Dodgers Half Season Review

After Sunday's game in Milwaukee, the Dodgers have now played 88 games. Their record stands at 56-32, a Major League Baseball best, and the boys now get three days to unwind (minus Billingsley, Broxton and Hudson who will all be in St. Louis). With the time off, now is a great time to look back on the Dodgers first half of the season. We'll take a position-by-position look at the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers:



Starting Lineup



C Russell Martin- The rock of the 2006-2008 Dodgers has had a concerning dip in production in 2009. Martin has seen a considerable drop in both batting average and slugging percentage. The BA drop doesn't concern me, as his on-base percentage is still strong (.373). What concerns me is his continued drop in power. Martin finished 2008 with a sub-.400 SLG and the trend has continued this season. Martin's isolated power is only .056, down from his career average of .133. Also concerning is Martin's inability to block pitches in the dirt. He has looked hesitant on certain pitches and the Dodgers' staff leads baseball in wild pitches. All this told, Martin is still one of the better catchers in the game. His strong OBP makes him a valuable player, especially at his position. And he has showed signs of coming out in recent outings. So hopefully the Dodgers will have a strong Russell J. Martin for the second half of 2009.



1B James Loney- I labeled 2009 as make-or-break for James Loney as a Dodger. That was probably a bit premature, but this hasn't been a great year for Loney. His power, or lack thereof, is unacceptable for a 1B, especially one that is not posting a particularly strong OBP. Loney's line so far in 2009: .281/.350/.402. Despite being in the bottom rung of the ladder for production from a first baseman, the Dodgers can live with it in 2009 because they are so strong at every other position. If Loney can finish the year with 15 homers I think the team would be happy. If he is not going to hit for power I would at least like to see him hit for average and improve his on-base skills. Loney does have 54 RBI, but it is a bit misleading because he really doesn't belong anywhere near the middle of the order for a good offensive team.



2B Orlando Hudson- The O-Dog has been great for the Dodgers so far this season. Despite struggling in June and the first half of July, his overall upgrade over Jeff Kent has been awesome. The O-Dog has posted a .283/.353/.426 line so far this season while playing very good defense. His nasty wrist injury to last season seems to be in the past and is on track to match his career numbers in every category. The O-Dog has been worth every dollar the Dodgers gave him when they signed him over the winter, and he definitely merited being an All-Star.

SS Rafael Furcal- The Dodgers have used kid gloves on Raffy for the entire first half as he recovered from back surgery last season. Furcal did not start a handful of day games in order to try and keep him healthy and productive. Fortunately he has stayed healthy. Unfortunately he has not been productive. Furcal has posted a .681 OPS on the season. However, he has shown signs recently of coming out of his funk, with a 1.018 OPS in 43 at-bats in July. If Furcal can keep up his recent play for the second half, the Dodgers lineup will be unstoppable. Raffy is a game changer at the top of the lineup and it would be great to see him play like we know he can.

3B Casey Blake. The Beard has been great this season for the Dodgers. He has solved the Dodgers third base quandry that has existed ever since Adrian Beltre left for Seattle after the 2004 season. While I still am not happy that the Dodgers traded Carlos Santana for Blake last July, I must admit I have been incredibly surprised by his strong play this season. Blake has outperformed his career averages in BA, OBP, and SLG. He has also been pretty good over at the hot corner. He probably shouldn't bat cleanup on the best team in baseball, but he has been great for the Dodgers and I can't deny that.

LF Manny Ramirez- Manny has done nothing but rake since joining the Dodgers. Unfortunately he was suspended for 50 games in early May for violating baseball's PED agreement. But he is back now and he is doing what Manny does: hit a baseball better than almost every other player. Manny is hitting .355 on the season with a .487 OBP and .669 SLG. The Dodgers lineup is so dynamic when he is batting third, and the team will continue to score as long as he stays healthy.

CF Matt Kemp- Kemp has been spectacular so far in his breakout season. He is hitting .320 with a .879 OPS. He is on pace for 20 HR's and 35 SB's. He has an improved batting eye, posting an iso-OBP of .064, up from his career average of .048. Oh and he has played incredible defense in center. Kemp leads all MLB CF's in UZR, and he has 10 outfield assists. He still has a ton of room before he hits his ceiling, and at this point anything less than superstardom for Kemp would be disappointing.

