Who Needs The Bullpen?

After losing two in a row to the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-0 to Lefty Cliff Lee, and 3-2 when the bullpen lost it in extra innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers sent Zach Greinke to the mound to try to get back on track. Greinke pitched 7 innings and gave up 2 earned runs, struck out 11, and was pulled in the top of the eighth inning after giving up a leadoff homerun to Jayson Nix. J.P. Howell pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Kenley Jansen finished it off for his 8th save on the season. The Dodgers had 5 players with 2 hits a piece, led by Yasiel Puig who tripled and had 2 RBI's. Hanley Ramirez (his 3rd homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning), Matt Kemp, Scott Van Slyke, and Drew Butera also had two hits. Clayton Kershaw is getting close to returning with a planned minor league rehab start on Friday night and there have been no reported problems in any of his bullpen sessions.

The Cuban Connection

There was a very enlightening article on Yahoo.com yesterday that somehow made the connection between Cuban defectors wanting to play baseball in the United States and "human trafficking." The article mentioned Major League Baseball as basically being active participants in the human trafficking. What is going on with Cuban baseball players now reminds me of what went on with Russian hockey players 15 or 20 years ago. Russian hockey players and Cuban baseball players are those countries natural resources and there is a lot of money involved. The Cuban underworld wants their piece of the Major League Baseball pie and shaking down the players and their families is the easiest way to make this happen. Getting Cuban baseball players to the United States is a risky business and sometimes involves a very circuitous route. The Los Angeles Dodgers have three Cuban baseball players on their roster- Yasiel Puig, Erisbel Arruebarrena, and Alex Guerrero- and have historically been at the forefront of going to every corner of the globe to find baseball talent. The threats made against Yasiel Puig and other Cuban Major League Baseball players are not to be taken lightly and MLB needs to address this situation as soon as possible. Baseball is an International game and along with that label, comes everyone with their hand out wanting to be bribed, paid off, and compensated. Teams have to bid on the "rights" to negotiate with Japanese players. That seems to be a more legal and accepted form of human trafficking.

Puig On The Diamond

Yasiel Puig seems to overshadow anything any other Los Angeles Dodgers' player does on or off the field. Yasiel Puig's three run homer against the Arizona Diamondbacks today overshadowed what was probably the best pitching performance in Josh Beckett's one plus years as a Dodger (5 innings, 0 runs, 7 strikeouts). The three run homer was the big blow in the Dodgers 4-1 series clinching win over the Diamondbacks. Puig also threw out Diamondback Miguel Montero at second base. The Dodgers scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Carl Crawford's triple drove in Dee Gordon with the first run and Adrian Gonzalez was intentionally walked to get to Puig and he made them pay for that decision. Based on Puig's propensity for strikeouts, if I was Kirk Gibson, I probably would have made the same decision. Gonzalez has been swinging a hot bat as of late. Jamey Wright (1-0) pitched the sixth inning, giving up Arizona's lone run, to get the win and Kenley Jansen finished it off to get his 7th save. That puts the Dodgers at 12-7 on the season, one game ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the National League West.

A Baseball

In the spirit of Easter, I am going to tell the story of the best Easter gift I ever received at least on the worldly level anyway. I always had the traditional Easter growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina. We always got new "Sunday" clothes, we always went to church, and we always got an Easter basket filled with chocolate, and after church we did the traditional Easter Egg hunt. One year as I got a little bit older, I guess I was about 13 or 14, that stuff had all fallen by the wayside years earlier (with the exception of the chocolate- I still fought for the chocolate) but I got up one morning and there was a baseball laying on the table at my dinner place. A single, perfectly white, perfectly stitched, Major League approved baseball. I don't care if the Easter Bunny himself laid it, it was the best Easter present ever. I had a neighborhood game going on by that afternoon. I also made sure I batted leadoff that afternoon and that I was the one the christen it with a bunt single down the third base line. Hey, I wasn't about to take any chances.

