Bleacher Report - Articles by James Landon

2009 Los Angeles Dodgers: Better or Worse?

James Landon — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:19:56 -0500

In 2008, the Dodgers won the N.L. West with an 84-78 record, finishing two games ahead of the Arizona D'Backs. Will the Dodgers do better or worse in 2009? Offseason moves so far have given me little confidence that the club will be any better.

On the positive side, free agents Furcal and Blake were re-signed, giving them solid players at SS and 3B. Martin (C), Ethier (RF), Kemp (CF), and Loney (1B) are back, meaning that their young starts will continue to improve. I like Broxton as the closer.

On the negative side, Ramirez remains unsigned and the Dodgers don't seem to be aggressively pursuing a deal. Juan Pierre is certainly not the answer in LF. I'm not sure that DeWitt can cut it at 2B. The starting rotation is questionable with the loss of Lowe and Penny. Billingsley, Kuroda and Kershaw don't give me a lot of confidence and who knows whether Jason Schmidt will finally be healthy.

The roster is weaker than last year as it stands now, and I don't think that the team has been aggressive enough in the offseason. I question the commitment on the part of ownership to win championships. They seem to be content with mediocrity.

Colletti says that you don't have to lock into a roster by spring, that players become available during the season. This is a weak argument and wishful thinking.

Remembering "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh

James Landon — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:25:25 -0500

The news that Sammy Baugh has passed away at age 94 brings back a flood of memories and thoughts. Baugh played with the Redskins from 1937 to 1952. As a young boy, I remember the end of his career.

He revolutionized the passing game in the NFL. He was one of the last triple-threat players; playing offense, defense and kicking. One season he led the league in passing, defensive interceptions and punting.

One of my favorite sports quotes came from Sammy Baugh. As a rookie coming up to the NFL from TCU, one day at practice his coach instructed him to hit his receiver in the eye when passing. Without missing a beat, Sammy responded back, "Which eye?"

Which Free Agents Should the L.A. Dodgers Try To Sign?

James Landon — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 04:30:29 -0400

The Los Angeles Dodgers will need to make decisions on at least 12 free agents this offseason, the most of any team in the major leagues. Which ones should they try to sign? Here are my preferences.

Try to Sign

Manny Ramirez (.396 BA)

Rafael Furcal (.351)

Casey Blake (.251)

Derek Lowe (14-11, 3.24)

Joe Beimel (5-1, 2.02 ERA)

Let 'em go

Jeff Kent (.280)

Nomar Garciaparra (.264)

Greg Maddux (2-4, 5.04)

Chan Ho Park (4-4, 3.40)

Brad Penny (6-9, 6.27)

Mark Sweeney (.130)

Pablo Ozuna (.219)

Reasons to Sign:
Ramirez- Dodgers would not have won the division without him. Pay him whatever it takes. Hopefully his attitude will remain positive.
Furcal- When not injured, he had great stats including .439 OBP, usually solid defense at critical position and was an offensive catalyst.
Lowe- He was the strongest starter we had. We also need him to anchor our rotation.
Blake- He is a savvy, solid veteran. He was one of the reasons who helped us win the division. DeWitt is not ready for prime time.
Beimel- Great lefty for a middle reliever, proven veteran.

Let 'em go:
Kent- He was a distruptive influence who shot his mouth off one too many times (even at Vin Scully). The Dodgers also played a lot better when he was not around.
Garciaparra- He is getting too old and has suffered too many injuries.
Maddux- He is just about at end of career. He would not contribute.
Penny- He has suffered too many injuries, has been inconsistend and has not dependable.
Sweeney- He is of little value and is an aging veteran at age 39.
Ozuna- marginal, did not contribute.
Park- I could go either way on him.

Top 10 Sports Movies of All Time

James Landon — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:38:29 -0400

I'm a film buff as well as a sports buff, so here goes. I bring you my top 10 sports movies of all time. Let the debates begin!

1. Hoosiers—Great acting by Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper. Very good period stuff, authentic action. These kids really played basketball. Uplifting. Great music track. Terrific ending.

2. Raging Bull—Two Oscars, great directing (Martin Scorsese) and acting (Robert De Niro).

3. Rudy—I'm a sucker for inspirational, uplifting stories (see Hoosiers).

4. Field of Dreams—One of Kevin Costner's best. Wonderful scenes with Burt Lancaster in his last movie as well as James Earl Jones. The heartfelt scene at the end playing catch.

5. The Natural—Again, good period stuff and Robert Redford really can throw and swing a bat (versus Gary Cooper or William Bendix). Wonderful, although somewhat corny ending.

6. Phar Lap—An Australian film that you may not have seen. Wonderful, inspirational true story of a racehorse. If you liked Sea Biscuit, you'll love this movie.

7. Major League—Best sports comedy. Terrific characters. Good acting job by Charlie Sheen ("Wild One"), Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen.

8. A League of Their Own—Great job directing by Penny Marshall. Good jobs by Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Jon Lovitz, and Madonna. Who can forget the line, "There's no crying in baseball"? Neat ending at the Baseball Hall of Fame reunion.

9. Bad News Bears—Wonderful, funny, down to earth. Great job by Walter Mathau as well as the kids.

10. Rocky—Three Oscars. Need I say more?