Bleacher Report - Articles by Kyle Hugues

The Needs, The Wants, And The Magic

Kyle Hugues — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:58:49 -0500

Question number one, what do the Dodgers have? Question two, what do they need? The questions are very simple to answer. The Dodgers have a flurry of young stars, Manny Ramirez, Gold Glovers, but no ace.

In order to play in the Fall Classic, it takes more than just one pitcher you are constantly counting on to deliver. You need that ace, that veteran, that mentor, the one who throw's a cutter that could cut you seven inches deep.

If the Dodgers hope to make it farther than the NLCS next year, they better not lose out on the best pitcher in the game today.

Roy Halladay won 17 games last season playing for the Jays. He also pitched 239 innings, completing 9 of the 32 games he started, while punching out over two hundred batters.

Derek Jeter describes him as being the best pitcher in the business. Six All-Star appearances and a Cy Young award should say it alone.

And now he is available, which means it's time for the Dodgers Management to stand tough and give what is needed to obtain the prize.

The Jays have been open about Halladay being available, and also about how much he's going to be. If ever a trade was possible it unquestionably cost at least one of the Dodgers budding regulars.

Russell Martin, Chad Billingsley, and James Loney are most likely the prime candidates. And that's just the start of what would be a multi-player deal.

Martin is a worker and had a bad season, not much different than the dreaded "sophomore slump", where players tend to fall in love with smashing the ball over the wall.

But I believe Martin to still not have reached his full potential, which if achieved would mean a trip to Anaheim this summer. So keep Martin.

Chad Billingsley showed what he can be made of in the beginning of the season, then spiralled downhill, eventually leading to not starting a single playoff game.

However Chad is getting better with his control, and impressively struck out 179 batters in 196 innings. It's no secret that he is young enough to overcome a petty second half slump, and has the makings of a top of the rotation starter.

Still, the Dodgers swept through to the NLCS without Billingsley, which is evidence of him not yet being a vital need. Trade him in a package for Halladay.

Finally we come to James Loney. Great talent, future Gold Glover, and he is going to be around for a while.

Though he has not yet hit his prime, Loney has the potential to hit possibly over 25 Home Runs if the ballpark is friendly, and probably would be in a good position for "personal finances" when arbitrary time comes.

But, if the Dodgers can somehow make a move to replace 1B, it should be done. Add Loney to the list for Halladay along with Chad, and a prospect or two, and you should have a deal.

If you’re wondering who could possibly replace Loney, look no further than San Diego. Where if negotiations with the team fail, Adrian Gonzalez awaits to be traded.

If the Dodgers manage to swing a deal for Halladay, it would be obvious who the core contender of the NL West would be, overmatching the Padres. This would make it possibly less expensive for the Dodgers, but probably still a steep price, all for being they are in the same division.

I'm thinking three to four top prospects, and a regular from the bullpen. Possibly Ethan Martin, Lucas May, Brent Leach, James McDonald, and what do you say for Juan Pierre as options.

Payroll for the team has been cut by about forty million after departures. A smart move would be to purchase Mark DeRosa, and have him be our second baseman, while spotting Blake at times. Then start spending.

Erik Bedard from the Mariners would be an incredible steal. He has ace type stuff, and would be an upgrade from Randy Wolf. Not a bad rotation if all goes well: Halladay, Kershaw, Bedard, and legitimate "X-Factor" Charlie Haeger. That still leaves one spot open in the rotation.

Who better to make a chance on than Pedro Martinez? If the man hasn't earned respect by now it would be due to ignorance. Especially after his performance against the blue crew with the Phillies.

Imagine that, Pedro back where he began, giving the team that extra formula that the team needs to concoct a championship: Magic.

The New Dynasty 2009-

Kyle Hugues — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:21:11 -0400

It has been nearly a decade since the end of the last great time period of baseball. It was in the form of a Dynasty.

The title belonged to the New York Yankees, a mixture of veteran leadership and young talent, lead by Joe Torre. Now, while numbers can't be ignored, the magic of baseball shoudn't be forgotten.

Statistics tell you everything you would want to know about a certain player's skill on the field. But it can't explain how one error haunted a man for 23 years, or how perfect of a scenario it was while we watched a ball simply fall just beyond the infield to win a game played in October. It is moments like these that we are prone to remember, and every once in a while a story emerges that seems like it could have been written in a book that you read as a kid.

Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games, due to testing positive for banned substances. Ramirez has gone from hero, champion, and future Hall of Famer to, well, another statistic. The steroid era has put an everlasting image on the game and the records set or broken in the time frame.

