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that is awesome
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i want to be banging scarlett johansson by this evening

Oft-injured Carl Crawford wants to be Dodgers feel-good story in 2015
by Dylan Hernandez | Los Angeles Times — 3 hours ago


Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford hasn't played more than 130 games in a season since 2010 (AP)

Carl Crawford is in his third spring training with the Dodgers, but he still can't stop thinking about his previous team.

"I know I'm going to get defined by what happened to me in the couple of years I was in Boston," he said.

The prize of his free-agent class, Crawford signed a seven-year, $142-million contract with the Red Sox leading up to the 2011 season. He was with them for two unhealthy and unproductive seasons in which their fans turned on him, his misery ending only because he was traded to the Dodgers as part of a four-player package that included Adrian Gonzalez.

"That really irritates me a lot, the thinking that I was a guy that got paid his money and wanted to shut it down," he said. "It's just so irritating to me because I never was that person. I always played to win games and be the best player I can be."

Crawford thinks he has to win a World Series with the Dodgers to alter his legacy.

"That's all you can do," he said. "That shuts everybody up. You have to win the World Series at the end of the day. Until that happens, I really can't say much. I want to be able to go out there and play and help the team win a championship."

Crawford is upbeat, in large part because he was healthy over the winter for the first time in several years.

"I was able to train like I did before I started getting injured all the time," he said. "Instead of holding back on certain stuff, I was able to do everything this off-season."

He lifted more weights. He ran more.

His hope is that what he did in the winter will result in an injury-free season.

If not, Crawford said, "I know I have to hear from you guys how I get hurt all the time."

Crawford played in only 105 games last season because of an ankle problem. The season before that, hamstring and back problems limited him to 116 games. The last time he played more than 130 games was in 2010, with the Tampa Bay Rays.

He said he feels a greater responsibility to remain on the field because of the departures of Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez.

"I know other people are going to have to step up," he said.

When Crawford was on the field last season, he certainly looked capable, batting .300, stealing 23 bases and establishing himself as Manager Don Mattingly's first-choice left fielder.

Crawford is again projected to play every day in left field, with Yasiel Puig in right and rookie Joc Pederson in center.

Crawford thinks the Dodgers will be counting on him not only to stay on the field, but to provide speed in a lineup that lost two major power threats in Kemp and Ramirez.

"I was doing it last year," he said. "I just got hurt. I was well on my way to steal over 30 bags last year. And now I feel better than I did last year. The running game has always been a part of my thing. I can't shy away from it."

Crawford turns 34 in August but, he said, "I know I'm still faster than 70% of the league. It's nothing for me to be concerned about."

Crawford said he was excited when the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman to be their president of baseball operations. Crawford played for the Rays when Friedman was their general manager. Together, they helped turn the small-market Rays into an American League power.

"Hopefully, he can bring the magic over here," Crawford said.

Based on what Friedman prioritized with the Rays, Crawford said he wasn't surprised the Dodgers made efforts to improve their defense this winter by adding the likes of Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick.

Even though Friedman made sweeping changes to the Dodgers roster, Crawford never thought he would be traded.

"I knew it was hard for teams to want to trade for me because of my salary and because I've been hurt a lot," he said.

Crawford is guaranteed $62.25 million over the next three seasons.

While Crawford said he understood the reasoning behind Friedman's moves, he said he isn't certain they made the Dodgers a better team.

"We had two good teams," he said. "It's something we'll have to wait and see. I can't answer that right now. We have to see if this team can even get to the playoffs."​

 

RIP

White Sox Great Minnie Minoso Passes Away
By Edward Creech [March 1, 2015 at 2:00pm CST]

Minnie Minoso, the first black MLB player in Chicago and considered one of the greats in White Sox history, has died. The Chicago Tribune reports, citing police and family, Minoso was on his way home early Sunday morning from a friend’s birthday party when he took ill. He was found unresponsive in the driver’s seat of his car with no signs of trauma.

