Looking, statistically, at the Dodgers' potential outfield platoons

The first day Don Mattingly got the chance to deal with the four outfielder situation, a tough lefty was on the mound and he actually sat Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford. It was kind of obvious to sit one or the other so Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig could play. But going the extra step and playing Scott Van Slyke in left field was a surprising move.

If you take a look at each player's career splits, the SVS/Kemp/Puig outfield is by far the best Dodger fans can do against left-handed pitching. I'm going to use a stat called wRC+ (weight runs created) here which wraps up all you do at the plate and compares it to a league-average hitter (100 is average).


Ethier and Crawford are terrible hitters vs. lefties -- each in the 75-80 range (think Eric Young/Zack Cozart). Kemp and Puig are monsters against LHP, around 170 (think Mike Trout/Chris Davis) and Van Slyke, so far, has been about 20 percent better than league-average (Jay Bruce/Adam Jones). The comparisons I'm making are in terms of the players' overall line, not their split against lefties.

Against Righties, Puig and Ethier are by far the two best choices, around 145 (Joe Mauer/Matt Holliday). Crawford, Kemp and Van Slyke are all about the same, close to 110 (Kyle Seager/Austin Jackson). Now, it's not going be SVS in that situation, so it comes down to Crawford vs. Kemp. Crawford has the edge in defense and baserunning, and remember, we didn't use Crawford against lefties. So if you wanted him to get any starts, you have to give him most of these.

The problem is that about 70-75 percent of the starting pitchers are right-handed, and you're not going to sit Kemp that much. Ethier and Crawford have both been saying team-positive things about the situation, while Kemp, honestly, has not.

Typically, even in games started by righties, around the seventh inning the opposing manager is going to be thinking LOOGY when Ethier and/or Crawford come up. They won't go that way if they know Kemp is on the bench, though. Or even if it's just Van Slyke on the bench, as long as Donnie actually pinch-hits aggressively in that situation, the Dodgers could find themselves in a lot of good match-ups this year. Joc Pederson could get a call-up, especially if there is an injury, but he is another left-handed hitter who can't hit left-handed pitching, so he doesn't really fit well.

For the three outfield spots and some pinch-hit and DH duty, there are probably 600 plate appearances against lefties and 1,525 against righties. But there's a further constraint, as Crawford can only playing left field. Kemp could play all three positions, but that'd just be another thing to upset him. With his arm, Puig is going to be in right if he's on the field (barring the occasional CF emergency).

If you work the platoons as much as you reasonably can, you can get Ethier and Crawford about 450-475 plate appearances each, 80 percent of which would be against righties (we want them to get more than that 70-75 percent number the league offers). Puig and Kemp can get 535 PA each, two-thirds more against righties (we want them to get less than that 70-75 percent number the league offers). And there's still 150-200 chances for SVS, counting a little first base in there. Except for Vans Slyke, these guys have all been regulars and are used to playing the league-average amount against  righties. If we can get the platoon advantage to the degree I just spelled out, I'm comfortable (after running the numbers) raising my projection (wRC+) for all these guys a little.

	My Official Projection	Maximum Platooning
Ethier	109	115
Crawford	105	107
Kemp	124	127
Puig	133	135
Van Slyke	103	105

Not a huge impact, but it helps. In fact, the total impact to the team in the wins above replacement framework would be close to one expected win.

It puts some kind of logic behind who plays in which situaton. For Ethier, it is a particular boon. I had been looking for him to continue his decline, but if the Dodgers can finally hold him out against lefties, his production could have more of an impact.

Photo credit: McD22, Flickr

Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1: Scott Van Smash and Kid K wrangle Snakes

The 2014 "Season Opener" is officially in the books as the Dodgers took down the Diamondbacks 3-1 in Sydney, Australia. Behind Scott Van Slyke and Clayton Kershaw, the Blue Crew got the season started with a bang. Here are some notes from the opener, of which I saw four innings live before entrusting my DVR with the rest and knocking out at 3 a.m. PST.

