Casey Blake could start season on disabled list
Casey Blake could start the season on the disabled list, Don Mattingly acknowledged on Friday morning.
However, the diplomatic rookie manager wouldn’t speculate the likelihood of that happening.
“It’s hard to get too far down the line when he’s not swinging the bat yet, not taking ground balls or anything,” Mattingly said.
For his part, Blake said he intends to be in the lineup when the Dodgers open the season against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on March 31.
“I want to play opening day,” Blake said.
Blake has been sidelined since Saturday with a back injury. He was batting .077 when he got hurt.
Mattingly said the Dodgers were looking at what they might be able to do if Blake is unavailable.
The most likely solution would be to move Juan Uribe from second to third base, a position he will play against the Giants in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Friday.
The Dodgers’ lineup Friday:
Furcal SS
DeJesus 2B
Ethier RF
Kemp CF
Loney 1B
Uribe 3B
Thames LF
Navarro C
De La Rosa P
-- Dylan Hernandez in Phoenix
Photo: Casey Blake. Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel / US Presswire
The beat writer calls him "diplomatic rookie manager" and the blogger calls him Alfred E. Neuman and the fan sees him as a man chugging on over to Namby Pamby land. He needs to act more like a Mattingly and less like a Donnie. He needs to get a grip and get his head out from under his lower thoracic spine. Ned and Frank stacked the deck against him...but if he's going to go down...might as well go down in flames with an aggressive plan hatched from good baseball sense instead of waiting to see who shows up every day...winning and whining may sound alike...but they ain't.
Posted by: Skyharbor | 03/18/2011 at 12:42 PM
Blake sucks. Shows how far this team has sunk that it matters if this scrub starts the season on the DL.
Posted by: FormerLifelongDodgerFan | 03/18/2011 at 01:53 PM
If we can see the 2011 Dodgers as a team that will be fortunate to play .500 ball, isn't it likely Mattingly knows it too?
Kurt Rambis took a similar path when he agreed to coach the Minnesota Timberwolves.
As long as McCourt retains ownership of this team, conditions will likely remain the same.
Posted by: 68elcamino427 | 03/18/2011 at 02:03 PM
Well, if that's gonna happen, then I'll repeat what I've said several times before: put Uribe at third (he'll be less of a problem there than at second) and Carroll at second. Having Carroll in the lineup means he can bat second (and solve that problem). If they (whoever they might be) don't want Carroll starting, then I suppose Miles could start at second. In the long run, it really doesn't matter because this club probably won't finish higher than third (behind the Giants and Rockies) even if Ethier, Kemp and Loney have big years.
Posted by: bob cuomo | 03/18/2011 at 05:11 PM
What a surprise -- Conte being Conte... Never can diagnose an injury or treat it properly-- The person is always day to day - then 15 day DL and so on until they are gone for a lengthy time or the season -- Boycott so Frank has to sell & Ned/Stan get fired.
Posted by: Collie | 03/18/2011 at 06:06 PM
Here is an excellent SI piece about aging's impact on players.
http://joeposnanski.si.com/2011/02/20/pushing-back-time/
One more reason to boycott the Codgers.
Posted by: Striker | 03/18/2011 at 06:13 PM
Once you get past their age difference of 4½ years, there’s little else between Blake and Uribe as third basemen. Games at third base only, fielding percentages are similar, range difference is not glaring. At the plate, Blake is a little better hitter with a little more pop.
Blake has been good for the Dodgers. He doesn’t suck – it does suck he’s hurting. Neither of these guys is the next Ron Cey, Mike Schmidt, Craig Nettles, Brooks Robinson, or name your notable. Nobody on the team is the next anybody just yet. Only player worth comparing to “insert name of your submitted player here” is Clayton Kershaw. That’s it. Team of no-names, which everyone already knows. So better have some parts equaling a really good sum.
While I don’t think we have a great sum, I’m hopeful. Realistic to know right now its otherwise, but a true Dodger fan grabs hope in March if there is nothing else. Here’s some numbers to ponder on that 3B spot:
Uribe
.960 career field % at 3B; .256 career ave.; 151 career HR; 599 career RBI; 1256 MLB games in 10 seasons; 32 on opening day
Blake
.956 career field % at 3B; .264 career ave.; 163 career HR; 590 career RBI; 1202 MLB games in 12 seasons; 37 on opening day
Posted by: alanw19 | 03/18/2011 at 07:05 PM
And oh by the way, I'll gladly move to the front of the line to blame front office as a whole and in separate parts as well for the fact we're a very old team that could have a frequency for the DL and players playing hurt due to age or otherwise.
Posted by: alanw19 | 03/18/2011 at 07:07 PM
Maybe the Dodgers should bring back Stan Johnston and Matt Wilson, two dedicated, knowledgeable, and long time Dodger trainers, before the McCourts ran them out.
Posted by: Airedale | 03/19/2011 at 05:06 AM
Right on Airedale. McCourt fired them and brought in Stan. What moves has Frank made that were right?
Posted by: Collie | 03/19/2011 at 12:05 PM