A Clueless Fan With A Laptop And A Blog

It seems like everytime I write or make any disparaging comments about Andre Ethier, he does something that makes me look like another clueless fan with a laptop and a blog, which I might be because no one reads this anyway. I try to be relevant and keep it interesting because I am a true blue Los Angeles Dodgers fan. Anyway, back to Ethier. The Dodgers Dan Haren gave up five runs last night (only two earned) and the Dodgers found themselves down 4-0. Andre Ethier's three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning got the Dodgers going in an 8-6 win. Matt Kemp and Adrian Gonzalez had 2 hits and 2 RBI's and Dee Gordon's 2 hits raised his batting average to .375. Dan Haren went 7 1/3 innings, improved his record to 3-0, his ERA is at 2.16 and he is kicking his old team, Arizona's, ass. He has proven to be an important free agent pick up thus far. Since my blog has such a positive effect on Ethier maybe I should talk about how Brian Wilson (ERA of 10.13) carrying that goofy beard around is hurting his pitching arm. Hey, I am as superstitious as the next baseball person.

Andre Ethier's Time Has Come

I think it is time that the Los Angeles Dodgers start exploring trade opportunities for outfielder Andre Ethier. He is off to another slow start and his future replacement, Joc Pederson, has been tearing it up at AAA Albuquerque (well over a .400 batting average with 5 homerun's in only 55 at bats but also 14 strikeouts) but the Dodgers had better get something for Ethier while they can. Pederson is only 21 years old but he almost made the team out of Spring Training and is closer to being ready than not. The Dodgers could use some more prospects at Catcher and a few more in the infield as well. Ethier was only a AA player when they traded for him and the Dodgers could platoon Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson until Pederson is ready to take over full time. Payroll doesn't seem to be a concern for the Dodgers for a change and the Dodgers may be in the market for a Closer if the bullpen keeps blowing leads.

An Anemic Offense And A Shaky Bullpen

After scoring 22 runs in a weekend sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks last weekend, I don't think the Dodgers have scored more than 2 or 3 runs in any game since. The bullpen has not held up well, either. Set up man Brian Wilson sports an ERA of 9 and in spite of Kenley Jansen 5 saves (2 blown saves already), he has an ERA of 5. Middle relievers Chris Perez (although he absorbed the loss last night) and Chris Withrow and lefty specialtist J.P. Howell have been the most consistent of the relievers. The Dodgers wasted a solid performance by starter Zach Greinke last night (6 innings, 1 run) and the starters can't hold out forever. The Dodgers offense can't seem to get their big guns untracked- Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier both hitting under .200- and they are being led by Juan Uribe and Dee Gordon, both hitting over .350. The run producers are just not coming up with the clutch hits.

Let's Have Fun At The Old Swimming Hole

I think too much has been made of the Dodgers celebration at Arizona when they clinched the National League West last year. The Dodgers had their first series at Arizona this year and that is all you heard from the media and from the Diamondbacks' players was about the Dodgers celebration. I have great respect for Diamondbacks Manager Kirk Gibson and he has a special place in Dodgers history for he competitive nature and his desire to win. That might be why I enjoy watching the Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks more than I do the San Francisco Giants now. The Dodgers pulled off a three game sweeep of the Diamondbacks last weekend 6-0, 8-6, and 8-5 due in large part to the bat of Adrian Gonzalez and Matt Kemp even had a two homer game thrown in. Infielder Dee Gordon also had 4 steals in one of the games. I never saw any history on that but I would have to believe the Dodgers have not had anyone do that since Dave Lopes in the 1970's.

Trading Places

I think all the Dodgers do any more is trade one starter for another on the Disabled List. Matt Kemp comes off the DL and A.J. Ellis goes on; Clayton Kershaw goes on and Josh Beckett comes off. It is not a good pattern to have and the trades are pretty unfair. I don't even think Ned Colletti would make most of these deals. Well, with the exception of A.J. Ellis for Matt Kemp. I think anyone would make that deal. The Dodgers are off to a 6-3 start but the big bats, with the exception of Matt Kemp's two homers the other night, have not really come alive yet. Dee Gordon is off to the best start of his short but uninspired career and even hit a homerun last night. The Dodgers middle relief has been lights out while their closers have been lit up but I can't complain too much with a 6-3 record. I am just glad baseball is back.