Kuzul

The MVP of the National League for the first month-and-a-half of the season is ready to return to the lineup.

After missing just over two weeks with a fractured pinkie, Los Angeles Dodgers’ OF Andre Ethier will be activated from the disabled list before tonight’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This is probably bad news for Diamondbacks’ starter Rodrigo Lopez.

Before going down with his injury, Ethier had a batting line of .392/.457/.744 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI.

Ethier should be inserted back in your lineup immediately.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

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.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Maybe the starting line-up should just take a nap before games.

On Wednesday night, pre-game warm-ups claimed another Dodger victim, just minutes before the first pitch against the San Diego Padres.

Manny Ramirez was warming up his aging legs, performing an exercise he does every day before the game begins. The left fielder was swinging his legs in the recreational room, attempting to stretch out his hamstring, when he got too close to a table and struck it with his foot.

Already down their star right fielder, due to another freak pre-game mishap, the Dodgers took no chances and removed Manny from the starting line-up. With two outfielders out and a reliever on the mound to start the game, the Blue Crew finally relinquished their nine-game winning streak to the Padres, losing 10-5.

Manny’s injury didn’t appear to be serious, as he pinch-hit later in the game. However, the incident comes less than a week after right fielder Andre Ethier broke the pinky finger on his right hand during pre-game batting practice. Ethier is on the 15-day disabled list, and is sporting a splint on the injured finger.

The Dodgers can ill-afford another injury, already missing several starters due to injury. There has been no updates regarding Rafael Furcal’s return from the disabled list with a sore hamstring. He was eligible to return from the 15-day DL last weekend against the Padres, but team doctors and manager Joe Torre felt he was not ready after complaints from Furcal of continued discomfort.

Starting pitchers Vicente Padilla and Charlie Haeger are still out. Padilla has elbow soreness and isn’t due back until early June. Haeger suffers from Plantar fasciitis in his right foot and finished up rehab last week. Plantar fasciitis is a condition in the arch of the foot that causes sudden and immense pain, making it difficult to walk or even stand. Haeger should return soon, but will need to find a groove as he is still struggling.

Cory Wade has yet to see game action this season, and his return is expected some time in June.

Finally, Brad Ausmus is on the 60-day disabled list with a pinched nerve in his lower back. The veteran catcher had surgery on April 28th, but there is no time table for his return. He appeared to be moving slowly and gingerly, walking around the Dodgers’ dugout during pre-game in San Diego.

The current Dodgers success is a welcomed sign for concerned fans, but starting games with more than half of the line-up comprised of reserves will eventually take its toll on the win-loss column. There could be new faces in the clubhouse as the All-Star break nears.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

I opened Bleacher Report this morning, as I always do, to find the featured article on the Los Angeles Dodgers page blaring the headline, “10 Reasons Why Andre Ethier Won’t Win the Triple Crown in 2010”.  You guessed it,  I had to open it up to read further with both my curiosity and emotions perking up. 

The article was in a slideshow format with each slide another reason it would be impossible for Ethier to win a Triple Crown this season.  I was simply going to comment on the article but could not control the urge to make a more finite argument to the opinions that oozed out of the authors keyboard.

I’d like to start with this disclaimer.  I have read a number of Jon Schuman’s Bleacher Report offerings and have enjoyed them all. In short, I hold Mr. Shuman’s literary talents in high regard; however, I am writing this to refute his knowledge of the game of baseball and how it has changed since 1967 when Carl Yastremski last hit for the Triple Crown. 

I don’t blame Jon for this lack of insight but I do understand it. Jon wasn’t even born the last time the feat was accomplished so how can one expect him to have a grasp of what it takes to do it?  It would be like me writing about Honus Wagner or Ty Cobb with any degree of accuracy when all I have to reference my opinions are statistics.  Baseball is much more than simple statistics. Heart is a major factor that cannot be perceived by a batting average or an RBI total.

Unfortunately, I am old enough to have seen Carl Yastremski in 1967 and Frank Robinson in 1966 and both were great players. The other side to the coin is that they were also very different in the way they played. As different, in fact, as they are to Andre Ethier.

The article begins with the injury sustained to Ethier’s pinky last Saturday.  I have to dismiss this as a reason for failure because while it may lower his ultimate totals slightly the extra rest he gets will be every bit as much a plus in the form of rest as it is a detriment.

He continues with the fact that Andre is too streaky. While I agree that that has been the case I will point out that every year those streaks have been less and less dramatic. He also adds speculation on the impact Manny Ramirez has batting behind Ethier and the low walk totals put up by Ethier in past seasons.  Having a bat like Manny’s behind a hitter isn’t a detriment, it’s a bonus. Ethier will not be walked as often as some other sluggers because he will be getting pitches to hit instead and not be pitched around. Had Yaz or Robby had a Mickey Mantle hitting behind them do you think that would help their numbers or hinder them?

