Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Ravine Report’s first-ever Yearbook Awards! The 2011 season was a memorable one for the Dodgers, mostly for reasons that had nothing to do with baseball, but also because of some outstanding individual performances. Over the next week we’ll be honoring the best of the best, and the worst of the worst on your 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers.

So without further ado, the inaugural Ravine Report Yearbook Awards Part One: The Crummies.

Most Likely To: Never Get Another Major League Hit Again -

Come on down, Eugenio Velez!

According to Jon Weisman of Dodger Thoughts, since a single on April 20, 2010, Eugenio Velez has gone 1 for 66 in the majors. That’s a .015 batting average. Yikes. Good luck to you, Velez. If you ever get another major league hit, I hope it’s against the Dodgers. Full circle, folks.

Most Likely To: Have Nowhere to Go But Up - 

This one’s for you, Juan Uribe!

Juan Uribe was an exciting offseason acquisition for the Dodgers… just ask GM Ned Colletti. He had just hit two homeruns in the playoffs for the Giants, and 26 throughout the regular season. But this season, after numerous stints on the disabled list, and four (!) total homeruns, Uribe’s season ended on September 7th with surgery for a sports hernia. For a player like Uribe, there really is nowhere to go but up… I hope.

Most Likely To: Disappoint (in every aspect) - 

This was tough considering how many options I had, but this one belongs to you, Andre Ethier!

Andre managed to do what I thought was almost impossible — make me truly dislike a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Everything from his comments about being forced to play through an injury, and his desire to play for the Boston Red Sox, to being an absolute malcontent in the clubhouse, Andre Ethier was such a disappointment. I’ll give it to him that his 30-game hit streak was exciting. Every at bat was epic. But his overall play in 2011 was a let down. For someone with so much potential, a .292 average with 11 homeruns ain’t gonna cut it… especially with an attitude like that.

Most Likely To: Make You Scratch Your Head in Disbelief - 

You know who you are, Jonathan Broxton! 

Broxton was one of the most frustrating members of the Dodger bullpen this season. He was so dominant (mostly) in the years leading up to this year, and fell off so radically in 2011. When you’re a dominant closer with as much power as Broxton, people expect greatness every time you run out of that bullpen. He battled injuries all season (or so we were told), and couldn’t get command of any of his pitches. I can’t imagine he’ll still be a Dodger next season, but I hope for his sake that Broxton gets his groove back.

That’s all for this edition of The Yearbook Awards: The Crummies. Stay tuned all week as we hand out the rest of our awards!

Written by Debbie White, Ravine Report Contributor

The season isn’t quite over, so perhaps a postmortem is slightly premature. But after attending 5 games in the last 10 days, my season is over.

When I wrote my mid-year report back in July, the Dodgers were 41-51 and my personal record was 8-11. The team was struggling like crazy and things seemed dire. They couldn’t score runs. They had a bad owner, bad players, bad karma. Ok, so the owner is still bad. Actually, he’s worse than ever. But thanks in no small part to Don Mattingly, the team went about its business and, with a few personnel changes, put together a surprising and way-more-than-respectable second half. My final tally: 29 games attended, 15-14 record – which somehow seems fitting, since as I write this, their overall record is 78-77.

It turned into a very memorable season. I saw Clayton Kershaw throw a complete game shutout in June and win his 20^th game in September. I saw him beat Tim Lincecum twice. I saw Matt Kemp join the 30/30 club. I saw him hit 3 doubles and a home run in the same game. I saw the team start and end their Dodger Stadium season by beating the Giants. I saw them score 15 runs in a game – twice! Heck, I even saw Aaron Miles hit a home run. In some ways it was a really satisfying year.

Will Clayton Kershaw win the N.L. Cy Young Award? He has earned it.

Will Matt Kemp win the N.L. MVP? He deserves to.

To have witnessed these two supremely talented players have such spectacular seasons is truly a gift that I will never forget. I hope their achievements are rewarded on the national stage.

Many important questions remain for the off-season. Will they extend Kemp? Try to lock up some of Kershaw’s arbitration years? What about Andre Ethier? Will they go after Prince Fielder? How are they going to work around the Juan Uribe contract? How much money is Colletti going to throw at Juan Rivera? What should they do about James Loney? With Rubby De La Rosa on the shelf for probably most of 2012 recovering from Tommy John surgery, who besides Kershaw, Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly will make up the starting rotation? Will Hiroki Kuroda agree to return for another year?

