To Dodger Fans, the few that are out there lol

[Javier]

What do you guys think of this lineup and team

1.SS- Aybar/Robles (Until Izturis is healthy)
2.1B- Hee Seop Choi
3.CF- J.D. Drew
4.3B- Troy Glaus (Through Trade by sending them Odalis Perez and Antonio Perez)
5.RF- Brian Giles (Through FA)
6.2B- Jeff Kent
7.LF- Jose Cruz Jr.
8.C- Navarro

Rotation

1. Brad Penny
2. Kevin Milwood/Matt Morris
3. Derek Lowe
4. D.J Houlton
5. ?


This would be best case scenario obviously, but this lineup can  definetaly be done.  And by far this would be the best team in the NL west and the best team the dodgers have had in years 

[Don Jacob]

 

[WestCoasta]

better than last year!

I like the Glaus trade, I wouldn't count on getting Giles, don't know what Millwood's situation is but he'd be good....

if the West is as shitty as last year and they stay healthy, MAYBE they can make the playoffs, be a couple games over .500

[Javier]

Matt Morris would be an excellent pitcher because Busch Stadium's dimensions give extra doubles to players in their ballpark, now that half of his starts could be at Dodger stadium those doubles turn into outs.  Milwood on the other hand is just an excellent pitcher but its rare when he has a full healthy season.  Even last year, if we were healthy we would have won 80-85 games.  It's not like this team is built badly, there's need to be time to see the minor league prospects get out there to reach 100 games and really be competitive

[WestCoasta]

yeah if we're healthy we'll be alright, I'm seriously not expecting big things

at least this new GM is coming in and laying shit out, unlike DePo who handled everything like a pussy and tiptoed around every subject possible

[Javier]

yeah if we're healthy we'll be alright, I'm seriously not expecting big things

at least this new GM is coming in and laying shit out, unlike DePo who handled everything like a pussy and tiptoed around every subject possible

Do you honestly think that?  Here's an interview where you can clearly see what the hell he is doing.

Dodger general manager Paul DePodesta lives, learns - and most of all, listens

As the shadows spread their fingers across the field during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium, Paul DePodesta, executive vice president and general manager of the Dodgers, sat with vice president and assistant general manager Kim Ng in the isolation of manager Jim Tracy's office.

It was October 2, 2004. The Dodgers were attempting to come back from a 3-0 deficit against San Francisco, in a game that would either win them the National League West title or squeeze their lead over the Giants down to one game with one game remaining.

Four years earlier, DePodesta had been assistant general manager with the Oakland A's when they needed a victory to clinch the American League West on the season's final day - or else travel to Tampa Bay for a makeup game. Oakland broke a 0-0 tie in the seventh with a Randy Velarde home run, hung on to a 3-0 lead in the ninth despite the tying run coming to the plate, and won the division before a home crowd goin'-crazy.

"The intensity of the moment was indescribable," DePodesta recalled Thursday morning in an interview with Dodger Thoughts, "and the raw emotion, because of the odds we had overcome to get there. I wasn't a fan, but I felt like a fan – probably the only time in my career that I allowed myself to feel that way."

"I really expected that if I had the opportunity as a general manager to get a team in the playoffs it must just be overwhelming … if there's something more intense than this."

In Los Angeles, the rally began. Hee Seop Choi walked on a 3-2 pitch to drive in a run. Jayson Werth got a big two-strike single to tie the game. Steve Finley then came to the plate with the game tied, three on, one out, and the first-year general manager somewhere between holding down the fort and the fort holding down him.

"As soon as I saw the ball leave his bat, I literally just stood up and put my arms straight over my head and looked at Kim and … basically, that was all I had," he said with a laugh. "That was all I could muster. I was just so spent.

"The thing I realized at the moment … when you're the GM, the difference is, you take it so personally. You feel a huge sense of responsibility, not just for your team but for the city, for the impact it's going to have. When [the game] was over, it probably was just a giant relief as opposed to joy."

As the evening went on, DePodesta was able to savor the moment as a celebration rather than an escape. But the memory may be enlightening to those who have pigeonholed the second-year Dodger executive as beholden to no one but his computer, or for that matter, his immediate superior.

Call Him WePodesta
It takes more than one person to wrassle a stereotype to the ground, and DePodesta isn't going to do it alone. He is an architect of change, no doubt – a leader – but he crafts his blueprint with the input of many, many others.

"It's constantly evolving," DePodesta said of his method of player evaluation. "We constantly try to learn about it. We spent two full days (this week) with our pro scouts and almost had an open forum talking about our players and sharing our perspectives and sharing all different kinds of experiences.

