Los Angeles Dodgers

Of course we all know by now that Barmes' unbelievable catch was just that. More of an acting job than catching. To his credit, he did make an outstanding defensive play, getting two outs off the pop-up by Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick, that would have otherwise tied the game.  Seeing this catch brought back bad memories from two years ago, when the Rockies beat the Padres in a tie-breaker game for a play-off spot, because of a bad call at home plate.  Did Holliday really touch home plate or not?  I think not, after they showed the play over and over again.  Those dang Rockies are always gettin' lucky.  I'm real close to rooting for the Dodgers in this last series coming up between them and the Rockies.  The bad call at home plate from two years ago just stings too much still.  So what do you think?  Should the MLB use instant-replay challenges like they do in the NFL? At least during post-season games? Hmmm.

Continue reading "Barmes' Unbelievable Catch - Was It Real?"

Hi there. i'm gonna make this pretty short about myself, since this is my first blogpost and I would hate to bore you on the first time.

I have been dedicated to the Chicago Cubs since 1984 as a little 3-year-old gal. Since then, the friends I have made are either dedicated White Sox fans or former-Cubs-fans-turned-Sox-fans-cause-they-couldn't-take-losing.

Continue reading "A little about myself, What the Chicago ..."

Carlos Marmol sustained a few minor injuries in his home country of the Dominican Republic a day or two ago.  He was picked up from the airport by a few friends and family members, when the car they were driving was hit.  Reports are that he is fine, with only a few bruises and "swelling" of the forehead, which I assume means a bump on the head.  Since he's going to be the Cubs 8th-inning set-up man for years to come (I hope), all the best to him, and hopefully he's feeling great by the time 2009 rolls around.

Continue reading "Minor news matters"

don't happen in the playoffs, to a normal Major League baseball team.

 So curses aside, the Los Angeles Dodgers deserves all the props in the world, because they absolutely beat the cleats off of the Chicago Cubs.  They came in with a great game plan, they stacked up well against the Cubs, executed when they needed to, and after grabbing ahold of the momentum, the at-bat, the game, and the series, whatever, never let go.  They throttled the Cubs with great defense, timely hitting, and lights-out pitching.  Everything the Cubs expected to do to the Dodgers, L.A. turned it around on them.  Congrats Dodgers, good luck in the NLCS vs. the Philadelphia Phillies.

Continue reading "6 months, down the drain"

No "Around the Horn this week".  Maybe I'm done with that, seeing as how the Cubs season is down to a one-game playoff at least 3 times in a row. 

Let's just get this out of the way: the Cubs must win.  Plain and simple.  It is not impossible for the Cubs to go into Los Angeles and take two, bring it back to Chicago, and finally win a game at home.  But there is no chance of that if the Cubs' play does not pick up.  NOW.

Continue reading "Suspending judgment until.... later...."

With the MLB playoffs set to begin, there is a subtle difference in the air compared to start of any other postseason. In the NHL, fans can potentially look forward to a great Canadians/Bruins series that is not only exciting, but has a historical kick to it. Likewise basketball fans always have the chance to see if the Suns can finally get past the Spurs and football fans love seeing the rivalry of the Eagles Vs the City of Philadelphia when the Eagles so much as get tackled for a loss.

Continue reading "The Ups and Downs of the MLB Playoffs"

A few relatively minor items to cover with the moves made by a few teams recently. What might they mean in the second half? I’ll try and puzzle this out.

Tony Clark, who experienced a career resurgence the day he put on an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform back in 2005, hs returned to the cozy confines of Chase Field. Petco, where hitting a homer is as hard as hitting the lottery, wasn’t as kind to the aging Clark as Chase has been, so he’ll certainly improve on his 2008 line of .239/.374/.307. His 32:19 K:BB ratio, as well as hs 165-point difference between BA and OBP, will tell you his batting eye is fine, and some power should follow.

Continue reading "Roster Tinkering: What's it Mean?"

It’s the annual midpoint of the baseball season, and for the brief span that is the All-Star break, all eyes are upon the Bronx. As everyone is well aware of, this campaign is the last go around for the world’s most famous, largest, and most prominent ballpark, Yankee Stadium. It seems hard to believe, and even more sacrilegious that this living legend’s days are numbered. Built in 1923 and christened by the greatest ballplayer to ever live, Babe Ruth, the cathedral of baseball will never truly be replaced. Although the Bombers will move a block to Yankee Stadium’s heir, the Mecca of America’s Pastime will still live on in our hearts. Whether you’re a diehard Yankee fan, or Yankee-hater, you still can respect the history and awe that the stadium brings. So when the All-Stars take the field Tuesday night, sit back on your couch, crack open a cold one and soak up the history of Yankee Stadium, as its final chapter is unveiled to all of us.

Continue reading "National League Looks to End Rut"

One of the All-Star Break traditions: Reassessing our predictions from the first half of the season. Some of mine have changed, some have stayed the same—and some were just damn wrong. Living in the West, I will take the contrarian position and roll from west to east in my choices.

Continue reading "Second Half Predictions"

While injuries to starters typically can devastate a team, the injuries to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ outfield this season have, in fact, been helpful for the team’s future. Losing Andruw Jones and then Juan Pierre has meant more playing time for their young hotshots Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, something Torre was either unwilling or unable to do, perhaps because he was stuck by the same “play the most who you pay the most” philosophy that has plagued the Mariners.

Continue reading "Crowded Outfield—No More!"

8 in his six games, with a lone triple as his only extra-base hit.

Skowron would be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1963, where he would continue to decline, once again platooning at first. Hitting a moribund .203/.252/.287 for the season, Moose found some of his old postseason magic when his new Dodgers faced off against his former team in the Series. Facing the Yanks, he went 5-13 with a homer in the series, as the Dodgers delivered a stunning sweep against the Yankees in one of the lowest-scoring series ever and the first one in which the Yankees had failed to win a game. 

Continue reading "Around The Horn With The '61 Yankees: 1B"

For many baseball fans, last night wasn't a great night to watch baseball, as blowouts predominated early on. But, because of the beautiful game that is baseball, only three of them continued in their lopsided fashion, with the best of them highlighted by a homer from Micah Owings, the best-hitting pitcher in baseball, whom teammate Conor Jackson said had the "best pop" of anyone on the team. And all of them showed something about the winning and losing teams, proving that any baseball game is worth watching, even when it doesn't seem exciting.

Continue reading "The Night of the Blowouts"

petitive division, but they will be one of the teams right there at the end battling for a berth.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Can Andruw Jones rebound this season and return to his pre-2007 self?

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Preview Part One: National League West"