Kuzul

The MLB All-Star Lineup has garnered a variety of reactions, ranging from cheers and sighs of relief to whimpers and shrieks of disbelief.

When the 2010 MLB All-Star lineups were released, there were undoubtedly as many elated fans as there were bitter fans.

No matter where the stadium is located, fans maintain an unceasing allegiance to their favorite teams and players.

Being chosen to play in the All-Star game represents the ultimate recognition that fans, coaches, and players alike have observed, reveled in, and appreciated every moment of a player’s season thus far.

However, examining the all-stars chosen from the NL West has generated a surge of controversy over just who earned their position.

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While the Major League season may be a marathon, and not a sprint, a tweaked ankle still stings at any distance. Such was the case for Los Angeles on Sunday night, as the Dodgers positive weekend took a turn for the miserable over two painful innings.

To make matters worse, a handful of roster staples played a part in souring the evening, and the club’s big time series with the Yankees. Now a team that stood just two outs away from a much needed spark must pick up the pieces following a “how’d that happen” ending.

Joe Torre’s men lost a game, and any sign of momentum, in their 8-6 heartbreaker at Chavez Ravine. The team is almost more of a mystery now then they were on opening day. The Dodgers still have plenty of questions on the table as they forge ahead toward the second half of the season.

The standings and statistics paint a less than favorable picture. It’s win now or forever hold third place time for Los Angeles. We’ll learn how this team navigates through the peaks and valleys of a season as they hope to shake off a real gut puncher.

In the here and now, Jonathan Broxton’s rocky ninth inning, James Loney’s uncharacteristic mental lapse at first base, George Sherrill’s hanger to AL batting leader Robinson Cano, and some heated player conduct left the home crowd faithful stunned, perplex, and disappointed.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers and their followers, pro-Yankees chants drowned out any true blue words of encouragement, as New York closer Mariano Rivera shut the door on yet another one of his dominant outings. To be fair, many LA fans probably hustled to the parking lot before Broxton took the ball in the ninth.

Who could blame them? With the Dodgers spotting the usually reliable Broxton a 6-2 lead, beating traffic seemed like the right call over witnessing a ho-hum end to what appeared to be a one-sided LA victory. Although Broxton struggled on Saturday, investing in him is still a good bet.

As the flood gates opened in the top of the last frame, where the bottom of New York’s lineup clipped, and tipped, and fought off every pitch Broxton threw their way, the big closer just didn’t have it. No other explanation needed. He battled with his C-level stuff and the Yankees hitters didn’t give him an inch.

And James Loney didn’t give the pitcher a hand.

Loney’s miscue, where he fielded a hot grounder and stepped on first before throwing home, when the immediate play was to the plate, puzzled anyone who’s ever watched the man play defense. The momentary gaffe allowed speedster Curtis Granderson to cross home, tying the score at 6-6 in the process.

There’s not much to say after surrendering a four run loss at home. There’s even less to say after surrendering a go-ahead two-run blast just an inning later. The Dodgers couldn’t muster any magic in their last half.

Throw in Garrett Anderson and Russell Martin’s ejections for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Chris Guccione and that’s a pretty tough night for any squad. They dropped the game and appeared none too pleased in doing so.

Lost in the commotion are all the things LA did right for eight and a half innings. They manufactured runs and fed off a stellar performance from young gun starter Clayton Kershaw. Sunday’s early positives add some salt to the wound when looking at the grand scheme of things.

The numbers don’t lie, which is a big problem for Dodgertown.

They’re 3-7 over the past 10 games, third in the division, three games behind the wild card leading Mets, and five games behind the streaking San Diego Padres in the NL West. Not a whole lot to brag about behind those stats.

There’s little time to reflect on the loss, as LA now flies to San Francisco for a tremendously important three game showdown with the Giants. The series winner will also hold solo second place in the division as they leave AT&T Park on Wednesday afternoon.

While there’s plenty of baseball left, an agitating collapse against a big time opponent, where the visiting team’s fans took over the stadium, hurts all the same.

The Dodgers can still make a strong run at the postseason if they right the ship by the All-Star break on July 12. Until then, though, nothing’s certain for this talented, yet undefined roster.

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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.

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In April 2006, two American League first basemen, both in their second year in the Show, had similar smokin’-hot starts:

Player A 

10 homers, knocked in 24 runs, a .313 average and a .404 on-base percentage.

Player B 

10 dingers and supported a .404 OBP, with 20 RBI and batting .326.

Although both players were highly regarded by their respective organizations, many critics did not believe either would continue their early-season dominance into the summer.

By the end of ’06, Player A would finish with 35 HRs and 95 RBI.

Player B, on the other hand, would conclude the season in the minors.

And the identity of the masked men? The former would be Nick Swisher , and the latter Chris “Big Red” Shelton.

The reason I tell this tale? After 30 or so games into 2010, there appear to be a handful of young guns posting statistical anomalies that are making fantasy owners go, “Uh what?”

The list includes Austin Jackson (leading the American League with a .371 batting average,) Ike Davis (.316 BA, .437 OBP,) Jamie Garcia (1.18 ERA in six starts,) Colby Rasmus (.304 with 20 runs,) and Starlin Castro (six RBI in MLB debut.)

