolved behind closed doors?

Twenty years ago there was an imaginary line drawn that the press knew better to cross.

Where does that line exist today?

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Sometimes it isn’t just about statistics.

Dan Haren, the ace of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitching staff, was conducting a clinic Tuesday night at Chase Field when Manny Ramirez approached the plate in the top of the fourth inning.

All nine outs recorded by Haren prior to facing Ramirez were strikeouts, and Haren was keen on continuing to uphold his brilliance.

However, Manny Ramirez jumped on the very first pitch delivered by Haren, and promptly delivered a sizzling grounder to Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds, who effortlessly threw Ramirez out at first.

Victory to Dan Haren? Absolutely not.

In the half-second it took for the ball to leave Haren’s hand and reach Ramirez’ bat, Manny was calculating, almost plotting a way to break Haren’s groove.

Not only did Manny send a message to Haren demonstrating that he wasn’t going to strike out 27 batters that evening, but Ramirez also proved to his own teammates that Haren wasn’t exactly unbreakable. This may sound far-fetched to most people, but these are the types of games Manny plays within the game.

Since the opening series of the season in Pittsburgh, Ramirez was fighting a strain in his right calf; then on April 22 against the Cincinnati Reds, he aggravated the same muscle to the point where he had to be pulled in the sixth inning, and was subsequently placed on the DL April 23.

During the time Ramirez spent on the disabled list, it seemed as if the entire baseball community in Los Angeles was in an uproar; the Dodgers just couldn’t do anything right. When the pitching was working, the bats fell silent; and vice-versa. The entire bullpen was in shambles. Managers, coaches, players, and fans wanted, and needed, answers quickly. 

Fans were demanding trades and wanting new acquisitions. General Manager Ned Colletti was singling out unacceptable performances of specific players, not only to justify the Dodgers’ poor record, but also in hoping to create some type of positive spark on the field.

When Ramirez was finally reactivated on May 8, the Dodgers owned a 12-16 record and were in last place in the NL West, very substandard marks for the storied franchise.

Now, it seems as if a certain calmness has settled over Dodgerland. The bats have been popping, and the pitching has been exceptional, especially among the starters. After taking two out of three against the Rockies, and now sweeping Arizona on the road, everything seems to be fine. Everything’s working; and the fans are at ease.

Much of the credit has to be given to the presence of Manny Ramirez.

And that’s not to take away brilliant play from Andre Ethier, James Loney, Clayton Kershaw, John Ely, Jonathan Broxton, and many others. Put simply, when in the lineup, Manny creates a positive atmosphere and relaxing approach all around him.

Granted, there are Manny-haters everywhere, and some of these folks suggest that Ramirez needed a break after the long spring and wanted a very early vacation. Others say that he has lost his passion for the game, and is well past his prime. But there’s still a lot of life left in Manny.

It seems obvious that Ramirez wants to continue to play after this season, the final year of his contract in Los Angeles. And it’s almost certain that Manny won’t be sporting Dodger Blue next season, as he appears destined to be a designated-hitter in the AL, so he needs to showcase strong numbers this year to attract lucrative offers from other teams moving into 2011. That alone is enough proof he will put forth his best efforts daily.

But it’s not just about statistics.

Dodgers center-fielder Matt Kemp seemed in a daze for the two weeks during which Manny was on the DL, taking to the field every day in a very pensive manner and barely cracking a smile. And thanks to Manny and the Dodgers most recent success, Kemp seems back to his normal loose, yet energetic self. This is what Manny does; he has a propensity to change the mood in the locker room and on the field.

By taking a relaxed, less-tense approach on the diamond, the Dodgers seem to fire on all cylinders. Seeing the squad this way is a far cry better than watching every Dodger hitter approach the batter’s box worried, stressed, and exasperated, wanting to win the game with one swing of the bat, or fearing for their life if they don’t produce.

Furthermore, Ramirez still excites the Dodger crowd to an incredible degree, probably moreso than any other Dodger. An energetic and enthusiastic crowd always brings out the best in any team.