People are now wondering if it will ever regain the same sense of pride, passion, and magic that made this game so great. While statistics would say my prediction is a long shot, I choose to believe it may be possible.

Even though the loss of Ramirez weighs hard on the Dodgers, it hasn't stopped them from performing on the field. They stand at the top of both the National, and American Leagues with a record of 24-12. The season is long, and there will definitely be a significant part of Ramirez' suspension that the club will miss his bat dearly. After all, that bat made him stick around in Boston a couple years past his welcome with upper management.

There is no one in baseball that would deny that Manny is one of the great characters in the class that people group as "superstars." It can be argued that there were as many people that rooted against Ramirez, than for him. Now that Ramirez is placed in with the names of Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and more stars that are linked to performing enhancing drugs, it is without a doubt that a good number of those fans have now joined the minority of non-Ramirez supporters.

Many would say Ramirez will not come close to the numbers he reached when being traded to the Dodgers last summer, even if he had the preparation of the 50 games he was suspended for. So while the odds are against him for attaining those kinds of numbers when he returns, people should remember that he debuted in the big leagues at the age of 21, what are the odds of that?

It is no secret Ramirez played for the name on the back of his jersey rather than the front of it. When asked during spring training what his goals were he said he had no goals, and the ones he mentioned later had little or nothing to do with baseball. Nothing out of the ordinary, just another great player whose accolades have already been discounted, due to coming up positive is what Ramirez has become.

But this is were the game of baseball reminds people that the game is indeed bigger than any player, group of players, or players in general. Think about it, even when players took strike, and there was no World Series, baseball was still a great game.

Ramirez will be watched and criticized the second he arrives at the stadium the day he resumes play. But part of the impact will begin before he returns on the field. Do not be surprised if you see or hear of him frequently in the clubhouse, tutoring, guiding, and showing something that is something more than just "Manny being Manny." The fun will really begin on the day that Ramirez steps back in the batters box.

Ramirez will not only match his numbers from the second half of last year, but possibly surpass them. In doing so the Dodgers lead by who else? Joe Torre, will march into the postseason bringing a roster that has young studs, mixed with seasoned leadership, with a chip on their shoulders not unlike that of the old Boys of Summer.

While I can't, nor want to predict who the opponent of the Los Angeles Dodgers will be in the Fall Classic, it should make to be one of the great stories of the year. The Dodgers fate in the seven game series will determine how long the story will be remembered.

If it goes like Dodgers fans hope, it will not only capture the imaginations of the young and old, but possibly make Ramirez the face of not only the organization, but the "begging of the end" of the steroid era.

People are waiting for the game's next big moment, the next great romantic story, the return of the magic that makes baseball special. And who better to give it to them, than the team that was less than a team, and more like a family. The team that honors the same players that donned the Dodgers unifrom nearly 60 years ago. The team that found a story book ending against the great foe of the time, the Yankees, the "good guys", the Boys of Summer.

It could not only be marked as an end of an era, but the beginning of a new one. The era that has the potential to become the present days Dynasty—the Dynasty of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Los Angeles Dodgers Present: Westside Story

Kyle Hugues — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:34:37 -0400

On May 4, 2008, the Los Angeles Dodgers were defeated by the Colorado Rockies 7-2. By games end the Dodgers record was a mediocre 17-14, it had the all the makings to result in yet another disappointing Dodgers season.

The big money free agent Andruw Jones wasn't hitting, and the one bright spot in the entire first half of the season would soon be unable to play another inning until the end of the Dodgers run to capture the NL West title.

Joe Torre was hired as manager to act the role of sage, lead the team, and help develop the new crop of talent produced by the farm. And despite getting off to another slow start, you seldom heard of any major problems in the clubhouse other than mounting injuries.

The season is rigorous and favors nobody, as the Dodgers got to see first hand very early on. With the losses of the teams hottest hitter and lead-off man Rafael Furcal, Brad Penny the projected staff ace, cleanup hitter Jeff Kent, and all-star closer Takashi Saito, the Dodgers had every reason to fall apart.

But under the calm demeanor of their manager, the Dodgers hung tough long enough to stay in the race to obtain their savant and new face of the franchise, Manny Ramirez, capture the Western Division, and awake the competitive swagger and spirits of all that bled blue.

The thought of the 2008 off-season was something that Dodgers faithful were unnerved by. With the possible losses of Ramirez, Furcal, staff ace Derek Lowe, the first real solution at third base since the departure of Adrian Beltre in Casey Blake, and many more key pieces to the Dodgers success, there was every reason to believe that the team would only be able to retain a few of the quality players that were possessed the year previous.

