WHAT?!?

Whilst reading the articles on Dodgers.com, something struck me as rather odd, and perhaps disturbing.

You see, the Dodgers are looking at possibly carrying up to five non-roster players on the Opening Day 25-man.

That's good, I do like the occasional reclamation project. Five might be too many, but still, I can live with it.

Let's take a look at who's in the running: Doug Mientkiewicz and Juan Castro. Ok... I'd rather keep Delwyn Young around, but Mientkiewicz and Castro are having good Springs, they are pretty good defensively, and they are versatile. I can live with these two on the roster.

Who else do we have?

Either Erick Threets or Brian Mazone will probably make the roster as the second left handed reliever. I did read another story that Will Ohman was working out for the Dodgers, and I'd like to go with him, but if we don't sign him, Mazone has had an excellent Spring and Threets is young and has some good stuff. I'd be ok with either as the lefty outta da pen.

Oh, here's a name: Jeff Weaver. He's not had a great Spring, a 7.00 ERA in eight appearances over 9.0 innings. Ummm... maybe not a great choice to make it off the non-roster invitee list. Especially because there's a couple of guys who've had better Springs as reliever, but hey, maybe Torre wants to go with a proven (kinda) name like Weaver over a Nick DeBarr (5.06 ERA in eight games, 5.1 innings), Jesus Castillo (3.86 ERA in four games, 4.2 innings), or Charlie Haeger (2.08 ERA in four games, 4.1 innings). Fine. I guess we can go with Weaver as the long relief/12th guy out of the bullpen kinda role. Why not? How much damage can he do?

Alright, that's four. Who's the fifth guy...

What? WHAT?

"The way manager Joe Torre is talking... Tanyon Sturtze... [is] alive in competition for [a job] as Spring Training winds down."

WHAT?!?

No!

"Oh hai dere! I'm just here to ruin your 25-man roster."

NO!!!

No Tanyon Sturtze! This was the guy last year, that when Designated for Assignment, opted instead to linger around with the club than pitch in the minors or look for another job.

He was the pitching coach last year in the final game of the season, which I thought meant he had practically retired.

Sturtze has a 5.14 ERA in nine games (7.0 innings) this Spring, which admittedly sounds not bad (though not really good for that matter, either). He's been better than Jeff Weaver, but still not better than any of the three names I previously mentioned (DeBarr, Castillo, Haeger).

Hell, if we're going down this road, I'd rather give Ramon Troncoso the job. He's got near similar numbers, but I think he's still got something left in the tank. He's got a 5.19 ERA in eight games (8.2 innings) this Spring.

But if we're going with Sturtze, here's the thing you don't get from Sturtze in his ERA, he's given up two walks and 11 HITS in his 7.0 innings of work. He's only given up four earned runs, but SIX runs overall. Sturtze's 5.14 ERA is much better than his performance indicates.

So why in the world is Sturtze getting possible consideration for a spot on the 25-man roster and in the bullpen?

This is the thing about Joe Torre that absolutely kills me. He plays favorites to no end. The article inadvertently (maybe not?) admits it.

"Three of them -- Weaver, Sturtze and Mientkiewicz -- played for Torre with the Yankees."

It's this crazy inclination on going with the veteran who doesn't have a lot left in the tank over a kid who shows promise. And while this is great for guys like Mientkiewicz, Weaver, and (*shiver*) Sturtze, guys like Delwyn Young and Charlie Haeger are screwed out of jobs, their only crime being that they aren't old enough to have played under Torre before.

And sometimes that just makes you stop and say: "What?!?"

Picture Day!

I was going to do a post today about Yhency Brazoban getting released, which in a way, negates my last post. I suggested that those players were good at one point, a year or two ago, so they could be helpful now. I guess the same could be said for Brazoban. Although his good year was 2004.

I was also going to talk about Josh Lindblom being promoted less than a year after being picked in the draft. I would've talked about his exciting potential and when he could possibly help out the club (probably not til 2010).

Anyway, I would have talked about these things had the Dodgers not taken new pictures for the 2009 season. Now, instead, I will make fun of the pictures. (P.S. MLB.com actually refers to these files as "mugshots," that seems about accurate.)

Let's start with the person who's probably taken the least amount of professional pictures, Clayton Kershaw:

"I'm just happy to be here."

Wow. If someone told him to take a picture so that he would look like a goofy, fresh faced, 21-year-old kid just breaking into the majors he couldn't have taken a better picture.

Now, I'd like to present the Mr. Personality Award to:

Jason Schmidt. Yay.

Someone told Rafael Furcal a dirty joke.

Is it weird that Guillermo Mota kinda frightens me with this picture? Is he snarling?

Danny Ardoin has a dirty little secret (He's hiding a body in the trunk of his car).

This is the look of a man who can't find a team that will take his contract and allow him to start. This is the look of a man who's on the fast track to being a 4th outfielder. This is the look of a man who didn't think he'd be taking this picture. It is the look of defeat.

Brian Mazone, a.k.a. the Lizard Man. I can't figure out where Brian Mazone's neck ends and Brian Mazone begins.

Edgar Martinez looks like he's about to pop.

"No, I'm not a coach! I'm going to be 35 in May! I can still pitch! I swear, I'm not 55! Why does everyone keep asking me that?" -Stephen Randolph

And... hold on a second... oh... my... God. Seriously?

What is Tanyon Sturtze still doing here? He's not retired? What the hell?!?