• Today's game only further emphasizes why Scott Van Slyke should have been a part of the bench from day one in 2013. He's the only true power bat on the bench, can play three of the four corner spots, and crushes lefties. If a guy who posts a .342 OBP, .465 SLG, .353 wOBA, and 129 wRC+ can't find a permanent bench spot, what kind of bench are you building? Thankfully, SVS will have that permanent spot this season. A two-run bomb, double off the base of the wall, and walk is just the kind of start he needed.
• Kershaw was his usual dominant self in the end, although there was clearly a bit of rust and working out of early season kinks. He allowed six baserunners over six and two-thirds innings, whiffing seven while issuing a lone walk (102 pitches, 73 for strikes). He also singled before being thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.
• I'm no pitching expert by any means, but it did seem to me like Kersh was a bit too reliant on his fastball at times, particularly in a long at-bat against fellow pitcher Wade Miley.
• Hanley Ramirez pulled up lame as he headed back to the dugout late in the game, but did finish out the contest in the field. Hopefully it's nothing major, but I wouldn't play him today under any circumstances and would sit him until the real regular season stateside gets underway. He's far too important to risk, especially with the hammy injury last season.
• Kenley Jansen was Kenley Jansen, fanning one D-Back in a scoreless ninth.
• I'm surprised they sent Clayton back out for the seventh considering it's the opening game of the series; the quirkiness of playing it overseas; and Clayton running the bases hard in the top half of the inning.
• That being said, if you are going to send him out for that frame, let him get the final out in it when the batter is not Paul Goldschmidt, who had hit Clayton well. Clayton was obviously tired, but in no circumstance is Chris Perez a better option.
• Don Mattingly is truly like his mentor Joe Torre when it comes to bullpen management, which is to say I don't get it.
• A better defensive center fielder with more range probably catches Goldschmidt's double in the sixth inning.
• Yasiel Puig struck out three times while going 0-for-5, but he did lace a ball in his final at-bat.
• Alex Guerrero, who I would argue should be starting at second, technically made his debut as he was announced as a pinch-hitter before being pulled back for Mike Baxter.
• Mark Trumbo is such a bad defender that he fooled the cameras and SVS into thinking Scott's clear double off of the wall was a homer.
• A fan behind home plate wearing Red Sox garb attempted to start the Joseph Gordon-Levitt "Angels in the Outfield wings-wave" during the sixth inning. It failed. I would prefer that to the wave itself though.

Photo Credit: Dustin Nosler, Dodgers Digest

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 65 - Hall of Fame, Mattingly, prospects

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and I ring in the new year with fresh Dodger content.

First, we touch on today's Hall of Fame results by revealing out hypothetical ballots. Jared was unusually excited about his.

The Dodgers and Don Mattingly finally agreed to a contract extension. It's reportedly a 2-year extension, with the first year of the deal beginning in 2014. Basically, the contract option that vested after last season was torn up and replaced with a new deal. I like the deal, Jared is "so-so" on it.

The Dodgers announced stadium upgrades, which Jared details.

They also announced the signing of five more international prospects, four of whom have somewhat difficult names to pronounce.

Jared is attending the Dodgers' Winter Development Program today, and he hopes to get some good audio of some of the Dodger prospects in preparation for spring training.

Episode dedications
Jared: Jose Parra
Dustin: 1965 world-champion Dodgers

Finally, we close with Q&A. The questions were light this week, but we'll chock it up to a holiday hangover.

We'll probably continue to record every other week, or as news warrants, during the winter.

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Report: Dodgers, Don Mattingly, agree to contract extension through 2016

Check one off the list. The Dodgers and Don Mattingly on Tuesday finally came to an agreement on a contract extension.

ESPN LA's Ramona Shelburne reported the extension will be of the 2-year variety, locking him up through the 2016 season, which is just right. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported on Monday the two sides were close on an extension. He also reported the new deal replaces his contract that vested for the 2014 season.

Surprisingly, some fans don't care for Mattingly's tactics. While he bunts too much and doesn't always trust his relievers, things could be worse. Mattingly isn't the best manager in the game, but he's the best manager for this team. Now, how's 'bout a World Series trophy for the organization and the fans?