RF Andre Ethier- Dre has had a weird season for the Dodgers. His power is up big time, his 18 HR's at the break is only 2 shy of his career high for an entire season, but his BA is down big time. A lifetime .290 hitter, Ethier has hit only .250 so far this year, and as a result his OBP is only .338. I do expect him to get hot and finish around .275/.360/.500 for the year though because he is such a good hitter. Despite his lower BA and OBP, his power has been a welcome addition to the Dodgers lineup.

Bench

Juan Pierre- Juan did an admirable job filling in for Manny during his suspension, especially early on. Juan hit .369 in May before crashing back to Earth with a .264 average in June. He now returns to the bench in a role as the fourth outfielder. Juan has received a tremedous amount of credit for the Dodgers great play during the first half, and rightfully so. However, the talk of him deserving to be an All-Star or even starting for the Dodgers was a bit silly. Nonetheless, his good play should not go unnoticed, even by Pierre "haters" like me.

Mark Loretta- Loretta has been unspectacular in his role as pinch-hitter and spot starter. But he is a nice guy to have around because he is a decent hitter and the Dodgers really don't have many other options on the bench.

Brad Ausmus- Ausmus has a .730 OPS in 56 at-bats so far this season. The Dodgers will take that all season long. He has performed the role the Dodgers wanted him to, backing up Russell Martin while handling the staff well. Like Loretta, he is not a bad guy to have on the team.

Juan Castro- The Dodgers signed Castro to play good defense while backing up Furcal at short and Hudson at second. They didn't know he was going to hit like this. Small sample sizes can be so fun. Castro is a great example of why they can be so fun; the man with a lifetime OPS of .606 has posted an incredible (for him) OPS of .834 so far this season in 71 at-bats. It will not continue but he will continue to play good defense when he is needed.

Blake DeWitt- The Dodgers pleasant surprise of 2008 has been shuttled back and forth between AAA and the big leagues this season during 2009. DeWitt has had only 23 at-bats with the Dodgers, batting .174 with one HR.

Xavier Paul- Paul was called up to fill Manny's spot after the suspension. He showed some promise in his limited duty, but a staph infection has sidelined him for nearly two months.

Jamie Hoffman- Hoffman filled in as fourth outfielder after Manny's suspension and Xavier Paul's staph infection. He made a highlight reel catch and throw in Chicago and hit a three-run HR early on, but mostly struggled in his 22 at-bats before being demoted.

Mitch Jones- The real life Crash Davis was called up during interleague play to DH in American League parks. He posted a .785 OPS in 13 at-bats before being sent back down.

Doug Mientkiewicz- Doug looked like he was going to be a great option off the bench for the Dodgers, but a pointless head-first slide into second base separated his shoulder and has limited him to 5 at-bats all season.

A.J. Ellis- Ellis got his first major league at-bat this season after two stints up with the big team, but is 0 for 4 on the season. He is a likely call-up when rosters expand in September.

Overall, the Dodgers offense has been very good this season, despite suffering from nearly two months without Manny. The Dodgers are second in the league in runs scored, averaging 5.03 runs per game. The big component in the Dodgers success has been their ability to get on base, as they lead the league with a .354 OBP. The Dodgers are 11th in the league in home runs (76 total), but that number figures to rise with Manny's return. If the Dodgers can continue to get on base and hit for average power, their offense will be one of the best in the league.

Starting Pitching

Chad Billingsley- Bills has been very good for the Dodgers this year, with a 3.38 ERA. He has become the rock of the staff, leading the team in innings pitched with 125.1. His 119 strikeouts show how good his stuff is, but he struggled a bit with his control in the first half, as he finished second in the league with 55 walks issued. Bills was named to his first All-Star team, and he figures to finish the season with an ERA just over 3.00. The Dodgers pitching has exceeded expectations this season, and Chad is a big reason why.

