DODGERS NEWS/RUMORS/AROUND MLB Thread

and make the pudz pay kemp's salary

 

kinda ironic since i always seemed to drink more whenever he came in :drunk:

League’s Improved Pitching Tied To Ditching Alcohol
by Nadia Tseng | Dodgers Nation — March 04, 2015



If someone predicted that Brandon League would be one of the top relievers for the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the 2014 season, many fans would have a hard time believing it would hold true. To the pleasant surprise of many, the once inconsistent reliever was in fact one of the more dependable pitchers late in games last season.

In 2013, League posted a 5.30 ERA, had five blown saves, nine wild pitches and a career-low -1.4 wins above replacement (WAR). Last season the organization saw a complete transformation from League, who finished with a 2.57 ERA, which was the second-lowest among regular Dodgers relievers.

With the third-most innings pitched out of the Dodgers’ bullpen, the 31 year old was not only one of the few reliable choices for Don Mattingly late in games, but also a force to be reckoned with. League’s vast improvement from the previous season is tied to a matter off the field.

According to League, after changing his diet there was still a negative influence on his body and performance on the mound, via J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News:

“I was getting enough sleep, eating as well as possible,” League said. “The only other factor I saw was alcohol.”​

Although the benefits have been undeniable, League admits that choosing to exclude alcohol from his diet last August took some getting used:

“I feel great,” he said. “It’s a huge step. It’s a big lifestyle change. Who doesn’t like a couple glasses of wine, great tasting food at restaurants?”​

For League, the major lifestyle change has made the biggest difference in his everyday energy. Going into his 12th season in the Majors, there’s an opportunity for League to serve an important role for the Dodgers, who will be without closer Kenley Jansen at least until the end of April.
​

 

Mattingly Says Ethier Doesn’t Have Anything To Prove
by Daniel Starkand | Dodgers Nation — March 04, 2015

As with the past two years, the Los Angeles Dodgers again find themselves with a crowded outfield picture to sort out during Spring Training.

Among the players competing for a starting spot in the outfield, perhaps none has a bigger uphill battle than Andre Ethier. The 32 year old is entering his 10th season with the Dodgers, has two All-star campaigns in 2010 and 2011 to his name, but lost his starting spot last season due in large part to lack of production.

While manager Don Mattingly credited Ethier for his handling of the difficult situation, the outfielder let it be known he isn’t interested in another season without consistent playing time and if that won’t be the case, Ethier said he would like to be traded.

When asked Wednesday ahead of the Dodgers’ Cactus League opener if Ethier has anything to prove this spring, Mattingly didn’t necessarily believe so. “Again, I think Dre has to get ready,” he said. “As I said, veteran guys don’t necessarily have to show us they can play. But obviously he’s made the statement that he wants to play every day so I assume he’s going to want to go out and kind of knock the door down.”

Given Ethier’s strong stance on wanting to start, it may lend to the belief his workouts have been more intense. However, Mattingly hasn’t noticed a change, though that isn’t a knock on Ethier. “No, he looks good,” he said. “Dre is a hard worker, Dre’s been solid all over the outfield, he’s a hard worker. We went with what we went with last year.”

Ethier had his worst season with the Dodgers in 2014, batting .249 with four home runs and 42 RBIs, which all were career-lows. Ethier earned the start in center field on Wednesday and had a rough day both at the plate and on the field.

The former Gold Glove Award winner was unable to come up with a catch in deep center that resulted in a two-out RBI-double for Adam LaRoche in the third inning that gave the Chicago White Sox a 3-0 lead; he didn’t fare much better with the bat, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts.

Wednesday likely wasn’t the final time Ethier will start or play center field as Mattingly reiterated he’ll shuffle his group of outfielders throughout the spring.

 

in a perfect world...
- everyone hits .350
- every starter wins 20 games
- we go 162-0, sweep the postseason and say suck on that bkitches to the 1972 dolphins

and oh yeah, most importantly, guggenheim buys time warner and broadcast everyfuckingthing

 

i love juan [no homo]
and it's hard [no homo again] to believe i'm saying that after how much most of us (myself included) ripped him his first couple years here
but with one swing, he earned a place in dodger history forever...



i could actually see us maybe re-signing under some/all of the following circumstances...
- seager stays at SS and comes up late this year or next
- guerrero sucks and/or is traded
- juan has a big year
...

Juan Uribe Discusses World Series, Future With Team
by Nadia Tseng | Dodgers Nation — March 05, 2015

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe is highly optimistic about the Dodgers winning the World Series this year, and his reasoning for hope is nothing if not convincing.

Uribe has a track record for being a World Series champion in years that are multiples of five. In 2005 and 2010, he won titles with the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants, respectively. Now five years removed from winning the World Series, Uribe is well aware of his track record, via Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:

“I won my first ring in 2005,” Uribe said in Spanish. “I won my second in 2010. Now, we’re in 2015.”​

As Uribe embarks on his 15th year in the Majors, he also enters the final year of his two-year contract with the Dodgers. Retirement isn’t in store for Uribe, but his future with the Dodgers is an unknown.

That being said, he expressed a desire to remain in Los Angeles past the 2015 season:

“I’d like to finish my career here,” he said. “They’ve given me a position here. They’ve shown confidence in me. They’ve given me confidence. That’s worth a lot to me.”
​

It comes as no surprise Uribe would want to re-sing with the Dodgers considering the relationships he’s built with teammates, coaches and fan base. However, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the veteran third baseman as his first two seasons in a Dodger uniform were underwhelming and injury ridden.

Then in 2013, Uribe had an offensive resurgence that carried over into last season when he posted career-highs in batting average (.311) and on-base percentage (.337). If Uribe is able continue his streak of strong seasons, the Dodgers may be enticed to re-signing him on a short-term contract.
​

 

hate the giants
but i don't like hearing about any player getting injured

 

Amazing luck during even seasons and bad luck during odd seasons.