Photo credit: Cbl62, Wikimedia Commons

Dodgers could make splash by extending Kershaw, Ramirez, Mattingly

It appears the Dodgers aren't going to make any big moves this winter -- which is perfectly acceptable. They brought back a number of their most important free agents while adding Dan Haren to the mix.

They could still be in on Masahiro Tanaka, but that situation won't be resolved for another 18 days (at most). If they bring him aboard, he'll have been the biggest offseason acquisition. But the Dodgers can make an even bigger splash without having to bring anyone in.

Extensions. The Dodgers can sign three people to extensions during the rest of the winter that would cement their offseason as great.

Clayton Kershaw, Hanley Ramirez and Don Mattingly are all going into the last years of their respective deals. Of the trio, Kershaw is the most important person who should be extended.

Kershaw is going into his age-26 season as the best pitcher in baseball. The Dodgers cannot afford to have him reach free agency. Funny, with the Dodgers' seemingly unlimited budget, that's one thing they can't afford. An 8-year extension -- at minimum -- should be the starting point for contract talks.

There was scuttlebutt a few weeks ago the Dodgers might be getting close on an extension for Ramirez, but that has died down for the moment. Ramirez is coming off his best season -- rate stats-wise -- and could very well repeat his 2013 numbers. If he could do it while playing 130-140 games, he'd win the NL MVP. A 4-to-6-year extension isn't out of the question.

Mattingly was all but fired in June, then he all but resigned in October after the Dodgers' exit from the playoffs with a bold press conference in the presence of General Manager Ned Colletti. Now, he's slated to go into the 2014 season as a lame duck manager for the second consecutive season. The players obviously like playing for Mattingly, and he appears to like managing in Los Angeles. I'm just wondering where the disconnect is. Mattingly deserves a 2-year extension, as this team is primed to make a World Series run in 2014 and beyond.

-----

The Dodgers could assert their financial dominance even more than they already have by extending this trio. There's still roughly six weeks before pitchers and catchers report, so the time to get these done is now.

Even if they don't land Tanaka (or someone else), these moves could be the big ones some were expecting this offseason.

Photo credit: SD Dirk, Flickr

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 62 - Offseason rumors, awards, Rule 5/AFL

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and I somehow record one of the longest episodes in the show's history, despite not having a whole lot to talk about.

We wrap up awards season and I divulge my Internet Baseball Writers Association of America ballot.

Tim Wallach was officially announced as Don Mattingly's bench coach. Bully.

Offseason rumors abound, and the Dodgers are mentioned with some good players and some not-so-good players. We also say goodbye to Nick Punto and Skip Schumaker.

The 40-man roster deadline is tonight and we discuss who we would add to protect from December's Rule 5 Draft.

The Arizona Fall League is over and Corey Seager had a "meh" showing. Not surprising for a 19-year-old in his first full season of ball.

The Dodgers hired an executive away from Washington to be a national crosschecker in the form of Roy Clark. Great hire.

Episode dedications
Jared and Dustin: Jose Nunez

As usual, we close with Q&A. Here's hoping for some more good ones next week!

We'll probably continue to record every other week, or as news warrants, during the winter.

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

My 2013 IBWAA awards ballot: Trout, Kershaw, Myers, Hurdle, Uehara, more

This is my 2013 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America awards ballot (yay transparency!). I feel I didn't go too homer in some places. Enjoy!

*- BBWA winner

**- IBWAA winner

***- BBWA and IBWAA winner

American League

Most Valuable Player

1. Mike Trout, Anaheim

2. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit***

3. Josh Donaldson, Oakland

4. Chris Davis, Baltimore

5. Robinson Cano, New York

6. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay

7. Manny Machado, Baltimore

8. Dustin Pedroia, Boston

9. Max Scherzer, Detroit

10. Adrian Beltre, Texas

- Like last year, my top two are the same. Also like last year, Cabrera was voted ahead of Trout. Trout has two of the best age-20 and 21 seasons, yet has zero MVPs to show for it. Oh, and he plays defense and runs the bases well. Donaldson was really good and underrated this season. Machado had a solid season with the bat, but was game-changing with his glove.

