Garland Caught Singing, My Take on Sands, the Closers

Do the players like the “I Love L.A.” song that is played after Dodger wins?  Judge it  for yourself.  Following Jon Garland’s last start and complete game victory against the Braves on Wednesday, take a look at this clip.  Specifically Garland at the 14-16 second mark.

Yes, Garland is singing along with Randy Newman about “rolling down Imperial Highway.”  Caught you on tape Jon.  Belt it out buddy, it’s a great tune!

Jerry Sands thus far

Yes, I know there have been times that he looks overmatched.  He has made mental mistakes by throwing to the wrong base and getting thrown out at third on a ground ball hit to his right.  All, rookie moves and expected mistakes, and there will be more.  But, the team is winning.  He’s getting his hacks.  He’s seeing that slider low and away, something he’ll have to learn to recognize and lay off of.

Then there is the occasional clutch hit and RBI.  The hustle in left field that he is handling admirably as a young rookie.  And the outfield assist as we saw today, (video clip below).  He is getting invaluable experience at the major league level.  He has the look of a real ballplayer to me, someone that will stick and be a key member of the Los Angeles Dodger for years to come. 

Now speaking of invaluable experience for youngsters.  For the life of me I can’t figure out why Ivan DeJesus isn’t getting some starts and Aaron Miles is leading off game after game.  It seems that all in Dodger management have agreed that DeJesus needs to get at bats and a good amount of playing time to grow as a player.  Though most preferably, they’d like him to gain that experience at Triple A ball.  Now that there is a spot to fill periodically, why are they going with Miles?  This is another case of the curse of a manager that believes in PVL (proven veteran leadership).  What I don't understand is why Mattingly plays Sands and refuses to put DeJesus in the lineup.

Broxton Concerns Continue

Jonathan Broxton fails to blow hitters away like he used to.  His fastball today was in the neighborhood of 91-92 MPH.  His defense saved him today with great plays consecutively by Loney and Miles.  There has to be something wrong with him physically.  I keep hoping for the same guy we saw in April-June last season and he hasn’t re-emerged.  What is most noticable is Broxton's failure to put hitters away with the strikeout.  Up until this season his strikeouts per 9 innings ratio was 11.6.  So far this season it is 6.6. 

Speaking of closers, as I type this I’m watching Brian Wilson get rocked in the 10th inning against Atlanta.  A game that the Braves eventually won 9-6 as  Wilson's "good vibrations" seem to be a thing of the past.  Wilson took the loss and now has an ERA of 9.82.  I can’t help but notice how much he looks like Beach Boy Brian Wilson from around 1976.  Maybe it's time for him to shave off the beard.

Beach Boy Brian wears a Kimono and a surfboard in 1976

Giant Brian Wilson wears the loss in today's outing against the Braves

More on Yesterday's Post - O'Malley Family

Many writers of various publications (blogs and periodicals) have been speculating who the MLB Commissioner will select as a conservator over the Dodgers to oversee their operations.  There seems to be quite a bit of support for Peter O'Malley to fill that position.  A return of the O'Malley clan to head the Dodgers makes sense and would be received positively by the Los Angeles Dodgers community.

I received an email response from Tom Seidler.  It was classy, diplomatic and to the point.  I can't help but wonder though if asked by the MLB Commissioner to take charge of the club, would he agree to step in and do it?   It looks like he has his hands full at the moment with his own minor league club.  Additionally, I seem to remember that there were some disagreements between Bud Selig and Peter O'Malley years ago when Peter owned the team.  Perhaps Selig doesn't want to involve any O'Malley family members with the Dodgers again.  

Have they let bygones be bygones?  Peter O'Malley and Bud Selig shake hands at Walter O'Malley's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2007, Cooperstown, New York.

Below is the email I opened this morning from Mr. Seidler.

Hi Evan -

Appreciate the kind words.
We're building up a nice little Minor League Ballpark and operation here.
Come up and see it sometime if you get the chance.

Hopefully the Dodgers find a path to stability sooner rather than later.

All the best,

Tom

I will drive on out to Visalia and see his operation.  I'm interested.  It looks like he is very approachable and accommodating.  I see the Dodger affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are there in July.  There's nothing like watching minor league baseball in 100 degree heat.  Minor League Baseball on a hot summer day, you've got to love that.

**************************************************

I originally didn't like the throwback powder blue uniforms, (preferred the 1911 team design that was proposed),  but the guys could wear angel periwinkle everyday if they continue winning in the dramatic fashion that they did yesterday.

