Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles 2005-06 Offseason Thread

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by Hotblack Desiato

Jayson Werth is fragile and coming off a horrible season.

Perception is a funny thing. Werth had a .263 EQA in 2005. He'd have fit right in with the A's stable of corner outfielders. For comparison, Jose Cruz's career EQA is .267. Exactly the same as Werth's career figure. Jayson has the advantage of his best years ahead of him.

If the Dodgers unload Bradley BEFORE the season, without getting a quality replacement, well that would be almost as stupid as firing DePo. Fortunately, the latter won't happen anytime soon.

Ledee is a nice guy to have on your bench. His bat has been productive the past couple seasons.

J.D. Drew was still the Dodgers most valuable outfielder, even with only a half season's work. His load of injuries is getting frightful. Hope he has a productive offseason in rehab 'cuz he is a great player.

[Hotblack Desiato]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Perception is a funny thing. Werth had a .263 EQA in 2005. He'd have fit right in with the A's stable of corner outfielders. For comparison, Jose Cruz's career EQA is .267. Exactly the same as Werth's career figure. Jayson has the advantage of his best years ahead of him.

But Werth was hampered by injuries all year long and his slugging dropped 100 points from last year. I hope he's about to hit his stride but I'm more concerned that 04 was a fluke season benefitting from the small sample of 290 AB. Of course then that makes his 337 AB campaign of last year equally as ambiguous. It's tough to tell where he's going to wind up but at least with Cruz you know what he's bringing and that some standard recurring injury isn't going to flare up again. If I'm looking at next season, I'm putting more faith into Cruz than Werth. Beyond that, obviously, is a different story and why I don't want to give up on Werth. You just don't know what he's going to do next year.

If the Dodgers unload Bradley BEFORE the season, without getting a quality replacement, well that would be almost as stupid as firing DePo. Fortunately, the latter won't happen anytime soon.

I guarantee you they'll try to trade him (to the Yankees, particularly) and if they find anyone willing to take him, they'll take the best they can get in return. It's about unloading Bradley first and getting productive players in return second. I don't necessarily agree with it, but with Frank McCourt suddenly discovering "character" (I don't know why he looks for it in everyone else when he wouldn't know character from the hole in his ass) Milton Bradley will not be a Dodger come Spring Training, regardless of what we're getting (if anything) in return.

Ledee is a nice guy to have on your bench. His bat has been productive the past couple seasons.

I agree. Let's just hope he stays on that bench for the most part. If Drew or Werth go down, he's a starter. That's what scares me.

J.D. Drew was still the Dodgers most valuable outfielder, even with only a half season's work. His load of injuries is getting frightful. Hope he has a productive offseason in rehab 'cuz he is a great player.

That is true indeed, and what's even scarier is that Drew about doubled Beltre's VORP even missing more than half the season.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by Hotblack Desiato

If I'm looking at next season, I'm putting more faith into Cruz than Werth. Beyond that, obviously, is a different story and why I don't want to give up on Werth. You just don't know what he's going to do next year.

I'd put my money on Werth because he's about to enter his age 27 season, which is frequently a breakout year for players. On the other side of the coin, Cruz moves another year past his prime and is coming off a season where he outperformed expectations.

[Hotblack Desiato]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

I'd put my money on Werth because he's about to enter his age 27 season, which is frequently a breakout year for players. On the other side of the coin, Cruz moves another year past his prime and is coming off a season where he outperformed expectations.

If I'm putting money on one of them outperforming the other, I'm going on the healthy veteran over the injury-troubled youngster with mixed results and high but unrealised expectations. But then I'm not much of a gambler and prefer the least risky venture. If Werth stays healthy and builds on his past performance, he will certainly be the better hitter but I'm just more comfortable with Cruz than Werth right now.

Fortunately they're both on the same team so the only decision that needs to be made is who starts, though if Bradley gets dumped and nobody else is acquired, they'll play opposite corners and this whole argument will be moot. If on Opening Day (granted we have no idea how they'll do in Spring Training) and there's one OF spot for the both of them, I start Werth over Cruz and hope he delivers. If Werth goes down or struggles early, Cruz starts taking over.

So I guess I should qualify my comments by saying that Werth certainly has more tools and upside but as for my confidence in who can get the job done next season, Cruz to me has fewer question marks given their similar production.

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by Hotblack Desiato

I'm not much of a gambler and prefer the least risky venture.

Same here. That's why I go with worth....erm......Werth.

[The Great Demo]

i feel stupid

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by The Great Demo

i feel stupid

That's ok, usually the games are much improved when they go gold.

[Skipaway]

Wasn't Jose Cruz Jr. injured for quite awhile last season also?

[darkhorse]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

Wasn't Jose Cruz Jr. injured for quite awhile last season also?

I dunno if he got hurt last year. Played in 115 games after suiting up for 153 and 158 the previous two seasons.

[The Great Demo]

Dodgers: Hart is leading GM candidate

By Tony Jackson, Staff Writer

Ten days into the search for the Dodgers' next general manager, former Cleveland and Texas GM John Hart appears to be emerging as the leading candidate.

One reason is that every other candidate with anything close to Hart's credentials already has withdrawn, and another is Hart's close relationship with Rangers pitching coach Orel Hershiser.

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt was said to be highly impressed with Hershiser when McCourt interviewed the Dodgers pitching legend two weeks ago for the club's managerial vacancy. Hart's ties to Hershiser might eliminate the issue of what will happen if McCourt forces his new GM to hire a manager of McCourt's choosing.

Hart didn't return two phone messages left on his cell phone Monday by the Daily News. Hershiser said Monday he had heard nothing from the Dodgers lately except for an innocuous phone call from McCourt last week, "just to say hi."