Cy Young

1. Max Scherzer, Detroit***

2. Felix Hernandez, Seattle

3. Anibal Sanchez, Detroit

4. Yu Darvish, Texas

5. Chris Sale, Chicago

- Scherzer had a fantastic season, and it had nothing to do with wins. Hernandez is underrated seemingly every year. Any of these five had a case for the award.

Rookie of the Year

1. Wil Myers, Tampa Bay***

2. Jose Iglesias, Boston/Detroit

3. Chris Archer, Tampa Bay

- Myers was not only the best rookie in an otherwise weak AL crop, he was the most impactful. Iglesias hit surprisingly well, but also has an “8” glove. Archer is the next great Tampa Bay starter.

Manager of the Year

1. Terry Francona, Cleveland*

2. Ned Yost, Kansas City

3. Bob Melvin, Oakland

- Francona did a masterful job in Cleveland. There’s some talent on that roster, but not 92-win talent. I’m shocked Yost didn’t get a lot of play for the award in the BBWA or IBWAA ballots. Melvin guided his team to the third-best record in baseball. I probably erred by not including IBWAA winner John Farrell**.

Reliever of the Year

1. Koji Uehara, Boston

2. Greg Holland, Kansas City**

3. Neal Cotts, Texas

- Uehara doesn’t throw hard at all, yet was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. Holland is on the cusp of being an elite closer. Cotts had an amazing comeback season.

National League

Most Valuable Player

1. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh***

2. Matt Carpenter, St. Louis

3. Hanley Ramirez, Los Angeles

4. Yadier Molina, St. Louis

5. Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona

6. Joey Votto, Cincinnati

7. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles

8. Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles

9. Shin-Soo Choo, Cincinnati

10. Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee

- McCutchen was far and away the NL’s best player. While his counting stats aren’t overly impressive, he provided much more value than home runs and RBIs. Carpenter led the majors in runs scored, hits and doubles. Ramirez would have run away with this award if he performed like he did over, say, 130 games. He was that valuable. Molina and Goldschmidt were great in their own rights. I probably should have voted Kershaw higher.

Cy Young

1. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles***

2. Jose Fernandez, Miami

3. Adam Wainwright, St. Louis

4. Cliff Lee, Philadelphia

5. Matt Harvey, New York

- This was the slam dunk of all slam dunks. Kershaw had a season for the ages and was never in danger of losing out to a fluke season (like last year). Fernandez was shut down in September, or he could have made a better case. Harvey was the biggest competition for Kershaw before he blew out his elbow.

Rookie of the Year

1. Jose Fernandez, Miami***

2. Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles

3. Hyun-Jin Ryu, Los Angeles

- The award is for “best rookie,” not “most valuable rookie.” Puig was the most valuable, Fernandez was the best. His age-20 season was one of the best in the history of the game -- hard to overlook that. Ryu was hurt by a deep class (Shelby Miller, Julio Tehran) and age (26).

Manager of the Year

1. Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh***

2. Fredi Gonzalez, Atlanta

3. Don Mattingly, Los Angeles

- OK, maybe this was the slam dunk of slam dunks. Like Francona in Cleveland, Hurdle managed his team to better-than-expected results with talent that wasn’t necessarily top-notch (despite having the MVP). Mattingly is only here because his team sucked until June 22 and he was almost fired.

Reliever of the Year

1. Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles

2. Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta**

3. Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis

- Hard to go wrong with any of these three. My Dodger bias plays in a little here, but Jansen is vastly underrated in the media because, well, I’m not exactly sure why.

Graphic credit: Howard Cole, baseballsavvy

Video of Alexander Guerrero's first home run in Dominican Winter League

Yes, it's the Dominican Winter League, but Alexander Guerrero's first home run is a glimpse into what the Dodgers and their fans can expect from the offensive-minded second baseman going forward.

Guerrero went 3-for-3 with a home run. He also exited the game early due to an apparent injury.

