Mattingly talks about Kemp's sizzling start
May, 1, 2012
By ESPNLosAngeles.com
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly knows what a hitting hot streak feels like. He was a .307 lifetime hitter in his playing days, with 222 homers, multiple All-Star appearances and Gold Gloves, and a batting title and an MVP award to boot.
But even he is impressed by the start Matt Kemp is having.
“Matt’s just a completely different player than I was,” Mattingly said in an interview with Steve Mason and John Ireland on 710 ESPN Tuesday. “He does so many things defensively, he runs it down in center, he’s got a great arm, he can steal bags, he hits for average, hits for power. This guy, he’s just the total package.”
Kemp hit .417 with 12 homers and 25 RBIs in April, joining Barry Bonds, Larry Walker and Tony Perez as the only players in major league history to finish the month with a .400 average, at least 10 homers and 20 RBIs. The Dodgers lead the National League with a 16-7 record, and Mattingly gave the credit to his All-Star center fielder.
“He’s taken it to another level,” Mattingly said Tuesday, before the Dodgers played the Colorado Rockies in Denver. “He’s leading our ball club and a guy who wants to win in the worst way, and guys just follow along when you get a guy like that.”
Kemp also has 21 strikeouts, something Mattingly said actually plays into the slugger’s favor.
“I think one of the things that Matt has going for him -- obviously right now with Andre [Ethier] behind him swinging the bat well, that helps him a lot -- that’s the main thing -- but he strikes out just enough that they think they can get him out if they make pitches. That’s the key for me. … When they don’t get the ball when they want to, then they’ve got to pay. And that’s where Matty is. He strikes out just enough to get them to keep pitching to him.”
Speaking of pitching, Mattingly also offered insights into his decision to stick with Javy Guerra as closer, despite a few rocky outings. Listen to the full interview here.
Next moves for the Dodgers 
Buster Olney - May, 2, 2012
The Frank McCourt era in Dodgers' history is over, writes Bill Shaikin. There will be a press conference today, where the group led by Mark Walter, Stan Kasten and Magic Johnson will be introduced, as the new leaders of one of baseball's crown-jewel franchises.
There is a whole lot of work ahead for these guys, as they decide how to renovate Dodger Stadium, improve the fan experience and delve into other ways to monetize their investment.
That will include a conversation about how to make the team better on the field -- and keep in mind, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been pretty good so far, with more wins than any other National League team and a four-game lead in the NL West.
The Dodgers figure to be aggressive in the trade market before the July 31 deadline, maybe adding to their lineup or to their pitching staff. But the increased financial flexibility that general manager Ned Colletti will have going forward doesn't necessarily mean Los Angeles can make deals, because you need to match up well with another team, and you have to have the tradable assets to complete a move.
They almost certainly will grow their payroll going into next season; it's only at $90 million for this 2012 season, slashed by about 25 to percent in recent years, and can easily increase into the range for the superpower franchises. This is good news for players who might test the market in the fall, such as Cole Hamels, Miguel Montero, Mike Napoli and Josh Hamilton.
The first real change that you probably will see in how the Dodgers run their baseball operations, according to industry sources, is in their participation in the market for Latin American players.
For years, the Dodgers were MLB leaders in this, reaching agreements with players like Roberto Clemente, and signing and developing players in the Dominican Republic, from Pedro Guerrero to the Martinez brothers, Ramon and Pedro. But during McCourt's time as owner, the Dodgers basically stopped participating in Latin America. Under the new rules negotiated by MLB and the union, teams are limited to spending $2.9 million annually in this market -- and that's probably more than the Dodgers spent during McCourt's tenure.
Kasten, if you remember, was part of an Atlanta Braves organization that became a model for player development, so you can bet that he would love to restore the Dodgers to their prior standing of preeminence in this area.
Changes are coming, and maybe the first people who will feel the ripples of that will be in Venezuela, or the Dominican, or Mexico, or Colombia.
Meanwhile: The Dodgers won again, hanging on in the end.
The call for McCourt closure has finally been answered, writes Tom Hoffarth.
Matt Kemp outhomers Padres, Cubs in April
May, 1, 2012
Power Surge: (Player with highest combined HR distance)
2011 Winner: Jose Bautista
March/April Winner: Matt Kemp
Kemp is off to a torrid start, with 12 home runs that have traveled a true distance of 4,802 feet. That’s a longer true distances than the Padres, who have hit 11 home runs, and the Cubs, who have hit the fewest HR (9) entering May. Kemp's 12 home runs are two shy of the record set by Albert Pujols in 2006 and Alex Rodriguez in 2007 for the most home runs by April 30.
