Tony, you're not the one I want the mea culpa from ... I'd like to hear it from Joe Torre (or have it reflected in his lineups). But thanks!

Tony,

Admitting your change of opinion is very noble of you. Glad to have you on the right side of the argument. Thanks for all the updates/subtle opinions. Keep it up!
-Loyal Reader

Thank you for coming over to the Dead horsemen, it was just a matter of time. Now, please use whatever powers you have to show this overwhelming opinion to those who read your paper as I do. Your crow should be in the mail as we speak. Thanks for everything, you are truly one of the good guys. Keep up the good work and thanks for this blog.

Now we need Joe Torre to share this opinion!

Tony,

If you vow to carry the good fight and bug management endlessly until they do the right thing then we can forgive you and accept your mistake.

But seriously, management needs to see the light and it would be great if the Pro Ethier Party has an ally in the major media.

Appreciate it TJ. Very noble of you indeed. Now help us fight the fight to end this reign of terror and bench pierre for good.

I can see some of Pierre' streghts to wear I kind of see were people would want him starting but with a guy like Ethier on our team, it's just a non-issue, Ethier should start. but it was very cool that you eggknowledged you mistake.

That's cool. Just as long as you recognize that his bat makes the argument even more loudly than his glove and arm.

I assume you didn't just copy + paste your mea culpa mantra. Only by typing each letter can your soul be saved.

I'm guessing the Dodgers were trying to protect Pierre's trade value -- and it backfired.

Look, he's wildly overpaid, but coming off the bench, he could be a good weapon.

Ok, I see you finally broke up with Juan Pierre. That must be why Juan has looked so sad of late. Left at the alter.
vr, Xei

See, Tony, admitting you were wrong will free your soul. Very commendable that you admitted it in your blog. Instead of sending you the crow, I will keep it marinating for Plaschke. It looks like he would enjoy several helpings.

So ... who won the right field battle?

Tony- Thanks for keeping an open mind! Next on the agenda... acknowledging that Pierre's 2007 performance (.293./.331/.353) was enough reason to relegate him to 4th OF status on this team before Spring Training started.

Vail, you busted me. You must have noticed the repeating, alternating pattern of space after the period/no space after the period.

Tony, we don't need to be satisified; we were just surprised that an obviously bright and insightful fellow such as yourself would be taken in by the charm of JP's stolen bases and admittedly strong work ethic, and we are happy that you have reassessed the situation and come to see the light.

Now, about Chad Billingsley and his pitch count issues....... ;)

Chris Torgrimsson - If the crow is for Plaschke, marinate it something bitter, arsenic perhaps.

I'm sure Juan knows now he has lost the job to Eithier. If he wasn't getting paid the 9 mil he's owed he would have been sent to the minors or released. I'm expecting an apology from Ned Coletti followed by a steak dinner. I think he owes that to all of us.

The title of this post should be "Crow AuPauvre"

Bravo, Tony!

More importantly, we need to hear from Joe Torre.

Steak is not in the budget anymore, Miller. It's Dodger Dogs all around, maybe even cooked.

Welcome to the Darkside

If we took Schmidt's contract off the books we'd get some steak, but alas (thanks, Ned). If their cooked they better be the grilled ones and not the boiled ones. And I'm asking for a super.

Wow Tony! you are a bigger man than I thought. btw, I could see you at the media center at Dodgertown. I meant to go there and say "Hi" to you but I'll catch you at the Ravine one of these days.

"I was wrong" is definitely what Ned Colleti should be thinking! Joe Torre will eventually say those same words, if he starts JP! See you in D.C. in August; maybe JP will get those games off.

Totally satisfied! Tony you rock!

So it took you more than a year to figure it out?

Better late than never I guess.

Thanks Tony. Now lets all celebrate with some nice fresh bacon wrapped hot dogs! Yay!!!!

