Landestoy Luke
By Landestoy Luke
If you’re a Dodger fan and wanna point fingers for the debacle of Tuesday night, the main one needs to be pointed at Xavier Paul. Puking that ball in the 6th inning led to 2 extra runs scoring, setting up the mess that ensued in the 9th. What’s also unforgivable is no one in the Dodger organization knew the rules and didn’t file a protest after the umpires incorrectly forced Broxton to be removed from the game. MLB conceded the umpires didn’t apply the rule correctly, but since no formal protest had been filed, nothing could be done. Even the Luker knew that was the rule right after it happened, yet people whose job is it to know didn’t?
Anyway, the Big L isn’t going to play I told you so, but check back to my post All-Star article talking about the Blue’s chances in the second half.
A lot of things can happen at the trade deadline. You’ll hear a lot of rumors, but there’s always a few surprises. Last year, everyone was convinced Roy Halladay was getting traded and he ended up going nowhere. Two years ago, Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers wasn’t on anyone’s radar until it actually happened. The point is, just about anything other than Albert Pujols being traded is possible.
Will the locals do anything? Most likely a minor deal here and there, but nothing Earth shattering. Problem is, sometimes these minor deals turn out to cause major problems. The Dodgers traded a great 3B prospect in Josh Bell last year for George Sherrill, who impoded in the playoffs last year and has been a huge mess this year. They felt comfortable trading Bell because they had traded for and locked up Casey Blake. Who did they get rid of to get Blake? Only one of the best hitting prospects in the game in Carlos Santana (please, no stupid guitar joke Joey T.). All Santana has done this year is post a line of .282/.431/.547/.978 while playing catcher. Think that would look nice instead of Russell Martin’s .244/.346/.328/.673?
You know what L.L. hates? When people ask him, “Hey, who is going to win it all?” Hey, I don’t know how teams are going to play in October. I don’t know who is going to get hurt. I don’t know who is gonna become a headcase. Sure, ask me who the best team is and I’ll give my opinion, but there are just too many random things that can happen for me to say who will win it all. So get off my back.
Landestoy Luke is a former semi-pro baseball player in the California-Nevada Independent League. Luke is the only pitcher in CNIL history to balk three times in a game while administering an intentional walk. After spending some time as an advance scout in the Mexicali League, Luke now spends his time as a freelance writer.
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