Randy Wolf- Wolf has been terrific for the Dodgers, pitching 114.2 innings of 3.45 ERA. Wolf has struck out 85 batters, and after changing his number to 43, upped his record to 4-3. The only blemish on Wolf's record has been the longball, as he has given up 15 of them. But overall, the Dodgers are getting a great return on their one-year investment in Wolf.

Clayton Kershaw- Clayshaw has really come on for the Dodgers since May 1st. In his last 14 starts, Kershaw has a 7-3 record with a 2.06 ERA. On the year, he has 99 strikeouts in 99.2 innings, and his ERA is 3.16. The only issue with Kershaw is his walk total. He has given up a league-leading 59 BB's, but he has mostly been able to work around those walks. The 21 year-old is well on his way to superstardom, and I think it's safe to say he is untouchable, even in a trade for Roy Halladay.

Hiroki Kuroda- Kuroda started Opening Day, then missed two months before returning for nine starts. He has struggled since returning, and on the year he has a 4.67 ERA. If Kuroda can have a second half like he did last year, the Dodgers staff will be in great shape. They have been able to get away with his struggles so far, but the Dodgers need Kuroda going forward.

Eric Stults- Stults pitched well for the Dodgers early on, but a thumb injury derailed his season. In 9 starts, Stults has a 4.80 ERA, with 30 strikeouts to go along with 25 walks.

Eric Milton- Milton briefly resurrected his major league career before a back injury threatened the rest of his 2009. Milton is 2-1 in 5 starts with a 3.80 ERA.

Bullpen

Johnathon Broxton- The Bull has stepped into the closers role and performed brilliantly. He has 65 strikeouts in 40.2 innings, and has converted 20 of 22 saves. A toe injury is a concern going forward, but if he returns to full health the Dodgers have one of the best closers in baseball. He is a deserving 2009 All-Star.

Ramon Troncoso- Troncoso has had a funny season. He has an incredible 1.75 ERA 56.2 innings. However, his peripheral numbers are down from last season. Tron has struck out only 34 batters while allowing 21 walks. Yet, his ability to get the ground ball has been a huge asset for the Dodgers. So has his ability to pitch multiple innings.

Ronald Belisario- Beli is the most pleasant surprise for the 2009 Dodgers. Despite never pitching above AA, the Dodgers gave him a shot. He has not disappointed. Joe Torre has since run him into the ground, resulting in an inevitable DL stint. But if he can return the Dodgers bullpen will remain one of the best in baseball. In 48.1 innings, Belisario has 46 strikeouts, and his fastball is one of the most filthy pitches you will see.

Jeff Weaver- The Weave has been yet another pleasant surprise for the Dodgers. In 44 innings of duty, Weaver has a 3.48 ERA. He has bounced between starting and long relief, and has been a valuable player for Joe Torre.

Guillermo Mota- Mota has come on strong in the last two months. After his May 17 apperance, he had an ERA of 9. Since then, he has a 0.35 ERA in 26 innings. Wow. I don't expect him to continue to pitch well but there is no denying how great he has been lately. However, I still don't feel comfortable when he is in the game. I guess that's my problem though.

James McDonald- In 4 starts in April, McDonald struggled badly. After a temporary demotion to the bullpen and then AAA, however, he has been terrific. In 14.1 innings since moving to the pen, J-Mac has a 1.26 ERA. I still think his long-term future is as a starter, but in the meantime he can be useful out of the bullpen.

Cory Wade- Wade has not been able to duplicate his 2008 season. Wade was lucky on balls in play in '08, but that has not translated to this season, and it is a big reason why he has a struggled. An early season trip to the DL didn't help either. Wade has a 5.53 ERA in 27.2 innings, and is only back in the big leagues because of Belisario's injury.

Will Ohman- Ohman has been hilarious for the Dodgers, but that's about it. Before injuring his shoulder, the funny man had a 5.84 ERA in 12.1 innings while struggling to get lefties out.

Brent Leach- Leach has filled the situational lefty role vacated by Ohman's absence. Leach has pitched well for the Dodgers, with 17 K's in 19 innings while holding lefties to a .205 average.

