Marveling at the Homers

I'm marveling at Ned Colletti's claim that the Dodgers have done well to improve their team thus far in the winter and I marvel even more at Dylan's and Bill Shaikin's apparent agreement with that contention. (Meanwhile, TJ and Plaschke seem to have it a little more in perspective.) Guys, come on! What are you thinking? Have you been over-spiking the egg nog? And why compare the Dodgers to the Angels, Bill? Who cares? Why not compare the Dodgers to the Giants or the Rockies, who have two perennial MVP candidates and a Cy Young candidate on the field? And come on, Plaschke, curb your enthusiasm. We're all tickled pink about the likelihood of the evil Frank McCourt having to sell the team, but by the time that happens, the Royals odds in Vegas of making it to the World Series will be double those of the Dodgers. It'll be the future. By the time Bud Selig actually does anything about it, we'll all be wearing silver jumpsuits and flying around in jet packs.

So, what are these big moves? Let's see... they've added journeyman starter, Jon Garland who's coming off a decent 14-12 year with the Dads, but is by no means an impact starter of the caliber of any one member of the Giants starting four. They added chubby Juan Uribe who's a decent, versatile fielder who has some pop - at least he did in 2010, let's see what he does when he's in a non-contract year - and swings at everything. Are they seriously trying to pass Uribe off as a viable middle of the order bat who can replace what we were hoping Manny would be in the beginning of last season?? And why would they choose to deal Theriot and continue to go with the awful Casey Blake at 3rd? Wouldn't they have been slightly better hanging on to Theriot and having Uribe play 3rd? And, finally, they've added two guys who can't hit in Navarro and Gwynn Jr. (Feels weird equating the name "Gwynn" with "can't hit" but nonetheless, he can't).

In truth, all they've really done by re-signing Kuroda, Lilly and Padilla is to keep a good portion of their crappy 2010 team in tact! And you guys are playing it off like the team is improved because we start the season with 5 "viable" starters. Why not sign every club's 4th starter? It's the same thing. They're all viable. And did I miss something? When did Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley emerge as top flight aces at the same level as Halladay, Hamels, Lincecum, Caine, Jiminez, Wainwright, et al? Who needs a pitching staff made up of 2 number 3's and 3 number 4's? We need an ace. In the meantime, they have no catcher, no 1st baseman, no 3rd baseman, a shortstop who can't play a full season, no closer, and no left fielder. I don't really see where they're that much better off. Do you? Unless the ignorant, lazy Kemp and the pouty Ethier come off sub par seasons to simultaneously reach their so-called full potentials, this team is gonna stink to high heaven in 2011. Were the Brewers TRULY interested in trading Prince Fielder for Loney and Broxton? And, if so, why wouldn't the Dodgers do it? I'd make that deal in a heartbeat. Why is Colletti saying it's business as usual with no payroll restraints as a result of the divorce, when, as far as I know, the Dodgers have NEVER been in the running for Werth, Crawford, Lee, Dunn, Konerko, Beltre, Adrian Gonzalez, Mike Young or any of the impact players that were out there. What a joke! Print the truth. This current owner simply doesn't have the money, nor does he care and his GM is trying to piss on our heads and tell us it's raining spring water. If I were you, Hernandez and Shaikin, I'd get Lysol-coated umbrellas.