How can one have the audacity to question Joe Torre?

Forget about Manny.

Forget about Casey Blake, Angel Berroa, and Greg Maddux.

Forget about the youth movement, "can't miss" prospects, and platinum arms.

The Dodgers are in the NLCS for the first time in 20 years, because for the first time in 20 years they have a championship caliber coaching staff. During the post-Lasorda era in Los Angeles, the Dodgers have burned through 5 managers (1), 5 general managers (2), 3 owner / presidents (3), and countless coaches.

The inconsistency of the tone at the top has translated into 20 years of aggravating underachievement by Dodgers squads (not to mention the wasted millions on poor free agent acquisitions and numerous head-scratching trades). Call it "Blue Balls" - pun intended.

After 20 years of 1 post-season-win-ball, one would think that the sweep of the Cubs in the divisional series would satisfy the fans appetite. But what do we do instead? 2nd guess Torre for replacing Derek Lowe with lefty phenom Clayton Kershaw? For replacing Hong Chi Kuo with Cory Wade? For bringing Jonathan Broxton into the game in the 8th? For starting Juan Pierre in center in place of Matt Kemp?

How fickle the Dodger fan can be. Shame on us! Have we forgotten what this team looked like before September? They only had 1 month in which they posted a winning record. They were 3 games under .500 at the end of August! But instead of collapsing down the stretch like they did in 2007, they ripped off their best month of the year and steam rolled the Cubs in the NLDS.

Joe Torre just managed a team to the post season for the 13th consecutive year. And one could make the argument that - due to the injuries, learning curve of the youth, and well-documented personality challenges in the clubhouse - that his 13th year was his finest.

Thank you Joe Torre. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for steering this ship with your always cool hand. Thank you, not just for leaving New York, but for poaching the cream of your New York coaching staff crop - Larry Bowa and Don Mattingly.

You are the Dodgers best acquisition in 2008...and possibly ever!


Dodgers 2008 win-loss records by month:
March / April: 14-13
May: 13-15
June: 11-16
July: 16-10
August: 13-16
September: 17-8

References:
1 - Bill Russell, Glenn Hoffman, Davey Johnson, Jim Tracy, and Grady Little.
2 - Fred Claire left in 1998 following disputes with Fox over control of player personnel. Since his departure, Tommy Lasorda, Kevin Malone, Dave Wallace, Dan Evans, and Paul DePodesta have all served as general manager.
(3) - Fox Entertainment Group acquired the club from the O'Malley family in 1998. Bob Graziano was the President. Robert Daly then acquired a minority stake in the team and became Managing Partner, Chairman and CEO of the club in 1999. In 2004, Frank and Jamie McCourt acquired a controlling interest from Fox Entertainment Group.

How do you say "Chin Music" in Japanese?

Hiroki Kuroda extended his dominance of the Phillies Sunday night, earning his 2nd MLB post season win, and the first NLCS win for the Dodgers since '88. Kuroda scattered 5 hits with 1 walk over 6 innings, surrendering 2 runs in the process.

With Sunday's performance Kuroda improved to 2-0 in 3 starts against the Phillies - all quality starts. He's allowed 4 earned runs on 9 hits over 19 innings of work (1.894 ERA), while striking out 15 and walking only 3.

The key to Kuroda's success was establishing control of the inner-half of the plate. Beginning in the 1st inning, Kuroda worked locations against Jimmy Rollins getting him to weakly ground out to 2nd, jammed Shane Victorino into an infield pop-up, and then sang chin music to Chase Utley on an 0-1 pitch. Utley wound up drawing a walk on the at-bat and then getting caught trying to steal 2nd base to end the inning.

As an aside, Utley - a So-Cal native, UCLA alum, and exemplary neo-hard-nosed ball player - appeared to barely flinch as the 94 mph projectile screamed past his nose. He turned his head, but no bailout whatsoever. More on how big of a baller I think Utley is in future posts...

...In the bottom of the 2nd, Russell Martin heard the same music as Utley on an 0-0 pitch from Philly reliever Clay Condrey. Martin's reaction to the pitch was slightly different to say the least.

Kuroda added some fireworks by throwing up and over the back of Shane Victorino's head in the top of the 3rd inning. Whether that was retaliation for Brett Myers throwing behind Manny in game 2, or retaliation for the shots taken at Martin in game 3 are moot points. The fact of the matter is Kuroda and the Dodgers set a tone: when you are at MY HOUSE, you will STAY OFF MY PLATE!

Kuroda followed his warning shot to Victorino with an intimidating confrontation and few choice words at 1st base. Kuroda is still in the process of learning English and speaks to the media and team through his interpreter, Kenji Nimura. Victorino probably doesn't know exactly what Kuroda was saying to him, but I think we're all fairly certain Kuroda wasn't extending and invitation for cocktails following the game. The result of the confrontation was both dugouts and bullpens clearing...no fisticuffs, just some frat-boy chest puffing and yelling.

Managers Joe Torre and Charlie Manuel are not the types to allow these incidents to carryover games, and both Victorino and Martin signaled during post game interviews that the incidents seemed to have resolved themselves. Whether the Dodgers are able to parlay the emotion of the win into a streak remains to be seen, but seeing as how the home team has won every game played between these two teams, the outlook is positive.

Perhaps most important of all is that Kuroda is set to pitch in game 6 back in Philly (Note this is not an "if" statement. There WILL be a game 6). Given his continued handling of the Phillies lineup, he should give the Dodgers an opportunity to win, and that's what's really important!