Using this tool:

http://www.baseballmusings.com/cgi-bin/LineupAnalysis.py

Using the 1959-2004 model I came up with this:

Martin

Loney

Kemp

Young

Ethier

LaRoche

DeWitt

Kent

Pitcher

As the best possible lineup using their obp/slg coming into today. This is of course a flawed way of doing it since Young, Laroche, and DeWitt all have such small sample sizes.

I wonder if Torre would do something as crazy and non traditional as this lineup. Martin has the best OBP on the team which makes him the best candidate to hit leadoff...

Obviously there is no way Torre would ever bat Kent 8th.

A number of current MLB controversies have made it clear that the game is moving forward into a new era. One fan tries to find the best balance between past and present.

From http://www.splicetoday.com/sports/the-nl-needs-the-dh

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HOT

James Loney 7/14 2 2B 1HR 4R 3RBI 3BB 0 SO .500/.588/.714 1.302 OPS

Andre Ethier 6/16 2 2B 1R 2RBI 1BB 2SO .375/.412/.500 .912 OPS

Matt Kemp 5/17 2 2B 1HR 3R 3RBI 0BB 1SO 1SB .294/.294/.588 .882 OPS

Kent 5/13 2 2B 1RBI 2K 0BB 1HBP .384/.429/.538  .967 OPS

Beimel 2.2 IP 3H 1BB 2SO ~2.83FIP

Saito 2IP 2H 0BB 3SO ~.2FIP

Kuo 2.2IP 4H 4SO ~0.20FIP

Billingsley 6.1IP 5H 3BB 9SO ~1.77FIP

Stults 6IP 6H 1BB 5SO ~2.03FIP

Tepid

Juan Pierre 6/18 1 2B 1 3B 1R 4RBI 2SO 0BB 0SB .333/.333/.500 .833 OPS

Russel Martin 3/14 2 2B 1HR 2R 4RBI 3BB 2SO .214/.353/.571 .924 OPS

Broxton 3.1 IP 2H 3BB 2SO ~3.80FIP (1 walk was IBB)

Kershaw 4IP 2H 2BB 2SO ~3.7FIP

COLD

Angel Berroa 3/13 0XBH 3R 0RBI 3BB 0SO .231/.375/.231 .606 OPS

Blake DeWitt 4/16 1 2B 1SO 1SB 1HBP .250/.313/.250 .563 OPS

Luis Maza 1/3 1SO .333/.333/.333

Mark Sweeney 0/3 2SO

Wade 1IP 1BB ~6.2FIP

Lowe 5.1 IP 3H 1HR 2BB 6SO ~6.39 FIP

Proctor 0.1IP 1H 1BB 1SO ~6.2 FIP

Park 1.1 IP 8H 2HR 1BB 2SO ~21.95FIP

On the whole the team is hitting pretty well this week, small sample size of 4 games obviously but 6 regulars slugging .500 or better isn't too bad. The Dodgers continue to get NOTHING offensively out of the SS position.

Starting pitching has been pretty good aside from Lowe, whose line only really looks bad because of the HR he's given up. Chan Ho Park's disastrous outing is the only really bad relief performance so far this week.

Just a caveat I did all the numbers by hand so there are bound to be errors. Feel free to correct me.

I'm so glad to see Andy LaRoche back. From what most scouts say, he is the best shot we have at watching the ball leave the yard with any sort of regularity. Sure enough, he plants one in the seats last night.

Now the question of the hour is, where do you play him?

You can't very well put him at first base - not with James Loney manning it.

You can't possibly put him at third base - not with the rookie of the month and defensive stalwart Blake DeWitt manning the hot corner.

What about shortstop? I don't think he has any experience there.

Second base - This is my suggestion. Kent is 40 years old. I don't see him playing much after this year. LaRoche has already taken some plays at second in the minors.