I wonder how much longer they'll pitch to Kemp in clutch situations.  It was surprising to see him get a chance to win the game yesterday while first base was open again.  Thats two N.L. managers burned in 4 games.  How many more will risk the odds against Kemp this season?

Photos by Jeff Gross/Getty Images

This is the Man That Selig Should Appoint to Head the Dodgers

Perhaps Peter O’Malley won’t want to take the reigns of the Dodgers again, after being out of the picture for 13 years.  But what about Tom Seidler.  Who?  Tom Seidler.  He’s Peter’s nephew.  The grandson of Walter O’Malley.  He has been groomed to be a baseball executive all of his life, and he is currently part owner and President of the Visalia Rawhide in the Cal League, (Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate).

Here is his bio from the Rawhide website:

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/about/page.jsp?ymd=20060302&content_id=44709&vkey=about_t516&fext=.jsp&sid=t516

Club President Tom Seidler moved to Visalia two years ago to take a more active role in the day-to-day operations of the ballclub. Tom has added several front office positions to better serve fans and players, and the larger staff led the ballclub to great improvement in 2007 and 2008, with a 35% boost in attendance (the #1 attendance increase among 180 minor league clubs in the country).

Seidler has been involved in professional baseball for 17 years. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 1990, Tom began his career in baseball administration with ballclubs in Vero Beach and Kissimmee, FL; Mesa, AZ; and Caracas, Venezuela. Tom earned his MBA at Vanderbilt University in 1994 and then served three years as the General Manager for the Great Falls Dodgers (Pioneer League). Baseball America awarded the club the 1995 Bob Freitas Award for Operational Excellence.

Tom served as President of the Stockton Ports from 1998-2000, earning California League Executive of the Year in 1999.

Let me ask this, is there a more perfect fit for the Dodger organization at this time?  He’s a baseball man with O’Malley bloodlines.  Here is a young executive that has learned the game from the ground up within the Dodger organization. He was out grooming fields in the Cal League and arranging the laundrying dirty uniforms as a young man because the O’Malley family understood that their kids needed to learn the organization from the lowest levels.  This is an educated executive that has worked in a management/ownership role.  He has been involved in player personnel issues as a minor league GM and has been recognized as an excellent executive by his peers.  He’s familiar with how the farm systems operate.  This is a guy that wasn’t handed anything, even doing a stint in Latin America.  

Tom Seidler, second from left, with Arizona Diamondbacks director of player development, Mike Berger, at Visalia Rawhide event last year.

I fired off an email to Tom letting him know of my support for him and asking him to consider taking the reigns of the Dodger organization if he is asked.  No answer yet, not that I expect one.

Here Come the Law Suits. What a Mess!

I’d love to view the events of the Bud Selig announcement this afternoon as a positive step forward for Dodger fans, but I fear that we are in for a long ride ahead.  I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think so.  If you are thinking that this is the beginning of the end of the McCourt saga,  I say think again.  Frank McCourt will muster all the resources he can come up with and take Major League Baseball to court.  I hope that Bud Selig has his legal team well prepared because they are undoubtably going to be working real soon after McCourt files suit.

This man has gained his fortune by filing suit against his partners along with a series of dirty tricks to take possession of the parking lot property that he bought in Boston.  With Jamie, rather than have an amicable settlement in his divorce, he rolled up his sleeves and went to war, first by character assassination and then in the court room.  Common sense should have prevailed, and the dirty laundry about their personal expenses and infidelities wouldn’t have been aired in public.  What makes anyone think that McCourt will do the diplomatic thing and walk away from his Dodger ownership without a fight?  He never has in the past.

Jamie McCourt said it best prior to the start of divorce proceedings when she said,”I know that Frank is very litigious and that he employs a ‘scorched earth’ litigation phoilosophy.”  

http://www.laweekly.com/2010-08-05/news/dodger-dog/  (“Dodger Dog,” Gene Maddeous, August 5, 2010, LA Weekly.com)

This situation is a nightmare that will likely continue on and on.

Take a look at some of the documented history of Litigation introduced by Frank McCourt:

• He sues his original partners in 1980, with whom he bought the Boston waterfront property, Jim Craig and Austin Heath.  Through a series of complicated manuverings, McCourt surfaces as the lone owner of the property after Connecticut developer David Chase loans him $9 million to secure the deal.  The only thing his former partners end up with are 3 years of uncompensated work and a $369,000 tax bill on the property.

• He then sues the new partner, David Chase, (the person that helped him finance the property deal), in 1991.  Eventually Chase settles for pennies on the dollar and bitterly states, “he forgot what we did for him, without us he could not have had the property.”