“We have lost our dear friend and a great man. Many tears are falling,” White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement (Twitter links). “When you talk about the top players in the AL in the 1950s, you talk about Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Minnie Minoso.”

President Barack Obama, a noted White Sox fan, offered his condolences (Twitter link). “For South Siders and Sox fans all across the country, including me, Minnie Minoso is and will always will be “Mr. White Sox.” Minnie may have been passed over by the Baseball Hall of Fame during his lifetime, but for me and generations of black and Latino young people, Minnie’s quintessentially American story embodies far more than a plaque ever could.”

Minoso had failed to receive enough votes from the Golden Era Committee to be enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame despite posting four top-5 American League MVP finishes, being a seven time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, the 1950 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up, and ending his 17-year career with a line of .298/.389/.459, which began in 1949 with the Indians and culminating in two at-bats with the White Sox in 1980 at the age of 54. Minoso was a trailblazer, as he is considered the first Latin American superstar. Hall of Famer Orland Cepeda called Minoso “the Jackie Robinson for all Latinos; the first star who opened doors for all Latin American players. He was everybody’s hero. I wanted to be Minoso. (Roberto) Clemente wanted to be Minoso.”

Minoso, whose number 9 has been retired by the White Sox, teamed with Cubs legend Ernie Banks, who passed away himself in January, as one of the game’s top goodwill ambassadors, not just for the City of Chicago, but for all of baseball. “I’m proud of everything,” Minoso said of his career (as quoted in the Chicago Tribune article). “I’m proud to be a baseball player.”

Minoso is survived by his wife, Sharon, two sons, Orestes Jr. and Charlie, and two daughters, Marilyn and Cecilia. Funeral arrangements are pending.​

 

Dodgers Should Spare No Expense In Trading Andre Ethier
by Matthew Moreno | Dodgers Nation — 12 minutes ago

In just four and a half extremely active months under a new front office regime, the Los Angeles Dodgers consistently opted against spending big on marquee free agents.

Jon Lester, Andrew Miller, Yoan Moncada, Max Scherzer and James Shields were all players whom the Dodgers were linked to in varying degrees of seriousness, only for each to sign elsewhere.

What the Dodgers have done, aside from opting for high-risk, high-reward signings, is pay players to essentially go away. It began with the seven-player trade completed with the Miami Marlins, in which the Dodgers dealt Dee Gordon, Dan Haren and Miguel Rojas to Miami.

Also traveling from Los Angeles to south Florida was $10 million to cover Haren’s salary in the final year of his contract — $10 million that was to be paid whether or not the right-hander reported to his new club, which he did after initial apprehension.

The following week, Tim Federowicz Matt Kemp were sent to the San Diego Padres, joined eventually by a total of $32 million ($18 million in 2015) to cover Kemp’s remaining salary.

Where the issue lies is Ethier has essentially put the Dodgers in an all-or-nothing position and is on a roster where better options are ahead of him. While Mattingly credited Ethier for his handling of the outfield logjam last season, it’s clear the 33 year old isn’t interested in another year of sporadic playing time.

Because of this, it’s time for the Dodgers to once again spend big on more roster maintenance. Ethier is guaranteed $53.5 million over the next three years of his contract; his deal also includes a $17.5 million vesting option for 2018 — though it should be noted it comes with a $2.5 million buyout.

Aside from the clubhouse implications that can come with a disgruntled player being on the roster, Ethier can become a player with 10 and 5 rights — 10 years in the Majors with the last five on the same team — by spending the entire 2015 season with the Dodgers.

Should Ethier reach that mark, it would trigger a no-trade clause. He could waive the clause and presumably would if his playing-time situation doesn’t improve, but why leave open the possibility for the headache?

By most accounts, the Dodgers have plenty of money to go around. The largest contract they handed out during the offseason was a four-year, $48 million deal to Brandon McCarthy. The next largest sum of money spent was the $18 million that will be paid to the Padres this season.

