Everyday lineup? What everyday lineup?
For the second day in a row, Torre is fielding the lineup you have all been clamoring for, the one that DOES include Andre Ethier and DOESN'T include Juan Pierre. Asked Torre point blank before the game if this has anything to do with the strangely timed comments JP made after Sunday's game about the Dodgers ``sticking it'' to him, and he said no.
``I liked what I saw last night with Andre, and that's why he is in there again tonight,'' Torre said. ``He had some good at-bats, and when the game sped up, he stayed right there. He has come a long way for me over the last month or three weeks.''
This COULD be the beginning of a long-term alignment of ManRam/Kemp/Ethier. Then again, it might not be.
``I'm not sure you can ever figure it out,'' Torre said. ``We have Ethier, we have Juan, and we certainly have Andruw (Jones). The way Matty (Kemp) has been playing and progressing, and Manny of course is Manny and has to be an everyday player because he has shown he can make a difference.
``I can give you an explanation for why somebody should e playing, but it's tough to come up with why they shouldn't be playing.''
Maybe Torre read today's Baseball Prospectus article on the LA outfield. It included this:
Dodgers offense by Leadoff Man
Hitter G R R/G
Furcal 31 169 5.45
Kemp 21 100 4.76
Pierre 58 195 3.36
Other 2 4 2.00
JHTP, can you email me that story? That's a pay site I can't get into.
Tony - you don't want to be sued by BP do you? :-)
I love this quote from Torre:
``I'm not sure you can ever figure it out,'' Torre said.
Uh Joe, the rest of the universe has "figured it out". You're on an island in your Pierre man-love.
This is very hard for me to say but sometimes Joe Torre makes me wish Grady Little was still manager. How he won so many World Series with the Yankees I'll never know.
This is very hard for me to say but sometimes Joe Torre makes me wish Grady Little was still manager. How he won so many World Series with the Yankees I'll never know.
The 5th outfielder ethier turned in another sparkling ofer 5 last night with a strikeout 4 balls that never left the infield and 3 runners stranded. Man I'm glad he's a Dodger; that's why I choose to call myself the 5th outfielder in tribute to him.
Joe, do the intelligent thing: play Juan Pierre.