Dodgers Thoughts

Blog by Jon Weisman

Dodger Thoughts: Partners in Fallibility: Arizona and Los Angeles Stumble to the Finish

To paraphrase Gregory House, "Everybody loses." Dodger fans can't understand how their team is still in the National League West race; Arizona's faithful must wonder how their team can still be in first place. But there the Diamondbacks sit, mocking Los Angeles with their grandiose .511 winning percentage. It must feel pretty special (relatively speaking), right?

Dodger Thoughts: DeWitt Returns, Replacing Ozuna

Dodgers at Nationals, 4:10 p.m.Today's Lineups Los Angeles Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF James Loney, 1B Russell Martin, C Nomar Garciaparra, SS Casey Blake, 3B Greg Maddux, P Washington Willie Harris, LF Christian Guzman, SS Ryan Zimmerman, 3B Lastings Milledge, CF Ron Belliard, 1B Jesus Flores, C Elijah Dukes, RF Emilio Bonifacio, 2B Tim Redding, P Not wanting to wait for rosters to expand on September 1, the Dodgers recalled Blake DeWitt from Las Vegas and designated Pablo Ozuna for assignment, indicating that DeWitt will see some time at second base backing up Jeff Kent.

Dodger Thoughts: Could the 2008 Dodgers Beat the 2005 Dodgers?

Arizona refuses to let the Dodgers off the hook. The Diamondbacks have lost four out of five - most recently, Brandon Webb dropping one to the Padres on Tuesday to illustrate how misfortune isn't confined to the Dodger clubhouse. (The Mets' coughing up a 7-0 lead in Philadelphia provides more evidence.)

Dodger Thoughts: McCourt May Give Marathon a Run For His Money

Dodgers at Nationals, 4:10 p.m.Today's Lineups Los Angeles Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF James Loney, 1B Russell Martin, C Nomar Garciaparra, SS Casey Blake, 3B Derek Lowe, P Washington Willie Harris, LF Christian Guzman, SS Ryan Zimmerman, 3B Lastings Milledge, CF Ron Belliard, 1B Jesus Flores, C Ryan Langerhans, RF Emilio Bonifacio, 2B Collin Balester, P "Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has agreed to provide financial backing to a new Los Angeles company that hopes to buy operating rights to the Los Angeles Marathon from its Chicago owner," reports Greg Johnson of the Times.

Dodger Thoughts: No Headline

I'm not joking when I say this made me sad:

Dodger Thoughts: Destiny Rides Again

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:05 p.m.Today's Lineups Los Angeles Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF James Loney, 1B Russell Martin, C Casey Blake, 3B Angel Berroa, SS Chad Billingsley, P Philadelphia Jimmy Rollins, SS Chase Utley, 2B Pat Burrell, LF Ryan Howard, 1B Shane Victorino, CF Jayson Werth, RF Pedro Feliz, 3B Chris Coste, C Brett Myers, P Starting Tuesday, Arizona will be the only above-.500 team the Dodgers face for the remainder of the season.

Dodger Thoughts: Success Rate

I know it's not as popular an explanation as "he doesn't have a closer mentality," but Jonathan Broxton blamed a flaw in his mechanics for his command problems.

Dodger Thoughts: Overcoming Depression Open Chat Thread - With a Question

We'd like to make a one-night, Saturday-Sunday, no-camping, motel-or-hotel trip with the three little ones to Sequoia National Park in September or October, driving up from Los Angeles. We'd leave at dawn to get there at a decent hour, but it's not like we're going to be hardcore about what we can accomplish. We just want to see some big trees and nice scenery and generally enjoy ourselves.