• Next litigation McCourt took on the Department of Highways from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The Commonwealth needed to borrow part of his property to complete the “Big Dig” construction highway tunnel project.  Though revenue from all of McCourts parking lots was $4 million per year, the Commonwealth had agreed to pay McCourt $30 million over the eight years of the project for just using 12 acres of his land.  McCourt wanted more and sued them for $140 million.  In the end he prevailed and settled for $62 million.  Not bad for a piece of land that would have earned him about a million dollars in parking revenues each year.  This settlement turned out to be the costliest eminent domain settlement in the history of the U.S.  In the end after the project was over, McCourt got his land back too.

• This situation is a nightmare that will likely continue on and on through years of litigation.  At present, McCourt is suing his former law firm that represented him when documents were drawn up and signed by both he and Jamie re: Dodger ownership issues.  He also is appealing his divorce decree decision.   I predict that MLB will be sued next putting Dodger ownership in limbo for a few more years.

On January 27th I sent the following letter to Bud Selig.  I think it is worth reading again today now with the events of this afternoon.  Thanks for listening Bud!

Dear Commissioner Selig,

Please Mr. Selig.  It’s time to do something.  It is time to invoke the “best interest of baseball” clause and protect the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fan base.  Force the McCourts to sell the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Your legal team needs to come forward and put an end to this ownership that never should have happened in the first place.  

This is a franchise on the verge of financial collapse. And how can that be when they draw 3.5 million fans a year?  It is simple.  There is complete mismanagement by the present ownership.  I will present to you over a dozen points that serve as evidence that the present owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers are breaking laws, mismanaging funds, completing underhanded back-room deals, are simply out of money and living on credit, and have questionable mental faculties intact.  It is time to oust the McCourts as stewards of this baseball institution and historic franchise.

