I'm sure he is thankful for that., especially after the way the Stros bullpen robbed Rustbucket of another win. What a difference a year makes.
Believe me Sid when I say that yesterdays loss was a kick in the gut for Astros and Astros Fans. I can't remember a more discouraging turn of events. If I were an Astros starter I wouldn't even want the bullpen in the clubhouse, make'm all change in the Janitors closet. And Brad Lidge, they have to trade him, the negative karma is enormous for him now. He desperately needs a change of address. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
GROAN!!!!!!! Our new GM, Ned Colletti got raped. Cubs fans finally have something to celebrate about. They just traded a 40 year-old, washed up starter and some cash for the greatest shortstop in the National League. Cesar Izturis is a magician with the glove; one of the best I've ever seen; and he's a switch hitter who bats lead-off or second depending on what you want him to do. He's also a clutch hitter who won the game Saturday with a HR. He takes the extra base; he's popular in the clubhouse; and he can also play 2nd and 3rd at a superior level. He's much better than our current SS, Rafael Furcal, but Colletti signed Furcal to a $39 million, 3-year contract while Little Cesar was out with an injury and he doesn't want to admit the mistake. I think we just traded the All-Star shortstop for nothing... In addition to Little Cesar, Colletti also traded Joel Guzman and Sergio Pedroza to Tampon Bay for Julio Lugo, who is another player who will be gone in a few weeks. Guzman, who is 6'6", was regarded as the Dodgers best minor league prospect until very recently. He's an outstanding hitter who's had problems finding a position, because he came up as a "too tall" shorstop. If the DRays find a regular position for him, he will be a good one and I think he's ready right now as a hitter. Pedroza is a stud-pony from Cal-State Fullerton who's down at Single-A Vero Beach and he makes for quite a "throw-in" on this deal. A deal that was Maddux for Guzman and Pedroza I could have understood. The Dodgers are loaded with prospects down below and a starting lineup that now has players at/under 25 years of age at 7 of 9 positions. They couldn't really use Guzman anywhere in the next few years and the same for Pedroza. But dealing away Little Cesar Izturis for a pitcher who will be gone in a few weeks is sickening... My congratz to all Cubs fans. They've made a steal here... ................DD :cry:
Hey Dodger Dog. I used your analysis of Izturis to calm down my brother, who is a lifelong Cubs fan and did not think the Cubs got much in return for Maddux. The analysis calmed him and changed his mind. Izzy played a good game last night in his debut. Thanks.....for the analysis and for the shortstop.
Well damn maybe the Dodgers are on a playoff run, they've now won 4 in a row and are out of the West cellar. Maybe Dodger Dog will have a happy ending to the season after all.
8) re: Izturis http://www.baseball-reference.com/i/izturce01.shtml Because the West Coast games come on so late, most Least Coasters probably don't know much about Little Cesar. I know the feeling, a few years back, when the Dodgers obtained Steve Finley for a catcher prospect, I was wailing like a stuck pig. Finley had spent most of his career in the American League, which I don't follow. I simply had no idea how good he was until I saw him play every day. He carried our team the final two months of the season and he won the division title with a walk-off grand salami against the hated Giants of all people. He was the greatest trade-deadline pickup for the Dodgers since Chuck Essegian in 1959. What the Cubs just aquired is a 26 year-old former All-Star and Gold Glove shortstop who's under contract for another year. He's been a starting player in MLB since he was 21 and his best years are still ahead of him. The Dodgers current shortstop made more errors in the first half of this season than Little Cesar did in the previous two seasons combined, but we're paying that guy $39 million. Izturis was replaced here, because a routine exam uncovered an elbow problem that he wasn't even aware of and he underwent Tommy John surgery in the off-season to fix the problem before he blew out his elbow. He came back several weeks ago and the elbow is fine. All of his throws look strong and if the Dodgers had known for sure that he would recover this well, this quickly, they probably wouldn't have signed Rafael Furcal at all, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Meanwhile, the Cubs have landed a young super-star that they can build a new team around... re: Maddux Greg Maddux was obtained for one reason: leadership. Dodger GM Ned Colletti grew up in Chicago and worked for the Cubs when Maddux began there, so he knows him very well. The Dodgers post-All-Star collapse (1-13) was caused by a lack of leadership as their ace Brad Penny, a big cowboy from Oklahoma, was yelling at fellow players, attacking the water cooler, picking fights etc, as Jeff Kent gave everyone his famous, contemptuous, icy stare, Kenny Lofton sulked and the rookies were intimidated. For a team starting as many as 7 rookies at the same time, this was not good... Greg Maddux is generally regarded as perhaps the smartest guy in baseball, a voice of reason, and a natural clubhouse leader whom everyone...even Penny, Kent and Lofton...respect. The Dodgers didn't even schedule his first start until this Thursday, as he's spending all of his time talking to the rookies, soothing the feelings of the veterans and mending fences. In other words, he's getting everyone focused on the only reason that he was brought here: the pennant race. If he pitches well, he'll be offered another year and he's amenable to that. He lives in Las Vegas in the off-season and wanted to finish his career on the Best Coast anyway and his Dodger role will allow him to do that... re: Joel Guzman It seems that the Dodgers got rid of former top prospect Guzman because he'd become a clubhouse problem at Las Vegas. He was loudly complaining that the players being promoted to the Dodgers didn't deserve it, because he was better than they were and if the Dodgers didn't appreciate how good he was, then they should just trade him. He got his wish and we Dodger Dogs wish him good luck in his new career at Siberia...I mean Tampon Bay... ............DD 8)