A few things seem a little clearer. Dee Gordon and Jerry Sands appear to have earned themselves an excellent shot at being starters next year. Kenley Jansen and Javy Guerra should be in the bullpen, making a potent 1-2 late inning punch.

Some things will forever remain inexplicable. Why does Mattingly like bunting so much? Why is Eugenio Velez on the team? Why did Ned Colletti trade Trayvon Robinson? If only we knew. In the meantime, see you in 2012.

According to Dodgers.com, the Dodgers have dismissed hitting coach Jeff Pentland and replaced him with Dave Hansen as the interim hitting coach. This move is really no surprise. When a team doesn’t hit, someone has to pay, and it’s normally the hitting coach to go first.

But this move is particularly tough to swallow because I think we’re ignoring the fact that Pentland was asked to coach some players  who simply can’t hit. To name a few, Rod Barajas, Dioner Navarro, Marcus Thames (recently released by the club), Juan Uribe.

I don’t have feelings either way about the release of Pentland, but some of the talent he was provided to work with is less-than-stellar.

Written by Debbie White, Ravine Report Contributor

The season ticket renewal arrived around the holidays last year, and my husband and I had to make a decision. Should we renew our choose-your-own-games plan, which was changing from 28 games to 25 games? We already knew we wanted to go to Target Field for the interleague series with the Twins, so that would be three more games. Should we try to upgrade to better seats in exchange for fewer games?

Should we bag it altogether in a show of disdain and disgust toward the McCourts? We haven’t been at this season ticket thing for long – 2011 is only our third year. It wasn’t as major of a decision as it would have been if, for instance, we’d had our seats for 20 or 30 years. In the end, we decided to get the 25-game plan and stay in infield reserve. We enjoy going to the games and it’s more evident than ever that the players need fan support. We chose our games, making sure we would see every team. I anxiously awaited Opening Day.

I was pretty sure the 2011 Dodgers weren’t going to be very good. After all, Juan Uribe for three years and $21 million (!) was Ned Colletti’s idea of a smart signing. Plus, he let Russell Martin go, kind of an understandable decision, but seemingly without much of a back-up plan. Rod Barajas? Dioner Navarro? Please. But I didn’t envision the team would be this bad. Sometimes the way this club has played is downright embarrassing – and that’s without even discussing the divorce, Bryan Stow, bankruptcy. It’s been rough.

» Continue reading “What’s Done, What’s Good, What’s Next”

Written by Debbie White, Ravine Report Contributor

The Dodgers lost to the Reds, 6-4, albeit in somewhat exciting fashion at the end when the tying run came to the plate, and struck out, three times. We feel badly for Hiroki Kuroda, who pitched well but was (once again) a victim of no run support and two game-changing errors.

Dee Gordon had an eventful night on his Dodger Stadium regular season debut – he made some spectacular defensive plays, he made his first error, he hit his first triple, he got his first RBI. Matt Guerrier gave up an oh-so-predictable 3-run blast to Joey Votto; rookie Josh Lindblom pitched quite decently in his two innings of relief. There’s not much else to say about the game, so here’s a list of things that we wish:

That Vin Scully would never, ever, ever retire.

That Tony Gwynn, Jr. could hit.

That Joey Votto was the Dodgers first baseman instead of James Loney.*

That Bronson Arroyo would get a haircut.

That we knew what a salutatorian was, without having to look it up.

That Dee Gordon was truly major league ready.

That A.J. Ellis was the Dodgers everyday catcher.

That Andre Ethier would start hitting some home runs.

» Continue reading “Our Very Own Dodger Wishlist”

It looked to be a game played in typical 2011 Dodger fashion. They had scored two runs, stranded too many runners on base, and couldn’t put together any type of offense at all. Dodger fans rolled their eyes, and pronounced the game dead. But then, something magical happened. With two outs in the top of the ninth, Russ Mitchell came to the plate and smoked a home run over the left field bullpen. And new life was breathed into the Dodgers. They scored three runs (three!) in the top of the tenth, and never looked back. Final score: Dodgers 6, White Sox 4.

Lookin’ good:

Jamey Carroll. Carroll, who is beyond irreplaceable, had a four hit game tonight. He continues to prove, night in and night out, just how valuable he is to this team.

Russ Mitchell. In the night of bizarre happenings, Russ Mitchell was the hero. He hit an incredible home run to save the game in the top of the ninth, and then made a beautiful, run-saving defensive play in the bottom of the tenth. Bravo, Russ!

Matt Kemp. In his first ever designated hitter appearance, Matt Kemp went 2-for-4 with an intentional walk. He blasted a monster home run in the first inning. Kemp looks to be coming out of his brief slump in fighting fashion. This is a great sign for the Dodgers.

