Dodgers In Trouble

So far the biggest move that the Los Angeles Dodgers have made was basically taking the Yankees coaching staff in Don Mattingly, Larry Bowa, and of course manager Joe Torre.

Everyone in Los Angeles sees Torre as a savior of some sort. Yes, Torre managed and made 12 playoff appearances with the Yankees, winning four World Series, but this isn't the Bronx any more.

No more Jeter, A-Rod, and Cano patrolling the infield. No more $200 million dollar salary. No more bench filled with so many players that All-Stars such as Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui, and Johnny Damon had to take a seat on the bench.

The glory days are over for Torre. What Torre did was do a great job managing a lot of big ego's with players with big contracts, but a monkey could have filled out the line-up card and still won 95 games a season.

Lets just take last seasons roster...how many All-Stars do you think were on that team?

Don't look, don't cheat...

The answer is

1. Johnny Damon

2. Hideki Matsui

3. Bobby Abreu

4. A-Rod

5. Derek Jeter

6. Jason Giambi

7. Mike Mussina

8. Andy Pettitte

9. Roger Clemens

10. Jorge Posada

11. Mariano Rivera

I think that's it - but that is sick when 11 (maybe more if I missed someone) of your starting 25 men are All-Star players and you basically have All-Stars in Cano and Cabrera and Wang and Hughes but just haven't officially reached that level yet.

Lets just compare for fun what Torre had last season, to who he now has...

Pitching

Wang - Lowe ... okay, pretty good match up there

Pettitte - Penny ... another good match

Clemens - Schmidt ...wow, pretty close on the rotation

Mussina - Billingsly ... still close

Hughes - Loaiza ... have to admit, good starting 5 for both teams

Closers

Mariano is the best in baseball but Saito is not joke either, however, the Yankees slide to victory when it comes to pitching...hitting and defense is where it gets fun

C: Posada - Martin

1B: Giambi - Loney

2B: Cano - Kent

3B: A-Rod - Garciapparra

SS: Jeter - Furcal

OF: Damon/Matsui - Eithier

OF: Abreu - Kemp

OF: Cabrera - Pierre

That would have to be Yanks by a landslide especially since the Yankees except Giambi had no injuries while the Dodgers are an injury prone team. No disrespect, but Nomar speaks for himself, Furcal has been in some unfortunate situations, but Jeter beats him anyway, the Dodgers don't want Pierre in center while Cabrera is a highlight machine in center with a cannon for an arm, Kent is 40 compared to the young Cano whose range is unbelievable. There is no comparison between the two teams.

Torre is no savior - seems like a great guy but he doesn't know when to pull the plug on a pitcher, and as far as the line-up goes, the only question is which All-Star do you want to put in first...Should I put in A-Rod before or after Abreu - what a decision!

Steinbrenner is a pain, but he puts together a great team and that is why it has been such a disgrace that the Yankees haven't made it out of the first round of the playoffs in three consecutive years. That is why Torre was basically given the boot. It was after he resigned that he said he wished he went to the mound during the game with the army ants to show the umps how bad the pitching mound was, it was Torre who placed A-Rod in the 8 hole in the 2005 ALDS, it was Torre who let Clemens go out and give up a bunch of runs with h is hurt hamstring before he brought in Phil Hughes. Torre can manage players, he CAN NOT manage a game.

If anyone remembers, when Torre was a N manager in the past he was horrible because he had to make decisions - no real decisions in the AL which is why h had success with the Yanks, but back in the NL with an inferior team compared to what he is used to - just warning Dodger fans now, don't be disappointed when you lose in the first round of the playoffs, be happy if you make it at all - no, check that, be ecstatic if you make it at all.

Just a warning for Dodger fans - Don't expect to see a picture like the one on top with the Dodgers owner any time soon.