And there’s no doubting Manny can still swing the bat very well.

Wednesday night against the Diamondbacks with two outs, runners on second and third in the Dodger seventh, Arizona opted to intentionally walk Andre Ethier and in doing so, decided to take their chances facing Ramirez with the bases loaded.

Not only could this scenario have changed the way other teams pitch to the Dodger hitters for the remainder of the season, but for most of his playing career, this was unheard of to Manny.

Ramirez sent a message, and promptly blasted a rocket off the center field wall, delivering a three-run double and breaking the game wide open for Los Angeles, as they went on to win 6-3. In doing so, it was the Dodgers’ first ever sweep in Arizona.

If other teams around the league decide to pitch around Ethier to get to Manny, the Dodgers’ run production will elevate in a hurry. This is exactly how the lineup is designed to work; yet another form of productivity that Manny brings to the table.

Yet it’s still only May, and the Dodgers will indeed have their share of ups and downs, ins and outs, high points and low points.

But one thing is for certain, as long as Manny Ramirez remains in the lineup, and everyone else stays healthy, the Dodgers will be in contention for another NL West title.

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At least Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre was able to keep a few arms fresh in the bullpen Sunday afternoon.

Despite Clayton Kershaw’s brilliant 2-0 win over the Colorado Rockies Sunday, Torre remains uncertain about his starters Tuesday and beyond, as the Dodgers open up a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday.

Heading into Saturday night’s game, Carlos Monasterios seemed to be the logical candidate to take the hill on Tuesday, but Charlie Haeger failed to record an out in the first inning, and Monasterios was called upon to relieve Ramon Ortiz in the sixth for a two-inning mop-up appearance, as the Dodgers fell to Colorado, 8-0.

Chad Billingsley will start Monday’s series opener in Arizona, and Haeger, who only threw 22 pitches in facing five batters Saturday before being yanked, may have been the best option for game two, because he would have had the freshest arm among all of the other starting pitchers.

However, as of Sunday morning, is was brought to Torre’s attention that Haeger may have a problem with his right heel, and could possibly be headed to the disabled list.

“I haven’t talked to Charlie today, but I talked to [head trainer] Stan Conte and he’s been getting work on a heel,” Torre said. “We’ll visit that and see what we get going there.”

That allows the door to open for 24-year-old righty John Ely, who despite pitching a solid six and two-thirds innings against the Brewers on Thursday, was optioned to triple-A affiliate Albuquerque the next day.

Many folks in Dodgerland were disappointed with the decision to demote Ely, as he demonstrated bright potential in one of the few quality starts the Dodgers have seen all season.

Under normal circumstances, Ely would have been ineligible to return for at least 10 days, but under MLB rules, a player may be recalled within that window if another player of the same position ends up on the disabled list.

Some people near, or about the Santa Monica area, claim that Ely remained in Los Angeles all along, and a Tuesday start had been in the making for him since Saturday evening.

Regardless, many Dodgers fans feel that more moves need to be made by Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti to obtain an additional quality starter, or at least tidy up the current staff by sticking to a core rotation.

Meanwhile, the news on Opening Day starter Vicente Padilla doesn’t look positive.

Padilla did some light throwing Sunday at Dodger Stadium, but isn’t expected back until June.

“I think it’s certainly fixable, and it’s just a matter of when that happens. It will happen,” Torre said. “It’s just a matter of when. I can’t give you that right now. But we certainly need for that to happen at some point this year and we need to stay close enough so that when it does happen it’ll make a big impact on us.”

But will the Dodgers stay in contention?

The starters, who should be their three most reliable, Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, and up until Sunday, Clayton Kershaw, have all struggled in recent starts.

That’s why many think the Dodgers must look outside the franchise, and obtain a starter to stay on pace with the strong pitching of the San Francisco Giants, and the balance of the San Diego Padres.

As the season can no longer be considered “young,” any roster decision made now is critical. If no consistency is established soon with the troubled pitching staff, the July 30 trade deadline may arrive too late.