@FeelinKindaBlue also left the game after injuring himself. No word on if it was the hand again or what.
— Nic Jongeling (@NicJongeling) November 13, 2013

I'm sure the possible injury was minor. Even if it's significant, Guerrero has the rest of the winter to recover.

Now, it's hard to evaluate Guerrero's swing mechanics from one shaky video against a 24-year-old Japanese pitcher in Sho Iwasaki, but I'm going to try to do just that. Again, take this with a grain of salt -- or a full canister of Morton's Iodized Salt (no, I'm not getting any money from Morton's for that).



Guerrero's swing looks rather effortless and smooth. He takes a quick path to the ball with his swing, allowing him to pop the homer. His base is a wide stance with a significant leg kick during his load. His hands are quiet and don't move much pre-swing. His hips open up as his bat is quick through the zone, but not in a violent way. There's an ease about this swing that is encouraging.

Don't take what I write next literally, but his follow-through and finish look Alex Rodriguez-like. I'm in no way saying he's going to be Alex Rodriguez, but that's what I see (from this video) as he finishes his swing.

Here's hoping the injury is minor and Guerrero continues to get seasoning in the DWL. I don't think there's much danger of him missing the opening day roster, but the moves the Dodgers make this winter will shed light on that situation.

-----

Oh, Don Mattingly finished second behind Clint Hurdle in National League Manager of the Year voting. He received two first-place votes and 17 second-place votes. Not bad for a guy who was almost fired in June and was almost not brought back following a trip to the NLCS.

Dodgers announce 2014 coaching staff, led by Don Mattingly, Wallach

Despite a rocky start to the off-season, Don Mattingly will be back at the helm of the Dodgers in 2014.

The Dodgers announced on Monday Mattingly and the entire coaching staff (less Trey Hillman) will return next season.

Tim Wallach, who had interviewed for the managerial jobs in Detroit and Seattle, will serve as Mattingly's bench coach. Wallach had been the team's third base coach for the last three years.

Wallach will get a managerial job one day, but he's a good choice for Mattingly's bench coach. I'd have preferred a guy like Manny Acta (more forward-thinking), but here's hoping Wallach can get Mattingly to bunt less going forward.

Albuquerque Isotopes' manager Lorenzo Bundy will replace Wallach as the Dodgers' third base coach. It's a great and well-deserved move for Bundy.

The rest of the staff is as follows:

Mark McGwire, hitting coach

Rick Honeycutt, pitching coach

Chuck Crim, bullpen coach

Davey Lopes, first base coach

John Valentin, assistant hitting coach

Ken Howell, assistant pitching coach

Manny Mota, coach (35th season)

Steve Yeager, coach

It remains to be seen if Mattingly will get the long-term extension he so desires (and deserves, despite the bunting). But keeping a consistent coaching staff is good for the staff itself and the players.

Remember, this team was two wins away from a World Series appearance and is set to make the necessary moves to remain title contenders. Mattingly has a pretty good thing in LA. Here's hoping he delivers a World Series trophy in about 11 1/2 months.

Photo credit: Cbl62, Wikimedia Commons

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 61 - Awards, Kershaw, Wallach, plans

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and I divulge our off-season plans for the Dodgers.

But first, we touch on awards season. Jared gives his picks for each major award. I voted in the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, so I won't make my ballot public until the results are announced. Don't worry, it'll happen next week.

Clayton Kershaw said he's "curious" about free agency. Jared freaks out a bit while I'm calm and cool about it.

Tim Wallach lost out to Brad Ausmus for the Detroit Tigers' job and Lloyd McClendon for the Seattle Mariners' job. Now, he could be Don Mattingly's bench coach. At worst, he'll be the team's third base coach again.

We try to make our off-season plans as realistic as possible. We also throw in a few curveballs and unexpected transactions. Hope you enjoy. I'll have my off-season plan in written form come Friday.

Episode dedications
Jared: Chan Ho Park
Dustin: Chan Ho Park (but just to be different, Josh Beckett)

Then, we close with Q&A, which were pretty good this week. Keep it up!