Dodger Thoughts: The Password Is 'Ridiculous'

Watch for Felix and Oscar's smooth swings ... Dodgers at Phillies, 5:05 p.m.Today's Lineups Los Angeles Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF James Loney, 1B Nomar Garciaparra, SS Casey Blake, 3B Russell Martin, C Hiroki Kuroda, P Philadelphia Jimmy Rollins, SS Chase Utley, 2B Pat Burrell, LF Ryan Howard, 1B Shane Victorino, CF Greg Dobbs, 3B Jayson Werth, RF Carlos Ruiz, C Joe Blanton, P

Dodger Thoughts: Badlands

A cloud of fatigue hovers over us. A cloud of weary despair. It's quiet, too quiet, like the moment after the sheriff rides in to clean up the town, and just muddies himself in the process. Who can we trust? Who can we believe in now?

Dodger Thoughts: Kershaw XV: Kershawn of the Dead

Dodgers at Phillies, 12:55 p.m.Today's Lineups Los Angeles Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF Nomar Garciaparra, SS Casey Blake, 3B James Loney, 1B Russell Martin, C Clayton Kershaw, P Philadelphia Jimmy Rollins, SS Chase Utley, 2B Pat Burrell, LF Ryan Howard, 1B Shane Victorino, CF Jayson Werth, RF Pedro Feliz, 3B Chris Coste, C Cole Hamels, P Clayton Kershaw enters today's game with five consecutive quality starts, totaling 31 innings, 34 baserunners, 29 strikeouts, two home runs allowed and a 1.45 ERA. His pitch counts for those games have been 86, 89, 100, 108 and 96.

Dodger Thoughts: In Which I Offer a Blunt Lament ...

Dodgers at Phillies, 4:05 p.m.Today's Lineups Los Angeles Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF James Loney, 1B Russell Martin, C Nomar Garciaparra, SS Casey Blake, 3B Greg Maddux, P Philadelphia Jimmy Rollins, SS Chase Utley, 2B Pat Burrell, LF Ryan Howard, 1B Shane Victorino, CF Greg Dobbs, 3B Geoff Jenkins, RF Chris Coste, C Kyle Kendrick, P Manny Ramirez, Jeff Kent and Andre Ethier OPS over 1.000 in August, and still the Dodgers aren't in first place? What's it gonna take?

Dodger Thoughts: You Do the Math - All-Time Edition

This might be my favorite Onion story of all-time - it certainly is for recent times.

Dodger Thoughts: Is the Clock Ticking Already?

Rockies at Dodgers, 12:10 p.m.Today's Lineups Colorado Clint Barmes, SS Seth Smith, CF Matt Holliday, LF Brad Hawpe, RF Garrett Atkins, 1B Ian Stewart, 3B Chris Iannetta, C Jeff Baker, 2B Jorge de la Rosa, P Los Angeles Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Nomar Garciaparra, SS Manny Ramirez, LF Russell Martin, C James Loney, 1B Casey Blake, 3B Angel Berroa, 2B Derek Lowe, P After today's game, the Dodgers have only 12 home games remaining in the 2008 regular season.

Dodger Thoughts: August 20 Game Chat

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.Tonight's Lineups Colorado Omar Quintanilla, 2B Willy Taveras, CF Matt Holliday, LF Brad Hawpe, RF Garrett Atkins, 1B Ian Stewart, 3B Troy Tulowitzki, SS Yorvit Torrealba, C Jeff Francis, P Los Angeles Juan Pierre, CF Matt Kemp, RF Jeff Kent, 2B Manny Ramirez, LF Nomar Garciaparra, SS Casey Blake, 1B Russell Martin, 3B Danny Ardoin, C Chad Billingsley, P

MLB Team Coverage

Team	Odds
Boston Red Sox	4-1
New York Mets	4-1
New York Yankees	6-1
Detroit Tigers	6-1
Chicago Cubs	7-1
Cleveland Indians	10-1
Los Angeles Dodgers	20-1
Chicago White Sox	40-1
St-Louis Cardinals	75-1

* Odds of winning the 2008 World Series - as of Apr 1, 2008
odds courtesy of sportsbook.com

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