If Sands isn't designated a starter after spring training, I wonder if one of our 25 year old minor leaguers will get a shot as the right handed bench guy? someone like Van Slyke or Castellanos, although I think they will work hard this year to push Castellanos to be a 3B
If Rivera does get the nod, he better have a short leash. I'm not doing that old, ageing veteran shit all the way into July again.
I wonder why DBB makes that statement before ST even begins. Doesn't he believe in competition? Shouldn't his message to Sands be if you play hard and have a really good spring and kick the other guys in the ass you will be the starting LF'er? Or is he just going to play by the biggest salary all the time?
i think coach says this to give the vet a chance to do the most damage and build his confidence. gwynn and sands are both right there and their collective springs will tell the tale.
Moments after Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly announced that Juan Rivera was going to be the starting left fielder, OF/1B Jerry Sands went ape-shit and then went on to hit a Cactus League record 21 home-runs. Astonished by this feat, Mattingly gave the left field job to Sands and batted him fourth behind MVP Matt Kemp. Asked about goals for 2012, Sands replied "Matt Kemp said he's going for 50-50, so fuck it, I'm going for 60-60." At first, everyone laughed until Sands abruptly punched a reporter in the face, and later went on to hit a home run off of that scrub the Padres threw on April 5th in a Dodgers 10-0 route over the Padres. Reigning Cy Young winner, Clayton Kershaw was asked about Sands' immediate change in personality by saying "hey, as long as he keeps hitting all these home-runs, I get to slap him on the arse some more". People quickly didn't question Jerry's power to get to the 60-60 club, for it was his speed that was concerning. However, the Dodgers have a magical man as their first base coach (Davey Lopes); and in weeks Sands was keeping up with sophomore quickster Dee Gordon. When asked about Sands' new found speed, Dee said "Man, that guy has some kind of swag. Let me tell you, he's got so much swag, that he can take my last name and my dad's nickname. From now on, he isn't Jerry Sands. He's Flash Gordon". So the nickname stuck. Flash Gordon went on to steal 126 bases and knocked out 64 home-runs as the Dodgers soared into the postseason. Sands' also broke the postseason record for 14 home-runs in a single postseason. After the Dodgers won the World Series, Sands killed Juan Rivera and was sentenced to a lifetime in prison. And that folks is the legend of Jerry Sands err, I mean Flash Gordon.
UPDATE: shortly after being incarcerated, inmate sands was butt-raped thus, his new prison name is ass gordon
Ugh. Maybe Sands will have a stellar spring and that'll change DBB's mind. Or maybe Rivera will suck hard and force DBB to make a change.