Lookin’ not so good:

» Continue reading “The Page Turner We’ve Been Waiting For?”

Written by Debbie White, Ravine Report Contributor

“Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster” – Sun Tzu

Of course it’s baseball, not actual war, but tonight it felt like war, complete with advances, retreats and a final killer punch administered in brutal, bloody fashion.

Clayton Kershaw didn’t pitch well and was pulled after five innings having given up four runs. The Giants led 4-0, 4-1, 4-2 and 5-2. Then, in the bottom of the 8^th, the Dodgers offense came alive against three different Giants pitchers, and the Dodgers managed to tie the game at 5 all. It was a May miracle!

Unfortunately, in the process of getting to the tie, all available arms had been used except Lance Cormier. There’s a reason Cormier doesn’t pitch often and when he does it’s in situations where the Dodgers are losing badly. He got out of a jam in the 8^th, but in the 9^th he gave up a 3-run bomb to Cody Ross, and that was that. Cormier’s ERA is now 10.03. Someone please remind us why he is on this team. Final score: Giants 8, Dodgers 5.

Lookin’ good:

Scott Elbert. Elbert allowed one hit and struck out two on his way to pitching a scoreless inning of relief. He exhibited none of the control problems that plagued him in prior years. This was his third appearance since being called up last week, and his ERA is 0.00 in 2.1 innings pitched. Tonight’s hit was the first he’s given up, against five strikeouts and no walks. Having long been hopeful that the undeniably talented Elbert would get it together, we are encouraged.

Matt Kemp. Going 2 for 4 with a home run and a key single in the 8^th inning rally, Kemp’s bat is surely showing signs of life. It’s always nice when he homers in consecutive games.

Lookin’ not so good:

» Continue reading “Nightmare on Stadium Way”

Written by Debbie White, Ravine Report Contributor

Entering the first game of a brief 2-game series with the Brewers, hopes were not high after the weekend’s offensive nightmares. Actually at this point it’s hard to imagine when hopes might be high again. The Dodgers have scored two runs in the last three games. We are feeling rather sorry for the starting pitchers, whose generally successful and sometimes stellar efforts these days are often for naught.

Through the first three innings, the Dodgers were entirely confounded by Brewers pitcher Shaun Marcum. That is, all but Juan Uribe, who was robbed of a home run by Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez. The ball was just about over the wall when Gomez leapt up and grabbed it in spectacular and heartbreaking fashion. In a bit of tit-for-tat, in the very next inning Jay Gibbons (!) made an equally fantastic play, crashing against the left field wall to rob Rickie Weeks of a sure double.

After their first time through the lineup, Dodger hitters weren’t much better than the first time around: scattered hits, general failure to capitalize on scoring opportunities. They went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. The Brewers were worse in that department, going 2 for 14. Final Score: Brewers 2, Dodgers 1.

Lookin’ good:

Juan Uribe. Besides hitting the home run that wasn’t, Uribe went 1 for 3 with a walk, which is a vast improvement over his recent performance. He also played his usual impressive defense at third base, saving at least one run.

The Bullpen. Kenley Jansen, Matt Guerrier, Scott Elbert and Mike MacDougal combined for three scoreless innings. Elbert and MacDougal successfully pitched out of a jam created by Guerrier in his second inning of relief.

Lookin’ not so good:

» Continue reading “Walk the Pitcher, Lose the Game”

Written by Debbie White, Ravine Report Contributor

Woops

This game leaves a bitter taste. The teams were in a 1-1 tie until the top of the 8^th. Chad Billingsley was pitching well – 7 complete innings – and hitting well: 2 for 2 with a double, single and sacrifice bunt. Then a bad call by the third base umpire turned a 2-on, 0-out situation into a 0-on, 2-out situation in the top of the 8^th. Replays clearly showed that Juan Uribe’s line drive single with Matt Kemp on first was trapped by the Pirates’ left fielder.

Things swiftly fell apart for the Dodgers after that. Both Juan Uribe and Don Mattingly were ejected. It was Mattingly’s first ejection as a manager, coming after he continued to argue that the third base umpire should call in the second base umpire to help rule on the disputed play. Then, Hong-Chih Kuo couldn’t get anybody out. The Pirates hit a few, scored a few, and that was that. The Dodgers continue to be plagued by poor hitting with runners in scoring position, going 1 for 11. Final score: Pirates 4, Dodgers 1.

Lookin’ good:

» Continue reading “Mattingly’s First Ejection”