Scott Elbert- Elbert is one of my favorite up-and-coming Dodgers. The young lefty has struck out 9 batters in his 9 innings. We figure to see much more of Elbert in the future.

Hong-Chih Kuo- Kuo's history of arm injuries has continued into 2009. After struggling to start the season, the news came out that Kuo's arm was tender... again. Kuo just began a rehab assignment, and his return would be huge for the pitching staff.

Travis Schlichting- The young righty made two appearances, working 2.2 innings and giving up one run.

Claudio Vargas- Vargas returned from the 60-day DL last week. He has worked 2 innings of mop-up duty, and has not surrendered a run so far.

The Dodgers pitching staff has been awesome this year. The team is second in the NL in ERA at 3.58. The Dodgers are also second in strikeouts. Two areas to improve on: The starters need to go deeper into games and the entire staff needs to cut back on the walks. Overall, the staff has been rock solid and is a main reason why the Dodgers have the best record in baseball.

The All-Star Game is Tuesday night and then the Dodgers resume play on Thursday night at home versus the Astros. Hopefully the boys will be rested and ready to go. The Dodgers have yet to lose three in a row, and as long as they avoid any extended losing streaks, the division is theirs. I can't wait for the second half to start.

Dodgers Take 2 out of 3 Against Free-Falling Mets

The Dodgers won 11-2 Thursday night to take the series from the New York Mets, and in the process ran their overall season record against the Mets to 5-1. While the Dodgers continue to get better, the Mets' season is beginning to look more and more like a lost cause. The team has been ravaged by injuries to three of its best position players (Reyes, Beltran, and Delgado), and its pitching staff (Maine, Putz, Wagner). So what normally would be an impressive season series win for the Dodgers is nullified by the fact that the Dodgers were playing a team that is a shell of its former self. Regardless, the Dodgers put a whooping on the Mets, outscoring them 25-7 in the process, and the Mets were really lucky to salvage even one game in the series. Some thoughts from the series:

• This was the Dodgers first trip to the new CitiField. I must say I really like the homage to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The outdoor facade that is strikingly similar to Ebbets Field was pretty cool. Well done Wilpons. On the flip side, the park plays way too big and already looks like an East Coast version of San Diego's Petco Park. And did the Mets really expect to have good luck playing in a stadium named after a bank that received millions of dollars in a government bailout? I don't think so. It is poetic justice in my eyes.
• Wolf switching from jersey number 21 to 43 in order to try and snap his eight game winless streak is hilarious. Baseball players have always been the worst in terms of superstition and this one fits right in. It worked though as Wolf pitched 6 1/3 innings while giving up 2 ER to pick up a win in Thursday's contest.
• The Dodgers run differential for the season is now +101, the best in baseball by nearly 30 runs. That is very impressive. People may want to sell the Dodgers short, but their performance this year has been for real. Their run differential proves just that.
• The Pre-Manny suspension Dodgers were back. The Dodgers drew a ridiculous amount of baserunners in the series (too lazy to look it up, but it was alot). They were patient at the plate and forced struggling pitchers to go deep into the count and in turn drew alot of walks and ran pitch counts up. On Thursday night alone, the Dodgers had 27 baserunners (17 hits, 9 walks and a HBP). That will get the job done. The only negative: The Dodgers gave away three outs on the basepaths on Thursday night. They have to be smarter going forward.
• It appears as if Raffy and Russell are starting to get it going. Furcal had a great series, and has now raised his batting line to .260/.334/.349. If Raffy gets on a streak like he has in the past, there is no reason he can't get to .280/.350/.400 in the next few weeks. Martin on the other hand, has his OBP up to .374 despite a batting average of only .257. He is still displaying a shocking loss of power, .303 SLG, including an isolated slugging percentage of .046. It's concerning for the future, but if he can put up high OBP's as a catcher at least he still has some offensive value left.
• Clayshaw continued his progression this season with a 6 shutout innings performance on Tuesday, celebrating a certain blogger's birthday in style. Amazingly, Kershaw has lowered his ERA from 5.60 on May 1 to 3.27 today. He is still walking too many batters, 54 in 93.2 innings, and they will probably catch up to him a bit at some point, but it's undeniable that he is developing rapidly. I can't even imagine how good he will be at his peak.
• And you thought I was going to forget... Ya right. Matt Kemp had a huge series. Kemp went 8 for 11 in the series, while drawing a walk in every game (actually 6 straight games with a walk for the Bison) and coming up with an amazing outfield assist to cut down Luis Castillo in game one on Tuesday. Kemp's 2009 OPS is now up to .875. He didn't win the final vote (Shane Victorino did), but he should definitely be on the team as an injury replacement. A superstar is emerging in front of our eyes. Now if he can add the power we know he is capable of, watch out.

