Things have changed in the last two weeks with the Dodgers. All season long watching this Dodger team has been painful. Game after game there was a pretty good chance to witness a good pitching performance, but the offense was awful. more ›

As the dust has started to settle on the Andre Ethier Fallout II, the organization has been very tight-lipped. I tried to talk with head trainer Stan Conte to get the specifics of Ethier’s knee injury. Usually very forthcoming about players’ injuries, Conte told me, “I don’t know if I can say much about Ethier.” more ›

With this afternoon’s 7-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies in front of an announced 38,503, the Los Angeles Dodgers saw a five game winning streak come to an end as, unlike yesterday, this afternoon’s efforts to come from behind fell short. more ›

Since Don Mattingly tinkered with the batting order on Monday in St. Louis, the Dodgers have averaged 7 ½ runs in those four games. Mattingly said the focus of the changes was Matt Kemp. “It was really more with Matt getting him an extra at-bat,” Mattingly said. “We talked about it. Matt’s a three-hole guy: he hits for power, he hits for average.” more ›

Hip-hop and modern rock were noticably absent from the Dodger Stadium public address system this afternoon. Music from the 1940’s could be heard; it matched the Dodgers' powder blue Brooklyn uniforms from that era. However, with an emotional 9-8 loss to the Phillies, the Dodgers’ contemporary struggles were very much on display. more ›

While flipping through the channels this morning, I landed on Turner Classic Movies which was airing the 1951 Angels in the Outfield starring Janet Leigh. Like the 1994 Disney remake of the schmaltz-fest, it features a joke of a baseball team who gets the help of angels to win the pennant. Unlike the 1994 remake, the schmaltz is tolerable because Janet Leigh was involved. Oh and instead of the California Angels, the team represented was the Pittsburgh Pirates. more ›

Say what you will about the Dodgers lineup and how bleak it may seem. As people start filing into Dodger Stadium for Game No. 1 there is always a newfound sense of hope and renewal. “I’m definitely excited,” manager Don Mattingly said hours before managing his first Major League game that counts. “I’m a little better than I thought I would honestly. I thought I’d be a little bit more edgy.” more ›

Dodger manager Don Mattingly enters his first year at the helm of a baseball team much less a Major League team. After managing in the Arizona Fall League and one spring training almost under his belt, there is still one thing Mattingly can’t get used to. more ›

Perhaps being in the midst of losing six of their last seven games was not the time to bring in the Dodgers mojo, but on it went with manager Don Mattingly dropping the ceremonial puck to start the game. So it really came as no surprise to see the Kings lose to the St. Louis Blues 3-1. But the Kings continued to show no sense of urgency with the looming February roadtrip as they were outplayed by the Blues who were trying to break their own five-game losing streak. But don't tell that to the team. more ›

The Dodgers announced the coaching staff for the upcoming 2011 season in support of first-year manager Don Mattingly. Returning will be pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, a holdover from the Grady Little days entering his sixth season, bullpen coach Ken Howell entering his fourth season, hitting coach Jeff Pentland entering his fourth season being promoted from hitting instructor and bullpen catchers Rob Flippo and Mike Borzello entering their 10th and fourth seasons respectively. more ›

For the second straight year it was raining at Dodger Stadium the day after their season ended. I pointed this out to Dodger Talk co-host Josh Suchon on Monday as we were walking from the parking lot and he gave an over-the-top reply: “It’s God crying that there’s no more baseball here in LA this year.” more ›

In a press conference in the Stadium Club, Joe Torre handed the baton to Donnie Baseball as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers after the season is over. Don Mattingly becomes the ninth manager in Los Angeles Dodgers history and the 27th in franchise history. more ›

The Dodgers have announced that current hitting coach Don Mattingly will be the next Dodger manager replacing Joe Torre after this season. more ›

After the hijinks that occurred in the first two games, a palette-cleansing pitchers’ duel between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants was what the doctor ordered to release the toxins brewing amongst the Dodger faithful for the last week. It also helped that Dodgers’ starter Chad Billingsley (W, 7-5) tossed a 125-pitch complete game shutout in the Dodgers 2-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants breaking the Dodgers six-game losing streak. more ›

