This is how desperate the Dodgers have become regarding their starting pitching: They signed Vicente Padilla yesterday.I'm trying to figure out how this helps the Dodgers. Is it the swine flu part? Is it the head-hunting part? Is it the rumors of alcoholism part? Is it the multiple auto accidents part? The not talking to the press part? The not talking to his teammates part? The laughing at his teammates part? The arguing with the manager part? The walking the pitcher part?
OK, the swine flu isn't his fault. And I don't know the details of the offseason auto accidents. But I know his reputation. The Dodgers certainly know his reputation. They know how insanely inconsistent he can be (almost as inconsistent as this Rangers/Phillies card). They've seen his earned-run averages over the last six years. Nothing under 4.5 in there. Even when he was in Philly. And they've got to know that his teammates grew tired of getting hit in retaliation after Padilla would throw a stink fit when he gave up a home run.
Didn't Ned Colletti talk to Mark Teixeira or Kurt Suzuki about this?
Listen, I'm all for making life as difficult for Teixeira as possible. And I don't mind brushback pitches. But there's a difference. What Padilla did with Teixeira isn't cool. But I don't think Padilla knows the difference. Or he flat-out doesn't care.
The quotes from Joe Torre in the AP story are disturbing. He actually used the phrase "clean slate," when referring to Padilla, a phrase I'm sure the Rangers also used when they acquired him. Have you ever noticed that the phrase "clean slate" only comes up with players like Padilla, Gary Sheffield and Milton Bradley? I know if I hear "clean slate," I immediately think I've wandered into a Michael Vick story.
But here's my favorite from Torre: "As a team, we're far enough along if somebody is a bad influence, I don't think that's going to affect other people."
Joe, if someone is a bad influence, that means they've already affected other people. If you influence someone, you've affected them. You can't be an influence and have no effect. It doesn't work that way.
But perhaps the most bizarre quote in the story comes from Manny Ramirez (big surprise), who when asked about Padilla being portrayed as a bad teammate by the Rangers, said this:
"That's what they said about me when I came to L.A. and they were wrong."
Well, except for that whole missing 50 games thing for taking something he shouldn't.
Man. Did a piece of the sky just hit me?
Comments
So esentially the Phils traded Vicente (one of their most effective pitchers at the time, sadly) to the Rangers for . . . nothing. Gillick explained the move using the "addition by subtraction" argument. He's a wise man.
I guess he's an OK stopgap for the Dodgers, but I'd be shocked if he makes their Postseason roster.
I don't get it - The shame is there is some hidden talent there but the guy thinks he has more then he really does.
and off the field I fear things will end badly for Mr Padilla.
I do think that he will make it out of the minors for the Dodgers though. He can pitch well when he needs to as evidenced by his performance earlier this year after being placed on trade waivers. It's after he gets to the big show and gets comfortable that you have to look out.