It's good to see the Dodgers starting to hit again. Manny's return has had an immediate impact without a doubt. I would like to see Furcal continue to get it going, and hopefully Ethier and Hudson will begin to snap out of their recent funks (Thursday's game could be the beginning for both). The boys now head to Milwaukee to play three with the Brewers before the All-Star break. I would love to see them take 2 out of 3 and go into the break with a 56-32 record.

Before I go to bed...

... I have just one question. Why does Joe Torre continue to bat Matt Kemp eighth? Kemp was 3 for 3 with a triple and a walk, reaching base all four times to raise his batting line on the season to .314/.380/.485. I don't like to gripe about batting order too much because most of the time the actual added value of a particular lineup versus a different lineup is negligible. But this is getting ridiculous. Kemp has been the Dodgers best hitter this year (minus Manny who would win in a cake walk but he, you know, got suspended for 50 games). The Bison should bat no lower than sixth in the order and would be great as high as the two spot. It's a funny concept Joe, you usually want to put your best hitters and high OBP guys near the top of the lineup. But hey, if you want to keep batting him eighth, I guess that's your prerogative. I think it's embarrassing though that our favorite team's manager bats a possible All-Star three spots below Mark Loretta. Ok that's enough now. Good night.

Dodgers Win Wild One 7-6

Well that was way more interesting than it had to be. Some random thoughts I have from the game down in San Diego:

• What a day for Chad Billingsley (until the very end, but still). The 24 year-old righty was named to his first All-Star team, threw 8 brilliant innings, and channeled Manny's inner spirit by hitting a double and a home run while at the plate. He was as efficient with his pitches as we have ever really seen, and his zero walks were a step in the right direction.
• I had to listen to the radio for the last six innings or so. Let me tell you, Charley Steiner is frustrating. I have always been annoyed with Steiner as a broadcaster, but today took the cake. The crowning moment: When Everth Cabrera singled to tie the game in the ninth, and Eliezer Alfonzo was thrown out at third, he thought the game was over and the Dodgers had won. I was a bit confused, wondering how the tying run didn't score from second on a base hit to center, but I was pretty excited nonetheless. Then about five seconds later, Steiner said it was his mistake and the Padres had tied the game. Thanks for nothing Charley. Let me state that I loved Charley on Sportscenter (his SC bloopers reel and commercials are classic... Follow me to freedom!), but calling play-by-play is not his forte.
• Now to the game itself, I have two serious issues with Joe Torre's decision making. One is his decision to lift Bills in the ninth after he gave up a home run and a double to start the inning. Chad had made only 97 pitches at that point in time, and should have been given at least 15 more to finish the game. Granted I was listening on the radio, so I couldn't see if he was laboring or not, but I think it was still Bills' game at that point in time. If the score was 4 to 2 instead of 6 to 2, then maybe it's the right decision, but I think the pitching change was not necessary. At the end of the day, it's Broxton who will get all the blame, and deservedly so for his poor performance, but I think he shouldn't have necessarily been in the game as it was. My other issue with Torre's decision making is his intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez in the 13th inning with one out and the bases empty. With the pitchers spot on deck, you knew the Pads would sacrifice bunt and get the runner over to second with two outs. Do you really want to put the tying run in scoring position? Against these pesky Pads? I don't think so. I understand the logic; Gonzalez is the only Padre who can really hurt you, so don't let him beat you. But the Dodgers had done a good job with him all day, so I would have liked to seen them be careful with him but at the same time try and get him out. Now if he would have hit a home run I would be on here blaming Torre for letting Gonzalez hurt them. Such is the life of a fan.
• The power display was nice to see, and it negated the fact that the Dodgers could not hit with runners in scoring position. The Dodgers had 18 hits, yet only one run came without the long ball. But that is why power is so important. Hitting with RISP is a statistic that fluctuates game to game, series to series, and teams will have extended periods of time where they can't seem to drive anyone in. Home runs can pick up a team up. In an extra inning game like todays it always seems that as the game gets longer, the more likely it is that a home run will win it. Rallies are hard to come by, so the power threat is nice.
• Thank you Jeff Weaver. The Simi High Alumni (I will throw that in there any chance I get) tossed three huge scoreless innings of relief and ended up getting the W. I have to say I didn't expect much from Weave this year, but he has been a pleasant surprise. Tip of the cap to you, Jeff Weaver.