We'll probably continue to record every other week, or as news warrants, during the winter.

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 60 - NLCS review, Guerrero, Kershaw, more

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) and I lament the end of the Dodgers' season after losing 4-2 in the 2013 National League Championship Series. Go Red Sox.

But before this, Jared paid tribute to the recently departed Alex Castellanos. He was designated for assignment late last week (and was traded to Boston on Wednesday).

Surprisingly, we don't spend a ton of time on that series. Instead, Don Mattingly and his Monday press conference was the topic of a lot of discussion. I'm still not sold he's going to be back, but the longer he's still the Dodger manager after Monday, the better.

The Dodgers finally signed Alexander Guerrero after trying multiple times. He should be the team's starting second baseman for the foreseeable future.

Clayton Kershaw, despite a terrible Game 6, is in line for a huge payday. It seems like we've been saying this for awhile, but, unlike Mattingly returning, I am confident this deal will get done before the start of the 2014 season.

Stop me if you've heard this one: Matt Kemp had another surgery. This time, it was his ankle. He had shoulder surgery a few weeks ago. Here's hoping he comes back healthy for 2014, even if it isn't for the start of the season.

David Price rumors are still floating around. We do our best to sift through everything and give our opinion on the situation. Anytime you can add an elite pitcher, it certainly isn't a bad thing (see: Zack Greinke).

Episode dedications
Jared: Alex Castellanos
Dustin: Masao Kida (even if Jared wouldn't let me say it)

Then, we close with Q&A, which were plentiful. Keep it up!

We'll probably record every other week, or as news warrants, during the winter.

Libsyn link
Direct link
iTunes link

Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Don Mattingly correct to want contract extension from Dodgers' ownership

The end of the season press conference doesn't usually provide so much drama and intrigue, but that's exactly what happened at Dodger Stadium on Monday. The main topic of conversation from the conference was Dodgers' manager (for now) Don Mattingly.

Side note: Check out that great photo in the link above. A picture really can say a thousand words.

Mattingly told reporters his option for 2014 vested when the team beat the Braves in the National League Division Series. However, he added this nugget.

"That doesn’t mean I’ll be back."

Well then. Mattingly went onto talk about the conditions under which he managed the 2013 season. If one reads between the lines, it's clear Mattingly doesn't want to be a lame duck manager -- and he has every right to feel that way.

Mattingly's contract situation was seemingly an issue ever since spring training. With new ownership coming in for its first full season, Mattingly could have easily been let go following the 2012 season. And he was almost let go in June, but the Dodgers went on their ridiculous streak to save his job (for now).

Mattingly is making this play because there are a number of managerial openings around baseball, including gigs in Detroit and Washington. Both need managers and are playoff-caliber teams. In fact, a report in May said the Nationals could be a logical landing spot if he were to be fired.

This could be a ploy to get the Dodgers to call his, for all intents and purposes, bluff. The ownership won't be afraid to let him go, but Mattingly had no other play here.

The fact is, he's going to have a job somewhere. I'm thinking he'll remain in Los Angeles, but the presser didn't exactly inspire full confidence in that.

If Mattingly doesn't return, let's just hope Dodger ownership wants to go in another direction -- a modern direction. That means no Dusty Baker or Tony LaRussa.

The best candidate for the job would be Tampa Bay Rays' manager Joe Maddon. Unfortunately, he's signed through 2015 at a modest $2 million per season. The Dodgers could work a deal with the Rays, but manager-for-player trades don't happen too often.

Another candidate would be Manny Acta, who is jobless at the moment. He's definitely a forward-thinking baseball mind, as evidence by this Q&A from FanGraphs in May 2012. He talks a lot about the offense, but this might be the best quote:

"'I’m not big on bunting guys from first to second. I don’t think it’s a secret, because the facts are out there. It’s been proven that a guy has a better chance of scoring from first with no outs than from second with one out. I have to have way too much of an advantage late in the game, bullpen-wise and great hitters lined up, to do that. At first and second with no outs, I usually only do it with the bottom of the order, or maybe the top guy in the order, depending on how he’s swinging the bat. It guarantees me a runner on third with less than two out and another runner in scoring position. But I probably won’t if we need multiple runs. If it’s the heart of my order, it won’t happen.'"

