At the moment Elysian Fields doesn’t have a separate design for mobile phone users. Would that be of interest to anyone? The two most popular have not yet been tested for this latest version of WordPress, but once they are I can add one of those for the site. As I understand it the software recognizes when it’s being read on a smartphone and automatically switches, although I could be wrong. I’ll find that out before I do it, if I do it at all.
What say you?
Update: Okay, I did it. If you’ve got a smartphone, when you call up Elysian Fields in its browser you should see a list of the most recent posts. Tap the one you want to read and its text will come up on screen along with all the comments.
New post above this one.
Evidently determined to sign a veteran SP for #5, the Dodgers appear to have landed Paul Maholm. At least he has a locker @ Camelback.
Sounds more and more like they don’t think Beckett (A) can come back physically, (B) has much left in his tank, or (C ) at least they are very determined to have still more options, in case of A & or B. And (D) they aren’t going to give younger SPs much chance.
Unlikely the team will pay Beckett $15M or so and Maholm the few $M he’d command, even if money’s irrelevant these days.
Barf bag alert. Just when it appeared he’d never be back in the news….
At least the behavior is predictable.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2014/baseball/mlb/wires/02/05/2010.ap.bbn.dodgers.mccourts.0167/index.html
Jon Heyman says reserve IF possibility & LHP masher Jeff Baker to Marlins, so that’s one move Ned won’t make.
Update==
But he WILL sign Justin Turner, says MLBTR. Maybe about the best move possible right now.
Let’s just hope he keeps looking to upgrade that bench. Wonder if he’s thinking Bonifacio at all…
It’s a done deal, sez Jon. Click over to see a funny picture.
The Dodgers are still talking to Bronson Arroyo. He wants a 3-year deal at $10M per. He’s 36. I might consider a 2-year deal with an option for a 3rd, since he has been so durable over his entire career. And I admit I’d like to see that straight-legged windup in Dodger Blue at least once.
Something sinister in that leg thing, halfway expect to see that in a grainy WWII newsreel with stentorian commentator fearmongering about the “new jerry pitching threat”
He’s been durable and slightly above average. Has that going for him, and likely would do better in DS. But he’d take at least a 2-year, which means blocking young arms who’re about ready for at least that long. He’s 36. Dodgers are supposed to be “getting younger….”
And what of Beckett? Can’t be sure he’s healthy, is in decline, and will make what, $15m this last year of his contract. How do you unload his whopper of an overpay contract, not to mention the pitcher himself? Neither is going to ABQ, and we saw how stashing extra starter/s in the pen worked last year.
But then we also saw last year how having 3 “excess” starting pitchers worked out. That was an aberration. But what it probably did was feed into Ned’s need to have backups on top of backups, so I understand the thinking at that level.
But the young arms stand to do as well as Arroyo would. One or more likely can do league average or a bit better.
And what of Bills midyear or sooner? That’s already a looming issue.
Although recently DFA’ed Royals infielder Emilio Bonifacio’s $3.5MM salary is “probably an overpay,” Mike Petriello of Fangraphs feels that he could be an improvement to nearly half the teams in the Majors. Bonifacio’s baserunning has been the eighth most valuable in the game
dating back to 2010 despite having 1,000 or so fewer PAs than most ahead of him on the list, and he’s able to back up at third base and center field in addition to playing a solid second base, Petriello argues.
–says MLBTR
What says Ned?
Switch hitter as well (equally mundane from both sides at around .650 OPS), so there is that.
“equally mundane” – love it
Like to see the Dodgers take a flyer on bringing Carlos Marmol back somewhere in the organization, maybe stash him at ABQ if he’d go for it. Can’t have too much pitching, chance of bullpen injuries, and all that.
May not stay available given that wipeout slider and the usual shortage of proven relief pitching many places. Former closer, and all that.
But if nothing develops, he might look kindly on a Dodger offer. He seemed grateful to be rescued from the scrap heap by the team last year, and he did beat expectations considerably.
Whoever thought he would/could throw 3.2 scoreless in the NLCS?
Speaking of expectations, wish he could beat very deserved ones of walking about one every inning, while striking out 2. Second part of that, great. First part of that….why he doesn’t have a contract.
Thoughts on the report which says Puig will leadoff?
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/dodgers-don-mattingly-says-yasiel-puig-may-take-on-leadoff-role?ymd=20140203&content_id=67408274&vkey=news_mlb
Like. Gets him at least a few more AB, and you never know when he might hit a 500-foot HR or do something else spectacular. He’s capable of being spectacularly bad too, but that’s mostly in the field. Like the odds of his being spectacularly good offensively as he improves (he said, while trying to find a way to use the word spectacularly again).
Also, even tho Crawford stood out in the postseason, over the whole year he just wasn’t what he used to be.
But if Crawford can continue to play at a high level, including being close to the CC of old on the bases, DM thinking about changing back would be a very nice problem to have.
If the lefty-righty thing is the objective, they might want to take advantage of relative splits and switch things up: Crawford leads off against righties and Puig against lefties.
Eric Collins doing play-by-play for Fox Hoyas/DePaul game I am watching. Don’t think that I will miss him.
No, I won’t either. Nice guy, but not very good at baseball. How is he at hoops?
I AM glad he’s gotten a new job.