It's funny how winning can alleviate all the frustration that comes during a game. Today's game was a rollercoaster, but at the end of the day it was the Dodgers adding a W to their win column and the Padres adding an L to their loss column. I wasn't happy as much as I was relieved when Loney hit the homer in the 13th. At the same time, I felt that this was a game we were going to find a way to blow at any cost. It always seems like the Dodgers suffer through one game a year in San Diego just like this one. But this year was different. The Dodgers got it together and pulled a tough one out. The 3000 mile flight to New York is now much easier for the boys. We can all collectively exhale.

Side note: Remember to vote for Matt Kemp in the Final Fan Vote for the 2009 ASG in St. Louis. You can vote as many times as you want (I did my part today). It's only right that we see Kemp there on July 14th.

3 Dodgers Named to N.L. All-Star Team

Congratulations to Jonathan Broxton, Chad Billingsley, and Orlando Hudson for being elected to represent the Dodgers in St. Louis on July 14th. It's awesome to see Brox and Bills, two homegrown pitchers, get some well deserved recognition. You hear so much about prospects nowadays before you ever even see them pitch, so to see these two fulfill their potential as Dodgers is a great feeling. Orlando Hudson is making his second ASG appearance, and despite his recent slump, he definitely earned it. The O-Dog has represented a 180 degree turnaround from what the Dodgers had received from Jeff Kent the last two years. His combination of offense, defense, hustle and leadership has been refreshing to see. It's hard to find any fault with these three representing the Dodgers.

In other ASG news, Matt Kemp was not named to the initial team, but I still think he has a decent shot. Carlos Beltran and Raul Ibanez are both uncertainties, and Kemp figures to be at least a strong consideration for N.L. Manager Charlie Manuel as a replacement. In my opinion, there are only three candidates: Kemp, Jayson Werth, and Aaron Rowand. If justice is served, we won't see Aaron Rowand make the team. Werth has had a very good year and has posted some good power numbers (on pace for 32 HR's), but I would love to see Kemp make it. Hopefully I'll get my wish.

UPDATE: Matt Kemp has been added to the N.L. Final Fan Vote. Get out and vote for Kemp so we can see the Bison in the All-Star Game. Click the link and then click on the "Cast Your Final Vote" link. Vote or Die people.

The Case for Matt Kemp

Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans. Today is a great day for baseball. Anyways, to pick up the theme at the end of my last post, I want to examine Matt Kemp's chances of being in St. Louis on July 14th for the 2009 All-Star Game. I have to admit, when I first heard about the possibility of Kemp as an All-Star, I was surprised. He has had a very good season, but I never really thought that the people within baseball noticed. The N.L. will probably carry seven outfielders. Let's take a look at the likely locks for the N.L. outfield:

1. Carlos Beltran- Beltran has had a terrific season, however he will probably miss the game due to the severe bone bruise in his knee.
2. Brad Hawpe- Hawpe is a Dodger Killer and a lock for this year's ASG.
3. Raul Ibanez- Ibanez has had a breakout season late in his career, although it's unclear if he will return in time from the D.L. to play.
4. Ryan Braun
5. Adam Dunn- 40 HR's and 100 BB's every season, one of the more underappreciated hitters in the game.

