LA Dodgers OFFICIAL 2013 Thread Brought to You by Guggenheim Capital

[Prowler_Tuber]

They raised the price of tickets so most Cholos cant go now so you should be safe. Im excited to see this year, we have needed pitching for years and now we got it, as long as Big Mac doesnt spread his topical ointment around the locker room will be fine, I am interested who they are going to trade the excess pitchers for, some team will need them, hopefullly will get a 3rd baseman in the deal but I think Cruz can hold it down. The new owners at least care about the fans now and there should be soe good changes this year, if not someone can buy my season tickets from me on a discount.

[City Dad]

Like, what's gonna be up with Carl Crawford?

[DarkShadow]

Like, what's gonna be up with Carl Crawford?

"Physically, my body feels good," he said. "I'm still doing therapy with the elbow. Now, it all depends on what they want to see out of me. I think I can hit the cutoff man by opening day. But I don't know if that's when they'll want me to come back. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes."

•

So there you go. He *thinks* he can hit the cutoff man by opening day.

[City Dad]

"Physically, my body feels good," he said. "I'm still doing therapy with the elbow. Now, it all depends on what they want to see out of me. I think I can hit the cutoff man by opening day. But I don't know if that's when they'll want me to come back. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes."

•

So there you go. He *thinks* he can hit the cutoff man by opening day.

I'm going to take this opportunity to officially hop on the Skip Shoemaker bandwagon.

[City Dad]

What if...

Ramirez and Gonzales are able to hit with consistency?

Cruz picks up where he left off?

Just one of the invitees ends up throwing 50 + quality innings in the show?

Sorry for the psychotic optimism... it's just that time of year.

[DarkShadow]

What if...

Ramirez and Gonzales are able to hit with consistency?

Cruz picks up where he left off?

Just one of the invitees ends up throwing 50 + quality innings in the show?

Sorry for the psychotic optimism... it's just that time of year.

I think A-Gonzs is such a consistent hitter, he'll have a very solid year.

Ramirez? That guy's philosophy at the plate is like Pedro Cerrano's in Major League. Instead of going with a compact swing straight through the hitting zone, he's developed this big loopy swing that has more holes than Swiss cheese. Opposing pitchers hammer him with fast stuff out of the zone, which he conveniently swings at, and is so in front of everything that he digs his own coffin with his inability to stay back on the off speed stuff. He needs to realize that he still has tons of power with a short compact swing, and that'll make him stay on off speed pitches a lot better. Can McGwire help? I dunno, that guy also had a huge loopy swing.

Cruz? Órale carnal! El Cochito will obviously not have the breakout season he had last year. But, he's a solid ball player, and will definitely hit .275 and hold down a strong third base. I hope he makes me eat my words and goes .299 again, but I think opposing pitchers may be looking at tape heavily to see how to get him out. But that won't stop me from dancing in the seats whenever his walk up music is played.

Our pitching staff is deep, and I prefer to see it that way. I'm already hearing talks from the "Doyer Fan Base" who think management should be dealing some starting pitchers simply because we have an excess of them, obviously forgetting how injury plagued the Dodgers seem to be. I don't mind having a few guys in the middle relief/long relief role, considering how many games last year, our starters bowed out in the 4th.

Believe me CD, I too have this psychotic optimism as well, and it hasn't happened in quite a while.

Upgraded stadium, upgraded personnel, upgraded facilities, owners who want to win, not just sell parking lots, Mike Piazza getting scolded publicly by Vin Scully....

I'm beginning to think this is an episode of the Twilight Zone, and everything I've been complaining about this team finally ceases to exist, only to realize I'm in an alternate reality or something where the Giants win the World Series every year.

•

I'll be visting Camelback in the middle of March. Looking forward to seeing the Blue get ready for their run in hopes of hoisting that WS trophy in October.

[City Dad]

I think A-Gonzs is such a consistent hitter, he'll have a very solid year.

Ramirez? That guy's philosophy at the plate is like Pedro Cerrano's in Major League. Instead of going with a compact swing straight through the hitting zone, he's developed this big loopy swing that has more holes than Swiss cheese. Opposing pitchers hammer him with fast stuff out of the zone, which he conveniently swings at, and is so in front of everything that he digs his own coffin with his inability to stay back on the off speed stuff. He needs to realize that he still has tons of power with a short compact swing, and that'll make him stay on off speed pitches a lot better. Can McGwire help? I dunno, that guy also had a huge loopy swing.

Cruz? Órale carnal! El Cochito will obviously not have the breakout season he had last year. But, he's a solid ball player, and will definitely hit .275 and hold down a strong third base. I hope he makes me eat my words and goes .299 again, but I think opposing pitchers may be looking at tape heavily to see how to get him out. But that won't stop me from dancing in the seats whenever his walk up music is played.