DODGERS.COM
Dodgers hold on to secure win for Lilly Gordon hits first big league homer during four-run first
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com | 5/2/2012 1:57 AM ET
DENVER -- So this is what owning a $2 billion baseball team is like.
Purchasing the Dodgers and taking the keys to Dodger Stadium on Tuesday morning, Guggenheim Baseball Management saw its first-place team mash three homers (none by Matt Kemp), nearly blow a seven-run lead, have starting pitcher Ted Lilly (side strain) and third baseman Juan Uribe (left wrist) injured, but escape Coors Field with a 7-6 win over the Rockies.
"That's what they get," a smiling manager Don Mattingly said of his new bosses. "The excitement of it." Nonetheless, Mattingly said the entire night was fun for him, right down to watching embattled closer Javy Guerra strike out slugger Carlos Gonzalez to end the game with the tying run on third base as the Dodgers, at 17-7, matched their best start since 1983.
"It seems like no lead is really safe here," Mattingly said. "And [the Rockies] seem to do it all the time when you watch the highlights."
Dee Gordon had the first Dodgers highlight, not only hitting his first Major League home run leading off the game, but even calling it before the game to teammate Mark Ellis, who had four hits. The other Ellis in the lineup, catcher A.J., continued his impressive start with a two-run homer and an RBI double, raising his average to .305. And Andre Ethier walloped a three-run homer, his sixth of the season, to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead before a batter was retired.
Mattingly downplayed Lilly's injury, while the pitcher conceded it isn't getting better and offered no assurance that he wouldn't need to miss a start.
"Hope not," said Lilly, off to a 3-0 start and 9-2 lifetime against Colorado.
Mattingly didn't downplay Uribe's wrist injury, an aggravation of a sprain that sidelined him for four games last month. Mattingly said Uribe reinjured it during batting practice Tuesday, which left the bench short on right-handed hitters late in the game.
Lilly said the right oblique strain that bothered him his previous start caused him to shut down Sunday's bullpen session early and forced him from Tuesday's game after six innings and only 79 pitches, few of them fastballs.
"I was throwing the kitchen sink at them," Lilly said. "I was thinking about [the side] early, and in the fifth it kept getting a little worse. I've had this in the past, but minor. I thought it was getting better. I only feel it when I throw. I started the game and felt good, but it crept up on me."
Lilly left with a five-run lead, but that meant Mattingly got into the bullpen early, and the lead was trimmed to 7-5 after Josh Lindblom allowed three runs in the seventh -- two more than he allowed in April; then 7-6 after Kenley Jansen allowed a run in the eighth.
So it came down to Guerra, who was saved with a fine defensive play from Mark Ellis on Marco Scutaro's grounder just before Gonzalez (who had homered off Lilly) fanned. Mattingly said he could see conviction in Guerra's pitch selection and execution, which was the topic of a meeting they had Sunday.
"Absolutely, the last couple days I was thinking about it," Guerra said. "I understand what he meant. It's a mindset."
Gordon got the game off to a stunning start with his first Major League home run (only eighth professionally), and even in Coors Field it was a no-doubter that hit the second-deck façade in right field.
"He was talking all day that he'd hit a home run," said Mark Ellis. "He called it."
"I don't know what to say," said Gordon. "I kind of hinted to Mark, but I can swing the bat. I know me, I know what kind of power I have. I've lived with me for 24 years."
Even with the home run, Gordon said the "highlight of the night for me" was a fifth-inning walk that drove Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin from the game.
"I've been trying to work every count," said Gordon, who has only six walks to 20 strikeouts.
After allowing Gordon's home run leading off the game, Chacin allowed singles by Mark Ellis and Kemp, then a three-run blast to center by Ethier before an out was recorded.
"Our starting pitching tonight was awful," said Colorado manager Jim Tracy.
The part of the lineup that doesn't include Kemp and Ethier contributed in the third inning, as requested by manager Don Mattingly. Tony Gwynn singled, stole second, took third on a bungled pick-off throw and was doubled home by A.J. Ellis.
Eric Young's diving catch of Gordon's drive to left-center robbed the Dodgers of another run to end the inning. But after Gwynn's double leading off the fifth, A.J. Ellis homered to left.
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