"I don't want to say we're creating a new model. (It's) some kind of marriage between objective and subjective analysis that leads to better decision making."

Two years after the publication of Michael Lewis' Moneyball, people inside and outside the baseball establishment have finally begun asking whether the war between scouting and sabermetrics is as antagonistic as it has seemed. Under DePodesta, the Dodgers appear to have brokered a peace in different ways – by not only conscripting experts in scouting alongside experts in numbers, but those who are equally comfortable in both arenas.

"Hopefully, you cover every angle to form a particular decision," DePodesta said. "I don't necessarily believe in sitting in a room and throwing out my opinion and having people agree.

"I don't think all of us have to be versed in objective and subjective analysis, but we at least have to appreciate that both exist and will be pieces of the puzzle. Our professional scouts have asked me, are there (particular) statistics you want me to look at? I said, 'No, we can do that in the office. Your job is to add texture to those numbers.' "

An example of others convincing DePodesta to change his mind, he recalled, came almost exactly a year ago, when the Dodgers faced a decision between retaining utlitymen Jolbert Cabrera or Jose Hernandez. DePodesta was leaning toward Cabrera.

"Jolbert Cabrera was a guy who had been here, played many positions, was a known commodity," DePodesta said. "The major league staff said at the end of the day, 'We all like Jolbert – he's done some things for this club – but we think Jose might be a better fit for the way we're gonna use him.' "

Often during the season, according to DePodesta, a decision will need to be made and he will narrow down the Dodgers' options to two or three, asking the staff to express which direction comforts them the most.

On the other hand …

"If I feel really strongly that it has to be this one guy, then that's my responsibility," DePodesta said.

Wish Unfulfillment
Of course, not every dream DePodesta and the Dodgers have will come true. Asked what his biggest disappointment from the 2004-05 offseason was, DePodesta didn't hesitate to say it was the loss of third baseman Adrian Beltre as a free agent.

"It's Adrian," DePodesta said. "There's no doubt. There were a lot of guys we pursued and would have loved to have had, but when it's one of your own who had a breakout year, in the prime of his career – that's an easy answer."

While DePodesta regretted the outcome, he said that there was nothing the Dodgers could have done differently to keep Beltre. Though this could not be confirmed with Beltre's agent, Scott Boras, DePodesta said that it's "very unusual in a free-agent situation to have the ability" to meet directly with the player. Everything had to go through Boras - not that DePodesta was blaming Boras in any way.

"I certainly had a lot of contact with Scott," said DePodesta, who was also interested in other Boras clients including Hernandez, Derek Lowe and Alex Cora. "Three to four face-to-face meetings, lots of phone calls. … Scott was on my speed dial throughout the winter. There certainly wasn't a lack of communication there."

Conversely, there was one meeting with DePodesta, Boras and Beltre in the same room.

"Even in that meeting with Adrian, it was forbidden to talk about financials or contract," DePodesta said. "We could just talk about the team."

The bidding on Beltre between teams was not a back-and-forth, can-you-top-this contest, according to DePodesta, but more of a blind auction. DePodesta told Boras to contact him when he was ready for their offer, and so he did. And ultimately, the Beltre camp liked Seattle's offer better.

Some thought DePodesta's offer was generous; others might argue that DePodesta should have found a way, despite all the obstacles, to make the Beltre signing happen. Whether he could have or not, what was immediately clear was that the Dodger winter was headed for rewrite.

When the offseason began, according to DePodesta, the Dodgers had the goal of improving the pitching staff, retaining Beltre, adding another piece or two like Jeff Kent, and also perhaps retaining Steve Finley. As time passed, the Dodgers lost out on Beltre while seeing the cost of starting pitching soar, forcing the front office to call an audible.

DePodesta said that while outfielder J.D. Drew was always a consideration for the Dodgers, there was never a chance they would sign both Beltre and Drew. Once Beltre turned north to ponder the philosophical question, "How does Puget Sound?" the Dodgers looked east and went directly after Atlanta free agent Drew.

"Our biggest fear was being left standing without a chair when the music stopped," DePodesta said.

Hi Lily, Hi Lily, High Lowe
Later, in a move that made members of the pro- and anti-DePodesta camps partners in perplexity, DePodesta signed the 31-year-old Lowe, coming off an outstanding postseason but a mediocre regular season, to a four-year, $36-million contract.