When Ramirez finally came to terms with the Dodgers, the team had successfully solidified a starting lineup that was capable of being incredibly potent.

May 4, 2009, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-2, with a true reversal of fortion. The Dodgers record is now 19-8, which receives the top spot in Major League Baseball with the best record.

General Manager Ned Colletti brought the electric gold glover Orlando Hudson, who coincidently was a leader with the Diamondbacks a year previous, on board. So far Hudson has played an intricate role in the success of the team, batting .336 with an on base percentage of .416, setting the table for the games most charismatic character, Manny Ramirez.

While the Dodgers have their peaks they also have their lows. Casey Blake sits at the bottom of the Dodgers hitters when compared by average, but with five home runs, 15 RBI, and a steady glove at third there, is little to be concerned about.

As for the youth movement, upper management preached patience and never doubted the future stars the organization had carefully developed. The future is now. They have arrived. Andre Ethier leads the team (which includes No. 99) in RBI and HRs. Matt Kemp has transformed from a potential star with a nonchalant attitude, to a spectacular outfielder, motivated to tap into the talent that can make him a franchise player.

The pitching, a.k.a. the weakness of the club, showcases Chad Billingsley, who leads the National League in wins at 5-0, and also boasts a 2.21 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 40.2 innings. Jonothan Broxton has inherited the closers role and has not only embraced the responsibility, but succeeds with head-scratching success. When you throw 100 mph and punch out 23 while walking four, you're in good shape.

The 2009 Dodgers team, to many, represents hope, which has been an elusive feeling after many faulty free agent signings, injuries, and trades over recent years. It is impossible to miss the togetherness, trust, and the skill of this Dodgers team.

Every man chips in, gets his days to play, and his days to rest. Chemistry is hyped up in sports, and many times is surprisingly discounted. But it is amazing how chemistry and talent coincide to make a team get off to the greatest start at home in it's entire existence at 11-0.

With a record of 19-8, the Dodgers are finally getting the result they were looking for when they began the process of grooming young prospects into productive Major League players. So while much focus goes to pinstripes and red birds, don't forget to think blue.

Dodgers' Chances of Going into Playoffs Are Making for a Blue October

Kyle Hugues — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:57:42 -0400

For the first time in a long time the Dodgers are not satisfied with just getting here. It's been a long time since a Dodger fan could say he actually believed the Dodgers have a chance to win the World Series. But before they can achieve that goal the Dodgers must overcome their first test, the Chicago Cubs.

The "Friendly Confines" haven't been very friendly to the Dodgers this season. But look at it this way, these aren't the same Dodgers.

When the two teams met during the regular season at Wrigley Field, the Dodgers could not scrape a victory. This was due in large part to their depleted offense.

But, reinforcements have arrived just in time to help turn the tide. With the versatile Rafael Furcal starting game one, the matured Blake Dewitt at second, a solid veteran in Casey Blake anchoring third, and the RBI machine Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers have added the key pieces they will need to win this series.

Let's not forget how dominant the pitching for the Dodgers has been. Game one starter Derek Lowe has a 0.94 ERA in his last nine starts, while Chad Billingsley has become one of the most underrated pitchers in the game as well as a strikeout artist.

While the Cubs may be the favorite to win, the Dodgers are a formidable force that should not be overlooked. And you can bet that Joe Torre will prepare his team to play at the best of their abilities. Don't be surprised if the Cubs collapse again, and the Dodgers advance.

Clayton Kershaw: Star of the Not-So Distant Future

Kyle Hugues — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:35:33 -0400

Clayton Kershaw is a name to remember. At the age of 20, Kershaw is already making headlines, and he's not even in the big leagues yet.

With a mid-nineties fastball and devastating curve, it should not be long for him to get the call. But of course, with most young pitchers, the concern is getting the ball over the plate for strikes.

This spring Kershaw proved that he could do just that. The Dodgers have a hole in thier starting rotation, as the fifth starting spot cannot seem to win games, no matter who they put out there. The only thing holding Torre back from calling up the southpaw seems to be the fact that Kershaw has not thrown enough innings in his short tennure in the minors, and may be overworked and tired by the seasons end.

I strongly believe that with Kershaw in the rotation, the Dodgers will have the edge in the National League West, and will be able to contend with the powerful Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. I understand overworking the kid, but if the Dodgers are serious about winning, they should be serious about calling him up.