Oh, and some guy for Atlanta named Jason Heyward is doing alright (.291 BA/eight HR/26 RBI/.410 OBP) as well.

I wish I could channel my inner Miss Cleo and prognosticate which of these players will continue to perform and which will fall by the wayside. However, I can tell you what to do if you’re lucky enough to own one of the aforementioned athletes.

Trade them.

For reasons not fully explained, there exists a certain phenomenon in fantasy sports where managers take a little too much pride in owning a breakout star.

It’s almost as if a sentiment of fantasy hubris exists, and the success of a rookie or gamble draft pick fulfills our self-fulfilling prophecy of sports expertise.

ANYONE can draft Pujols— it takes a man with some brass ones to pick Heyward a few rounds earlier than projected. (By the way, that’s the sound of me patting myself on the back for pulling the trig on Heyward in the eigth round.) To some extent, it’s akin to parents living vicariously through their children.

The case can also be made that following a rookie/young gun is exponentially more exciting than trekking a good-but-not-great player.

For instance, along with Heyward, I have Marlon Byrd and Magglio Ordonez in my outfield, both who are off to spectacular starts. But guess whose box score I check first in the morning? Exactly.

Yet, if the ultimate goal of fantasy is to win, you can enhance your chances by dealing these prospects while they’re hot in return for a proven commodity.

Chances are Jackson won’t be heading into August with an average above .335 or Garcia with a sub-3.00 ERA, so it would be behoove you to move them while demand is high.

Sure, you won’t be able to bask in the glory of your prospects accomplishments, but you’ll be closer in your quest to bring home fantasy gold.

Start ’em

Nick Swisher, Yankees.

Speaking of Swisher, in his last eight games, No. 33 has batted .438 with five HRs and 13 RBI.

Most fantasy owners had concerns about Swisher’s possible lack of playing time coming into the season, but Swisher has appeared in 29 of New York’s 30 games.

Sit ’em

Pablo Sandoval , Giants.

San Fran sits a half game back of San Diego in the West, which is a minor miracle considering the lack of production from their three-hole hitter Sandoval.

The Kung Fu Panda is hitting .081 in the month of May with just one RBI.

Fantasy Flashback

1894 Hugh Duffy .

The original Duff-man had quite the campaign in 1894, winning the Triple Crown with 18 bombs, 145 RBI and a .440 batting average that still remains the single-season BA record.

Duffy also posted a .502 OBP to go along with 48 stolen bases.

On a side note, Duffy logged his service with the Boston Beaneaters , who rank beside the Houston Colt 45s as possessing the sweetest team name in baseball history. Last on the list—the Cleveland Infants .

Waiver Wire Watch

Jon Garland , Padres.

The former White Sox/Diamondback/Dodger has been unhittable in his last four starts, surrendering just two earned runs in 27 innings of work.

Garland is owned by only 34 percent of fantasy users, so pick him up while he’s still available.

Rookie Review Mike Leake, Reds.

Heading into Spring Training, the major buzz surrounding the Reds rotation centered on Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, but it has been Leake who has shined in the 2010 season.

The 2009 First round pick out of Arizona State has validated Cincinnati’s selection thus far, compiling a 3-0 record though six games with a 3.10 ERA in 40.2 innings.

Related random rant—why do pitchers always rock the best facial hair in sports? This marvel has confounded me for years.

In theory, you’d think the football world would produce some kickass whiskers, but save for Jared Allen’s Fu Manchu, nothing impressive comes to mind.

Granted, hockey has the tradition of renouncing the razor come playoff time, but that’s only for two months of the year.

Yet, America’s pastime continually gives us the unintentional awesomeness of handlebar mustaches, muttonchops, dyed-goatees, and lumberjack beards. Go figure.

This week in Jonathon Broxton

Up and down week for the Ox.

Big 51 blew a save opportunity against Milwaukee on May 6th, yet was still credited with the win thanks to Andre Ethier ‘s grand slam in the ninth.

Broxton did bounce back by slamming the door against division foe Colorado on Friday and Sunday, bringing his save total to a whooping three on the season.

Trade Talk

Anytime a constant statistical discrepancy (i.e. lack of HRs, Ks) bears its face, owners will always look for a possible trade to enrich their roster.

While this approach is practical, owners who have low save totals should remain calm. A common blunder in fantasy is upgrading one’s bullpen to improve less than stellar stats.

Saves are fairly easy to come by, and the last thing you want to do is trade a valuable contributor for an unproven closer off to a hot start (yes, I’m looking at you Matt Capps. )

Instead, look to pick up a set-up man for a team whose regular closer is struggling.

Big League Chew Player of the Week Goes To

Vladimir Guerrero , Rangers.

Guerrero has proved skeptics wrong who claimed the slugger had nothing left in the tank.

In a series sweep over Kansas City, Vlad went 5-for-13 with three HRs and seven RBI.

On the season, the Vladiator has driven in 26 runs to go along with a .339 average.

Spit Your Tobacco at

Josh Beckett , Red Sox.