Fine, let us compare shall we:

Frank Robinson didn’t accomplish the feat until his 11th season in the Major Leagues and it was his very first year in the American League where many of the pitchers didn’t have a book on him yet.  His homerun total that year was 49, a full ten homeruns more than his previous high.  His winning batting average was .316 compared to his lifetime average to date was only .302. Only his RBI total of 122 was lower than the previous high of 136 he had managed prior.

Carl Yastremski is a closer comparison to Ethier. He was in his seventh big league season when he posted 44 homeruns, up from his previous high of only 20.  He drove in 121 runners compared to his old high mark of 94 while his batting average of .326 was up over 30 points from his .292 lifetime mark at that point.

Andre is only in his fifth season. Last year he had a total of 106 RBI, a total that has gone up EVERY season he has been in the show. He has hit over .300 twice already in his short career, (.308 in 2006 and .305 in 2008), in spite of the aforementioned streakiness. His high water mark for homeruns was just last year when he smacked out 31 dingers another total he has increased in EVERY one of his big league seasons.

Mr. Schuman also pointed out that competition the likes of Albert Pujols and Mark Reynolds may be Ethier’s undoing. I can only say that the likes of Al Kaline, Micky Mantle, Harmon Killebrew, Frank Howard and more competed with Robinson and Yastremski, as well, but ultimately failed to stop those hitters from their achievement.

Like I said, both of these Hall of Fame hitters were great players but I had the opportunity to see them both live and in person. Personally I think that they would do well to be compared to Andre Ethier and not the other way around. 

I will stop short of saying Andre Ethier will definitely win a Triple Crown this season, but I know for a fact it would be foolhardy to count him out without a shred of the most important evidence of all.

I mean how is heart measured exactly?  Anyone who has been watching the last couple of years can tell you that when Andre comes up with a game on the line you don’t want to be the fan who bet against him.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Carl Yastrzemski
Frank Robinson
Mickey Mantle
Ted Williams
Joe Medwick
Lou Gehrig
Jimmie Foxx
Chuck Klein
Rogers Hornsby

Andre Ethier?

The first nine names on this list are those of the men who have won the Triple Crown since the end of the Dead-ball Era.

The tenth is the name of one of baseball’s best and brightest young sluggers to emerge in some time.

But does Andre Ethier have what it takes to add his name to the list of baseball legends who succeeded in achieving perhaps baseball’s most difficult accomplishment?

Simply stated, the answer is no. Andre Ethier is a great player, but he will not win the Triple Crown in 2010.

Here’s why.

Begin Slideshow

On Sunday May 16, one run was all the Dodgers needed in the final match of a three-game series to complete a sweep of the first place San Diego Padres.

The win was their seventh in a row.

Entering the series, the Padres found themselves returning home fresh-off their second sweep of the Giants this year.  After a successful road trip, they were looking to find similar results against the Dodgers in San Diego.

However, the Dodgers had other things in mind after also sweeping their last opponents—the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

In their first match up of the season, the visiting Dodgers gave the Padres a taste of their own style of play with some timely hitting and solid pitching.

The Dodgers pitching—which has been a weakness all season long—outperformed the Padres pitching staff, which still leads the National League in ERA with 2.69 after Sunday’s game.

Padres hitters were limited to one hit with runners in scoring position, going a combined 1-for-12 in the series. 

Los Angeles hitters took care of business when it mattered, batting a total 7-for-19 (.368) with runners in scoring position (RISP) in the series.

GAME 1—Dodgers 4, Padres 3

Dodgers RISP: 3-10 (.300), Padres RISP: 1-5 (.200)

Another solid pitching performance was turned in by San Diego starter Jon Garland 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 KOs.  But it was a seventh inning two-run home run from Matt Kemp which gave the Dodgers the lead for good. 

Ramon Ortiz, 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 KOs, with his first start of the season became the eighth different starter for the Dodgers, threw 86 pitches.

Five Dodgers pitchers came out of the bullpen to back up Ortiz, and pitched five shutout innings.

GAME 2—Dodgers 4, Padres 1

Dodgers RISP: 3-7 (.429), Padres RISP: 0-5 (.000)

Clayton Kershaw (3-2) pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run while striking out seven.  Ramon Troncoso and Jonathan Broxton pitched flawless eighth and ninth innings, respectively. 

James Loney, batting cleanup, hit his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot in the second inning.  Jamey Carroll and Russell Martin drove in two more runs in the fifth inning, and Garrett Anderson, playing for the injured Andre Either, had an RBI triple in the sixth inning.

