Dodgers Phillies Preview Pt. 2

Last night we all watched as the Dodgers frustratingly got 13 hits, 9 off of Roy Halladay all singles, and 16 base-runners total, but went just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. It all added up to a 5-to-3 Phillies win and now the Dodger killer Cliff Lee will be on the mound tonight. A single Dodgers run will be considered a win in my book.

To illustrate how frustrating it is to be a Dodgers blogger just have a look at the questions my colleague over at the Phillies Blog, That Balls Outta Here, sent me about the Dodgers. Thankfully there were no Frank McCourt questions, which is the first time that has happened in any of my series previews.

So here is part 2 with 6 questions from Justin Kulgh, who you will see is quite the character, and as you will also see 6 months of writing about the Dodgers everyday has made me quite bitter, and I’m obviously having problems getting over the trade of Trayvon Robinson. But that’s Ned’s fault not mine you cannot argue on any level the Dodgers are better off without T Rob.

I’ll bet you anything Tony Gwynn Jr gets a multi-year contract after this year, as being the best of an awful bunch of Dodgers left-fielders by hitting a robust .255. T Rob would have done that and more, but we’ll never know cause Neddy traded him for the always important “organizational depth.” On to the preview…

1.  Tommy LaSorda recently said that he saw great things in Clayton Kershaw’s delivery and talent, “…but let’s see how many of those W’s come up.  That will tell you how good he really is.”  When will Clayton win enough to earn Tommy’s love?

If he hasn’t earned it by now, then Tommy needs to be banned from speaking publicly.  Considering Kershaw has only two legitimate MLB batters on his team in Kemp and Ethier, and an old and overpaid/young and inexperienced bullpen, its remarkable he has the record he does.  Again, aside from Kemp and Ethier, the Dodgers are a glorified Triple-A team.

2.  Speaking of Tommy LaSorda, he seemed dead set enough on bringing Dodger fans back to the park that he expressed some coherent points before delving into a series of questionable mumbles.  What strategies can he employ to seduce LA residents into buying tickets?  Also, does he love Clayton Kershaw yet?

Make Frank McCourt end the madness and sell the team and fire Ned Colletti so he’ll stop paying so much money to awful free-agents like Ted Lilly and Juan Uribe and stop trading top prospects like Trayvon Robinson for “Organizational depth.” As long as Frank McCourt owns the Dodgers the fans will stay away and as long a Ned Colletti is making baseball decisions instead of Logan White the team will struggle to compete.

3.  What do you know about this Dodgers Think Clue Scavenger Hunt?  What were they tasked with finding?  Money?  People in the stands?  Matt Kemp’s regression?

It was a ploy to garner interest in the Dodgers and give away stuff so fans will show up to the park. The town is so angry at what the current owner and GM have turned this great franchise into that fans are staying away in droves and will continue to do so.

4.  What does it say to the fans that with all of the baseball-repellent smeared across Chavez Ravine these days, Hiroki Kuroda elected to stay and see things through to the bitter divorce?  I mean, end.  To the bitter end.

I have no idea what he was thinking. I think it shows he doesn’t care about trying to win a championship and pitch in the playoffs and ultimately it cost the Dodgers their best all around prospect, Trayvon Robinson, because they ended up trading him to the Red Sox for the guys they wanted to trade Kuroda for. It turned out to be just another disaster in what has become a season of disasters for this franchise.

5.  What is Dee Gordon’s future in Los Angeles?  And I’m talking beyond his 14th birthday.

I would think Philly fan would have some love for Dee considering how good his Pops was for ya’ll [EDITOR’S NOTE: Yeah, but he didn’t stay good, so we naturally switched to booing him].

He’s the fastest man in baseball, he’s raw cause he only started playing baseball his senior year in High School, but I’m sure at some point he’ll be traded because the Dodgers will decide they need a light hittting glove-first 1B, just like the one they have in James Loney.

6.  I read Vin Scully gave an especially sweet good-bye to Rafael Furcal on air.  Can you relay some of the highlights?  And is there a greater honor in sports?

I didn’t hear the good-bye but if Vin uttered it you know it’s legit. He should be announcing the World Series, end of discussion. And the fact that he’s been with the organization for over 60 years, and that he was listed in the McCourt bankruptcy as being owed over $150 K shows you just what kind of guy Frank McCourt really is.