Beckett’s performance as of late hasn’t merited the $68 million extension he signed in early April.

Through seven games, Beckett is sporting an astronomical 7.46 ERA. His latest train wreck came against the Bronx Bombers, who tagged Beckett for nine earned runs in 5.1 innings.

That’s it for this week.

Enjoy the Padres-Giants, Twins-Yanks, and Indians-Orioles.

Class dismissed.

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As of this writing, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in last place in the National League West, with an 11-16 record. The Milwaukee Brewers have scored 11 runs on them the past two nights.

Most Dodger fans did not expect this, with the team coming off two straight NLCS appearances with a good core of young players.

However, when the season started, I was afraid that this swooning futility might happen, sorry to say.

Here, in my humble opinion, is why the Dodgers are where they are at this point:

Injuries

Manny Ramirez and Jeff Weaver are currently on rehab assignments in the minors, they are scheduled to rejoin the team this weekend.

Shortstop Rafael Furcal is on the disable list with a bad hamstring, and opening day starter Vicente Padilla is out with an arm injury for roughly two months.

Particularly with Ramirez and Furcal, those are key players that the Dodgers have been missing.

It is safe to say that these injuries have hurt L.A. badly, if not outright decimated them. Unlike Juan Pierre last year, outfielder Reed Johnson and infielder Jamey Carroll haven’t stepped up in Manny’s and Rafael’s absence; they went 0-for-8 last night in the Dodgers’ 11-3 loss to the Brewers.

Pitching 

In my view, this is the biggest reason why Los Angeles has only won 11 out of their first 27 games.

The starting pitching was a concern for me going into 2010. I felt that Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw had to step up big time, and have dominating seasons in order for the Dodgers to win their third straight division title.

Even though Billingsley has been pretty good of late, he gave up four runs in the first inning last night; he and Kershaw have not pitched as well as expected.

Kershaw gave up seven runs in two innings in his last start, and he continues to throw too many pitches and walk too many batters.

As for the bullpen, except for Jonathan Broxton, who has been lights out, it has flat-out sucked.

Charlie Brown would fit right in with L.A’s middle relievers and their ineptness, and may be the best one if he was a Dodger.

Guys like Ronald Bellasario, Ramon Troncoso, and especially George Sherill have thrown gasoline on the fires whenever they’ve taken the mound. It has gotten to the point where high school players could probably hit off them, their pitching has stunk so bad. 

If the Dodgers are going to climb out of the cellar and be the contending club that they are more than capable of being, the pitching absolutely must perform better.

Otherwise it could be a long, frustrating year in Chavez Ravine.

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Some unfamiliar faces have been spotted around the Los Angeles Dodgers dugout lately, but suddenly the number in the “W” column is going up. Meanwhile, the pitching has stepped it up with the return of some familiar faces and the infusion of some new ones.

Pop Quiz: Who has the lowest ERA on the Dodgers’ roster? If you said Carlos Monasterios, you’d be wrong. It’s actually Jonathan Broxton. In nine games or 8.2 innings, Broxton has allowed just four hits and no runs while striking out 14 and walking only one. Tough to compete with that, but Monasterios isn’t far off. In his 14.2 innings, Monasterios is sporting a 1.84 ERA and has filled in marvelously for injured Dodger veterans.

Monasterios was brilliant in his first major league start, going four innings while only allowing one run. Manager Joe Torre pulled him after 79 pitches, leaving many to wonder why he didn’t stretch him out over the fifth inning, which would have qualified him for the win. However, Monasterios isn’t the only young Dodger getting valuable regular season experience. 

Pitcher Charlie Haeger, catcher A.J. Ellis and utility outfielder Xavier Paul all have bolstered their major league resumes this season, as injuries continue to nag the defending National League West Champions. Haeger has had a “rough go” of it so far this season, but he has filled in as an innings eater, sometimes pitching on just three days rest, in a time when the Dodgers have really needed him. Ellis has become the catcher for Haeger, and has given Russell Martin a much needed break as Martin’s groin continues to heal. Paul is seeing significant innings, even batting leadoff in front of Russell Martin while Rafael Furcal is still out with hamstring issues. Thus far, Paul is struggling at the plate, batting just .200 (3-for-15) but providing versatility and range in the outfield.

Although the Dodger rookies and prospects can’t all be Jason Haywards, their roles are all vital in the season swing for a team looking to rebound once their veterans come back from the disabled list. The role of unsung hero is one that is rarely relished in the public eye. So give them a hand, they are the reason we are still within range of the division lead.

Hiroki Kuroda and Clayton Kershaw need to remain consistent, as it is apparent they will need to carry the load for a rotation lacking depth, and thus far it appears the rest of the pitching staff is following the lead. Dodgers pitching has allowed just five runs in the last three games. Granted, it was against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but hey, it’s a two game win streak and the Dodgers have looked dominant after losing two of three to the sea burglars in Pittsburgh.

With the recent performance of the Dodgers’ pitching staff and a return to consistency with the offense, the Dodgers look to be on the up-and-up. One thing is for sure, the trend is uplifting for L.A. fans: The team ERA is dropping, and the run production is rising. Good things to come…

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