These are quiet days at Dodger Stadium. Bob Watson, Vice President of On-Field Operations for Major League Baseball, fined and suspended Clayton Kershaw for five games and manager Joe Torre for one game for Kershaw’s beaning of Aaron Rowand to lead off the seventh inning in last night’s 7-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants. more ›

Dodgers manager and former Yankees manager (1996-2007) Joe Torre: I will always remember George Steinbrenner as a passionate man, a tough boss, a true visionary, a great humanitarian and a dear friend. I will be forever grateful that he trusted me with his Yankees for 12 years. My heart goes out to his entire family. He will be deeply missed in New York, Tampa and throughout the world of baseball. It’s only fitting that he went out as a world champ. more ›

LA has a diverse cast of characters. Whether it's the characters with stirring stories or interesting occupations or the people who are just simply characters, this town has them all. In an effort to get to know some of those characters a little better, we've created "Seven Questions with..." If you have a suggestion for a future Seven Questions subject send us an email. more ›

• An investigation by the Daily News found that, as the DWP has increased rates they continue to issue cars to more than 100 employees who are free to take them home. Proponents of the program say the cost of the vehicles is offset by the tax breaks the department receives from the hybrids they drive. Other people say, You're shitting me, right? Stop wasting my money.
• The LA Times had their own investigation party too. The paper found that about 33,000 state inmates served longer than they should have because they were not given all the time off they earned for good behavior and for working in prison. Hey, those license plates don't make themselves.
• In a scene straight out of "Ferris Beuler's Day Off," a valet crashed a Corvette during a joy ride Friday night in Van Nuys. Uh, what country do you think this is?
• A dead body was found on the 10 freeway this morning. Authorities say the body was already dead when they arrived and there is no truth to the rumor that it was Hillary Clinton's campaign.
• Pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training last week and position players are due to arrive at camp soon. Let the season of sports writing begin. Tony Jackson shows you why you shouldn't mind the fact that the Dodgers don't have Don Mattingly as their hitting coach and Bill Plaschke writes lovingly of Matt Kemp: "He gets a plate full of catfish nuggets. I get a side dish of insight." How many days of this crap will we be forced to endure?
• Tomorrow is Presidents' Day. How will you celebrate? It won't be at these places, which will be closed tomorrow.
• Also closing tomorrow is the Kanye contest on LAist. Enter to win tix to what could be the second best show of the year (Radiohead is reportedly coming to L.A. in August).

Clippers 103, Knicks 94 - Los Angeles won on the road for the first time in nine games, beating up on one of the only NBA teams that may be worse than the Clips. Two key players, Correy Maggette (19 points) and Chris Kaman (15 points), returned for the first time in several games. Coach Mike Dunleavy, however, was sick and stayed in the team hotel. He did have enough energy to issue an apology for bashing the Knicks in a statement earlier in the week. more ›

So what has been going on in Dodger land since I last posted? Well a big hearty congrats go to Russell Martin for winning the Silver Slugger Award for National League catchers. Voted by coaches and managers, Martin led the NL catchers in hits, homers, runs, stolen bases, batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Only Mike Piazza (from 1993-1998) was the other Dodger catcher to win the award since its inception in 1980.... more ›

It's official. Joe Torre was formally announced as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers today in a press conference held in center field at Chavez Ravine. more ›

It took a couple of days, but it's official: Joe Torre is the new Dodger manager. The Dodgers and Torre have agreed to a three-year, $12 million contract. Torre was also negotiating to bring in bench coach Don Mattingly and third-base coach Larry Bowa which lengthened the negotiation time. Other coaches rumored to brought over are Jose Cardenal and Lee Mazzilli. The Dodgers were granted an exemption by commissioner Bud Selig from interviewing minority... more ›

According to Peter Abraham of The Journal News, Grady Little will be fired as the Dodger manager in favor of former Yankee manager Joe Torre. Don Mattingly is expected to follow Torre here to Los Angeles as bench coach. All of this can happen as soon as tomorrow. Let me just make it clear that this is still unconfirmed. Torre, 67, rejected a one-year $5 million contract from the Yankees last Monday. As most... more ›