11:40 PM ET, Thu March 11, 2010

Why Don Mattingly and not Tim Wallach?

Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles — Steve Dilbeck questions the Dodgers' fascination with coach Don Mattingly over Albuquerque manager Tim Wallach at Dodgers Blog, and I can't say I don't share it — only I might frame as "Why Don Mattingly and no one else?" Dodgers at Royals, 12:05 p.m. Rafael Furcal, SS Reed Johnson, DH Andre Ethier, RF Matt Kemp, CF Casey Blake, 3B Blake DeWitt, 2B Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B Brad Ausmus, C Jason Repko, LF (James McDonald, P) DT LINEUP CARD MODULE The answer is that Mattingly would theoretically carry forward the success that Joe Torre has had, but should we really feel so certain tha...

Los Angeles Dodgers 9 hours ago

Good Times

Sons of Steve Garvey — Together forever: Kirk Gibson and Tommy Lasorda. A very non-grumpy Andre Ethier signs for fans. photos by Juan Ocampo/Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers 12 hours ago

You're out of order! No - you're out of order!

Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles — Don Mattingly's first game as Spring Training manager in 2010 was part Goofus, part Gallant. Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com has details: ... Somehow, the official lineup cards the Dodgers submitted to plate umpire Brian Runge and to the Arizona Diamondbacks for the Cactus League game had Matt Kemp hitting third and Andre Ethier fourth, the exact opposite of every other lineup posted around the facility, including those given to the press box. Mattingly said that after Ethier flied out to center to end the first and Kemp did the same to start the second, Runge informed Mattingly that they...

Los Angeles Dodgers 23 hours ago

Haren's tidy afternoon precedes a peculiar homer

Nick Piecoro's Dbacks Blog | Arizona Republic — So spring training is weird enough in that we actually do interviews with players during the games, but apparently we just missed something even stranger. While reporters were in the visitors’ clubhouse talking with right-hander Dan Haren about his outing – it was good (2 2/3 innings, four hits, no runs, one strikeout) and he felt good – we missed a doozy on the field. Leading off the bottom of the fourth, Dodgers three-hole hitter Andre Ethier hit a home run off Diamondbacks reliever Bob Howry. Thing is, it wasn’t his turn to hit. He hit the previous inning. After the ...

Arizona Diamondbacks March 10, 2010

Nomar Garicaparra - Mr. +1 - retires

Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles — Jeff Gross/Getty Images Nomar Garciaparra follows through in the 10th inning, Sept. 18, 2006.Nomar Garciaparra, whose place in Dodger lore was cemented with his game-winning home run in the 4+1 game, announced his retirement today. He is moving on to work for ESPN as a "Baseball Tonight" and game analyst. Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 12:05 p.m. Today's Lineup Rafael Furcal, SS Blake DeWitt, 2B Andre Ethier, RF Matt Kemp, CF Brian Giles, DH Reed Johnson, LF Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B Nick Green, 3B A.J. Ellis, C (Vicente Padilla, P) Continuing the theme of the day, Garciaparra had nine walkoff hits...

Los Angeles Dodgers March 10, 2010

Grumpy/Not Grumpy

Sons of Steve Garvey — Reed Johnson gives Jon SooHoo the thumbs-up. Andre Ethier does not share his optimistic appraisal of the situation. Matt Kemp expresses his joy via alternate digits. photos by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers March 10, 2010

Andre and Kobe: Walkoff heroes

Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles — wide photo 580x326 Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US Presswire, Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images Andre Ethier celebrates his 13th-inning game-winning home run Sept. 15 vs. Pittsburgh, his sixth walkoff hit of 2009; Kobe Bryant revels in the first of his seven 2009-10 game-winners, Dec. 4 vs. Miami. Which do you prefer? Andre Ethier played 160 games last year. Plenty of chances to be a game-ending hero, right? There's no clock. He might have more than one chance in a game to be a walkoff wonder. The 0:00 can come when he says so. But he can't even control whether he'll be able to get anywhere ...

Los Angeles Dodgers March 10, 2010

Blake DeWitt to be named starting second baseman next week?

Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles — The Dodgers plan to name their starting second baseman when the team reunites after the Taiwan trip, manager Joe Torre told reporters today — and Blake DeWitt is closer to winning the job. Rockies at Dodgers, 12:05 p.m. Today's Lineup Rafael Furcal, SS Matt Kemp, CF Andre Ethier, RF Manny Ramirez, DH Ronnie Belliard, 3B Blake DeWitt, 2B Xavier Paul, LF Brad Ausmus, C (Hiroki Kuroda, P) "Blake's doing a good job," Torre said. "I haven't seen enough defensively, offensively I see what you see. He's special, he played winter ball, he's done so much in a short time here. He's a big lea...

Los Angeles Dodgers March 9, 2010

Dodgers' Matt Kemp is up front about advantages of batting second

Los Angeles Times — The Dodgers center fielder, who hit seventh on opening day last year, likes batting in the No. 2 spot in front of Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez. Unlike a certain someone who refused to admit a couple of years ago that hitting in front of Manny Ramirez made a difference, Matt Kemp had no problem saying that he would likely benefit from his new place in the lineup.

Los Angeles Dodgers March 9, 2010

'Mr. & Mrs. Clutch'

Sons of Steve Garvey — From @women_in_blue: Andre and Maggie Ethier at last night's fundraiser. photo by Jon SooHoo/Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers March 8, 2010
  • The Brian Giles Dodgers experiment comes to a close with his retirement Dodgers Blog | Los Angeles Times So long, Brian Giles, we hardly knew you. At least not in the attempted Dodgers incarnation. As a Padre, we knew him all too well. But age called, and as with most of us, there was no avoiding the answer. Giles, 39, came to camp saying he needed to prove to himself he could no longer resemble the player he once was, and halfway in, he apparently did. He retired Thursday. He was a unique presence in the clubhouse, with his complete body tan and shave job, but he came off likable, happy and at peace with his situation. This...
  • Thank you for coming to Taiwan, Manny - here's $170,000 Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles Given that the Dodgers left it up to their players to decide whether they wanted to go to Taiwan, if this Focus Taiwan report that Manny Ramirez accepted a $170,000 appearance fee from the promoters of the exhibition series in Taiwan is true, I don't really see a problem. But I expect others will, just because they find a problem lately with everything Ramirez does. (Link via Dodger Thoughts commenter BHSportsguy). Honestly, whether you wanted to go to Taiwan because you wanted to see the country, or you wanted to play in a foreign ballpark, or you wanted to see some friends back in your home...
  • Why Don Mattingly and not Tim Wallach? Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles Steve Dilbeck questions the Dodgers' fascination with coach Don Mattingly over Albuquerque manager Tim Wallach at Dodgers Blog, and I can't say I don't share it — only I might frame as "Why Don Mattingly and no one else?" Dodgers at Royals, 12:05 p.m. Rafael Furcal, SS Reed Johnson, DH Andre Ethier, RF Matt Kemp, CF Casey Blake, 3B Blake DeWitt, 2B Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B Brad Ausmus, C Jason Repko, LF (James McDonald, P) DT LINEUP CARD MODULE The answer is that Mattingly would theoretically carry forward the success that Joe Torre has had, but should we really feel so certain tha...
  • Farewell, Merlin Olsen Dodgers Thoughts | ESPN Los Angeles NFL/Getty Images Merlin Olsen splits a double team during a 15-12 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on October 22, 1972, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Goodness. Three days after the passing of Willie Davis comes the news that Merlin Olsen has died. Two leading heroes of a generation. The difference for me personally is that I saw Olsen play – in fact, he was one of the foundations of my sports fandom. Before I even saw the inside of Dodger Stadium, my family had season tickets to the Rams. When I was born as a sports fan, Merlin Olsen was a titan. That he was so powerful on...
  • Is Tim Wallach sounding reminiscent of Mike Scioscia in Dodgers' managerial plans? Dodgers Blog | Los Angeles Times Tim Wallach, manager. Has a nice ring. Seems like a natural fit. And though he’d had a taste of managing for a season with the Angels’ Single-A team in San Bernardino in 2001, managing the Dodgers' Triple-A team in Albuquerque last season only cemented how he felt about managing. "I love it," Wallach said. "I just love being able to basically run a baseball game. I love the relationships with the players. They’re all different, they’re all important every day. Just the whole thing I love. I love the whole spectrum of what I have to do." Tim Wallach, Dodgers...
  • Dodgers' Mattingly far from boring as manager Los Angeles Daily News GLENDALE, Ariz. - If Don Mattingly really does intend on becoming a boring manager when his time comes, he failed miserably Wednesday.