Man, it'd be refreshing to have a guy like that leading this team. At the same time, the players have to buy into the manager's philosophy.

It's no secret the Dodger players love playing for Mattingly. He's definitely a player's manager, and reports state in 2013, the clubhouse was as loose as it has been in many years. When I was in there for one game, it was definitely a fun environment in which all the guys seemed to get along. A lot of that can be attributed to winning, but some of the credit must go to Mattingly for that.

Mattingly was able to get the most out of Hanley Ramirez since his 2009 days in Florida, when he was one of baseball's best players. Now, he's without a doubt one of the league's best hitters.

The decision ultimately is Stan Kasten's. Ned Colletti hired Mattingly before the Guggeneim group, Kasten and Magic Johnson took over. It really isn't his decision. The ownership, despite extending him last year, could very well jettison him as well -- but it doesn't seem like Kasten wants to do that.

But Kasten and Co. did get rid of Trey Hillman on Tuesday. Hillman was the Dodgers' bench coach and was hired by Mattingly. What's more, Mattingly wasn't informed of the decision. With this news just breaking, the odds Mattingly returns just got significantly worse.

Mattingly isn't a bad guy by any means. He just wants to feel, well, wanted by the club. By the club not offering a contract extension following a 92-win season and coming up two wins short of reaching the World Series for the first time in 25 years, it isn't showing confidence in him. Mattingly rolled with the situation, and now he wants to be rewarded.

Yes, he still bunts far too often and sometimes his in-game management can be questioned, but he's still the best man for the job -- for now.

Photo credit: BryanKemp, Flickr

Dodgers recall five players, Withrow next, Kemp struggling in Rancho

Today is the day Major League Baseball rosters expand from 25 players to 40. The Dodgers recalled five players today, and there aren't plans to recall many more players.

The Dodgers recalled Drew Butera, Stephen Fife, Dee Gordon, Peter Moylan and Scott Van Slyke from Triple-A Albuquerque, which ends its season on Tuesday. Chris Withrow will be recalled on Tuesday to basically fill out the bullpen.

All five figure not to play much, especially Fife, who might not make a start this month, especially after the Dodgers signed Edinson Volquez on Thursday.

Dodgers' Manager Don Mattingly said there are no plans to recall left-handed pitcher Onelki Garcia at this time. Garcia, 24, was the Dodgers' third-round draft selection in the 2012 MLB Draft.

I previously speculated the Dodgers promoted Garcia to Triple-A in plans of making him a September call-up. Barring anything unforeseen, that won't happen, but it isn't because of poor performance.

"Just listening to some of our guys who have seen him this year, they're really happy with the way he's going," Mattingly said. "As the season went on, he got better and better. He's kinda getting on the radar."

Other than Matt Kemp, who isn't exactly a September call-up, there aren't many other players who plan to be recalled.

And Kemp has struggled in Rancho Cucamonga, going 0-for-11 with five strikeouts in three games. He's slated to play at least one more game for the Quakes today. The Quakes are 1 1/2 games ahead for the wild card spot in the California League with two games to play. So, it stands to reason Kemp could get a little more action down there in the coming week before being recalled to Los Angeles. If he isn't ready, he could wind ump in the Instructional League in Arizona.

"We want to make sure he's feeling good," Mattingly said. "I want to make sure he's comfortable and ready to go out there.

"I know he doesn't feel good yet at the plate, so he's not pushing us to say, 'I want to be there tomorrow.' The thought is, he's going to continue to play -- we just don't know the logistics of all that."

Here's some video of Kemp's first two at-bats in last night's Quakes' game.



Kemp looked bad at the plate in all three of his at-bats (struck out in his third). He didn't stick around long after the game. He said he felt good, but he was obviously frustrated.

Still, when he comes back -- ready to go -- he'll be a big boost for the Dodgers.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue