I doubt I can do the FJM thing justice but since the article comes from ole reliable Bill Plaschke, it shouldn't be that hard.
Getting Davey Lopes back with the Dodgers would be a steal
Former All-Star second baseman for the Dodgers is no longer the first base coach for the Philadelphia Phillies, and L.A. could certainly use him.
The Dodgers' star player, Matt Kemp, is reminding people of Raul Mondesi, they traded for Scott Podsednik and Octavio Dotel when their team had a less than 10% chance to make the postseason, the ownership of the team is still in the air as Frank and Jamie McCourt have a rough divorce settlement and business operations are currently headed by a guy with a real estate background...but signing a first base coach is something that the Dodgers could "certainly" use.
I must make a rather pathetic confession. I have been stuck in a permanent cringe since the rather hideous moment the San Francisco Giants won the World Series.
Well while we are on the topic I must make a rather obvious confession, you are an idiot. Actually, you're right, watching the excitement of a surprise team led by young pitching and a rookie catcher win the World Series is a rather hideous moment. I would also rather you not use the word rather in back to back sentences.
Everyone expects us Angelenos to be such good sports about it,
Dude, you are from Kentucky, no matter how long you write for the LA Times you'll never be an Angeleno.
and, OK, fine, congrats, Giants, good job, blah, blah, blah. But, c'mon. We're only human.
I beg to differ Mr. Plaschke. Until proven wrong, I am going to claim that you are not human, much like you claim players used steroids without any evidence.
Watching them dance around in their shoe-polish beards and whoa-dude grins made me want to make like Reggie Smith.
Is "whoa-dude grin" your backhanded way of talking about Tim Lincecum smoking pot? Nice one Bill, really clever.
Reggie Smith ran into the crowd and started punching a fan because a fan threw a helmet at him, does this mean someone threw a helmet at you Mr. Plaschke? If that's the case I would like to meet and thank said fan.
Instead, I picked up the phone and called Davey Lopes.
The Giants made you cringe and you thought to yourself I have 2 options:
1) Jump into the stands and attack a fan; or
2) Call Davey Lopes
Makes sense.
Why not give a call to an ex-Dodger, failed manager and recent first base coach because you find the Giants rather hideous.
Remember him?
Not really
The tough Dodgers second baseman?
How do you measure toughness? Is it like the Mohs scale? Is Lopes above or below Topaz? Quartz? Talc?
The centerpiece of the legendary Dodgers infield?
Really? I thought that would be Steve Garvey. Usually the MVP is the one considered "legendary". Usually.
A celebrated coach for the Philadelphia Phillies during their two recent trips to the World Series?
Are you kidding me? Did you expect anyone to recognize Davey Lopes as a "celebrated coach for the Philadelphia Phillies during their two recent trips to the World Series"?
I'm surprised you didn't say "The winningest manager of the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000-2002?"
Lopes is now a free agent, having suddenly left the Phillies in a dispute over his worth.
That wouldn't be because first base coaches aren't worth that much right?
He's a great communicator with difficult players. He's the game's best baserunning guru.
Don't you hate difficult players? Didn't you hate Milton Bradley? You can't tell the Dodgers to get rid of difficult players while also telling them to bring in someone to help them. And wait, why am I believing you that he's a great communicator?
And, oh yeah, the Dodgers' revamped coaching staff has a vacancy.
Revamped? Don Mattingly is managing the team because of a clause in his contract, I'd hardly call it "revamped".
"Come home," I told him. "That would be nice," he said.
Sounds like a great conversation.
Later Wednesday I called Ned Colletti, the Dodgers' general manager.
"Bring Davey home," I said. "Hmmm," he said.
Sounds like an even better conversation. Did Ned Colletti really a) listen to Bill Plaschke and b) just answer "hmmm"?
No wonder he traded a top prospect (Andrew Lambo) and a young starter (James McDonald) for 2 months of a middle reliever aka Octavio Dotel.
So now the cringe is slowly leaving and the raw beginnings of distant hope are slowly returning, because I think it could happen.
I gotta cringe and the only prescription is more DAVEY LOPES!!!!!!
I'm guessing they are already talking.
It's always good to guess about these sort of things too, good call Bill.
For the first time in 29 years, Davey Lopes could soon be a Dodger again.
Because this is something that we've all been waiting for?
"The things he did in Philadelphia, combined with the fact that he's a Dodger legend, we would be remiss if we didn't think about this internally," Colletti said.
Ah, Mr. Colletti can speak!
With the kind of bargain basement lineup they are going to throw on the field next year, maybe Lopes would not even be worth one win. But with his potential to unlock the likes of Matt Kemp and James Loney and Andre Ethier, maybe he's worth plenty.
What did Davey Lopes do to prove that he has the potential to unlock Matt Kemp and co.? The Phillies wouldn't let that kind of untapped potential leave would they?
Remember, at one time, Lopes was all three of them. He was a precocious kid who felt misunderstood in a locker room that did not look or act like him.
I don't remember this and I don't recall Kemp, Ethier and Loney feeling misunderstood. I also don't recall that locker rooms can act like humans either.
"I've been there, I know what it's like when you're young and you need to know somebody is covering your back," Lopes said from his home in the San Diego area. "Sometimes you feel lost, and you need a coach or manager to alleviate that. I get it."
Davey Lopes gets it!
Indeed, last season, the Dodgers' young stars were lost, and the coaching staff was unable to reach them, leading to Colletti's decision to bring in new coaches. No announcements have been made, but the choices have already been clear.
Not only are James Loney and Andre Ethier not stars, they had years totally in line with their career averages.
Andre Ethier career OPS+: 124
2008: 132
2009: 131
2010: 134
Just because Matt Kemp had a down year doesn't mean that the Dodgers' young stars were lost because coaches couldn't reach them.
Larry Bowa was new Manager Don Mattingly's choice as bench coach, but Colletti didn't agree, so Bowa is gone. Bob Schaefer, who sparred with Kemp during the season, decided he would not come back. Mariano Duncan hasn't been totally cut loose, but he is free to seek a job elsewhere.
Here's guessing all three guys were at least partially relieved to be relieved.
Again, it's always smart for journalists to guess what other people are feeling, good call Bill.
He's tough like Bowa was tough, but he knows when to back off. He's smart like Schaefer was smart, but because he once played, he can relate better to younger players.
Because Davey Lopes once played, he can relate better to younger players. That's rich. It has nothing to do with coaching experience or personality, just the fact that he played means he is better at relating to not only players, but younger ones. Davey Lopes, the perfect coaching combination of Bob Schaefer and Larry Bowa, how could they go wrong!
Lopes played for the Dodgers from 1972 to 1981. The four-time All-Star joined Ron Cey, Bill Russell and Steve Garvey to form the most enduring infield combination in baseball history, the group playing together for 8½ years.
Davey Lopes played with the same guys in the infield for a bunch of years ∴ he should coach on the Dodgers. I'm starting to get you Bill!
Lopes won a Gold Glove, but he was best known for his base stealing, with 557 stolen bases and an 83% success ratio. He took that knowledge to the Phillies, who led the major leagues in stolen base percentage during his three seasons there.
This year, the Phillies were successful on a baseball-leading 84% of their stolen base tries. The Dodgers finished 28th out of 30 teams with 65%.
I thought the Dodgers problem was their "lost" stars, I guess it's now their base stealing ability. Also, FYI Bill, in baseball we call them stolen base attempts, not tries.
Lopes left the Phillies after they denied his request to be paid as much as the average third base or bench coach. The difference is relatively miniscule, and Lopes said it's not about the money, but the perception.
Just a minute ago you were talking about his worth, I guess it's now perception.
"It's about how much a club values what you do," he said. "I just wanted to feel valued."
Wait, now it's about worth again?
It shouldn't cost the Dodgers much to make him feel that way.
That just sounds dirty. Like Halle Berry in Monsters Ball, "Make me feel good! Make me feel good!"
Now is that time, for both Lopes and the locals who once adored him.
This doesn't make sense.
Watching the Giants spending the winter dancing might be a little easier for Chavez Ravine folks to take knowing their backs are being covered by an old Dodger.
Neither does this.
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