Our pitching staff is deep, and I prefer to see it that way. I'm already hearing talks from the "Doyer Fan Base" who think management should be dealing some starting pitchers simply because we have an excess of them, obviously forgetting how injury plagued the Dodgers seem to be. I don't mind having a few guys in the middle relief/long relief role, considering how many games last year, our starters bowed out in the 4th.

Believe me CD, I too have this psychotic optimism as well, and it hasn't happened in quite a while.

Upgraded stadium, upgraded personnel, upgraded facilities, owners who want to win, not just sell parking lots, Mike Piazza getting scolded publicly by Vin Scully....

I'm beginning to think this is an episode of the Twilight Zone, and everything I've been complaining about this team finally ceases to exist, only to realize I'm in an alternate reality or something where the Giants win the World Series every year.

•

I'll be visting Camelback in the middle of March. Looking forward to seeing the Blue get ready for their run in hopes of hoisting that WS trophy in October.

An embarrassment of riches is rarely ever that come August. I just don't buy into the trade an arm for a bat philosophy.

I'm of the old school of thought that pitching wins championships - hitting is streaky and the staff that has a bit of luck in run support when it counts tends to win the last game of the season.

And, DS, when do you say we see Yasiel at Chavez Ravine?

[casting call]

I'm beginning to think this is an episode of the Twilight Zone, and everything I've been complaining about this team finally ceases to exist, only to realize I'm in an alternate reality or something where the Giants win the World Series every year.

Sabean didnt blow up the team and pretty much kept it intact from last year. Also keep in mind that every season that Buster Posey has been healthy, the Giants had won a world series..lol I doubt Scutaro, Pagan, will have an impact with their bats this year as they did last year, but the Giants also have up n comers in Belt and Crawford.

Zito had a great regular season and an OUTSTANDING post season, no reason to think he will not pitch the way he did with his confidence up. Go ahead and TRY to hit that 87mph fast ball! lol
Lincecum is trying to get back into his Cy Young form and has changed up his off season training regimen by employing two trainers this off season, so things can only look better from him over last season. Add in the other 3 solid starters and a deep bull pen, and youre looking at one of the best pitching staffs in the league.


Regardless, itll be a fun year to watch. Ill be visiting family in Arizona and cant wait to see some baseball! Go Giants!

[DarkShadow]

An embarrassment of riches is rarely ever that come August. I just don't buy into the trade an arm for a bat philosophy.

I'm of the old school of thought that pitching wins championships - hitting is streaky and the staff that has a bit of luck in run support when it counts tends to win the last game of the season.

And, DS, when do you say we see Yasiel at Chavez Ravine?

Pitching does win championship. I'd point to last year as proof, but don't want to relive that nauseating, but honest prediction. I've always said that good pitching will always beat good hitting. Every time.

Yasiel? That's a good question. The simple fact his "professional" games were played in Cuba, and there was very little coverage of any of it, it's really hard to make a prediction. Unlike Bryce Harper who had cameras following him since he was 13, Puig is pretty much a mystery to most. When you looked at his statistics in Rookie League, they were pretty impressive:

In 23 games, he had 29 hits, 5 HRs, 15 RBIs, and an OBP of .442. He slugged .634 and his OPS was 1.076.

But that was Rookie League, and stats aren't very telling in those environments. (Essentially, he could've been facing weak pitching, or pitchers who were doing rehab stints.) Quite honestly, I think he'll spend his first few months in Triple A. Depending on how he adjusts to that jump, I don't think we'll be seeing him much in 2013. Maybe we'll have a sighting come September 1st when the rosters expand, but I don't think he'll be an important piece of the team's composition come Opening Day and beyond.

Unless he goes off in Spring Training of course, which would be a pleasant surprise.

My excitement is over "The Monster," Ryu.



I hope he goes Gangam style on Major League hitters.

[City Dad]

Sabean didnt blow up the team and pretty much kept it intact from last year. Also keep in mind that every season that Buster Posey has been healthy, the Giants had won a world series..lol I doubt Scutaro, Pagan, will have an impact with their bats this year as they did last year, but the Giants also have up n comers in Belt and Crawford.

Zito had a great regular season and an OUTSTANDING post season, no reason to think he will not pitch the way he did with his confidence up. Go ahead and TRY to hit that 87mph fast ball! lol
Lincecum is trying to get back into his Cy Young form and has changed up his off season training regimen by employing two trainers this off season, so things can only look better from him over last season. Add in the other 3 solid starters and a deep bull pen, and youre looking at one of the best pitching staffs in the league.


Regardless, itll be a fun year to watch. Ill be visiting family in Arizona and cant wait to see some baseball! Go Giants!

I think you're right - at least about Pagan and Scu Scu Suctero.