Juan Uribe

As soon as I want to dump Juan Uribe, he comes thru with a homerun and has 4 RBI's. Maybe its time to dump James Loney. Chris Capuano (10-5) had a so-so performance but got the win. The Dodgers bullpen can't seem to stand it if they don't make it exciting but Kenley Jansen got his 18th save after putting two on in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Ryan Dempster talks have kind of cooled but now the Dodgers seem interested in Cubs right-hander Matt Garza. The principals have probably not changed much, if at all, for the Dodgers but Matt Garza is younger than Kempster and may come with a higher asking price. With Billingsley and Lilly set to come off the Disabled List, possibly as soon as Monday, this could get interesting. Billingsley just can't seem to put it together and may end up as the long man out of the bullpen if he is with the Dodgers at all.

The Ryan Dempster Sweepstakes

The Boston Red Sox are evidently out of the Ryan Dempster Sweepstakes and the Dodgers are back in the running. The Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves are also seeking Dempster via trade. The latest internet rumor has the Dodgers offering Outfielder Jerry Sands and two minor league pitchers for Dempster. Former First Rounder Pitcher Zach Lee is probably going to be mentioned in any trade before the deadline and I am begging Ned Colletti to not do it. This is not a baseball card you are trading but a power arm that is only 19 or 20 years old and holding his own at AA Chattanooga. He is one of the top ranked Dodger prospects and that would be to steep a price to pay for less than a half a season and 13 or 14 starts from Ryan Dempster. The Dodgers need bats. I like going after Third Baseman Chase Headley of the San Diego Padres. It is time to cut our losses on the Juan Uribe experiment. For that matter bring up Josh Fields from Albuquerque. I liked him in Spring Training. I know there has to be a price that is paid but I would like to suggest Nathan Eovaldi, Jerry Sands, and Ethan Martin for Dempster. This is also probably why I am not a General Manager.

The Post All-Satar Break Blues

Losing 3 out of 4 games to start the second half of the season is not exactly how I pictured the Dodgers taking control of the National League West. The Dodgers have even created new and exciting, ESPN-worthy ways to lose. They gave up a stolen base in the ninth inning to tie a game they later lost and then they committed 5 errors the next day to lose again. And they lost to the Padres. The stinking San Diego Padres. Their offense needs help. Getting Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier back hasn't seemed to help. The two biggest internet rumors are going around are the Dodgers going after Ryan Dempster, starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, and Shortstop Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies. I believe they are out of the running for Dempster, the Red Sox have more prospects and a glut of outfielders to offer in a trade, and I can't see the Dodgers trading for Jimmy Rollins. I don't believe he would be a good fit for this team. He is a high salary, aging veteran who is not going to put the Dodgers over the top. That does however seem like Ned Colletti's kind of trade. I hope Magic Johnson has the power of veto.