DODGERS 2017 NEWS/RUMORS/AROUND MLB Thread

Yup.
I am.
Including me.
Course everyone knows.
I thought you had some news.

 

props to kinsler for saying what we all know

Ian Kinsler to veteran umpire Angel Hernandez: Stop ruining baseball games
ESPN.com news services — 45 minutes ago

Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler unloaded a series of grievances against Angel Hernandez on Tuesday, one day after the veteran umpire ejected him for arguing balls and strikes.

Speaking to reporters, Kinsler said that Hernandez, who has been a major league umpire since 1993, "needs to re-evaluate his career choice" because he's "messing with baseball games."

"I'm surprised at how bad an umpire he is," Kinsler said, according to the Detroit News. "I don't know how, for as many years he's been in the league, that he can be that bad. He needs to re-evaluate his career choice, he really does. Bottom line.

"If I get fined for saying the truth, then so be it. He's messing with baseball games, blatantly."
Ian Kinsler, right, said he had his first run-in with umpire Angel Hernandez during his rookie season in 2006. Andrew Dieb/Icon Sportswire

Kinsler was tossed while batting in the fifth inning of Monday's 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers. Kinsler questioned a strike that was called on the first pitch of his at-bat, telling Hernandez it was a strike only because he called it a strike. After the second pitch was called a ball, Kinsler turned to Hernandez and said, "What about that one?"

Hernandez ejected Kinsler. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, who ran onto the field in Kinsler's defense, was also tossed.

"This has to do with changing the game," said Kinsler, who claims he has had problems with Hernandez since his rookie season in 2006. "He's changing the game. He needs to find another job. He really does."

Asked if he and Hernandez had a personal issue, Kinsler said, "I'm not mad at him. He just needs to go away."

Kinsler told reporters that he believes Hernandez missed eight obvious calls against both teams in Monday's game.

"Not just borderline calls here and there," Kinsler said. "There's arguments on those every game. There are pitches every game where if you call it a strike, the hitter's going to be mad; and if you call that same pitch a ball, the pitcher's going to be mad. Umpires have to deal with that every game.

"But when it becomes blatant like this, there is a problem. ... What is he doing on the field? What is he doing out there? It's pretty obvious he needs to stop ruining baseball games."

Hernandez was the third base umpire Tuesday in Texas, one night after working home plate. Kinsler started at second base for the Tigers.

A normal rotation for the umpires would put Hernandez at second base when the teams play again Wednesday night.

After the Rangers' 10-4 win Tuesday night, when Hernandez worked third base, Hernandez said he didn't know about Kinsler's criticism. When told in general what Kinsler said, Hernandez said, "It doesn't matter.''

"I'm not at liberty to discuss tit-for-tat what's going on. As a matter of fact, I don't even care what he said," Hernandez said. "What I care about is going out there and doing my job, to the best I can do."

Hernandez, 55, is in his 24th year as a major league umpire. He has worked two World Series (2002, 2005) and last season was part of a League Championship Series crew for the seventh time.

In 2010, an ESPN survey revealed that 22 percent of players who were asked called Hernandez the worst umpire in the majors.

A native of Cuba, Hernandez filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball last month alleging that racial discrimination, as well as a long-simmering personal vendetta between him and MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre, has hindered his career advancement. A few days after filing the suit, Hernandez was named an umpire for the All-Star Game in Miami. The suit is still pending.

 

do you like green eggs and ham?

 

That's annoying.

 

Ron Cey and Davey Lopes are grateful you didn't include them on this list, but pissed off that I remembered.

 

Puig to bat 6th for foreseeable future
by Matthew Moreno | Dodger Blue — 1 hour ago

Last Sunday, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was not inclined to move Yasiel Puig from the eight spot in the lineup. In filling out his first lineup card since making those comments, Roberts did just that.

Puig batted sixth in the series opener against the Chicago White Sox and went 0-for-2 with two walks and one strikeout. He drove a fly ball to the warning track in right field.

Of Puig’s 100 starts this season, Tuesday was his seventh in the six-hole. “Yasiel is hitting sixth, because of the season he’s had and consistent at-bat quality I’ve seen since the All-Star break,” Roberts said.

“He’s handled right-handed pitching all year, and it’s also a way to get Logan and Joc untracked. Thinking through the at-bats for Logan, Yasiel and Joc, and there’s something to performing.”

The domino effect saw Logan Forsythe batting seventh and Joc Pederson eighth. They went a combined 1-for-6 with two RBI in the win against the White Sox.

Forstyhe’s sacrifice fly tied the game in the sixth inning, while Pederson was hit by a pitch in the eighth with the bases loaded to bring in the go-ahead run.

Roberts stopped short of calling the lineup change a ‘reward’ for Puig. He instead stressed the fact that it puts the Dodgers in the best position to win. How long Puig will remain in that spot has not been determined.

“A lot of it is contingent upon performance,” Roberts said. “Right now, for the foreseeable future, I see it this way.”

While Roberts has regularly praised Puig for what he’s called the dynamic outfielder’s best season of his career, the second-year manager has been particularly impressed since the All-Star break.

“For me, that game-winning homer against the Marlins was a turning point,” Roberts said. “As far as high-leverage situation, big spot, to not get out of himself and still put a good swing on the baseball, there’s been a handful of times since that point where he’s had some big spots and come through.”

Roberts thought Puig “responded really well” to the change, pointing to his key walks.

 

Puig making me come look like a know it all douche again.
JT will be next when he gets his HR numbers up high enough to match his OPP for this season.