1. The Dodger Dream Foundation and its mismanagement:  In 2007, the McCourt ownership paid a $400,000 salary to Howard Sunkin, Frank McCourt’s former liaison in public affairs out of $1.6 million collected for the Dodger Dream Foundation.  This 2007 disclosure, in a story broken by the New York Times, was completely misleading to the fans and merited disciplinary action by MLB when it occurred.  The New York Times reported that Sunkin’s salary was more in tune with someone heading a charitable foundation that collects in the neighborhood of $100 million annually.This egregious use of charitable contributions has drawn the scrutiny of the California Attorney General that is currently investigating this case.  And Sunkin continues on the payroll to this day.
2. Ownership has spent ridiculous amounts to live lavish lifestyles, all on the fan’s dollar.   The McCourts have used the team as a personal credit card.  Florists, hairdressers, tailors, real estate, security, private jets, lavish hotels, country club memberships.  They own several multi-million dollar estates.  But “own” is misleading.  They purchased the property on credit, using the Dodger franchise as collateral.  I understand that persons in ownership positions have a certain standard and image to uphold, but the McCourts have overdone it.  Some of these costs are just way over the top. 
3. Frank McCourt has paid his sons hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary annually when they were not even working, (one was attending grad school at Stanford), another running a surf shop on the beach.  Neither play a significant role with the club.
4. There have been massive firings and departures of good organizational people.  Ross Porter, Derrick Hall, Tommy Hawkins, Dan Evans, Jim Tracy, Paul DePodesta.  And those are just some of the firings we are aware of.  There are the low level, Dodger employees for decades that have been let go.  Tommy Hawkins, a well respected executive that is very careful with his choice of words said this about the dismissal of many loyal Dodger employees following his departure from the organization: “These are hard-hat people that make an organization go.  If you find out, please let me know why they were fired.  I can’t fathom why.”  (http://articles.latimes.com/2005/dec/01/sports/sp-simers1/2 )  
5. The spending of funds on Russian Faith Healer Vladimir Shpunt to send “positive energy vibes” to the team.  He is a man that knows nothing of baseball.  He reports that he sends “positive energy” from 3,000 miles away while watching a game on television.  This eccentric actually had an input and the McCourt’s ear with regard to firing Jim Tracy, firing Paul DePodesta, and player personnel moves.  He received a six figure salary.  The McCourts have been very tight-lipped about his hiring, knowing full well how ridiculous this looks.  My question is:  Who’s next?  Miss Cleo?http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/10/sports/la-sp-dodgers-psychic-20100610
6. The reckless and unbendable risk taking Frank McCourt took by refusing to settle in his divorce settlement.  This move tied the franchise’s hands financially by not allowing the Dodger team to upgrade in player personnel moves right at the stretch drive when the team was a mere 5 games back in the standings.  Worst of all, McCourt and his mouthpiece’s have refused to acknowledge this fiscal restraint, lying to the fan base as the only real contracts they add are backloaded and contain deferred payment provisions, (which is my next point).
7. The backloading of contracts and the numerous deferred payment contracts, that will hamstring the franchise for years to come, paying for players no longer with the team.  These are obvious moves from an owner that has no money and is living on borrowed time as he waits for what he hopes to be a massive new TV contract to fall in his lap when his current FOX TV deal expires in 2013.
8. Forcing newly signed players to contribute to the “Dodger Dream Foundation.”  This resulted in a Players Association grievance that forced MLB to take a stand.  You should know about this problem Mr. Selig, since you had to address the union on it and announce that such clauses in contracts are disallowed.  Thank Mr. McCourt for that.
9. Frank McCourts litigious history and personality.  The man has made his mark in the business world by taking people to court.  He sues and sues until he gets what he wants.  He has virtually no former business associates with whom he left on good terms.  His slash and burn mentality scorches everything in his path as he moves ahead to greener pastures. ( http://www.laweekly.com/2010-08-05/news/dodger-dog/ )
10. You created this mess by pushing for the approval of McCourt by other MLB owners.  You knew full well that prospective owners are not to have debt in excess of 40% when arranging the purchase of a new club.  Everyone knew how highly leveraged this purchase from Fox was.  Still the sale went through.  It is time for you to undo the mess you created.  Estimates today put McCourts debt upwards of $ 800-900 million. 
11. Reports have been made public that Frank McCourt has attempt to secure loans to pay his wife alimony.  He actually did get a loan from his brother for that purpose.  Worst of all, it is reported that financial institutions will not loan him money due to his precarious financial standing and credit.  Court documents in the divorce proceeding repeatedly emphasize Frank McCourt’s risky financial moves.
12. Frank McCourt’s back door dealings to attempt to build an NFL stadium on Dodger     Stadium Property without consulting City Officials or MLB.   These secretive meetings took place in 2005 shortly after NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue had publicly backed the L.A. Coliseum Commission in its effort to bring the NFL back to Los Angeles.  This completely caught the L.A. City Council off guard, as they had been investing significant resources in the Coliseum Commissions bid.  Personally I like the idea of an NFL team playing at Dodger Stadium property, but the problem with McCourt was that he attempted to do this in secret, behind everyone’s back.  When it was disclosed what he was doing, he lied about it and said it was “exploratory and a back-up plan.  Witnesses to his activities state otherwise.
13. The raising of average Dodger ticket prices by over 60% and  the raising of parking fees by 50%.  At the same time, player payroll remaining around the $100 million dollar mark.  I will admit that Dodger ticket prices were the best in baseball for decades and there was a need for an adjustment here, but payroll did not raise commensurately with those revenues, and that is unfair to the fan base.

If I took the time, I could provide you more facts that the McCourts need to be gone.  You need to do your part to save this fan base from the mismanagement of this ownership.  Recent reports indicate that this divorce settlement will enter another phase of legal battles that will not even hit the court room until 2012.  http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dodgers/2011/01/the-dodger-divorce-and-the-philosophy-of-fear-i-know-im-scared.html   This really has to stop.  I am hopeful that you have a legal team in place that is ready for a battle.  I trust that MLB could oust McCourt and appoint a receiver to protect the fan base and MLB.  I'm sure that Major League Baseball has a legal team that could easily prove that these numerous moves made by McCourt has harmed the franchises value and MLB's reputation in general.

Please do your part and rid us of this destructive ownership.  Dodger fans would like to concentrate on baseball.

Sincerely,

Evan W. Bladh Sr.

http://opinionofkingmansperformance.blogspot.com

Adventures in the Bullpen

With the recent bullpen problems that the Dodgers have had, nobody should be getting their hopes up that assistance will be coming out of Venezuela soon in the name of Ronald Belisario.

Ronald Belisario in happier times, undergoing rookie bag toting rituals

Ronald Belisario.  Remember him?  I predicted on February 16th that he wouldn’t be reporting at all this season immediately after news came out with contradictary information from his agent and later Belisario that he wouldn’t and then would be reporting to Spring Training. Since I work on these types of issues on a daily basis, I knew that Belisario was in the middle of a deep immigration problem.  The man was found inadmissible by State Department officials due to his admitted addictions and criminal history.

http://opinionofkingmansperformance.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-belisario-maradona-and-boy-george.html

ESPN Deportes Reporter, Enrique Rojas

Today, Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes tweeted that Belisario won’t be receiving a U.S. Visa this year.  What his sources are, I don’t know, but he seems to have his pulse on the latest news of the Latin American players.  Rojas’ information simply confirms earlier news we received from Belisario’s agent, Paul Kinser, on February 17th of this year.  Any hopes of “the bowler” returning to the Dodger staff this year are pretty much gone.

