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Tuesday, December 06, 2005

L.A. Times: Simers: Furcal in Dodger Stadium Is Out-and-Out Ridiculous

Numbers and tumblers from Simers…

Just think about it. With all the available free agents in baseball, the Dodgers managed to pinpoint the absolute worst hitter in Dodger Stadium. It almost goes without saying that Paul DePodesta’s computer would have known that, but you have to admire the instincts of the Dodgers’ new general manager, Ned Colletti, who is old-school and just has a feel for this kind of thing — landing the worst instead of maybe the fourth- or fifth-worst.

Furcal, a lifetime .284 hitter known best for scoring runs because Marcus Giles, Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones followed him in the lineup, hit .321 at home last season and .246 on the road. It’ll be interesting to see whether he feels right at home in Dodger Stadium — beginning the season with three games against Atlanta.

On the bright side, of course, and I’m always looking for that, the Dodgers are going to pay Furcal an average of $13 million a year, so he can hire a limousine to take him to the game to avoid another arrest for drunk driving.

Repoz Posted: December 06, 2005 at 07:49 AM | 17 comment(s)
Related News: LA Dodgers

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1. Sean McNally Posted: December 06, 2005 at 08:07 AM (#1763447)

It almost goes without saying that Paul DePodesta’s computer would have known that, but you have to admire the instincts of the Dodgers’ new general manager, Ned Colletti, who is old-school and just has a feel for this kind of thing — landing the worst instead of maybe the fourth- or fifth-worst.

TJ - You already got DePodesta fired and got your dream "old school candidate" hired... what exactly is it you want?

2. Jimmy P Posted: December 06, 2005 at 08:09 AM (#1763448)

TJ - You already got DePodesta fired and got your dream "old school candidate" hired... what exactly is it you want?

He wants to be on tv again. So, he's just going to rip everyone. Call it the Mariotti way.

3. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: December 06, 2005 at 08:19 AM (#1763454)

Insofar as the LA Times v. DePodesta was about anything more than attention-seeking, it was about
the new Dodgers owner. DePodesta's exit will just leave Simers and Plaschke to find a new way of ripping on whatever the McCourt Dodgers do.

I tend to think they're right about McCourt, so that's sorta confusing to me.

4. Jimmy P Posted: December 06, 2005 at 08:30 AM (#1763466)

I think Simers and Plaschke (along with many other ESPN/newspaper columnists) have become caricatures of themselves. It's almost like SNL writers are scripting their every move.

5. bunyon Posted: December 06, 2005 at 08:45 AM (#1763483)

<i>It's almost like SNL writers are scripting their every move.</i>

So, that's where they've gone.

6. Dr Love Posted: December 06, 2005 at 08:50 AM (#1763490)

Guys, with Simers it was never about Depo, it was about McCourt. Hilarious article.

7. bob gaj Posted: December 06, 2005 at 10:33 AM (#1763644)

if you had "under 6 weeks" in the "how soon til simers rails on the new gm", you win!

8. OlePerfesser Posted: December 06, 2005 at 10:55 AM (#1763687)

Shortest... honeymoon... ever.

9. Big Ed Posted: December 06, 2005 at 12:35 PM (#1763923)

TJ - You already got DePodesta fired and got your dream "old school candidate" hired... what exactly is it you want?

McCourt to sell the Dodgers to an owner with deep pockets. They've been trying to drive him out of town since even before the sale was finalized. With that concept in mind, their writings, including lack of logic and consistency, are expected. The only suspense is waiting to see what new way they come up with to rip the Dodgers.

10. paytonrules Posted: December 06, 2005 at 01:34 PM (#1764040)

It almost goes without saying that Paul DePodesta’s computer would have known that, but you have to admire the instincts of the Dodgers’ new general manager, Ned Colletti, who is old-school and just has a feel for this kind of thing — landing the worst instead of maybe the fourth- or fifth-worst.

After all - Ned Colletti doesn't have a computer. He can't even get e-mail from other GMs.

11. Lester Posted: December 06, 2005 at 01:35 PM (#1764041)

And to think I used to get most of my sports information from the L.A. Times. With tired old farts like Simers and Plaschke as their featured sports writers, is it any wonder that circulation is down. It's like being subjected to a television station that insists on running episodes of Matlock over-and-over again.

12. Los Angeles Waterloo of Black Hawk Posted: December 06, 2005 at 01:45 PM (#1764056)

TJ - You already got DePodesta fired and got your dream "old school candidate" hired... what exactly is it you want?

He wants to be funny. He wants to demonstrate how far above sports he is. He wants people to get angry with him and write letters to the editor, because then he proves that he's being read.

He might be a good guy in real life, but he's a terrible columnist.

13. Fred Garvin, Collateral Damage Posted: December 06, 2005 at 02:01 PM (#1764088)

After all - Ned Colletti doesn't have a computer. He can't even get e-mail from other GMs.

It's good to know that Simers and Plaschke are writing their articles in crayon, rather than relying on these newfangled, flash-in-the-pan technologies.

14. 6 - 4 - 3 Posted: December 06, 2005 at 02:06 PM (#1764106)

Actually, I was thinking that Furcal's a pretty good fit for Dodger Stadium (which really isn't nowhere the near the pitchers' park it used to be since they moved the field level seats in). He's a line drive hitter with a little bit of pop and great speed. He may lose a few homers in LA, but those will likely turn into doubles or triples, not outs.

15. rb's team is hopeful for the new year! Posted: December 06, 2005 at 02:38 PM (#1764209)

It's like being subjected to a television station that insists on running episodes of Matlock over-and-over again.

You get tbs too?

Actually, I was thinking that Furcal's a pretty good fit for Dodger Stadium (which really isn't nowhere the near the pitchers' park it used to be since they moved the field level seats in). He's a line drive hitter with a little bit of pop and great speed. He may lose a few homers in LA, but those will likely turn into doubles or triples, not outs.

Exactly. I've been watching furcal for years now, and his biggest problems come when he starts hitting homers. After the first few, he immediately starts swinging for the fence every time up, and generally takes a month to get his stroke back. If the homer option is gone, his numbers could improve significantly, as he might not go into such long slumps.

16. Greg Maddux School of Reflexive Profanity Posted: December 06, 2005 at 03:09 PM (#1764275)

He may lose a few homers in LA, but those will likely turn into doubles or triples, not outs.

Dodger Stadium doesn't depress home runs, it depresses doubles and triples.

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Tuesday, December 06, 2005

L.A. Times: Simers: Furcal in Dodger Stadium Is Out-and-Out Ridiculous

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