The next two weeks very well may dictate where the Dodgers finish in the NL West.

And after having come so close to the World Series the past two seasons, Dodger fans don’t expect anything less.

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As if the scrutiny from the media, fans, and upper management weren’t enough, Joe Torre and his staff are faced with several important roster decisions in the days and weeks ahead.

As of May 7, the Dodgers find themselves with six players on the disabled list. Of those six players, Brad Ausmus’ return will be the simplest to arrange, albeit that won’t occur till the end of June.

Rafael Furcal hopes to rejoin the boys in blue in mid-to-late May, and at this point it seems as if shortstop Nick Green will be sent back down to Albuquerque.

However, Green could possibly return to the Isotopes sooner if Los Angeles decides to retain 24-year-old, starting right-hander John Ely. 

Currently Ely holds middle reliever Jeff Weaver’s spot, who hopes to return this weekend.

In a season where starting pitching has been gloomy, Ely threw six and two-thirds innings for the Dodgers last evening, as he clearly made a case to justify his roster spot.

If LA decides to retain Ely and demote Green when Weaver returns, that scenario will result in the Dodgers having only one extra infielder, Ronnie Belliard, to cover all four positions.

From a performance standpoint, it would make sense to keep Ely and dump either Ramon Ortiz or Carlos Monasterios.

If Monasterios is optioned to the minors, however, it would give the Philadelphia Phillies rights to obtain him first due to Rule Five stipulations.

Demoting Ortiz right now would pretty much result in lost dollars—$1 million to be exact.

From a business standpoint, the most economical move would be to send Ely back down and keep the bullpen plentiful. But at this stage of the game, starting pitching is Los Angeles’ most dire need.

Or, could we possibly see a sudden injury arise in the next day to say, Garret Anderson, Reed Johnson, or George Sherrill? Stranger things have happened.

And to add to the difficulty, an additional roster spot needs to be created for Manny Ramirez, who will return to the Dodgers starting lineup on Saturday.

More than likely, outfielder Xavier Paul will be demoted to Albuquerque.

Again, from a performance standpoint, logic says to keep Paul and demote either Garret Anderson or Reed Johnson who have been struggling, especially at the plate.

Johnson’s largest asset, however, is that he can cover all three positions in the outfield.

The quick fix is to send Paul back to the Isotopes, which wouldn’t result in any lost dollars or busted contracts.

Furthermore, when Vicente Padilla and Corey Wade both make their anticipated returns sometime in June, the pitching staff will need to undergo a makeover yet again.

Although these decisions seem subsidiary, the Dodgers, currently in the cellar of the NL West, need to make all of the right moves.

Interesting days lie ahead.

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Many fans of Major League Baseball show their support for their favorite player or team by wearing jerseys or caps, going to the ballpark, or sitting on the edge of their seat in front of the television.

What most fans don’t see is the player behind the uniform.

Granted, most players who sign the larger contracts are persuaded into donating to a certain charity in some shape or form; but a select few have the passion to go out of their way to make the world a better place for a number of special people.

One such player is Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Rollins, a native of Oakland, California, has become one of the premier shortstops in Major League baseball and is a key component in the Philadelphia Phillies’ success.

Rollins was a second round selection by the Phillies in the 1996 June draft. He began rookie ball in Martinsville, and quickly worked his way through the Phillies farm system. 

He played his first game in a Phillies uniform on September 17, 2000, making the start at shortstop.

Rollins is perhaps best known for his base-running skills, having stolen 20 or more bases every season since 2001, with a career-high of 47 in 2008.

Rollins was named the 2007 National League Most Valuable Player and has been named to the National League All-Star team three times (2001, 2002, & 2005).

J-Roll became the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to collect at least 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 homers, and 25 stolen bases in one season, and holds the record for most at bats in a season with 716.