Now we look at the possibilities to round out the outfield for the N.L.:

1. Justin Upton- The 21 year-old has had a breakout season in obscurity. Upton has a .937 OPS with 14 HR's.
2. Hunter Pence- Pence has had a very good year, with a .870 OPS, 10 HR's and 8 SB's
3. Jayson Werth- The former Dodger has 16 HR's and 45 RBI's

And now the guy I'm endorsing: Matt Kemp

Kemp has an impressive .303/.365/.476 batting line. He has 10 HR's and 19 SB's while only getting caught stealing 3 times. His RBI total would probably be higher if not for batting in the bottom third of the order all season (side note: How ridiculous is it that a player of Kemp's caliber continues to bat in the 7 and 8 hole?). His .841 OPS ranks him 9th among N.L. OF's, but he isn't that far behind the last few players. But the real reason for Kemp's ASG chances? His outstanding defense in CF. Kemp has had his share of issues in the field in the past, but this season he has been spectacular. He leads all NL CF's in UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) as well as many other fielding metrics, and it really isn't all that close. His total package of good offense and tremendous defense puts him on the verge of being an All-Star. Carlos Beltran's injury should allow him to make the team. It wouldn't be a huge snub if Kemp doesn't make it, and it is safe to assume that Kemp will be in multiple All-Star Games down the road. But as one of the best players on the best team in baseball, Kemp deserves a legitimate look to play in the contest this year.

My N.L. ASG Outfield (excluding Beltran):

• Brad Hawpe
• Raul Ibanez (if healthy)
• Hunter Pence (if Ibanez can't play)
• Ryan Braun
• Adam Dunn
• Justin Upton
• Jayson Werth
• Matt Kemp

Considering Kemp is the only true CF in that group, if N.L. Manager Charlie Manuel decides to use a traditional OF, there is a shot that Kemp could start for the National League. Now that would be exciting.

What do you guys think? Does Matt Kemp deserve to be an All-Star this season?

Manny is Back

...and not a moment too soon. Manny makes his much anticipated return from his 50 game suspension tonight in San Diego. The Dodgers have struggled offensively in recent games, totaling a meager 8 runs in the last 5 contests. Hopefully his return will give the Dodgers offense a shot in the arm. Manny's replacement, Juan Pierre, has struggled since June 1st after playing so well initially. Pierre posted a .263/.317/.307 line over the last month. While he has received due credit for his initial play after the suspension, the media hype over him returning to the bench is overdone. Replacing Pierre with Manny is sure to boost the Dodgers offense all by itself. Hopefully the boys can snap out of their offensive funk starting tonight.

One other thing:

• Matt Kemp the All-Star? It's not as far fetched as it seems. Jon Weisman lays out Kemp's credentials on his site, DodgerThoughts. Just to echo Weisman's sentiment, I hope we can have a roaming Bison in St. Louis on July 14th.
  

Lakers Sign Ron Ron, Ariza to the Rockets

Before I get to the Lakers addition of Ron Artest, I want to talk about the failed negotiations between Ariza's camp and the Lakers. Here is my best guess, and some reporters guess too, as to what happened. When the Free Agency period began at midnight on July 1st, the Lakers contacted Ariza's agent David Lee. Instead of making an offer over the midlevel exception, the Lakers told Lee to see what was out there with other teams, and then come back with an offer for the Lakers to match. This infuriated Ariza and Lee, who wanted the Lakers to show appreciation for Trevor's contributions to the title run by offering him a contract over the midlevel exception of 5.6 million. The reason for the Lakers stance in my opinion: They knew they had a shot at Ron Artest, who himself was going through failed negotiations with the Houston Rockets. When Artest became available, the Lakers jumped at the chance to add one of the best two-way players in the NBA. I'm sure the Lakers would have loved to retain Ariza, but the addition of Artest was just too tempting. And I completely agree. Here's why...