The Padres sole run came in when Scott Hairston scored on a Chase Headley ground-out via fielder’s choice.

GAME 3—Dodgers 1, Padres 0

Dodgers RISP: 1-2 (.500), Padres RISP: 0-2 (.000)

Chad Billingsley (4-2) 7.1 IP, 4 H, 6 KOs along with Hong-Chih Kuo 0.2 IP, 0 H and closer Jonathan Broxton 1.0, 0 H—who picked up three saves over the weekend—combined for a shutout. 

Padres rookie starter Wade LeBlanc (2-1) 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 KOs only allowed two hits.  He was pitching no-hit ball until Russell Martin hit a line-dive RBI that zipped right by his head.

The timely hit from the leadoff-man in the sixth inning drove in Jamey Carrol from second base to score the only run of the game.

NOTES

Despite suffering three consecutive losses and being swept for the first time this season, the weekend series left the Padres with one consolation—the match up drew near sell-out crowds at Petco Park in San Diego.

An estimated 126,819 people were in attendance over the three games.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Just chill, Giants—we got this.

After sweeping aside the San Francisco Giants in a three-game series, the San Diego Padres had the favor returned to them by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The sweep put the Dodgers just two games back of the Friars for first place, and San Diego now sits just a half-game ahead of the Giants.

For the Dodgers, it marked their seventh win in a row and ninth in their last 10 games. The Dodgers finished the road trip a perfect 6-0, having swept the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks before arriving in San Diego.

So what major breaking news could top a seven-game winning streak?

How about Andre Ethier fracturing the pinky finger on his right hand during pre-game batting practice?

Ethier was having a marvelous day in the cage prior to Saturday’s game at PETCO Park when he suddenly stiffened up and promptly left the cage. Wincing and shaking his right hand, the right fielder was clearly in pain.

Andre was hastily removed from the starting lineup, replaced by Garret Anderson. An X-ray during the game revealed a fracture in his right pinky, and a splint has been placed over the bottom knuckle to prevent flexion as the swelling subsides.

Ethier told manager Joe Torre his pinky simply slipped under the knob of the bat, and the pressure of swinging and making contact cracked a knuckle.

The injury comes at a time when the Dodgers are riding high, but their recent success is largely in part to Ethier’s hot streak. The lefty slugger currently is the Triple Crown leader in the National League. Ethier is hitting .491 with 16 RBI in May.

With the recent stability and success of the Dodgers’ starting pitching, the win streak has been supported by just enough offense. If Ethier is out for a longer stretch than his ankle injury, Reed Johnson and Garret Anderson will once again be called on to pick up the slack.

Anderson tripled on Saturday but is currently hitting a meager .136, good for worst on the roster amongst position players (starting pitcher Chad Billingsley is batting .154). Johnson provides range in the outfield, but he too is struggling at the dish, batting just .224 with a .233 on-base percentage.

The team plans on announcing Ethier’s recovery time on Monday or Tuesday. However, if the Dodgers intend on staying the course, the news will have to be extremely positive.

The Dodgers open a brief tea-and-crumpets, two-game series with the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium Monday, followed by a three-game series with the division-leading Padres. The Astros have been dreadful this season, and the Dodgers will look to continue recent success before taking on a hungry Padres squad seeking revenge.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Andre Ethier suffered an injury on Saturday, breaking a bone in his right pinky finger. Such is the consequence of taking extra batting practice.

Currently the Dodgers are on a six game winning streak, scoring four runs in the first game of Andre’s absence. Last year Manny Ramirez, the slugger who’s image is now tainted was unable to provide his services while serving a fifty game suspension. It was with contributions from the likes of Juan Pierre, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp that kept the team afloat during a time that many hailed as the teams time to collapse.

So far this year Los Angeles’ future is up in the air. It would be a great step if the team can continue to produce like it has the last fifteen games without the triple-crown leader.

For two consecutive years the Dodgers have made NLCS appearances, sweeping the competition in each Division Series. This is not easy to accomplish if you play with the odds of the media. The good thing for Los Angeles is that the team is continuing to mature and develop.

A team of stars to be, led by the likes of Joe Torre are being bread for one thing, winning. They are unsatisfied with something to prove and this just may be the time to prove it. Championship quality teams know how to win when a man goes down and that is what the Dodgers must do.

A portion of the team needs to continue to produce like it has, but there are key players that must amplify their game that takes teams to the next level.

Begin Slideshow

On May 12, 2010, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their first sweep of the season, defeating the Arizona Diamondback in a three-game series.