Rollins owns the longest hitting streak in Philadelphia Phillies history at 38 games, achieved from August 2005 to April 2006. His streak is the longest in the majors since 1987, when Paul Molitor hit safely in 39 consecutive games; and the longest in the National League since Pete Rose’s 44-game streak in 1978. It is currently the eighth-longest streak in Major League Baseball history.

Outside of owning a record label, dedicating time to his family, and his obligation to the Phillies, Rollins still finds a huge amount of time to assist with charities and give back to the community.

In 2008, he created the Rollins Family Foundation…a 501 c3 foundation.

Also in 2008, Rollins campaigned for United States presidential candidate Barack Obama and introduced Senator Joe Biden and his wife at a rally in South Philadelphia.

In August of 2009, Rollins hosted his fourth annual Celebrity BaseBOWL Tournament, which benefits the Rollins Family Foundation and the Eastern Pennsylvania Arthritis Foundation. 

In 2004, he served as an Honorary Chairman for Easter Seals.  In 2003, he also served as an Honorary Chairman for the Negro Leagues Baseball Memorial Fund, which sculpted a statue to honor Philadelphia’s Negro League players.

In addition, Rollins has appeared in Public Service Announcements for Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner cities).

One particular story that stands out for many occurred in 2009, when Rollins teamed up with ESPN to make a dream come true for Shaquille Jacobs of Greensboro, NC, as part of ESPN’s “My Wish” segment special.

Jacobs played baseball his entire childhood, and baseball was truly one of his greatest passions.

Jacobs was always seeking to improve his abilities, whether it was spending extra time at the batting cages, working with his father on base-running skills, diligently studying film or watching countless games on TV.

It’s worth mentioning that his favorite baseball hero and role model is none other than, Jimmy Rollins.

During his 10^th-grade year at Grimsley High, Jacobs suddenly became ill and was diagnosed with life-threatening leukemia.

He couldn’t walk at all and endured what seemed like constant pain and suffering.

He lost 35 pounds and needed to get a port in his chest in order to sustain countless chemotherapy sessions.

The fight for his life became a miraculous success, and the leukemia eventually went into remission. But one thing that stayed with Jacobs during this entire experience was his love for the game of baseball.

Upon hearing Jacobs’ story, Rollins and ESPN were quick to step up to the plate to make a special dream come true.

J-Roll proceeded to send Jacobs a personal email, and along with the email came an invitation to attend a Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves spring training game in Florida.

As if Jacobs wasn’t thrilled enough to make the trip to the Sunshine State to watch his hero and favorite team, there was much more to follow.

Rollins met Jacobs at the stadium, and as he greeted him, presented Jacobs with a personalized Phillies game jersey and cap.

Rollins then gave him a tour of the dugout and clubhouse, introducing him to manager Charlie Manuel. In the tunnel, he met and chatted with Phillies sluggers Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino.

J-Roll took him onto the field and passed the ball around while the Phils got loose for the upcoming game, and in the process he met and spoke with Atlanta Braves star Chipper Jones.

Before the start of the game, Jacobs had an opportunity to showcase his hitting skills in the batting cage, and Rollins willingly provided a few words of advice on his batting technique.

For the game, Jacobs had a bird’s-eye view in the dugout where several players shared insights and answered questions about how the game was played at the professional level. It was truly a day to remember for Shaquille Jacobs.

After overcoming his tremendous ordeal, Jacobs graduated from Grimsley High School with honors, and was accepted into North Carolina AT&T where he majors in chemistry and plans on trying out for the school baseball team.

Jimmy Rollins not only represents himself as a tremendous humanitarian to the game of baseball, but also to life in general. Many players at the professional level take on community and charity work for exposure and notoriety, but it’s not really about personal gain for Rollins.

He is extremely grateful for the talent and opportunities with which he is blessed, and has the desire to give back as much as he possibly can. Not only is he a role-model for youngsters around the world, but he sets an example for other players throughout Major League Baseball.

With is amazing ability, talent, personality, humility and kindness, Jimmy Rollins is the epitome of what every baseball player inspires to be.  

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