Assistance in the Dodger bullpen is needed desperately now with lackluster starts from Broxton, Jansen, Hawksworth, and Cormier.  The injury to Kuo further complicates things.  Perhaps Vicente Padilla is a possible answer to the closer situation, but he’s unproven in that role and still undergoing extended Spring Training.

With regards to the closer’s role, all I have to say is this.  For a good portion of Broxton’s career, he was amongst the best reliever’s of the game.   In fact, as recently as last June 26th, (when he had an midseason ERA of  0.83), prior to the Yankee game (the 27th) where Joe Torre left Broxton out to die and throw 50 pitches in the 9th inning.  Jonathan Broxton was viewed as the best closer in the National League.  The man was chosen to close last year’s All Star game.  Often overlooked is that he did record the save in that game, as shaky as it was, it was a save.

Something happened after that game June 27th game.  Whether it is mental, physical or a combination of both, I squarely blame this on Joe Torre who may have destroyed a career in the process of attempting to massage his ego by winning an almost meaningless regular season game against the Yankees on National TV.  

I agreed with Mattingly’s approach in handling his closer this season.  He has expressed confidence and so far, Broxton’s poor performance this season has not really cost him a game.  Broxton new nickname should be “Full Pack II,” because he is apt to fill the bases with runners and allow runs at a precarious rate.  I really hope he regains his confidence, repertoire of pitches and returns to form.  Heaven knows the Dodgers need him.

And to those that are expecting another Eric Gagne again, I say, forget it.  We’ll never see another dominant closer like Gagne’s 2002-2004 seasons again.

Think of the bright side.  They could have a closer named Ryan Franklin on the roster.

A Blogger's Day Off

It is my wife’s birthday, so no writing today.  Family first!

I love you Espe...have a wonderful day!

An Important Win Today - A Bison Bomb Decides It

My prediction at the beginning of this season was that the National League MVP will be a battle of Western Division foes: Troy Tulowitski and Matt Kemp.

Their offensive lines thus far:

          AB    R    H   RBI    2B  3B HR BB    SO  OBP  OPS   AVG   SLG.       TB  SB CSB

Tulo 55  12  20   14    3   1    7 14    5   .486  1.322   .364   .836 46   0   0

Kemp57  12  27   12    5   0    3   9    8   .545 1.265   .474   .719  41   8   2

Both are off to a fantastic start.  The edge probably going to Tulowitski due to the Rockies blazing start this season.  The season is only 16 games old, but it's refreshing to see Kemp starting off with eye popping numbers.

***************************************************

Fortunately for Dodger fans, LaRussa wasn't making this gesture when Kemp came to the plate in the 9th inning today

With Juan Uribe and James Loney batting .154 and .150, it was shocking to see LaRussa not put up the four fingers when Kemp came to the plate in the ninth inning representing the winning run.  With 27 hits over the first 16 games this season, I really have a hard time believeing that Kemp will continue to see pitches to hit with those two hitters following him in the batting order.  Opposing teams coming in to Dodger Stadium will soon be of the mindset that Ethier and Kemp will not be allowed to beat them.  Without a change in hitting approach by Uribe and Loney, the Dodgers will continue to struggle.

In all fairness to Uribe, he really doesn't belong in the number 5 or 6 slot.  He's a number 7 hitter at best.  It sure would be nice to see him take a few pitches now and then though.

****************************************************

Chad Billlingsley stepped up and shut down the hottest hitting lineup in the game today.  It was a clutch, solid performance that deserves much praise.  He certainly deserved a win today.  That is the thing about this starting staff, they are bound to always have a hot starter step up.  In the first 16 games so far, almost all have had a shining moment or two.  Kuroda, Kershaw and Billingsley have pitched some fine games so far.  I predict that Lilly will follow suit very soon.

*****************************************************

Over at True Blue LA there is a very interesting assessment by Chad Moriyama of Hong Chih-Kuo's problems with his back affecting his release point and resulting wildness so far.  Amazing the analysis that was done.  Chad should take over as pitching coach, The video comparison analysis is spot on in identifying his problems.

http://www.truebluela.com/2011/4/17/2116145/hong-chih-kuo-release-point#storyjump