DePodesta recognizes the gamble of signing any player, especially a pitcher, to an extended deal, but said that "you're gonna lose a lot of players" if you have a hard-and-fast rule against it. Essentially, though each yearly Dodger payroll year has its own salary limit, DePodesta looks at a contract for its cumulative cost and value.

"Lowe, knock on wood, he's never spent a day on the disabled list in his major league career, and that meant a lot to us," DePodesta said. "You feel better giving him four years at 31 years old with his health history than giving a guy in his mid-30s (with prior injuries) a three-year deal.

"If it means having a great guy for three years, and you end up having to pay the price in the fourth year, sometimes that may be worth it. That being said, I think we want to be as smart about it as we possibly can."

Some flexibility can come acquiring from low-cost veterans, which raises this interesting question: What makes DePodesta draw the line on a player at, say, $500,000 instead of $525,000? DePodesta said that $25,000 is "real money," that goes back into the payroll rather than "disappearing somewhere in the organization," but added that his response depended on the situation.

"There are some times you may be able to realize that they're asking just to ask," DePodesta noted. "And then it's a little bit easier to draw the line in the sand. That being said, if you have a guy like Scott Erickson or like Kelly Wunsch and you're saying to yourself, he's at 525 or 550 and we're at 500 on a minor-league contract – if that guy makes our team and ends up contributing, it's a great deal at 500 or 550. Let's not be penny-wise and pound-foolish; let's make sure we get the player."

Certainly, contrary to popular belief, not everyone on the 2005 Dodgers is new. In fact, about two-thirds of the roster was with the team when it reached the playoffs last October. This includes relief ace Eric Gagne and shortstop Cesar Izturis, who were signed to multiyear deals in what DePodesta called his most satisfying part of the offseason (other than "getting it over with," he joked).

"I felt through the first 11 months (as general manager), all the way up to signing Derek Lowe, it was a frenetic pace," DePodesta said. "We were trying to evaluate, trying to rebuild and trying to win, all at the same time.

"As soon as we signed Gagne and Izturis, it was the first time I felt we were moving forward," he added. "There's always going to be some change. Every team goes through change every year. (But) the abnormal change is over."

DePodesta said that he now hopes to strike a balance between aggressiveness and patience.

"If it's a very marginal improvement that greatly upsets the current setup and stability of the club, you sort of have to weigh that against the decision you're trying to make," he said.

The Dodgers' most recent acquisition, catcher Jason Phillips, might be an example of this. DePodesta had been interested in Phillips since August, but was "perfectly prepared" to go with a combination of Paul Bako, Dave Ross and Dioner Navarro at catcher.

Things changed when Phillips became available at the right price.

"I thought he was a good fit for what we're looking for," DePodesta said. "He's shown some offense, he's a threat near the bottom of the lineup, and yet a guy that isn't necessarily going to block a (Russell) Martin or a Navarro when they're banging down the door. … As much as I think it's going to help this team right now – he will help us – I think more importantly he will allow us to take Dioner Navarro and Martin and finish their development."

Finishing School
DePodesta is no different from many other general managers in how slowly he creaks open the door to the majors for young propsects. In addition to making sure no one is rushed out of the warmth of the incubator before he's viable, DePodesta is conscious that a player's peak value typically comes after he reaches the age of 27. So he thinks twice before creating a situation where, as happened with Beltre, a player can become a free agent before reaching that summit.

And yes, if you're wondering about the latest Baby Blue - 20-year-old, 6-foot-6 tallstop Joel Guzman - so is DePodesta.

"I just want to be prudent the way we handle the situation," DePodesta said. "He's had less than half a season in double-A. I think this guy long-term has a chance to be an impact player. When you have a guy like that, there certainly is a temptation to get him here right away. Probably the best thing for us is to wait until he is absolutely ready. Who's to say when that will be? Maybe it's this year; maybe it's 2007. He'll dictate (when his time is)."

But make no mistake, DePodesta added: "If we feel like Guzman's going to help us win right now if we bring him up, then we will."

The Dodgers' fortunes do rest to some extent on some of their promising minor league prospects fulfilling their potential. But for many, prospecting seems as haphazard an endeavor in Chavez Ravine today as it was during Gold Rush days. Asked if it were a crapshoot, if having 10 good prospects meant that three might succeed without knowing which three it would be, DePodesta said it was more sophisticated than that, but not a whole lot more.

"We're trying to predict the performance of human beings in special situations," he said. "We're never going to be right about that. We're going to try to build a decision-making process where we're right more often than we're wrong. We know we're not going to be right all the time.

"We probably have a bit more insight at who has a better chance than others. We're certainly not expecting [all] of them to make it."