This would be a good infield

1B - James Loney

2B - Andy LaRoche

SS - Rafael Furcal(If he ever comes back from the mysterious injury)

3B- Blake DeWitt

This could be the Dodger infield for many years to come...many World Series titles. Go Dodgers

I have to keep chanting this to myself as I watch a Dodgers game on the tube. My only saving grace is the smooth, velvety voice of none other than Vin Scully.

The future is bright when I see players such as Kemp, Loney, Martin, Ethier, DeWitt, Kershaw, Broxton...and possibly LaRoche. What does bother me is the present and the makeup of the team. I have played this lovely game and been a fan my entire life, and I realize there is one thing missing....POWER!

You cannot consistently win games without the chance of a 3run homer. Don' t get me wrong; I'm not suggesting we take on the philosophy of Earl Weaver who sat back and waited on the 3run jack. But you cannot single and double teams to death and thing you are going to win. Not in the majors. Every hitter I mentioned above is a carbon copy of the other. They are all line drive hitters. To quote that creepy old woman back-in-the-day....."WHERE'S THE BEEF?"

If you are going to attempt to build a team that mimics the team to the south(Angels), well at least you need better pitching...and some speed(besides Pierre and Kemp).

With no threat of a homerun, opposing pitchers are not afraid of the Dodgers. So I hate to say it, but I don't think us Dodger's fans will be happy at the end of this year. But cheer up, the future is bright...the farm system has some talent and the Dodgers will spend money...granted history doesn't bode well for that statement either.

Just a word of warning on the intro paragraph - this might get a little graphic heavy, so apologize in advance to those with a slower connection.

I came by about a month ago to ask the locals about Dodger Stadium, and Los Angeles, and after a little coaxing, and an inadvertent rub (which I apologize for), you guys gave me some great ideas on what to do in your fair city.  So for all of your help, I humbly thank you all for your great suggestions.

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Clayton Kershaw, a 20-year old phenom in the Dodgers organization, is one of the top pitching prospects in the nation. Today (5/25), Kershaw made his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals. Millions of Dodgers fans watched to see the kid touted as the next Sandy Koufax and hoped that the young lefty would live up to the hype.

He didn’t disappoint. Kershaw gave six solid innings of work, striking out seven, walking one, and scattering five hits, giving up just two runs in the process. Unfortunately due to some defensive misplays (Dewitt’s throw home, Loney’s juggling of a pop fly), Kershaw got stuck with an extra run he perhaps didn’t deserve. The Dodgers maligned offense couldn’t give him three runs, so he left the game tied, unable to get a win. However, by any measure, Kershaw’s debut was a success. He showed off excellent command of his 94 mph fastball - dialing it up to 96 on plenty of occasions - and maintained his velocity even as he eclipsed 100 pitches in his start. His 72-76 mph curveball was devastating, as he was liable to throw it in any count to any hitter, burying it in the dirt for swinging strikeouts and simply looping it over the plate for a get-me-over strike.

I saw an outstanding young pitcher with a ton of promise today. Let’s take a look at what Clayton Kershaw has done in the past and let’s look to the future as we analyze his mechanics…

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Right now, SoCal Sports Hub is looking for a dedicated Dodgers fan, who would love to write about their Doyers. We have already added Shane Norton of Dodgers Junkie to our lineup of great SoCal writers, but we could also use another writer as well. If you're interested e-mail me at joey@socalsportshub.com. Or just leave a comment.

On a side note, does anybody else think that this Clayton prospect is a little overrated.

Hi, I am an VERY WARPED animator/filmmaker who is an absolute baseball nut! I hope you like my videos! Here is the teaser:

Do you want to see a 108 MPH fastball? Do you want to see the most wicked heat in the history of baseball? Go to Mexico and bring a radar gun! A short movie by Merrill Kazanjian

and here are the links to my videos:

The Next Fernando Valenzuela (Part 1)

The Next Fernando Valenzuela (Part 2)

via fc04.deviantart.com