• For starters, Bill Plaschke thinks the Lakers made a mistake. That's a great sign for Lakers fans as Plaschke is almost always wrong.
• It pretty much assures everyone that Phil Jackson is coming back next season. The Lakers wouldn't add a character like Artest without being sure of the Zen Master's presence on the bench (or in his throne).
• Many championship teams get complacent during the following offseason. GM's become nervous to break up any piece of the team due to the fear of fan reaction. But the truth is that retaining status quo after a championship run can be a bad decision. When everyone else in the league is getting better (see: Spurs, Celtics, Magic, and Cavs), it's important not to assume what you currently have is enough to win it again. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchap is taking a chance on Artest, but it is undeniable that Artest makes the Lakers significantly better than Ariza would.
• Artest is a lock-d0wn defender. He isn't nearly as quick as he was in his younger years (although he isn't exactly old, he'll be 30 in November), but he won't have to guard the quick 2-guards with Kobe by his side. If the Lakers make it to the Finals, and face either the Cavs or Celtics, they now have a defender that can match LeBron James and Paul Pierce physically. As much havoc as Ariza wreaks on defense, most of his great defense comes from the off-ball position. He isn't strong enough to lock down the stronger wings in the league (Carmelo lit the Lakers up in a few games in the Conference Finals). Artest is a great on-ball defender. So there is an immense upgrade.
• Toughness will no longer be an issue. If anyone messes with Kobe or Pau, they will have Artest to deal with. Artest is enormous (6'7" and 260 pounds) and is one of the more physical players in the league. I expect the Lakers to have a nasty side now that they added Ron-Ron. I like it. The Celtics won a title with this attitude and it's a big reason why they will compete again if KG comes back healthy. If the Lakers can match their attitude, Ron Artest will be a big reason why
• The Lakers have a five year title window. Kobe is 30. Pau is 28. Lamar is 29. Yes Bynum and Farmar are young, but the core of this team is in their prime. Maximizing the talent around them is essential during the next few years. The Lakers are adding a star in Ron Artest. Yes, Ariza is only 24. But youth doesn't completely matter in the Lakers case. They are trying to win multiple titles in the next five years, and after that they will pay their dues. Honestly, if the Lakers win a couple more titles in the next five to six years, will anyone care if they have a down period afterwards? I sure won't. That's why I love this signing.
• Ron Artest has been known to take some pretty bad shots. This fact is undeniable. Anyone who watched the Western Conference Semifinals was subject to seeing Artest hoisting some horrendous shots at the basket. I don' t think that will be a major issue in L.A. Artest will be, at best, the third option on the Lakers. In Houston, he was considered the number one perimeter guy once T-Mac went down. He was reponsible for initiating the offense, and as a result he constantly had to make plays and handle the ball. In L.A., I expect him to take better shots, and get a lot of easy looks playing alongside Kobe, Pau, and L.O. If he can space the floor and knock down open 3's, as well as make the hustle plays that Ariza did, he will fit in great. However, he can also initiate the offense if Kobe is on the bench. He is an underrated passer and I expect Laker fans to be pleasantly surprised by his offensive playmaking.

As you can probably infer, I am a big fan of this signing. From an emotional viewpoint, losing Ariza sucks. But the writing was on the wall after reports came out that he was upset. Trevor got his money with the Rockets (5 years, 33 million) and in exchange he will play with a mediocre team sans T-Mac and Yao. He made his own bed. The Lakers are moving on with a better player. Ariza had a memorable stint with the Lakers (it's crazy that it was only one full year), and he had become a fan favorite. It's sad that the he won't be able to fulfill his potential as a Laker. But this is the way the business of basketball works. And now the Lakers have improved their title chances over the next few years. That's nothing to get upset about. Instead, we should be celebrating.

I'm Back

I promise this time, I'm back for good people. So if you haven't given up on this site please don't do so as I am going to start posting regularly. I had some laptop issues but everything is gravy. Big news today, Ron Artest is now a Laker and Trevor Ariza is a Houston Rocket. Manny returns from suspension tomorrow as well. This is a big time for L.A. sports. I'm going to post on all these issues in the next day so stay tuned..

One other thing... my good friend Paul started his own blog. It's on Philly sports, but even if you don't care about Philly sports you should check it out because it will be interesting. Paul (and Philly fans in general) tend to vent in some pretty funny ways. Anyways the site is:

www.phillysportstown.blogspot.com

Check back soon..

Vinnie