Still, DePodesta is pleased with the Dodgers organizational depth, and how many players seemed major-league ready or close to it during Spring Training 2005.

"We have some tough decisions even though some guys are going to start the season on the disabled list," DePodesta said, "Not just 25 guys – I think we feel good about 35 guys."

And so, with Opening Day around the weekend corner, it begins again for DePodesta. Another year of camping out in Tracy's office, a latter-day Jerry West feeling the weight of the team's future on his shoulders. And maybe, just maybe, another year closer to breaking free of the Moneyball label that has made even his most innocuous moves the subject of fervent debate.

"I was small enough in the book that it hasn't affected me at all," DePodesta said. "But people who, for whatever reason, were offended by the book or what it posits, definitely would like to see the people in the book fail – that became pretty clear through the course of last year. It hasn't necessarily changed my day-to-day.

"It did end up creating almost some factions within the game, whereas my contention all along is these things aren't black and white, they are gray. To me, it's about trying to find a way of marrying all this different information."

[WestCoasta]

I respect your research

but you won't change my mind over what a weenie DePo was and I won't change yours

we shall be Dodger fans in peace this upcoming season 

[BizzyR.I.P.]

What do you guys think of this lineup and team

1.SS- Aybar/Robles (Until Izturis is healthy)
2.1B- Hee Seop Choi
3.CF- J.D. Drew
4.3B- Troy Glaus (Through Trade by sending them Odalis Perez and Antonio Perez)
5.RF- Brian Giles (Through FA)
6.2B- Jeff Kent
7.LF- Jose Cruz Jr.
8.C- Navarro

Rotation

1. Brad Penny
2. Kevin Milwood/Matt Morris
3. Derek Lowe
4. D.J Houlton
5. ?


This would be best case scenario obviously, but this lineup can  definetaly be done.  And by far this would be the best team in the NL west and the best team the dodgers have had in years 

Maybe a trade for Carlos Delgado to play 1st?

[Javier]

If we trade for Delgado to play 1st then we wont have Glaus.  But yeah thats a really good trade and the only clear upgrade we can have at 1B compared to the other options that are avaiable. 

[BizzyR.I.P.]

If we trade for Delgado to play 1st then we wont have Glaus.  But yeah thats a really good trade and the only clear upgrade we can have at 1B compared to the other options that are avaiable. 

I'd rather have Delgado. He might not hit as much homers but he's good for .300 AVG and over 100 RBI while Glaus drives in 90RBI and hits around .260. They should also keep Antonio Perez at 3rd he looks like a .300 hitter and the Dodgers need someone who can hit for AVG.

[Javier]

Me too, that is if McCourt is really commited to spending the money wisely.  Then we should risk a signing with Nomar and have Antonio Perez as the backup.  But we should also look at the effect Dodger Stadium has on the players.  It's neutral on Home Runs and Depresses Singles, Doubles, triples.  So we need a guy that hits for power and that relies on hitting it hard instead of hitting the ball to the gap.  Ya feel me?  and Delgado is def. not a gap hitter

[I Am The Anton]

What do you guys think of this lineup and team

1.SS- Aybar/Robles (Until Izturis is healthy)
2.1B- Hee Seop Choi
3.CF- J.D. Drew
4.3B- Troy Glaus (Through Trade by sending them Odalis Perez and Antonio Perez)
5.RF- Brian Giles (Through FA)
6.2B- Jeff Kent
7.LF- Jose Cruz Jr.
8.C- Navarro

Rotation

1. Brad Penny
2. Kevin Milwood/Matt Morris
3. Derek Lowe
4. D.J Houlton
5. ?


This would be best case scenario obviously, but this lineup can  definetaly be done.  And by far this would be the best team in the NL west and the best team the dodgers have had in years 

Maybe a trade for Carlos Delgado to play 1st?

Why would you want Delgado? There is a glaring hole at 3rd for the dodgers, and choi can get the job done at 1st if given the opportunity. Delgado is just getting older and isn't getting any cheaper either.

[Javier]

Also if we get Delgado, we will be blocking James Loney from coming to the big leauges.

These are the positions where we shouldnt be having long term contracts

3B: Andy LaRoche
1B: James Loney
SS,LF?:  Joel Guzman
C:  Russel Martin

[I Am The Anton]

Also if we get Delgado, we will be blocking James Loney from coming to the big leauges.

These are the positions where we shouldnt be having long term contracts

3B: Andy LaRoche
1B: James Loney
SS,LF?:  Joel Guzman
C:  Russel Martin

It pisses me off knowing you could own me in a baseball discussion.