I though he was OK, but the comments on the blog were tough on him until he mentioned fondly a couple of rather obscure Hoyas from the past.
The verdict is in. The Hoya blogger gave him the Dickie V. award for the game. To wit, “if you ever get a chance to watch Eric Collins do play-by-play in a basketball game, but all means tune in! Or, even better, douse yourself in kerosene and light yourself on fire.”
Ouch. That is what I’d do with DIckie V, though. I always liked Bill Raftery, who’s apparently left ESPN and CBS to work for the Fox Sports 1 network doing the new Big East league’s games.
Yeah, he is great! Can make even a Seton Hall game interesting.
I will miss Collins, at every opportunity.
Stephen Drew is still out there. Sure fielding, lefthanded bat who could platoon a 3rd with Uribe and provide insurance for SS, with Uribe available to slide into 2nd, if things don’t work out there. However, a Boras client, he didn’t accept Bosox one year $14 million. So would be pricey and probably looking for at least three years, and cost a draft pick. Wonder where he ends up.
And likely sees himself as still an everyday player, unlikely to agree to platoon.
His best bet is probably some contender losing their SS in ST.
Ah, Rafael Furcal last year for the Cardinals (and didn’t he get injured and lose a year when with the Dodgers, too?).
2008. Had an OPS+ 166 that year from a hot start, but went down May 5 and didn’t return until late Sept. We made the playoffs with Berroa.
Won’t Drew still cost the signing team a draft pick? Not sure he’s worth that for a part time player.
Yes, because Bosox gave him a qualifying offer, he will cost a draft pick.
Bet he’s kicking himself right now for turning it down.
Saw an item last couple days about a potential shortage of starters this year at ABQ. It suggested the team look into bringing James McDonald back on a minor league contract.
Sounds like no downside and maybe a good bit of upside…if it worked and he rediscovered something there. Be doubly impressive if he could do it in that launching pad.
John from Aus–
Dunno if you saw this, from comments several days back under Jon’s Dodger Insider piece
about whether fans would stay up for the opener Down Under. It was below a comment I believe was from you…
“Staying up? We’ve got our tickets and are heading across to the game from New Zealand! Finally get to see the Dodgers live ….. sometimes the gods smile upon us! ”
By John Power on January 16, 2014 12:38 – Reply
http://dodgers.mlblogs.com/2014/01/16/dodgers-opening-day-australia/#comment-307
Dunno if you 2 rabid Dodger fans could or would want to try to connect or how you might if so. Unlikely many hop 1500 miles or so from NZ there every weekend.
Yes I did actually see the comment and was impressed with their commitment
Young has retired
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/longtime-texas-rangers-staple-michael-young-retires?ymd=20140130&content_id=67297486&vkey=news_mlb
My phone is nowhere near smart enough, but when I upgrade, I’d love to be able to access this community “in the field.”
OT, Kersh is gonna make a cameo on “New Girl” after the Super Bowl. http://msn.foxsports.com/west/story/dodgers-star-clayton-kershaw-to-make-cameo-on-new-girl-013014
Vin is coming to Sydney!
http://www.foxsports.com.au/other-sports/los-angeles-dodgers-broadcasting-legend-vin-scully-to-work-games-against-arizona-diamondbacks-at-scg/story-e6frf56c-1226814508019#mm-register
Wow!
Good thing Bronson Arroyo is a better pitcher than negotiator. Quoted as frustrated over Tanaka and other picher signings, says he doesn’t even have an offer to turn down just a month out.
Let’s just admit publicly we’re desperate and liable to take anything.
And–no, Ned, PLEASE don’t……
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/411531-frustration-boils-for-out-of-work-arroyo?eref=sihp
All these guys want mutli-year, but maybe he is desperate enought for a one year contract. I would go for that.
Jay Jaffe’s rundown on Dodger offseason below. Little to nothing new here, except suggestion Dodgers might look at Ramon Santiago (.224/.298/.288 in 234 PA for the Tigers) for 2B & IF help.
Oops. Update–signed with Reds. So Jaffe’s next sentence, “Look for Colletti to swing a trade here” might be more fitting than he knew when he wrote it.
http://mlb.si.com/2014/01/29/winter-report-card-los-angeles-dodgers-2/?eref=sihp
Fat Elvis has left the building!
??
Lance Berkman is retiring.
Not yet for me, have a basic smartphone that’s probably capable but my lifestyle hasn’t migrated there yet.
OT but kinda On Topic at the same time–
Letter to the Nashville paper this morning suggested the city’s to-be-built AAA park be named in honor of former Dodger great Jim Gilliam, who the letter writer called the greatest player Nashville ever produced.
Dunno how much traction it might get, but nice recognition for a player who was a big part of 4 out of the 6 Dodger WS titles.
For baseball historians, the new park will go in North Nashville at the site of the legendary Sulfur Dell park from years gone by.
Not something I would use now, but need to think of the future!
Mobile probably not helpful to me personally but a really good idea. Pretty sure it would go over with many and maybe draw in newer folks as well.
Please do add a mobile theme!
A quick-link or phone app would be great.
I haven’t even tried. If the postings were more frequent, I might consider it.
Hey! 😉
Not intended as criticism. I’m sure both you and I have plenty else to do.