Meanwhile, Tommy Lasorda, the Dodgers Hall of Fame manager and arguably McCourt's closest adviser during the GM search, backtracked on Monday from a comment widely attributed to him last Friday. Lasorda spoke with media from the Dallas-Fort Worth area that day following an induction dinner for the Italian Sports Hall of Fame in Denton, Texas, which Lasorda emceed.

At the time, Lasorda was quoted as saying of Hershiser, "We're going to do something with him very shortly." But Lasorda now says that comment was taken out of context.

"I think they misconstrued that thing," Lasorda said. "I just meant to say the interview went well, and Frank sure did like him. That was the extent of it."

Hart stepped down as the Rangers' GM on Oct. 4 to become a consultant for the club, forfeiting the final year of his contract and what was believed to be about $2 million in salary. It is difficult to imagine McCourt paying anything close to that figure to a GM, especially given that he still is on the hook to Paul DePodesta for three years and about $2.2 million.

Customers surveyed: The Dodgers are surveying randomly selected ticket buyers in which some of those telephoned are being asked if they can identify the owner of the team and, if so, what their perception of McCourt is.

While that would seem in keeping with the obsessive nature with which McCourt and his wife, team president Jamie McCourt, monitor public perceptions of them, a team spokesperson said Monday that it is part of a list of 60 questions, of which only a handful are chosen for each call.

"There is a difference between corporate ownership and family ownership," said Camille Johnston, the Dodgers vice president for communications. "Our goal is to determine how many of our customers know that we're a family-owned organization."

http://dailynews.com/sports/ci_3192935

So now we're getting Hart as a pawn to get Orel?

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

I dunno if he got hurt last year. Played in 115 games after suiting up for 153 and 158 the previous two seasons.

Well, that was the excuse for his poor performance with the Diamondbacks. Back injuries or something like that.

[Joshv02]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

Well, that was the excuse for his poor performance with the Diamondbacks. Back injuries or something like that.

Yeah, he had really bad back injuries.

[darkhorse]

I hart that the Dodgers are now getting our leftovers.

[darkhorse]

Lasorda is definitely someone you want with the owner's ear when it comes to organization building. Here is some timely news from Dodgerdom past.

June 21, 1998: The Dodgers fire general manager Fred Claire and manager Bill Russell. Former manager Tommy Lasorda is hired as GM on an interim basis.

July 4, 1998: Dodger interim GM Tommy Lasorda sends blue chippers Dennis Reyes and Paul Konerko to the Reds for closer Jeff Shaw. Lasorda later admits he was unaware that Shaw, under terms of the Basic Agreement, has the right to demand a trade at the end of the season.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!111111

[Alex]

But remember the All-Star game! Man that was very funny! Exciting, even!

[Hotblack Desiato]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

Lasorda is definitely someone you want with the owner's ear when it comes to organization building. Here is some timely news from Dodgerdom past.

June 21, 1998: The Dodgers fire general manager Fred Claire and manager Bill Russell. Former manager Tommy Lasorda is hired as GM on an interim basis.

July 4, 1998: Dodger interim GM Tommy Lasorda sends blue chippers Dennis Reyes and Paul Konerko to the Reds for closer Jeff Shaw. Lasorda later admits he was unaware that Shaw, under terms of the Basic Agreement, has the right to demand a trade at the end of the season.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!111111

Yes, this is common knowledge amongst the blue fans. He's also the one who convinced the front office that Pedro Martinez didn't have what it takes to be a starter (which means he couldn't pitch him for 250-300 innings for about five years until his arm falls off). Tommy Lasorda is an idiot and blowhard, and it's sad because I completely idolised him growing up. I've made the comparison before of coming to terms as you grow up that your beloved grandfather is an alcoholic and a racist. It's depressing knowing he's the one calling the shots, LA's Dick Cheney, if you will.

[Hotblack Desiato]

Hey, guess what. We still don't have a friggin GM. Or a manager, or a coaching staff, or a third baseman or....

Hart has been removed from the pool. It seems to be down to Ng and Coletti (yeah, Frank, let's restore the Dodger way by hiring a Giant, dip****) and Theo. Theo has reportedly been offered partial ownership according to the Daily News.

There were strong indications on Sunday night the Dodgers have offered their vacant general manager's position to former Boston GM Theo Epstein and that they had sweetened the deal by offering Epstein a small ownership stake similar to what Billy Beane has in Oakland.

Two sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said they had heard through baseball's considerable rumor mill that such an offer had been made. But neither source had heard it directly from Epstein or from anyone inside the Dodgers organization.

http://www.dailynews.com/dodgers/ci_3212568

I know all logic says he won't come anywhere near this organisation, but I'm to continue to remain happily delusional until Frank hires some idiot instead of just giving the job to Ng.

[Astros33Resurrected]

Originally Posted by darkhorse

I'd put my money on Werth because he's about to enter his age 27 season, which is frequently a breakout year for players. On the other side of the coin, Cruz moves another year past his prime and is coming off a season where he outperformed expectations.

agreed.

[Karros270]

Originally Posted by Hotblack Desiato

I know all logic says he won't come anywhere near this organisation, but I'm to continue to remain happily delusional until Frank hires some idiot instead of just giving the job to Ng.

If only he could get some idiot to take the job! Then we might have a GM. As it is all the idiots he keeps offering the job to keep turning the Dodgers down.

[ifspuds]

Sadly, I'm not sure I'd want to work for Frank McCourt either.

At this point, I'm to wishing they'd just hire Ng, get it over with, and move on.