The Padres (127 runs scored), Giants (128) and Dodgers (140) are all among the four most feeble offenses in the National League so far. Here's the latest on the NL West…
- Despite a weakened bullpen and a thin lineup, the Dodgers are within 3.5 games of the division lead. The team's rotation is the reason things aren't worse, manager Don Mattingly told Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times.
- D'Backs GM Kevin Towers and vice president Jerry Dipoto scouted high schooler Bubba Starling in person, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The two-sport star is athletic enough to make Bryce Harper take note; some say he can hit the ball a mile, throw 95 mph as a pitcher and toss a football 50 yards from his knees.
- It should come as no surprise that the Scott Boras client will be an expensive sign, Piecoro explains. Nebraska wants Starling to play quarterback and center field on a scholarship, so he has leverage. Arizona has the #3 and #7 selections in the first round this June.
- The Rockies "no longer have an ace," according to Tom Verducci of SI.com, who hears from one scout that Ubaldo Jimenez is pitching like he's hurt. His fastball has slowed down, but the Rockies say Jimenez is healthy and dealing with mechanical and command issues.
Senator George Mitchell is resigning. That’s probably worth a post, right guys?-wtk
So there is a new Report then?
The Dodgers are so lucky to be were there at. They need at least one more big bat to really compete but that’ll probably have to wait until next year. That bat has to go at either, first or third. I like sands at left, he’s numbers may look bad but he looks great the plate. A pretty good eye and solid opposite field power. I want him to be given all the opportunity. He should be #1 on the depth chart at left field for the rest of the year unless they sign a big left field bat next year!
Lucky? I thought the Dodgers were unlucky to have at least four key players on the DL.
I’ll go with 3 key players. Just furcal and Blake. But Aaron miles is doing good at 2nd and uribe is doing what’s expected. Solid d, low average and good power. So Blake was easily replaced. Broxton has been horrible since last trade deadline so I didn’t expect much but padilla has been great so far and so has hawkworth.
Kuo would be 3rd I forgot to mention, his is just unfortuneate. But lucky because starting pitching is there strength and outside of kemp, Carrol and ethier there isn’t much of a solid lineup.
Sure Broxton has been horrible but that’s why he’s on the DL. Kuo was Plan B as a closer. Now we’re onto Plan C in Padilla. Add that to all the other disabled players and I don’t see much luck in any of it. The Dodgers’ run of weird injuries started last year with Eithier’s pinkie and has carried on right into 2011.
On the topic of harper. he’s hittting .395, has a .473OBP, and has a .702 slugging percentage with 8homers and 30RBI’s in low A. If your the nats Gm when do you call him up to high A AA?
Hes just a man amongst boys right now. I think you have to give him another month or so. You can’t rush Harper, you can’t let the success get to his head and make sure that he knows he has to work his way up but at some point he will hit the wall and you have to see how he deals with Adversity.
I think the first true test for him is when he begins to fail. He’s probably never had to deal with failure in terms of baseball at any point yet in his young life..
I agree. You have to leave him onthe minors long enough to fail because in the majors he will hit some obstacles and if it’s in the majors that it’s the firt time he deals with obstacles then he will be in some trouble. But this kid has all the talent in the world hopefully he has all the desire to be the best. Washington is headed in the wrong way. But I don’t like the werth signing but they needed some attention.
The Rockies “no longer have an ace” ?
Joulis Chacin much?
i was thinking the same.
he’s gonna be good but hes a young guy and has time to develope.
Good
Rockies may not have an “ace”, but they got more face cards than most. I’ll take De la Rosa, Chacin and Hammell against 20-25 of the other team’s 1,2,3 any day.