There isn’t a set dollar amount that would automatically make an Ethier trade come to fruition. However, the Dodgers shouldn’t balk at perhaps paying anywhere from $15 to $20 million of his remaining salary — dependent on their return.

Given that Ethier is coming off a season in which he hit .249/.322/.370 with four home runs and 42 RBIs, all career lows, his trade value is virtually nonexistent. That being said, now may be time to strike as a team like the Toronto Blue Jays surely could use a left fielder in the wake of Michael Saunders’ meniscus injury that requires surgery.

The front office hasn’t shown any hesitation in parting ways with players who were fan-favorites and had significant stock with the franchise, and they shouldn’t treat Ethier, the longest-tenured Dodger any differently.

One day after that trade was finalized, the spending spree continued as Brian Wilson, with a $9.5 million in salary owed in 2015, was released. While the Dodgers have spent money in unconventional means to in theory, upgrade the roster, their job is not yet finished.

The club’s first official full-squad workout of Spring Training was held Thursday and the outfield remains an issue. Five viable outfielders, six if Scott Van Slyke is included, are on the roster. By trading Kemp to the Padres, Yasiel Puig will move back to right field — where general manager Farhan Zaidi believes he can win a Gold Glove.

Based on manager Don Mattingly’s tendency from last season, Carl Crawford figures to be the regular starter in left field so long as he’s able to remain healthy.

That leaves center field vacant, though it’s seemingly been cleared for Joc Pederson. While the Dodgers have maintained Pederson is not guaranteed to take the reins, he’s the heavy favorite among a group that includes Andre Ethier, Chris Heisey and perhaps to a lesser extent, Van Slyke.

Ethier expressed a desire in the offseason to remain in Los Angeles and as a starter, which he reiterated after meeting with Dodgers brass that included president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Zaidi and Mattingly on Monday.

However, Ethier also voiced his displeasure over the notion that he’s competing to start in center field; citing his age as the reason he shouldn’t man the position on a regular basis. Mattingly believes Ethier can be plugged in at first base, however with Adrian Gonzalez entrenched at the position, there’s isn’t much playing time to go around.

Ethier believes in himself and there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with that. Professional athletes reach the highest level in their respective sport in large part to believing in themselves. Would you want a player on the roster mired in self-doubt?

 

Justin Turner Hoping To Benefit From Offseason Changes
by Daniel Starkand | Dodgers Nation — 6 minutes ago



The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Justin Turner to a Minor League contract in February of 2014 with an invitation to Spring Training. The utility infielder wound up making the roster and contributing more than many expected, starting 67 games and having the best season of his career.

Despite his great 2014 season, Turner decided to make some changes in the offseason. According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, the 30 year old lost 18 pounds this winter by working out with Dodgers strength and conditioning coach Brandon McDaniel at Dodger Stadium nearly every day and changing his diet:

“I definitely changed everything I did,” said Turner, who grew up in Lakewood, attended Cal State Fullerton and lives in Los Angeles. “It was the most convenient and productive winter I’ve ever had.”​

Turner batted .340 with a .897 OPS in 322 plate appearances and was arguably the Dodgers’ best clutch hitter, batting .419 with runners in scoring position last season. He admitted to not enjoying the workouts but viewed them as necessary to put himself in better position for more playing time in 2015:

“It wasn’t fun,” he said of the workouts. “I was on a little bit of a leash last year as far as how much they felt I could play. I want to get off that, get away from that label.”​

The Dodgers starting infield consists of 32-year-old Adrian Gonzalez, 31-year-old Howie Kendrick, 36-year-old Jimmy Rollins, and 35-year-old Juan Uribe. With an infield full of players in the latter half of their careers, injuries are always a concern.

Turner’s offseason training program should pay dividends as manager Don Mattingly recently said he’ll more heavily rely on the super-utility player at multiple positions throughout the year so as to keep the group of infielders fresh.

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