With the help of six consecutive losses from the stumbling D’backs, coupled with a four-game winning streak of their own, the Dodgers have climbed out of the bottom of the National League West.

The last three games against the D’backs have showcased a potent Dodgers offense headlined by a healthy Manny Ramirez and Andre Ethier, NL Leader in all Triple Crown categories. 

Considering the recent Dodgers surge some may be even convinced that their slow start to the season was just a minor aberration for a team destined to take the NL West for a third consecutive year.

However, their offensive successes have only managed to temporarily mask their blatant weakness in starting pitching. With only three starters healthy from last season, forty percent of their pitching rotation remain in flux.

Charlie Haeger (0-4, 8.49 ERA), the team’s 5th starter, imploded in his May 8 appearance against the Colorado Rockies allowing five runs before getting an out and promptly getting the hook.  He is now trying recover from a broken psyche (correction bruised heel) on the 15-day disabled list.

Vicente Padilla, the Dodgers’ opening day starter is (1-1, 6.65 ERA) this season and has been on the DL since April 24, is not expected to return until June. 

Rookie John Ely (1-1, 3.86 ERA) has been a pleasant surprise in three starts but it’s still too soon to see if he can be consistent. 

Rule-5 draftee Carlos Monasterios provided the team with a decent effort in a spot start (4.0 IP, 1 ER, 73 pitches) although the team believes he is better suited to pitch out of the bullpen. 

Putting further emphasis on the Dodgers’ need for starting pitching, 36-year-old Ramon Ortiz with a 5.16 ERA out of the bullpen is slated to make his first start over the weekend against the Padres.  Ortiz will be the 8th different Dodgers starting pitcher this season. 

The deficiencies in the starting rotation have been exposed this season.  Rumors swirling out of Los Angeles is that the Dodgers are trying to acquire a starter via trade.

It could have all been avoided if the Dodgers had simply brought back Jon Garland.

Fact is, the Dodgers overestimated the availability of starting pitching this past winter.  

Looking to trim payroll during the off-seasonthe team elected to buyout the last year of Garland’s $10 million contract for $2.5 million.  They also opted not to re-sign Randy Wolf who went on to sign a three-year contract totalling nearly $30 million with the Milwaukee Brewers.

With $7.5 million in net savings from the Garland buyout they chose to re-sign the enigmatic 32-year old Vicente Padilla to a $5 million contract. 

Had the Dodgers not re-signed Padilla and picked up Garland’s $10 million option instead, it would have only required an extra $2.5 million commitment from the team. 

In retrospect, retaining Garland who is two years younger than Padilla, at an additional cost of $2.5 million is a small to price to pay for a proven veteran pitcher that can help solidify the starting rotation.

Garland v. Padilla

Since becoming a starter in 2002, Garland has started at least 32 games over the last eight seasons.  He has won 18 games twice with the White Sox and 14 games once with the Angels.

On the other hand, the last time Padilla started at least 32 games was in 2006 when won a career best 15 games in 33 starts.  Over the last two years he has served four stints on the DL. 

And who can forget the much publicized fallout with the Rangers organization?  When he was designated for assignment late last season, a move which Rangers management said was the result of his behavior on and off the field. 

Where is Garland Now?

Now pitching for the Padres, Garland (4-2, 1.71 ERA) has found a home in San Diego.

Despite being offered a more lucrative contract by the Washington Nationals, Garland chose to stay in Southern California, close to his Valencia home. 

Moreover, he recognized that playing half of his games in the confines of pitcher-friendly Petco Park would be beneficial to his career. 

As a Dodger in 2009, Garland went 3-2 with a 2.73 ERA in six starts. 

At the time, the Dodgers could not justify investing $10 million on a number 4 or 5 starter.  But the reality–is buying him out and finding someone else to replace his consistent production will probably cost the Dodgers more money had they just kept him.

If the Padres go on to win the NL West, this mistake could haunt the Dodgers for a very long time.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Andre Ethier is a beast. That much we know. In a core outfield consisting of Manny Ramirez and Matt Kemp, Ethier is the one which shines brightest. Each season he continues to get better at the batters’ box, and in what is his best season so far, he has many speaking of a triple crown bid.

At 28, Andre is at his peak and could pull a triple crown off. However, there has not been a triple crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Beyond that, the Dodgers are only 15-17, and one can never tell what may happen later in the season; a trade to get back int he race could end up shifting Ethier’s production.

It’s only the middle of May, but right now, Ethier has set the foundation for a possible triple crown. Can he get this rare honor and continue to produce at his rate? The following six points are meant to show not that he will win it, but to show that he has every opportunity to be able to win it if things work out.

Begin Slideshow