Thanks for understanding that this game in particular is more than just "he's a good guy in the clubhouse" and "he has so many intangibles". The funniest thing of all is that, this "stand up guy" has shown an ugly and pouty side as he starts to read the writing on the wall as his future role becomes clearer: that of a 4th outfielder.

With all of the weird bounces and potential for luck deciding many games over the long stretch of a season, this sport, more than any other, does not belie the mantra of "chemistry is a 5 game winning streak", or, "show me a team that's winning and I'll show you a team with chemistry."

The funniest and most ironic thing of all is that Andre Ethier is a respected member of the team and a nice guy.

Oh yeah, and he can also hit a baseball really well, to boot.

Don't be silly Tony. Never admit when you make a mistake. That's my motto.

Trading Bradley/APerez for Ethier ranks right up there with the Pedro Martinez trade in terms of stupidity.

And I'm a soothsayer of the sort. I'm kickin' butt on my NCAA tournament pool.

PS - I hope James Loney lays an egg this year.

And once again I'd like to thank Jon Weisman for giving me an outlet to express my disdain for the Dodger organization.

Tony-good for you, man!! Thanks for seeing what we have seen all spring training. Ethier will provide a few more wins with his arm and bat, which may be exactly what LA needs come September.

Not easy, but very noble of you. Thank you.

El Lay Dave, nice touch. I was going for the battery acid marinate, but arsenic has a better bouquet for a gourmand like Plaschke. Mind you, I doubt it would do anything to him, I think he is a vampire or some other undead creature.

Tony, it's about time you recognized what is so totally obvious. Juan Pierre is a pinch runner, nothing more. Hopefully Torre and Ned see this as well if they want to win.

Juan would be a great late inning pinch runner. He'd be the best pinch runner in baseball.

Tony, I have great great respect for a writer that is man enough to write a post like this one......good for you. Its a lesson for everybody as ALL OF US are required to display the same humility from time to time in our daily lives.

One of the points made above was a great one.....if JP is such a great guy and a team player, then why is he being so selfish and angry in the clubhouse as soon as he loses his starting job?

This is when the value of his supposed "good character" should shine more than ever right? I actually wouldn't mind having JP as a fourth OF off the bench, I think that is a perfect role for him (despite is salary). Its too bad that it doesn't look like he'll be able to accept this for the sake of the team thats paying him.

I don't think Tony needs to apologize. He reports the news. He doesn't do a sports Op-Ed column. The facts as they were at the beginning of Spring Training all pointed to Juan Pierre being the starting left fielder absent Ethier playing lights out and Juan Pierre struggling.

Thank goodness that's what ended up happening, but some of the commenters that started to hold TJ in contempt for telling it like it was at the time were misplacing their snark in my opinion.

Without beat writers covering things and telling it like it is, we get less insight for the Jon Weisman's of the world to dream about how things could or should be.

from...

Now if you can just convince the same of Bill Plaschke. Though he has likely come to the same comclusion as well.

Took you long enough

Tony,

Great work, man! I wonder how many others would do the same, admitting a mistake in this way. Way to stand behind your points of view, whether they're popular opinion or not. Plenty of spine and all that.

Griffster has it right. The most important part of standing by your opinion is admitting when your opinion is wrong. All hail Tony!

TJ, EVERYBODY knows that Andre has earned the right. This is and will always be a $ issue. If JP was playing well, we'd probably be able to move him, but he has tied managements proverbial hands. All that being said, will Torre play the best player? Or will he play the game? We'll know soon enough..

but wait guys....he steals bases.....and he gets a lot of hits....doesn't that make him awesomely good? I'm confused.....

Tony

What took you so long? It was obvious to anyone who follows baseball that JP was at best the 4th best outfielder in LA (actually I think that Delwyn Young and Jason Repko are more talented then JP). Keeping Ethier on the bench would be criminal. Also even if Ethier gets off to a slow start LA should stick with him - the same with Matt Kemp. Plaschke is a baseball moron! Getting rid of cancer Milton Bradley for Andre Ethier was a tremendous trade.